Elizabeth and Will sat in chairs under a shade tree near the creek. Their grandchildren shrieked and laughed as they splashed each other. Elizabeth held Will's continuously vibrating hand. He had grown a gray beard, because no one could shave his shaking head well enough. Her hair had grown long, but had turned white.

He drew uneven circles with his thumb on her hand. He was just glad his heart hadn't given him any problems since that day. Though this slow degrade was humiliating. But he had his life with Elizabeth and he couldn't complain. He brought her hand up and kissed it. She smiled over at him and kissed his hand in return.

She had let go of mischief when Mateo started walking. She became too busy trying to outmaneuver him. When Luca and Jolene came Elizabeth was just trying to make sure her children survived the day. Aria was like a little bossy mother to her younger siblings.

The children playing in the stream were Aria's and Mateo's. Luca had been called to a quest and he was north among the yellow hair Danes. When Luca came to his parents talking about God in a dream, they nearly threw him out the door. He had no time to waste!

Georgiana had gone with him. His sister never did get married. She became something like a witch. Forever brewing potions and ales. Currently she had Will drinking a foul green liquid, which helped his joint pain, but not his tremors.

Elizabeth occasionally went to see Luca, but shifting was hard on them now. About six months after the curse was broken they had been riding atop the cliffs. The wind was pleasant and the sun was bright. She stood at the edge of the cliff, enjoying the breeze, when she vanished.

The shout that ripped from Will's soul shook the hawk. It floundered on the ground before Elizabeth reappeared, crying and covered in dirt. He grabbed her and squeezed her into him.

But she had missed flying and wanted to be the hawk for a moment. She didn't think it would actually happen. But that's when they discovered they could change at will.

She would change much more often than Will because he could do everything the wolf could, and he was still nervous of it. She loved to fly and would go for flights almost daily when they were younger.

Now she would go visit Luca whenever her bones could handle the shift. Which was not frequently.

Will looked at his shaking hand. He knew his time was near. Fitzwilliam had gone five years ago. It was the way of life. But he didn't want to leave Elizabeth just yet. Fifty two years was not enough time, yet his body was breaking.

He looked over at his wife, who watched the grandchildren with a practiced eye. He squeezed her hand, which brought her amber eyes to his. She smiled at him. Those eyes had never changed though everything around them had. Even as a bird they were the same amber.

He would keep her. Heaven would have to make an exception because his relationship to Elizabeth would extend past death. He would simply find a chair and wait for her to cross over. He loved her too much to let something like death keep them apart.

Oxoxoxoxoxox

Will was watching her from the chair in the corner. His smile made his eyes glow affectionately. He had stopped shaking a month ago and could stand and walk just as strong as he had. His hair was black and the gray beard was gone. She felt decrepit next to him.

Her cane leaned against her bed. She was too tired to get up today. And with such a charming sight how could she leave?

"Are you ready to speak now?" She asked her husband with a mischievous smile. He shook as though he laughed, but shook his head. She pursed her lip. But she was used to his silences.

"You used to be more talkative," she told Will.

"Who are you talking to?" Jolene asked her. Elizabeth jumped a little at the voice, seeing Will laugh silently from the corner of her eye. Her youngest daughter sat next to her bed, looking rather confused.

"Your father, of course," Elizabeth smiled, "who else would I be talking to?" Jolene tilted her head in concern, her glacier eyes dampened with worry. Elizabeth felt her face fall and she looked back to Will in confusion. He smiled at her rather sadly.

"Mother, don't you remember?" Jolene asked.

"Remember what?" Elizabeth asked back. Aria swept into the room at this point. Jolene looked at her older sister with that same concern. Aria sat down on Will. He laid his head on her shoulder. He loved all his children deeply.

"Remember what?" Elizabeth asked again. Aria looked at Jolene carefully, before sighing.

"Are you talking to Papa again?" She asked. Elizabeth nodded. "That's very nice," Aria said simply. They were keeping something from her. But before she could needle it from them, Luca walked rather shyly into her room, followed by Mateo.

"Oh!" Elizabeth gasped, lifting her arms to her boy. He had to bend far to embrace his mother.

"I did it!" He said with a laugh.

"We're so proud of you!" she laughed tearfully. Will had stood up with Aria and waited to embrace Luca with her.

"I only wish I made it home in time to tell Father!" he said dejectedly. Jolene shook her head quickly.

"Well he's right there," Elizabeth said, "didn't you feel him hug you?" Her children stood very still, looking at each other in silent communication.

"Well, how do you feel now Luca?" Mateo said, slapping his brother on the back with a pointed stare. Will had his arm around Luca's shoulders and a brilliant grin on his face.

"Good…" Luca said, unconvincingly. Georgiana had been hovering at the door frame, but she was staring at Will in confusion. Will caught her eye and smiled. Georgiana's mouth dropped in shock. He went to hug her too, but when she returned it, she couldn't touch him.

"I think I should go with your father," Elizabeth said to her children, who hadn't noticed their Aunts' odd behavior behind them. "We'll wait for you all to join us."

Then she lifted her hand to Wills, who had returned to her side. Her hand was missing its spots and wrinkles. She would blame her eyesight, but it was better than it had been in over a decade. He gripped her hand strongly and smiled brilliantly. She stood up and felt a new life in her bones. Maybe Georgiana's potions finally cured her. She hugged her husband close and kissed his lips.

"Let's go," he said, his voice deep and familiar. "I can finally fly with you."