Star Matter Returning Home

A "With Every Heartbeat" one-shot by FairyAesthetic

My parents used to say we're all made of star matter. And when we die, our atoms yearn to return home. That's why my birth mom lives among the stars. It might be silly, but the idea of her watching me from above comforted me during a lot of long nights in the hospital. My parents always refer to her in the present tense, even now that I'm older – 'We're all proud of you', 'We all love you', stuff like that.

Those were some of my personal thoughts about death that I'd shared with my girlfriend Sage one time. As I lie here in my hospital bed, knowing that my body's rejected my bone marrow transplant and I'll be dead in a day or two at most, now I can't help but wonder if they're true. Before I can think much more about that, though, my mom steps into my room, holding the door open for Sage.

"Teach…"

I sit up as she steps hesitantly into the room, looking pale and scared. Hoping to help Sage relax a little, I try to change the subject. "You have good timing. My dad just took Lennox and Mateo down to the cafeteria."

Mom quietly slips out of the room – I assume to go and find the three of them. Once she's gone, I hold my arms out to Sage, which seems to break the spell over her; in an instant, she's crossed the room and fallen into my arms. "There must be something we can do," she protests, looking hopefully at me. "We should be looking for another donor – we should be trying again!"

"That's not the way it works, Teach." Believe me, though, I wish it was…

Sage stares at me for a moment before her face drops onto my chest with a defeated sigh. "…I can't believe this is really happening." Her voice is slightly muffled by the fabric of my hospital gown.

I hold her close, pressing my lips to the top of her head. "I know. It's a lot."

"It's more than a lot, Dakota – it's the end of the world," Sage cries, lifting her head to look at me again. "You were getting better… You were fine when I left yesterday. How did everything go so wrong so fast?"

I just shrug. "Because cancer's a bitch."

"I'm tougher than most bitches," Sage glares.

"Not this bitch." I try to crack a joke to at least get Sage to smile, but it doesn't work.

"How are you so calm right now?" she all but snaps, tears pooling in her eyes. Honestly, though, I can't blame her for being so upset; this is the first time she's really had to deal with anything like this.

"I made my peace a long time ago," I explain. "We always knew there was a chance the transplant wouldn't take."

"But you made plans – we made plans…"

"I know. I'm so sorry I won't be able to make good on them." Out of everything, that's probably the one thing I feel worst of all about. "But freaking out isn't going to change what's coming: I'm going to die, probably today, maybe tomorrow. And that's okay, Sage – it really is."

Sage is clearly trying to fight the tears back, but to no avail; they overflow and start sliding down her cheeks. I hate seeing her like this, and I feel worse knowing it's my fault. "How can any of this be okay?" she asks me, her voice breaking.

I think for a moment, reflecting on an answer (also trying not to cry myself at seeing her crying). "…Because a bunch of doctors told my parents I wouldn't make it past nine, and I made it to nineteen. Because I've lived an amazing life with amazing people…" I trail off, wiping Sage's cheek with my thumb. "Because I got to be with you."

That finally gets Sage to smile, even through her tears. "I love you, Dakota Winchester. I always will." She leans forward to kiss me soft and slow, and I contentedly press my lips back against hers. I know I don't have much time, but I never wanna forget this feeling. I try to memorize it all as best I can: the feeling of Sage's lips against mine, the warmth of her arms around me, her legs tangling with mine despite the covers keeping us separated…

I lean my forehead against Sage's when I finally pull away again. "I'm gonna miss you so much, Teach," I whisper.

"No, you won't. I'll miss you, but you won't even know who I am."

For just a split-second, I reflect back on everything my parents said about being made of star matter and living among the stars after we're gone. "You're crazy," I assure Sage. "There's no way I could ever forget you, no matter what happens after we die." If an afterlife like the one I told her about is real, I like to think we don't completely forget about our friends and family back on Earth.

"Promise?" she asks.

I smile. "Cross my heart."

Sage snuggles deeper into my arms with that reassurance. The door opens a few minutes later, and my parents come in with Lennox and Mateo close behind. Normally, I know Sage would be startled by their arrival and sit up – but this time, she doesn't even move.

"I hope we're not interrupting…?" Dad asks me, tentatively eyeing the two of us.

Mom, on the other hand, is already at my bedside. "We can't bear to be away from you, baby," she tells me, taking one of my hands.

"It's okay, Mom and Dad," I promise them. "I want you here – all of you."

"All for one and one for all?" Mateo asks.

Lennox nods. "To the bitter end."

The six of us spend the next few hours talking and reminiscing about the past, even long after the sun has set and visiting hours are over. It feels good to lie here in Sage's arms, hold my parents' hands, and visit with the most important people in my life; I honestly can't think of a better way to go. As the evening drags on, though, my head and eyelids gradually both start feeling heavier and heavier…until finally, everything goes black as my eyes close and my head sinks onto Sage's chest.

The first thing I hear is my dad's voice. "I think Dakota's asleep."

I hear Lennox next. "I'll get the doctor." And then I vaguely hear the sound of her feet leaving the room. I don't have the energy to sit up or even to open my eyes, but it strikes me odd that I'd be able to hear everything going on while I'm fast asleep. Unless…

Maybe I'm not just asleep. Maybe I'm already starting to die.

A few minutes later, I hear more footsteps as Lennox comes back, and then I hear the oncologist's voice: "Dakota's organs are starting to shut down. I'm afraid this is it."

Huh; I guess I really am dying now. It's a weird feeling, but not an unpleasant one, surprisingly…

I hear my mom let out a noise that I think is a sob, and I wish I could hug her one more time. "How long?" I hear my dad ask the oncologist.

"A few hours, maybe – I'm sorry. I'll tell the nurses not to disturb you. Take your time."

I hear my monitors stop beeping one by one, so I realize the oncologist must be turning them off; shortly after, I hear her footsteps disappear down the hall. Once she's presumably gone, I hear my loved ones crying and vaguely feel my hands being held – probably by my parents. "We love you, Dakota," I hear Sage murmur through her tears.

I read somewhere a long time ago that a lot of people who fall into a coma can still hear what's going on around them. I imagine it must be a lot like this – only in this case, I'm not just in a coma; I'm actually dying. I really wish I could wake up and comfort my family right about now. I guess I always kinda thought this day might eventually come, but I never realized just how hard it would be for me as well as for them.

One by one, the five of them each have a few private minutes alone with me, and I hear everything they say about how much they love me and how they'll miss me. Mateo and Lennox recall memories from when the three of us were stuck in Edenbrook together and express how grateful they each are for our friendship; Mom and Dad talk about when I was first diagnosed and all the time we spent in hospitals when I was younger, and reassure me they wouldn't have traded me for any other kid in the world. I often used to regret that Mom and Dad adopted a kid who wound up getting diagnosed with cancer, but their words make me really happy to hear.

Sage comes in last, and I feel the bed shift a little as she sits down beside me. "Dakota, I don't know how to do this. How am I supposed to say goodbye? I'm not ready…" I hear her breath shake a little, and she pauses before she speaks again. "This isn't goodbye. Somehow, some way, we'll be together again, I know it. I love you, Dakota; you're the love of my life."

I feel the bed shift some more as Sage bends down to kiss me, even more gently than she did earlier. I don't blame her; this is probably the last chance she'll ever get. I only wish I could kiss her back this time.

I sigh softly, trying my best to respond to Sage's kiss. Ever since everything went black, I've felt my breathing get shallower and shallower – but somehow, I manage to summon up enough strength to whisper her name one last time.

"Sage…"

"I'm right here, Dakota. We're all right here." Mateo, Lennox, and my parents will probably be back in here in a few minutes, and I have a feeling the five of them won't be going anywhere for a while yet – so I'm glad I get this last chance alone with Sage, even if I can't see her.

I manage to smile with the last of my strength before breathing out another long sigh, and then…

I open my eyes.

I'm still in my hospital bed, but I'm wide awake and I suddenly feel a lot stronger. I can't feel the covers or Sage sitting beside me, or anything else, really, but I feel completely healthy again – just like I felt before my cancer came back!

"What the…?" Turns out I have the energy to talk again, too. What's happening? Did the oncologist make a mistake about my body rejecting the bone marrow transplant? Did she think my body was rejecting it when it was just a rough patch on my road to recovery? Or maybe I really was about to die, and something suddenly started going right? Okay, maybe that last one is a little unlikely, but medical miracles happen all the time, right?

"Teach?"

No answer.

"Hey, Teach, I think the oncologist was wrong: looks like I'm gonna recover after…" I turn my head to look at Sage – and I suddenly realize she's buried her face in my shoulder and is sobbing her heart out.

"…all." I expected my use of Sage's nickname would for sure get her to notice, but it's like she can't even hear me. For some reason, I don't feel her tears soaking into my hospital gown, either. What's going on?

"Sage, didn't you hear me? I said I'm feeling better all of a sudden; I think I'm gonna be okay…" I try to gently shake her to get her attention, but it's like she doesn't even feel it. "I'm right here, Sage! …Sage?"

I sit there for a minute, dumbfounded as I try to figure out why she can't hear me. Before I can reach any conclusions, though, the door opens, and Mateo and Lennox come back in with my parents. Sage lifts her tear-streaked face as they enter, and I suddenly notice the fresh tears in my friends' and family's eyes, too. "Guys, what's wrong?" I try to ask them.

They don't answer. I can see and hear them all crying and talking quietly amongst themselves, but I don't pay much attention to what they're saying; right now, I'm too busy trying to figure out why they can't seem to hear me – and also why I can't seem to feel my own arms or legs. "Mom, Dad, I'm right here; I'm feeling a lot better!" I cry, starting to panic a little. "Mateo? Lennox? Why can't anyone hear me?!"

Still no response. Okay, this is genuinely getting scary now…

"I'm sitting right here, you guys, and I'm feeling healthy again! See? I'll prove it!" I jump out of bed, and they're so busy crying that they don't even notice. "I'm gonna recover after all, and I'll go to university next year, and I'll –" My voice cuts off as I turn and see my bed out of the corner of my eye – and lying on the bed is…

Me.

"…What?"

I'm looking at myself lying in bed. Not like I'm looking in a mirror, though; more like I'm standing in the room with my friends and family. As I stand here, I suddenly realize I can't feel the floor under my feet – and yet, I'm clearly standing on it since I'm not sinking right through it like a ghost or anything. Curious, I look down at my legs and feet, and then at my arms and hands. Weirdly enough, they don't really look like they're…all there – if that makes sense. It's almost like I can see through myself; I don't really know how else to describe it. Amidst everything else, I suddenly remember another thing: I didn't try to throw back the covers when I got out of bed, either. It was like I just sat up and fazed right through them.

"This is weird…" In the hopes of getting answers, I look back up at the bed. I realize that the me that's still in bed isn't moving at all, eyes closed and chest completely still. This is even weirder than it was when everything went black and I could still hear their voices. And then it suddenly hits me…

Am I dead? I think I'm dead.

"Whoa." I keep looking back and forth between my loved ones, me in the bed, and down at my weird, see-through body, still trying to process it all. It kinda makes sense that I'm see-through now, since I guess I'm technically a ghost or something. If I'm dead, that probably also explains why they couldn't see me get up or hear me talking, either – but so much for thinking I'd suddenly started to recover. I can't help feeling a little sad about that; I'd really gotten my hopes up for a minute thinking that I wasn't gonna die after all.

I remember once hearing some people's accounts of having near-death experiences where it was like they'd actually been dead for a few minutes, but had still been aware of everything going on around them for a few minutes before they were brought back. Nobody's gonna be bringing me back, though, so if that's really the case, I figure I'd better make the most of my time and say goodbye while I can.

I start with Lennox and Mateo, who are sitting with their arms around each-other. "Thank you guys for always being there for me through the ups and downs when we were kids. You two probably understood the stuff I went through better than anyone else I know, and you were always there to snap me out of my funk whenever I worried about dying or tried to push you away. I'm sorry I can't hang out with you guys anymore, but promise you'll stick together, okay? Love you both."

With that said, I address Lennox and Mateo each individually, as well. "Lennox, thanks for being the voice of reason in our crazy little friend group; never stop being you. You'll keep Mateo and Sage in line for me, too, won't you? Well, maybe Mateo a little more than Sage, but you know what I mean," I add teasingly. "Mateo, thanks for always being willing to talk to me whenever I got really down about being back at Edenbrook – even after you beat your own cancer and left the hospital. It always helped me way more than you can even imagine. Try to keep your spirits up, and don't let the cancer come back, alright?"

Next up are my parents, who are both still sitting by my bedside. "Thank you guys for adopting me and giving me such a good life – even though I'm sure you never foresaw anything the three of us went through. I felt like such a burden to you guys for so many years, and I always wanted to be better for you guys and prove I was fine so you could stop worrying and enjoy your lives…but knowing you guys wouldn't have traded me for any other kid means more to me than you'll ever know. I love you, Mom and Dad – and I promise I won't come and haunt you guys if you ever decide to adopt another kid!"

With that little joke, I turn and finally move onto Sage; she's moved away from the others and is sitting alone with her face in her hands, her shaking shoulders giving her away. I can't help but let out a sigh as I look down at her. "Oh, man…Sage, where do I even begin?"

I recorded a video last week that I asked my parents to email to Sage in the case of an untimely death on my part; a lot of the last words I'd wanted to say to her are already in that video, which I'm sure she'll get at some point now that I'm gone – but still, I wanna say something to her right now…

After a moment, I take a deep breath and just start saying whatever comes into my heart. "I know we didn't even get to spend a year together, but it feels more like decades have passed what with how everything happened so quickly. I really, really, really wish we could've actually had more time together, though. And I'm not just saying that because you're the only girlfriend I ever had, either; what we had was – is – super special, and anyone who ends up dating or marrying you one day is gonna be such a lucky person.

"On that note, don't forget what we talked about right before my transplant surgery – y'know, about me still wanting you to live your life after I died? You promised you'd go to college next year and start dating other people when you were ready, and I'm gonna hold you to that." I hesitate for a moment, and then I smile. "Thank you for being such an amazing girlfriend, Teach; thanks for being onboard with my hare-brained movie ideas, thanks for encouraging me whenever I started doubting myself, thanks for always coming and seeing me in the hospital and sticking it out, thanks for more things than I could ever possibly list. I love you so much, Sage."

I look around the hospital room one more time – at my parents, at Mateo and Lennox, at me lying on the bed, at Sage…and as I do so, everything starts fading away. I guess this is really it.

Before I know it, the entire scene is gone and I'm all alone. I can feel the ground under my feet much better now, and I look more solid than I did back in the hospital room. It seems like the ground stretches out flat for miles around me, going on and on forever – looking almost like a mix between a big, empty field and a massive room with no furniture. It's dark, too, but not like it was when I first started to die; it was pitch-black then, but looking up, I now see a full moon shining overhead and giving me a little bit of light. No stars, though, oddly enough.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

No answer but the echo of my own voice. I should probably feel scared, but I don't; I just feel peaceful. Despite the lack of stars, looking up at the sky like this reminds me a little of that time Sage and I went to the planetarium together. Still…this isn't quite like the afterlife I always imagined. Part of me hopes there's a little more to it. Maybe there's more coming.

I blink, and I suddenly start to realize I'm feeling really tired. Letting out a long breath, I lower myself to the ground and close my eyes as I lie down on my side. Maybe something important will happen later on, but right now, I just need to rest for a few minutes…

"Wake up…"

I feel a hand on my arm, gently trying to shake me. "Dakota?"

"Huh…?" As I open my eyes a crack, it occurs to me that I must've fallen asleep. Who knows how long I was out for?

"Dakota…wake up."

I sleepily rub my eyes as I sit up…and as I happen to look up, I suddenly realize that the moon is still there, but the sky is now also filled with stars: thousands upon thousands of them. Now this looks more like the show Sage and I saw at the planetarium. Comets and shooting stars streak by, and colourful galaxies and nebulas swirl overhead, too, looking almost close enough to touch. Wow – it's beautiful…

Glancing back down at myself, I notice I'm no longer wearing the hospital gown I was still wearing while saying goodbye to my loved ones; I'm back in the same old clothes I always wore to school. Did that happen while I fell asleep? I wonder. Before I can think any more about that, though, I realize that the person's hand is still on my arm, and I look over to see who woke me up; there's a man kneeling beside me. I wouldn't say he's middle-aged, maybe more like thirty-something. I don't recognize him, but something about him seems really familiar. "Wha…who are you?"

The man grins down at me. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Dakota, although I wasn't expecting to meet the love of my daughter's life quite so soon."

"The love of…?" Then my eyes go wide as I realize. "You're Mr. Woods, aren't you? Sage's dad?" Sage once told me that her dad died of cancer when she was little.

"Guilty as charged," he answers. "I wish I could've been there to meet you when you and Sage first got together, but I wanna thank you for taking such good care of my little girl."

I shrug humbly. "Don't mention it, Mr. Woods. Sage is pretty special."

"She and her mother both," Mr. Woods agrees. "I hardly recognize Sage anymore; she's grown into such an amazing young woman since I passed away, and she was lucky to have someone like you in her life."

"Aw, you're giving me too much credit, Mr. Woods…" I sheepishly reach up to run a hand over my head, but I stop short at the sensation under my fingers: hair. Real hair – not like the wig I wore to the Edenbrook prom, and back to its original length before Sage helped me shave my head. I look up at Mr. Woods in shock. "My hair's grown back!" I exclaim.

Mr. Woods laughs. "I had the same reaction as you when I first got here." He holds out a hand to me. "Come with me, Dakota; there're some people who'd like to see you."

"Where are we going?"

Mr. Woods doesn't answer as he takes my hand, but just looks up at the sky and grins. I follow his gaze, and when I look back down, I realize I can still feel the ground under my feet – except that there's no sign of the ground now. The two of us are just standing in the big, open sky, surrounded by stars and galaxies that really are close enough to touch now.

"Whoa!" I almost lose my balance as I freak out, earning a chuckle from Mr. Woods. "How are we doing this right now?!"

"Just try and take a step," Mr. Woods explains, demonstrating. "Like this…"

I carefully place my foot down on what looks like thin air…and it's like stepping on solid ground. I put the other foot down, then the first one again, then the second one again, and pretty soon, I'm running across the sky – and yet despite the sensation of solid ground appearing wherever I put my feet, it feels more like I'm flying. I whoop with delight, unable to control myself. "Wow, this is absolutely amazing!"

"DAKOTA!"

I stop dead in my tracks at the sound of the voice, and I turn to see a dark-haired little girl running across the stars towards me with her arms outstretched. It's strange to see her in regular clothes instead of her usual hospital gown, but I'd recognize the big smile on her face anywhere…

"Gracie!" No matter how hard I try (not that I'm trying very hard, to be fair), I can't keep the smile off my face. "Hey, it's so good to see you!" I get down on my knees as I speak so I'm closer to Gracie's level, and she runs straight into my open arms. Her death hit our friend group really hard, but I can't believe how amazing it feels to see her completely healthy again.

When Gracie finally steps away from hugging me, she looks up at the stars over our heads. "Isn't it pretty here?"

"It sure is," I reply. "Guess the Gracie bird's got all the space she needs for flying up here, doesn't she?"

"Yup!" With a giggle, Gracie takes off running through the stars again, flapping her arms like wings. "Cheep, cheep – gotta catch me!"

Aw, man, just like old times! "C'mon, Mr. Woods: let's go catch the Gracie bird!"

"Right behind you, Dakota." With a smile, Mr. Woods and I start jogging after Gracie together. It feels good to be able to run like this without worrying about getting tired or running out of breath. Gracie leads the two of us over, under, and around countless stars – and I can't believe how close we're able to get to them without burning up or getting any other weird side effects. Then again, though, I guess if we actually are all made of star matter, like I've always grown up being told, it wouldn't really matter that much, would it?

"Over here!" Mr. Woods and I follow the sound of Gracie's voice around another star – only to find that she's come to a stop and is looking at a woman slowly approaching from off in the distance. Gracie gives me a smile when she sees me, pointing to the woman. "Dakota, look over there…"

I squint in confusion at the woman Gracie's pointing at. Something seems familiar about her, too, but even more familiar than when I met Mr. Woods earlier; she looks a little like me, actually…

"Is that my…?" I turn questioningly to Mr. Woods.

He gives my shoulder a friendly pat. "I think you know who that is, Dakota."

As if on cue, the woman gives me a smile when I turn back around. "Kody…it's really you." Her use of my old nickname tells me everything I need to know.

"…MOM!" Without so much as a second thought, I take off running towards her. This hardly makes any sense, since I was too young to remember what my birth mom looked like when she died, but somehow, I just know. Mom starts running as soon as she sees me start, extending her arms out toward me, and in a moment, she's wrapped me up in a tight hug, sweeping me off my feet and spinning me around like I'm a little kid. I eagerly return the hug, and my face nearly splits in two from how much I'm beaming.

"Let me get a look at you, honey…" Mom holds my face in her hands when she finally releases me to take a good, long look at me. "Oh, Dakota, you won't believe how much I've missed you!"

"Aww, Mom, I've missed you, too!" I gush, placing my hands over hers. It's kinda true, to be honest; as much as I always loved my adoptive parents and wouldn't have traded them for anyone, a tiny part of me has always still missed my birth mom, too – even though I never really had a chance to know her.

Mom's still got my face in her hands as she looks me over. "Goodness, look at you, Kody…you're so tall now, and you've gotten so attractive – I can see why that Sage girl Mr. Woods here told me about was so drawn to you!"

"Mom!" I blush as she laughs, giving me a teasing wink. I guess moms saying stuff that embarrasses their kids is universal, even in the afterlife.

Mom suddenly grows more serious, taking my hands in hers. "Truth be told, Kody, I'd hoped it would be a few more decades until we finally met again…but nevertheless, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still happy to see you now."

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Mom," I agree. Dying young is really weird, now that I think about it – like, part of you is sad that you have so many years on Earth you're now gonna miss out on, but part of you is also really happy to be reunited with the folks you love in such an amazing afterlife. I wonder if Gracie felt the same way when she got here.

Mom releases my hands, but holds one out to me as she steps away. "Come on, Dakota; there's so much to see and so many people to meet. The stars are beautiful, and they go on forever and ever," she smiles.

I take a step forward to take her outstretched hand…and then I hesitate. "I'll still be able to see my friends and family from time to time, right?" I recall what Mr. Woods said about watching Sage grow up and seeing the two of us together, and I just wanna be sure.

"Of course," Mom assures me.

"Good to know. I…I just wanna pay Sage a real quick visit before I go with you guys – just to make sure she's okay. How do I…?"

"All you have to do is close your eyes and think about the person you're trying to see," Mr. Woods explains.

"Okay…" I close my eyes, thinking about Sage. When I finally open them again, the entire scene has changed: the stars, galaxies, nebulas, and dark skies have all faded away, and I suddenly realize I'm standing in the parking lot behind Willow Creek High on a clear, sunny day.

Looking over at the school, I see Sage sitting with her back against the wall, wearing a graduation cap and gown. Is it already our graduation day? Has that much time really gone by? Maybe time works differently in the afterlife; I'll have to ask Mom or Mr. Woods about that at some point…

I can't see Sage's face very clearly, but she's looking down at something on her phone. And then I hear what she's listening to: my voice. It's the video I took that I asked my parents to send her in case I died; I guess they finally got around to sending it. Sage doesn't glance up at all, but I look down at her as I listen to the words I recorded for her…

"I know it's kinda silly, but I wanted to leave you with something meaningful, some deep final words. …I don't know if I'm gonna make it, Teach. And that doesn't mean I'm giving up, 'cause I'm not. But my body just…doesn't feel right, and the doc can't figure out why. But this video isn't about that. I just wanted to make sure you know how much you mean to me. So here's the indisputable evidence of how you totally and completely altered the course of my life. We're a love story for the ages, remember, and love stories don't end. So regardless of what you think happens after we die, I have a pretty good idea of what I'll be doing: I'll be watching over you. Rooting for you, cheering for you, loving you. Present tense, until we find each-other again. So go live a life worth watching."

Sage happens to look up from her phone right then, sighing heavily as tears run down her face. I know she can't see me and is just looking up at the sky, but she makes eye contact with me without even knowing. I bend down to kiss her cheek – mostly since it's a little easier than trying to find a good angle to kiss her on the lips. Sage brushes a hand over her cheek when I get up again, so I realize she must've felt my kiss in the form of a breeze or something like that.

I give Sage one last smile as I start to walk away again, never letting my eyes leave her face. "See you later, Sage. I love you," I tell her. I know this won't be goodbye, just like she said back in my hospital room.

"I love you so much, Dakota," I hear her murmur with a smile. I know she can't actually see or hear me, but it's almost like she was able to feel what I just said – if that makes any sense.

I notice Mateo and Lennox coming over from around the corner as I continue to walk away; I'm not listening to what the three of them are saying, but I'm really glad they were able to come and support Sage at her graduation. As their voices fade, I close my eyes, thinking about Mom, Gracie, and Mr. Woods back up in the stars…and when I open them again, there I am – and there they are, all waiting patiently for me. I'll go back from time to time to check up on my loved ones and make sure they're doing well, but from now on, this is my real home.

"Okay; I'm ready now," I grin at them. "Let's go."

Mom and Mr. Woods each take one of my hands. "This way, Dakota."

With that, the four of us start to walk off into the stars together. Gracie excitedly runs on ahead of us; pretty soon, Mom and Mr. Woods and I are running after her, easily catching up as we disappear into the endless sky on a whole new adventure.

The End