Summer had come for Samantha's first year in her new school. The Tiny Tails Elementary school was actually closer to her current residence than Peaceful Sprouts had been, so that was a little bonus. Samantha smiled to herself as she reflected upon the past year. It felt good to be back to teaching, doing what she really enjoyed. She'd gotten the reputation of being the "tough teacher" from her third graders. Not because of any sort of unpleasantness or mean demeanor on Samantha's part, just because she was still visibly fit and intended to keep it that way.

It was late afternoon and Samantha, with her things in her arms, walked over to a familiar steel-blue car. The windows of the car were rolled down and in the driver's seat was a kit fox with her nose in a graphic novel. Samantha cleared her throat.

"Guh!" Terra flinched, dropping her graphic novel down into the space near the pedals. She looked out the window. "Sammy!" She brightly got half-outside the car with her paws on the window's space. Her tail wagged behind her.

"Hi, puppyfox," Samantha leaned over to kiss her, then moved around to get into the passenger's seat as Terra bounced back into the driver's seat in contentment. "Sorry to keep you waiting, sweetie. I just had some things to take care of before the school year got out."

"That's fine," Terra nodded. "I was finishing up reading a graphic novel called Empowered about mammals with superpowers and how they have to learn to deal with them. It's a pretty cool series, interesting stuff."

Samantha sucked at her teeth. "Ridiculous."

"Bleh, you sound like my mom," Terra made a face with her tongue out. She started up the car and rolled up the windows, tossing the graphic novel in the back seat. "So you get all of summer off? Must be nice."

"That's right, now I can come bother you at the bookstore," Samantha smirked devilishly.

"What?" Terra laughed. "I won't be able to get any work done if I have a pretty bunny like you to stare at!"

"As if that's any different from the norm," Samantha accused. "You're always reading those comic books at work."

"Graphic novels," Terra corrected, pulling out of the parking lot.

Samantha sighed as she set her things down on the seat behind her, folding her arms over her lap. "It's nice to get back to things; life the way I remember it. ...I suppose I should be happy I got back to it at all, but I can't believe it's been years since... since that vixen..."

"Destroying something takes no time or effort at all," Terra said. "But building it back up, that's where the real merit and worth of a mammal is measured."

Samantha considered this. "Huh, that's pretty profound. Is that a famous quote?"

"Not really," Terra flashed Samantha a grin. She nodded to the back seat. "The heroine of that graphic novel says it."

Samantha let out a long groan, staring at the upholstery of the car. "Ugh! For crying out loud..." Terra giggled.

"So, where to?" Terra asked. "Are we going home?"

"Hmm, surprise me," Samantha said after thinking it over.

"Surprise you?" Terra's face scrunched up. "What's that supposed to mean? Like, a food-type surprise, a fun-type surprise, or... just... like what?"

"Terra honey, do you know what a 'surprise' is?" Samantha asked condescendingly.

"Rgh!" Terra clenched her paws around the steering wheel, then her expression grew much softer. "I just don't want to take you anywhere you wouldn't like."

"I'm not worried about that," Samantha said calmly.

"Okay, then a 'surprise' it is," Terra nodded as she tried to think of a route.

"So, this is your idea of a surprise?" Samantha said casually, walking onto a small park equipped with a playground nearby the school.

"What do you want from me, bunny!?" Terra grumbled, looking over at Samantha. "I didn't have any time to prepare. I'm really not that creative."

"I'd say this says differently," Samantha proudly held up her wrist which was adorned with her willow-bead bracelet.

"Hey, I had time, work, and research put into that thing," Terra held up a pointer finger. "I wasn't put on the spot to make you something thoughtful!"

"Doesn't perform well under pressure, check," Samantha drew a check mark in the air.

"Ugh!" Terra tried to sneer, but it became a twisted smirk. She pushed Samantha away from her. "You know my weaknesses by now!"

"Uh huh, and one of them is me-" Samantha said, then suddenly became distracted by noticing someone off in the distance. "No way..."

Samantha rushed over to the canid form sitting on a bench faced toward the playground.

"Liam Halhoun," Samantha said in awe.

The coyote turned his head. He almost appeared to be the same age he was the last time Samantha had seen him. He retained the slight tiredness in his face, but something looked a bit more resolute or complete about him. He quickly became quite surprised. "Samantha Hopps?"

"Still am," Samantha nodded. Liam stood up.

"I'll be..." the coyote regarded Samantha as if he was seeing a ghost, and he nearly towered over the two of them. Samantha heard childish giggling coming from the playground and saw two young coyote pups playing on the swing set.

"Oh, are those yours?" Samantha smiled, her mouth hanging open a little.

Liam nodded. "Jimmy's six and Wendy's seven."

"Ooh, are they zoned for around here?" Samantha smiled brightly. "I teach third grade."

"I guess you might see Wendy in a few months, then," Liam chuckled. He turned to his progeny. "Hey! Jim! Get your sister's ear out of your mouth!" The two pups were roughhousing on the ground. Terra and Samantha both hummed small laughs. Liam turned to Samantha and his expression fell. "Hey, Samantha, I wanted to tell you something, but never really found the right time."

"Oh yeah?" Samantha looked up at him, curious.

"I was looking into Meredith Pinemeadow, to see if she had any chance of parole," Liam said, and saw Samantha flinch at the name. He held up his paws defensively. "You don't have to worry about her anymore, Samantha. She's dead."

Samantha gaped. "She's dead?" Terra's eyes widened.

"Yes," Liam nodded. "Apparently room was getting tight in the penitentiary, and they had to add some bunnies to her cell block. Apparently one day she tried to get too close to a certain other bunny in the showers and... well, the official reports from all witnesses say she 'slipped, fell, and broke her neck', but I have my doubts. The bunny she was after was a pretty bad doe."

"Mm..." Samantha hummed. In her heart of hearts, she felt relief, though not as much as she expected.

"You know what they say, Samantha," Liam shook his head. "Karma's a female dog."

"And you can't teach an old dog new tricks," Terra added with a firm frown.

"Oh, uh, I've been rude," Liam smiled sheepishly and rubbed behind his head. He turned to Terra. "Who's this lovely little creature?"

"We've both been rude," Samantha winced, holding Terra's hand. "This is Terra Brownfurred, my mate."

"Really," Liam whistled. "Your mate... that's amazing! I'm happy for you."

"I'm not that amazing," Terra rolled her eyes.

"She is," Samantha whispered conspiratorially as she leaned her head in, nodding and winking.

"Heh, well, I'm glad," Liam grinned. "You deserve it."

"How's things with... what was her name? Ugh, can't remember..." Samantha tried to recall, a paw on her mouth.

"Mica, yeah, still with her," Liam put his hands in his pockets, nodding.

"Is it... working out?" Samantha narrowed one eye.

"It's been a good marriage, Samantha; I can't complain," Liam swallowed. "It's like... it's a deep friendship; a partnership. Our jobs kind of alternate schedules so we can take care of the pups. We're often there for the kids more than each other, but still she's... she's like my best friend."

"That sounds good?" Terra tilted her head. "Your mate should be your best friend, shouldn't they?"

"Yeah, I dunno," Liam smiled. "I wonder if the thing I had with Carla forever ago was just an infatuation or if it was real love. I guess you can't really tell when you're that young. Or maybe you can? I dunno..." Liam shrugged.

"There's all types of love, I think," Samantha smiled, squeezing Terra's paw. "Sounds like you've got a few different types going on here." She grinned wider as the two pups approached, rushing over to join them.

"Who're the ladies, daddy?" Jimmy asked cautiously, a step behind his sister.

"I'm Wendy and this is James," Wendy introduced precociously, closing her eyes and gesturing to herself and her brother.

"Wendy...?" Liam tilted his head toward her. "What did I say about talking to strangers?"

"Well, they can't be strangers if you're talking to them, daddy!" Wendy put her hands on her hips and tilted her head in the opposite direction, as if her father didn't know anything.

"Yeah, good luck with that one," Liam grinned widely at Samantha.

"Oh, it'll be fun if she's in my class," Samantha grinned.

"You're a teacher?" Wendy gaped up at her.

"Uh huh," Samantha smirked, bending over a little to look at her with her hands on her knees. "And if you're lucky, maybe you'll get to see more of me soon."

Wendy looked at Liam skeptically.

"She looks nice," Jimmy added helpfully, looking at the bunny.

"Okay you two scamps, let's go home and get dinner," Liam said. "Good to catch up with you finally, Samantha." He waved at her.

"Bye," Samantha waved, and Terra followed suit. The coyotes made their exit with Wendy laying out in detail what she wanted for dinner. Samantha let out a large sigh, observing the sun start to set on the horizon.

"You okay?" Terra turned her muzzle over to look at Samantha.

"I got my vengeance by proxy, just like Liam did..." Samantha said distantly.

"Would it have made you feel better if you could have hurt her yourself?" Terra winced.

"Maybe... maybe briefly," Samantha said. "I think I'd have liked to. I think that's what I was training for. But... the thought of that violence; I'm not sure. If I took her life... I'd have to live with that for the rest of my life, and no matter what sort of relief I got... I'd always have that mark of violence on me. I'd be... probably a lot different."

"Yeah..." Terra agreed. "For what it's worth, I'm kinda glad you didn't get to hurt her."

"Me too..." Samantha smiled happily at Terra. "Because if I did, I definitely wouldn't have become the type of bunny that could love a fetching little vixen like you."

"That's good for me..." Terra smiled pleasantly, hugging her.

Samantha heard a large growl.

"Hungry?" Samantha chuckled, patting Terra's back.

"Yup," Terra said. She reached into her pocket and gave Samantha her car keys. "Here. Let's go out to eat. You drive."

"Anywhere in particular?" Samantha started to walk back towards the car with her fox. Terra put on the best simper she could muster.

"Surprise me."

Author's Note: This will be the conclusion of this story. Special thanks once again to Sophie Ripley for giving me the go ahead to write it.