Note: Thanks for sticking around, guys. It's sad that this has finally come to an end… I was probably eleven when this thing started, and now I'm seventeen. I hope it was worth it for all you guys who have stuck by since Runaway. I know it was for me.

This isn't the total end; no later than Saturday I'll have two related one shots up on my live journal. (hearts Pocky. live journal. Com). I hope you guys will check them out; I think they'll answer a lot of questions.

And finally, this and chapter 40 were totally not beta'd. Sorry.

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Epilogue

(Sora's POV)

I can't believe four years have gone by so fast. Junior college really flew by, and now I'm attending the University of Occiana. I'm glad I took Dad's advice by going to a smaller school first. I really learned how to take harsh criticism, if nothing else… I feel very prepared. Life's been hectic for everyone; Riku graduated last year and got a really good job writing for a local magazine. It sounds like he might get a book deal soon, which is really exciting. He turned 23 a few months ago, and I turned 22... And I know our third wedding anniversary will be here before we know it.

But for now, I'm just thankful that I don't have class today and for once, Riku doesn't have any deadlines looming overhead. So we're just going to take it really easy today, kick back and relax. We deserve it!

So it's a little past noon and we're both still in our pajamas, eating pizza and cake left over from a party that Kairi threw last night, celebrating the engagement of Roxas and Naminé. Riku will never forgive me for setting them up. Ha. I know he's more upset about it than he'll let on, and I know that's really the cause of the argument we had in the car before we got to Kairi's place. But it's not really my fault that Roxas got Naminé knocked up. Jeez.. everyone's having kids. It's not just Roxas; Goofy has a young son, Donald adopted his three nephews. I was really trying to get Riku to look into adopting children but... he's just not up for it. And I understand. That's part of the reason I want to become a teacher so badly; first and foremost, I want to make sure no kid has to go through what Riku and I did, and I know that I'll probably never have kids of my own. Well, I won't say that for sure. We're so young... Riku might change his mind. But he probably won't...

So I guess you could say that it's up-and-down with us, but what else is new? We fight like we always have, sometimes worse .And Dad can't break us up. We're adults, after all. I wouldn't change it for the world, though. I love my husband. I love calling him that. I love it all. Waking up next to him, those few nights our schedule actually work and he's not in bed by the time I'm finished working or he's not locked up writing while I am home.

Oh, the guilt-free sex is nice, too.

I'm happy. Riku's happy. But in an odd way… I don't think he'll ever be okay. He'll always be different from his peers, always have a piece missing. I will too, to a certain extent, especially since my Mom died of liver disease last year. At least we were able to make amends. But I'm resilient… and at least I have more family. Riku is… no, not alone. Never alone. My family was his before, and now they're his legally since he married into it. Or did I marry into his? I don't think we ever really got that all figured out. All I know I that I go by Hart-Imakura and that seems to work for the state. Oh well. Not important.

"Hey," My husband says, nudging my hip with his foot before spreading out across the couch. "Want to pop in a movie or something?"

"That would require getting up." I say.

"Lazy ass." He laughs.

"I don't see you getting up," Is my retort. I'm rather proud of it.

"I'm sore." Boo hoo, boo hoo. I shift around, laying my head awkwardly in his lap. He pets my hair.

"I want more cake." I say suddenly, starting to rise from my comfortable seat. "You want a slice?"

"I'll get it," Riku replies. "It's fine. I'll bring over the movies while I'm at it."

"Love you, hon."

He snorts but smiles.

"Love you, too, snot-head." He says as he roots through the fridge. He pulls out two more small slices of cake and a beer. I wish he wouldn't drink, but he doesn't pressure me into it and he doesn't let himself get drunk, so I guess that's okay. "You want anything else?"

"I have a bottle of orange juice--"

"Got it… hey," Cue a plastic bottle flying at my head. I manage to catch it, though I reel back a bit and nearly slip off the couch. "Nice catch." I offer him a thumbs up. He's got two plates, a glass bottle, and three DVDs balancing in his arms when the phone decides to ring. Maybe I should have gotten all that stuff after all. I mean, I have been waiting tables for the past few years. I've gotten good at balancing things. According to my teachers, that may be the only thing I'm good at. It may be what I'm doing for the rest of my life.

Ugh, that's a depressing thought.

We ignore the phone even as it keeps ringing and ringing, passing it as off as a sales call. But after a moment of silence, it rings again.

"Really?" Riku asks. He sets out food down on the table and hands me the DVDs. "Seriously, who's interrupting our second fake honeymoon?"

"Your mom." I say, receiving a glare in response. I know, I'm still mentally sixteen.

"Hilarious, Sora… Hello?" While he's on the phone, I take the time to pick out a movie. "Yes, this is he." Riku then puts his hand over the mouthpiece and says, simply, "Oh. My. God." Shit. That doesn't sound good. My first instinct is telling me that something happened to Dad. But almost as soon as the thought enters my head, Dad texts me. And… oh! He has great news: he finally asked his girlfriend to move in with him. Jesus, it's about time They've only been seeing each other since I graduated from high school. (And yeah, I was devastated that Sandy was no longer in the picture, but it's good that Dad has someone closer to his age. I think Sandy's married now, anyway. She still sends me Christmas cards every year.)

Now… what's happening with Riku? I look back after I congratulate Dad and mouth, "what?" I also add, "Riku, what's wrong?" But I doubt he could decipher it.

"It's. My. Dad!" He mouths back.

Wait… what now? I shoot up from the couch and dart over to my lover. After a moment he hangs up, presses his back against the wall, and slides into a sitting position. I honestly can't tell if this is good or if it's bad. I can't read him and I don't like that one bit. "Riku?" I ask gently. "Baby?"

Dammit, I always forger he hates that one. You'd think I'd remember after almost ten years of knowing him.

"He was at work." Riku says so quietly I almost miss it. The next part is stronger, more confident. "And I guess a co-worker gave him an issue of the magazine I write for. He said…" I nod for him to continue. "He said that had he known I was alive, he would have contacted me sooner. And that he… he wants to try and make things better. Sora, all this time… I thought that he…"

Oh, fuck it. "I know, baby, I know." I say, taking him, enveloping him in my arms. "So… what are you going to do?" I press gently.

"I'm not. I can't. I can't see him and I can't forgive him yet. Maybe someday, but… I need some time to think."

"Of course, Riku. I understand." He glances over at the phone again, smiling.

"Now… let's watch some movies."

I'm a little taken aback by the statement, but… okay. I'll let him deal with it the way he needs to, and I'll be there for him the whole way if he needs it. I don't know, maybe he won't.

Once we get back over to the couch I notice that I have another text. "Sora! You there?" No, no I'm not. Leave me alone on my second fake honeymoon. "Okay, so I was talking to our psych teacher and you came up in the conversation… he started talking about how you'd be a great teacher and that he's always happy to read your work because you have interesting opinions." I get one more: "And you thought he hates you."

..Huh. The relief I feel now is immense. Maybe I can do something right after all.

Maybe Riku isn't as unfixable as I thought he was after all.

It's going to be a long, hard road (what else is new?) but I think that in this new chapter of our lives… everything is going to end up okay after all.

End.