Reine Kreiss stared Helena Goldman in her eyes as she put her badge and gun on her table. Her foster mother showed a fleeting moment of surprise, but composed herself very quickly.

"Why? You did a good job closing the case."

"Several reasons, really. One of it is, like you said, now that the case is with the DOJ, I have avenged Mom. I accomplished my main goal being here."

"And other reasons?"

Reine paused for a moment. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. "I held him in my arms, his blood was everywhere. I tried my best to close his wound… thank God everything works out in the end—but that fear… it's not something I'll ever forget," she said. "I quitted my surgery residency out of cowardice—the fear of pain after losing my patient on the table. Trying so desperately to save him puts things in perspective for me."

"Meaning?"

"I should use that fear of losing as my strength and motivation, not liability. That's exactly what I want to do."

Helena nodded understandingly. "If you're sure, I'll be rooting for you, as always."

"I heard your transfer to the FBI is official now, congrats," Reine said while arranging the flowers in his vase. "FBI could use some terrific sharpshooters."

"Not soon, though… I'm taking an extended leave. I heard someone is going back to surgery."

Reine chuckled. "Dunhill told you?"

"Offered me to stay until a certain someone completed her Trauma fellowship."

"Do you think… I have what it takes?" she asked, doubt beginning to cloud her head.

"You need to fix that confidence issue," Neil pointed out. "Besides that, I'm sure you'll do great."

"Confidence, huh…"

"You'll be trained by the Hands of Asclepius himself. He'll put his reputation on the line for this."

This time, Reine managed to laugh. "You almost sound like Allen!"

"Speaking of whom, where is he?"

"Just landed yesterday with Gwen and the baby."

Allen put down their luggage and looked around. He hadn't left for too long, but he missed being here. Gwen—or rather the Kreiss sister as a whole—had never ceased to surprise him. He was told the truth of the nature of their 'trip' by an agent the moment they reached Italy; by Gwen's calm response, he knew that Gwen had always known. Gwen later explained to him Reine's true allegiance all this time, but not after making sure that he didn't have anything to do with it by herself. She finally told him the true nature of her parents' occupation, why she decided to keep it secret… all the things they had never talked about.

It was almost funny how he learned more about her than ever after she lost her memories, but maybe this was the silver lining to all the things that had happened to them. He knew, however, that the only change occurred to his love for her was only the fact it became stronger than ever.

And there was Helena Mary. Allen had thought that he could never be devoted just to one woman—and Gwen had proved him wrong in that respect. But, it was only after Helena Mary came along, that he knew he had the capability of loving someone without any restraint whatsoever.

They really were something.

He looked over his shoulder and found Gwen, holding Helena Mary in her arms and rocking her gently. He couldn't help but to smile at the sight he had longed all this time.

"You sure you don't wanna go back to Reine's place?"

"You've asked me eleven times it's getting annoying," Gwen retorted. "I'll take the guest room."

"No, no, you take the master bedroom. I'll take the guest room," he said quickly. "If we want your memories back, you should be put into familiar environment, and that's definitely not the guest room."

Allen went inside, but Gwen remained at where she was. Sensing something—maybe she wanted to stay with Reine, after all?—Allen turned around and asked: "Gwen?"

"If… if what I need is really something familiar, shouldn't you be there, too?"

It took Allen a moment to decipher what she truly meant. He began to remember how 'nervousness' felt like. "Well… we don't have to make you feel uncomfortable."

"It's okay…" there was a brief awkward silence before Gwen added. "I want you to be there."

Allen smiled and he turned around to Gwen with his arms open wide. "I truly am irresistible, no?"

After two weeks, Neil was allowed to go home. Reine helped him home. Now that she thought about it, this would be the first time she went to his place.

"I think you'll be the first person from Oakbrook to see my place, really," Neil quipped as they drove.

"Should I be honored?"

"I don't know, up to you."

Neil lived in a top-floor penthouse that was almost too big for just one person.

"Just take a seat, I'll be right back."

Reine nodded and watched as Neil disappeared into his room. She walked towards a nearby sofa and sat there, while her eyes glancing over his place. It was furnished adequately; there was not a lot of decoration, with black and white seemed to be the dominant colors. There was a wide glass window with the city landscape, with a grand piano at the corner of the living room. Neil seemed to favor glass furniture, which was almost ironic considering his secretive personality.

Neil headed out and sat across her. "You should rest soon, you know," Reine reminded him.

"There's something I need to ask," Neil said.

"Hm?"

Reine could sense his nervousness—was this something related to their work? Was Neil having second thoughts about moving to FBI, or taking a leave from active field duty?

Much to her surprise, Neil produced a small box from his pocket, a velvet royal blue box. He opened it in front of her, revealing the ring stored inside. It was white golden, mounted with an arrangement of diamonds in varying sizes, with the smaller ones at the ends and the bigger ones moving towards the centre. The central gemstone were five teardrop-shaped deep red rubies, arranged carefully to look like a flower.

Reine's eyes widened and she held her breath when she realized what he was up to.

"It wasn't supposed to be twelve names—it's supposed to be twelve gems," Neil told her. "Up until the last second, I was asking myself which one would be better for you… which one that would keep you safe. All this time, I've been thinking about this. When Helena offered me a position in the Bureau, I'm sure that this is it."

"Are you… sure?"

"I believe I told you, not all of the things I said were lies. All the things I told you during those days… none of them is a lie. I told you that when it comes to choosing a partner, I'll choose you—I meant it… in all aspects of my life."

"Neil, I…"

Neil stood up, taking the ring and knelt in front of her. "Renaissance Victoria Kreiss, will you spend your life with me, telling me stuff and listening to me telling you stuff?"

At this point, Reine was already in tears. She had never expected this; that amidst all the lies she had to put up and the secrets she had to keep, she found something so genuine and true. She knew what her answer was; she had always known all this time.

"Yes."

The End

That would be the end of one of the longest story I've ever written here (chapter-wise, Dragon's Tears still hold the record, though, and I doubt I can ever write that long ever again... but who knows). It has been three years, and there are a lot of points where I doubted I could ever finish this story... but I did, and this is NO SMALL THANKS to your continued support through the encouragements and reviews. To mention you guys one-by-one would be a very long list, but know that each and every review you give is really a motivation for me to keep going on even when times are hard.

This is, undoubtedly, the most difficult story I've ever attempted. I'm not even sure what kind of crazy thought I had while deciding to embark on this project. It's really only with your support that we've all come this far. Despite a lot of turns and secrets, I hope you guys have enjoyed the ride as much as the love I put into this.

On the epilogue: Maybe the epilogue is very... subdued, in way, contrasting to the earlier chapters... but that is really why I choose to end it this way.

Allen finally learned the truth about Gwen after Gwen lost her memories, and he really learned the meaning of 'love' and 'devotion'.

Gwen learns just how much she really loves Allen, and I daresay her love is really the kind that is incomprehensible to reason. It's almost like an instinct to her.

Rod, although he failed to fulfill his earlier aspiration to be a good son he never had the chance to be, now can be a good brother we all know he is very capable being.

Leighton, who lost her family, now is going to build a new one with the man she loves.

Neil chooses to leave his 'childhood dream' (being a spy, a sniper), let go of his 'teenage dream' (Caitlyn), and pursue his current dream: spending his life with the woman he loves. Granted, he doesn't really leave law enforcement behind, but I don't think he will ever undertake a prolonged, extremely dangerous undercover the way he did at the beginning of this story.

Reine really gets into perspective, that while she can stay in FBI, her initial motivation is really one of vengeance and that her true passion of saving people would be better served by being a trauma surgeon. In a way, she really is like Neil who had a dilemma on whether he should chase the bad guy or save someone's life (back in his teenage days). While Neil eventually chooses to stay in law enforcement (but not before ensuring Reine becomes the best trauma surgeon she can be), Reine chooses to confront her fear of losing her patient on the table, which is no less courageous than what Neil chooses. This one is coincidental, really, but looking back, even I am surprised how Neil and Reine are really two sides of the same coin and at the same time the two sides of the balance.

With Neil on one knee and proposed to Reine in a very 'ordinary' way, it really speaks to how despite all the action they've been getting or going into - and will be, they are, at the end of the day just a man and woman who really loves each other, and really be there for each other.

My current project is SOS, Klaus and Raelyn's story: "Why Should We Care About What They Say?". Future plans include the second season of Safe Haven (oh yeah, another Neil-Reine, Allen-Gwen!) and a brand new story in the realm of Trio of Towns, the latest Story of Season's installment. I hope you guys would do me a big, big time by checking these stories out (might want to drop by the first season of Safe Haven. I can't tell much without spoiling... so better check it out for yourselves, guys~) and as always, drop a review or two, or more!

Many thanks for reading this! ^^