All right. This is the last chapter. I hope you like the fairytale ending.

Thank you for reviewing, Elizabeth Fire Ice Heart. Let me know – how do you always review two minutes after the chapter is uploaded? Also, thanks to catherandwren, Bloodylilcorpse, Gage the Hedgehog, HeronFray104 and ShortAsVegeta.

As Courtney cried, a knock on the door sounded, and in came a new person, who tapped Courtney on the shoulder.

The crying girl looked up. "Who are you?" she managed.

"I'll explain everything." the little girl standing in front of her lisped. "You love Duncan, don't you?"

Courtney managed a nod.

"And he loves you." the little girl said. "You came here just in time to save him and everyone in the castle from my curse. Had you not realized it in time, you would be crying over a sentient statue, and every single person in this castle except for your sister would have disappeared."

Courtney scowled. "You're nuts! That's not true."

The little girl scowled. "I'd be careful with what you say to me. Things are not as they seem. Let me introduce myself." She revealed herself as that powerful enchantress, the way she had seven years ago. She was still little, but she was a teenager, and power radiated from her, like an aura. "My name is Beth. Seven years ago, I came to this castle, asking for shelter. Duncan turned me away, so I confined him and all the servants to the castle. Everyone else here is the same age they were back then, although Duncan has aged. I left a rose here, for the time limit of the curse. But I would lift it, if Duncan learned compassion and love, and have it returned." She smiled. "And he has...through you. And because I feel that you should both be rewarded, I will heal Duncan for you, and the curse shall be lifted."

Courtney gasped. "But...you...enchant...why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Part of the curse was that they couldn't tell anyone." Beth explained. "You have no idea what everyone was thinking the night you walked in. It was obvious – if anyone was going to bring out the good in Duncan, you would."

Courtney raised an eyebrow. "And Bridgette couldn't?"

"To be absolutely honest," Beth said, "Bridgette is lovely, but she's far too nice to present the kind of challenge. You and Duncan fit because you both broke each other's walls down." She smiled. "I'd explain more, but Duncan's running out of time. I need to heal his gunshot wound quickly if you want him to live. Don't worry, I caught Bridgette before she called the hospital, so that's done."

When Beth was finished, she looked back up at Courtney. "You've captured a heart that has a lot of potential goodness inside it, something you unlocked. Take care of it."

And with a smile, she disappeared.

And Duncan stirred. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the brunette. "Courtney?" he said. "I thought...is this heaven?"

"You're alive." Courtney said softly. "I know everything now – you were cursed. The person who cursed you – she ressurrected you. And the curse is over. You can leave the castle."

Duncan's gaze drifted to the wilted rose, and he instantly knew it. It was true. The time had passed, and he was still himself. And with that thought in place, he couldn't help himself. He paid no attention to how rough he was as he pulled Courtney close and kissed her with the passion of a million men in love.

Courtney pushed him away. "Back off, Neanderthal!" she said sternly. "Kissing isn't a battle!"

"Oh?" Duncan teased. "So what is it?"

Courtney tried to keep her stern look in place, but her face softened against her will. "Try it like this..." she said as she (more gently) took his face in her hands, and kissed him, for a long time.

Things changed in the castle after that day. That first moment, when Duncan and Courtney came back down the staircase, they saw that Bridgette was deep in conversation with Geoff, who was looking at her as if she was an angel. After that day, both sisters stayed in the castle. But now, they were free to leave when they liked, and some of the servants left at times, too.

Emma, desperate to start her degree in international law, left for law school soon after the curse was lifted. Noah quit his job as a librarian, and he and Emma started dating a few months later.

Most of the other servants stayed in the castle. Bridgette took Courtney's bedroom after a few weeks, when Duncan asked her if she wanted to stay in his quarters. Sure, it was early days, but Courtney already knew that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, so she agreed.

It didn't take long for more romance to bloom. It wasn't long before Geoff's clueless style of flirting got him in major trouble with Bridgette, but with some help from DJ, he won her over. After six weeks in the castle, the two blondes were inseparable. After an initial month, they became a little less dependent on each other's company, but their passion for each other was never close to fading.

Justin ended up being incarcerated, with appeal for parole being in ten years. Once the villagers knew what he'd done, they were all shocked. None of them ever came to the castle again, but Justin was decidedly less popular when he was locked up in prison. The only true loss from him was Izzy's job of praising him, and she soon found something else to do.

Courtney eventually went to law school, but now that Duncan was able to leave the castle, they still saw each other often. There was a time when she became suspicious that he might have something for Gwen, after she spent a break in the castle and noticed how close they were getting, but she soon relaxed when she was reminded that Gwen had been working in the castle since she was a child, and had been frozen at sixteen when Duncan was a little kid (although now she was aging again). On the whole, Courtney felt comfortable, and deep down, she knew that Duncan wouldn't cheat on her, especially not with one of the servants.

Above all, the two sisters, one-time misfits, had found their real home and the happiness they deserved. And there was only one thing they could think of. As Courtney said one night:

"Opposites attract...a tale as old as time." She chuckled. "And they lived happily ever after."

And that's the end! So, what did you think?

Please, just one last little review?