Authors note: This is the final chapter. Brace yourselves for it is long. Thanks to everyone who have stuck with this fanfic to the very end. I know it has been a long journey, but, the end is nigh.

CH.16: Echo Creek now and forever pt 2

Marco woke with a sharp pain and realized he was in a dark room. His arms were shackled behind him, his face swollen and it hurt to breathe. The last thing he remembered…wait…where was she? "Star?!" He calls out but aside from his strained vocals no one responds.

"Marco Diaz, oh how I have longed for this day." Toffee steps out from the shadows, and, correction no one responds that he wants to hear from.

"Toffee…why am I not surprised. You turned my friends, my whole town against me. And why…so you could get your kicks out of snuffing the light out of a teenager?"

Toffee snickers as he walks over gripping the back of his head so he has to look up at him. It hurts a lot but he will not give him the satisfaction of seeing him in pain.

"It is more than that…I plan on ruling this town and when I am done, well, you can bet what remains of your life there will be nothing left of Echo Creek as you see it. The hunter line is all but extinguished and the less I have to look out for…the easier it will be to obtain my objective."

Marco didn't like the sound of that. If Toffee was not stopped now…he would surely spread across the world and with no hunters to oppose him…things would surely be dire. Marco wondered if he could get him to reveal more of his plan.

"So…what is your end game? How far does all this death and destruction take you? What will make you happy Toffee?" Marco stared up at him and Toffee seems to debate telling him, he can tell that the notion is there but still not within grasp.

"All in good time Marco Diaz, all in good time. I feel for now you should enjoy your solitude before your public execution. I will handle Star Buttlerfly in a manner similar, though her death will be much more graphic. Rest well…hunter." He walks out of there but not before Marco can aim something his way.

"Oh yeah…well…one thing you do not even consider is how sturdy those in Echo Creek are. You can kill and torture and brain wash all you please…but our executions will stoke a fire and you will be burned down along with this town. When I die you will begin to feel your plans unravel…and even when I am gone you will never be rid of me."

Toffee is unsettled by this and he turns back to face him. Walking back into the room he brings his knee up connecting with just below his chin. Marco is dazed and he feels his face beat in, his body protests but he refuses to scream out for him to stop. Toffee is only infuriated more, his attacks growing more savage till his head lolls and he is out of breath.

"I will move up your execution…your stink is beyond compare." He huffs. Straightening up his tie he leaves the room and Marco finally lets out a groan.

"Yo, Marco!" He believes he is hearing things but after gaining consciousness he notices a figure leaning against the wall.

"J-Janna…what the hell are you doing here? After what happened with my parents and my Uncle…why would you dare show yourself here now? Is this supposed to be enlightening, some sort of what…gift or just more torture?"

Janna pushes off from the wall and kneels before him. Marco flinches at her touch and she looks down a bit.

"Toffee has no idea I am here. I kind of would like to keep it that way. He thinks I am still patrolling. I am to thank for Star getting to you…so…you are welcome. Now look, things don't have to turn out the way Toffee thinks. You can still get out of this; you and Star can both get out of this. The two of you can run away…I'll try and stall and-."

"Janna…no, I refuse to run away. I want this to happen…I want to face Toffee; I want the people of Echo Creek to know just what sort of monster he is. If any deaths before have not awakened them to his evil, this will. I am tired Janna. I am beaten and broken and unlike Star my body is not quick to heal."

Janna sighs in exasperation as she raises her hands above her head. Marco smiles a bit catching just a bit of the old Janna, the one he had ignored so much while in school. To think though it took her being a vampire for him to really give her any attention. Perhaps that was one bad over on him.

"Fine, then, at least let me loosen your manacles some so when they come to take you that you stand a fighting chance. Do not let Toffee take you out without a fight."

Marco had to wonder what she got out of this. However, parts of him knew that if he just took his death as it was…it would go against what his Uncle had told him, what his mother had. True the line of Diaz ended with him, but, this world needed to be reminded that hunters still existed. Nodding his head he watches as Janna breaks his manacles.

"This does not mean-." Marco starts but he can see from her steel gaze that she already knew what he was going to say.

"I did not come thinking that there would be apologies that we would be friends…if we ever were. Be strong Marco…and do not let your aim falter in the end." She disappears when he looks away for a bit…trying to bring to question something, no, a thought or a sentiment but that moment has come and gone.

Marco did his best to make it seem like he was still bound. When the doors open and a blinding white light fills them he hangs his head ready to accept his fate.

The crowd chants a bit…the vampires stand at attention. It was hard to tell how long he had been in there, but, it was clear evening was beginning to fall. He stumbled a bit trying to see but it was sort of difficult given how his eye took a brunt of the punishment. Right now though his heart yearned to be with Star…to be with her in the end; but she was nowhere to be seen. It pained him and he saw Toffee standing there, his steel eyes on him. No doubt their conversation still angered him some.

"Ladies and gentleman of Echo Creek, thanks to the efforts of those who are worthy we have those who have eluded us, who have disturbed the peace. I give you Marco Diaz, last of the hunter line, and Star Butterfly, someone whom you know barely enough of but is also part of a line of those who take on the dead of the night. She has strength, speed, healing factors…and if that were ever turned on any of you there would be grave injuries to contend with."

There were murmurs and Marco struggled forward. He had to remember though that he was tied, more or less, so if he let it slip that Janna had loosened his bindings he may ruin the plan. What plan? Right now he was working on one.

"It is here and now we will execute these two…make them an example for those of you who feel the need to rebel, to fight back. The girl shall be fed to the zombies…even with her healing she will not be able to hold out long. As for Marco…given he is one of you, he deserves to die as a human."

Marco can hear the ravenous zombies pitching about at the gate. No, he could not let them do this to Star. Even now as she is brought out he notices how beat up she is. No doubt Toffee had paid her a visit as well. Still, there was probably less chatting about there.

"Marco!" Star calls out. She tries to hurry to him but several Lycan grab at her. She looks at them with such hate but Marco knows that he needs to diffuse thesituation.

"Star, hey, look at me…look at me Star!" He makes sure that she is looking at him, making sure that his words make it through. "Do not worry…do not panic, and no matter what happens know that you mean the world to me."

"Marco, no, this is not how it is supposed to end." Star sniffles and he wishes he can catch her tears. Even now the Lycans are growling at her as they lead her down the steps.

"Yes everyone, here it is we will realize my dream, my ambition becoming a reality. Bear witness, do not look away…this is the future." Toffee nods his head and several guards hoist him up to his feet so he is standing before Toffee.

"Here we are…but…trust me when I say this Toffee, this is not over." He waits a beat…making sure that Toffee even begins to consider this might be true. He then rushes at him. Toffee is a bit taken aback but clearly not as caught off guard as he would think.

"Do you think me a fool?" Toffee backs up and then he unleashes a few attacks sending a battered Marco to the ground. He spits out blood as he picks himself up.

"Fool, no, but you are certainly not worthy to lead these people. You are pure evil Toffee…and if it is not me who stops you…someone else will." Marco watches as Toffee pulls out a stake.

"Normally stakes are reserved for vampires, but, it would be something to kill a hunter with the one thing he would use on a vampire, do you see the irony there?" Toffee wears a toothy smile and Marco can hear Star's protests as she is dragged to the zombies.

"Go on, do it, let the people of Echo Creek, those who were born here, those who raised their families here…to see their new leader kill and stain this town with more death." Marco spread out his arms and as Toffee raced at him he caught movement in front of him till it was too late.

"Janna?" Toffee clearly did not see this coming, his stake having pushed through her. Meanwhile Marco is reeling and he can't find his voice.

"Hey Toffee, thought I would thank you for everything…and…Marco, Star, even if what went down wasn't ideal…I always held you two closest in my heart, er, undead heart. I only wish…" Her voice falters and she struggles against the stake. Star is screaming and Marco feels an anger build.

Janna disappears into dust…her form no longer there. Marco used that moment to grab hold of the stake and with a yell he tackles Toffee off the stage. The people do not know what to make of this. The vampires and Lycans converge on them.

Marco rolls around with Toffee pounding away at his face while trying to stake him. The movement alone was enough to get Star out of the hold of her Lycans. She kicks out at them sending them flying and she calls out to him. Marco figured a stake was no good on Toffee so he tosses it to her. He listens to the fighting in the background as she takes on the vampires, stake in motion as the vampires were dusted.

Marco was kneed by Toffee and he coughs a bit as Toffee goes to stand up. "Marco, you, you turned her against me. Janna was the perfect puppet to manipulate, lonely and abandoned, yet somehow she managed to find the courage to defy me in the end. Echo Creek is mine-."

"Echo Creek…it does not belong to one individual. It belongs to everyone. You think that by throwing your weight around that you will break these people's spirits, well, hate to break it to you…but that isn't going to happen."

Marco could hear the murmurs and soon enough the people of Echo Creek were starting to see the situation, realizing how far they had sunk. Marco looks over and without thinking his hands go out and two handguns are caught. He looks down at them wondering who had thrown them but notices someone who nods his head at him.

"They have silver bullets…saved for a special occasion. Never thought they'd be of use, we believe in you Marco." Marco nods his head back and as several Lycans go after Star he lines up a shot taking down the Lycans as they howl and twist about before their death throes alert the others.

"No,no…release the zombies!" Toffee calls out. For the first time he can sense panic stemmed in his voice.

Star is already on it as she races after them. If the zombies are released they will certainly fall. There were not enough of them left to take them on. Marco turns his attention to Toffee who immediately begins running.

Marco chases after him and fires at any Lycans who do not flee. Those who seem to have weapons though join in the fray. Marco feels pride and while they had not stood before, he did not hold it against them. It was their call to make…their time to rise. It had to mean something or it would just be forced and Marco knew that would not help Echo Creek.

Star would help out the people of Echo Creek…and they'd need her help before the battle ends. Marco pushed himself…feeling his legs burn. They reach where one would leave Echo Creek and Marco holds his gun outright.

"Marco…I honestly did not believe that this fight would be between the two of us. Star was my target, but, somehow you became involved. She had to meet you…she had to set all this in motion. I will not go down easily…I will not disappear-."

"I don't care…long as it is not for a while, that is fine with me. Dead or not, your call, but if we are being fare…I'd rather see you tortured in hell." Marco lets loose several rounds and as Toffee holds up his arms he is assaulted, his body wracked with bullets and he falls to one knee. He holds onto one of his eyes and he glowers at him with a glowing eye.

"Well played Marco Diaz…well played," he begins to disappear leaving Marco standing there, smoke coming from his guns. Echo Creek had been spared, but, there was no telling what the future may hold.

Epilogue

Echo Creek had been rebuilt…more or less. There was still much healing to be done but all in good time. The zombies were all that remained from the fight and even now there were scientists at work looking to find a cure for them. Marco stood in what was once his home…the emptiness setting in on him. There was no going back…there was only moving forward.

"Hey. You ready yet?" Marco looks over and smiles as he sees Star standing there. School was stating up again and he places his guns into his backpack. Truth was even with the threat gone…there was still no telling when it would come for them again…and…if Toffee should return.

"Just about, hey, did I tell you how beautiful you look today?" Marco smirks as he walks over and slips his hand into hers.

"Well, not today, but I can look on my phone and I am sure I will be able to find some for sure. Marco, I just want to say…after all we have been through, that I do not wish to go another day without you by my side…cause Marco…I love you."

Marco smirks and he presses his head against her. "I love you too…Star Butterfly, and, no matter what our future holds, count on me to be by your side…and…no secrets." He then pulls her to him and kisses her. The two of them stand there making out and fulfilling their needs, knowing that such days are so slim…and it is in the here and now in the Echo Creek they knew and loved…hope survived.

THE END

Authors note: Thanks again for reading and hope your days go well. I also hope that this ending is fitting.