EPILOGUE

An hour later, Hank sat on the edge of the bed beside neatly packed suitcases, watching Nora’s reflection in the bureau mirror as she brushed her hair. He was wearing what passed for the most formal of his new clothes, inadequate though they felt. She wore the trim, professional dress she had carefully chosen for their return to New York City… and it did not escape him that its color was bright blue, only a few shades lighter than his fur.

It was the only dress she had picked up from her apartment, days earlier—long before he himself was sure about their future. She had made a deceptively casual point of letting him see it among her clothes. At the time he was too preoccupied to realize what she meant by it, but now he understood.

Even then, Nora had planned to make her stand clear to everyone who saw them together: I’m with him.

The gesture touched him in ways even he had no words for.

“You look wonderful,” he said, as she finished arranging her hair and turned to face him.

She smiled and leaned into his embrace. “So do you.”

He was still far too self-conscious to give a reply to that statement. With a shrug that expressed a peculiar sense of finality, he stood up, letting Nora’s hand settle easily into his. “I suppose we’re ready.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, her grip on his hand gently tightening.

Hank turned to meet her steady gaze, and smiled.

“I am now.”

~ F I N I S ~

Author’s Note: The Lefkowitz Institute and Doctor J. C. Ollivard are the creations of Skybright Daye, my confederate in all devious matters of mutant underworlds and mad scientists. My small references to them here are for her amusement. (And for the record… Seriously. I would pay money to read an encounter between Ollivard and McCoy.)
My sincerest thanks to those of you who have read and reviewed this story. Writing it has meant a great deal to me, and I deeply appreciate the knowledge that others have enjoyed it as well.

© 2009 Jordanna Morgan – please send feedback