A/N: Just one comment: comments at the end of this chapter!!!
First Comes Marriage, Then Love?
Chapter XVIII: All That's Well…
Harry had a pretty accurate idea of where the last of the horocruxes was. Or at least he thought so; but he had spent so much time trying to understand how Voldemort's mind worked that he felt confident he was right. He instructed Ron and Hermione to apparate at a graveyard he had visited only once before, yet the experience had been so powerful that it was burnt on his mind. It took him only a few seconds to realize that the scenery displayed before his eyes was exactly the same he had seen when the cup-portkey has first took him there.
"Look for a tomb that has an angel over it, the grave of Tom Riddle Senior," said Harry.
Hermione felt a shiver down her spine as she began walking around, looking for the statue Harry had mentioned. The air was thick with humidity and the fog was low over the tombstones. The light of the rising sun made the low branches of the bare trees draw horrible shapes over the floor and tombstones. The only noises came from their own footsteps. Even the owls seemed to realize that there was something spooky about the place and they kept their usual nocturnal hooting quiet.
From instinct Hermione knew that Ron was at her left and Harry at her right, but Ron was closer and she felt he kept throwing glances in her directions. It didn't seem like something important, but form some reason she registered that fact. Suddenly she saw a particularly ugly statue and her legs trembled making her lose balance and fall. Ron ran to her aid.
"Hermione! Are you all right?" he whispered when he got to the place were she was lying. There was no answer. She had passed out.
All the members of the Order were gathered waiting for Harry to communicate with them. Dumbledore's plan was for him, Ron and Hermione to go alone on their quest to destroy the last horocux, because there was a slim- very slim- chance that they would be able to pull it of without Voldemort realizing what was going on. However, if the inevitable should happen, they were ready to go on the trio's aid. But Fred had never received the message, for the second he had found out about Hermione being pregnant he had left the apartment to go after her and force her to come back. He had only a faint idea of where she could be. Hermione had discussed with him the possible places were Harry thought the horocrux were and he intended to search all those places until h found her. He blessed over and over again the open relationship he had with his wife. And perhaps it was due to the strong connection they shared, but the first place he thought of going was the very same graveyard that Harry, Ron and Hermione (with his unborn child) were combing for the last bit of Voldemort's soul.
He landed next to a particularly ugly statue of a nun. And the first thing he saw was Ron, who was kneeling over something that looked like a body, a curly-haired woman's body.
"Hermione!" Fred shouted unable to stop himself, and he run the few meters that separated him from the woman he loved. Harry was nowhere to be seen. Ron had stood up at the sound of Fred's scream. He had his wand raised and was ready to attack, but at the same time he was poised to protect Hermione from any intruder.
"What are you doing here?!" he demanded when he recognized his brother. He had lowered his wand but had not relaxed his grip on it, and his tone was threatening enough.
"What happened to her?" Fred asked desperately, ignoring Ron's question. He crouched next to Hermione and took her hand to check her pulse. It was not cold, as he had feared, but this didn't calm him. However, he vital signs appeared to be normal.
"She fainted," Ron answered curtly, and then he repeated, "What are you doing here?"
Fred looked at his youngest brother and said firmly, "I'm here to take her home."
"Are you out of your mind? Who do you think you are?" Ron asked aggressively.
"I'm her husband," answered Fred through greeted teeth, it was taking him a great effort not to scream. "And even if I weren't, she's fainted. She shouldn't be here. I'm taking her!"
"No you are not! She'll come round soon and we'll be ready to help Harry as we always have. It's just killing you not to be a part of this, isn't it? Well, I'm sorry to break it to you like this, but you are only her husband because Dumbledore needed you to be so. You have no right over her!"
"You fool!! I'm much more than that!"
"I don't care if you love her," Ron continued ignoring what Fred had said. "Oh yes, I know you do, anyone can tell. But sadly for you she doesn't love you back… so stop making a fool out of yourself and go back to headquarters."
"The only on making a fool out of himself is you Ron!" Fred said, he was desperate now, he was very sorry for what he was about to do, but it was the only way Ron was going to let him take her. "Hermione shouldn't be here! She needs to see a doctor! You don't understand… She's pregnant!"
Before Ron could fully understand what Fred was saying, there was a great flash of purple light. For a moment their argument was forgotten. Instinctively they knew that Harry had succeeded in destroying the last horocrux. He was closer than ever before, closer than anyone had been, to finally conquer Voldemort, for good. Fred and Ron looked at each other, speechless. Fred recovered first, he moved towards Hermione, but slowly, waiting for his brother to react. He didn't. Ron took one last look at Hermione and then turned round and started running to where Harry was. Fred knew they were going after Voldemort, and before disapparating with Hermione in his arms, he sent a message to the Order.
Hermione woke up, but even before she opened her eyes she knew something wasn't right. Perhaps not wrong, but she was not where she was supposed to be, and that was definitely not right. She felt dizzy and confused. Why was she lying on a comfortable bed when her sense of duty told her she was supposed to be somewhere else, although she wasn't sure where? She forced her mind to focus. The last thing she remembered was being in a damp, filthy place with Ron and…
"Harry!" Her eyes snapped open as she realized that her best friends were fighting Voldemort and she was not with them. She tried to get up, but something didn't let her. It was a thought she was bound to the bed by invisible strings. She looked desperately around. Had she been captured by Death Easters? No. She was in a spacious room, with white walls and wide windows. It looked as a hospital room. She looked down herself and realized she was wearing a white set of robes, with Saint Mungos' emblem on it. what was she doing at the hospital? At that moment a healer entered.
"Mrs. Weasley, I'm glad to see your up. How are you feeling?" he asked checking her pulse.
"What am I doing here? What's happened?" Hermione asked desperately, trying to get up again.
"Your husband brought you. Lie down now, you need to rest. Here, he left you this before he left." The healer handed her a folded note.
Hermione opened it and recognized immediately Fred's hand writing, though it looked as if he had scribbled it in a hurry
Dear Hermione, I love you. The healer will explain everything. I had to go and join the Order. I want to make this world safe for both of you. I promise I'll be back.
Hermione looked up from the not, demanding an explanation. Why had Fred left her here and gone to fight Voldemort? What did he meant by both of you? She tried to get up yet again, but the invisible bounds didn't let her.
"Mrs. Weasley, I think you should know that you are pregnant," said the healer soothingly.
"I'm what?" Hermione's hand went to her belly. She was overcome by emotion; she could feel hot tears in her eyes. She was pregnant; she could feel her baby growing inside her, her and Fred's baby. Fred, he had gone to take her place next to Harry to protect them.
Back at the graveyard, open battle had broken. Every Death Eater had run to their master's aid but the Order was putting up a fight. Encouraged by the idea that Harry had finally a chance of destroying Voldemort they were decided to give him as much help as they could. Ron was fighting particularly fiercely, like there was something inside him edging him on. He moved forward, taking Death Eater after Death Eater, not caring that he was being reckless. He wasn't thinking straight. The only thing on his mind were Fred's words, Hermione was pregnant, with his child. Hermione loved Fred. She was married to him and now she was having her baby. What was there to live for? He didn't care if he got himself killed. All he could feel was anger and hatred. He wanted somebody to pay for his pain, and it was all Voldemort's fault. If it hadn't been for him, Fred and Hermione would have never got married. If it hadn't been for Voldemort, he would be with her right now. Another one of Voldemort's followers jumped in front of him, but Ron deflected his curse easily and counterattacked with fury. However, one of the Death Eater he had stunned a couple of minutes previously threw a hex at him, which missed him by inches. Suddenly Ron was fighting the two of them at the same time.
Fred turned after knocking out Crabbe and saw the two Death Eaters rounding on his brother, so he ran to help him.
"Need a hand?" he said brightly as he aimed a curse at the nearest.
"I don't need anything from you," replied Ron ducking to avoid a jet of green light. "I can handle this."
"No you can't. I know what you are trying to do, but getting you killed won't get you Hermione."
Ron acted as if he hadn't listened Fred and continue fighting his Death Eater. How dared Fred talk to him? Especially about Hermione. He lost his concentration for a second and that caused him a minor hex hitting his right arm. It wasn't a deep wound, but it made it more difficult for him to hold his wand. He heard a cruel laughter behind the hood his attacker was wearing. All Ron could do with his injured arm was protecting himself from his opponent's attacks.
"Tired already?" he said. "We can finish it of right now." He began to roll up the sleeves of his robes. "Say your prayers Weasley." He raised his wand and was ready to attack when a jet of red light hit him squarely on his back. He fell face forward, revealing a person standing behind him, wand still raised. Ron was half expecting to see Fred, but his savior was a woman. A blonde, slim, beautiful woman was waling towards him.
"Haley?" Ron asked incredulously. "I thought you were… I mean…"
"You thought I was one of them?" she asked while she put her wand on Ron's arm and started to heal his wound. Ron nodded. "Well, I used to be," she said showing him her forearm, where the dark mark was visible.
"Then why?" he stammered.
"I'll explain later. Now we have a dark wizard to kill, come on!" and she left Ron standing there wondering what on earth was going on. Suddenly he heard a scream of panic and the cruelest laughter a few meters from where he was. He turned and saw a man advancing on Fred, who had fallen to the floor. Without thinking about it, he jumped on to the man knocking him off his feet. They started to roll in a mass of fists and kicks. Ron was on top, then the Death Eater, then Ron again. He was hitting him with all his strength, with all the hatred he had inside him. Soon the man was unconscious.
Panting, Ron got up and went to check on Fred. "Are you all right?" he asked coldly.
"Yeah, thanks for that," he said looking at Ron's face.
"Yeah, well. I wasn't going to let him kill you. I was not going to leave my niece or nephew without a father. He shouldn't suffer for your betrayal."
"Ron, I didn't betray you. I never wanted this to happen!"
"Are you telling me that you accidentally had sex with Hermione?" asked Ron, he was so angry it caused him a great effort to utter every word. He was actually shaking with hate.
"No! Of course not! What I meant is that I didn't want to fall in love with Hermione, but I did, I love her and she loves me. We never intended to hurt you. Perhaps if things had turned out differently we would have ignored our feelings for your sake," this was a down right lie, but Fred felt the need to explain himself. "But now we've formed a family and I'm going to do my best to five that family a loving home, whether you like it or not. I'm sorry," he finished truthfully, his eyes looking directly into Ron's to show him that he was being completely honest.
Ron couldn't bring himself to answer, and there was nothing he wanted to say. Or rather, there were a lot of names he wanted to call Fred, but insulting him was not going to change the situation. Although a part of him wanted to curse him until he was erased from the surface of the Earth, a larger, more reasonable part of him knew that he was his brother and that he meant what he had said. Hermione had never been his, and that wasn't Fred's fault. Despite the fact that he had always hoped they would end up together, he now understood they had only been meant for each other in his mind. He didn't want to accept it, but this didn't make it less true. As realization dawned on him, he felt tears burn his eyes.
Fred was still standing in front of him, waiting for an answer. Ron nod at him almost imperceptibly and turned around to help the rest of the Order who were still fighting the Death Eaters.
The battle was furious and energetic. Both sides were anxious because they didn't know what was going inside the old manner where Harry and Voldemort were having their last encounter. Of course, the Death Eaters had no idea Harry was indeed the person destined to kill their leaser, but most of them were sharp enough to realize that if the Order was seeking an attack on them was because something special had or was about to happen.
The aim of Voldemort's followers was to kill; they didn't want to subdue the Order. They had clear orders to murder as many enemies as they could. They showed no mercy, but their opponents were ready to take them. But Harry's allies had a different tactic. They did not want to take any life. All they wanted was to control and tame the Death Eater in order to bring them before the authorities once it was all over. Last time many of them had succeeded in escaping and had denied they had ever been allied to the dark arts. But this time it was going to be different, they were all there and they were going to pay for all the crimes they had committed, for all the pain and suffering they had caused.
Meanwhile Hermione was going crazy. Still magically tied to the hospital bed all she could do was worry while she waited for news and pray for them to be good when they came. At the same time she couldn't believe she was pregnant. She was going to be a mother! The doctors had already told her that she and her baby were perfectly fine. And in spite of everything that was going on, she couldn't suppress a feeling of bliss inside her chest. There were brief moments in which she was able to forget about what was going on at the graveyard and her imagination traveled forward in time, showing her a picture of Fred and her holding a pink-cheeked baby, giggling at them. But them horrible images of Fred and everyone she cared for being tortured and hurt by Death Eaters replaced those happy thoughts bringing tears to her eyes and quickening her breathing. And thus, between flashes of future happiness and anxiousness and sorrow Hermione saw time pass – however slowly.
She had dozed off into a very light sleep, when suddenly she was jerked awake by the door of her room flying open. And there, standing on the threshold was Fred, covered in blood, with scratches and cut all over him, his hair was all messed up, his robes were torn at several places and he was pale behind his freckles. However, at the sight of his wife his face broke into a beam.
"He did it! Harry! It's all over honey!" He said running to hug her. Hermione was speechless. Nothing compared to the happiness she felt. The wizarding world was finally free of the fear and horror they had endured for so long. Peace had returned to their lives. She had her husband next to her and to cup it all they were going to have a baby. Fred undid the spell tying Hermione to the bed and they met in a long, tight embrace. Both of them cried freely tears of relief and love, tears of happiness, tears that said everything that was inside them.
"What happened? Is everybody all right?" asked Hermione much later. Fred was lying next to her, one arm around her shoulder and his other one on her belly.
"I don't know exactly. I left as soon as I found out; I had to see that you were fine. I know that there were some casualties in our side, but no one from our family or friends. There are some serious injuries thought, but nothing a trained group of healers can't deal with. Harry's fine. He was with Dumbledore when I left. I expect they'll come here eventually."
"And what about you? How are you?" asked Hermione examining him closely.
"Perfectly fine. In fact, I've never been better," answered Fred, the old teasing tone back in his voice. "There is something else you should know thought." And he told everything that had happened between him and Ron, from the moment he had discovered she was pregnant to their last conversation after the latter had saved him.
"He really accepted it that easily?" Hermione asked looking disbelievingly at her husband.
"Well, we were in the middle of the battle, he couldn't really think about it, so I don't know what will happen now, but at least he knows now and we can tell everybody else. It's not going to be easy, but we have each other and little being growing inside you to help us."
Suddenly, a great deal of noise could be heard coming from the corridors. Healers ran up and down the ward. It was clear for Fred and Hermione that the rest of the people who had been fighting in the graveyard had arrived. They looked at each other nervously. They knew it was foolish to feel anxious about telling everybody about the baby after everything that had happened, but still, they were. The good thing was that Ron already knew. He was certainly the person they had dreaded telling the most. However, they didn't have a clue how the rest of the family was going to react. Besides, though Fred had told Ron, he hadn't had any time to process the information and react accordingly.
It was only a matter of time now until somebody found out found out which one was Hermione's room. And sure enough, only a couple of minutes after the racket had started a redhead crossed the door. He looked a mess, and not only because of the scratches all over his body and the facts that he was covered in blood and mud. There was a deep cut over his left eyebrow, which looked even deeper because of his gesture. His face conveyed the deepest sadness. He looked hopeless and lost.
"Can I?" Ron asked, pointing at Hermione. Fred didn't need him to finish the sentence. He stood up from the bed, kissed his wife on the forehead and left the room. Ron and Hermione owned themselves a conversation. He understood that and was not going to stand an obstacle.
Ron moved a little close to the bed, but stopped a few feet from it, uncertain what to do. Hermione looked at him hopefully.
"You look radiant 'Mione, I've never seen you so beautiful, and believe me, I've always thought you were the most gorgeous woman in the world. Even prettier that Fleur," said Ron. The sorrow in his voice broke Hermione's heart in half.
"Thank you," she tried to say, but the words choke in her throat. Tears began to roll down her cheek as she beckoned Ron to seat down on the bed next to her.
"Don't cry 'Mione, this is supposed to be a happy moment. The happiest of your life. You're having a baby with the man you love." Hermione couldn't believe how mature Ron was behaving. He didn't sound at all like the young jealous man that head fled to Denmark because she had married Fred on Dumbledore's orders. Of course the war had made them all grown and even age quickly, but there was something different in Ron. Something was missing from his eyes and it was not only disappointment. He was a changed man, she could tell
"I am happy. But I can't stand to see you suffering like this."
"Don't worry about me, I'll be all right. 'Mione, I love you more than I ever thought I could love a woman. Today, in the graveyard, you were the only person on my mind. That's probably never going to change. But I understand now that we are not supposed to be together. You love Fred and he loves you. I cannot think of a more perfect father for your children. I don't blame you for my pain, and I don't blame him either. I'll be all right and more important, I will always be here for you 'Mione. You are my best friend and the woman I love, even though you don't love me back, you'll still be the only owner of my heart."
Hermione was crying even harder now. She didn't know what to say. She had never heard Ron speak like that, nor look so serious and convinced of something. It was almost unbearable to listen to him saying all those things, but at the same time it put her heart at ease to know that he had come to terms with how things were. Somehow she knew he was right, he was going to be fine and he was going to be happy again. It was not her place to mend his heart this time. She contented herself to hug him tightly. Ho broke it fairly quickly and wiped her tears away.
Mrs. Weasley chose that price moment to enter the room, followed by Fred who clearly had tried to stop her but failed. At the sight of his mother and brother, Ron stood up from the bed, smiled weakly at Hermione and left the room in silence. Mrs. Weasley was so worried about Hermione that she barely noticed her youngest son exiting the room.
"Hermione! What happened? Harry said you were brought here even before the battle started" Mrs. Weaseley said frantically.
"Calm down mom. Everything's fine. In fact, we have great news." Before he could go on the entire Weasley family entered the room. They hadn't finished crossing the threshold and they were already demanding to know what had happened.
Fred had to make and explosion with his wand to make everybody stop shouting at once.
"Everybody! Could you be quiet for a second so I can tell you what happened?"
"So something did happen," said George looking from Fred to Hermione who was still lying on the bed. None of them knew if George had guessed what was going on or if the were reading too much into his words.
"The thing is," Fred started once the rest of his family had settled down in the newly conjured chairs. God he had never been so nervous in his whole life. "Well, you know how Hermione and I have been living together since we got married… and, well, you know Hermione, she's so smart, and beautiful, and funny, and caring and-"
"Oh my God!" Ginny interrupted. "Hermione, are you pregnant?"
Fred and Hermione looked at each other in disbelief, what of course answered Ginny's question. There were a couple of seconds of stunned silence, as comprehension went around the room. Mr. Weasley was the first to react.
"Congratulation, you two!" He said hugging Hermione and then his son. "Fred, you are going to be a father! I cannot believe this."
"That's right, Fred's going to be a father. I though there was a law against that," joked Charlie as he go up of his chair to congratulate the couple.
"Goodness, there is going to be another little Weasley in the family," said Mrs. Weasley with tears in her eyes and a watery smile.
For a whole hour Fred and Hermione had to answer questions about their relationships, the most inappropriate ones coming predictably from George and a couple from Ginny. And then they spend another forty minutes discussing their plans for the future. Everybody was thrilled at the prospect of the first baby of the new generation. They had many reasons to celebrate. After the interrogation had finished, Hermione was eager to get the details of what had happened at the graveyard. All of them talked, laughed, joked and cheered. One or two times Mrs. Weasley looked in the direction of the door, as if she feared someone would go in to tell them off for the noise they were making and to force them to leave the room. But none did, there was no room for reprimands that night. The wizarding world was at long last free of the horror that had threatened it for so long.
It was well passed midnight before Fred and Hermione were left alone. The healers had insisted on keeping her in observation just in case; and Fred, who was almost as stubborn as the healers, had insisted on staying next to her. He was again lying in bed next to her, drawing little circles on her belly with his palm. Hermione had her eyes closed; she was daydreaming about the future that awaited them. Nothing would ever ruin their happiness.
"How's Ron?" asked Fred tentatively.
"Sad, but he'll be fine," answered Hermione. She sat against her pillows and took Fred's hand in her. "I think he'll settle for being the godfather."
Fred smiled at her. "Of course he will. And he's going to be the best one."
They looked at each other, lovingly, adoringly. The room banished to their eyes. The noises from outside quieted. The light around them grew brighter. At that precise moment nothing in the entire world existed to them, but each other.
"Happy birthday 'Mione!" shouted Ginny, entering the backyard through the Burrow's back door. She hugged her now very large best friend and handed her a large bag stuffed with tissue paper.
"Thanks Ginny," said Hermione smiling. She tried to get up but was thrown back down by the weight of her belly.
"Don't get up," said Ginny conjuring up a chair and settling next to Hermione. "So, who's my favorite niece behaving?"
"Terribly! I won't be able to do this for another two months! I think she's inherited you family's talent for Quidditch. She keeps moving and turning as if she was doing tricks on a broomstick." Hermione complained.
"Of course she has!" said Fred cheerfully. He and George had just sat on the table in front of the girls. "She's going to be a beater, like his father and uncle."
"Nah," interjected Ginny "she's going to be the best chaser Hogwarts ever saw."
"Impossible," said a new voice from behind them. "That's you Gin. The little baby is going to be a seeker, I'll teach her myself." Harry had arrived with more presents for Hermione and the baby.
"I'm very sorry to disappoint you," Hermione told them. "But if she's going to be a prefect, she won't have time for quidditch practices." A loud bubble of complaint burst instantly and Hermione lain back to admire the effect of her words. It was very amusing how worked up they all get about a silly sport. Nevertheless, she was immensely glad quidditch was the only motive they had to get worked up about. She blessed again and again how peaceful their lives finally were.
Some minutes later Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the family came from inside carrying food and drinks. When everybody had taken their seats Hermione blew off her nineteen candles and everybody helped themselves to Mrs. Weasley's delicious food. While her guests chatted among themselves, Hermione looked around the table. There was only one person missing. She knew it was very unlikely for him to show up, but she had still hoped…
"There's no point in getting sad about him, you know that." Ginny had guessed correctly why her best friend was so quiet.
"Yeah, I know," Hermione sighted. But at that moment a soft plop was heard behind the table. Everybody turned round to find Ron standing a few feet from them, holding a large box.
"Sorry I'm late," he said walking towards the table. "It took me some time to find the perfect gift for my godson. I know it's Hermione's birthday, but I think the three of you will enjoy it." He gave Hermione the box, but she put it aside and hugged Ron tightly.
"I'm so glad you came!"
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," he answered giving her a little peck on the cheek before sitting next to his father. Hermione opened the box, smiling so broadly it looked painful. Inside there was something that looked like a dollhouse, but when she took it out, it turned out to be a model of Hogwarts, and inside it there were hundreds and hundreds of little figures that had been charmed to move and talk.
"It's so that she learns to love Hogwarts as much as we do," explained Ron.
"Ron! It's perfect!" Hermione said, her eyes filled with tears. Fred clapped Ron on one shoulder. It was the first time he had seen his older brother speechless.
"It's not only from me. It's from Haley too." Nobody said anything. Everybody knew that Haley had turned into their side before Voldemort fell. Dumbledore had convinced her that she was on the wrong team and she had turned a spy for them, just as Snape had done so many years ago. Then he had convinced the rest that she was to be trusted. Some of them were still doubtful about weather she deserved to be accepted or not. Ron, however, had been one of the first ones to take her in. He knew that she had tried to use him to get to Harry, but still, he felt she needed him, his protection and affection. And he was ready to give it to her.
"Tell her thanks, and that I expect to see her in my baby shower," said Hermione honestly, breaking the silence. The atmosphere relaxed and slowly the level of noise rose again.
Hermione leaned towards Ron, so that only he could hear what she said.
"Dies this means you are a couple?" she asked
"You could say so. I'll never love her as much as I love you, but she has a very special place in my heart. And maybe one day she'll… I don't know, I'm happy."
"I'm glad to hear that. You look very well."
"Thank you. And I'm glad to see that you are happy too."
Hermione took Fred's hand. "Blissful," she answered, squeezing it. The old friends exchanged one last look before joining in the conversation. One last look that said how much they cared about each other and that they were sincerely pleased the other was in a good place.
Later that afternoon Fred and Hermione were walking back home from the movies. They had it as a tradition, on every important occasion they went to see a movie, because that had been were their love had hatched. They were walking in silence, hand in hand when suddenly Fred stopped.
"What happened?" asked Hermione when she felt the tug.
"Don't you know where we are?" asked Fred pulling her towards him in a hug.
"The middle of the street?" poised Hermione.
"Yeah, but in the middle of our street," he said giving his wife a meaningful look. Hermione finally understood. He walked back a few paces, vowed and took her hand, leading her to a musicless waltz in the middle of the street. They looked into each other's eyes and their heads were magically drawn together. There was no snow this time, but the scene was perfect all the same. The same fireworks exploded inside them when their lips met and the same love they had shared from the very beginning was palpable between them.
"Fred, I have a confession to make," whispered Hermione as they continue to dance. "I love you"
Fred smiled at her sweetly, "I know, I love you too."
THE END!
A/N: Now yes… I can't believe it's over!!! I have so many things I want to say I'll probably forget half of them. Ok, first of all THANKS!!! A MILLION THANKS!!! A BILLION THANKS!! Are not enough to show you how much I appreciate you following this story to the end!!! It took me almost two years to finish it, but I have loved it since I wrote the first word and your MORE THAN WONDERFUL reviews kept me writing, I swear half of this fic. I wrote it more for you than for me!!! You were my inspiration, and I love you for that.
Second, I do hope the end lives up to your expectations. I know that part of the battle is probably quite rush, but I've said it before and I maintain it: I suck at writing action/adventure fics. Hopefully, the rest of this chapter will make up for the first part. You have no idea how difficult it was for me to write it, those out there who are authors know how hard it is to get to the end of a story, to say everything that has to be said in the way you want it to be said… I'm quite happy with this ending, though it is far from perfect. But I wish you will like it!!
Finally, I have a lot of idea for knew fics, some with the same couple and some with others… so stay tuned to read more from me, if you think it's worth your time!!!!
Anyway, I LOVE YOU, AGAIN AND A MILLION TIMES THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR KIND WORDS!!! This is my personal favorite fic and it will probably remain so!!!!