Epilogue

1922

They cantered through the green English countryside, slow and ambling. Jamie sat atop his grey mare, holding her back so she wouldn't race ahead. Marie was perched on Whinny, one leg on either side of the saddle, his rocking-horse canter also held back from racing. Her hair was cut shorter now, ends of her lock halfway down her neck, yet she still refused to wear trousers while riding if she didn't feel like it.

Jamie looked over at Marie, watching as her hair flew in the air before slapping back down as her little horse lopped along. Then she looked over at him, eyes connecting with his for a moment before a huge smile spread over her face.

Then she was gone, speeding forward.

Jamie let his horse gallop too, catching the high laughs from Marie and causing him to grin and hoot too. The horse's hooves pounded loudly against the ground as Jamie caught up with Marie, both of them out of the saddle and simply going.

Marie pulled up suddenly, causing Whinny to pivot on his hind legs in order to stop himself from running into the rabbit hole Marie had seen just in time. Jamie managed to turn his mare in time to see Whinny panic and continue to turn on his back legs and squeal so much that Marie was misbalanced and dismounted quickly.

Jamie rushed to her, worried how she would be hurt somehow, but the sound of her laughing and murmuring calming words in French to her little gelding assured him otherwise. At the sight, Jamie could not help but smile.

Some ten minutes later, they were sitting under the shade of a nearby tree, horses lazily dosing next to each other and Marie's head in Jamie's lap. Without really meaning too, he stroked her hair, looking down at her pale face, far less creased with worry and tiredness than when he had met her. Her eyes were closed, her cheeks slightly rounder than where during the war, and over all she just looked better.

They had no children, however.

Perhaps they were too old now. Jamie was now thirty-six, Marie not falling far behind. Perhaps there was no use, however there was hope.

Nightmares still plaque him on some nights, and he could still feel the scars from all different causes. Marie still cried on Emilie's birthday and the anniversaries of her family member's deaths, the parents and brother that Jamie never had the chance to meet, and he could tell she still missed little Maybell.

"Marie?" He asked before he managed to stop himself. He wished he could drag those words right back, so he didn't have to ask. He certainly had to ask now, for she hated to be left hanging.

"Mmm?" She groaned lightly and almost happily. She turned her head so she could look up at him, eyes opening only slightly and making her look so sleepy.

"Are you… are you happy?" He asked, the 'here, with me?' part left unsaid.

He watched as she smiled softly, her hazel eyes filled with warmth. She looked at him with such an open expression of love and affection, much more than those years ago they met. She reached up slowly, and gently stoked his cheek with her delicate, bird-like pale hands, fluttering gently over his skin and soothing him.

"Yes." She said quietly, halting her stroking to instead carefully hold his cheek and rub her thumb carefully. She spoke close to a whisper in her lovely French accent "More than possible."

As was he.

*00*

So, the last chapter, huh? I feel almost sad.

Of course, this wouldn't be a Rue the Day chapter without random announcements in the Author's notes, so here you go:

Did I tell you guys I went to a Florence and the Machine concert? The reason I'm telling you this is because I want you to look up Florence + the Machine Live at Voodoo music festival (no, not the one I went to, I'm in Australia, b**chs), because she is a great performer and I want to spread the magic. God, I love her.

Also, Merry Christmas my lovelies! I hope you get lots of presents and eat lots of food (a personal favourite past-time of mine).

And, of course, the final ceremonial:

…. (wait for it)… How has your day been?
(Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!)

Anyway, in all seriousness, thank you to those who have been with the whole time (you know who you are!). I got a little (okay, a lot) sloppy with the uploading towards the end there, and for that I'm really sorry.

I'm not sure what I'll be doing on here next. Outside of this lovely fan-fic world I've been writing some stories for some competitions (which I can paste the address for if there are enough requests). On , though, I think I'm just going to go through this and edit it (maybe not, though. I'm kinda lazy…) (I also have this idea of what it would be like if Marie was English, which I am willing to pop a one-shot out if anyone wants).

Anycow (did anyone notice that one?), I have enjoyed my time writing this, and I hope you have enjoyed reading.

Later, my dear friends.