Nine Months Later...

Neal sighed to himself heavily as he walked back to his apartment having finished a particularly long day at the FBI, not helped by the fact Peter had noticed and subsequently become suspicious of Neal's bad mood. It was June 3rd and his irritability was no coincidence. It was nine years ago today he and Ruby had walked into that little chapel in the south of France and vowed themselves to one and other, which proceed to work out as well as everyone but them predicted it would. Looking back Neal had come to realise their marriage was a reflection of their entire relationship, passionate, romantic, spontaneous but ultimately immature and poorly timed. Although he was never a fan of this day, over time Neal had grown to put it out of his mind and distract himself, but this year was different. Seeing Ruby for the first time in so long had bought up all his old feelings not just his desire and love for her, but for the first time in a long time, his hurt and anger at her for leaving as well.

Neal entered his apartment, making a b-line for the wine rack before freezing. He was confronted by an eerily familiar sight. An envelope on the table held down by a very particular bottle of wine. It was a 2002 Chateau de Bellet bottled on the day Neal and Ruby were wed. The vineyard had been their first stop after the ceremony and they bought a case of six to celebrate. Now only two bottles remained, the pair had drunk two with Mozzie on their wedding night as part of the celebrations and one the night they moved into their New York apartment as husband and wife. The night Ruby left she had taken a bottle with her, leaving Neal with two, one in the wine rack, the last used to hold down the note telling Neal she was leaving, in exactly the same way she had now.

Neal walked over to the table and slowly opened the envelope, not entirely sure if he was going to like what was inside. Pulling out some folded papers and a note in Ruby's distinctive, neat yet fluid handwriting that read.

Dear Neal,

Happy Anniversary, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get you these.

Love always, Ruby x

P.S In replacement of the one you smashed.

Neal couldn't help but smile in disbelief and shake his head when he read the P. S. Ruby was referring to fact, on reading her goodbye note, Neal had immediately thrown the bottle she had left on top of it against their living room wall in a rear emotional burst of anger. He should have known with Ruby's complete and thorough need to be in control and oversee every aspect of her life, she wouldn't have been able to stop herself somehow watching over him the night he discovered she was gone.

Placing the note on table, Neal proceed to unfold the papers that were also in the envelope. As he realised what they were a whirlwind of emotion ran through him. Divorce papers, signed and notarised by Ruby agreeing to relinquish claim to any of his assets. All he would have to do was add his signature, file them and his nearly decade long marriage, that in reality had only lasted eight months, would be over. It was a long time coming and after everything that had happened between them when she came back to town, Neal knew Ruby loved him and only wanted him to be happy. Yet there was just something so entirely final about it that bought him a little sadness. Somehow despite knowing they lived such different lives and wanted such different things that it was impossible for them to ever be together, there was a comfort in having this thing that permanently tied them to each other. Neal wasn't sure if he was quite ready to let that go and couldn't help being surprised that Ruby was.

Sat in the first class lounge a JFK Ruby sighed slightly to herself as she nursed her glass of wine. Dropping of the divorce papers a Neal's apartment that day was probably one of the single hardest things she had ever done, but Ruby knew she had to. She should never have just left him the way she did and done it properly the first time but that had been a move of cowardice on her part. When she walked out she was too scared to admit to herself that she had failed, that even with a man that understood and loved her as completely as Neal, she still felt suffocated and by consequence knew she would always be alone. There was something about knowing they were still married that gave her hope that maybe one day she could sort out her emotional baggage and finally let someone in. But that wasn't fair on Neal, above all she wanted him to be happy and if he ever did find someone, she didn't want to be the thing standing in his way.

Ruby's heartbeat began to increase as he phone rang, it was Neal and she didn't know how he was going to react to her gesture.

"Hello Neal" Ruby said cautiously.

"You come all the way to New York on our anniversary and I don't get so much as a dinner?" Neal joked.

Ruby was relieved, using humour to break tension was tactic her and Neal had in common.

"Well unless you've got some good news for me, Keller's still out there and given its best for the both of us he has no idea we're even in contact, I figured romantic anniversary dates might not be the best way to get him off the sent."

"All I hear is excuses" Neal teased before adding "Interesting choice of gift"

There was a pause as Neal heard Ruby inhale deeply, clearly considering what she was about to say carefully.

"I'm sorry I wasn't brave enough to get them to you sooner. I only want you to be happy Neal and if someday you meet the right person, I just don't want to be the one that stops you going after what you want" she said emotionally sighing before "I'll always…" she began before Neal cut her off.

"I know, me too Ru" Neal knew they didn't need to say the words I love you for the raw honest feeling between them to be true.

"This isn't really the happy ending I pictured nine years ago" Ruby said half-jokingly but with a twinge of sad acceptance in her voice.

"Well if you want happy ending…" Neal began

"It depends where you stop of the story" Ruby finished "you know, you and Mozzie really should get new quotes."

"You can't beat the classics" Neal shot back.

"True" Ruby replied smiling to herself "Goodbye Neal" she added a tender tone in her voice.

"au revoir" said Neal before hanging up.

Neal sighed to himself a weird combination of grief, relief and acceptance running through him. He picked up the wine bottle on the table, putting it away in the wine rack, as he did, he smiled slightly noticing the bottle he had originally kept when he and Ruby parted was now gone. Deliberating as to what to do with the divorce papers he decided that was a decision for another day. Grabbing the cut-out copy of War and Peace he used to stow away anything he didn't want Mozzie and more importantly Peter to get his hands on, to store the papers in. When he opened it Neal noticed the Medusa Coin Ruby had originally dropped to signal her arrival to New York nine months ago was also gone. Neal smiled to himself, perhaps Ruby wasn't as completely ready to let go as he first thought.

The End

Authors Note: I just wanted to thank everyone again for taking the time to read this, I hope you all enjoyed it. Now its completed I would love to hear any feedback you may have so please do leave a review if you feel like it. Thank you to all those who have reviewed already, I love hearing your comments (the note re spelling has been taken on board, I'm doing my best but its a working progress) I am currently working through some ideas for a sequel to this story so watch this space if you want more! Best wishes, Amelia :)