This is it. The final chapter. I actually think this story was better than Bonding Through Terror, but that might be just me.

By the way, if a word or a sentence has a number next to it, it corresponds to a note in the authors note. Example: Word (0).

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs.

Chapter 15: We Cannot Go Back (Used To Be)

Come in close; if the current gets us,

Then it gets us both.

And we can't wait here anymore-

So if the waves come, let 'em take us-

As they cover you and me, and they pull us underneath-

I hope that fate will forgive us for tempting the sea.

I hope that they won't forget us-

But we cannot go back to the way it used to be.

-Used To Be by Arrows To Athens

Josh's funeral was a small but nice affair. It was held on a chilly but not necessarily cold day in Parkville Cemetery (not a real place, at least to my knowledge), and as the pastor read off a few words, Ryan rolled his wheelchair up to the casket, careful not to get in to close and wheel himself right into the hole, and he placed a yellow rose (1) upon the casket that held his friend, the one who had died to save him.

His family soon joined him. They didn't know Josh as well as he did, but they thought of him as a member of the family, and they placed simple red roses onto the casket, allowing Ryan's to stand out- yellow amongst a sea of red. Sarah and Liza placed two roses upon the casket as well, despite having never met Josh, because if Josh had not saved Ryan, Ryan would not have saved Sarah, so they felt they owed Josh Sarah's life, just as Ryan owed Josh his.

The funeral concluded around midday, and as a teary eyed Ryan began to roll his wheelchair towards the gate of the cemetery, he was approached by Mrs. Rebecca Hallows, Josh's mother. She stared at him for long moment…

And then she slapped him across the face.

"You! My son died to save you! He should be at home, safe and sound, but no, you had to drag him straight into the danger! It should've been you!" the hysterical Mrs. Hallows shouted, catching the attention of everyone in the cemetery, and before Jamie could knock that woman out (and they all knew she would've done it, whether Mrs. Hallows was a grieving mother or not, if she had the chance, and Andy, Tina, Timmy, Sarah, and Liza- despite only having one arm- would've helped her), Mr. Thomas Hallows and her oldest daughter, nineteen year old Julia, practically dragged her into the car.

Before anyone could say anything to Ryan, he was approached by two of Josh's sisters, fourteen year old Joy and nine year old Jane; his entire family, plus Liza and Sarah, glared at them, daring them to try anything.

But Joy only knelt in front of Ryan, looking him in the eye, and she pressed a small book into Ryan's hands.

"Our mom is… she needs someone to blame," Joy summed up, "But Josh wouldn't have blamed you, so I don't either. He died to save you, and… I don't know you well, but if he gave his life for you, you must be a pretty great person for Josh to care about you that much."

"We found that in Josh's room," Jane told him, pointing to the book Joy had given him. "We think he would want you to have it."

Ryan nodded. "Thank you. So much."

Joy nodded. "Thank you for being the friend our brother deserved," she told him before the sisters headed for their car.

Ryan looked down at the book, and he slowly opened it, nearly sobbing at what he saw.

Pictures. Pictures upon pictures of Josh- with his sisters, with his parents, with Ryan. All pictures of his best friend smiling at the camera, happy and cheerful and alive, and with each page Ryan looked at, he felt his spirits lift, if only a little.

Josh had died, yes… but this wasn't goodbye.

What had his parents always told him? Love is eternal?

And if there was one person Ryan loved more than his family, it was Josh… maybe that was because Josh was his family, his brother, and even though letting go hurt like heck… Josh was always in his heart.

Ryan would never forget Josh, and although things would never be the same without him, the memories of the kind, brave, selfless boy would live on in Ryan because Josh inspired him. Inspired him to be a better person, to make the most out of life because you never know when it will slip away.

Whoever said all soulmates had to be romantic?

A soulmate is a person you love and a person who loves you, a person who inspires you to be more than you ever thought you could be.

They'd see each other again. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not for a hundred years, but they would see it each other again. Josh would wait for him, and somehow… Ryan would find a way to wait until that day came when he would see his best friend again.

He hoped that Josh at least knew how thankful Ryan was, and his heart was telling him that Josh was glancing down at him from Heaven, and he knew. Josh knew Ryan was thankful, not only for Josh saving his life, but for being in it, and he knew how much Ryan loved him.

"Til we meet again," Ryan whispered, and he could almost hear Josh reply:

"Til we meet again."

1. Yellow roses represent friendship.

Note: Til we meet again is a reference to the TV show, The 100.