A/N: Here is the last chapter. I hope some people are still reading this ... If you're out there, AGAIN, I'm so sorry. I hope you'll enjoy this tiny little conclusion. :-)

Sarah saw me looking and waved frantically, rushing across the street. I stepped in front of Tonya for effect, because it didn't do much physically (she had a good three inches on me). When she finally approached me, I said nothing. Tonya said nothing. Maureen, though, she said something.

"Joanne," she whispered, "who is she?"

"Sarah?" I answered Maureen's question with an awkward question of my own. Sarah nodded, looking at Tonya. "What ... what are you even doing here?"

"I came to find you," she said matter-of-factly. I felt Tonya flinch.

"Why? It's been almost seventeen years ... why now?" I took Tonya's hand, squeezing it, rubbing my thumb along her palm. "Are you clean?"

"Yes, almost four years," she said quietly. She looked at Tonya again. "Please don't tell me ... is this our girl?"

"Our girl?" I growled. "By our girl, do you mean, my girl? By our girl, do you mean Maureen and my girl?" I took Maureen's hand as well. "Sarah, this is Maureen. I love her, and so does this girl right here."

"Can I at least spend some time with her?" Sarah asked, gesturing towards Tonya.

"Ma'am, you can't ask her permission to spend time with me," Tonya said quietly, threateningly. "It's my time, and I can do whatever the hell I want with it! And what I don't want to do, is spend it with you. So I would appreciate it if you would just go."

Sarah nodded, tears slowly building in her eyes. "I guess you're ... yeah. Okay. Well, you're a beautiful girl, um ..."

"You don't need to know her name," Maureen snapped.

"Sure. Okay. Bye Joanne." With that she walked away.

I turned my attention to Tonya, who was visibly shaken up. I took her into my arms. "Oh baby, are you alright?"

"Ma, why did she come here?" she muttered. "I thought she was done with you. I thought she was done with us. Why did she ..."

I don't know which of us shed a tear first, but soon both of us were crying softly. I made eye contact with Maureen, trying to give her an apology look, but she didn't look upset. She looked almost guilty that she couldn't help at all. I watched her for a few moments, and soon, she made the idea-just-popped-into-my-head face.

Maureen gently placed her hand on Tonya's shoulder. The teenager turned around, eyes red and puffy. She smiled weakly at Maureen. "Yeah?"

"Tonya, your Mom and I have been thinking about this for a long time now, and it's an idea we discussed fully," she began. "We'd like you to come stay with us." Tonya didn't say a word. "You don't have to answer now. Oh God, do you feel pressured? I hope not. Pressure really sucks. At least for me, anyway. I always crave cookies when I'm pressured. Do you need some cookies? Because we can get --"

"Mo, no, I don't need any cookies," Tonya said. "And, duh! Of course I'm staying with you guys! You're my Mama!" She turned to Maureen. "And you're my Mom."

Maureen and Tonya embraced, and we headed back to what was soon to be our apartment. As we walked, we could tell that all of the pain that Sarah had caused me, had cause all of us, was gone. It was over. It was just ... once upon a time.

A/N: Alright. It's over. I'm done. I hope y'all liked it. :-)