Disclaimer: I do not own the movie (or novel), See No Evil, nor any of its characters. They are the property of Dan Magidan, WWE, and LGF. Please do not sue me.

Author's Note: This is it - the last chapter. Of this story, anyway. Ideas for another story in this little AU 'verse I've made are still floating around in my head, and I enjoy writing these two far too much to say I'm done. But as for Syndrome, it has reached the end of its road. I really had a lot of fun writing this, and hopefully that showed. I hope that even the unbelievable parts were still entertaining and never crossed over into too ridiculous to enjoy territory. I wanted this story to have a surreal feeling to it - partly because I feel that the novel itself had an almost surreal quality, and the movie had it in certain areas. Also because it was from Jacob's and Kira's perspectives, which are not quite in touch with reality. It was so much fun to write this journey, and I really owe a huge thank you to all my reviewers - especially Jemima Flute, who kept me from forgetting this story, haha. Now, I'm going to shut up, and let you read the final chapter.

***

Cure

The shadows had welcomed him back with open arms; their long lost friend, finally home. They were familiar and safe; his sanctuary. The took him in once more, and they sheltered him as he fled the hunters, the ones with chains and weapons of war, weapons of conquering.

The monster knew he was no match for their advanced methods and means. He knew he had no option other than to run. He could not be taken again. He could not be chained again. He could not be beaten down, laughed at, used for sport and amusement.

He was a warrior for the kill, for survival. They were warriors for the spiteful conquest, the cruel humiliation.

And it sickened him that they were turn their starving eyes on Kira. It sickened him that he could not run to her, take her with him. He was too weak; he did not yet have the strength to bring those oppressive walls crumbling down on the ones keeping her.

They would make her suffer for their damaged pride; she would bear the weight of his punishment.

His fingers hurt with the need to rip their eyes, free all the pieces of her soul they had no doubt stolen. His fingers hurt like his head would hurt, and he would beat them against the harsh walls in the shadows; he did not stop until they were numb.

It was the pain that broke through his helpless despair. It was the pain that gave him hope again. Pain had never served him before - but Kira, his Kira, had changed everything.

She had given him a gift. She had given him reprieve from the pain, relief; and still now, so far away, she gave the returning pain a purpose.

The shadows had been willing to protect him throughout his search. But they could only go so far, and Jacob soon found himself forced to leave the safety they offered.

It hurt his eyes, the streetlights. It hurt his flesh; he felt as though the pain was crawling in his veins, just under his skin, like cockroaches scurrying to hide from the brightness. It had been like this in the cells the hunters had put him in. It had been worse there. He hurt, but the pain was only half-registered as discomfort as he searched for the one he needed.

Jacob had made a silent pact with this medicine man, but he was willing to break it. He was willing to do a lot of things right now - whatever it took to keep him free and get her back.

Once she was back, everything would be right again. The girl was what he needed; her holy protected him, and her fingers forgave him. The girl was everything the woman - Why, Mommy, why? - had tried to be, wanted to be.

Mother's vanity had crippled him. A fatal wound - insidious and serpentine, weaving its way through him and oozing out of the hole in his head.

Kira's purity had given him new life. She had patched up all the holes, even the ones he couldn't see but still felt. She had given the little boy peace and comfort; most of all she'd given him rest.

It had taken weeks to finally find the medicine man. It was so much trickier, finding someone who had left the darkness. But Jacob remembered the man's face. He remembered the man's smell, and the scraping sound of the man's voice. It had taken weeks, but Jacob found the man he needed.

Walking home, all alone, by himself in the darkness. He was on a clean sidewalk, in a clean neighborhood. He was surrounded by picket fences and skin-shallow holiness. He didn't think the monster would come there, not even to the shadows that rested there. He didn't think the monster would ever come back at all.

It wasn't as though he didn't know Jacob was loose. Everyone knew; not a soul in the entire country could be unaware that Jacob Goodnight was free, on the run.

But they had made a silent deal - not a word was ever spoken, and Jacob never stepped out of the shadows into the doctor's life ever again. He had kept up his side, why wouldn't Jacob?

Because he couldn't. He would make the medicine man see that. He would make the man understand that Jacob needed something else now, something more important. He would make the man agree to help him - and he knew, he knew without a doubt that this man would help him without complaint.

He could still remember the taste of the man's fear tainting the air he breathed in that cramped room.

***

And he was right. The medicine man had agreed to help Jacob. The man had agreed to do whatever Jacob needed, whatever was in the doctor's power to do.

It had been sheer luck that the doctor recognized the picture of Kira on the news. Even more fortunate he remembered her name, remembered who she'd once been, who she'd been with. He even remembered the way she cried when she knew the life wasn't inside her as she left.

Jacob did not believe in luck. Jacob believed in divinity. In fate. Jacob believed in purpose. His faith had wavered when he'd taken Kira in, when the woman had revolted against Kira's presence. His faith had wavered when he killed the woman - the boy had wept and laughed in the back of his mind, somehow balancing grief and relief.

But Kira had renewed his faith, and it was strong when he said her name. It grew stronger when the medicine man's eyes lit up with recognition.

Everything had worked out for this purpose. It was meant to be. Everything became clearer for Jacob as he waited for the doctor to fulfill this last bargain. Everything became clearer as he waited for Kira.

It was a couple of days before she finally came. Before the doctor could bring her to the place where Jacob had shown the doctor he'd be waiting. It was days spent waiting, thinking - ignoring the awful pain returning to his head.

Jacob paced. Jacob sat, and he rocked himself gently. Rocking the peaceful boy in his mind's eyes, hearing a broken tune playing on a loop in his head. Jacob waited. He did not go out to hunt. To judge. He did not go out to feed. He had a source of water near him; he went there sparingly. He just waited.

Everything was falling into place. But nothing would be in place if he missed Kira. If she came to him, and he wasn't there. He couldn't risk it. Not when everything was finally making sense in his head; nothing had made sense in his head before her, not the way it needed to - it was never right, Mother never made it right.

The waiting was worth it. Just like he'd believed it would be.

He was a loyal servant, and his loyalty was rewarded.

She was there, in front of the doctor, running. Running out of the car, running into the shadows where she must have seen him waiting. She was pale and thin, her innocent eyes were rimmed with dark circles - but she was smiling, full of joy when she touched him. When she wrapped her arms around him - just like Mother had never done - and held him tight with her frail arms.

And it was perfect. It was what he had been waiting for. What he had been searching for. The emptiness was gone, and the pain subsided. The ache faded; the sickness in his veins, in his gut as the warmth spread throughout him and settled between his legs, was gone.

Everything was finally in place. Just as he'd believed.

He would never let her go. She would never want to leave. Just as it should be.

God had shown them the way.