I don't own the Gargoyles, marvelous though they are. They belong to their respective creator. My apologies for the story. This is the final bit of it, and then it'll be done.

Chap 38 Tamwood POV

Work was hellish! There was so much damage and shady deals I nearly quit. But I needed things to work, so work I did. Lexington's replies to my small letters were immense and in truth they made things seem slightly better. He knew I'd be laughing at most of it, and to think my brothers were almost as good as he was…I smiled. They were in good hands when I couldn't be around. I snuck as much time as I could to see the shop and my brothers. I had so many people around me now, and Lex had said they were after all, very determined, I gave my security the task of keeping the peace. It kept them out and away from me, and it kept all those tagalongs and reporters at bay. At least for the time being anyway. I knew I rarely smiled now, and laughter was only upon an occasion. Dinners, plans being made, socialization was necessary. I was out during the nights in front of cameras, and making pacts as well as showing the world I was something to reckon with.

My security hated this but I told them flatly: "Suck it up. You wanted this job, and lo, here it is."

Ha! They didn't like it, but they stuck it out. I had fanatics coming up to me everyday asking for advise and for me to look at their inventions. Every morning at around 4:30 I was up and pouring over requests, bills, taxes, new information, and everything else that needed looking at. By the time 6:30 rolled around my morning was about half done. I often saw the gargoyles out on patrol, and I had to look away or I'd start with the waterworks again. I wanted to go to Him, and beg for forgiveness till I couldn't speak anymore. I wanted to hear His laughter and see Him smile! I wanted a lot of things.

Chap 39 Lexington POV

The plan was almost ready now! It would be sometime around Christmas and or the New Years. Everyone liked it and they thought this was a good time zone to set it for. Tam was on the news just as much as Xanatos was, and with each new appearance she looked sicker. She never dressed up, and when she did she wore funky and exotic creations. No one seemed to notice she was starting to bend from the weight of business, and if they did, they assumed it would pass. However, she was doing great things in short amounts of time for the benefit of all she could manage.

Brooklyn was quieter now. He read more often and he left off squabbling or arguing. He never watched the news. But the plan was perfected. Now all was needed was to set it into motion. We had found that the best place for them was in her old shop, her private room. I planned on telling her workers to take the night off and head out for fun that night or day. We knew it would work, but we didn't know how quickly it would work. So we had to wait, and waiting sucks. However luck was with us. As those dates neared we found the perfect opportunity. She had told me in her last letter that she had time free around then, and Brooklyn always had free time. I gleefully told the others. Soon very soon.

Chap 40 Tamwood POV

Work was hard enough, but trying to schedule business, project work and everything else was really starting to get to me. I didn't get to spend a lot of time with my brothers and that pissed me off to no end. My guards were now well versed in the arts of ducking. It seemed I needed to aim lower now. Perhaps they'd learn jumping or dodging next. I growled softly, and my underlings all edged away from me. Really! I hadn't bitten off anyone head today! Oh…maybe that was why they were so nervous. They were waiting for the blowup. I made an angry face, and they edged away further. I'll admit I am not the easiest to get along with if I am constantly in a state of anger or annoyance. Well piffle to them. I wanted to check up on my old shop and I gave everyone notice that when the holidays approached everyone would have time off. Even the janitors. I must say it raised a hue and cry. I hadn't expected so many people to want to work over the holidays.

I gave in. "Fine! If you want to work over the holidays go ahead! But you're not getting paid overtime!" I had yelled throwing my hands up in the air, exasperated. As I recall Lex laughed at me about it.

Chap 41 Brooklyn POV

Winter was well into its term and I had been through half the nearby library. Her brothers were with us more often because she was so busy. I knew however that she was likely to be very angry about not seeing them as much. I didn't watch the news but even when I didn't She would pop up and every time she did, she looked sicker and more feral if I could use the word. I winced every time. Mat and Elisa as well as everyone else smiled now that the holidays were approaching. I just sighed quieter and stayed out of the way more.

It was very close to Christmas that Lex decided to drag me on one of his errands. It's not that I minded, but he pretty much dragged me all the way to wherever it was he was going, babbling about blueprints of some kind. I think he was working on a set of mechanized wings. It was impressive though, whatever it was. He dragged me to her shop. I had stiffened and tried to halt the progress of getting there but Lex wasn't having any of it.

"Oh for heaven's sake! We're not staying that long! Now come on! I need to make revisions to that blueprint!" I sighed and followed along.

Really, what was so important about this blueprint? Couldn't it wait till later? Sheesh.

The shop doors were locked, but that didn't mean the roof was. We slipped inside and Lex made a beeline for a cluttered and messy area of the shop. I was assuming it was his, considering that he didn't really keep track of messes when he was working. He started to shuffle through the papers and he was creating more of a mess than organizing it.

"Go look in her office will you?"

I lifted a brow and crossed my arms. Why would I do that? He saw me and rolled his eyes, looking skyward.

"Go look will you? I'm sure they're somewhere around here." Lex said in an annoyed tone.

I sighed. I hated to go there. It had been her private room. But I went there anyway only I got the biggest shock of my life. She was in there.

I felt Lex shove me and instantaneously she spun around on guard and wary. Then the door shut, but we didn't notice. Her features hardened and her eyes got chilly. My posture stiffened. She crossed her arms and raised one brow. From her short sharp breaths I could tell she was angry. I was angry as well.

"So." She said simply, in a neutral voice.

It gave me the heebies frankly. I nodded once.

"So." I replied just as neutrally.

There was almost absolute silence for a few moments. Then we both spoke in a rush of words.

"I wanted-"

"Look I-" and we stopped.

She motioned for me to go ahead. I took a very long slow deep breath. "Tam, I…I'm so sorry. I never wanted this to happen." I said, my wings hanging limply.

I saw agony, raw agony; sorrow and anger fill her eyes. She shed not a tear though, but her voice said it all.

"You're sorry?" her voice was rising. "You're sorry? Now you say it? You-you!" she started to look around franticly then she picked up a wrench.

I had a really bad feeling about this.

"Have you any. Any idea how much it hurt?" she screamed.

She threw the wrench. I must say, she had really good aim when she's pissed off. I dodged it, getting angry as well.

"You obviously don't know how much I hurt after that as well!"

she had snatched up a handful of knuts and bolts, and she threw a double handful at me, I dropped and let them fly over my head. I wouldn't be surprised if there were dents in the door from them now.

"You got hurt? After you rejected me?" her voice was in the higher reaches of her range, and they were almost earsplitting.

She threw a very delicate looking vase at me. I Caught it out of the air and set it to the side quickly. I took small step towards her every time she threw something. Hell, she even threw a small tire at me.

"I couldn't know what you feelings were!" I yelled right back.

She snorted and chucked a welding torch at me, I spun and my tail flicked it out of the way. "Huh! I though they were firkin obvious! Hell, everyone else could tell!" I growled.

"I thought I was obvious as well! Everyone else could tell as well!" I retorted back angrily.

I got hit with a number of things after that. A rod of iron, three bolts, as well as a bar of unopened soap. She had really good aim, since it was improving with every throw.

"Lex knew! He'd been dropping hints!" we both screamed at the same time in unison unrehearsed.

She froze. She had been in the middle of starting to throw a very painful looking double headed hammer. I was crouched and ready to move at a moment's notice. Her eyes changed and she grew claws.

"Lex knew?" she whispered.

"Lex knew." I said softly.

Her eyes narrowed and I moved in before she could throw that hammer. I knocked it away and she dove after it. I did a very good football tackle and I pinned her to the ground. She looked livid.

"That still doesn't make up for it! it hurt because it was you of all people who hurt me Brooklyn!" she hadn't yelled but her voice was still raised.

I glared down at her. "Don't you think I know that? After you left it was the worst thing hat could have happened!"

"Oh yeah?" she challenged right back, no giving an inch. "Did you try and drown yourself in rum and whiskey?"

I winced. "Did you try and hide from everyone? Oh wait you went public and brought down your Aunt!"

She actually flinched back. "I did that so I could forget, if only for a brief time."

It was my turn to flinch. She was on the verge of breaking down completely, but so was I. "I wanted to forget, my own mind wouldn't let me though." I said quietly, eyes never once leaving hers.

"I wanted to, but with almost every little thing reminding me of you, it wasn't happening anytime soon. It hurt. It hurt way too much. I felt as if a big part of me died. Lex knew because I wrote to him when I could."

I froze. "You wrote to him?" I asked quietly.

"Yes. I couldn't just…" she trailed off, but I understood.

Hurt as she was she couldn't give up. It must have hurt every time.

"I didn't know that." I said finally, quietly.

She was still pinned so there wasn't much she could to squirm away, she could only look away. And look away she did.

"Jerk." She said turning her gaze back to me.

I raised a brow. She continued on.

"My work is relentless. Aunt made things worse. So many misdeeds and shady deals…I knew even before I took over my company this would be the case. Throwing myself at work numbed the pain, at least for a while."

I sighed. "I figured that. It took some time to get there, but that's what I figured. I'm sorry for everything Tam. I really am."

She was quiet and she looked me over. I felt the weight of her gaze even though I could see it; it still fell like a huge weight was passing me over. Then she met my gaze. In her eyes I saw everything that made her Briar Tamwood Mysteria. Eyes truly were the windows to the soul. I saw the glimmer of unshed tears and I felt my grip loosen. I bent, and I kissed her. Her eyes got big for the smallest of instances, but she kissed back. I felt her body shift into her gargoyle self. Her arms went up around my shoulders brought her up into a somewhat sitting position. This was warm, sweet and very much loving. It went on for quite some time, before I regretfully drew back. I took a look around the room. Unsurprising it was a mess. I had been right though. Her door bore a number of dents that hadn't been there before. I even saw a wrench embedded in the wall. I turned and lifted a brow. "

Nice throwing. Ever considered taking up baseball?"

Her cheeks got red and she gave a rueful sort of smile. "Um…would apologizing help at this point?" she asked.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Eh, I had it coming."

I stood and held out a hand and she took it. As she stood I pulled her up and in for a hug. Tentatively her wings dipped and enclosed behind me at waist level. I wrapped mine around her as well. She hung on like she would never let go, but I understood. This was a big hurt, and big hurts once they started to heal needed reassurance. I rested my chin atop her head, and she snuggled up. It made thinking rather difficult I must say. I think she caught on because I heard and felt her giggle. I gave a growly sounding sigh, and she buried her face in my chest, but I could still feel her laughter even though I couldn't hear it. It took a while later before she eased up and let go. I made a motion to the door.

"So who should we tell first? Elisa?" her cheeks got red again and she got shy.

I laughed I admit, but it was kind of amusing. Sure she would get shy when we had to tell someone.

"Or we could have a little chat with Lex…" I said trying to look nonchalant.

She actually gave serious thought that. It was somewhat worrying. Then she heaved a dramatic sigh.

"And give him the satisfaction? I think not."

"Let's go then. We'll tell them all at once." And she smiled.

Though it wasn't anywhere near the smile she had before, it was small, but it said many things. She nodded and we went to the roof and we took to the air.

We had all night.

There you have it. The end of the story, no more no less.

Thank you for taking the time to read it.

Tamwood A. MacBurrl