There's actually a track for this. I'd recommend that you listen to the theme from Cast Away (/watch?v=XmgSoa9_y7E) while reading this final chapter. At least, that was on repeat as I was writing this. (:

épilogue

The leaves rustle as a breeze passes by, the weather chilling even further in its wake. A man with a head of fair grey hair that had once been a brilliant shade of gold pushes pass the bakery's door, the tinkling of a bell and the smell of fresh bread greet the newly arrived guest.

"Careful, now," he says gently as his granddaughter skips in behind him; so full of exuberant youth, her pigtails swinging in step, crimson eyes so bright with life. The old man crinkles a smile then holds out a hand for the girl's tiny ones.

"Monsieur Nogi," a plump man calls from behind the counter then shuffles to move five paper bags filled with baked goods from a shelf behind him. Ruka Nogi raises a hand in greeting. "And well, who do we have here?"

"Bonjour, Monsieur Nicolas," the little girl greets with a little bow, her words enunciated like a true French despite the fact that she isn't one. Nicolas laughs, one that's so boisterously loud that it bounces off the walls of his bakery and Ruka can feel it underneath his feet.

"Aren't you something, mademoiselle? I'm guessing... Yui's daughter? She looks like her brothers; the eyes. What's your name, little dove?" Nicolas leans forward so that his weight's mainly supported by the counter-top.

"Remi," she replies.

Nicolas claps his hands, delighted. "You really are a pretty one, Remi." He holds out a pink macaron in his outstretched palm and Remi's eyes twinkle. "Here, I just made a batch of them so have it while it's warm."

Remi looks up to her grandfather expectantly and when he gives her a nod of approval, she reaches out for the treat. "Merci, monsieur Nicolas."

Another one of Nicolas' laughter rips through the shop, empty but for the three. Ruka steps forward. "So I assume these are mine?" He touches the paper bags.

"Ah, oui. All yours." Nicolas pushes the bags towards Ruka and he scans the contents in them briefly. Nicolas' an honest man so there's no need for Ruka to worry. He lets go of Remi's hand for a moment to reach into his coat pocket for a few notes before depositing them onto the counter.

"Here you go, and for the treat." Ruka tosses a few coins but Nicolas is quick to refuse them.

"No no no, monsieur Nogi. That one's on me; keep the coins, please."

So Ruka places them back into his pocket and sends the baker a grin. "Thank you, Nicolas."

"It's always a pleasure." He gathers the bags into his arms, handing one to Remi and turn to leave the little shop, knowing full well that by ten o' clock there will be a line standing in front of it. There always has been for twenty years.

Once they're outside, Ruka relinquishes the bags to the waiting chauffeur. When his arms are free again, he goes onto his knees so that his gaze levels with Remi's. Ruka adjusts the scarf around her neck, pulling at it so that it's snugly secured. "Look at you," he says, his tone slightly reprimanding, "we have to keep you nice and warm or you might catch a cold." He pulls her cap lower and tugs her coat to wrap around her small frame. Remi lets him but there's a crease between her eyebrows.

"I'm not a kid," Remi says with a huff, a little defiant. Ruka laughs.

"Sure you aren't, ma chérie," Ruka tells her with a kiss to the cheek then ushers her into the car, holding the door open as she climbs onto the leather seats. Once Ruka is in the car, Remi crawls over to him to sit on his lap. The two stare out the windows as the car begins to move.

"Look, Remi-chan, snow," Ruka tells her when he sees white fluff drifting lazily in the air, all the way to the ground. "Neige."

"Neige," Remi whispers, gaze glued to the window. A wave of inexplicable warmth washes over Ruka and he smiles at her fondly before patting her hair—black, just like her parents, none of Ruka's blonde. But it's okay, because it doesn't make her any less his grandchild, doesn't make her any less precious in his eyes.

Ruka's happiest at moments like these, as the whole family gathers in the living room after dinner, sitting by the fire on a cold and snowy night. Remi's brothers are huddled together, playing board games. Remi sits by them, observing as she tries to figure out on her own how the game works.

Their parents sit a few feet away, lounging on the couch as they watch TV, occasionally sharing a few words or subtle touches; on the shoulders, on the arms, Yui's swelling belly. As Ruka watches his son-in-law who's a splitting image of his father—jet black hair, blood red eyes, fine bone structure that Ruka knows Yui goes crazy over—and the tender look he has when the couple lock eyes, Ruka's glad. Glad to know that there's someone to love his baby girl more than Ruka; glad to know that his daughter is in the safest of hands.

There's a slight compression on the couch and Ruka looks over to find Hotaru easing herself into the seat, her fingers automatically curling around Ruka's when she edges close to him. Ruka stretches out an arm to circle it around Hotaru's shoulder and pull her into him. Even after so many years, Ruka never gets tired of looking at her, holding her close, kissing her lips. Hotaru's aged, half of her head has turned from black to silver, but she's far from old. Ruka doesn't think she'll ever get old, not while the fire still burns in her eyes.

"So how's Ryo?" Ruka asks once Hotaru has snuggled up comfortable against him.

"He's fine; still can't believe he's a father." Hotaru places her head against his shoulder like it belongs there.

He chuckles. "I'm not surprised. It took me two years to adjust to fatherhood when we had Kenzo." Ruka remembers all the sleepless night, diapers filled with poo, ear-splitting screams, puke everywhere. Truth be told, it still baffles him to think that he went through that ordeal three times.

Not that he regrets it or anything.

Now, all three of those screaming babies are all grown up, having families of their own, finally having a taste of what it was like for Ruka and Hotaru. He'd be lying if he says that he doesn't secretly relish in that thought.

Hotaru holds onto his arm. "What about you? Are you all right?" Ruka turns his face sideways so that he can look at Hotaru properly, notice the way her eyes catch the light from the flames, the same way they did all those years back with the fireworks when Hotaru agreed to marry him, or the time they sparkled from the sunlight as she stood at the altar, promising her life to Ruka, his to her. Sure her hair is white, her skin winkled here and there but she's still the same Hotaru Ruka fell in love with all those years back. Mother of his children, grandmother of their children.

One of the boys laughs and cheers when he wins the game, the other doesn't seem too happy with his lips pressed to a pout. Remi still looks puzzled, still trying to figure things out and Ruka thinks of the long journey ahead of her, how there's a lot more figuring out for her, for the three of them. Yui smiles and tightens the hold on her husband's fingers.

Ruka's happiest at moments like these. So he tells Hotaru, "I've never been better," meaning every word said.

FIN

Finally after two years, twenty chapters plus one epilogue, we've come to the end of Million Dollar Ice Queen. I'd like to take this time to thank those of you who had been with this story since the very beginning, or after. Thank you for all the support, the comments, the story favourites, adding this to your alerts. Thank you for reading MDIQ, thank you for giving it your time, your attention. Honestly I don't think this story could have gone on for so long without all your support.

To be honest, I never expected to finish this when I started it because I never finish any of my WIPs. I had two of them going on when I started MDIQ, and both of them have been deleted because I've abandoned all hopes of completion for them. And what's funny is that I was more passionate about those two deleted stories than I was for MDIQ and the response for MDIQ was honestly unexpected and overwhelming. Sure I had thought about abandoning this story as well, but then I see a new review in my inbox, or a new follower and it restores my hopes a little, pushing me to forge on. And I did. And now we're here.

It's been a great ride, you guys and seriously, no words can convey my gratitude to all of you, all of you wonderful, wonderful readers.

So, a review for the last hurrah? And hopefully I'll see you guys again.