A/N: The End is here! And by that, I mean the end of this story. :-( It was fun while it lasted. In fact, I enjoyed writing it so much I just might have to write another story or two. Joshua isn't the only largely overlooked character from the series, after all. ;-)

Special thanks to Donaroja, Night-Weaver369, nexus432, and Victoriam Speramus for their reviews. Thanks, guys! :-D

Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Angel or any of that show's characters. They belong to James Cameron and Charles H. Eglee, geniuses both. No disrespect is intended to either of them in the writing of this fanfic.

To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite;

To forgive wrongs darker than death or night;

To defy Power, which seems omnipotent;

To love, and bear; to Hope till Hope creates

From its own wreck the thing it contemplates;

Neither to change, nor falter, nor repent

-"Prometheus Unbound" by Percy Bysshe Shelley

2010

"I heard that your mother called again," Moorhead said, "Did you talk to her."

I looked at my favorite teacher and shook my head, then returned my attention to the book sitting open on the table in front of me. It was free-time and I was once again hiding out in the school's library.

Moorhead pulled out a chair and seated herself across from me. She rested her arms on the table and leaned in to bring her face level with mine. I bit my lip and reluctantly met her gaze.

"You can't avoid her for the rest of your life," she chided gently.

"No," I agreed, "Just the rest of hers."

"You need to forgive her, dear."

"Why?" I snapped, "She wanted to kill me." After years of blissful ignorance, followed by a few more of denial, I finally let myself see the truth about what happened that day when I was five and discovered both my defect and my gift.

"She didn't want to kill you," Moorhead reasoned, calm as ever, "What happened that day was done out of love. She only wanted to spare you any suffering."

"She's ashamed of me," I mumbled, sulking, "Like everybody else."

Moorhead reached out and patted my hand. "I am not ashamed of you, child. You are one of my brightest students. I've watched you overcome hardships your classmates will never have to face, day after day. I'm proud of you."

I had to look away or risk letting her see the tears welling in my eyes. She withdrew her hand.

"If you can accomplish all that," she continued, "I believe you can find it in yourself to forgive your mother for doing what she thought was best. If not, you will be alienating the only family you have. Family is everything, Skye. They make us what we are."

"I know," I said, staring at a scab on my hand, the result of a nasty spill in the hall when a classmate surreptitiously stuck out a foot, "That's why I won't forgive her."

2022

There were times when Manticore's military discipline shone through in the Transgenics, and not just when they fought. Within hours after the failed attack they began clearing away the debris and rebuilding what could be salvaged. Everyone pitched in, including me. I worked side by side with X's and 'Nomalies over the next few days, picking up chunks of masonry and loading them into truck beds and wheelbarrows. Like all Familiars, I had greater strength and stamina than most other humans, but after I don't know how many hours of hard work my back and shoulders would get so sore they were almost numb, my hands would be covered in blisters even though I'd worn work gloves, and all I wanted to do at the end of the day was fall into a tub of lukewarm water and hibernate for a week. Joshua was a little better off than me, but he still ended up sweaty and grimy and exhausted. When night fell we'd stumble back to our apartment, leaning against each other so we wouldn't fall over (well, to be honest, I did most of the leaning).

Sadly, there was no bathtub, but thanks to the fact that Joshua's stitches were taken out, we could shower together. Most times we were too tired to do much except hold each other while the cool water sprayed over our heated skins. It still amazed me how comforting it was, just having someone to hold onto. After the shower we'd lie on the bed and take turns massaging the aches and knots out of each other's backs.

After the last day of cleanup, I lay face-down on the bed, my hair still damp from the shower. As had happened every night after receiving one of Joshua's amazingly thorough massages, I felt so relaxed I don't think I could've moved even if the place was on fire.

"Skye?"

"Hmm?" I grunted lazily.

"You awake?"

"Mm-hmm..." I heard Joshua's quiet chuckle and felt his lips against my bare shoulder. Neither one of us had bothered to get dressed after our shower. Too much work.

I mustered the energy to speak actual words. "Gimme a sec 'n' I'll take care of you."

"You don't have to," he said, "Joshua's not all that sore."

I recalled how stiffly he'd moved when we walked home. "Jus' a minute. Lemme work up some motivation." I forced my arms to push me up from the mattress and rose up to my knees with a rueful groan.

Joshua rubbed my arm. "You really don't-"

"Shut up and lie down," I smirked.

Joshua grinned and did what he was told. I picked up the bottle of mineral oil he'd used earlier and squeezed some into my hand, rubbing my palms together to get them nice and lubricated. Then I straddled him and got to work on his cramped muscles, starting at the small of his back and working my way up to his broad shoulders. Joshua hardly made a sound except for an occasional grunt when I worked on a particularly stubborn knot, followed by a relieved sigh when the muscle finally relaxed. Pretty soon he was as boneless as I was a few minutes ago.

"I love you," he mumbled.

I smiled. "I love you, too. Turn over."

It took him a moment to work up the energy, but he did it. Once he was on his back I straddled him again and started running my hands over his chest and down the washboard of his stomach. A slow smile spread across his dog-like face. His big hands ran up my thighs and slid over my back.

"I'm not that tired anymore," I said.

"Me neither." Joshua sat up, cupped my face in his hands, and kissed me. I moaned and slipped my arms around his neck. A little maneuvering and he was inside me. Joshua's strong hands helped me thrust against him. His mouth tasted the skin of my neck, my shoulders, my breasts. I kissed every part of him I could reach as well, then pulled his head toward me to meet his lips with mine.

"So beautiful, Skye," he whispered. I tried to say something back, but all that came out of me was a loud moan. I held him so tightly I thought our bodies might fuse together. Then I was swept up in a climax that left me trembling and breathless. I felt Joshua shudder and heard a groan that reverberated deep in his chest. Once it passed, we lay down, me on top of him, my head pillowed against his chest. My head rose and fell with his breathing, his strong heart pounded rhythmically in my ear. I whispered the same prayer I said every night, thanking my ancestors for giving me life, for letting me have this perfect moment with someone I loved.

We were jarred awake the next morning by an insistent knocking at the door. Groggily, we threw on some clothes and Joshua stumbled over to the door to answer it. Luke hovered in the doorway, fidgeting anxiously. "What gives? We've been callin' your phone for the last fifteen minutes and you didn't answer."

"We were asleep," Joshua answered in a tone of voice that said he'd very much like to get back to it, a sentiment I heartily shared.

"Oh. Right," Luke's shoulders twitched in an embarrassed shrug.

"What were you calling about?" I asked.

Luke immediately shifted his attention to me. "Somebody's at the gate. An older lady. Max says she's a Familiar she met before."

A feeling similar to dread chased away my drowsiness. "What does she want?"

"She says she wants to see you. Being pretty stubborn about it, too." Luke frowned, miffed.

Joshua gave me a worried look. "It might be a trick."

I shook my head. "Not if it's who I think it is. Using herself as bait for a trap isn't her style."

"You don't hafta see her, y'know," Luke said, "Just say the word and we'll have the guards send her packing."

"No," I sighed, "I have to face her sometime. Might as well get it over with now." I took a moment to brush my hair into something more presentable, then Joshua and I followed Luke out to the gate. Max, Alec, and Mole were already there, along with a dozen armed Transgenics, all of them staring coldly at the woman standing outside the locked gate.

My suspicion was right; the Familiar who came to confront me was Moorhead. She wasn't alone either. I could see a handful of sturdy Phalanx warriors gathered around the limo that must've brought them all here. The fact that Moorhead had them hanging back reassured me that she wasn't looking for a fight.

"Do you want us to go over there with you?" Max asked me.

"Thanks, but no," I replied, "I think I know why she's here. It's personal. Something between Familiars."

She didn't looked thrilled with my answer, but she wasn't surprised, either. "Okay. Just remember, we're here if you need us."

I nodded, turned to Joshua. He touched my face and gave me a reassuring smile. I leaned into his touch for a second before slowly backing away. Reluctantly, I turned and walked over to the gate. It stayed closed, which was fine with me. I thought it might be better to keep something between me and Moorhead, just in case I was wrong about her plan of action. As I closed the distance, I saw through the bars of the gate that Moorhead's eyes were red, her face blotchy from what must have been hours of crying. I came to a halt a few feet from her.

"Fe'nos tol," I said quietly.

"Do you have any idea what you've done," her voice was low and raw.

I stared at her, saddened. "I know I did the right thing."

"The right... You arrogant girl!" she snarled, "You've destroyed us! Thousands of years, generations of sacrifice. Everything our ancestors struggled for to prepare us for the Coming. All for nothing." Tears coursed down her cheeks. She didn't look angry so much as deeply wounded. "This world was destined to be ours. Now we have nothing! No destiny, no purpose. How can our people ever hope to continue now?"

"They'll have to muddle through," I said simply, "Just like everyone else."

"You truly want to be like 'everyone else'?" she asked, nodding towards the people behind me, "Living with those abominations. Did you really think you could hide yourself away and not face the consequences of your betrayal?"

I stared at her, a woman I once thought of as a second mother. "No," I answered in a quiet voice, "I never thought that. I'm ready to face whatever judgment the Conclave's made."

Moorhead took a step closer, almost touching the bars that separated us. "The Conclave has declared you anathema. Do you understand?"

I swallowed, nodded. All Familiars were raised to believe this was a punishment even worse than death. My existence would be obliterated from my people's consciousness. I would not be spoken of or acknowledged, my name would be stricken from the lineage archives, and any photos or possessions I didn't already have with me would be destroyed. Even the pictures my mother still had in the family albums would be burned. She'd probably do it herself. I wasn't simply going to be shunned or thought of as dead; to be declared anathema was the same as never even being born. I would never again be able to speak to another Familiar. I would never have the chance to reconcile with my mother. That hurt, not because I wanted her back in my life, but because I didn't have a choice anymore.

The cold anger faded from Moorhead's expression, leaving only sorrow and disappointment. "I loved you like a daughter," she whispered, "Every accomplishment you made filled me with such pride. Now all I feel is shame. It would have been better if your mother had succeeded in killing you when you were a child."

I almost lost it then, but I clenched my jaws and willed the tears not to fall. Moorhead uttered a string of ancient words, then abruptly turned and walked away. As far as she was concerned, I didn't exist. I stayed where I was until she and her bodyguards climbed into the limo and drove off. I never saw Moorhead or my mother or any Familiar that I knew of ever again.

I turned away from the gate and walked back to where the others waited. I could tell from the sympathy in their eyes that their enhanced hearing had picked up everything that happened. Max stepped closer to me and touched my arm. "We're sorry, Skye."

I shrugged. "I knew something like this would happen when I decided to help you. It was still the right thing to do."

"And a high price to pay. You gonna be alright?"

I looked at her. At Joshua, Alec, and Mole. At Luke and all the other Transgenics. And I smiled. "I'll be fine. The Conclave thought they gave me the worst possible punishment. A month ago they would've been right, but now..." I held my hand out. Joshua took it without hesitation, smiling warmly. "Now I have all of you," I concluded.

The ever-sardonic Mole snorted. "That's some consolation."

"I just did what everybody else here's done," I explained, "When you don't have a family to turn to, you make one. That's what TC is when you get down to it; a big, mixed-up, dysfunctional family. And if there's one thing Familiars can agree on, it's that whether you're born into it or choose it, family is everything."

Max smiled at this while Alec smirked as if he thought of a private joke. Luke nodded in agreement, and Mole shifted uncomfortably. And Joshua, my sweet Joshua, stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, sheltering and embracing me. A man I'd only known a month and yet knew and understood me better than anyone in the world.

Moorhead and the rest of the Conclave believed exile was a punishment. What they didn't realize, and what I understood now, was that it was only exile if they took me away from the people I cared about. And these people, these genetically engineered misfits, they were my people now. The Conclave hadn't punished me; they'd set me free.

Joshua summed it up the best, "Us freaks gotta stick together."

I laughed and reached up to ruffle his shaggy hair. "You said it." And I planned on sticking with him for the rest of my life.