Disclaimer: I don't own the Night World

A/N: This chapters is kind of based off Avril Lavigne's song "Smile"… well, the chorus at least.

Epilogue: Smile

It seemed strange that with the potential end of the world (that Emerald had learned of during her search for Jonathan), Storm was still living at the same mansion he'd lived in all his life. Surely with all that was going on, or rather, all that was going to happen he'd be seeking some kind of refuge somewhere. Of course, Emerald had heard rumors that Lord Thierry had places, safe havens scattered around, but only for Circle Daybreakers. And after all that had happened between them and the Daybreakers, Emerald didn't think they'd be getting an invitation any time soon. Even with the so-called thing that would "tip the scales of which way the new millennia would turn out." Another thing she found out; what Jonathan was after. Obviously it was so far out there in left field that Emerald doubted she held the key to the survival of the human race, but Jonathan seemed to think that she did, so she really didn't know what to believe.

Emerald stood a few feet away from the front door, just far enough away that she could stand and look at the whole house. It was daunted, coming back here. After what felt like so long… two years, two years probably was a long time, Emerald supposed, but it felt like an eternity had gone by. She wouldn't be surprised if the end of the world had already come and she'd been somewhere unaware of what was going on in the outside world.

Her heart beat surprisingly steady as Emerald took slow, careful steps toward the door. Before she knew it her hand was reaching up knocking several times on the ornate wood door.

She waited, chewing the inside of her lip nervously.

Finally Emerald heard the sound of footsteps coming toward the door, then the sound of the dead-bolt unlocking, and finally the door opening the small movement stirring air on the threshold, blowing the sweet scent of home into Emerald's face. Nostalgia overwhelmed her for a moment so the only thing she could do was stare wistfully at the boy—well a better word would probably be man—standing in the half-open doorway. It was just as well because it seemed that was all he could do: stare at her his gorgeous eyes wide, his mouth slightly ajar.

He looked different, for some reason he looked… off. Emerald couldn't pinpoint why but he just felt different. Which was highly unlikely. For one it'd only been two years since she last saw him and for two, even if he had aged he couldn't have aged so much over the course of two years to look so different. And it wasn't so much as he looked different, his eyes were the same wonderful electric blue (maybe even better than Emerald remembered) and his hair was the same length, wavy, and a beautiful cherry-wood color (Emerald momentarily wondered if it would be just as soft and silky as she remembered), something about him just felt… different.

Someone finally spoke, though it wasn't either Emerald or the man before her, it came from inside and it was very, very female.

"Storm?" she called. "Who's at the door?"

Emerald's breath caught and her face flushed as realization washed over her. It wasn't like they hadn't talked about it before she'd left Storm had just always assured her that she'd be the only one for him, forever and always. Maybe he'd changed his mind, maybe they had different definitions of "forever" and "always", but either way the message was loud and clear and it was apparent what was going on.

"I'm sorry I didn't give you any notice," Emerald managed to say, finding her voice momentarily. "It looks like I interrupted something, so I'll just be on my way."

"Emerald, wait!" Storm objected as she quickly turned and started down the steps. It was all she could do to keep from sprinting down his drive and far, far away from his house.

There was a slam of a door and pursuing footsteps almost simultaneously.

"Emerald, let me explain!" Storm called again as Emerald quickened her pace.

"No, no, I-I really need to get going. I wasn't planning on staying long." Emerald told him momentarily slowing her pace and turning to face him before spinning back around and continuing forward.

"Emerald, you've got it all wrong." Storm sighed almost exasperated. Emerald clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms, drawing blood, to keep from the tears that were threatening to spill over.

Suddenly a warm hand grasped her upper forearm, his grip firm but gentle at the same time. Emerald froze and let Storm turn her around so they were face to face.

Her eyes darted around refusing to meet his, her breath shallow and quick, blinking rapidly to hinder the potential flow of tears.

"Her name is Echo, and she's my dad's girlfriend." Storm told her.

Emerald blinked and looked up at him—had he possibly gotten taller?—unable to fully comprehend what she'd just heard.

"What?" she asked wanting to make suer she heard right.

Storm smiled and let go of Emerald's arm but took her hands into his. "That woman you heard talking was Echo, my dad's girlfriend."

Emerald was still getting over the shock but finally understood: she had totally overreacted.

"You didn't actually think that I had a new girlfriend, did you?" Storm asked quietly.

Emerald opened her mouth ready t lie so as to not hurt his feelings, but his blue eyes penetrated hers reminding her of a promise made not too long ago about never lying to each other again. She closed her mouth and smiled while reaching up and caressing his face. He put his hand over hers and closed his eyes.

"You know I love you, don't you?" she asked softly.

Storm opened his eyes again. "Of course I do." he answered.

"Two years is a… long time." she whispered her smile disappearing. "It isn't that I don't love you and it isn't that I don't think you don't love me. It's just maybe I felt you'd be happier with someone else. Someone who doesn't put you through so much grief."

Storm looked at Emerald for a few moments not saying anything, his hand still holding her hand that was caressing his face. The he took that hand and pulled her forward, entrapping her into a kiss, all in one fluid, swift movement. Warmth bloomed where Storm touched: the nape of her neck, the middle of her back, her waist as he wrapped his arm tightly around it, drawing her even closer to him.

Emerald wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his thick hair and it was just as silky as she remembered, maybe possibly even silkier than she last remembered. And somewhere in the back of her mind she registered that she was standing on the tip of her toes. He had gotten taller.

They pulled away but stood close, pressing their foreheads together.

"I love you, Emerald." Storm said. "You're the only one for me, the only one I'll ever love. Do you honestly think that I'd find someone else, over you?"

Emerald blinked and some tears slid down her face. "You know we had talked about it before I told you I was going to actually leave." She reminded him. "And it's not like I don't trust you or think you don't love me, I just…" She blinked and more tears streamed down her face. "People change, and I just feel like everyone I meet, anyone I've ever loved, leave me in some way or another. I guess I was just preparing myself for you to leave too."

Storm pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her comfortingly, protectively. Again in the back of her head she registered that he'd grown much taller, from his few inches taller than her to about a head taller. She'd have to ask him about that later.

"I could never leave you." Storm announced quietly. Emerald waited for him to say it, to say what anyone else watching or even in this position would say. To calm herself she breathed in his familiar, comforting scent and closed her eyes. It wasn't like it was bad saying that, it's just it seemed like that was the only reason and there's never only one reason you love someone.

She felt his arms tighten around her and she prepared for those words to leave his mouth.

"I love you. I will never stop loving you. You are amazing and beautiful, strong-willed and independent, ferocious and stubborn. You care deeply about the ones you love and are righteous. All these traits and so much more I've come to know and love about you. And I'd be the stupidest person who's ever lived if I were to let you go."

Emerald smiled, tears of joy and overwhelming love streaming down her face. He hadn't said it, not once; he hadn't even hinted at it at all.

Storm pulled away and looked down at Emerald.

"Those are good tears, right?" he asked warily.

Emerald laughed and nodded, unable to speak it was all so overwhelming, before capturing Storm in an embrace, who decided to take it a step further and lift Emerald off her feet and spin her around.

When he set her back on the ground he buried his nose in her soft hair and inhaled deeply. It'd been so long since he'd seen Emerald, held her in his arms; it felt amazing to finally be back with her after two long years.

"Why don't you come in and meet Echo?" Storm invited when they'd broken apart. Emerald smiled, but it didn't quite match her eyes, but she said, "I'd love that."

They both turned to walk up to the house just in time to see the door close, as if they were being watched that whole time. Storm and Emerald exchanged a glance before heading up to the front door, hand in hand.

Adrian and Echo—a tall, slender woman with, thick, wavy mahogany-brown hair that stopped just beyond her shoulders and glowing hazel eyes with green flecks in them—were waiting expectantly at the bottom of the staircase. Adrian's arm around Echo's waist. They were both smiling. Adrian especially, glad that Emerald had returned, knowing that Storm had longed for her to be back in his arms. Storm just wasn't the same without Emerald, she completed him. Seeing Storm going slumping through the day without her here was painful to watch. And Adrian couldn't even begin to imagine what Storm was feeling.

"Emerald," Adrian began. "I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Echo."

Echo held out her hand and Emerald took it, smiling. "It's nice to finally meet you, Emerald." Echo said. "Storm won't stop talking about you." She laughed.

Emerald blushed, pulling her hand away and looking down embarrassed as Storm put an arm around her waist. "It's nice to meet you too." she mumbled self-consciously pushing some stray hair back behind her ear.

Storm laughed nervously. "You guys are hilarious." He started to edge his way past them and to the stairs, Emerald in tow. "But we'd like some privacy now, if you don't mind." Adrian opened his mouth to say something but Storm managed to slip past his dad and his girlfriend and was already half-way up the stairs. "Thanks." he called over his shoulder leading Emerald into his room and closing the door before Adrian or Echo could say anything more.

Emerald pulled away from Storm and looked around the room. Going up to the bed and stroking the smooth wood of his bed frame.

"Some things never change, do they?" Emerald mumbled everything in Storm's room looking exactly the same as it had the last time she'd been here.

"Some." Storm echoed almost distantly.

Emerald turned and looked at the man before her, with narrowed eyes. "You're taller." she noted.

Storm's eyes focused and he gave her a sheepish smile. "Well… I just—" Storm tried to explain, not able to think of why exactly he decided to age two more years. He was twenty now, which was an odd thought.

"Save it." Emerald rolled her eyes, smiling, but it still not quite matching her eyes, as she walked up to him. "You're lucky you're cute." she joked.

Storm reached up to caress her face. "Are you all right?" he murmured.

Emerald sighed, wishing she'd never made that stupid promise about never lying to each other again. "I just—" She shook her head, her eyes suddenly watering, her lower lip trembling slightly.

Storm immediately pulled her into him as she began to cry softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." he whispered frantically, rubbing her back and stroking her hair. "Just take your time. Take all the time you need. You don't need tell me if you're not ready."

Emerald sniffed and wiped some tears off her face. "Thank you."

Storm pulled away a little to look at her. "No, thank you." he told her, caressing her cheek and wiping away more of her tears with his thumb before leaning down, pressing his lips to hers.

When Storm awoke, out of habit, he felt the spot next to him. The sheets were icy cold. Sitting up he looked around the darkened room and spotted one of the French doors not closed fully, blowing the light curtains from the small breeze flowing through the crack. Silently slipping out of bed, Storm crept over to the door and slipped out to see Emerald leaning against the railing of the balcony, staring out into the horizon.

Storm closed the door fully and Emerald turned to meet his eyes momentarily before turning back to the horizon.

Storm came to stand next to her.

"How long have you been up?" Storm asked quietly looking at her.

Emerald looked down for a moment before answering: "A long time."

The way she said it, the way her eyes were turned down and away from Storm, the way her hands were clasped to tightly together her knuckles turned white, Storm knew that "a long time" didn't mean just tonight.

"How long?" Storm asked carefully.

Her voice was just barely audible when she spoke: "Ever since I left."

Storm's eyes widened in surprise and shock. "You haven't slept in… two years?" he asked her, confirming a specific time.

Emerald let out a big sigh. "You just… get used to it, after the first couple of months." She shrugged.

Storm put a hand on her arm. "But, why? Have you even tried to sleep since then?"

"I'll have nightmares." she whispered, shivering. "I can't."

"Emerald, you need to sleep. That's not healthy. I can't believe you're walking and talking right now." Storm urged as Emerald looked away. "Emerald," Storm gently caressed her face, turning it as he did so, before cupping her chin, making her look at him. "I'm here now. You don't need to worry."

Emerald's eyes watered and she pulled away from him, turning her back to him. "I didn't find him, okay? I didn't find my father." she said. "He's still out there, somewhere looking for me." Her voice shook as tears streamed down her face.

Storm took her into his arms, holding her close, and stroking her hair. "It's going to be okay. I'm here for you. You don't have to do this alone anymore."

"Even so, I'll still have nightmares, Storm. I can't sleep." Emerald sobbed, her knees practically giving out beneath her all of the sleepless nights hitting her all at once.

"Emerald, you need to sleep." Storm said, catching her, and pulling her into his arms. "You're really starting to worry me."

Emerald meagerly pushed at Storm's chest. "Let me up." she mumbled. "I can stand." she assured him.

Storm paused before gently setting Emerald down on her feet again, but she clutched his arm tightly.

"I'll be right next to you. I'm here for you." Storm reminded her softly. Emerald said nothing but let out a small sigh and Storm proceeded forward slowly toward the French doors that led inside, with Emerald trailing a little ways behind him, gripping his hand tightly, almost painfully, but Storm said nothing about it.

Storm slipped into the bed before Emerald, who climbed up next to him, resting her head on his chest and drawing as close to him as possible. Storm put his arms protectively around Emerald and closed his eyes, trying to get to sleep. However, did he fall asleep only after Emerald did.

It seemed only a few minutes or so before Emerald bolted upright in bed, not able to hold her scream of terror back. Storm sat up next to her, and put his arm comfortingly around her, but she shrugged his arm off.

She was breathing heavily, and some strands of hair were sticking to her forehead and neck.

"I told you," she sobbed. "I told you I'd have nightmares." She started to get up off the bed, but Storm quickly grabbed her hand. She looked at him tears pooling in her eyes.

Storm gently squeezed her hand before pulling her back onto the bed and into his lap. He cradled her, one hand around her shoulders, holding her to him, and the other hand holding both her hands to his chest.

"Shh, shh," he cooed reassuringly as she let out small wails and soft sobs. "It'll be all right. It's going to be just fine." he told her in a soothing, calm, relaxing, soft voice. He kissed her hair and rubbed her arm comfortingly, holding her tighter to him. He leaned in closer then, murmuring in her ear, "I want you to do something for me, Emerald."

Emerald pulled back and looked up at him with watery, questioning eyes.

Storm pulled her back into him. "I want you to close your eyes for me, okay?"

Emerald looked up at him with wide, panicked eyes. Her pulse pounded as her heart sped up. She started shifted and squirming in his lap. Storm gave her hands a gentle squeeze and held her tighter to him.

"Look at me, Emerald," Storm told her not quite commanding but not completely soft either. "Look at me." he said again, dropping her hands momentarily and cupping her chin, tilting her head up so their eyes met. Storm slowly dropped his hand and took her hands back into his, holding them against his chest again without looking away. "I want you to feel my heart beat. Listen to my breathing. Breathe with me." Together they took a breath. And another. And another. And soon enough Emerald's eyes slid closed and she rested her head against Storm's shoulder, still breathing in time with Storm.

"Feel the bond connecting us." Storm continued resting his cheek on the top of Emerald's head, listening as her breathing slowed and her heart calmed. "Feel my warmth, my love for you. You're not alone. I'm here. I'll always be here for you; know that. I'll always love you."

Storm's own eyes closed slowly and before he knew it, he was out, just as Emerald was.

Adrian and Echo opened the door the next morning to find Storm and Emerald in the same position as the night before: Storm sitting in the middle of the bed with Emerald in his arms, both of them fast asleep.

Sometimes there are no words. No clever quotes to neatly sum up what's happened that day... sometimes the day... just... ends. ~ Aaron Hotchner

Okay, I know it's probably not the best ending that you've ever read, but I kind of like it opened ended like that.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed this story!

Acknowledgements up on my website: thebrightestnight{dot}webs{dot}com

thank-you-for-everything

~ See you at the Millennium!