Author's Note: Thank you for all of your support in reading "One Litre of Tears." This is the final installment and I hope you continue reading my other works too! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own BatB or "One Litre of Tears"

(Yet! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!)

One Litre of Tears

by: Keiko Fujiwara

Epilogue

Beauty and the Beast

DATE: May 23, 2022

Vincent's POV

I can't believe it's been five years since I lost Catherine; life without her seems like an eternity. I thought I wouldn't be able to move on after her death but…after our daughter was born a little over four years ago, I knew I had to keep living. Elizabeth, named after her mother's middle name, strongly resembles Catherine and I'm glad she does. Some people ask me if I have a hard time looking at little Lizzy but how can I? She's the light of my life and my only reason for being here.

I can't same I am the best father in the world because I'm not. I have my moments when I mess up and I always regret them but, no matter what happens, I will always be the best father I can be. About six months after Lizzy was born, I resumed my career as a doctor and Catherine's family generously volunteered to take care of Lizzy for me until she is old enough to start school. I hate not being around for her when I'm at work but how else am I to earn money as a single parent? I've mooched off of Catherine's family enough so it would be bothersome to keep asking them for money; I have to stand on my own feet now and face hardships like any other parent.

Today, however, I have the day off so, naturally, I decide to visit Catherine's grave. Right now, I don't think it's wise to bring Lizzy up here…She wouldn't understand why her Mommy is buried underneath the ground. One day, however, probably when she is seven, I'll start bringing her up here so she can learn the truth behind her mother's story.

"Hey baby…" I mutter to the grey tombstone surrounded by a bed of flowers, "This goes without saying, but, I miss you, Catherine," I place my hand on her grave, "There's not a day that goes by when I'm not thinking of you…and…of how much I wish things could have gone differently between us. As I've told you in the past, love, I decided to specialize in Neurology because I wanted to do the best I could to cure Spinocerebellar Degeneration Disease….There's no cure as of yet but I feel like we're close to a breakthrough. I…I have a new patient…she has the same disease you had before you died…it was so hard to tell her of her fate but what else was I supposed to do? I didn't want to keep her in the dark…Unlike you, she's twelve…TWELVE! Her life has barely started and now…well…now, she will have the same fate as you did if there isn't a cure within the next ten to twenty years….I plan on telling her about you though and I will even lend her your printed journals for her to read; I hear they give every SCA patient comfort. You should be grateful you're still making a difference."

I take a deep breath and wipe the tears from my eyes before adding, "Lizzy misses you, sweety. She may not understand where you are right now but one day she will. She talks about you all the time when I come home from work and even draws you in her doodles. See? I even brought one of them so you can see it." I place the picture underneath my bouquet of lilies, "She's growing up to be such a beautiful, young lady, my love. She has your long, dark hair; you're complexion and even your eyes! She also has your attitude and your spunkiness. Oh Catherine, she's so much like you in many ways yet, she'll never get to meet you.

"Every six months, she has a check-up with Dr. Marks; so far, she has a healthy brain, Catherine. And, from what Evan hypothesizes; he believes that if she doesn't develop SCA by her 15th year, she won't develop it at all. However, he'll still continue to perform MRIs twice a year to make sure she stays healthy.

"Oh how I wish you could see her; you always wanted a child and…now that we're parents, you're not here to enjoy the blessings. I love you so much, Catherine, and I promise I'll come back here soon." I kiss my fingers and press them on the headstone before standing up and recomposing myself.

"Daddy? Why you cry?" a small voice asks from behind me. I turn around and see Tom, Vanessa and Heather standing behind me with Lizzy standing in front of them.

"Sorry, Vincent;" Heather apologizes, "We couldn't find a sitter for her and I have to go to work soon; I didn't think it would be too much of a problem to bring her up here."

"Thanks," I smile as I wipe my tears away, "Thanks to all of you for always being there for me and Lizzy. I honestly don't know how I would be able to manage without you." I walk over to Lizzy and pick her up before kissing her cheek.

"You're family, Vincent," Vanessa grins. "And so is Lizzy."

I smile at them with gratitude but turn towards my daughter when she pokes me in the cheek. "What is it, love?"

"You cheeks wet." She points out. "Why?"

"I was upset, honey, but I'm okay now." I reply as I give her a tight squeeze.

"Oh…What's that?" she points to the gravestone.

"That," I pause, "is where I can come and talk to your mommy, Lizzy. You want to say something to her?"

Her eyes open very widely with excitement as she tries to wiggle out of my arms. "Woah there." I chuckle as I place her down on the grass. She runs up to the gravestone and stares at it. "What's wrong, honey?"

"Where she go? I don't see her."

I crouch behind her and pull her into my arms. "She's here, trust me, little one. She's here."

She nods her head and starts speaking as if she's been talking to her mother since birth. "Hiiiiiii, Mommmmmyyyyy! Daddy and me misses you soooo much! Daddy says I cannot see you anymores so that makes me sad. I see pich-chards of you at home and you pretty; you look happy and I think the chair you was in look-ed fun! I knows you gone now but Daddy cries when he should sleep like me. I cry too but not like him. I knows Daddy says you sleeping in Heaven but…can you come back?! We miss you, Mommy! Please come back!" she starts crying. "Daddy cries…he be happy to see you again." She turns around and faces me. "Bring Mommy back, Daddy! Bring her back so you be happy again!"

"Oh honey!" I pull her into my arms, "It doesn't work like that."

"I want my mommy!" she cries as tears stream down her face.

"I know you do, sweet one; I know you do." I mutter to her as I start to leave the gravesite so Catherine's family can have their time with her. But, before I take more than five steps away from the grave, I stop in midstride. "Perhaps," I say to them without turning around, "Perhaps Catherine touched more lives than we ever anticipated."

I hear them walk up from behind me so they can see what I'm currently seeing. "Honey, look." I whisper to Lizzy but she shakes her head vigorously. "Will you look for me?"

Slowly, she turns her head around and her hazel eyes, still stained with tears, widen with a mixture of shock and confusion. "Who they, Daddy?"

"Everyone…your mother helped when she was here." I mutter to her as we all watch a large crowd of people either walking up the hill or rolling in a wheelchair. Many are carrying bouquets of flowers and little notes in their hands.

"There's hundreds of people, Dad!" Heather exclaims. "HUNDREDS!"

"I see that…" Thomas replies, at a loss for words.

I look back towards the gravestone and knowing she can hear me, my heart whispers, "You met your dream, Catherine and you were finally able to make a difference in hundreds of peoples' lives. I am so proud of you, my love."

"Live on…"

I turn around and look at Heather. "Did you say something?"

"No…why? What did you hear?" she asks with curiosity.

"Nothing," I shake my head, "I guess it was just a whisper of the wind." Catherine's whisper….

Beauty and the Beast

Keiko Fujiwara: And that's that! END of One Litre of Tears! Please review what you thought of the story as a whole! Do you like these sad stories or do you want more happy ones? Let me know!

The titles of each chapter are English lyrics I wrote based off of the One Litre of Tears's theme song: Only Human by K.

Here is the original translation:

It's said that there is a smile
On the opposite side of sadness

It's said that there is a smile
On the opposite side of sadness
Up ahead from where I'm going to arrive at
Just what is it that's waiting for me?

I should have set off, not to run away
But to chase my dreams, back on that far off summer day

If I could have even seen what tomorrow would be like, I wouldn't have been able to breathe
So now I move forward
In order to go against the current, like a boat

It's said that happiness waits
In places that have been consumed by sadness
I'm still searching for
A sunflower at the end of the season

If I clench my fists, and wait for the morning sun to come
After my finger nails became bloody, my tears would fall

If I've grown used to being lonely
By the moonlight
I'll fly away with my featherless wings
I'll move futhur on ahead

If a rain cloud bursts
Then the wet road will sparkle
That's what the darkness tells me
The strong, strong light
I'll move forward, and be strong

Here is the opening theme song on YOUTUBE: (add this blurbage to the end of 'youtube*dot*com): watch?v=_qa3l6w7Uoc

Here is the English Version, Sung by me: watch?v=IXXCjQ6xRek

Full Diary of Aya Kito: wholediaryofaya*DOT*blogspot*DOT*com/

Full One Litre of Tears J-Drama (I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU WATCH THIS): www*DOT*gooddrama*DOT*net/japanese-drama/1-litre-o f-tears

Let me know if any of the links do not work. :)