Shout-Outs: VampirePrincess86, StruckkByColfer and Tacodestroyeravenger

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Chapter 9

In September, Jake finally went to Venice. He took solo rides on the Gondola and went to see the Bridge of Sighs and sampled the finest pastries the bakeries had to offer, washing it down with strong espresso topped with thick foam. He tried to put everything that had happened behind him and one day, while he was taking in Tosca at the Teatro La Fenice, he almost did. But even the beauty of one of Italy's greatest sopranos couldn't tempt him out of his dour mood.

He still missed Mabel every single day, sometimes it physically hurt to breathe.

He missed the opportunities Cassandra could have provided him with, a new friend. . . maybe something more. He wished she could have gone to Italy with him, so she could check off one of the items on her short wishlist.

He threw handfuls of coins in the fountains in the Gardens of Versailles and wasted his wishes on things that could never happen, on women who he would never see again as long as he lived.

And somewhere between coffees and operas and the Guggenheim and wishes that would never come true, Jake decided to really live again. There was too much beauty in the world to waste the rest of his life on grief, to spend the rest of his life just going through the motions.

His last day in Venice was gray and cloudy, the sky was thick with impending rain storms. But it didn't stop him from visiting the fountains one last time, to make one more wish. He closed his eyes and wished for vita felice, a happy life.

When he opened his eyes, a familiar looking red-head was walking towards him. He froze physically, feeling like he was seeing her ghost all over again, except she was wearing different clothes than the last time they had been together.

She stopped a few feet away from him and looked at him uncertainly. "Jake?""

"Cassie?" Jake replied, taking a step closer to her. "Is that really you?"

Cassandra laughed. "Yes. Who else would it be?"

"I thought you were dead," Jake said as there was a clap of thunder in the distance and the clouds burst open, starting to drench the cobblestone with rain. He quickly popped open the umbrella he had brought with him just in case and held it over both him and Cassandra, to shelter them from the storm.

"I should be dead," Cassandra answered. "But something happened, something nobody can explain, they're calling it a medical miracle. Eve said they were all set to let me go, they were going to turn off all the machines and let me die. But then you came to the hospital to say goodbye to me and when you kissed me, I woke up. I can hardly believe it because it's too much like a Disney movie or a fairy tale. And we've never met before, we don't know each other. Do we?"

"We do," Jake confirmed. " I mean, sort of. . . we met while you were still in a coma. I can't explain what happened, really. But I think you were sent to me to help me because I had a broken heart."

"It's so strange," Cassandra said. "I've heard Jenkins talk about things like this a million times and I thought I believed in it but now that I'm faced with it in real life, I don't know if it is real but at the same time, I feel like it is. Because I feel like I know you. You are so. . . you are so familiar to me. I feel like we only met in my dreams though."

"But it wasn't a dream," Jake answered. "I know things about you, like how you wanted to go to Italy and how you want to have a family."

Cassandra nodded. "A boy and a girl."

"And you wanna teach them how to dream," Jake added. "And you wanted to come here, to Venice and throw a handful of coins in the fountain and make a wish. And how the only country music you own is Taylor Swift"

Cassandra nodded, breathing in sharply when he reached out and took her hand with his free one.

"I know your touch," Cassandra told him.

"I know," Jake whispered, pulling her towards one of the fountains. "Sometimes, when you were still in the coma, I would touch you and you could almost feel it even though you were hardly flesh and blood."

"I want to get to know you better Jake," Cassandra said.

"I want to get to know you better too," he replied. "C'mon, come and make your wish."

Cassandra allowed her to lead him to the fountain, took his offered euro and closed her eyes. She stood for a long minute and then tossed it in, it fell to the bottom of the pool with a muffled plop. She turned to look at him and smiled. "We have time."

"All the time in the world," Jake answered, still unable to comprehend that she was there. That somehow, he had saved her, if he lived to be one hundred, he didn't think he'd ever completely understand what had happened, what sort of magic had been worked that day in the hospital room.

Maybe it was one of those things that would never be explained and he'd just have to take it on faith like God or Santa Claus or that million dollar bills existed somewhere in the world.

He pulled her gently to lead her out of the rain and down the street to one of his favorite spots to get coffee and pastries, to get to know her better and to start to share his life with her.

Because he knew, this girl had the power to change his life for the better.

Forever.

He already knew he was going to open up his heart and make room for her. He'd been planning on it the whole time. He'd been hoping she would be his second chance ever since he'd gotten to know Ghost Cassandra better.

He could hardly wait to get to know the real her and see what happened with them next.

_The End_

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Author's Note:

Except not really, I have a one-shot from Cassandra's POV and a sequel to this story in the works. Or I've at least started to plot it out. I hope you will tell me what you thought of this final chapter in this story and that you'll consider taking the next journey with me. This is not the end of their story in this world, this is just the beginning. Looking forward to your thoughts and feelings. Also, the soundtrack to this will be out tomorrow.

Until Next Time!

Love,

Holly, 5/12/2015_