Twist of Fate:

An Until Dawn Fanfiction

A/N: You guys waited so long for this… soooo sorry. After Josh got his memories back and resolved everything with Sam, it was really hard to write a conclusion. I hope this makes up for the last 6 months of waiting.

PS! Enula and I were selected by Emerald City Comicon to do a panel on fanfiction! It's called Fanfiction: A Viable Artform, and it is focusing on the art of fanfiction and how it is one of the most underrated mediums in geek culture. Not only that, it was selected to be livestreamed! Please tune in to the Emerald City Comicon livestream on March 4th, 5:30pm to 6:30pm PST to show your support!

ALSO, we have formatted Twist of Fate into a book format and we are ordering hard copies of it. As a thank you for being so amazing, if you'd like one, PM us! We can send you a copy. :) This has been an amazing ride and we cannot thank you guys enough for your love and support - it's been a full year since we started Twist of Fate, and we could not have done it without you guys. We love you!

Epilogue

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Sam asked Josh gently.

They both stared out the window at the sprawling, unkempt house in front of them. They'd been sitting in Sam's car - in silence - for at least the last fifteen minutes. Josh didn't respond to Sam's question, only kept his eyes locked in on the house.

Sam swallowed, reaching her hand out to lightly rest it on his shoulder, "Josh?" He jolted a bit at her touch, as though he weren't expecting it, but quickly shook his head to clear the trance he'd been in.

"You don't have to, you know… if you're not ready…"

Josh sighed, leaning back and resting his head against the seat. He glanced at her sideways, quietly droning, "well, I don't know if I'll ever be ready. She just left me there to rot… I'm not sure how I am supposed to feel about any of this." Sam turned in her seat to face him, her heart sinking at his conflicting feelings.

"You don't have to feel anything," she assured him. "You can just let it all come to you in time. I can't even imagine how you must feel right now-" Her words tapered off as she gingerly placed her hand on his thigh. His eyes trailed down and he took her hand, a small smile breaking across his lips.

"I'm fine. I've got you here, right?"

"Of course," she breathed. Sam smiled too, despite herself. She couldn't seem to shake her fear that this was all too much for him, too soon. He'd only just remembered who he was two days ago. She knew when they'd spent the whole previous day, laying around in bed, watching home videos and eating way too much food and drinking way too much wine that eventually he was going to want to know what happened to his parents.

"So, they just… left me?" he'd asked her, and she could only silently nod back. It actually pained Sam, watching him digest it all. Reality was settling between them - it wasn't all going to be so easy, now that he remembered. He had a lot of healing to do - they both did. It had been naive to think that Josh getting his memories back would solve everything - she knew that the night he remembered and her first emotional instinct was surprisingly anger.

"Do… do you know where they are now?" he'd even ventured, "I mean, can I see them?"

Sam took in a sharp breath, unprepared to answer such a complex question. Her heart ached as she stared at his waiting but hopeful face knowing she had to tell him: he was never going to get the answers he wanted. He would never get to confront his dad, spill everything that had been building up inside of him, and then (and only then) be able to offer his forgiveness. He wasn't going to get to properly grieve, and she worried about this more than she had expected to.

"Sam… you've been quiet for a long time." He turned towards her, propping his head up by his elbow in the bed, mirroring her. He set a slender hand on her hip comfortingly, and Sam could only smile back at him, woefully.

"Josh… your dad passed away a few years ago." Sam watched as he took in a long, slow breath, filling his lungs. He set his jaw, and then after a moment, with an exhale he nodded. He had to know that might have been a possibility.

"How did he-"

"Cirrhosis," she remembered his mother saying. Although, she knew better than to trust anything coming from Melinda Washington anymore. She added, delicately, "w-we can look up his public records, maybe I can call in a favor or two to the hospital and see if-"

"No. It's okay," Josh sighed, and the soft resign in his eyes said he meant that. He swallowed hard, his finger tapping her hip over the blankets, nervously. He had more he wanted to know, but she could tell he was scared to even ask.

Sam spared him, choking out a quick, "your mom lives in Calabasas…" She paused, letting him absorb what she'd just said before continuing softly, "i-if you want to see her, it's not that far from here." His eyes slowly crept to hers, and he fleetingly nibbled on his lip while he took it in, but only for a second.

"Have you… have you seen her?"

Sam almost didn't want to tell him, but of course she had to. She wouldn't be able to keep anything from him, even if she tried. She sighed, fidgeting with the hem of the sheets they were wrapped up in.

"I um… I actually only found her a few weeks ago." His eyes grew, his curiosity piqued. He said nothing, so she knew he wanted her to go on. "She's… she's not well, Josh. I'm not sure why; she has a live in nurse. And she's all alone-"

"-Oh, you mean like I've been for the last 10 years?" he interrupted, snidely. Sam knew it wasn't meant for her, but she still hated making him upset. And at this point, although he seemed well, Josh had always been unpredictable with his emotions - even when medicated. She took in another wavering breath, gave a quick shrug of her shoulder.

"I went to see her when I wasn't sure if you were Josh and I wanted answers," Sam choked out.
"She… basically admitted everything. Signing you into that facility under another name, never visiting. But she said you didn't remember them and - and that when the hospital released you, they had no idea where to find you-"

"Those are some really piss-poor excuses, you know that?" he spat, and Sam shrunk a bit under his glare. His face softened and he quickly pulled her in towards his chest, "I'm sorry, Sammy. I don't mean that to you at all, okay? I'm just… I'm so angry at them."

Sam pulled away from him, resting her hand on his cheek and making his eyes meet hers, "Josh, you have every right to be mad at them. You don't have to feel any way about anything."

Josh gave Sam another somber smile and squeezed her hand gently, bringing it up to his lips to leave a fleeting kiss across her knuckles. He took in a quick breath and unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Sam offered. Before they'd left her apartment he'd told her he wasn't sure he wanted her to go in with him, but she wondered if actually being here and the reality of what he was about to do setting in would change his mind.

Josh shook his head, "no, it's okay. I think I want to do this alone." Sam didn't pressure him any further, although a part of her wished she could be there to make sure things went smoothly - but there were some things Sam knew she had to accept were out of her control. Josh was an adult and he could handle this. He knew she would be right there waiting for him with open arms when he came back.

Josh gave her one last longing glance before leaning in and pressing a kiss against her temple. He got out of the car, and Sam felt tears sting her eyes as he got out of the car, wrapped his jacket tightly around him, and headed up the same path she'd taken only weeks ago - the night she found out everything she'd suspected was true. The love of her life was alive.

Sam took in a wavering, shaky. Her cellphone beeped but she didn't need to look down to know who it was. Chris had been trying to reach her for the last few days and she'd been good at warding him off, but he was starting to figure out something was up.

Chris: [11:35 am] Are you alive? What is goin' on, Jensen!

She hadn't told him Josh remembered for a few reasons. One was that she'd been selfishly keeping Josh to herself over the last two days, taking in as much of him as her heart could handle. The other reason was because it wasn't something she wanted to tell him over the phone. She wanted Josh and Chris to have a real reunion, they deserved that.

Also, she wasn't sure Josh was ready. Initially he was excited, but once the memories of what he'd done to Chris and Ashley - and everyone, for that matter - started to flood his mind, his nerves started to grow as well. He was scared, but it was something he was going to have to face eventually. Sam could only assume his worry might have stemmed from her odd reaction when he remembered - the anger. Josh was more than likely emotionally exhausted from having to hash everything out with her, and now his mom…

Sam had to hand it to him, though. He was handling it all like a champ.

As Sam held her phone in her hand, contemplating if she should even bother writing Chris back right away, she was surprised by Josh returning to the car much quicker than she'd anticipated. He yanked the door open, looking quite shaken, and slipped back into the passenger seat beside her.

"Hey," Sam said with concern, turning to face him again. She reached out towards him, "wh-what happened? Are you okay? Was she not home?"

"I-" he started, his mouth agape as he tried to piece his thoughts together. He shook his head and Sam could maybe see the beginnings of tears in his eyes. He closed his mouth, swallowing hard, before his eyes finally fell to hers. "I-I don't know. I started walking up there and… I just started thinking that… that I didn't want to see her."

Sam tensed, but nodded after a moment. She understood, and she couldn't even blame him. She never even told Melinda that Josh was alive because she was so mad at her for leaving him at that hospital - she couldn't even imagine the conflicting feelings that Josh was having. He turned his head and stared back out at the house again, as though he were trying to reconsider.

"I don't. I don't want to see her. Not yet, anyway…"

While Sam understood, the psychologist in her knew she needed to make sure this was what he really wanted.

"Are… are you sure, Josh?" she asked him, and once again he wordlessly nodded. Although, he didn't look sure. Sam didn't want to push him, but like her or not, Melinda was the only blood relative Josh had left. Sam gave him a small shrug, "I mean, don't you want a chance? A chance to be a fam-"

Josh stopped her sentence short when he grabbed her hand, interlacing his fingers with his and bringing it up to his chest - Sam could feel his heartbeat thumping warmly against the back of her hand.

"You are my family, Sam."

Sam felt a smile curve her lips before she leaned in to kiss Josh's. It was true. They were family.

Beepbeep.

Sam groaned and reached for her phone, irritated with the interruption. However, when she saw the text, her eyes lit up and squealed, excitedly. Josh's eyes widened at Sam's reaction as he stared at her curiously. Sam turned the phone towards him so he could see the message from Chris.

Chris: [11:42 am] Well, if you are alive, come to Providence St. John's Hospital. Baby boy Bennett is on his way.

"Thank God you guys are here!" Chris rushed to them as soon as they entered the maternity ward, Elizabeth squirming in his arms. He looked like he had been up for 24 hours straight going on nothing but adrenaline.

"We couldn't miss this," Sam assured him, trying her best to ignore all the screams of pain and hatred coming from behind closed doors.

"Hi, Elliot," Lizzy waved with her fingers at Josh. Chris gave his daughter a side eye before setting her down, convinced she wouldn't try running off now.

"And no flirting with Elliot."

Josh and Sam shared a quick glance. Now that Josh remembered who he was, it was almost strange to be referred to as Elliot. He still felt like Elliot though. Although he remembered his life as Josh, he still made a life for himself as Elliot.

"I have to get back to Ash. The doctors said she's almost fully dilated so it shouldn't be too much longer," Chris informed them, shuffling Elizabeth's hair before starting to back away.

"Thanks for the vivid details, bro," Josh commented with exaggerated joy. Chris raised an eyebrow quickly, remembering though, that Elliot still made a lot of Josh-like wisecracks.

"Go!" Sam urged, waving her arms to shoo him, "We'll watch Lizzy."

"Our parents should be here soon," was the last thing Chris said before disappearing around the corner.

Josh and Sam were suddenly alone with the four-year-old.

"So...do you know where the cafeteria is in this place?" Josh asked her, "I could go for some amazing hospital food."

"I know where it is!" The little girl shouted, obviously very proud of herself. She started walking in the direction they came. Josh and Sam followed and just as Sam reached for Josh's hand, Elizabeth somehow had the instinct to know and intercepted. She squeezed between them and slipped her tiny hand into Josh's.

Josh shrugged when Sam looked momentarily shocked, "You snooze, you lose."

They all sat down at a table to eat their less than appealing sandwiches, and Elizabeth spoke up, "How come you never came back to visit?" She made sure to look directly at Josh so they knew exactly who she was talking accepted that she was going to be the third wheel and silently ate her sandwich.

"I was going through some stuff that I needed to take care of first," Josh told her unabashedly.

"Like what?" she asked as she nibbled on her peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Well...do you want to hear a secret?" Lizzy nodded a bit too enthusiastically, her head looking like it would fly off her neck if Josh didn't tell her quickly.
Josh leaned closer to her and lowered his voice, "My name isn't really Elliot."

Sam looked up at him, shocked that he chose Lizzy to be the first one he told about this. But the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. She would be the one with the most innocent reaction, making it easier to start.

"What is it?" She asked with wide eyes, "Is it Flynn?"

Josh cocked his head to the side, "What? No. How did you decide that?"

"'Cause my real name is Rapunzel."

Sam hid a smile behind her hand. Lizzy was pretty smooth for a four year old.

"Oh...well, sorry, but no. Name's not Flynn. I'm Josh; nice to meet you, Rapunzel," the words slipped easily from his mouth. Lizzy took a big bite, leaving jelly smeared around her lips, "But I don't know any Disney prince's named Josh."

"What!? Shut up...you know me, don't you?" That miraculously left her speechless. Josh looked across the table at Sam, the two sharing a grin.

"You know she's going to tell Chris and Ashley now, right?" Sam mumbled low enough for Lizzy not to hear.

"I'm counting on it."

It was only twenty minutes later that they got a text from Chris saying that the baby was here.

"Ready to meet your baby brother?" Sam asked Lizzy as they all stood up to head back to the maternity ward.

"All he's gonna do is poop and cry," she remarked, though not necessarily with bitterness. She slipped her hand into Josh's again, "Do you have any brothers, Josh?"

He shook his head and Sam only saw a moment of hesitation before he said, "I have two younger sisters though. Twins."

"Are they annoying?" Sam chuckled; Lizzy had quite the vocabulary for such a little human.

Josh laughed shortly, "They definitely were when we were kids."

"What are their names?"

He sucked in a short breath, "Beth and Hannah."

Before Lizzy could ask more questions, they reached Ashley's room. Sam looked in the small window and tapped gently, letting them know they were there before entering. She saw a small bundle in Ashley's arms and was surprised when she felt her heart flutter.

Ashley looked up and nodded her in. As soon as Sam pushed the door open, Lizzy scrambled past her and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Daddy, Daddy! Guess what!"

"Lizzy!" Chris and Ashley both scolded together.

"You can't scream like that in here, sweetie," Chris explained as the baby made a few disturbed coos.

"But I have to tell you something!"

"Okay, well-"

"Elliot's real name is Josh and he has two sisters name Beth and Hannah!"

And just like that, the secret was out.

The whole room got quiet. Even the nurses that were still in the room cleaning up seemed to clean in silence. Only tiny baby grunts could be heard from Ashley's arms.

Chris' eyes met Sam's first. Maybe she just told Lizzy that in private? But Sam's smile made Chris realize that Josh himself told her.

"Hey, congrats on the new baby, bro! What's his name?" Josh asked casually, walking over to him and patting him on the back as though Chris' world wasn't just blown wide open, "Sorry I didn't bring any cigars."

Chris blinked a few times, adjusting his glasses quickly, "Umm…"

"Sean," Ashley spoke up, smiling down at her new baby, "Sean Oliver Bennett."

"Really? After all those crazy names you were trying to decide on?" Sam asked with a chuckle.

"We did the same thing with Lizzy," Ashley laughed with her, "We get all these crazy ideas, but then finally settle on something normal, but strong."

"It is; sounds like a movie star," Sam agreed.

"You do realize though…" Josh started, placing his arm on Chris' shoulder, "that his initials are S.O.B., right?"

Chris and Ashley looked at each other, silently acknowledging that they didn't think it through as well as they thought.

"Well shit," Chris said his first real words since Josh's surprise, "we already signed the birth certificate."

"Don't worry about it,"Josh assured, waving a cavalier hand in their direction. "It fits him, right?" He went closer to the hospital bed and reached his arms out, "Come to Uncle Josh, you little sonafa…" he looked Ashley in the eyes before he finished.

"I think I liked you better as Elliot," she deadpanned, but to show she held no ill feelings, she gently handed Sean over to Josh.

Josh held the baby with ease, watching as he clenched his tiny fists. He was instantly overcome with a sort of melancholic gratitude. He imagined what life would have been life if his sisters were still alive and he was holding one of their babies. But then he looked at Chris and grinned, glad that he continued to welcome him back into his life over and over no matter the circumstances.

He felt Sam brush up against him, and watched her watch Sean, "you want to hold him now?" She shook her head, but still smiled as she ran a finger over Sean's knuckles. "Don't tell me you're afraid to hold babies, Sam," he teased seriously, "when we have our own, you're going to have to pull some weight."

Sam couldn't help but blush. Chris and Ashley laughed at the two of them, but then aww'd when Josh kissed her quickly on the cheek (while Elizabeth pouted).

"We have a lot to catch up on," Chris remarked with a lot of emotion in his voice, wrapping his arm around Josh's shoulders as he stared down at his son, "I'm glad you're back, bro."

"Not as glad as I am," Josh countered. He glanced back at Ashley, "sorry to steal your thunder, Ash." she just smiled and nodded, looking quite worn out.

"It's fine just… Please don't call my son S.O.B…"

"I won't, I promise," Josh saluted, but waited until she wasn't paying attention before he added, "when you're around." Chris snorted, almost getting the two of them in trouble. Tears stung Sam's eyes as she watched the two quietly talking amongst themselves, knowing they had a decade to catch up on. It wasn't this huge, emotional moment that she'd pictured… it was just two friends talking as though no time had passed at all - the way it always should have been.

January 8th, 2026 - Three Weeks Later

Planning Josh's surprise party was actually a lot harder than Sam expected. She spent most of her free time with him and didn't want to raise his suspicions, so she recruited the help of Chris, Ashley and her mom.

First she asked Chris to reach out to all their old friends to see if they could make it to Josh's 30th. And, of course, to tell them the story so they know it's not some joke. Sam couldn't even imagine how much time that would take up, explaining the same thing to all four of them.
She asked Margaret to make the catering arrangements. Sam handled booking the hotel banquet room. She was short on time though. She was about to close her office for the holidays since Christmas was only a few days away and then she wouldn't be back to work until January 3rd. But then Josh's birthday was on the 8th.

Sam and Josh spent Christmas Eve with Chris and Ashley and their two kids. In the late evening, they drove to Sam's mom's house to spend the rest of the night and Christmas with her. Arriving her Margaret's house, they rang the doorbell and prepared a Christmas carol, reminding all of them of the time Josh showed up unexpectedly singing carols.

On New Year's Eve, they stayed inside Sam's apartment (though it was more like both of theirs at this point) to celebrate. They both made a resolution to make 2026 the best year they've ever had.

She surprised Josh (without giving away the real surprise) when she said she booked a hotel room for them for his birthday.

"I'm about to be thirty! You sure you're going to want to be with an old man like me?" he questioned, laying his head on her lap. He looked up at her as they sat peacefully on the sofa.

Sam instinctively tangled her fingers in his hair, "Not sure. This may be one of the last nights before you start going to bed at 7pm and waking up to eat nothing but prunes and fiber cereal."

His face got serious, "I solemnly swear to you, no matter how old I get...I will never eat prunes." She laughed, but her eyes softened.

'No matter how old I get…'

Not four months ago, she thought he never had a chance to live past twenty. But now, here he was, about to turn thirty. She wanted to tell him that she was so proud of him - surviving all those years by himself. He proved everyone wrong. He survived his breakdown after his sisters died, he survived the mines, he survived the asylum, he traveled the world trying his hardest to find himself - Sam didn't think Josh knew just how strong he was.

But then she felt his knuckles gently slide up and down her cheek. They locked eyes, and he clearly knew what she was thinking and appreciated her even more for it. They met in the middle for a chaste kiss, his lips barely moving when he said, "'m crazy 'bout you, Sammy."

They both chuckled at his choice of words before losing themselves in each other.

"Surprise!"

Sam walked Josh into a dining hall she reserved and, just as planned, everyone was there waiting to surprise Josh. Chris and Ashley were front and center; they cleaned up nice. They currently didn't look like strung out parents, but a young couple ready for a night of fun. To their right was Mike - clean shaven, slicked hair, suit wearing Michael Munroe. He held up his bottle of Bud Light to Josh as he yelled his surprise. Next to him was Emily and her husband, Miles. They complimented each other with his dark skin and obvious debonair personality, next to Emily's flawless features and cool stare.

To Chris and Ashley's left were both Matt and his fiance, Laura. Matt had put on some muscle weight since he was last seen, but looked good next to his five-foot-nothing meek-looking girl whose dark hair went down to the small of her back.

Next to them was Jessica - elegant but still trendy. Her black dress stopped mid-thigh, her blonde hair curled to perfection. Then where was Margaret, and Chris' parents, Ellen and Jeremy.

Everyone that ever meant anything to Josh was there with joy in their eyes at seeing him again. They all had a decade to heal and they all did something with their lives. She was so glad that no one even hesitated to come see them, even after everything that had happened.

"Let's party like we're fucking pornstars!" Jessica announced loudly, raising her champagne glass high in the air. Sam saw the instant mortification on the parents' faces.

Sam laughed nervously, "it's just an old joke! Not serious!"

"Aww, c'mon, Sammy, where's your party spirit?" Josh wrapped his arm around her and kissed her temple and whispered a thank you in her ear before doing his duty and heading to the group of people that were waiting to talk to him and hear all the details about his life he was willing to give.

"So how have you been, Mr. Munroe?" Sam asked; the first group Sam mingled with consisted of Mike, Emily, and Miles.
He took a sip of his beer before answering, "Making money, living the dream!" Sam wasn't sure if she heard any underlying disdain in his voice, or if it was just his way of answering.

"Are you married?" Emily was bold enough to ask him.

Mike shook his head, "nah. Been divorced for about seven months. It's all good though - I have an eight-year-old daughter that gets me through all the tough times."
"Wow! You're a dad," Sam smiled and crossed her arms, nodding, "I can see it."

"Ugh, kids," Emily groaned with an eye roll, "don't even bring them up. Miles' parents have been on our case to give them some grandkids."

"Considering it?" Mike asked.

"We're both surgeons, so we don't have the time a child would need," Miles answered, "my parents are just going to have to wait for my younger brother to reproduce."

"What about you?" Emily asked Sam, though her tone suggested she was ready to move on to a different subject soon.

"Oh...no kids yet," Sam couldn't help but look over her shoulder to find Josh and make sure he was still there. She knew everyone here would have tons of questions for him, and hoped it wouldn't overwhelm him. She wondered if she would ever not worry about him - it was definitely something she needed to practice.

"When you do, Josh is gonna give you two at once!" Mike grinned and nudged her.

Emily brought her wine glass to her lips, looking around the room dully, "identical twins don't run in families. And fraternal twins have to run on the mother's side. Sam's chances of having twins are low."

"Thank you, Dr. Emily," Mike said sarcastically, "Glad you can still correct me to this day."

"Anytime," Emily responded with a friendly grin. Sam watched as the two continued to catch up, still grateful they took the time to come. While it was bizarre seeing them all again and everything had changed, things oddly still felt like no time had passed at all. Sure, they were all older and wiser, but the core of what made everyone who they were was still there.

For the first time in ten years, Sam was in a room full of people, and she didn't feel a vacant, emptiness in her own heart. Because clear across the room, through the crowd of people, she could look up at any moment and see him there.

Laughing. Breathing. Living.

And as she watched him, his head falling back in laughter over something Matt had just said to him, Sam thought she might cry. Because she realized that it was really this moment that she had dreamed about since the day she'd lost him.

Sure, she might have really focused on the moment he remembered or the moment she could hold him in her arms again, but in the past whenever she'd thought about Josh, she longed to have him back whole and happy.

And he was happy. And she was happier than she ever thought possible.

It was never about those other moments, it was about what would inevitably follow: life. A life together, one she never thought they were going to get a second chance for.

"You know, you could just go up and talk to him," Jessica nudged her, teasingly. Sam just snorted, shaking her head and sipping on her glass of champagne. "I think he has a crush on you."

"Oh gee, you think I have a shot?" Sam joked back, and the two blondes giggled like they were teenagers again.

She remembered that same advice coming from Jess years ago, back in high school. She was one of the first and only friends to let Sam know she knew there was something there between her and Josh - Sam wondered if Jess had some kind of a gift for those sort of things.

They'd been at a party right after Josh broke up with Amber and Jess had caught Sam staring longingly at Josh from across the room then, too. Sam had blushed, especially when Jess miraculously exclaimed that she should could tell something was different about Sam - then gasped and asked if she'd been kissed. Sam shushed her and denied it, all the while knowing that only the day before Josh had kissed her on the roof.

"This is all kinda crazy, huh?" Jessica understated, and Sam took in a breath that filled her lungs entirely. She still felt taken aback every time her brain reminded her that this was all real.

"I still can't believe it's happening," Sam replied absently. She smirked when Josh more than likely felt like he was being watched, their eyes catching and him giving her a small wave.

"I can," Jess chirped, her chin out confidently. Sam couldn't help but snort again, turning toward her long lost friend with her hand on her hip and skepticism on her face.

"Oh, really. Is that so?" she droned, unconvinced. Jess crinkled her nose and smiled brightly, adjusting the strap on her dress as she shrugged back.

"I guess what I mean is I'm not surprised. We all wanted this for you guys, Sam. It broke our hearts for you when he-" she cut herself short, shaking away the sad stuff before it set in. Jess was always good at that. She finished off her champagne, trading the empty glass for a full one as the waiter walked by.

"I guess I just always assumed that the universe wouldn't be so cruel as to do that to you. I mean… you lost Hannah and Beth, then Josh and… I always hoped for this for you."

"Hoped for what?"

"You know," Jess sang, but Sam didn't know. "For a miracle," she decided upon, simply. There was silence between the two while Sam chewed on that a moment - it was a miracle. It warmed her from the inside out. "Sam, umm... I never got to apologize, you know. For what I did to Hannah-"

"Oh, Jess, no. You don't have to-"

"I'm really happy for you, Sam," Jess choked, pulling Sam in for a tight, brief hug. Sam gently patted Jessica on the back, once again meeting Josh's gaze. He shot her a puzzled but amused glance, one that said, 'what the hell is goin' on over there?' She just smiled back and shrugged, her own eyes telling him, 'I don't even know.'

Jess pulled away, wiping under her eyes before her mascara ran, "we have to catch up more. We have to keep in touch! You can come visit me in San Diego!" Sam nodded at Jess' enthusiasm while noting the slight slur in her voice - it made her emotional state just that much more understandable.

"Sure, anytime," Sam agreed, ready to end the waterworks. She'd done her fair share of crying on and off for the last few months, out of both joy and pain - and she just wanted everyone to have a good time. Her eyes lifted and she could see Mike staring at the two of them, but more obviously Jessica. Sam smiled deviously, finding her way out of this awkward conversation.

"Hey Jess have uh… have you seen Mike tonight?" Sam mused. Jess glanced over her shoulder, looking Mike up and down as he tried to pretend he didn't just get caught staring.

"What about him?" she asked breathlessly.

"I dunno. He looks good, huh?" Sam said suggestively, taking another sip of her champagne. "You should go talk to him." Jess' head snapped back in Sam's direction. She narrowed her eyes, smiling back nervously.

"He does look hot, doesn't he?" she giggled, "you really think I should?"

"Definitely." Sam seized Jess' champagne glass - she'd had more than enough, anyway. "He's recently single…" Jess's eyes grew in size.

"Well, why didn't you say so before?" Jess adjusted the bust of her dress, giving herself more than an ample amount of cleavage. "How do I look?" Sam just smiled, shaking her head. She hadn't realized until now just how much she'd missed her bubbly friend. "Whatever, don't answer that, I know I look hot," Jess waved before turning and heading straight over to Mike. Sam watched as he greeted her, leaning in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then ordering the two a drink. Maybe they'd have their own private reunion later…

Sam looked around the crowd again, only this time she couldn't find Josh at all. While it didn't send her into any sort of panic, she did find herself worry once again that maybe this was all too much - although she hoped he'd find her if that were the case. She turned around to look for him, almost bumping right into Ashley.

"Oh, hey, have you seen Josh? I lost him-" Sam started right away, but Ashley just grabbed ahold of her hands. "What? Is he alright?" Ashley was wild-eyed and it made Sam instantly weary.

"He's fine, here, come with me…" she insisted quickly, beginning to drag Sam through the crowd. Sam laughed at her sheer use of force, Ashley's fingernails digging into Sam's skin.

"Ouch, careful," she hissed.

"Hurry up!"

"Jeeze, now I know where Elizabeth gets it…" Sam muttered, nearly rolling her ankle in her black heels, trying to keep up with Ashley as they maneuvered through the crowd. "Where are we going?"

"You ask too many questions," Ash shouted over her shoulder, and before they knew it they were in a quiet, echoey stairwell. Sam pulled her arm from Ashley, wringing her wrist where her fingernails had just been.

"What is going on?" she chuckled. Ashley reached up, fluffing Sam's hair, to which Sam slapped her hands away. "Seriously! Ashley, what gives?" Ashley just smiled like she knew a secret, and Sam felt a flutter in her stomach that she couldn't explain. She didn't know what was about to happen, but she was both nervous and excited to see.

"Just… trust me, okay? There's a surprise for you." Ash went to continue up the stairs, but Sam grabbed her, turning her back toward her.

"Wait, what? A surprise for me? It's Josh's birthday-" her words trailed off, knowing Ashley didn't care, and that she was going to need to follow her anyway. Sam just sighed, giving her friend a surrendering shrug. "Okay, fine. Take me there. But if I get thrown off a roof, I'm gonna be pissed."

The two said nothing more as they ascended the stairs, floor after floor. With each footstep, Sam's heart raced a little more. When they got up to the landing by the door to the roof, Sam thought her heart might fall out of her chest - she never really liked surprises, but something told her whatever it was, Josh was behind it.

"You ready?" Ash beamed, and Sam just swallowed and shook her head.

"Not really, but go for it," she said, sucking in a breath. Ash pulled the door open, and Sam walked out onto the rooftop, the city lights seeming to stretch out before her for miles and miles. There were Italian lights strung above her, everything dressed in a golden glow below the stars.

The first thing she noticed was her teary-eyed mother, standing close by. She hurried up to Sam and embraced her while Sam still tried to figure out just what was going on.

"Hi baby," Margaret cooed, and Sam felt her forehead crease at the not-often-used term of endearment. After Margaret let her go, she cupped her daughter's cheeks and kissed her forehead lovingly.

"Okay, what is going on here?" Sam laughed nervously. "Why are you crying?" Sam followed her mother's gaze, which was fixed behind her, and when she turned around there was Josh. He had changed - he wasn't in his more casual outfit from earlier, but a full-on suit with a tie, his hair slicked back. Sam took in the sight of him, then looked back at her mom and Ashley.

"Hi," Josh greeted, leaning in and kissing her on the cheek.

"Hi," Sam replied suspiciously, her eyes narrowing, "you look different…" He shrugged coolly.

"Well, I'm thirty now, so that's probably why."

"Oh, yeah, that must be it," Sam teased back sarcastically. She looked over and saw that Chris was there too. "Does someone want to tell me what's going on?"

"I think we had some sort of a deal, remember? When I turned thirty?" Josh reminded her. Sam's cheeks warmed, and suddenly she knew exactly what was happening. Especially as he reached into his pocket and took out a little black, velvet box. "I mean, I know it was after we were both thirty, but I think we waited long enough, don't you?" Sam nodded through tears in her eyes, trying not to focus too much on the fact that everyone was watching them.

"Sam… I've been in love with you since I was a kid. Even when I forgot everything about myself, I think somewhere inside I carried that love with me, all those years," he told her, his voice low and hoarse. He brushed a piece of blonde hair from her face and Sam found herself leaning into the smoothness of his palm, her own fingers wrapping around his wrist. "But… I need to be clear about something," he said, and she couldn't tell if the sudden shift in his tone was serious or a joke as he told her, "I am not proposing to you tonight."

"Oh, you're not?" Sam asked him flatly, her eyes trailing down to the ringbox. "Then what's that?" she challenged. He held it up between them.

"I'm not proposing to you tonight because I don't need another six months to plan a wedding to someone I should have married a long time ago. So if you take this ring, I'm going to marry you tonight, Samantha Jensen. Because I want the rest of our life to start right now."

Sam sniffed, wiping the tears away that had rolled down her cheeks. Josh opened the ring box and it was perfect - it was the ring she'd always wished Liam had gotten her - a simple oval-cut sapphire with a diamond halo, set in vintage, etched silver. She picked it up out of the box and studied it, although the tears were impairing her vision.

"You want to marry me… right here, right now," Sam asked, although it was more of a statement than a question.

"The only thing I could possibly want more would be doing it ten years ago," he assured her.

"How will we-"

"Chris got ordained."

"I got ordained!" Chris chimed in. "Thank you Universal Life Church. Took me like ten minutes…" Sam laughed at their goofy friend who was more than willing to get right down to it. Who was she kidding? So was she.

"How did you do all this?" she wondered, gesturing towards the lights, the music, the flowers - everything.

"Oh, just a little something I pulled together…"

"You knew about the party, huh?"

"Of course I knew. You can't keep anything from me. We're connected, remember?" Josh said cockily, and Sam's cheeks hurt from smiling so big. "So… how about it? Ya wanna get hitched? Be stuck with a mess like me forever?" She didn't even hesitate. Before she knew it she was nodding her head happily, wrapping her arms around Josh's neck and kissing him forcibly.

"Yes?" he murmured excitedly against her lips.

"Yes!" she muttered back. They parted and she was surprised when she felt Ash and her mom pull her back and away from Josh. "Hey, what-"

"Come on!" Ashley giggled, dragging her away again. Her mom followed closely, training behind as Ashley led her back behind a storage.

"Ash, you have got to quit doing that," Sam huffed, but silenced when she saw her mom pulling her grandmother's dress from a garment bag. Ashley started tugging at her hair before she attacked her cheeks with a blush brush. Sam felt overwhelmed, but in the most wonderful way. Ashley hid Sam as they unzipped her party dress and helped her step into her wedding dress, "this is insane," she said to no one in particular. "Is this insane?"

"It's Josh. Are you honestly surprised?" Ashley asked rhetorically, and before she knew it she'd had a full wardrobe change. Ashley held up a hand-held mirror, and Sam took in the sight of herself. Her hair was down now, adorned with a simple veil - she couldn't believe this was actually happening. After the initial shock wore off, Sam wanted nothing more than to hurry to him so they could finally, truly be husband and wife. As she stared at herself, the tears came back. Ashley blotted them away quickly as her mom straightened her veil.

And suddenly, Sam was 17 years old again, watching Josh leave for college. Only this time, she knew the outcome. She knew they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. She could remember it all so vividly again - the way he nodded at her with that bright, amazing grin that made her melt every time. The way he began to walk back towards his car, but suddenly turned back towards her.
"Sammy?" he called out. She glanced back at him. "Can we like… have one of those deals where like… if neither of us are married by the time we're 30-"
"Yes," Sam blurted out quickly, followed by a giggle. She knew where that sentence was going. He didn't have to finish. His smile was blinding, bowing his head to look at his feet.
"I'll hold you to that."

And now, here he was. Holding her to that.

"Something old," Margaret said, handing her grandma Sarah's handkerchief again. Sam used it to dry the happiest tears she'd ever cried. "Something new…" Margaret pulled out a golden locket, and etched in the heart were the initials, 'J + S.' She leaned forward and clasped it behind Sam's neck, her mouth near Sam's ear as she whispered, "just like on our tree out back…"

Margaret placed her hands on her daughter's cheeks once more, smiling proudly, "I'm so happy for you, Sammy."

"A-hem!" Ashley interrupted, fastening a beautiful intricate, gemmed hair piece into Sam's hair, close to her veil. "Something borrowed," she announced before very seriously adding, "borrowed like… I want that back. It's my favorite."

"I promise," Sam chuckled, admiring it in the handmirror.

"And…" Ashley began, pulling out a small object wrapped in tissue, "something blue." Sam gave Ash a puzzled look before taking it from her, gently undoing the wrapping. When she saw what it was she really began to cry.

"Where did you find this?" Sam choked, taking the bracelet from the tissue and studying it in her hands. It was the bracelet Josh had made her in college - the one she lost the night she thought he'd died. There was a lot she regretted from that night, but losing that bracelet had utterly haunted her. Ashley took it out of her hand and forced it onto her wrist before squeezing her hand.

"By the elevator in the basement of the lodge - we thought… we thought something awful happened to you. I forgot I even had it until Lizzy found it in my jewelry box last week. I figured you'd want it back." Sam grabbed ahold of Ashley and hugged her tightly - was this what it felt like to have a best friend again? It had been so long since Hannah had- well. Either way, it felt nice.

"We doin' this or what?" they heard Josh shout from the other side of the roof.

"Coming!" Ashley yelled back before looking to Sam. "You ready?" she asked, handing Sam a small, modest bouquet. It was perfect - everything was perfect.

"Ready," Sam breathed, and together they walked out to the end of a makeshift aisle.

Chris started the music from his iPod, and Sam was more than happy to hear "Ever Enough" on the bluetooth speaker nearby. She was surprised Josh even remembered this song - she'd shown it to him back in high school because she'd loved the video… she'd never told him that every single lyric expressed everything she'd ever felt for him.

I will always be yours, forever and more, through the push and the pull. I will drown in your love, and drink 'til I'm drunk after all that I've done, is it ever enough?

Sam walked carefully towards him, promising herself that she wasn't going to cry again. He looked so handsome standing there, so happy and full of life. The teenager inside of her was screaming - this was all she'd ever wanted.

And she wondered how she'd ever thought it was going to work with anyone else. After all they'd been through, and even after all this time, it was always him. He was always the person she was supposed to spend her life with.

He extended his hand towards her and she gladly took it, gripping onto it almost too tightly. The music faded, and Chris began, welcoming friends and family even though it was only the five of them. This was perfect, everything about this moment was perfect: the people, the night air (even in January), the lights… especially the groom.

"I've known you both since I was a kid and I have to say I could not be more honored to be a part of this moment, something we never thought would happen. You two are a true testament to real, true love. After all you've been through, you found your way to each other… like, honestly they are gonna make a movie about you guys or at least a book-"

"Chris," Ashley scolded when he started to get off track. He corrected himself, clearing his throat.

"Is there anything you guys would like to say before we finish this thing up right?" Chris offered. Sam nodded; there was so much to say, she didn't know where to begin.

"Josh, I have loved you my entire life. I never, ever recovered from losing you. I don't even think you know how much I love you - how so many moments in my life were defined by you. And I am so unbelievably lucky to be standing here with you today," she choked, swallowing, "giving you every part of me, for the rest of our lives. I promise to love you unconditionally. To choose you every single day. To have your hyper, weird little children. To be your family, from now until even after we're gone. Because we can overcome anything, I know that now. And I will spend the rest of my life making you happier than you could ever imagine."

"Aww," Ashley whimpered beside them, and Sam and Josh just laughed.

"Joshua, you think you can top that?"

"Psh, I know I can. Nice try, Sammy. But buckle up for this," Josh teased before his face growing more serious. "You are everything. You always have been, from the moment I met you. I knew the first time I saw you that you were the one I wanted to spend my life with. Although I messed up… a lot… but by some strange miracle, you gave me a chance. And then another. And another. When I think of what I feel for you, I wonder if anyone really knows what love is. Because they can't possibly feel this way. I will spend the rest of our lives enjoying your laugh… your smile… your eyes. Your kind, amazing heart. You saved me, Sam. You are a part of me and without you… I don't even know where I'd be. I owe everything to you and I swear, I swear I will make you so happy for the rest of our lives. I love you. And I will keep on loving you, forever."

Sam couldn't help herself, she found herself leaning in and pressing her lips against his, only to hear Chris object, "oh hey, wait! That doesn't happen yet." Sam and Josh chuckled between the two of them, trying to abstain from ruining Chris' flow.

"Do you Joshua take Sam to be your wife-"

"I do," Josh interrupted.

"Wait," Chris chastised again, "to love and honor her, through sickness and health, for the rest of your lives?" There was silence, so Chris nudged him, "now you say 'I do'," he whispered.

"I do."

"Good. I thought you'd say that. And Samantha, do you take Joshua to be your husband, to love and honor him, through sickness and health, for the rest of your lives?"

"I do," she said through a beaming smile.

"Great. Cool. By the power invested in me - and the help of a free internet ordainment site, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

And just like their first kiss, Josh took her face in his hands, and kissed Sam softly on the top of a roof, under millions of stars.

Everyone yelped and cheered, causing quite a ruckus, but Sam didn't stop kissing him. She still didn't know what she'd done to get so lucky. Because he really, truly was all she'd ever wanted. And he was hers now, for the rest of their lives.

"You ready to go back down to the party, Jensen?" he asked her, but Sam just smiled.

"I'm not a Jensen, anymore," she told him. She was a Washington. Like on paper and everything. Just like she'd always wanted.

Fin