*deep breath*

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

GREAT TO MEETCHA, I AM GOMMIE AND WELCOME BACK TO "TAKE BACK THE WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORLDS!"

(9/26) I'M SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING ON TIME
FIRST, I HAD SET CREW

THEN, THIS VOLUNTEER THING AT MY GRANDFATHER'S CHURCH

FINALLY- GOSH. DARN. L.

(9/27) OH YEAH, I WOULDA UPDATED LAST NIGHT

IF MY POWER DIDN'T RUN OUT ON ME

SHOULDA CHARGED UP MY COMPUTER

TO BE FAIR, I UPDATED TWICE DURING THE WEEK LAST WEEK, SO

*SHRUG*

OH YES

GETTING A NEW COMPUTER

VERY VERY SOON
BE PREPARED FOR HORRIBLE ART AND PHOTOSHOP AND ALL THAT ON DEVIANTART AT GIRLOFMYWORLD11

Okay, I'm done screaming.

Extra, extra special finale chapter for Episode 8. Also, not only is it the final chapter of Episode 8, but it's also the Epilogue! I decided the mash the two up into one long chapter to finish it off, so...

Warning, gonna be a LOT longer than usual!

Here y'all go and enjoy the show!

"He has Petra? But how?" Lukas asks for Liam who was silent over Jesse's words.

"Turns out he and Mevia used the Atlas and snatched them from the worlds they were in. Olivia and Axel from home and Petra from Sky City World." Jesse explained.

"How are they, though? Did Hadrian or Mevia hurt any of them?" Lukas asks, concerned. He was still concerned for his brother's fiancee and his girlfriend's best friends.

"No one was hurt from beatings or anything of the sort, but Petra was clearly having an intense contraction when I got in there. Olivia's in a cell with her, but she has no medical experience. We'll have to get her out as soon as possible and back to Sky City World so she can give birth safely."

"Where are they?" Liam questions her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Obsidian prisons in Hadrian's office. Petra said she only has a few days left until it really begins. Or, that was what Nath told her." Jesse did a little one shoulder shrug and shook her head. "But Hadrian, he offered me a deal. He'll send you all home if I go to the mines in your place."

"Y-you didn't take it, did you?" Lukas asks, walking up to Jesse. "Please tell me you didn't take it." He took her by the shoulders, making her look into his eyes. Jesse was silent, until she found an interest in the ground. "No…" Lukas breathed, looking back at Liam for help. Liam's mouth opened, but no words came out. Seriously, he was shocked. Jesse sacrificed her freedom for their lives. ALL of their lives. "Why did you do it?"

"Lukas, I'm sure she feels bad enough as it is." was all that came out of Harper's mouth.

"Why did you do it?" he repeated, cupping Jesse's face in his hands until she got out.

"I-I did it to save you guys. To save Petra, to save your son-" Jesse nodded at Liam, then stopped, having realized she said something she shouldn't've said.

"It's a boy?" Ivor asks for the blond, making Jesse nod.

"Who cares what the sex of your baby is? That was a dumb move." Em said as she walked forward.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with her. Hadrian will let you lose and take the Redstone Heart, claiming it was the original deal and all." Harper shook her head, crossing her arms.

"So who can help us then? Hadrian and Mevia are both the worst." Liam spoke up, looking at his brother's girlfriend. Jesse pulled away from Lukas, walking around him to pace a little. The thought of the two Old Builders brought the third to mind.

"But what about the third guy?" she asks, looking up at Harper for her help.

"Otto? How could he help?" Harper asks the brunette, following her as she began across the courtyard. Ivor, Lukas, and Liam followed. Liam knew Em was still listening in, but he let her be. "He's always stayed out of the more… lever-pulling sides of the games."

"Well, he seems like a big fan of the rules. Maybe we could use that to our advantage?" Jesse questions, turning to look back at her.

"Ha." Harper crossed her arms again, raising an impressed eyebrow at her thinking. "He loves rules, that's for sure. Always plays by 'em. If you won, I know he would definitely make sure you got the Atlas. That was the original deal. And he's an honorable man."

"Harper, Hadrian still has my friends trapped in an obsidian prison. One of them is pregnant. I can win the Atlas, but I'm gonna need you to get them out." Jesse gave Harper the 'I mean business.' glare, and Harper nodded, pulling out a diamond pickaxe.

"Good, there's three cages. One of em has Axel, another with both Olivia and Petra, and the last with Reuben."

"Wait, Reuben? But I thought he was-" Liam began, but Jesse cut him off.

"Not that Reuben. The usher we had to distract at the Endercon that started all this, his name is Reuben." Jesse nodded at Lukas, who went 'ahhh' with a nod as he remembered.

"I'll go with Harper." Liam volunteered, stepping up behind the older woman and patting her back. "Petra can't actually run, anyways, considering she's probably got a big belly by now."

"Wait wait wait," Em jumped right back into the conversation. She bounced off of the ledge she was leaning against. "You really think you can free everyone in this place AND win the games?" She was now in front of Jesse.

"Yeah?"

"Good luck with that last part. Do you really think you can just beat all the other teams by yourself?" Jesse just rolled her eyes in reply.

"She's gonna do what I think she's gonna do? Is she? Is she gonna do what I think she's gonna do?" Liam questions Lukas with a bit of a giddy expression. Lukas rolls his eyes at his brother's antics. The two always loved it when Jesse gave one of her famous speeches or pep talks.

"Shush." Lukas waved a hand in front of his brother with a laugh.

"That is a pretty tall order… even for you, Jesse." Harper pointed out. Em scoffed, and Liam heard all the other teams whispering and pointing.

"It's impossible is what it is!" Em exclaimed.

"We'll work together." Jesse answered Em, just as members from all the teams began walking forward. Lukas, not a big fan of crowds or anything of the sort after totally embarrassing himself at a gig.

"Ah, we've got a crowd forming…" Lukas chuckles nervously, as the whispering and muttering continued. Jesse slowly backed away, bumping into Liam as she did so.

"I think that's your cue to do your thing, Jessers." Liam told her, before letting her go.

"The Old Builders make you all compete in the games, event after event after event after event…" Jesse began, with a burst of newfound courage and confidence, speaking out to the crowd and not just her friends. "They build up hope, but they're still controlling everything! They'll never really let anyone win unless we work together!" Jesse took a breath. "Hadrian keeps twisting and changing the rules on us. I say it's our time to change the rules on them!"

"What's the point?" Em asks, turning and heading towards the dormitories. "Hadrian will still have all the power. There's no way we'll be able to take that from him. He'll just make up new rules."

"Hadrian is not fully in control. Winning is possible, Em." Jesse turned around and stepped up onto the platform. She turned back around to face the crowd. "Don't you want to win?"

"I-I do, more than anything! But…" Em trailed off, trying to find the right words. "Nobody beats Hadrian at his own games. Nobody." A girl from the Yellow Team slid in.

"Hey, Tim did!" the blonde pointed to the sign/banner that had Tim's face on it. "If it weren't for Tim, I don't think I'd be here right now."

"Yeahhh…" Jesse trailed. "Except he's not real. Hadrian fed you all a complete lie just to keep you going in the games!"

"I knew that stuff seemed too good to be true!" Liam exclaimed as the crowd mumbled. Lukas slightly pushed Liam with his hand on his chest, shushing him pretty loudly.

"Don't you all see?" Em asks, and the crowd's attention diverted to her. She was one of the first to snap out of the shock from the truth. "If Tim was just made up this whole time… then no one's actually beaten the games."

"Are you really saying you wanna quit?" Jesse asks Em. "We can beat those gladiators, we can beat the games, we can beat the Old Builders- we can beat everything and anything if we work together!"

"Have you seen what those Gladiators did to your boyfriend? They blinded him-" Nell began, making Liam turn around.

"I'm not her boyfriend!"

"I don't care right now, it's either you or your brother!" Nell exclaimed back, and someone sniggered at Nell's attitude. "Anyways, these gladiators- they're not just 'boo' scary, they're jumpscare scary." Well, Nell had a point. "Those Gladiators are tough. I don't think any one of us will be able to get past any of them."

"One by one, they'll be able to take us down, that's for sure." Jesse admitted. "But working together, we'll outnumber and overpower them!"

"Where's Jesse going with this?" Lukas muttered, making Liam grin at his brother.

"No one's ever beat the games, because no one's had a true leader to help you make a plan." Jesse went on, pacing left and right across the stage. "And with everyone working together, we'll do this even better. We're going to do this… as a team." Jesse finished.

"Alright, girl, bring it home, bring it home…" Liam muttered under his breath, a hand covering his mouth as he had spoke.

"We don't need Tim… because we are Tim!" Jesse proclaimed. All was silent for a minute until the crowd cheered. Liam clapped along, a smile on his face. The crowd separated, either going off to sneak a late dinner or just having a walk before going to the dormitories for bed.

"Look, it was a nice speech and all, but strength doesn't come from speeches." Em shoved past a member from Blue Team on her little journey to meet Jesse as she walked down the stairs of the stage. "Actions speak louder than words."

"My strength comes from my friends, Em. We work together and we have one another's backs and we think our way out of everything." Jesse pointed out, motioning to her friends that stood to the side. Lukas gave her a warm smile. "I mean, yeah, we had to fight here and there, and we've had our conflicts, but we're making it."

"I agree with Jesse, Em." Ivor spoke up, and Liam looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "I was once the bad guy in the story, a little over a year ago. But Jesse helped me to be who I am today."

"Yeah, I don't plan on being your friend sooner or later." Em glared at Jesse before walking off. Lukas approached the brunette, rubbing the back of his head.

"Man. Some crowd. You think that got through to the them?" Lukas asks her, as Liam goes to lean against the platform wall. Behind him, the Tim Fangirl of Yellow Team is walking past him, hands on her temples as if calming a major headache.

"Wait, so who are we fighting again?" At this, Jesse facepalms.

"Reaction definitely seemed mixed." Liam and Lukas spoke in unison. The two didn't even care that they were practically twins now. They were over this.

"That had to get through to them. Otherwise, we're doomed. I don't know how exactly we're gonna pull this off, but it's gotta be good."

"We're gonna pull this off, don't worry." Lukas encouraged her.

"Yeah, you're Jesse. You somehow managed to pull everything off, from Sky City to Cassie Rose to PAMA- I'm pretty sure you're gonna be able to pull this off."

"Yeah, we can still do this!" Lukas agreed with his brother rather quickly, leaning down and kissing Jesse's forehead. A little 'awww' erupted from Jackie, making Liam remember he wanted to talk to her about something. Something he had the feeling of for tomorrow.

"Well, I guess we'll find out for sure in the morning." Ivor went over to Jesse, placing a hand on her back as he pushed her gently towards the dormitories.

"Hey, I'll be right in, alright? I have to talk to Jackie first." Liam looked at his brother.

"But Liam.. don't you remember what happened last night?" Lukas reminded him.

"Yeah, I can see that very clearly." Liam replied, adding a small smirk at the end. "Pun intended." Lukas just let out a chuckle as the others continued into the dormitories.

"Just be careful, alright?" Lukas gave his brother's shoulder a pat. Liam ruffled his brother's somehow-still-excellent hair.

"I will, bud. Don't worry. I guess I'll be taking the other bed. Don't do that with me in the room, though." Liam winked as he walked away.

"Hey!" Lukas called after him, a blush on his face. The younger brother just waved it off, giving a pshhh and walking into the dormitories.

"Hey, Jackie." Liam greeted the purple-clad girl with a small smile. "You doing alright?"

"I'm more pumped than anything to get into that arena and stand by Jesse's side to get home." Jackie gave Liam a grin. She was practically vibrating, until she jumped forward and flung her arms around Liam's neck. Liam was taken aback by the sudden hug a little, but he chuckles as he hugs back for a moment. Jackie pulled away. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, I was so excited to get home and all." she apologized sheepishly, stepping back.

"No, you're fine! I'm always up for a free hug from anyone."

"Well, can I have another?"

"Of course!" Liam laughs, pulling her in for another. She pat his back a little, and suddenly, Liam was stuck in a huge group hug. Em, the remainders of Purple Team, and a few others stood to the side at the sudden hug. It was there that Liam realized that most of these people are around Lukas and Jesse's age. They needed this hug.

He never figured out that Jackie had actually pinned a sign that read "FREE HUGS" onto his back until later.

Haha. Adorable.

What if I timeskipped us right to the next morning?

Yeah, let's do that.

"Liam?"

"Yeah, Jesse?"

"Can I see your eye?" Liam looked at her, raising an eyebrow. He was the only one who had woken up early to accompany Jesse for breakfast before she would be off to finish the games for herself and for everyone else. "I'm sorry if it's weird, but I just find scars really, really cool and-"

"Go ahead." Liam shrugs, bending over a little bit to her height. Jesse turned in her seat, looking around to make sure that no one else would be looking to tease him or anything. Luckily, the only other few up were either talking in their respective teams, Jackie included, or sleeping on the table in a puddle of their own drool. She gently picked up the white-pink bandages and scooted them upwards. His eye was now a pure light blue, almost just like his brother, with a scar running upwards into and through it, cutting into his eyebrow a bit as well. The scar surely looked healed.

"Hm. It looks pretty healed if you ask me. But you're going to have to see Ivor about that." Jesse pointed out, covering the eye back up. "Are you going to have an eyepatch?"

"Probably for a little while. Not that I'm ashamed or anything, but I think it might scare him, you know?" Liam replied, getting back to the bread he was eating. Just like that, too, Lukas and Ivor came down, sitting across from Liam and Jesse.

"I saw you looking at his eye. Is everything alright?" Ivor asks Jesse before Lukas sat down, handing Ivor his ration for the morning.

"Yeah. Like I told him less than two minutes ago, it looks pretty much healed." Jesse shrugs. "But I told him to go to you first before anything else."

"A fine choice indeed." Ivor nodded, glancing down at his bread. Liam chuckles, seeing what he wanted more than doing medical stuff.

"You can eat first." he tells his friend, and Ivor munched up the bread.

"Make your little check-up quick." Harper approached Liam from behind, patting his back. "Liam and I better get going."

"Alright, alright, relax, McGonagall." Ivor scoffed, standing up and going around the table.

"And you're the one telling me to chill with the Harry Potter puns-" Harper began, but Lukas stood up, stepping between them.

"Hey, hey, we don't need this right now." Lukas looked back and forth at the two of them. "Ivor, let her enjoy Harry Potter, and Harper…" Lukes turned to Harper. "I'll admit, you are being a bit of a McGonagall, so just calm down a little. Liam's going to be ready in a few minutes, and Jesse's gotta get going as well." He told her, leaving her speechless.

"Dang, Lukas. Didn't know you had that in you." Jackie approached them. Lukas looks up at her, squinting a little.

"Do I remember you from somewhere?" Lukas asks her, and Liam laughs.

"She's a competitor snatched from our world, Lukas. Guys, meet Jackie." Liam introduced her.

"Wait, Jackie? Were you on the Ocelots?" Lukas stood, still looking at her.

"I… was…" Jackie hesitated a bit with her answer, slowly remember her friend's younger brother.

"Oh my god, you've been alive this whole time?" Lukas ran a hand through his hair. "It's me, Lukas- I just joined your Ocelot group when you, well.." Lukas used air quotes, "'died.'"

"Yeah, I almost did die." Jackie admitted. "But what did happen was that Liam saved me from a bunch of spiders, then shortly after he let me go home, I was captured and brought here. Mined for quite some time, until now."

"Wait, what about the dead body they found?"

"My clothes were switched out, and probably put onto a zombie that looks like me." Jackie shook her head. "I'm just lucky that it was at least a girl who changed the clothes off of me."

"Wow…" Lukas whistled. While the two were chatting, reuniting, all that fancy stuff, Ivor was checking Liam's eye. He had asked Harper to get some bandages ready- just until they get an eyepatch for him. The older, bloodier eyepatch was tossed into a lava chute nearby as the fresher one was put on.

"Alright, well, I better get going. Lukas, keep Jackie and Ivor company until Harper comes back for you. I'm gonna have to get Petra back to Sky City World. If what Jesse said is true, that she's about to pop, then she can't exactly hang around much longer." Liam stood from his spot.

"What about that Reuben dude?" Lukas asks.

"He's going to come with me to Sky City World. Just hang out a little, you know?" Liam shrugs, taking a pickaxe from Harper and pocketing it, along with an iron sword.

"Alright." Lukas nods, satisfied with the answers he had received.

"Good luck, to both you two and to Petra and your boy." Ivor bade the two, and that reminded the others. Small choruses of 'good luck's were exchanged before Liam pat Jesse's back, looking down at her.

"Good luck, Jesse. I'll see you all soon." he nodded at them all before turning and heading away with Harper.

The duo were both just inside the palace when they could hear nothing. Absolute silence where they were. To Liam… it was deafening.

He and Harper crept along the pristine hallways in silence until Harper whispered,

"That's his office, up ahead." She pointed just up ahead of them, motioning to the large doors. Liam looked at her, just now realizing everything she's done for Jesse and co.. He brought up the matter just as they were halfway down.

"Hey, Harper, I realize that none of us have actually thanked you for what you've done to help us through this." Liam began, making Harper pause tinkering with the chip she had in her hand, yet they both kept walking. "So… thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, Liam." Harper gave him a smile. "But you're welcome." She shrugs with a nod. Liam smiles, his eye gazing back into the ground. Silence commenced from there on out.

Petra was muttering out incoherent words as she rested on her knees, leaning against the hard obsidian wall. Olivia was standing next to her in the confined space, massaging her.

"Petra needs food more than any of us. And I'm starving." Axel tells them. There was a small space that the four used to communicate. A groan from Petra, and he asked Olivia, "How's she doing?"

"If I'm honest… not really all that well." Olivia sighs, shaking her head. "You have a point… we weren't given any food at all. It's clear Petra needs food more than any of us."

"Hey, uh, I hate to interrupt, but I think I hear someone coming!" Reuben called to them in his broad voice. Sure enough, the sound of blocks being removed echoed through the room. Olivia turned around to demand Hadrian for food, some bread at least, but she was immediately silenced with a hand covering her mouth. Grabbing the hand and yanking it off, about to say some things, she heard a familiar voice ask,

"Is that the one with two girls?" Footsteps echoed as the person made their way over.

"Liam!" Axel exclaimed, making Petra stand and turn, squeezing past Olivia to see her fiance.

"Liam…!" Petra laughs out, her amazed expression replaced by an expression of pain.

"Don't worry, Peets, I'll get you out of here." Liam encouraged her, taking his pickaxe back out. "Both of you, back up. Harper, get Axel and Reuben out." Liam looked at the woman next to him. Olivia takes Petra by the shoulders, switching spots with her and protecting her from flying shards of iron. One caught just underneath her eye, making the cut bleed a little, but Olivia didn't worry about it much. She's had worse. The woman, Harper, nods and runs in front of Axel's cage, mining off the iron bars, doing the same to Reuben's cage. Liam quickly mined away the iron bars. "Axel, I'm gonna need your help in getting Petra out of here."

"You saying I'm fat?" Petra asks, raising a tired eyebrow at him, making Liam laugh a little. Axel nods.

"On my way, bud."

"Where's Jesse, Lukas, and Ivor? Weren't you supposed to be with them?" Olivia asks them as Harper helps Reuben out of his cage.

"It's Jesse that's left in the Games. Speaking of which, they should be almost over, if she's lucky." Harper answered for Liam as he and his friend help Petra out of the prison. Harper handed out some bread that she had snuck from Clutch's Kitchen.

"I got you double." Harper handed Petra two breads. Petra thanked the older woman and ate up the food quickly.

"How was she?" Liam asks Olivia, looking up at her while Petra just seemed to finally relax in his arms.

"She was definitely in pain, but those were only the contractions. She's close, Liam." Olivia told her after munching her own meal up.

"Woah, cool scar, dude!" Reuben complemented Liam, motioning to the eye covered in fresh bandages.

"Erm, thanks." Liam gave the man a smile, nodding.

"What happened?" Olivia asks, stepping up to observe it closer.

"Big brute got me good." Liam shook his head.

"Okay, enough. You all will have time to catch up later." Harper looked at them all. "We have a plan." She looked at Liam to explain.

"Yes. Axel, Olivia, you two will go with Harper to Hadrian's inventory room and take as many supplies as you can get. Don't forget to look for my brother's journal." He reminded the older woman, who nodded. "Reuben, you and I will be getting out of here. We have to get Petra back to the Sky City World in order for her to give a successful birth."

"Alright, cool, dude." Reuben nods.

"Everyone else got that?" Liam looked around him. Everyone nods, and they all went down the hallway before splitting up.

"Where could she have gone?!" Isa exclaimed, a hand on her forehead as she paced the living room. "She's supposed to be due today, right?" she asks Nath, who nods.

"Yeah. Today, she's supposed to give birth."

"And we still don't have a midwife!" Milo added, groaning as he slid down his seat.

"Well, actually-" Maya began and Gil gave her a warning look. "Gil, he's our only hope." she protested back to him.

"No." he firmly spoke, crossing his arms at her from across the room.

"Gil-"

"No." He repeated. "Aiden will not be helping. If anything, he's only going to make it worse for Petra and Holden."

"Wait, Aiden? What about him?" Isa looked at Milo, who only shrugs. She looked up at Maya. "What were you going to say about him?"

"Maya, don't you-" Gil began, but Maya ignored him.

"I'm sorry, Gil." she held a hand up to him to silence, and faced Isa. "Aiden's parents were doctors. He doesn't have experience, but he knows how to deliver a child. I know it'll be enough." Isa and Milo exchanged looks.

"Maya, that dude got my mother killed!" Nath stood up, Winslow jumping off of his lap as he did so.

"And we helped him, but look at where we are now." Maya shot back at the 12 year old, motioning to herself and Gil. "Look, just let him help with the childbirth."

"Well, I mean, having a male midwife is a bit weird, but if he's all we got…" Milo stood, going next to Maya. "Then I say we give him a chance."

"Thank you, Milo." Maya nods, crossing her arms. Nath and Gil VS. Maya and Milo. "Which side, Isa? Let him help or let Petra die with her child?"

Isa looked amongst them, before glancing down at the ground. She needed a moment to think this over.

"Okay. Okayokayokay…" She mumbled, as she came to a conclusion. "I'll allow him to help. But!" She paused, looking at them all. "Everyone has to keep a close eye on him. We cannot let him go free like that. Do we understand?" Isa gave them a stern expression.

"Gil and I will help him help Petra." Maya met eyes with the former Founder. "We'll be with him the whole time. Or at least I will."

"Good. If it's successful for both Petra and Holden, then I'll shorten his time. If only one to none make it, then he remains there with the same sentence as before."

"Anything to allow him to help." Maya nods. Suddenly, the door swung open and a brute in khaki shorts and bright blue shirt entered the room.

"Watch out, dudes, pregnant woman being carried by cool scar dude comin' through!" the man called out, getting out of the way for 'pregnant woman being carried by cool scar dude.'

"Liam!" Nath and Isa exclaimed in unison, as he made his way past them, still carrying Petra.

"Liam, what's happened? H-how did you find Petra?" Milo asks him as they all follow Liam to the bedroom.

"Gil, Maya, you two go get Reggie and tell him to bring Aiden here. We're going to need his expertise." Isa told the two in the background. The couple nods and run out of the house.

"She was captured, and don't worry, it was none of your faults. I don't blame any of you. Mevia and Hadrian are pretty powerful." At that, Isa paused.

"Mevia and Hadrian? You mean to tell me you got trapped in those stupid Games?!" Isa exclaimed, catching up to him.

"Harper's helping us out, Isa, calm down-" Liam paused to set Petra on the bed. "What do we do now? I was only like, four or five when Lukas was born so I don't really know this kind of stuff-"

"Did her water break yet?" Nath asks, looking up at Liam. Liam looked behind him and down at Petra, who shook her head.

"No, not yet." he answered for her. As if right on cue…

"God dammit NOW it broke!"

Jesse, clad in the very pristine white armor of the former legend of 'Tim,' swung the enchanted diamond pickaxe downwards at the obsidian block and it went out with one bonk. Hadrian, the man who had let power get to his mind, the man who corrupted people into coming to battle unwillingly, the man who forced her friends from home, the man in the purple suit, fell down. Down, down, down into the grinder that killed him. Just as the said grinder smashed him to bits, Jesse felt a pang on the back of her stomach. She thought it was the guilt getting to her, but she overrode it, knowing this is what Hadrian deserved. The brunette turned around and hopped off of the obsidian beam, making her way to the shade of a tree. She had more armor on than she usually could withhold, so it was a bit hot for her.

"Jesse, you did it!" Lukas laughs a little as he approaches her. "Again!" he added quickly. "Feels like I say that a lot." He gave her his side-lopped grin.

"I couldn't have done anything without all of you!" Jesse exclaimed, making Lukas blush a little. Axel crossed his arms and everyone else just smiles.

"Well done, Jesse. An excellent job." Otto complemented from behind them. Harper was putting away the diamond pickaxe she used to free everyone.

"Ehm, thanks, Otto." Jesse returned her smile to the older man.

"You have truly showed my friends and I the error of our ways. I'm glad to put this whole messy business behind us."

"I didn't. We all did."

"Hey, speaking of friends and all that… should we see how Petra's holding up?" Ivor asks Jesse, looking up at her, making Jesse drop the helmet as she suddenly remembered.

"Don't forget about the Atlas, though." Harper reminded her as the brunette picked up the helmet she dropped, wiping it free of the grass that haf gotten on it.

"How about we get whatever's yours, decide what happens to those two imbeciles," Harper pointed behind her at the Gladiators beating Hadrian and Mevia to pulps. "- and get back into the hallway. You can get the Atlas from there."

"Harper does have a point, Jesse. You have fairly defeated them. Seems only fair you get to decide their fate." Otto commented, looking at Jesse. Everyone else stood in front of her, and she caught Olivia's eye. An idea came to mind. "And with the Atlas, you can send them anywhere you want."

"You know, there was this game Olivia and I used to play back in our treehouse…" Jesse began, hoping Olivia would get the idea.

"Huh?" Nope.

"Remember? We called it 'Which would you rather fight-?'" Jesse pressed on, and Olivia's eyes widened in realization.

They were all walking down the stairs and back into the portal hallway as Jesse was finishing up another story.

"Okay, let me get this straight." Olivia began, making Jesse turn around to her. "Petra was pregnant up through the Two Moons World, you called it, right?"

"Yes, and yes, Two Moons World." Jesse nodded.

"So in a freaking murder mansion-" Olivia began.

"Oh-kay, Olivia, relax. Give Petra her earful when she's done being in so much pain. And stop asking Jesse questions." Lukas stepped forward. Man. All this guy does is settle arguments and calm people. Don't blame him for being such a cinnamon roll! *~*

"Goodbye, Jesse! Thank you!" the Tim Fangirl called out through the Hall, and Jesse waved before the blonde walked into the portal that took her home.

"That all of them?" Harper asks Otto, who stood nearby the portal.

"Everyone that wants to go home, anyhow. Except you folks. You still have one more stop to make, right?" Jesse nods in reply to Otto, who continued. "Can't believe how many competitors want to stay and keep playing the Games." Otto looked at Jesse with a nod. "And thanks to you, my intrepid new friend, I can actually focus on making the Games fun again."

"And you promise that they'll stay fun, this time?"

"Oh yes. I don't intend to let the Games get corrupted as they did before." Otto gave her an approving nod. Slab, one of the big brutes who helped in the Games as a Gladiator, walked up to Jesse.

"And I'm gonna help too. You taught me a lot about fairness, Jesse, and I'd like to use that knowledge for something good." Jesse gave Slab a nod, looking up at him as he turned around to meet Lukas. "And speaking of fairness… I think this belongs to you." The man pulled a worn-out book from his inventory, and handed it over.

"My journal!" Lukas grins, taking it from Slab and opening it to confirm that it was, indeed, his journal.

"Lots of good stuff in there. You had me really moved."

"Awesome." Lukas grins, before pocketing the journal. Slab turned and headed towards a portal before hopping through.

"Huh. Guess he wasn't so immovable after all." Ivor punned, his arms crossed. Jesse looked down, then back up at Em. She was all that remained in the Hall of Portals.

"Well, Em- how about you? You said you wanted to go home, right?" she asks.

"Yeah, but I can't decide what it is that we want, exactly." Em began. "I mean, you get to leave and go on more adventures." She looked away and crossed her arms. "Do I really want to go back to farming?"

"Well, you could help Otto with the Games. I mean, he's restarting them- you could lend a hand?" Jesse suggested. That made Em perk up a little.

"Jesse, that's an awesome idea. We can actually make them fun- perhaps I could be the Head Gladiator.."

"Yeah!"

"Thanks, Jesse, I needed that." Em grins, before heading back up the stairs. "Hey, I wish your friend the best of luck with his family!" she called behind her before disappearing. Jesse turned and noticed Ivor, basically staring at Harper.

"Hey, Ivor." Jesse approached the Potions Master. Ivor jumped a little at her sudden presence.

"Oh! Hey, Jesse." Ivor greeted her.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asks, teasingly.

"I was just observing Harper all by herself over there."

"Yeah, observing." Jesse teased again, making Ivor turn a little red at the cheeks and roll his eyes at his friend. Jesse laughs. "Come on." she bade, waving him along. "Hey Harper." she greeted.

"Oh, hey, Jesse, Ivor. I was just watching the folks head on home." Harper rubbed at the back of her head. "Things really worked out, huh?" She then sighs. "Well, I guess this is goodbye. I have to head on back to Crown Mesa, see how the post-PAMA construction is doing." Harper shook her head, her arms crossed. "It not my real home, but it's been close enough for a little over half of my life now." Harper admitted with a shrug.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll come around." Jesse reassured her.

"I just hope you're right." Harper replied. Ivor just made a pshhh sound, rolling his eyes.

"You'll be fine. Getting over the 'I was a bad guy' hump can be awkward, it hopefully soon they'll invite you right back into their arms. Right Jesse?" Ivor looks at the brunette next to him. Harper walked up to Ivor.

"You sure are a strange man Ivor. But you know something? You're okay." Harper gave him a smile, making him look away and rub at the back of his head awkwardly. "And don't forget- turn to page 394." she winked at him, before turning around and beginning her way to her own home portal. "Hey, take care of each other, alright? And I'll see you around. Wish Liam luck for his family!" she called behind her as she continued on down the hallway.

"Bye!" Jesse bade, and turned back around to face the others.

"Yes! Goodbye!" Ivor called out to her. When he thought Jesse didn't hear him… "You're amazing."

"So, we better get on to Sky City World." Lukas began, and Jesse noticed her boyfriend was a little jumpy.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure Petra would be at least in early labor now, if she wasn't already." Olivia added on, no longer showing her anger about the fact.

"Well, before you all go, Jesse better take the Atlas. Deal's a deal and all that." Otto told the excited uncle. Otto took out the book, it's blue and gold accents glowing in the dimmer of the Hall's chambers. Jesse took it and looked at Otto.

"Uhm. How does it work?" she asks, raising an eyebrow in her confusion.

"Now you just say where you want to go… And the Atlas will show you the way." Otto grins, and Jesse looked down at the book. "Why don't you just go ahead and open it?"

"Alright, book. Do your magic and take us to our friend, Petra." Jesse opened the book, and a stream of glowing accents came from the open pages. It led them right to the familiar Sky City World portal.

"Woah, hey, what?!" Aiden was shoved into a room by Gil and Maya. "What? Now?" he asks them, as Isa ushered Nath out around them.

"Nath's done all he can as a 12 year old, Aiden. It's your turn." Gil told his old friend.

"And we'll be helping you." Maya added. Aiden paused, then glanced behind him at Liam who was helping Petra maintain a breathing pattern. His eyes met the floor as everything came flowing back to him naturally.

"Okay, Gil." Aiden faced his friend, who nodded. "I need you to get stone, a cauldron, a bucket of water, a furnace, and a lot of sticks and something that can be cooked." He looked over at Maya, "And you- get some blankets, small and large."

"Got it!" the two spoke in unison, nodding before Gil left the room and Maya went to a chest nearby. Aiden turned around, approaching Liam and Petra. He noticed that Isa and Nath had already gotten the scene set.

"You sure you got this, Aiden?" Liam asks the brunet. Of course, the father was wary of what Aiden would do.

"I've been taught how to do this, Liam- I just never put it to good use until now. Please, you can trust me. I'll make sure both your fiancee and child are healthy after this." Aiden told him, and Liam pondered over his words a little before nodding.

"Do what you gotta do, then."

Jesse, Lukas, Ivor, Axel, and Olivia all followed the stream through the portal and when they landed, they were back on the bridge that led Liam, Lukas, Jesse, and Ivor right into Sky City. Well, the remains of Sky City anyways.

"There's a waterfall up ahead that we can take to get on the ground!" Jesse called out to her friends as she sprinted right towards the fallen city- well, not actually fallen, but- oh, you know what I mean.

Just as they were nearing the end, Jesse slid, before falling off the edge and into the flow of the water. After she was safely inside the stream, she looked up to find all her friends behind her.

When the New Order plus a member of the Old Order made it safely into the lake, Axel exclaimed,

"It's almost nightfall- we better find where they're at and quick!" Jesse quickly pulled out the book, ignoring the whispers and the beginning of cheers aimed at them, mainly her. The accents came out and led them right down the streets.

"Let's go!" Jesse called, and began to sprint through the streets.

Screams came from the other room, all screams of pain. Isa, Milo, Reuben, and Nath were all seated in the living room. Except for Reggie, who stood at the doorway. Reuben made small chat with Milo, but their room still fell silent. The closest they could get was just listening.

Their hearing and thoughts were interrupted by the door swinging open.

"What's happening now?" Jesse asks Isa, and Nath shushed her.

"It's been almost five hours since her water broke and she went into labor. Just listen- that's all we can do right now." Nath told her, and Winslow mewed in his lap. Jesse looked up at Isa, silent. The blackette nodded. The newcomers took a seat- Olivia and Axel near each other on the floor, Jesse and Lukas right next to each other and holding hands, and Ivor… well, being Ivor, he just pulls out a book and begins to read.

(Okay- now, this isn't too descriptive, but, well, just read with caution, please?) (If you don't like scenes like these- please continue on to the next bold- which isn't that far.)

In the other room, though, Petra had a firm grip on Liam's hand as both Gil and Maya held her legs still. Aiden got the blankets set for when he would need them.

"Almost there!" Aiden called out to her, as Petra groaned from the pain. Minutes later… "Push! Now!"

"Is that Aiden I hear?" Lukas asks in a low voice up at Reggie. The captain nods, arms crossed as he still stood guard at the door.

"He'll be staying out of his cell until they all don't need his help anymore." Isa informed Jesse and her friends.

"We trust him with this, but we don't trust him fully." Milo reassured them. It was silent, except for Petra's cries and Aiden's commands.

"I see the head, keep pushing!" Aiden calls out to them, and Petra let out a grunt as she pushed.

(We're cool. There's still a little more, but it's not as bad.)

"Come on, Petra, you got this, you're Petra the Warrior-" Liam rooted her on, but his roots were drowned out in another loud grunt and a pop sounded. Petra's iron grip on his hand released as Aiden stood, the cries of the newborn baby in his arms.

"Congrats, you two. It's a boy, but I'm pretty sure you already knew that." Aiden smiles and Gil picked up a blanket, releasing Petra's leg as Aiden put the baby into the blanket Gil had, and Gil handed the baby boy to his parents. Said baby boy was still wailing, and the cord was still connected for the time being. The boy's small head was resting on Petra's collarbone as she held him close.

For probably the first time in years, Petra cried. And these tears were tears of joy. A hand was gently placed on the other side of her head, pulling her in a little. Lips met her temple, as another hand helped hold their baby boy.

"You did it, love." Liam smiles down at her.

As soon as Petra's cries died down and were replaced by the cries of a baby boy, Jesse looked up at Lukas with a smile. Lukas's head rested back onto the bed he and Jesse were sitting against. He pulled her in for a hug, laughing a little. He heard some faint talking and the sound of people walking around in the other room, sounds of 'congrats' and 'great job, Petra' coming through the door. That was how everyone knew it was successful.

"You want to cut the cord, Liam?" Aiden asks him, as Gil picked up the boy from Petra's arms. Petra didn't want to let her child go so soon, but she allowed Gil to take him for the time being. She knew it was protocol, and she knew that he would be back in her arms soon. Liam stood, walking over to where Aiden was. As the cord was cut and disposed of in a lava chute, Maya and Aiden went to clean the baby with the warm water. Aiden turned and told Gil to take over for him, to just take the rag and gently wipe the boy clean. Liam went back over to Petra's side, whispering her a small 'get some rest' as he took her hand again.

"Hey, ah, I don't know if they actually do this, going back to congratulate their patients like this, but Petra- amazing job. You did real well for your first time. And Liam, thanks for helping out when you could." Aiden looked down. "I do realize I was a jerk, and I also wanted to apologize for everything. And I wanted to thank you for trusting me to help you." Liam looked down at Petra.

"No, Aiden. Thank you." Liam smiles up at him. "You were a jerk, but I doubt you are anymore. Just keep up these good deeds you're doing now and I think they'll release you soon." Liam gave him a wink before looking down at Petra as Aiden walked off, back to tend to the baby. "Like I said, get some sleep, alright? I'll tell the others how it went." He smiles down at her, then kisses her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too." Petra mumbled back, slowly giving into sleep.

Liam stepped out of the room, as everyone stood up upon his entrance. Reggie got out of his way, allowing the blond through. Everyone looked at him with a hopeful look.

"Petra did amazing, and he's handsome." was all Liam said before Nath sprung forward and into Liam's arms, making the blond laugh a little.

"Congratulations, Liam. You're officially a father- how does it feel?" Isa asks him.

"Well, it feels like everything has changed.. Yet everything's still the same, you know?" Liam replied as he let Nath back onto the ground. His brother approached him and pulled him into a hug. "You're an uncle, man. How does that feel?"

"Like everything has change, yet still the same."

"Why you steal my answers?" Liam asks, making the group laugh.

Liam was back in Petra's room, when Aiden came in with Reggie behind him, holding a bundle of green blankets.

"We didn't have any blue blankets, sorry." Reggie apologized, standing behind Aiden.

"And, well, I wanted to be the one to hand your kid back to you before I would be taken back to my cell." Aiden walked up to Liam, as Reggie hung back by the door. "I think Nath's got it from here." he added, as Liam stood up. "And that cauldron- I had Maya fill it with carpeting as a temporary crib until you get around to a proper one back home. Don't worry, it's safe." Aiden reassured him, before handing over the baby. "Thanks for giving me a chance, and, well, I hope to see you soon." Aiden bade, and Liam gave the brunet a smile.

"Thanks. As I've said before, keep it up." Liam told him, before Aiden nods and turned around, nodding at Reggie as he left the room, the captain in tow. Liam then looks down at his little boy, then back up at Petra. Through all the portal hopping, he had some ideas of names, but he wanted to hear from her first. Most of them were girl names, which were pretty much eliminated. He does realize that he wanted a boy and was given a boy, but all the names he really liked were girls' names. There was Theodore ("Theo" for short), Jayden ("Jay" for short), and Jaime. Again, he wanted to hear from Petra first.

Looking back down at him, he noticed there was a faint tuft of Petra's dark red hair and no sign of freckles… yet. Probably. But, the boy also had Petra's skin- heck, everything about the child's looks was all Petra. Perhaps he would have his father's personality and eyes? Can't get my hopes too high- besides, I would love anyway. Liam thought, bring a hand out and stroking his boy's head. He was asleep, but Liam could tell by the way he moved in comfort that he liked it.

Liam smiles. He couldn't believe that a little over a year was all it took for his life to change and come this far. A little over a year ago, he found his brother again. A few weeks after that, less than a month later, he earned himself a girlfriend. Now, almost a year later, he's got a family with the love of his life (the girlfriend, of course) and he's going to be married to the same woman.

Yeah, life was a roller coaster, but he wouldn't mind spending it with these amazing people he calls his friends and family.

"Ready to head on home?" Liam asks little Nath, who held Winslow. Nath nods. Everyone was grouped in front of the exit portal. Petra was back in excellent health, a little chubby from being unable to exercise during pregnancy, but she would burn off all that fat in less than a week. Liam was the one holding their son, whose name they had agreed on to be Holden, Petra's name. Liam agreed, it was much better than Theo or Jay. (Perhaps the next kid. *lenny face*)

Speaking of which, Holden had opened his eyes. Turns out he had his father's eyes. The stormy gray that seemed to keep passing on through from his father, to Liam, to his son. Perhaps his grandson as well, but he wouldn't go that far yet.

"Let's go!" Jesse called out, and Petra looked back at Liam.

"You sure you got him?" she asks her man.

"Yes, I'm sure, Mama Bear." Liam teased, kissing her forehead. Maya and Gil had said their goodbyes earlier. Petra grinned, shaking her head at him while Jesse, Olivia, and Axel headed through first. Ivor, Nath (holding onto Winslow), and Lukas followed the three. Liam covered Holden's face with the blankets. "After you, m'Lady." Petra took his words and ran in, the blond following after her, holding Holden close to him.

Jesse, Axel, Olivia, Lukas, Ivor, and Nath were all already heading to their home portal, and Petra and Liam ran to keep up.

"Huh, so it was one with the wood the whole time." Liam told himself. "Makes sense- it seems like our world is the most original, you know? All these other worlds are normal too, just… seems like our world branches out to these other ones." Liam snickered when he heard Lukas scribbling his exact words into his journal. They all finally entered the portal and, at long last, they were home.

Home.

Yeah. Home.

Now, even though they've gone through a Wither Storm and lots and lots of portals… their adventures aren't quite done yet.

Next time… in Holden Up The Worlds…

Watch Holden as he grows under the care of his parents, Petra and Liam, and his older brother, Nath, along with a cat, Winslow. Holden has such a huge family looking after him, and no one could have it any other way.

Oh my god. I'm sobbing right now as I type this. I'm over halfway through this series to being over and I am not ready.

This has been such an amazing adventure so far- just writing stories for you. Oh my god, I'm crying, holy crap…

This coming February, it'll be my one-year anniversary of being on FFN. Oh my god. Time passes fast when you're having fun, huh?

But danngggg…. I'm mainly crying because of how far they've come from when I first began this series. How far I'VE come. I never expected to reach 20,000 views on 'A Wither Against The World' and that happened less than a week ago, oh my lord-

Anyways, before I wake up my grandparents and brother due to sobbing loudly, I will just say-

If you haven't seen my Twitter GirlOfMyWorld11, then you haven't seen that I'll be releasing one of two of my ficlets before doing HUTW. It's coming Sunday- that's October 2nd. Spoopy.

As for HUTW- I'll have this story marked Complete, but there will be another chapter to tell you that I've released it. Like I said, working on a few ficlets before beginning, but don't worry- it'll be out before Christmas/Hanukkah/whatever you celebrate.

So, questions- did you like this chapter? I sure did love taking two weeks to write a VERY LONG final chapter. I wanted to go out with a bang!

How bout the series in general? Are you new or have you been with me since the very start?

What do you expect in HUTW?

Leave your reviews and I'll be sure to read them… tomorrow morning.

It's 10:30 here, so I better go off to bed.

Thank you all so much for reading this story, it's sad to see it come to a close, but I will see YOU, in another story, the sequel of the sequel- oh, whenever I see you.

CIAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!