UUPDATE: If you read this earlier, please read it again, I have changed some things that didn't make sense or contradicted with something else. I think I fixed it all.

This is it! The final chapter in my first story. Not everything is tied up into a bow. In fact, you could say that this is just a cliffhanger to lead into the next one! Enjoy!

Epilogue:

It was finally here. My high school years were practically over. Thank goodness. I thought back over the crazy year I'd had and considered some events that hadn't quite made any sense, even now.

When I had returned to school the following Monday after that disastrous final show, no one had said a word about my odd disappearance with Ty. All I got were congratulations on a show well performed and wrapped up. Mrs. Radley didn't even say anything, which had made me realize that something wasn't right. After spending a day stumbling around in confusion, Abby provided an explanation after school. "Has anyone asked you about Saturday?" She had asked. When I shook my head, she handed me a note. "I think it's because of his parents." Abby had said. When I tried to ask her what she had meant, all she did was gesture to the note I now had in my hands. She had left me to read it.

It had been typed on thick crème paper that vaguely reminded me of something, but I couldn't quite place it. It read:

Dear Miss Amare,

We are deeply sorry that your senior year has not been more enjoyable. We take full responsibility for our son's actions. You should find that any and all recollection of Saturday night's performance has been modified to exclude your unfortunate disappearance and also your involvement with the fire. That way there should be no questions, no unwanted attention, and no blemish on your remaining months as a high schooler. Tyler has been recalled home and will stay here for the foreseeable future. He will not bother you again.

Miss Amare, we apologize for everything and also would like to assure you that should you need anything, you only need to inquire of Miss Abigail Howlser and she shall direct your questions and requests to us. You will find that with the fading of the rose- for it will fade- all remnants of the enchantment will slip away and leave this as nothing more than a bad memory. We hope you find the rest of your year enjoyable.

Yours sincerely,

I couldn't read the first signature that had been scrawled out in sharp letters that left it illegible. The second however, was penned in a delicate hand that made me gawk in confusion:

Christine D. L'Ange

Ty's mother's name was Christine? I stared hard at the first signature, but couldn't make out anything. I had folded the note up and slid it into my backpack and promptly forgotten about it. I had been trying to bury the events and feelings that wouldn't go away in school work and college applications.

At least, I had forgotten about it until now, sitting here in a folding chair in the midst of a sea of students in the gym. I was graduating. I had managed to pull out straight A's and a great SAT score which helped a whole bunch when applying for scholarships. I sat there in the crowd, completely surrounded by students as I waited for my name to be called. But I felt alone. I was starting to get used to the empty feeling that took up everything now that Ty was gone for good.

When the principle announced my name, I stood and walked to the front. We had already received our fake diplomas and were now all sitting there waiting for the principle to stop bragging about how well this class had done. Now he was going through and highlighting all the students he deemed important. As I walked, the principle droned on about how I had gotten a full scholarship for theater at a school in New York. He told about my year and a selection of the events that had taken place. He finished and then looked at me and quietly asked me if I would turn around. Confused, I did. I heard footsteps and was told to turn around again. Jason stood in front of me. He was fidgeting and his face was red. The crowd behind him was unusually quiet as he bent down on one knee and held a ring out to me. He said, "I figured since the first ring, ah, disappeared, I needed to get you another one. Emily Amare, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?" I threw my arms around him. I had to act the part. My "Yes!" was completely drowned out by the cheers from the rest of the graduating class. He slid the ring on my finger and kissed me gently. We walked away from the podium together and to two empty seats near the back of the gym. When the rest of the ceremony was over, students started milling around, talking to parents and getting photos taken. I saw my parents in the crowd. They were happy and I was acting happy.

They had flipped when they got home and I told them about everything. Well, almost everything. I mean, I told them about Nathan and that whole fiasco. They insisted on hearing everything about that. Then they asked about the show and I managed to cobble together a story that sounded believable when they asked about why I looked so down. "After show depression." I lied. Even though the show had been over with for around three weeks by that time. They laughed and turned the conversation to school and college applications. Then everything returned back to the way it was before Ty had first appeared in my life.

"By the way," Jason asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. "What ever happened to that dress? That he gave you."

"It's out of sight and out of mind." I said. It was out of sight, buried in the back of my closet, but it was most certainly not out of mind. I had decided to keep it. It was all I had now. Abby had ventured through the passages before any of the authorities found those drawings Ty had made of me. She wouldn't tell me what she had done with them. So I kept the dress buried under a pile of shoes and junk in my closet. I couldn't let it go. Just like I couldn't let these feelings go, so I buried them, or tried to.

"Good. Because I don't want you to-," His voice faded as someone I didn't recognize walked past and brushed my hand. I fell against Jason and then slid to the floor as the memory hit me.

Failed. It had failed. It had been flawless. And it had failed. She was gone. The throbbing at the back of my head seemed to grow with my anger and the coldness that was slowly spreading throughout my body. She would be mine again. The smell of smoke made me cough and gave me the motivation to sit up. I got to my feet and leaned against the wall. The smoke was worse from this height. I stumbled forward then I remembered something I had left in the room. I ran back.

I opened my eyes long enough to see Jason's worried face looking down on me when another memory assaulted me.

I had gotten it. It was a little singed around the edges, because I had dropped it, but the writing was still legible. I pulled the smaller piece of paper out from behind the one I was looking at. The paper had started to curl from the heat but other than that, it was perfect. I folded the papers in half and stuffed them in my pocket. I listened. I knew they were long gone but apart from the crackling of the dying fire, I thought I had heard footsteps. I was right. They grew steadily louder. The pounding on the wood and dirt floors caused some vibration that I was able to feel. I ran down the first passage I came to, knowing it was empty of people. I waited for a moment, and saw Emily come running around the corner, a wild look in her eyes. What? Why was she here? She went into the room I had just vacated and I followed her, silently. She observed everything. Then she walked to the safe that I had left open after getting what I needed. I had set a match to everything else in there. She bent down, her dress gaping at the rip near the hem. "It looks like it never happened." I heard her whisper. I grew cold at that. No- no. My fist clenched around the mask I had picked up from where they left me. I would let her know I had been here. I set it down on the table we had sat together at only minutes ago. I had to force myself to walk steadily down the passage away from her. I should have taken her with me, but it looked like she needed a little more- persuasion. "Ty!" I stopped at the corner when I heard her call. I glanced at her from my shadowy vantage point and decided to continue on. Let her come to me, if she would. I could still smell the smoke when, after many turns, I ran out into the bright light of the moon. Alone.

There was no break this time.

He had asked her to marry him again. I felt my anger threatening to explode. I waited until the ceremony was over, watching like any other crowd member. I saw her, sitting with him. How easy would it be for me to just walk over and sweep her away before anyone realized what had happened. No one would recognize me with this mask on. But no. I knew I had to wait. I had to wait for the perfect moment. I would just let her know I'm still here. Waiting for her. And that she's still mine. The rose was still on my wrist, so it had to be on hers as well. She loved me. No matter what Jason and Abigail might convince her, she would always be mine. I took out the slip of paper and the ring I had put in my pocket. I walked over and ever so slightly, brushed her hand, slipping the paper into her grasp and the ring into her pocket. I heard her gasp and when I glanced back, I saw that she had fallen to the floor. It took everything in me not to run to her, to make sure she was okay, but I continued on. Then I was lost in the crowd. She wouldn't find me until I wanted her to.

I knew that those memories were from the Phan- from Ty. I opened my eyes. I wasn't able to see what the documents were. I had seen them but I couldn't remember what had been on them. My mind wasn't working correctly. Surely one hadn't been the marriage license. I had found burnt paper in the safe! But there had been a huge amount of paper in there. The thing I saw could have been some other document. It was plausible. I thrust the thought from my mind. I refused to believe that I was still joined to Ty, refused to acknowledge the longing that rose up deep within me. I bolted upright when a thought hit me. If I had seen those memories that meant Ty had been the one to brush my hand. I ran in the direction that he had walked. I scanned the crowd, searching but finding that everyone looked too similar with their caps and gowns. Jason caught up with me and asked, "What's the matter? Did you have another blackout?" I nodded while thinking, What else would it have been? "Who was it?" He asked. I turned and said two words. "It's him."

"Him?"

"Ty."

Jason looked around nervously. "I thought you said he was gone. I won't let him take you away from me again!"

"Nothing is going to happen." I reassured him. "It was just memories that told me how he got away." I lied a little. So what? It likely wouldn't affect anything. Jason looked slightly relieved, but he couldn't get rid of the anxiousness that he showed by his grip on my hand. When my emotions returned after the remains of the blackout faded away, I had to force myself to keep my act up. I couldn't cry. Not now, not here in front of everyone.

I missed him. So much.

Jason dropped me off at home after a huge party thrown by the theater department. My parents had left the school hours earlier and it was just Jason and me standing on the porch. He hugged me and started to kiss me, but I couldn't keep it up anymore. I was tired and heartsick and I needed to check some things. "Goodnight, Jason." I wriggled out of his arms and unlocked the front door. He caught my hand and shocked both of us. He let me go with a hiss. I turned back to him and saw the worry on his face. "I'm fine." I lied. "I know. I just thought that that shock or whatever would have gone away by now. You know, 'cause the rose is gone." It hadn't happened since that last performance night. And the rose- I shrugged. "I'm tired." I whispered. His face softened. "Goodnight, I love you." He said. I turned the corners of my mouth up in an attempt to smile. "I love you, too." My voice was flat and I couldn't even pretend to believe what I had just said.

My mom was waiting at the top of the stairs after I closed the door. "Everything okay?" She asked. "Yep." I avoided any more of her questions by excusing myself to bed, saying I had had a long day. I walked into my room and closed the door. I turned on some soft classical music and shakily reached into my pocket. I pulled the piece of paper that had been slipped in my hand before my blackout. I unfolded it. It was a sketch of a rose that had been artfully shaded and colored until it looked almost real. What was behind it was what shook me. A drawing of a banner weaved in and out through the roses leaves. The elegantly drawn words that swept across it made me close my eyes.

'Till death do we part, my Love.

The drawing fluttered to the floor as I let it go. I couldn't let myself consider what it hinted at. I opened my eyes as I picked the picture back up and looked at it for a moment. It was beautiful. I wish I could thank him for-. No. It was all false. All of it. I ran to my closet and dug through all the junk that was piled on the floor until I reached a small trunk. I unzipped it and carefully placed the drawing in with my wedding dress. I stroked the fabric and let my mind wander for a bit before I realized what I was doing. I zipped it all back up, piled shoes back on top of it and stood. I closed the doors and then went to change into my pyjamas. I slid my dress off over my shoulders and bent over to step out of it. I waited for a second, remembering a moment very similar to this one, only I hadn't been alone. Backstage, in the dark. "You're beautiful." He had whispered. I closed my eyes, yearning for his touch, his voice. I dropped my dress and heard a soft thump as it hit the floor. I snatched it up. What was that? I felt in the pockets and my fingers closed on something small and smooth. I briefly shut my eyes, dreading and hoping all at the same time that it was what I thought it was. I pulled out the ring and pressed my hand to my mouth. I was never going to escape. One of them would always be chasing me.

After that night of the fire, Abby and Jason had both sat me down in my house and insisted we go over everything that happened. Jason wouldn't let go of my hand. I had related the story to them, failing to keep my tears inside where I wanted them to be. I couldn't keep the truth from them. I had lost him. I had tried to tell Jason, "I- I don't love yo-," but he and Abby had cut me off, explaining that it was all a part of Ty's enchantment. Abby told me everything she knew about Ty. We had all grown up together for a while, until his family left. No one knew why, but apparently, I was the only one to forget them. The note I had received from his parents explained that to me though. They had made me forget, like they had made an entire audience full of people forget.

But how had he gotten away from his parents? Didn't they say that he wouldn't be able to see me again?

I tried again, later, to tell them, "I think I really do love him, though." It continued on for a couple of months until they managed to convince me those feelings were false. I loved Jason. He loved me. Everything was as it should be. These feelings I had for Ty would fade quickly. Except, they didn't.

When Jason asked me to marry him, it was very reminescent of intermission that last night. I tried so hard to be happy and feel it and mean it. But no wall broke this time. No emotions were there to slide into place and make me feel how I knew I should.

I stared at the ring resting in the palm of my hand. It looked as perfect as the day I had first received it. To look at it, I would never have known that it had been destroyed had I not been there. I took my engagement ring off and slipped the other one on. It felt right. My Ang- no. I tugged it off and set it down on my dresser, the diamond glinting darkly. I buried my face in my hands. I thought all of this would be over! But I still loved him. I walked silently into the bathroom and plunged my wrist under the sink's faucet. I turned the water on and I scrubbed with my other hand. The foundation I had used to mask the rose slid away down the drain.

It was supposed to disappear. It was supposed to fade. All of this was supposed to fade. But it wasn't. I knew in my heart that I didn't want it to. I loved him. I loved Tyler L'Ange, my dark Angel, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I dried off my wrist and crept back into my bedroom. I turned off the light and slipped into a t-shirt. I stood there, in the dark, for who knows how long, just trying to get myself to walk past the ring, to leave it be. I finally crawled into bed and looked over at it, thumb firmly pressed to the rose on my wrist. I couldn't. I stepped over to my dresser and picked the ring up. I slid it back onto my ring finger and accidentally pressed the diamond down as I did so.

The beautiful sound that filled my heart and mind as the music played brought the tears that had been lurking just below the surface since my blackout. I tore the ring off and hid it under my pillow. I lay back and closed my eyes, trying to will sleep to find me. But it didn't. So I lay there for hours. Staring into the night.

Alone.

My mother was silent as she drove me the four hours to her and my father's apartment building. She had not said a word to me since she picked me up. I had called her to tell her where I was. She came to me and looked at me with so much pain in her eyes. That cleared every bit of influence He had had over me the past couple months, which had been considerable. Emily. She was gone. I had almost lost everything. Because of Him. My rage at everything dissipated with the realization of how idiotic I had been. My god, it had happened again. He had taken over again. The reason my family moved in the first place, all the confusion and chaos- it had all happened again. Because of Him. Always because of Him. I wasn't sure if I could ever recover from this. I laughed bitterly in the quiet of the car, causing my mother to toss her long brown hair out of the way to glance at me in alarm. "Tyler?" She asked. "Are you alright, dear?"

"No. It's Him." Her shoulders slumped forward as she grasped the meaning of my words. She and my father and thought that perhaps separation would help cool Him off. It had done nothing of the sort as I now sat here fully aware of everything I had conspired to do in order to stay with the woman I loved. The woman who left me. Or should you have gone after her? I wondered. My heart throbbed at the thought. I wouldn't recover from this. I knew I wouldn't. At least, I wouldn't without her. He wouldn't allow it.

The rose on my arm gained a little more opaqueness as I stared down at it. I smiled when I realized what it meant. She loves me. The stronger the color, the stronger the feelings. I knew that for sure. I had a chance. I would win her heart. She would be mine. Because

Verus Amor Non Moriatur.

It's done. Thank you all so much for reading! I have thoroughly enjoyed this ride and hope you all have, too! I will start to post my next story in a couple of weeks after I get back to school and can find the notebook I have it written down in. It will most likely be posted under Plays, and then in Love Never Dies, or I might just post it under Books and Phantom of the Opera since it is a sequal to the Masks We Hide Behind. Thank you all so much for the reviews and support! (Melstrife, thank you so much! for what you said, but I have a way to make the timeline work ;)).