Epilogue (Iris' POV)

"So then what happened?!"

I smiled at the wide eyed question, before I reached to ruffle his hair.

"Let me tell you…" I whispered as I leaned in closer to the group of hyper kids. They reminded me of myself so much. Mostly because them growing up in the village of dragons too meant we could really relate.

"Old Slick was closing in for sure, and all the doors were locked tight…"

"What did ya do?!" Another little kid asked as he bit his lip in anticipation of what was going to happen next.

"Well, all the doors were shut, but the air vent was just big enough to squeeze through. Only thing was, when we got to the outside vent it was rusted shut!"

The group gasped, and I almost laughed. I admit I was enjoying hamming it up a little.

"Did you dragon rage it open?" A little girl in the front asked.

I shook my head. "Fraxure was too big to fit in the vent, but Cilan thought fast. Pansage popped out of his pokeball and crawled past me. Then…" I balled my fist and jerked my arm out suddenly, if just for dramatic effect.

"Bullet seed!"

"Wow did it open then?!"

I noddded. "Yep, sure did, so we made our escape and old Slick didn't know what hit him!"

I figured it was best to leave out the part about how I basically fell face down into a mud puddle after I crawled out of that vent. Some details weren't really needed, right?

"Then what happened?!"

I smiled. "You'll have to wait to hear it later, your parents probably have lunch ready and waiting by now."

They all let out a collective moan, but I just wagged my finger scoldingly at them. "Don't give me that, you have to eat if you want to grow up to be strong dragon masters."

That seemed to get their attention at least, because they took off without any more complaints.

Just then I heard a little laugh behind me, so I turned to see Shannon holding her daughter. "You have such a way with the village children, Iris."

I smiled as I reached to offer little Iris my finger, so she could curl her hand around it. "They just love exciting stories. I know because I was like that too when I was little."

"I remember you used to tell the best ones too. Like that time you tried to convince Jake you'd fought a haxorus with your bare hands?"

I rubbed the back of my neck, a little embarrassed. "Well I might have exaggerated that one a little bit…"

She laughed again before reaching for my hand and pulling me toward her house. "Come on, lunch is ready."

There was something really bittersweet about lunchtime. Of course I was almost always hungry, but… But it had a way of reminding me of him more than anything else.

Two whole months had went by since the scale incident and little by little things were getting back to normal. The village was mostly repaired, and the scars from what had happened were starting to fade for everybody I think. Mostly I was just glad no one had gotten hurt, or worse.

I slid into a chair, while Shannon went to serve the food. Jake playfully frowned at me from across the table. "At least try and save me something this time, huh?"

I stuck my tongue out at him, giving such a little kid just the response he deserved. All he did was pull down his eyes until he was making an even more ridiculous face.

Shannon sighed when she came back and sat down next to him. "What am I supposed to do with you two…?"

"He started it." I said with a playful frown as I pointed at him accusingly.

She just smiled before we all started to dig in.

If there was one thing I loved about meals with friends, it was how much it seemed to pull everyone together. And I thought about Cilan right then too. I figured this would be rush hour in his restaurant. I could picture him standing at the stove and humming as he worked. I would have been going crazy under all that pressure, but he seemed to love it. He'd flip whatever he was cooking in a frying pan, and it would crack and sizzle until he knew just by looking, that it was perfectly done.

"Order up!" He'd say with cheerful excitement in his voice, as Chili or Cress came in to pick it up. Or he might take it out himself. He'd probably fix the garnishes until he thought it was some work of art, then he'd whisk it out under that favorite serving dome of his. But all the customers loved him, (the girls TOO much) because he really loved them. He loved everything about his restaurant and cooking to make other people happy…

"Iris?" Shannon said, and from the puzzled look on her face I thought it probably wasn't the first time she'd asked.

"Huh?" I asked snapping back to the here and now.

Shannon smiled. "I was asking if you wanted seconds?"

I shook my head. "Uh no that's okay." Then I smirked at Jake. "Something tells me I know who does want it though."

He rubbed his hands together, and reminded me of Ash. "Don't mind if I do!"

I just rolled my eyes as I got up and helped Shannon collect the plates and bring them to the sink.

I wasn't sure what it was about washing dishes that made me figure some interrogation was coming, maybe Dawn had just trained me too well. Or it could have been the look on Shannon's face, something that I seemed to sense she was thinking.

"Do you know when you're going back, Iris?" She asked suddenly, not that I hadn't been expecting it.

I frowned as I scrubbed at a plate. "Not really…" I finally said. "There's still a lot to do around here after all."

"Yes but…" she started to say slowly. "You miss him, I can tell all the time, Iris."

I sighed. "Well of course I do, but he still calls and we talk everyday."

"But that's not really the same, is it?"

It wasn't like I really had to think about that question for very long, I already knew the answer. Of course it wasn't the same, but…

Shannon smiled softly. "I think you've thought about us for long enough. Now it's time you thought about yourself too. A path isn't meant to be walked all alone. Besides, if you really don't want to be selfish than just think how much he must need you."

I felt my shoulders slump if just from relief. I knew she was right, and it wasn't like I hadn't been thinking about it lately. Maybe it just felt nice to hear someone else say it, to make me feel like it wasn't just me being selfish.

I nodded slowly. "Thanks, Shannon. The thing is, it seems like no matter where I go, I'll always be missing somebody that isn't around."

She smiled. "Yes, that's a big part of growing up too. Having to be away from people you care about, but… Some people you just aren't meant to be separated from, not even for a little while, Iris. You should go and see him, it's been a long time already."

It was bittersweet because I'd still miss home no matter what… But at the same time, I felt some little jolt of happiness, or excitement at the fact that I'd just decided. Decided to do just that.

Smiling as wide as I could I reached for her hands and squeezed. "I think I will, Shannon!"

She laughed. "Great, give him our love too, Iris."

I nodded. "Sure, I promise!"

Maybe it was silly that I needed her to tell me that. That I didn't just decide for myself, but… I was still trying to stay so true to my path that I guess I was second guessing myself a lot too. The truth was, I didn't really know what was going to happen next if I did go back to see Cilan. I won't say I was afraid to find out, just a little nervous about how things might change again. But if I'd learned anything, it was that you couldn't be afraid to move forward. So that afternoon I packed up my backpack and headed toward Elder's house.

When I stepped in she was sitting at a table sipping a mug of tea. She turned to look at me and for a second she seemed curious, but then she just smiled. I figured she already got it…

"Should I wish you a safe journey, Iris?"

I took another step in and nodded slowly. "Yes, ma'am."

She sighed softly as she sat her cup down. "You always were such a free spirit, yet… Yet you always had a heart obedient enough to think you needed my permission before you decided on anything. But I see you've already decided this for yourself, my dear?"

I got a determined look on my face. "Yes Elder, I have."

She smiled. "Good, I'm glad. Just please promise me you will come and visit now and then?"

"Um of course…" I mumbled. I thought it was a little strange how she said that, because from the look on her face it seemed like she thought I wasn't ever coming back to the village to stay.

I guess she picked up on the confused expression I had because she stood and slowly walked over to me. Reaching for one of my hands she patted the top of it gently.

"When one road suddenly splits into another, the path you always believed you would remain on can change in an instant. Certain places, people, or experiences can seem to make those changes for us. But it is still up to us to chose if we will fight against our new path, or embrace it."

"Fight against our path?" I mumbled out, thinking how ironic that would be, since staying here was me trying to follow my path.

She smiled gently. "I've gotten quite old, my dear, and even in my younger days I was never always certain of things. But if I were to say what I honestly thought, then I would tell you that your path is now a different one. A path that will take you away from here, this starting point. But just where it will lead is now up to you to discover. And as always the force of your will will be a determinator of just how far you will go."

"Elder…" I whispered as I seemed to get the full weight of what she was saying. "Thank you!" I shouted as I lunged forward to hug her.

I really wasn't sure where things would end up for me or for Cilan, but I thought she was right… I thought I never would come back to the village to stay for good. And that was probably the most bittersweet thing of all. But when I closed my eyes I could feel it… Feel that tug pulling me away, pulling me to wherever he was…

Maybe that was the true meaning of duality. About how someone else could change everything you were before, until together you both became something completely new. The sun was setting when I took one last look down at the valley, at my home.

"Ure?" Fraxure asked as he tugged at my sleeve.

I just smiled as I patted his head. "It'll always be our home, Fraxure. That won't ever change."

Then I reached for his little hand. "So let's go, we have a long trip ahead of us."

And we did, but I knew step by step we'd make it the whole way.

We headed up toward Opelucid City, and even though it was out of the way I knew we could catch a train there. Things had changed in Unova over the years, and one of the things Cilan had always rambled on about were the expansions in the subway system. Of course that never meant much to me until tonight. Until tonight when it was going to take me back to Striaton City, back to him.

It was probably the last train of the day, but I'd still managed to get a ticket just in time. So stepping inside I just took a seat by the window with Fraxure. There were only one or two passengers on this late, and even fewer at the loading platform. Maybe that was why he stuck out so obviously. Not that he wouldn't have always stuck out to me, no matter who else was around.

I turned toward the window and squinted in the dim light outside. The train was just starting to rumble to a start but I still pressed my hand against the glass.

"Drayden…?" I whispered, almost with a tremble as I saw him standing under one of the flickering lights on the platform.

His eyes were intense as always, but under all that I could tell he was smiling. Maybe that he was proud of me too. So I smiled back. Smiled back and waved goodbye as we started to disappear down the track. It was so good to see him one last time before I left. So I kept looking back even after any trace of him had disappeared. And it was a bittersweet lonely feeling… I was moving forward, and I was happy about that, but… But to do that I was leaving behind a lot too. When I finally turned back around I just pulled Fraxure closer to me.

My path was changing right under my feet…

It wouldn't be quite morning when we made it to Striaton City, but I would have managed to get at least a little sleep anyway. I spent the next few hours at a pokemon center, trying to make my face look like I hadn't just spent the night crumpled up on a subway bench. Needless to say the results were mixed, and in the end I knew love was definitely going to have to cover a multitude of things...

At about 7:30 I decided to head over. So I made that walk with Fraxure that I knew by heart already. And it reminded me so much of our adventure. Of our mystery. Of everything that had happened in the last three months or so. It didn't seem like a long time, but I knew it really was. Or at least it had been for us, because it had meant so much. It had been so important. So the more I thought the quicker I walked, until I was running the rest of the way.

When the gym came into view, I saw Chili sitting on the step yawning and dipping a donut into a cup of coffee.

"Chili!" I shouted, even excited to see him.

He jerked his head up and spilled half the coffee on his pants. "Oww that's hot!" He shouted jumping up and doing the most entertaining dance I'd seen in awhile.

Finally calming down he narrowed his eyes at me. "Are all your entrances like this…?"

I smirked. "No, but that one was worth it just to see that dance."

He rolled his eyes before jerking his thumb toward the door, pretending to be mad. "Oh just get in there already!"

"Don't mind if I do!" I said with an excited smirk as I pushed past him and into the restaurant."

"Oh Iris, what a pleasant surprise!" Cress beamed cheerfully as he looked up from setting a table and noticed me.

"Yeah, speak for yourself…" Chili grumbled as he stepped in behind me, still rubbing at his pants.

Even from here we all could hear the sudden gasp from the kitchen, and I guessed someone had heard Cress say my name.

In nothing flat the door to the kitchen rocketed open and an over the top with giddiness (as usual) Cilan appeared in the dining room.

But then he stopped, almost like he was frozen, as he just stared at me. "Iris…?" he finally whispered.

I smiled and threw my arms out wide. "Sure is!"

A little more serious look suddenly appeared on his face as he took a step forward until he was close enough to pull me into his arms. He didn't say anything at first, he just held onto me tightly, which I might add, was perfectly okay with me. Or at least it would have been if I wouldn't have had Chili's infantile stickering behind me...

As usual Cilan didn't seem to even notice his brother's annoying ways, because he pulled back and looked at me sincerely. "Iris, I missed you so much..." His smile got a little softer. "Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but being reunited after so much lonely time apart makes it fonder still."

I blushed a little as I rubbed at the back of my head. "Aww come on Cilan, you're just too sweet."

He smiled back. "I'm afraid your presence has that effect on me."

Not surprisingly I heard Chili groan. "Ugh I've created a monster…" Then he shook his head. "No joke, Cress, a little more of this and I'm gonna hurl big time."

Cress laughed without losing the polite air about him. "Well I for one think love is beautiful."

"Oh that's it…" Chili mumbled as he put his hand over his mouth and headed for the kitchen. "Say hello to breakfast all over again…"

"What a little kid…" I smirked as I rolled my eyes.

Cilan laughed. "You'll have to excuse Chili, he was never one for overly sentimental things I'm afraid."

"Yeah no kidding…" I mumbled with a smirk. Which just made it even more ironic that he had been one of the main ones to push us together in the first place. I figured in his own five year old way, that was him showing that he cared about us. Or something like it anyway...

It was amazing to see Cilan again, but the moment was at least a little lost by the overly dramatic fake "hurling" sounds Chili was making in the background. But then, what had I been expecting with this family...?

Yet...the truth was, annoying parts and all, I loved this family. So much so, that I'll let you in on that secret wish from before. I was just wishing, hoping maybe, that one day I'd get to be a part of it myself…

But for now I was more than happy with breakfast. Because no one could cook like Cilan did, and no one could make me smile like him either. And if you think that's too sappy than I'd say…

Stop being such a little kid already!

Because really, with Chili around, one is plenty enough.

"Here, why don't you help me finish making breakfast?" Cilan said with a wide smile as he gestured me toward the kitchen.

I nodded. "Sure thing," then I rubbed my stomach. "I am pretty starved actually."

"Well, I know just the thing!" Cilan said snapping his fingers together and seeming as happy as a little kid in a candy store. Maybe he was just that happy, I knew I was. So following him inside I ignored Chili's fake groaning and waited for Cilan to tell me what he wanted me to help out with.

"Would you mind cutting up these berries into smaller chunks?" He asked politely as he motioned toward a little basket of mixed berries. As usual I thought they looked really good just how they were, but if it was for Cilan, than yeah I could play along.

"Just leave it to me!" I said balling my fist in determination. Besides, Cilan always knew what he was doing in the kitchen, so something told me he was going to turn these berries into something even more amazing. Or at least that's what my rumbling stomach was hoping anyway. So I was extra careful to try and cut them neatly. And it turned out to look pretty good.

When I was finished I turned back to him with a smile. "All done, now what?"

"You just sit down and relax, things are almost ready." He said as he delicately poured some batter into a pan.

I appreciated the thought but I wasn't exactly the sitting down type, so I walked over and looked at what he was making.

"Pancakes?" I asked taking a guess.

He nodded without taking his eyes off of the bubbles forming in the batter. He didn't say anything though, so I knew he must have been concentrating. Then all of a sudden, in one smooth motion he moved the pan causing the pancake to flip over.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face, and I got the idea that he thought he'd just done that perfectly. I rolled my eyes playfully before I took a few steps back, to give him room to work. After a little while he stepped back too, and I figured he was finished because the stack of finished pancakes had gotten pretty big.

"Looks like we're all done! Now we just have to add the toppings." Cilan said sounding excited.

I nodded. "Right, so that's where the berries come in?"

"Precisely, and nothing goes better with berries than fresh whipped cream."

I smirked. "Well you have me there, it's like you know all of my favorites."

He laughed. "That would be because I do. I've always made it a point to know my friends taste well, because I want my cooking to be as enjoyable as possible." Then he shyly rubbed at his sleeve. "Though I may have made extra notes about your special tastes, Iris…"

I felt the grin on my face soften a little bit. It was just amazing to be here now, it was like everything I'd ever imagined… Everything I'd been imagining the whole time we'd been apart.

Was Elder right...had my path already changed for good…?

"Guess I'll just help myself." Chili said with a smirk as he started piling pancakes onto a plate.

"Yes, please help yourself." Cilan added in, but I just frowned at him with narrowed eyes.

"I thought you were sick?"

He shrugged with a smirk. "My recovery was miraculous."

I just rolled my eyes again before I went to fix my own plate. Cilan insisted on doing the decorating though, and so that's how I ended up with "I love you" written neatly in whipped cream on top of my pancake. I'm not gonna lie, that was almost too much even for me. Especially since it even managed to get a grin out of Cress, so I don't even need to say how Chili snickered until he almost choked to death on an oran berry.

Okay so yeah...Cilan was a little over the top as usual, but he just looked so genuinely happy that I couldn't tell him anything. So despite how red my face was from blushing, or how blue Chili's was from almost meeting his end through a blocked windpipe, breakfast went by without a hitch.

And once we were finished it was pretty much time for Cilan to get back to work preparing food for the lunch crowd that would be coming soon. I didn't want to get in the way, but I decided to stay awhile and watch how things went anyway. Because that was kind of nice, just watching him work, seeing what most of his days were like. Part of the time I spent in the kitchen, and the rest I just sat at a little table in the corner of the dining room. Chili, Cress, and of course Cilan were gliding around, waiting the tables like it was some kind of rehearsed dance.

Maybe I seemed a little weird to everybody else, just sitting there staring at them, but nobody could understand just what it meant to me. What they meant to me… Family was always a word that tasted a little bitter to me before, but I was starting to get just what it must really mean. So I was thinking a lot about that when I heard the chair across from me pull out. A teenaged girl a few years younger than me sat down, and I snapped back to the present.

"Uh hi there…?" I mumbled a little confused why she was staring at me without saying anything.

But then it all hit me, yeah that whole champion bit.

"You're Iris the champion, right? Yeah I know you are." She said answering her own question, but I decided to nod anyway.

"Yeah, that's me...though," I said rubbing at the back of my neck. "I really just prefer it when people call me Iris."

"Oh that's cool with me, Iris." She said with an excited smile as she reached her hand out across the table for me to shake. "I'm Viola, star reporter!"

I blinked still feeling confused. "O-Okay…"

Then she sighed. "Well, okay, I'm still an intern, but if I get a few big scoops my boss says I'll be a shoo-in for the real job."

"Oh I get it," I said as all the pieces fit together. "You want an interview with me or something, right?"

"Could I really?! It would mean so much to my future career!" She said whipping a note pad and pen out of what seemed like thin air.

I grinned a little awkwardly. It wasn't like I enjoyed this kind of thing, but it did seem to mean a lot to her. So I sighed and gave in.

"Okay sure, what do you want to know? Something about my battle strategies or training schedule?"

She just laughed and waved her hand like what I'd said was really silly. "No, of course not! That's boring stuff everybody else already reports on."

"Boring…?" I mumbled raising an eyebrow, not liking where this was going. "Then what did you have in mind?"

Somehow I thought I already knew, and as soon as she smirked a little I figured I was right. "Well," she said, lowering her voice. "You are in the Striaton gym. And you aren't even eating anything..." She said pointing toward the lone glass of water sitting in front of me.

I frowned. "Well yeah but…"

"Lot's of people have been talking about the rumors, but no one has any real evidence."

"Evidence of what exactly?" I asked figuring it was worth playing dumb just in case she was talking about something other than what I was thinking of.

She bit her lip. "I understand it's a sensitive subject but-"

But right on time Cilan glided over to our table with a clueless smile on his face. "Iris, dear, can I get you anything? It's after lunch so I thought-"

For the first time that day I wanted to reach out and slap him even if he was being so nice. Since when had he started with the terms of endearment? Or more importantly when did he choose to start them in front of a nosy reporter?

Viola's eyes got about as wide as Ash's at an all you eat buffet. "That's okay Cilan, really…" I mumbled out trying not to sound as annoyed as I felt.

"I'm sorry," he said with a smile as he noticed Viola. "I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation."

I wanted to say someone needed to, but instead I just swallowed my grimace as he politely bowed and went back to waiting the other tables.

"So you are married!" She 'shout whispered' in one rushed breath.

I cringed and fought the urge to slip under the table. "We're not married!"

Viola leaned back in her chair and got a disappointed look on her face. "But those pictures of you two going into the justice of the peace...they were the centerpiece of my big scoop…?"

I crossed my arms. "You were spying on us?"

"So you admit you were there?" She said as she quickly wrote down something.

I felt a vein throb in my forehead but I tried to let it go with a sigh. "Look, I understand it's your job and all, but don't you think asking about stuff like that is pretty personal?"

She scratched at the side of her face with a guilty look. "Yeah probably, but… Well it's a tough industry to break into, and with me still being a kid it's even harder to get anyone to take you seriously. I just thought maybe if I went for a story everyone is already interested in, then..."

I frowned. Why was I the one feeling guilty now?

I sighed again. "Yes we were there, but not for the reason you think. I'm sorry if it ruins your story, but we're definitely not…" I swallowed hard as I stared at the ice cubes floating in my glass of water. "Married." I finally managed to choke out.

"That's okay," she said understandingly, and it made me wonder why I was the one apologizing anyway. "Just having it confirmed that you're dating would be a big scoop." She slid the pen behind her ear and adjusted her red framed glasses.

"You must at least be dating though, right?"

I frowned before I felt my shoulders slump. "If it'll make your career or whatever, then...yeah fine we are. But why does anybody even care…?"

She snatched the pen from her ear and started to write like crazy. "An official statement! Thank you so much, Iris!"

I frowned wider. "Uh, you're welcome I guess…"

"And why wouldn't everyone care, you're the champion, and he's a top gym leader?! Besides, people love reading about people in love, it's just something in human nature. But when you're famous to boot, then it makes for the perfect story!"

"Uh if you say so…" I mumbled not really convinced that I wouldn't regret this. In fact, I was pretty sure I already did. But it was too late to change things now, because she bolted up out of her chair and, after tossing me a little wave, headed for the door.

"Well, something tells me that's going to come back to bite me later…" I mumbled as I leaned into my hand.

"Ure..?" Fraxure mumbled seeming confused.

I reached down to pat his head. "Don't worry boy, at least it's not dangerous trouble this time…" I sighed before whispering to myself. "Just the embarrassing kind…" Which right now, seemed almost worse...

Later when Cilan asked what it was all about, I brushed it off without getting into any of the details. The last thing I wanted to do was start talking about people thinking we were married, weren't things awkward enough just with Chili around?

Anyway, before I knew it, the whole day had almost gone by. I knew Cilan's restaurant was usually open pretty late into the evening, but this time he closed earlier. So I knew he must have had something special planned. It being Cilan, I was half expecting something really over the top like ballroom dancing in overly fancy clothes. But I guess it wasn't just my taste in food that he knew pretty well, because I was so relieved when he just suggested that we go out for ice cream instead.

So in the end, Cress was the only one to eat an ice cream cone with a spoon, and Chili had almost one scoop for every flavor available. Cilan got a mint chocolate chip, and I of course got something berry flavored. All in all I thought it was a pretty perfect way to end the day. But when Cilan recommend we take a detour through Striaton park, well I figured it might just get even more perfect.

Not that I ever really considered myself somebody who liked all those typical romantic things. But, that was before so much had happened. Before everything had changed. And so even though I was still me, I also thought I was really different in some ways…

"The stars are certainly beautiful tonight, aren't they?" Cilan asked as he looked over at me with a smile. I looked out at Chili trying (and failing) to skip rocks over the pond in the distance, while Cress laughed calmly to himself. Then I looked up at the sky, at those stars Cilan was talking about. They were still so dim compared to back home in the village of dragons, but…

"Yeah, they sure are…" I answered back with a determined nod. The truth was, no matter how different things were in the city, I still felt at home here. If for no other reason than because he was here. Because being here made me feel like I was doing what I needed to, like I was where I most needed to be. Like I really was meant to be with him…

But I didn't know how to say any of that, and maybe I wasn't sure if I was supposed to anyway. Maybe not yet. Because everything that Elder had implied, it made me wonder just what the future did hold, and most of all what was I supposed to be doing now? I'd followed my path back to him, but I wasn't sure what was going to happen now…

"Iris," he spoke up softly, and pulled me from everything I was thinking. "Do you remember when we first started traveling together with Ash?"

"Of course, what about it?" I answered simply.

He smiled softly as he turned back to the mostly starry sky above us. "I suppose I'm just thinking about what a great team we made even at the outset."

I grinned a little. "Yeah, we are a real duo, huh?"

"And," he went on. "If I were to think about that ever not being the case, I get quite the bitter taste in my mouth."

Looking at him I expected him to say something else, almost like something on his face seemed unsaid. But the longer I waited the more the silence just grew, so I decided to speak up instead.

"Well, it's not like I'm going somewhere, Cilan. So," I smiled a little as I looked at the grass below our feet. "So the next time someone decides to almost run over one of us, we know who will be on the case."

He laughed a little before turning to face me again. "I'd like it most of all if our next case isn't so dangerous, but whatever the case…" he trailed off and got kind of quiet. "Whatever the challenge, I'll be happiest to face it with you at my side."

"You know," I said softly as I reached to intertwine his fingers in my own. "Words are funny, we keep trying to say the same thing in different ways." And that much seemed true, or at least I thought it was.

Cilan smiled and I felt his hand tighten around my own. "It may be that being in love is just about saying the same things in different ways… But most of all, Iris, I'd like to think it's about saying different things in the same way." I kept quiet as I watched him go on.

"Like a dish that gains new and deeper flavors as it simmers and marinates, I think a simple statement like 'I love you' can take on even richer meaning with time. Because of that, cooking can call for patience. Like so many things in life, timing is often crucial."

I wasn't exactly sure what he meant until his face soften almost into a hurt look. "That's what I kept reminding myself all the time you were away. Patience and timing. But the thing is…"

He smiled down at me and almost looked a little playfully embarrassed. "Like you would always point out, cooking and love are in fact very different things. It was much easier to wait for the ideal time to remove a dish from the oven, than to wait for you…"

I grinned a little bit. "Glad to hear it wasn't just me being clingy… Because I was a little worried about that, to be honest."

Cilan shook his head. "Far from it, I missed you more than words can say."

"So…" I mumbled ignoring the heat I felt on my face, yeah still, even after all this time. "So what do we do now? Where are we supposed to go from here?"

His face fell into a look that I couldn't quite figure out, before he spoke up again. "I've also given that a great deal of thought, but I've decided to wait a little longer before I share it with you."

"Share what with me?" I asked frowning.

He smiled a little apologetically. "I'm afraid I can't tell you just yet, it might spoil the recipe if I did."

I sighed and pretended to be upset. "What a way to leave me in suspense…"

He gently let go of my hand and took a few steps forward. "I wouldn't worry." He said simply as he knelt down to inspect something on the ground.

"Guess I don't have much choice…" I grumbled as I followed him over to whatever he was looking at.

Then I realized what it was a flower. I was half expecting it to somehow be the first clue of a new crazy mystery the way he was looking at it, but then… Then he just picked it slowly and stood to face me again.

"They may seem to be the same words, but…" he gently slipped the stem of the flower in between a few locks of my hair. "But, I hope that when I say I love you, it won't ever just be common place…"

For a second I just stood there, until I stepped forward just enough to hug him, to hold him close enough that it made the distance from the last few months fade away.

"Hey, Cilan," I whispered. "So you know...I have a secret wish too. And I'm not telling you about it yet either…"

"Then I imagine for now, we're even." He said simply, with a smile in his voice.

I pulled back just enough to reach up and touch the side of his face. I wasn't sure why I did it, maybe just to make sure that he was really there… That my best friend really did love me back.

The truth was, for everything I'd wished since this whole thing got started. Well…

Right now, I just wanted to be with him forever.

And I figured, that was both the simplest, and greatest wish of all…

FIN

Thanks for reading all the way to the end, and for the wonderful reviews! This story means a lot to me, and your support is much appreciated. Stick around for a sequel in the weeks ahead. (Or possibly sooner, if I get off of it and start writing... lol) Anyway, until then, stay awesome!