Enjoy this stories last adventure.

How It Should've Been

Chapter 24: Epilogue

Sirius and Alex stood side by side standing in front of the large top to bottom window. Both were wearing all black despite the somewhat sunny weather. Sirius in an all black suit and Alex in her normal attire just black. Sirius shifted putting his hands in his pockets while Alex stood arms crossed nether having spoken yet.

"Here we are. Back where it all began." Alex started simply not turning but staying looking out of the window. Sirius nodded watching the sky.

"We never should've left." He shook his head sighing. Everything that happened, maybe it could've been avoided if they stayed here, in New Zealand.

"I think it was always in the cards. It was just a matter of when it was dealt." Alex admitted thoughtfully.

Sirius took a deep breathe and closed his eyes before breathing out, "I'm sorry." Sirius mumbled barely audible.

"It's not your fault." Alex countered. Sirius looked down at his shoes frowning before shaking his head.

"I mean with Lily. You put a lot of effort into bringing her back only to have to- you know." Sirius looked back up and out the window. Alex closed her eyes for a second. She knew very well what he was talking about. It was then that Sirius's eyes widened as he whipped to face Alex. "You're alive?!" He exclaimed. Alex chuckled darkly.

"That's relative. This is a dream. Your dream. It was only way I could talk to you. I'm not dead. But I am on another plane of existence. And you have to find a way to get me back. Before it's too late." She urged.

"Too late? Too late for what?" Sirius demanded. Alex flicked in front of him. She cursed. "What's happening?" Sirius worried.

"We're running out of time. They're not done yet Sirius. You have to be ready!" She was fading by the second.

"Who? Who Alex?!"

"L&W." The answer came as a whisper as Alex faded completely.

"Alex! Alex!" Sirius shouted as he looked around frantically. Seconds later he was shooting up into a sitting position from bed in pitch blackness. His breathing was shuddering.

"What's wrong?" Came a soft whisper from his side.

"She's alive." He whispered in disbelief still breathing heavy.

Another Plane Somewhere

She first figured out something was wrong when she walked down a busy London sidewalk and ran into a man only to pass right through him as he continued like nothing happened. Testing a theory, she waved a hand in multiple peoples faces. It was like they couldn't see her. She ran through people, only to be met with the same results. It was like she was there but somehow not at the same time.

She made her way to the Potter Home in London. Walking the empty halls she searched. It didn't take her long to find Sirius and Amelia. They were in his office talking. Neither seemed to notice her presence. Again, though anticipating the results, she waved through them. As expected. Nothing.

"Damn." Alex muttered the curse. This wasn't something she had an idea how to fix. She had never seen anything like it. Not even for the dead.

She wondered through a park in central London and sat on a bench, watching people walk, and talk and laugh as they passed by unbeknownst to them they were being watched. It was only when someone set on the bench beside her and addressed that she turned her attention to them.

"Well well well. What do we have here?" Lily spoke with a devious smirk. Alex's jaw clenched. Of course, it had to be because of Lily, because they couldn't just die in piece.

"Where is this place?" Alex questioned calmly. She knew she wasn't going to get any answers if she was angry. There was no point to it.

"It's called a Lost One's plane. Those that are lost find themselves here." Lily answered taking her gaze from Alex to watch the people passing by much like Alex was.

"There are others here?" Alex wondered. Lily smiled probably the saddest smile Alex had seen her smile in over a decade.

"Few. A few are like you actually." Lily revealed. "But not all here are lost. Some are trapped. Some taken by force. For some, this is the land between life and death.

"How did we get here?" Alex asked taking it all in.

"I brought us here. Let's just say I had a backup plan in place. You triggered it. And here we are." Lily explained.

"How do we get back?"

"We can't. Not without help from the land of the living. See this plane, it's in between the realms of life and death. Many skip over it when moving from one to the other, but it can be stopped for a pit stop. But it's not indefinite. Many here have been fighting to stay here. Death comes for them all eventually. The question of the matter is if you can hold out long enough."

"So someone living has to pull us out. While someone dead tries to pull us in. We have to last enough to be pulled out before we get taken in. Great. And how does that work, when nobody knows this even exists. Nobody knows where we are." Alex looked to Lily exasperated, but Lily didn't falter nor return her gaze, only to remain staring at the passerby's.

"Guess that's the first problem we have to solve then."

"And the next?"

"How the hell we plan to survive here long enough."

"Seems like that should be the first problem. Don't you think?"

"No. There's no point in surviving if we can't make contact. Contact first. Surviving second."

"Don't we have to survive to make contact?"

"Guess we have to multi-task then."

"Love the optimism."

"Thanks."

"I was being sarcastic."

"I know."

"Love and war."

"More than just letters than huh?"

"More than just letters."

And there they sat for hours. Talking. Bickering. Bantering. For those hours, it was like the past fifteen years hadn't happened, like they hadn't just fought a war with one of them are either side. They weren't Lily, a leader of L&W, or Alex, an immortal Master of Elements. They were for the first time in a long time, family. Crisis does that, it brings those even the furthest apart, just that much closest. And sometimes, that's enough. Not always. But today it was. And that was all that mattered. They could worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.

And that's a wrap! That's all everyone. This story has reached its conclusion. And I will answer this question now in case any one asks it considering how I left the ending with another adventure just ready and waiting, I have thought and tossed around the idea of a sequel in my head. I've even considered the idea of a prequel. And I'm not saying never to either. I wrote the ending like this for a reason, in case I ever wanted to come back to this and continue this adventure in another story. As of right now, I'm not writing it, I simply do not have the time nor really the motivation to think up another big plot line like I did with this story. Don't get me wrong, I love this story, the characters I created, the universe I made and the plot that unfolded. And I loved writing it, but unfortunately writing fanfiction can not be my life. I don't know if there will be anything to expect out of me for a while, I don't have anything in the works, but I'll be around and maybe one day I'll have another idea or I'll come back to this and do a sequel.

I also know this story isn't perfect. There were probably plot holes that I missed, questions left unanswered, and if I ever come back to this story I'll answer them. But right now, this is where it all ends. Thank you for all of the support I've had on this journey. I can never truly express just how much I appreciate it. So the least I can say is I hope you enjoyed being with on this adventure and thank you! -DS