Epilogue

"However long the night, the dawn will break."

African Proverb

Delia walked along the shoreline in the early morning hours. She was back on Hector's island, and now and then the breeze would carry shouts and faint music from the party going on at Team Rocket's camp. Delia had stopped by the party earlier, but she hadn't stayed long. After everything that had happened, she needed some time alone.

After all, there were a lot of changes to process. Manieri was gone. Most of his top officers had been arrested, according to the top story on the evening news. A handful had escaped from the clutches of the International Police, but Giovanni said it didn't matter. The Gold Rockets' power was irreversibly broken.

Delia's wandering brought her to a large driftwood log that was dried and bleached from countless days of sitting on the beach. The sun would be rising soon, and she would have a perfect view from here. Delia sat on the log and closed her eyes, allowing the gentle breeze and the spray of salt water to cleanse away her lingering stress and fear. The ordeal was over. She no longer had to watch over her shoulder, making sure Manieri wasn't targeting her and Ash. She could move on now. In the soft sand, she almost didn't hear Giovanni's approach.

"Aren't you lonely out here by yourself?" he asked, sitting beside Delia.

"No, I thought I could use a little time to myself," she said, reaching out to take his hand. "I'm glad you're here though. I thought you'd be celebrating with everyone else."

Giovanni shrugged. "I didn't want to overstay my welcome. Let's face it, no one likes trying to have a party with their boss around."

Delia smiled. "I guess you have a point. How are you doing? Is your hand okay?"

Giovanni glanced down at his heavily bandaged left hand. "It needed some stitches, but they think it should heal all right. I got off easy, all things considered."

Neither of them spoke for several minutes. They both knew there was plenty that needed to be said, but neither of them was quite sure where to begin. They settled for companionable silence instead, watching the waves roll against the beach.

"I see you're wearing your ring again," Giovanni said, lightly running a finger over the old engagement ring he'd given her so long ago.

Delia held up her hand, admiring the way the moonstone seemed to glow under the remaining moonlight. "I happened to have it with me, and it's a pretty ring." She shot Giovanni a mischievous look out the corner of her eye. "Besides, I was kind of hoping your old offer still stood."

"I didn't know you'd still be interested."

Delia smiled ruefully. "I don't see how there could be any confusion. All I did was claim our son was someone else's, marry another man, and not speak to you for fourteen years."

"Well, when you put it that way, it sounds complicated."

Delia stared out at the ocean for a few moments again before she answered. "I guess doing things the easy way was never our style."

"True enough."

They lapsed into silence once again. The eastern sky was beginning to glow on the horizon. The clouds were stained rich shades of purple and orange.

"I meant what I said before." Giovanni was serious when he spoke again. "We can never go back to the way things were."

"I know," Delia said, "but we can go forward. Together."

"I would like that," Giovanni replied after a pause. "I'm going back to Kanto this afternoon if you'd like to join me."

"Are you just offering to be nice, or do you really want me to go with you?"

"Yes, I want you to come with me. Not just to Viridian City, but to whatever comes next too." Giovanni gripped her hand tightly. "I know you probably deserve better than me, and I can't promise everything will be perfect. There might be hard times, and everything won't always go according to plan. But I can promise I will always love you and be by your side through the good times and the bad. What do you say?"

Delia grinned. "Nothing would make me happier."

She let go of Giovanni's hand and threw her arms around his neck. Giovanni was caught off guard by her sudden movement and lost his balance. They both toppled off the log into the soft sand. Delia wasn't afraid of the uncertainties that lay ahead of them. Whatever came next, they would face it together.

She pulled Giovanni close for a kiss as the beautiful, radiant dawn broke on the horizon.

Well, after all these years, this is finally the end! I did promise I would finish this story, and I do keep my promises… eventually. ^.^

I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, followed, or even just taken the time to read! You are all awesome, and I mean it when I say I couldn't have done it without you!

Xoxo,

Kira