Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX or 'At The Sign Of The Sugared Plum'

Epilogue

The Beginning

The short bluenette bore some resemblance to the baby in his arms. His grey eyes were a different colour but the same shape, and his aqua hair colour was there in the tips of the baby's spiked hair.

Jaden stood close by Syrus Truesdale, who he had found a week beforehand. He had sent word that he had the man's niece and had brought her to him. Syrus had given Jaden had a large sum of money as a reward.

Baby Vicky had no family other than Syrus, apart from Atticus Rhodes - and Jaden had no idea who he was or where he might find him, so he simply told Syrus and the bluenette promised he'd get word to the other uncle.

Syrus offered Jaden a ride home in his fancy carriage but Jaden declined, saying he wanted to walk and clear his head. The shorter boy thanked him again for the safe arrival of his healthy niece. Then the now only Truesdale brother was gone with the baby, back to their large country mansion, where the baby would be cared for by her family.

Jaden began his walk back to his home in the centre of Chertsey, his hands in the pockets of the red jacket he had bought from Chazz Princeton's tailor shop. He vaguely wondered if Chazz was still alive, and hoped that one day he might see him again - not that the youngest Princeton would want that visit.

Jaden and Aster had been living in Jaden's parents' home for the past three months, caring for the orphan baby Vicky between them - what a shock the family had got when their son and nephew arrived carrying a baby! Aster had managed to finally locate Syrus Truesdale, and after sending word of the baby in their care, they had arranged for Jaden to take the child to meet with her uncle.

There was news now of slight declining numbers of plague deaths in London and thankfully it hadn't spread very far out of the city, only nearby small villages being afflicted along with London.

Sometimes Jaden wondered about his friends and neighbours left in the city. Bastian and Hasselberry had died early on in the sickness, but Jim had been healthy when he and Aster had left. Jim and his wife and two daughters may be alive. Jaden wondered if someday he might see that friendly, half-bandaged face again.

Of course, none of those friends of his were thought about first thing in the morning and last thing at night, like Jaden's secret love was.

Jaden arrived home not long later. Aster was the only one in the small home and he grinned merrily at his cousin who smiled gently back at him. Aster was baking bread for the family, since he was the best at it, and Jaden didn't want to bother him.

The brunette slipped into his own bedchamber that he shared with nobody but the old family cat. He closed the door and then slipped out from underneath his rough pillow the piece of paper that he cherished so much.

The paper was slightly torn and yellowed now, its ink smudged in a few places - but it was legible, and that was all that mattered. Not really any more, even, because Jaden Yuki had memorised the words.

The day after Aster had finally tracked down Syrus Truesdale, a letter had come into the house. It was rare for folk in Chertsey to get letters, so it caused some excitement in the household, especially when they saw it came from London. Letters were rarely accepted from London because of the plague, but as the numbers were beginning to fall some letters were being allowed through. Nobody was sure how he got this letter through but Jaden was wholeheartedly glad that he did.

Despite the fact that he knew it by heart, Jaden read the letter again.

Jaden,

I hope this letter reaches you because at the moment I can't. I'm trying to get by in another job and it's hard, because I'm not as strong as I used to be.

I would have wrote to you sooner but I was at death's door for six weeks and couldn't write, and then when I recovered I had to find a place to live. Mapleside Manor is being sold, can you imagine! I have found a place. though, and a new job.

I wish I could be with you. I want that more than anything.

Jaden, I survived the sickness. You may not believe it's true - I thought I was going to die myself - but I am alive and mending.

Thank you for saving Vicky's life. I can't thank you enough. I hope that she made it.

I trust that you are in good health and I pray that your feelings for me haven't changed. I wish I had said goodbye properly but I had fallen unconscious and awoke to find your letter. I still have it.

I will soon come to Chertsey, or meet with you when you return to London - if you choose to - as the numbers are going down and the authorities predict that soon it'll be a safe city again. The cold weather coming will kill off the plague, we're sure.

Jaden, my love, I can't wait to see you again.

No matter when that is, or how long I have to wait, know that I love you.

Love, Jesse Andersen.

Jaden folded the letter once again, tears flowing gently down his cheeks and onto his smiling lips, tasting of salt.

The letter from his love had arrived not long ago and it had lifted a weight from his heart that he hadn't known was weighing him down.

Jesse was alive. Jesse loved him.

That was all Jaden needed.

Jaden knew that he would return to London, and to Jesse, and until then he would lie in bed at night and dream of his sweet reunion, and that first kiss that he longed to share with his bluenette love.

Thank you for reading. There is a sequel to the book this is based on which I think I'll parody in a sequel to this. Please R&R