This is the last chapter you guys, and from the very bottom of my heart; I would like to thank you all, so SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much for everything! You guys are so awesome and I love you all! Thank you so much for sticking with me throughout the whole thing! And thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! Thank you to everyone who favorited and subscribed to this story! Just thank you all so sooooooo much!

This is the first real story, that I can honestly say, that I have ever completed! And it is all thanks to you guys!

Chapter 30: Epilogue: 3 years later

"Okay Dave, that's a wrap. You can call it a day now."

"Are you sure? I couldn't have gone any higher on that last verse?", a now 16 year old Dave said taking off his head phones.

"Nah, you're good. Everything sounded great.", a man from behind a glass window. "Alright."

"Man you've been working over time. That's the fourth song this week.", the man said, handing Dave a bottle of water as he walked out of the recording studio. "Thanks man. I'm trying to get this album out before school starts back." "Keep this up, and you'll be releasing more than one." Dave smirked a little. "Well I gotta get going, Bro gotta go soon and Mom should be home anytime." "Okay well, you better get going then. And tell your folks I said hi." "Will do Mark.", Dave waved bye to his manager Mark Paige as he exited the studio.

Dave was working his butt off to get this album released before school started back. It would be his third album since he started singing professionally when he was 14. He had jokingly told Dirk that he had written up enough songs to make an album. Dirk told him that a guy named Mark Paige frequented the club that Dirk worked at was looking to sign him, and he told Dave that he would talk to him the next time he came in. Dave thought he was kidding. He wasn't kidding. His debut album, 'Bullseye', coined after the bullet hole in chest, was released on October 3rd. On the one year anniversary of the day that changed all their lives forever. And oh man did he literally never hear the end of it at school the next day. After that, he started releasing his albums during the summer so when he went back to school, he wouldn't be bombarded like he was when he released his first album. It was working.

School, oh boy. When Jade told him that he was in for it when he first came back to school after he was abducted, she wasn't kidding. Dave received a heroes welcome when he finally returned to school. Dave might as well have went to school that day covered in magnets, cause from the moment he stepped back into that building to when Dirk picked him up from school; he was literally covered in people. His locker had had writing like 'We love you Dave' and 'We miss you' were all over it, when he opened it he was greeted by a nice avalanche of notes and poems. He saved everyone of them, and now resided in a box under his bed.

Dave got in his red Mustang GT, the gift from his 16th birthday from Dirk and Jane, and drove off towards home. His home was in a different location than it was 3 years ago, much different. With the $300,000 Dirk got back from the settlement, they were able to move into a much nicer home. A good sized, craftsman about a block or two from the Egberts.

The Egberts, after the whole ordeal, have grown closer to the Striders than most families. They might as have been family in Dave's eyes. Dave's ordeal made them all realize just how much they meant to each other, and how precious life truly was.

Dave did eventually tell John what all happened, well at least to what his memory served him. It all seemed like such a blur now. He was sad and a little angry at first. But when Dave explained everything, told him why he didn't tell him at first; he understood, and was thankful that Dave waited to tell him when HE was ready to hear it. John didn't think that he could have handled the news of his best friend being kidnapped, shot, and raped all at once. And ever since then, John and Dave have grown closer than most siblings.

Dave, Dirk, and Jane were now living happily as a family in their new house, living new lives. After Dirk went back to DJing after his and Jane's honeymoon, he had worked and improved his craft to point where he was now topping charts and made a name for himself as one of the best DJs in the country. He even opened up his own club downtown called 'TG'. Like Dave, he had even made several albums, and provided most of the music in Dave's albums.

At her new position at the FBI headquarters in Houston, Texas, Jane was the overseer of the child abuse and sex crime department. Since she started their, she helped bring down at least 50 brothels and child sex rings all along North America and overseas. She had even set up an organization called 'David's Chance', to rescue and recuperate the victims of sexual slavery all around the world.

And no, Dave wasn't an uncle, yet.

Dave pulled up to the house and saw that he had beaten Jane home. He opened the door and was immediately met by a very familiar fury face. "Hey Chance!", Dave bent down and ruffled his fury head. Chance had grown from little wagging ball of fluff, to a lean, not-so-mean, smuppet killing machine. Dave could have sworn he had at least a dozen of them buried in the back yard. Jane was right about animals helping children recuperate. With Chance around, Dave just seemed to be happier. And it was really showing. He was calmer and more understanding.

"Is that you Little Man?", Dirk called out from the kitchen. "Hey Bro, yeah it's me.", Dave said as he walk into the kitchen, and busted out laughing. There stood his bro, by the stove, in an apron. "What?", Dirk said, turning around. Since Jane worked during the day, and Dirk worked at night, Dirk had decided to take care of the chores around the house for her during the day. And sometimes that included cooking. And most of those sometimes, he should have let Jane take care of when she got home. Dirk had to admit it, he wasn't the best cook. But hey, it's the thought that counts right?

"What abomination did you conjure up this time?", Dave said looking over a pot of God knows what. "Atleast I never set the microwave on fire." "THAT WAS JUST ONCE THANK YOU!"

"Boys! I'm home!", Jane called enthusiastically as she walked in the door. "Hey Mom!", Dave gave her hug. Dave had started calling Jane 'Mom' after she adopted him. Even though it took him a while to get used to, he felt she deserved it.

"Hey sweetheart.", Jane hugged him and kissed him on the forehead, "How was your day?" "Good. Bro is cooking up a science experiment in the kitchen." "Oh Lord." "What? It doesn't look that bad.", Dirk said as Jane walked into the kitchen. "Oh honey.", she said as she looked down at the pot, "As much as I appreciate you trying to help cook. Some people that are just better at somethings than other people. No offense.", Jane said kissing Dirk on the lips. "None taken.", Dirk smiled.

After Jane washed up, she prepared a rather delicious meal for them in a matter of no time.

"That was delicious Jane!", Dirk said leaning back in his his, picking his teeth. Jane smiled, "Is it good Dave?" "Yes ma'am!", Dave said, shoving the remaining bites into his mouth. "I'm glad my boys enjoyed it.", Jane smiled, as she and Dirk gathered the plates from the table.

"Hey, Little Man, you got a letter from Tonya in the mail today. I put it on your desk in your room.", Dirk said as he loaded the last of the dishes into the dish washer. "Okay, thank's Bro."

When Dave was still in the hospital, he asked Jane what was gonna happen to Tonya. She told him that she will be put in jail for her part in the sex ring. But, she told him, since she cooperated with the FBI and gave them as much information as she could, her sentence was reduced dramatically from 15-20 years in prison to under 10. She ended up getting 5. Ever since she was sentenced, her and Dave have been sending each other letters to keep in touch and had grown to be good friends. Dave can never thank her enough for helping him escape that fateful day. If it weren't for her, he was sure that he would be dead.

Dave walked into his bedroom, followed by Chance, opened the letter waiting for him. On the envelope it read:

Tonya Daniels Inmate Number#0847391

Washington State Women's Correctional Facility

Hey Dave,

How's it going? Still breakin' them hearts? How's your next album coming along? I got the first two, I can't wait for the next one. I'm sure it'll be worth the wait just like the last ones. They always are.

So, how is everything going? How is your brother and Jane doing? I hope everything is going well.

Everything is going good here. I was offered parole, but I turned it down. I told them that I should be in here longer than I am. That I deserved to be in here. I don't know how I'll ever be able to forgive myself for what I've done. I hope you've forgiven me. Even though I don't deserve it.

I've made a few friends in here. Patricia, my cellmate, is my closest one. She's in here for drug possession, accessory to child abuse and neglect, she got 15. She has a son, about 12 I think. She said her ex-husband was abusing her son and she couldn't stop him. So she went to drugs to help dull the pain, she says, of the fact that her man was hurting her baby and she couldn't do anything about it.

It really hit home. All those years, I was that woman. Just standing by, watching kid after kid come there, and not doing a damn thing but watch as innocent lives were destroyed.

But now, I stand refusing to see another child suffer. I wanna to help people when I get out of here Dave. I wanna tell them how they can get help out of the sex ring. Talk to people how have been abused. Being there, being here helped me see people for who they really are. Both the good and the bad.

When I get out I want to come see you. I want to tell you personally how sorry I am for all the things I've done. For being that woman who just stood by.

See ya in 2 years,

Tonya

After reading the letter, Dave pinned it up on his board on the wall facing his desk, along with all the other letters Tonya sent him, and the letter that Rose had written him on his 14th birthday.

After pinning to the board, he pulled out a piece of paper and began writing.

Hey Tonya,

Sorry, I haven't written in a while. I've been busy getting this next album ready. The album's called 2nd Chances. I'll send you a copy when it comes out.

But everything is going good. Bro and Mom are doing good. I wish you could've been at the wedding.

Bro's still topping charts, and Mom's still working on cases. Since she started here in Houston, she helped bring down over 50 brothels all over the country and I think overseas too.

Bro started this club downtown called TG, after my screen name on Pesterchum, Turntech Godhead. You should see that place on when it's open. When the place first opened up, the lines were back up a block away!

And Tonya, how many times have we been over this? YOU DO DESERVE PAROLE! I know you feel like you don't , but you do! You helped us escape! If it weren't for you, I would be dead and so would my Bro! So don't you dare say you deserve to be in there with criminals!

Tonya, I'm going to tell you something that my good friend Timmy told me. The first step to feeling is forgiveness. If you don't have forgiveness in your heart, you will always be angry. You will always hurt, and you will never heal. You will always be a victim. I refused to stay a victim, and turned my heart over to forgiveness. If I didn't forgive Tonya, I can't guarantee that I would be who I am, the man I have become, today.

When you get out, I want to be the first person you see on the outside. I want to help you, and I will do everything I can to help you. I can get Mom to help you become the spokeswoman for her organization. It's a start, and I'm sure you're gonna go far and help as many people as you can.

And I WILL see you later,

Dave

Like he and Tonya, Dave and Timmy had grown be to become close friends. They sent emails to each other every now and then and sent each other birthday presents. Timmy finally decided what he wanted to when he grew up, an author. He wanted to write about his experiences and about the sex trafficking. How people can get out of it. And how you can people in sex slavery. He told Dave he wanted to write about him in his first book. How his bravery saved them that day, how, in the end, overcame being a victim. He already came up with a name for it, 'The Boy with The Crimson Red Eyes'. Dave thought it was kinda cheesy; but hey, whatever floated the kid's boat.

Even after everything, Dave would be lying if he said it still didn't hurt sometimes. The physical pain was long gone, but the emotional pain still made it's presence know. Whoever said 'times heals all wounds' as lying his ass off. No, time doesn't heal all wounds, it just makes it easier to live with. But still. He still had nights where he would be awoken from nightmares of long faded memories. Sometimes when he wanted to get romantic with his girlfriend Jade, every touch would bring a flinch. And the one thing he could NEVER get back, his innocence. His childhood innocence was shattered that day. It hurt, somedays it just hurt to get out of bed in the morning. But on those days, he pushed through and reminded himself of what he has beaten. He wasn't about to crawl in a corner, curl up in a little ball and feel sorry for himself for the rest of his life. He wanted to show the world what he has overcome.

Dave hated what happened to him, but he couldn't help but feel that if it never happen, than he, THEY, wouldn't have become who they are today.

"Little Man.", Dirk knocked on his bedroom door, "I'm fixing to go to work. Come give me hug." "Yeah what you call work.", Dave said opening the door, hugging his brother. "Hey, it's dirty job. But somebody's gotta do it." "Show 'em who's boss Bro!" "Will do Little Man. Love ya.", Dirk patted Dave on the back. "Love you too Bro."

"Bye honey, love you.", Jane said kissing Dirk before he walked out the door. "Love you too. Keep an eye out for my Little Man.", Dirk kissed her back. "I always do."

These past three years had been the best years if Dirk Strider's life, so far. He had his baby brother with him and he had the love of his life by his side. What more really could a man ask for? His and Dave's relationship took a complete 180 after everything had happened. Before, the two would be surprised if they spoke to each other, or saw each other for that matter, more than once a day. Now, Dirk can't stand the thought of him not knowing where his little man is at if he's not with him. Even if he's in the other room, Dirk still can't help but worry about him. They were closer now than every before. That week before the custody court date, when that bitch of a social worker thought that she could take Dave away from him, Dirk literally did not let Dave leave his sight for a moment. He was literally carrying him everywhere he went. Jane told him that Dave was gonna forget how to walk if he didn't put him down. When that verdict was laid down, he could finally breathe easily again. Knowing that his brother, his baby, would forever be in his arms.

As he was driving to his club, Dirk couldn't help but ask himself, before all this ever happen, how long had it been since he was happy? How long had it been since he felt secure? How long had it been since he smiled? Not a half hearted smirk, but a true blue, from the heart smile? Years, since he first held Dave in his arms after his birth. Even though his mother, who had been the only person he ever loved at the time, was gone; he still had his baby brother. Alive and well in his arms, that was the only thing he needed. Before Dave was rescued, that was the last time Dirk could recall that he actually smiled.

Dirk hated to say it, but he felt like if all that, if everything that they had been through never happened, than they wouldn't be who they are today. All the happiness and joy and accomplishments that they experienced would have never happen. He was sure Dave felt the same way.

Everything happens for a reason. And at first, you may not understand what that reason is, but in time, you will.

I still have my poll up on which Homestuck idea that you would like to hear next. I'll leave it up for 2 more weeks. So if you guys stop by, and cast in a vote, I'd appreciate it. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WANNA HEAR NEXT!

Again, thank you guys so much for all the support you guys have given me by reviewing, favoriting, or subscribing to this story!

This is Autumn Artist, signing out.