This is it, everyone! Thank you so much for reading this. I only hope that you enjoyed it as much I enjoyed writing it. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.

Time moved swiftly for everyone. Shane and Penelope had a baby boy whom they named Ashton Shane, and shortly after moved a state away for a job offer that gave Shane much more money. Garry and Ib experienced so much more happiness with their daughter, whom would remind them each and every day the reason why they woke up in the mornings. It was both amazing and startling to them at how quickly she grew, from saying her first word (which was mama), to taking her first steps. They had each of her "firsts" written down and dated in a journal, along with pictures to go with it. The moment she learned to walk, she had made shaky, awkward steps to Garry, who stood before her with his arms wide, a wide grin on his face, and tears in his eyes. Ib snapped the photo quickly of Raelyn walking into his arms. Ib finally graduated college and became a victim's advocate, which she enjoyed doing.

Roy and Mary experienced happiness with each other every day. Indeed, at times they would argue, but that came with every relationship; no relationship is without flaw. Every day, they fell deeper and deeper in love with each other, and time passed quickly for them in their euphoria. Mary graduated from college and began teaching English at the same high school Garry taught at. A year after they wed, Mary discovered she was pregnant, and the two could not have been any happier. Nine months passed, and they gave birth to a boy, whom they named Rhys Alexander. He favored Mary greatly, but had Roy's eyes. As new parents, Roy and Mary experienced the hardships and the wonderful moments together with their son. Two-year-old Raelyn loved meeting and seeing Rhys, and would each time place a gentle kiss on his forehead before they left. The two families would often spend time together, just as always.

Four years passed.

Garry and Ib sat in the living room, their eyes on an old photo incased in a frame. The photo was of years gone by, before the other Mary disappeared from their lives… of everyone, including Allen and Nora (whom they had sadly lost contact with after all these years). While they certainly were happy now, those times were also happy times, and they still missed their friends dearly. That Mary would never return, and the sacrifice she had made was forever imprinted in their hearts. For, the day was the anniversary of that sacrifice.

Ib tenderly took Garry's hands into her own. She looked at their wedding bands on their fingers; nine years of marriage seemed to have only been a day, but had also caused wear on their bands, which now had nicks and dents in them. Nine years, and she would not take back any of it. With eyes full of sadness, she looked at Garry.

"I think… I think you should take her, Garry."

Garry looked up from the photo to his wife's eyes. "Me? Why me?"

"Because you can handle it… better than any of us," Ib replied. "Also, it's where it all began."

Garry gave her hands a gentle squeeze. She was right. Wordlessly, he smiled at her and rose to his feet. "Raelyn?"

Their little girl, now six, ran into the room, her purple-tined ponytail swaying. She stopped in front of Garry and smiled sweetly at him. When they looked at her, they saw the spitting image of Garry, in both looks and heart. Before their very eyes, their baby girl grew into a little girl full of life and love. "What is it, Daddy?"

Garry bent down to where he was eye-level to her. "How would you like to go on a trip with daddy?"

Raelyn's big, brown eyes lit up as a smile spread across her face. She made a quick nod, giving Garry his answer. He smiled at her. "Well, go get ready."

Ib stood up and went with Raelyn into her room to get her ready to go out with Garry. In a few minutes, Raelyn came out of the room, Ib behind her with a coat and toboggan in her arms. They stopped in front of Garry, who knelt down rather slowly; even after all these years, his leg still gave him issues and much pain, but he never once complained. Ib handed him the coat and toboggan, which he continued to put on his daughter. "Now, let's make sure you're all bundled up. It's unusually really cold today," he spoke as he buttoned up her coat and put her toboggan on her head. Ib realized she had forgotten gloves, went back to Raelyn's room to retrieve them, came back then handed them to Garry. Garry then placed them on Raelyn's little hands and rose to his feet.

"All right. You ready?"

"Yeah!" Raelyn beamed. Garry made a chuckle, and he and Raelyn walked out the door, hand in hand.

The snow fell gently, and the land was white. On the way there, Raelyn chatted away, and Garry listened with a smile on his face; my, she was a talkative child. At the museum, they looked at all the exhibits. Some of it had changed over time, as expected, but most of Guertena's, or Mary's, works were there. Raelyn thought the giant red rose sculpture was pretty, while the headless black statues were creepy. Together, they walked on until they found it.

The painting that started it all.

They stood before it, and for a long time, nothing was said. Garry stared at it, an odd emotion in his chest. Was it happiness? Was it sadness? Bitterness? He could not quite put his finger on it. Raelyn looked from the painting, to her father, and back to the painting. She reached up and wrapped her hand around Garry's index and middle fingers (that was all her small hand could grasp) and smiled.

"This is pretty. I really like this painting," she spoke. She looked back up at Garry again, her big brown eyes full of innocence. "Do you like this painting, Daddy?"

"Yeah, I…" He stopped. He recalled everything… Meeting Ib, protecting her… how she gave him her handkerchief for his wounded hand… His friendship with Roy, the other Mary, and Allen and Nora. Marrying Ib. …Mary's sacrifice… Everything entered his mind so quickly, and for a moment, his chest felt tight. He then looked down at Raelyn, a sad but loving smile on his face. "Yeah. Daddy likes this painting very much."

Raelyn seemed concerned for a moment; even for being so little, she knew something was wrong. Yet, she smiled at her father. They left the museum and started on home. By this time, the snow fell harder and faster, and it seemed as if the whole land was covered. Garry limped alongside his daughter, who walked slowly so that her father could keep up. She knew that he had been in an accident years ago, and that he was still "hurt" from it. Ib had told her to be gentle with him while playing, and to be patient since he could not walk as fast as everyone else. That was one thing about their daughter that amazed them: her kindness. To Ib, Raelyn had inherited her big heart from Garry.

Without a word, Garry stopped walking, and almost immediately, Raelyn followed suit. She looked up at Garry, whom seemed so sad for whatever reason.

"Daddy?"

"Rae… would you like to hear a story?" Garry asked.

"A story?" she asked. "What kind of story? Dragons? I like stories about dragons!"

Garry laughed. "Not, it's not about dragons. This story is real. In fact, it's still being written to this day."

Raelyn seemed confused. "To this day?"

"Yes," Garry nodded as they started to walk again. "You see, it's about your mother and I, as well as Roy and Mary."

On the way home, Raelyn listened intently as Garry told her the story how everything took shape. She never interrupted, and seemed to be enveloped in the story. Just as they returned home, Garry finished up the story; Raelyn ran inside and gave Ib a as tight a hug her little body would allow and told her that Garry had told her everything. Shortly after, Roy and Mary brought Rhys over to let him play with Raelyn. Roy and Mary, and Ib and Garry talked about the days passed, and how they would not trade it for anything. Everything had changed for them, and all the heartache and joy they had shared meant so much.

Just as they started to leave, same as always, even after all the years, Raelyn ran up and gave Rhys a kiss on the cheek. She then ran off into her room to play with her toys. When they looked down at Rhys, they were amazed to see a smile on his face.

"What are you smiling about, buddy?" Roy asked him. Rhys' answer brought smiles to each of their faces.

"Well… I like it when she gives me kisses," Rhys answered. "It's not the same as when you and Mommy give them to me, though."

Time pressed on, and their story continued. With each passing day, lessons were learned and love was shown. Never again would they know of loneliness; they had a little piece of immortality before them that would continue their story and share their wisdom, happiness, and love for many years to come…

Thirty years later

A little boy and little girl ran up to Rhys and Raelyn with big smiles on their faces. The little boy had purple-tinted hair like Raelyn, and it was unkempt much like the other person he inherited it from. The little girl had long, curly blonde hair that bounced as she ran. The boy was around nine years old, while the girl was around seven. Rhys and Raelyn stopped cooking and looked at their children.

"Mama, Daddy, where are they?"

"Who?" they both asked.

"Our grandparents!" the little girl answered.

"Yeah! We want to play with them!"

Rhys and Raelyn glanced at each other with smiles on their faces. "It seems they are running a little late, doesn't it?" Rhys spoke.

"They're probably at the river, like always," Raelyn smiled.

"Can we go meet them there?"

Rhys shook his head. "We'll wait for them here. The river is the one place where they can relive days long since passed."

"Aww… okay. Maybe they'll take us one day, just like they took you two!"

Rhys and Raelyn held each other's hand. "Maybe."

At the river in the warm sunlight walked Ib and Garry, and Roy and Mary in their elderly days. And, as always, after so many years of wedded bliss and memories shared, smiles were on their faces as they walked along the shore, hand in hand.