A/N: This is it ya'll! Thank you everyone so much for your patience and all your support. I started this story in the summer just for the fun of it. And yet, it grew into something bigger than I intended. We laughed, we cried. Now it's time for the end.

This chapter is dedicated to you: the loyal reader.

Thank you beyond words~

The air in the elevator grew tight. From behind him, Jack could hear Toothiana's fearful gasp. He felt the elevator fall forward, but not downward. His hands shot out on reflex as he caught himself from falling out the elevators doors. He did this by holding onto the door frame. He looked back and at Toothiana as she slipped towards him. All her laundry fell around his ankles. Some clothes fell out of the elevator as other clung to Jack's sneakers.

"Hang on, Tooth!"

Toothiana nodded weakly as she reached for the wall. Her fingers found their way into a few cracks and clung there. It was difficult to control her breathing now. Her nerves were on edge and, so, her heart raced. Jack knew what this could lead to.

They didn't have much time.

"The wire, it wants to go. We won't let it go!" North tried to assure them.

But Jack knew that at this point, the cable was on its last leg. He still managed to hide his fear, however, to give Toothiana a reassuring look. His look faded the moment he turned back and looked out of the elevator. He wasn't that hopeful nor that easy to ease. North's eyes met with Jack's. He gave him an almost parental smile. But his workers weren't as certain. The fear was written all over their faces, and though Jack couldn't understand the Russian they were speaking, he knew their situation was getting darker by the minute. The cable didn't snap off completely, but it could at any moment.

The workers no longer tried to reach for them. It must have been too dangerous at this point to do so.

Toothiana let out a sudden squeak as her fingers slipped from the cracks. Her eyes widened for a moment. Her mind raced of Jack and all the moments he had saved her. She didn't want to be saved anymore. With all her might, Toothiana forced herself backwards rather than forwards. Her tiny frame hit the back of the elevator hard. The movement alone was enough to shake the elevator.

Jack held his grip tightly, "Tooth-!"

Another snap was heard.

The cable was hanging on by nothing but a thread, but at least the elevator had returned back to its standard placement.

"Jack…" Tooth whispered out.

Her eyes fluttered opened as she tried to find him.

"I'm right here, Tooth."

"We're going to die, Jack-"

"No we aren't!-"

Jack glanced around the elevator. There weren't many clothes left. Then, his eyes fell on a sweater. The sweater that belonged to Tooth's mother. She was right. They were going to die. If they stayed within the elevator, that would surely be their fate. But Jack made a promise to Toothiana and to himself.

"We're going to have a little fun instead…"

"W-what?"

"Don't you trust me?"

Toothiana didn't even hesitate, "Yes."

Jack smiled back in return, "Come to me slowly."

Toothiana blinked at first before nodding. Jack bent down just as slowly. He picked up the sweater and once Tooth was close, he wrapped it around her.

"Climb on." He demanded gently as he turned his back to her.

Jack bent down a little bit for Tooth to get on. Once on board, he used the sweater to tie Toothiana in place. She let out a tiny squeak from the tightness of the knot. This caused Jack to chuckle lightly.

"Are you ready?"

He felt her tiny hands grasp his shoulders. Jack could feel how weak she was. But the petite girl remained strong minded, "I'm ready, Jack."

"Hang on tight."

Toothiana giggled faintly, "Thought that was the purpose of tying the sweater."

"It's just for safe measure," He responded with a soft smile before his face sharpened a bit, "…hold on tight and don't let go."

With light feet and a determined head, Jack moved back. His eyes stayed glued to the elevator's opening the entire time. Toothiana let out a sharp squeak when his back (well, her) brushed the wall. His body stopped the second he heard her. He glanced at her with his eyes and, upon seeing her smile briefly, looked back at the abyss ahead of them. Jack clenched his fists momentarily. His eyes narrowed as he controlled his breathing. Soon his hands would loosen and he would close his eyes.

Jack recalled much of his time in the elevator.

His moments with Tooth.

Reliving his past.

When his eyes opened, however, his mind went blank.

Jack ran with great speed. The elevator shook but Jack didn't stop. The second he reached the edge, he jumped. The second he jumped, the elevator dropped. Toothiana cried out. North and his men could only gasp. Then, Jack's feet hit the wall. His body twisted as he jumped off that very same wall and over to the, now, free cable. It was a close call, but Jack's hand found its way to the dangling piece. He gripped down with all his might and pulled himself, and Tooth, up.

The two hung from the elevator cable.

Now what? Jack thought bitterly.

"Bozhe moi! That was close call, boy!"

Tooth's ears perked up a bit from the sound of North's concerned voice. Jack glanced his way as he frowned. The man then chuckled lightly and smiled with a somewhat impressed expression. Jack smirked briefly, only to look back at Toothiana. She coughed weakly away from his face. Her eyes were glazing over. He could tell she was trying her best to stay conscious.

"TOOTHIANA!"

Tooth's eyes widened, "Is that? Was that?...Ta…tiana?"

North spun around. His men blocked the opened doors as a girl rushed over to them. A few police officers tried to stop her but she seemed determined, and managed to evade them. Her movements reminded the landlord of a ballerina. Not as graceful, though. Behind her, he could see a group of girls trailing along with a man he knew far too well.

"Ah, Sandy! You bring the girls?" He questioned the short man; who seemed to have lost his breath in the chase.

Sanderson glared up at North and signed but North waved his hand. Tatiana tried to get closer to the opened doors, but two of the workers stopped her. Tanya grabbed her older sister and pulled her back, as the rest of her sisters could only watch.

"Is she there? Is Toothiana there!?"

North glanced over at Sanderson. He then looked back to Tatiana. He could tell the girl had already been through much that night. Although, her physical damage didn't seem nearly as painful as the emotional toll he saw within her eyes. With a weak, but warm, smile North place his hand on Tatiana's shoulder.

"Do not worry. We will fix."

Tatiana's eyes watered but her anger fought back the tears, "She's been in there all night. Why haven't you gotten her out already!?"

Tanya frowned, "We heard the elevator fall."

Tina gripped down on Ana's arm as Anna picked B.T up.

"But they didn't."

Everyone glanced the littlest one's way. B.T's face was stained with tears, as of that moment though, her eyes remained dry. The small one looked at everyone before setting her eyes upon North. Her eyes became cheerful as she smiled sweetly.

"Right?"

North nodded.

Tatiana pulled back. She felt the world lift from her shoulders. She knew it wasn't over. There was that haunting question of how they survived. But, she needed to take in the little relief she had. Tanya nearly broke down from such relief. Tina and the twins were already crying as Sandy could only smile knowingly.

"Tooth, will be alright deti."

North's voice was reassuring. The girls knew of their landlord but didn't know him well enough to trust him. Yet, in that moment, they did; every last one of them, even Tatiana. It was hard to explain exactly why they did. There was just a natural comfort to North. But his workers didn't ease their mind. They gestured for him to come closer to them. They whispered to him in Russian. None of them could understand. Toothiana was the only one who studied other languages.

"The boy is with Toothie…" B.T said suddenly.

Anna looked down at her, "What was that Briana?"

The tiny girl gripped down on her sister in response.

The bad dream…is going to happen…

Jack huffed, "We're still here ya know!"

Toothiana smiled weakly at Jack's impatience, "My sisters are there. They're okay."

"I told you they would be."

"Thank you, Jack…"

He didn't understand why she would thank him. Currently, he hadn't done anything. But he still nodded his head to her.

Toothiana felt their bodies moving. Jack's grip wasn't as firm as it was the first time he had grabbed hold of the cable. She had to give him credit though, he was a lot stronger than she realized. The boy was lanky and holding her on his back. And even still, he was able to jump off the walls and dangle from a rope. He seemed to hold both their body weights up with ease. But everyone had their limit. And Jack was slowly reaching his.

North poked his head back out to talk to them. Toothiana wished to speak to her sisters but understood why they were kept back; it was for their safety. She listened as their landlord spoke to Jack. Little by little she could barely hear North and could only hear Jack. The coldness of her body fell numb. Soon, she didn't feel much at all. Not even Jack's body pressed against hers. The boys were talking about what to do. Toothiana didn't want to bother them with her own needs.

11 hours…40 minutes…32 seconds…

Time went on with not much getting solved. Jack paused every now and then, to make sure Tooth was alright. She didn't want to worry him, but she didn't exactly want to use her brain either, the less she thought the better; the longer she stayed awake. So, she gave him one word answers. Jack still seemed worried but he took them.

Toothiana heard Jack grunt through one of his sentences with North. The firemen were working with the building workers now. They had a plan but needed more time; time that both the young adults didn't have. She knew Jack was slipping more and more as time went on. How he still had the strength to hold them up, even now, was beyond her. The cable itself wasn't nearly as sturdy as it once was. But Tooth knew the cable would stay.

It was Jack that she worried about.

11 hours…46 minutes…02 seconds…

"You okay back there?"

Tooth's hazy eyes snapped back to reality, "Y-Yes, Jack."

"I know it's taking awhile but we're almost there. We're going to be alright, Tooth."

Toothiana's vision went black. Her head fell against Jack's back hard. The motion caused the boy to tighten his own frame, "Tooth? TOOTH?"

She mumbled out something incoherent. Half of her was there but the other half was gone. Her entire weight was on him now. Jack tried to climb up, but she pulled him back down. His knuckles turned white as he gripped down on the cable with all his might.

"Talk to me, Tooth."

The boy had little strength left in him. But he reached down deep inside. He found the energy somewhere in his gut and forced it out. With a long reach, he climbed up the cable; all the while trying to break through to Toothiana.

"Listen to me. You're going to be fine. I promised, remember? Your sisters are here. They're waiting for you."

"Jack what is-"

"SHUT UP."

He didn't mean to snap at North, but he needed to hear her respond.

There was a faint moan.

Soft but audible.

"Stay with me, Tooth. We're gonna get out."

The cable struggled from under his grasp. Jack had to stop climbing for a moment. His eyes shut as he gathered his thoughts. He needed to be levelheaded. He needed to be brave, if not for himself, for Toothiana. But the thought of his sister dying, how he just froze and did nothing, it all came rushing back to him.

"…drop me…"

Jack's eyes shot open, "What?"

Toothiana was coming to again. She was in and out. It almost felt like she was dreaming. As if, she were going back and forth between sober, tipsy and drunk. Like a vicious cycle that didn't seem to let up or end.

"D-drop…me."

Jack's grip on the cable tightened immensely, "How…could you even suggest that?"

"Jack…"

"What are you trying to do to me!?"

A tear fell from her face. She couldn't feel it roll down her cheek, but she knew it was there. Jack was so upset his body trembled. The act alone was enough to keep Toothiana awake for a little while longer. She saddened at the thought of him being so upset. But she wasn't an idiot. She was holding him back. She was keeping him there. If he would just let her fall than he could save himself.

"Please Jack…save…yourself."

11 hours…52 minutes…13 seconds…

Jack's body stopped shaking. He breathed in and out deeply. He then started to untie the sweater. Toothiana smiled weakly as she could feel gravity take hold of her. She slipped but didn't fall. Her eyes flicked opened and saw Jack's face. The moment happened so quickly, that she couldn't comprehend how it came to be. She was no longer on his back but in front of him. He held her close with one hand as his other stayed gripped onto the wire. Her vision wasn't at its best, but she could tell that he was angry. Angry with her for even thinking, for a second, that he could do such a thing.

"Boy!" North shouted, but Jack ignored him.

Unexpectedly, Jack smiled. It was warm and sweet. A little weak but also firm. Toothiana opened her mouth to speak, but Jack stopped her with his lips. He wouldn't find any protest from the girl. Her hands shook uncontrollably, but she pushed her limits to force them around his neck.

Jack pulled away moments later.

His eyes shot to North, "You better catch her," he warned; with a kind of poison in his voice she didn't know he even had.

"Ja…ck…what are you…do-!?"

12 hours…0 minutes…3 seconds

Jack let go of the cable.

In seconds, he had Toothiana in his arms only to toss her away. Her eyes grew wide with shock and fear as she watched him smile weakly at her. He looked almost content as he fell. The darkness swallowed him whole, as it did to her vision.

North reached out and caught her, "TOOTH!?"

Jack…

…Jack

JACK!

Toothiana heard many voices. Some were that of her sisters, maybe once was Aster. The rest of the time she didn't know who she heard. Strangers talking about different things, at times the things they spoke about were about her. How long had she been sleeping for?Her body was completely stiff. She tried moving but nothing worked. Slowly, her eyelids twitched.

"Ms. Tull?"

An unfamiliar female voice was heard.

"Toothiana Tull, can you hear me?"

I hear you…who are you? Where am I?

"She's awake! Where's the doctor?"

The woman's voice trailed off. She must not have heard her. Her lips didn't move though. So, perhaps she didn't actually speak. There was another sound now, the sound of her own heart beating through a machine. Her hand jerked and then she felt something connected to her arm.

An IV?

Toothiana knew where she was now. The incident in the elevator with Jack had happened. She had many dream-like flashbacks of it. But it was all piecing back together. From the beginning and until the end. She remembered the last thing she saw. It was Jack. His smiling face and his falling body. Then darkness. Even now, it was all she saw.

There was commotion again. People must have reentered the room. She heard the voice of a man, said to be her doctor. The man opened her eyes carefully. He then flashed a tiny light to check her pupils. A raspy gasp slipped out of Toothiana's mouth. She couldn't see his face very well; to her he looked like the moon. And though she didn't see it, she could almost feel his friendly smile.

"Welcome back, Toothiana."

Toothiana sat sitting upright. The nurses helped her try to regain feeling in most of her body. It took some time, but she was finally able to move on her own. Her movement was still quite slow. Her doctor, Dr. Manny, explained in detail about her episode and how she quickly slipped into a coma. Toothiana had been in a coma for almost three months. Medically, he expressed that there was no reason for delay. That he estimated her body would recover in less than four weeks. He also explained that sometimes it was the will of the person themselves. Dr. Manny asked her about her dreams and whether she was ever aware or not. She was never aware at the time but thinking back on it, in a way, she was always aware.

"…Jack…is he?"

Manny raised his eyebrow, "Mr. Overland you mean?"

Toothiana's eyes widened.

"TOOTHIE!"

Then shot to the side and at her sisters.

Tatiana smiled weakly at her as the others rushed inside. Dr. Manny chuckled lightly at the gathering and even pat B.T on her head. Her sisters must have visited quite often, because even the nurses knew them all by name. Tanya was the first to hug her, then Tina, and the twins. Tatiana waited in the door frame with Aster closely behind her. B.T was helped onto the bed by Dr. Manny. He whispered for her to be gentle and she was. Toothiana missed her sisters as much as they seemed to have missed her. With each hug, she felt as if strength was coming back to her at a faster rate.

"You had us worried there, Sheila."

B.T slipped out of the hug but nuzzled herself in Toothiana's lap. Toothiana began petting her sister's hair as she glanced Aster's way. She noticed how awkward Tatiana seemed to look standing beside him. And then how Aster, softly, pushed her further into the room. Tatiana walked over to Toothiana's bed slowly. The tears forming in her eyes weren't as slow. She didn't say much, only released a hurt gasp, before hugging the eldest of their flock.

"I'm sorry…for making you have to look after everyone while I was asleep."

Tatiana wanted to tell her she was foolish. That she didn't mind, and that none of this was her fault. But she couldn't speak, only cried. Aster smiled weakly watching them, and then blinked as Sanderson pushed his way through. Toothiana hugged Tatiana close before glancing Sanderson's way.

"Uncle…" She whispered.

Sandy smiled warmly at her, 'I hope your dreams were pleasant, little one.'

Tatiana pulled away and wiped her eyes; allowing Toothiana to sign back, 'Some were. Some were not.'

'Did you dream of the boy?'

Toothiana felt her chest tighten.

'The one who saved your life?" He continued.

Tears had not graced Toothiana's face since the elevator. But she felt them at that moment. And she knew she couldn't stop them.

'Yes…" Her hands were shaking a bit, but she managed.

Sanderson walked over to her bed, 'Do you remember that night, when your parents died? You were so little. Trying so hard not to cry. Trying so hard to be brave. And I watched as the sweetest girl in the world grew cold and lonely and miserable.'

The warmth of her tears stung her cheeks as she nodded weakly to him.

'I wanted, more than anything in the world, to tell you otherwise. To tell you that everything was alright. That it was just a bad dream and soon you would wake up. Soon, you would be happy again.'

Toothiana felt a soft touch move her chin up. Sandy looked at her with eyes she couldn't read. She did know, however, that they weren't sad or angry. Perhaps they were hopeful. She watched as he pulled away from her to sign once more.

'Well, I get to tell you that now.'

"W-what?" Toothiana glanced around the room.

Everyone was smiling.

'Would you like to see him?'

"…Jack? He's-"

Dr. Manny cleared his throat, "Alive. Yes. He's-"

"Right here."

The room fell silent.

Everyone paused and turned their heads to the door. Jack stood just outside the room with the help of his crutches. Aster unfolded his arms and moved aside to let the boy wobble through. Jack bowed his head to him as Aster just nodded. One by one, each of Toothiana's sisters moved away from her bed and greeted Jack. He returned each of their greetings with a crooked smile. Sanderson pat Jack on the back before gesturing for the girls to follow him.

'We'll give you a minute. Come girls, let's pick something out from the gift shop.'

Sanderson and the twins stepped out of the room first. Tanya and Tina soon followed but B.T rushed back inside to hug Jack's leg. Tatiana had to pry the tiny monster off him. He didn't seem to mind and even laughed. The motion caused the nurses to swoon and Dr. Manny to chuckle as well.

Aster shook his head as he walked over to Tatiana, "come on ya little ankle biter" and took B.T from her arms. The two walked out together with B.T jumping over Aster's shoulder to wave back into the room.

The nurses began to leave too as Dr. Manny spoke up, "Jack has been coming to your room every day after his physical therapy." He informed a still frozen Toothiana, "Broke almost every bone in his body."

Jack glanced away for a moment before looking back at Toothiana. His eyes softened and slowly, hers did as well.

"Well, I better check on my other patients. Take it easy now, Toothiana. You too, Mr. Overland."

There was a long pause once Dr. Manny left the room. The sound of the door closing echoed a bit. And for a moment, the two just stared at one another. Jack was the first to move. He placed his crutches to the side and sat down on the edge of Toothiana's bed. He went to speak but her hand met his face.

"OW!"

Toothiana kept her hand in the air.

"W-what was that for!?"

Tears raced down her eyes as her hand shook.

"Tooth…"

"Don't EVER sacrifice yourself like that. You hear me? You could have died, Jack! You promised…you promised me that we'd both be alright! And then you just-mmmph!?"

The boy was quite good at shutting her up. Her anger dissolved into their kiss, as the relief and pure joy of seeing him alive returned. The kiss deepened rather quickly. Both released everything they had into that one kiss. Toothiana found her hands gripping at his hair. But Jack was more careful, and simply rested his hands on her hips. The more they kissed, the more difficult it was for Jack to keep his hands still.

So Jack pulled away, "T-tooth…"

Toothiana panted lightly, "…s-sorry…"

"Don't be sorry." He said with a smile and wiped her bottom lip.

"You're alive…"

"And you're awake."

Her head fell onto his chest, which caused Jack to wrap his arms around her, "I couldn't break my promise to you." Jack leaned back into her bed. He pet her hair and caressed her back.

"Can you make me another promise, Jack?"

The blue of his eyes fell down and met with her unique purple ones, "Name it."

Toothiana blushed lightly, "Promise…to take me on a date, the second we're out of the hospital."

Jack felt his cheeks heat up a bit. Twelve hours in an elevator together, three months of waiting. Jack never thought he would become the person he was right now, sitting in Toothiana's bed. With the girl who broke down his wall. The girl who saw him, the real him. She saved his life without even realizing it. Her voice, her laugh, her smile, her eyes…lit up his cold world. Engulfed him in a warmth he never knew existed. He loved her and it scared the shit out of him.

But he was ready, "Heh, okay it's a date."

As long as it was with her.