The Polaroid Girls

Epilogue

A/N: Hello my lovelies and happy Tuesday! This is it. This is the epilogue. This is the *very--last--chapter* to The Polaroid Girls and I can't even believe it. 

I won't take away from your enjoyment of the final chapter, but please stick around and read my final author's note at the end of this chapter for updates on *Book 2*and about other stories I have in the works. You'll want to read the note, trust me.

Anyhow, happy reading and don't forget to vote, comment, follow, and share if you loved this story. (っ◔◡◔)っ

Royce smiled at the people seated around him at the long picnic table. The grass tickled his ankles above his sneakers and the wisps falling around them from the weeping willow tree danced in the wind. The cool breeze ruffled the plaid green table cloth yet again and everyone laughed as they pinned their arms to the table to hold everything down. It was a windy May afternoon, but despite the breeze, they all insisted on having this lunch outside because it was such a warm, sunny day and they all wanted to enjoy it together before they left tomorrow.

Royce glanced at Natalie Cabell near the far side of the table. She laughed as she sipped on her homemade lemonade, her mother telling them earlier that Natalie insisted it be pink lemonade because it 'tasted so much better that way.'

Natalie's parents smiled and laughed on either side of her, happier and more carefree than he had seen them in months. Since he had found her and brought her home, they had been hyper diligent with who she hung out with, where she was at all times, her bus schedule, her school schedule, everything, according to Natalie at least. He understood why they were much more strict and couldn't blame them. They had lost their only daughter for eight months, for god's sake. He got it, and he imagined he would do the same. But despite understanding, he felt a little bad for Natalie when he visited her every other week and she regaled him with another added thing that her parents decided on to keep her safe.

After their talk at the hospital she had attached herself to him. She wanted to talk to him, not about her case or her time in the hunting cabin, but just to...talk. After the endless questions she received from police for the month and a half after her return, he didn't blame her for wanting to move on from talk of her abduction. It mostly consisted of her being alone, locked inside, and occasionally drugged in the hunting cabin in the woods anyway. When Dominic wasn't there, she played with the few toys she had, drew pictures until she ran out of paper, and waited for his next return. He brought her groceries once every other week and according to her, she was responsible for sectioning out her food until he returned, lest she starve otherwise. She said her time there was uneventful and boring. She had tried to find a way out but all doors were locked from the outside, there were only two windows which were half windows, high up on the walls, and barred. There was a small kitchen, a bathroom, and a bed with a small dresser next to it with her toys, paper, and limited clothes. She told Royce she was frightened whenever Dominic visited, but he never stayed long and he always apologized before leaving again. Like he was sorry he had to keep her there but he was unwilling to let her go. That was, until he picked her up in the middle of the night, pricked her with a needle while she lay half asleep, and carried her into a truck. He knew the rest of the story from there.

After all the questioning, Natalie was ready to move forward and be a kid again. And she was not through with Royce either. He hung out with her at her house after school once at her pleas, and he found out she was everything her parents had described her as before everything happened. She was sweet, caring, charismatic, energetic, and very open despite everything she went through. Royce enjoyed spending time with her and she did him. Then before he knew it, he was spending every other Tuesday afternoon with her for the next seven months and they had grown to be friends.