Crown Of Thorns [ Michael Langdon ]

28 - epilogue - 28

{Chapter Twenty Eight - Epilogue}

~ And nothing hurts anymore, I feel kinda free,
We're still the kids we used to be ~

- Ghost Town

2 years later

"There you are!"

Elora and the little girl in her arms looked up at the sound of Michael's voice. They were sitting on some rocks, next to a bubbling stream. Elora was in a flowing white dress, and visibly pregnant. The baby was breathtakingly beautiful, with a head of blonde hair and large blue eyes.

"I've been looking all over for my girls." Michael smiled.

"We didn't get far. We were only playing in the stream, weren't we, Eden?" Elora looked at the baby, who nodded happily.

Michael held out his arms for Eden, who Elora passed over. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nope." Michael shook his head. "Just wanted to see you two." He said, as he bounced Eden up and down in his arms. As he tucked a piece of her blonde hair behind her ear, Michael caught sight of the mark on her skin that had been there since birth. It was a strange symbol, similar to a triquetra. "How's number 2 going?"

"Good." Elora sighed, placing her hands on her belly. She had to admit that this pregnancy was a lot less hectic and stressful as her last one. Michael sat down on the rocks next to Elora, and placed Eden on his lap. "Hey, when do you reckon her powers will start showing?"

"I'm not sure." Michael responded, looking down at his daughter, who seemed oblivious.

"Well, if she ever does. We're letting her know how powerful she is, and helping her control her powers. She's not gonna end up like me." Elora said. "I am not going to make the same mistakes as Cordelia did." She felt a stab of guilt whenever she mentioned her mother. Neither of them spoke for a minute. "I... I actually regret being so harsh to her." Elora whispered.

"You do?" Michael asked. Elora nodded, and picked at the hem of her dress. "If it consoles you at all, Cordelia is at peace. She isn't in hell."

"She isn't?" Elora turned to him, surprised. She assumed Michael had sent her straight to hell.

"No. If you wanted, I could even bring her back for you."

"No. What's done is done." Elora said immediately, shaking her head. "What's with the change of heart? Years ago you would have died to see her suffer."

"Things change." Michael shrugged. "I'm not about that life anymore."

"Never thought I'd hear you say that." Elora grinned.

"This place... this place has changed me." Michael murmured. "I mean, having an actual family and an actual home. It's so peaceful here."

"I think we deserve it, with all the pain and suffering in our past." Elora whispered, holding his hand.

"But the guilt..."

"We'll get over it." Elora assured him, and once again the electric feeling passed through their hands, reminding them both of the old days, when they were young and foolish. "We're free."

And as they sat there, they felt the most at peace that they'd ever felt in their lives.