A Fight to Remember

The Happy Ever After Part

A/N: This story is dedicated to my Dad, who passed away peacefully in his sleep four years ago. He lived with vascular dementia for a long time and finally decided it was time to go. I miss him, but in all honesty I grieved losing him for a long time before that. My dad lived a full and eventful life. He did the very best he could, and I am going to do the same.

Like I've said before, he is part of the inspiration for writing this story. And now, I get to finally finish it. It started out as snippets in my mind, of Meredith's children taking care of their mother with Alzheimer's... but became something... much more extraordinary.

I know you'll be sad to see this story end, but I am happy and relieved to see this work finished. I am thankful for all my readers. I wouldn't be able to complete this without hearing how much you love and appreciate this story.

Without further adieu...

Enjoy!

You've pricked your finger on the spinning wheel. You've eaten the poisoned apple. You feel you'll never get your happy ever after. What do you do? Are you supposed to wait for your shining prince to rescue you? Some wandering soul to notice your distress and slay the dragon that guards you?

Of course not. You fight. Because you are the only one who can slay the dragon. Sometimes that poor prince has his own dragon to fight. Or sometimes the prince is a helpless frog. But that doesn't mean you can't join forces, and it doesn't mean you can't call for reinforcements.

As my mother said once... Just. Keep. Going.

June 16 2038 North Cove.

Meredith

Ellis's sails snapped, ricocheting in the wind as Derek maneuvered his beloved sailboat into position at the co-ordinates I gave him. The early morning breeze gently rippled the water around us, lapping the sides of the boat.

"This is different," Sonny said, giving me pepperoni breath. Grunting, he handed me a slimy half of his deli sub. Our ten year ritual.

I put my coffee cup down to accept his offering, watching Derek throw anchor and drop the sails a few feet away from us. "Yeah," I agreed, taking a bite. It was different this time. This time, I wasn't the grieving widow. I wasn't the scared mother worried about the future or the demented woman lost in the past

My mind was my own again. I was me. I had my husband back... and my children-

My gaze wandered back to Derek gently folding and securing the sails. When he stopped, his gaze met mine. But the stormy reflection troubled me. I squished the sandwich. Mayo oozed out the back.

"You okay?" Sonny asked me.

"Is it possible to feel a thousand things at once?" I expelled. Because, seriously... we got the happy ever after part, didn't we? Then what's that angst in Derek's eyes? What's that downward curve of his lips? Why did my chest ache, just a little, at the lonely sight of him now staring out at the sun peaking over the distant horizon?

Sonny took a sip from his flask, baring his teeth in a wince, and offered me some. I shook my head, too worried. "He looks hungry," he nodded at my sandwich. "Maybe you should share."

Derek eating this fattening mess? Yeah, right. But- we'd left so early to get here we hadn't bothered much with food. I stood up and stepped carefully to his side. "Hey," I couldn't help but let my fingers slip through his curly locks.

"Hey," he leaned into my touch.

"Hungry?" I offered him a piece of sandwich.

Derek gave it a good once over, "Mm," he frowned, and turned back to stare at the horizon.