Beautiful Wilting Flowers

~Epilogue~

~Six Months Later~

Dean POV:

The bright city lights remind me of the first time we arrived in Tokyo, how nervous we were, how clueless we had been.

I can't help but wish I was still that clueless.

I haven't changed, but Liana, Heyden, Greigh, and Ina have. And were missing a member of our team.

Vek.

His death changed our friendships forever, and it impacted all of us differently.

Liana and I followed in Heyden's footsteps of finding a place in Tokyo, because we were worried about his health. He wanted to be there when Vek's rebirth took place, and Liana and I wanted to make sure he was taking care of himself.

As of Ina and Greigh, they live in Canada, where they share an apartment. I don't think they're involved in any way; they're not ready to commit to relationships just yet. But the living situation seems to be doing well, so I'm glad they're happy. Well, as happy as they can be, now.

We took down the Turners, in case you wanted to know. A week after Vek's death, we ambushed them, and took the files. Greigh hacked with their memories, but we couldn't get to Jason, so he's still out there somewhere. Dammit.

Were planning a trip for Ina and Greigh to come soon, so that we can get to the serums and take them all away before anyone else tries to, yet again.

A taxi cab rolls up next to the sidewalk I'm strolling in the night down, and rolls it's window down.

"Hey, Dean, need a ride home to the apartments?" Liana pops her head out.

"Yeah, that'd be great." I grin, and get in the cab, and pay the driver.

"I figured it out with Ina and my brother. They're coming in a week," Liana smiles, her not having changed drastically since the climax.

Greigh's the most changed out of all of us, I think. He's shut himself off from the world, and only talks to Ina with precision, making sure not to get too close and comfortable to risk hurting any of us again.

"Cool," I grin. "Guess we'd better tidy up the house then. We all know who's behind all the messiness." I elbow her.

"Please," She scoffs. "You're messy too! Heyden is the only clean one in this house, I swear."

I laugh, and when we get home, I tell Liana to give me a minute outside.

Tuning in with my heartbeat, I listen to the cricket chirps of the night, and smile up at the stars in the sky.

"Heyden won't stop at anything until he brings you back," I whisper up into the night. "You lucked out when you won his heart."

And, with one final hope, that Vek heard me up there, I enter the house to carry on with life.

Because were not wilting anymore.

Were the dead flowers.

The beautiful dead flowers.