Through the Glass

Epilogue

Eliza stood at the edge of the lake, the morning mist curling over the water in lazy spirals, the soft hues of dawn reflecting off the still surface. It had been six months since the retreat, and yet, it still felt like yesterday. She inhaled deeply, letting the cool air fill her lungs as she closed her eyes. There was a quietness in her now, something she hadn't felt in years. The chaos of her mind, once a constant companion, had quieted. It wasn't gone, but it no longer defined her every waking moment.

She glanced over her shoulder, spotting Connor a few yards away. He was crouched near the shore, skipping stones across the water, each ripple sending a shiver through the glassy surface. His blonde hair was tousled from the wind, and even from here, Eliza could see the familiar, focused expression on his face. It made her smile. She had seen that look so many times over the past months—whether he was lost in thought while writing music or staring at her with the kind of intensity that made her heart race.

They had returned to their lives after the retreat, but something had shifted, as if the ground beneath them had subtly realigned. Their connection hadn't just survived the retreat—it had flourished, deepening into something stronger. Still, it was a revelation once they pieced together how it all happened.

It had been just a few weeks after they returned home when the truth had come out. Max and Sarah—who had apparently been dating and were now married—had conspired behind the scenes to make sure both Connor and Eliza attended the retreat. Eliza had been stunned, realizing that what she thought was coincidence had been part of a carefully orchestrated plan. Max had spoken to Connor about his struggles and suggested the retreat, while Sarah had pushed Eliza in the same direction, both friends knowing their loved ones needed something more than just a conversation.

Eliza had felt a flash of embarrassment when she learned the truth, as though her path to healing had been manipulated. But when she had confronted Sarah about it, her friend had smiled knowingly.

"We just knew you both needed it," Sarah had said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Sometimes the people who care about us see what we need before we do. And besides..." she had grinned, "it worked, didn't it?"

It had worked. Eliza couldn't deny that. Whatever reservations she had melted away when she looked at Connor. The retreat had been the catalyst they both needed to confront the darkest parts of themselves, but it had also opened the door to something more. Something neither of them had expected but had both been quietly longing for.

As if sensing her gaze, Connor stood up and wandered over to her, a lazy grin playing on his lips. "You look like you're thinking about something serious," he teased, his voice low and familiar.

"Just enjoying the quiet," Eliza replied, her smile widening as she reached out to take his hand. The warmth of his skin against hers was grounding, a reminder of how far they had come.

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the sun slowly rise higher into the sky, bathing the lake in golden light. Eliza's heart felt full, a feeling that still surprised her sometimes. For so long, she had convinced herself that she didn't deserve this kind of peace, that her past would always weigh her down. But here, in this moment, with Connor by her side, she felt lighter than she had in years.

Connor squeezed her hand, pulling her from her thoughts. "You know," he began, his tone turning more thoughtful, "I've been thinking about that day at the hospital."

Eliza turned to him, her brow furrowing slightly. She knew the day he meant—the day her brother died, the day their lives had crossed in the most unexpected of ways. They had talked about it in bits and pieces over the past months, unraveling the memories together.

"I still can't believe we were both there," Connor continued, his voice soft. "It feels like... I don't know, like it was meant to be."

Eliza nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. "It's strange, isn't it? How something so painful could bring us together."

He turned to face her fully, his eyes searching hers. "Yeah. But I'm glad it did."

Eliza felt a lump form in her throat, and she smiled, blinking back the sudden wave of emotion. "Me too," she whispered.

Connor pulled her into his arms, holding her close as the soft breeze rustled the leaves around them. They stood like that for a long time, wrapped in each other's warmth, the world around them quiet and still.

"I've been working on something," Connor said after a while, pulling back just enough to look at her. His eyes were bright with excitement, and Eliza couldn't help but smile in response.

"A new song?" she guessed.

He nodded, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Yeah. But it's not finished yet. I was thinking... maybe you could help me with it."

Eliza raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Me? I don't know the first thing about writing music."

Connor chuckled, shaking his head. "Doesn't matter. I think you'd be great at it."

She laughed softly, the sound carrying on the wind. "Alright, I'll give it a shot," she said, leaning into him.

They stood together, watching the sun climb higher into the sky, the future stretching out before them like an open road. It wasn't perfect. They both had their scars, their shadows to face. But for the first time in a long time, Eliza felt like she wasn't facing it alone. And that made all the difference.

As they turned to walk back toward the small cabin they had rented for the weekend, Connor began to hum softly, a melody that Eliza recognized immediately. It was the same one he had played at the retreat, the one that had stayed with her ever since. The song had changed in the months that followed—grown, evolved—but its heart remained the same.

Just like them.

Through the glass, we see it clear,

That who we were was always near.

We break the frame, the pieces fall,

And in the shards, we find it all.

Eliza smiled as the familiar lyrics floated through her mind, the words taking on new meaning now. They had both broken through the frames of their pasts, and though the pieces were still falling, they were finding their way.

Together.