Flashbacks | Zalfie

Epilogue

Joe's POV

I never really got over Zoe's death. In fact, I don't think I ever even digested it.

Louise was the one to find Zoe, not me. She went over to check on her after I had asked her to, and after knocking on the door a few times, decided just to answer. She could hear the cries of a baby down the hall, and rushed to see what was wrong.

And that's when she saw her.

That's when she saw Zoe, dangling from the ceiling, swaying gently back and forth in the breeze the open window created.

When I was told, I immediately denied any of it happening. She couldn't be dead, could she? No. My sister wasn't dead.

I think when I saw the body that's when I really realised what had happened.

But I still felt as if I was in some sort of trance, a dream like state.

When they gave me the note, I agreed to becoming Ian's full time carer, and although I had to fill out a lot of paperwork, I ended up getting custody of him quite easily.

I quit YouTube after her death. I wanted to focus on bringing up Ian properly, but also I didn't know how to carry on without her. She was the one who got me into YouTube in the first place, and it didn't seem fair to keep it up now she was gone.

Louise also quit YouTube, as did Marcus. I think their loses were just too great to keep going. Louise fell into a deep depression, while Naomi and Marcus moved to Sydney to get away from Brighton for a while. I haven't heard from them since.

Jim and Tanya still keep in touch, and they come to see Ian as often as possible. When I first saw the two of them with him, it was decided. They would be 'Auntie' Tanya and 'Uncle' Jim.

I did miss everything from time to time. YouTube. The fans, and meeting them whenever I had the chance. But the thing I missed most was most certainly my friends. I had made so many friends through YouTube and ThatcherJoe, only for us to be ripped apart by cancer and depression.

So, as I held Ian's hand and walked him to his first day at school, I looked up at the sky and silently thanked Zoe and Alfie, and Louise, and Marcus and Naomi, wherever they may be now. They had shaped me into the person I was today, and I only hoped I was good enough to bring up a strong and independent son.

He turned to me right at the last moment, just as the bell rung. "Uncle Joe, I'm scared."

I smiled, lifting the five year old into my arms. "You'll be fine, Ian. You're brave." I paused. "You know who else was brave?"

The small boy shook his head.

I smiled. "Did I ever tell you about your daddy?"

And that's where life really begun. . .

***

Well, hello there!

Ah, so another story drawing to a close.
I would just like to thank every single one of you for all the support you have given me over the course of this fairly short fanfiction.
I know you all were probably not expecting this to end so soon, but I hope you will be pleased to find out that my new Zalfie fanfiction, Not Knowing is out now!!
Thanks so much again guys, and I am so thankful that you all came on this journey with me!!

Over and out. <3