Long Live

Epilogue

Hey, guys! So, believe it or not, this is going to be the last chapter for Long Live. Wow, time's flown by so fast while writing this story. I started writing this about three months ago, during the last weeks of summer vacation, and now look where we are now! We have more than fifty votes and comments and Long Live is almost at two thousand reads! And speaking of milestones, over the week, I've reached more than one hundred votes! That's so amazing and unbelievable! Thank you guys so much for sticking with this story and it's been a pleasure going through with this with you all. Well, I'll save more of the sappy stuff for the Author's Note, so I hope you enjoy this chapter and happy reading!

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Seven Years Later

It was a cold, crisp early morning in Guardia. The sky was cloudy and little raindrops were falling here and there. It all seemed a perfect time to stay inside and drink a nice hot beverage by the fire, but that wasn't the case for a particular group.

Jack stood there, his icy blue eyes staring at nothing in particular. His whole body was rigid and tense, as if the slightest touch from someone would startle him.

Seven years. Jack thought to himself. Has it really been that long?

"Daddy?"

Jack looked down to stare into the wide, curious eyes of his little girl. He'd even forgotten that he had been holding on to her this whole time. "Hm?"

"Are you okay?" his daughter asked.

Jack softly chuckled. "Yes, Fortrylle, I'm alright. Daddy's just thinking."

His daughter, who had inherited her aunt's natural curiosity for things, scrutinized him with her big blue eyes. "About what?"

Jack was silent for some time. "The past," he said finally. "And what could have turned out different."

His daughter nodded, having the wisdom a five-year-old wouldn't normally have. "Oh. I see."

Jack looked down at her and smiled. "It's nothing bad, honey. It's just that sometimes Daddy wonders about things, that's all."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Fortrylle asked, looking at her father in concern, the same way her mother did.

Jack smiled gently at her. "Yes, I am."

Fortrylle nodded, satisfied with her father's answer.

"Jack," Elsa's soft voice carried out to him. He looked up and saw Elsa coming back, with their four-year-old son holding on to his mother's hand. "It's-"

"I know," Jack said, breathing out a long sigh. He straightened up and kissed Fortrylle's head and came over to his wife and son. He smiled at Elsa before bending down to look at his son. "Hey, Caleb, what did you talk to Aunt Galaxy about?"

The boy gave a wide grin and pretended to zip his mouth. "It's a secret," he said.

"A secret? Aw, why can't you tell me it?" Jack smiled.

"Because it's a secret and only Aunt Galaxy knows," Caleb said persistently.

Elsa chuckled. "He wouldn't even tell me what he had told her."

Jack laughed. "Alright, alright. A secret it is between you and Aunt Galaxy then."

Caleb nodded, triumphant.

Jack laughed again when he met Elsa's gentle eyes. He cleared his throat and stood back up. "It never gets any easier over the years," he said so that only she could hear him.