Where She Went

Epilogue

Here is your epilogue. Thank you for reading this book<3 *cries hysterically and hugs pillow as I write this last chapter*

With all love, one last sign out for you guys.

Auna((: <<333

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I'm not sure if in the end it was a happy ending, or a bittersweet one. I'll leave that up to you to decide.

November was in the hospital for a long time on critical condition. The bullet had hit him just below his liver, and it left me in constant paranoia when he was behind those patient rooms.

I was only in the hospital for a short time, getting seen for any damage to my lungs or to my child. But then my father came to see me, and I broke down before him. He stayed with me for the whole night, refusing to leave even when the security came to get him because he had stayed to far into the night already.

I told him everything, except Kaleb. I left his entire existence out of my story, because I thought that would be what he wanted. He wouldn't want his father to know he had died, he wanted it to be peaceful, with no sorrow or no pain. The only people in pain was April, Savell and I. But I knew my pain was much more than theirs could ever be. And he knew that too.

I had also told him I was pregnant, and he was very happy, joyful even. I wasn't expecting that reaction, but I cherished it. We cried and held each other for hours. I was so glad to see him again, and my little sister. My brother couldn't make it because of his college work, but he said he would drop by soon.

Once I had been alone after my father left, I asked for a DNA testing, just to be relieved of the pressure. I didn't want to live another second of not knowing who's child it was. The results came back the day before I left.

It was November's.

The doctors had let me go from the hospital with a diagnoses of depression, and they also diagnosed November with it too, except he had it much worse than I did, even with the deaths. He was given medication to take home once he was admitted home. But once I had told him the child was his after all, his mood had lightened a little better than before.

I decided to stay with my father for awhile, just to get better and recover. Harrison's body was found dead a few days after, relieving both November and I of the stress we had both been carrying for days on end.

For the few weeks we stayed at my parent's, November had become very distant and reserved. Several times I saw him eye his prescription with a trance I had never seen. It terrified me, but I thought he might be thinking about just taking all of them at once to free himself from all the pain he was carrying.

I would do the same too, though.

***

-- Three Years Later --

Alaska May stood at the edge of the field, her blue eyes scanning for the beautiful yellow butterfly she had spotted just a few seconds ago. Her blonde hair tumbled around her, and she swatted it away carelessly, her mind on bigger things.

"Momma! Come find the butterfly with me!" She turned around to look for her mother, who had moved to sit on the park bench with her father.

She looked up from her lap, her green eyes shining in the sunlight. She gave a small smile to Alaska and waved her over. Puffing out her cheeks, she ran her little legs down to where they sat.

"You found a butterfly?" Her mother gasped, taking her in her lap. She giggled and tried to squirm from her grip.

"Momma, put me down! I want to catch it!" She squealed as her mother's hands snaked down to her belly, where she started to tickle her.

She kicked out and laughed, and her mother finally let her go from her tickling attack.

"A butterfly, you say?" Her father spoke up, his blue eyes cast downwards at the Braille book he was reading. She didn't yet understand why he read books like that, but she knew he had a disability she wouldn't be able to understand yet. "And where did that butterfly go?"

"I dont know, daddy. It disappeared!" She scanned her eyes over the park again, searching for the butterfly once more.

Her mother returned her attention by turning her around in her lap again, her eyes gazing down lovingly into hers.

"Alaska May, what's the magic word?"

"Pretty please!" She shouts, making her mother jump. Both of them laugh, including her father.

"Okay, I will help you. Where was the last place you found this butterfly?" She asks.

"Um..." Alaska turns to look into the woodland, pointing with her small index finger. "Over there!"

"Okay, let's go get it!" Setting her daughter down, Hazel watches her run back down the sidewalk and stands, turning to her husband, November.

"You staying here?" Hazel asks, looking down at the book November was studying so discreetly.

"Yeah, I can't do much to help you find that butterfly." He laughs, finally taking his concetration from the book.

Hazel leans down and kisses his forehead before she leaves, murmuring to him she would be back soon.

So much had happened in these few small years, it almost seemed unreal. At one point, Hazel thought they would never last. But they managed to find a way through all their hardhships, and both were ready to take on the responsibility of Alaska May, their only daughter.

Another was on the way though, Hazel thought excitedly.

She gave November one last small look, admiring the way the sun lit his blue eyes and casted a surreal glow to his perfect face.

So many emotions seemed to hit her hard in the chest, and she forced a small smile to her face.

"I love you." She whispered, her eyebrows pulling together.

For three years, he had never said it back. Only once, after they had married, had he said it. November had still carried depression with him to this day, but slowly and surely, he was getting better.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Hazel waited for a few seconds, praying... Wishing he would react to her three simple words.

And when he looked up at her, his blue orbs latching onto hers, she inhaled a sharp breath. When his lips parted, she felt a sharp tingle incline up her spine and suddenly the world seemed to slow.

"I love you too, Hazel." November whispered.