One Autumn Morning

Epilogue

Snow is falling outside on the grass, blanketing the world in white. Sarah's brother is in his room playing video games and their parents are out on a walk. Sarah sits in the family room with Luke, Christmas carols playing in the background; a Christmas tree in the corner, covered in multicolored ornaments, an angel balanced on top, presents circling the bottom of the tree, surrounded by a toy train. Their fireplace is decorated in garland with five stockings hanging off of it, the dogs lying lazily across the tiles beneath it. Their entire house is covered in Christmas decorations- wreaths, statues, a nativity, and outside the edge of the roof is lined with Christmas lights. It's been about a month since they got back, and it was Christmas Eve. Sarah and Luke had gotten together about a week after getting back to Sarah's house, and Luke was officially adopted. The dogs spent most of their days out in the woods, where Sarah would often visit, but sometimes, like tonight, they came inside Sarah's house. 

As for the people from the facility, after they had called the real cops they had taken action and investigated the building. After finding what they said was true, all of the adults had gotten sent to jail for life, all of the other creatures that were kidnapped got returned to where they were stolen from. The kids, Anthony, Maggie, and Audrey, were sent to a foster home together, but Anthony and Maggie would soon leave since they were almost 18. 

Sarah and Luke were sitting on the floor by the dogs, Sarah had her head on Luke's shoulder, a fluffy white blanket over their laps. 

"I can't believe it's been a month since you rescued me," Sarah whispers into his ear.

Luke wraps his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close. "Me neither. It feels like just yesterday we were in that ballroom, and you had that beautiful dress on."

Sarah laughed, "Yeah, and we had dinner and Richard came over and interrupted us, and said we made a cute couple." They both went silent, Richard was a sore spot for both of them. 

Luke broke the silence, laughing, and Sarah joined in, "Yeah, that was so awkward," he said, their laughter echoing through the house. The clock in the shelves near them then started chiming, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve... it was midnight. Sarah raised her head and kissed Luke on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas!"

Luke, with his arm still around Sarah's shoulders, leaned backward, pulling her down onto her back on the soft carpet. "Merry Christmas." She put her head on his chest, the gentle rise and fall of his breath and the rhythmic thumping of heartbeat soothing her into a deep and peaceful sleep.

A/N: It's done! I really had fun writing this, I originally had it as the cops were actual cops and not corrupted, but my friend told me it was too easy. I took her advice and changed it and made it what it is now. I really hope you enjoyed reading it, and thank you so much for doing so.

-Megan