A/N: Might I suggest listening to eAeon's Bulletproof while reading this?  I was listening to it on loop the whole time I wrote this.  So, here it is, we've come to the close of our journey with Dae and Eunji..... I'm a little saddened by it, but all good things must come to an end or something right?  Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this final chapter.  I love all of you and all of your wonderful comments.  i enjoy chatting with all of you.  So, until my next story (which shall be a Youngjae focus, I'm going in age order if you hadn't noticed) Annyeong!! <3

Escapees had been pouring in for the past few weeks.  The creatures had taken prisoners to torture for information to try to find weak points in their opponent’s defenses, but so far they’d been unsuccessful.  Those who’d escaped told stories that would make ones stomach churn.  So, when one of the escapees mentioned a familiar name, Daehyun’s stomach tightened and he didn’t want to believe what he’d heard.

“Excuse me, did I just hear you say the name Youngjae?”  He asked the battered looking man.

The man nodded.  “Yes, he and I were being held in the same place.  I only saw him for a little while though, once they found out he was an intelligence officer they took him away to give him their special treatment to try to pump him for information.”  The man shivered.  “I don’t even want to try to imagine what they are doing to him, if he’s still alive that is.”

Daehyun shook his head in disbelief.  “You must be mistaken, Youngjae died on the battlefield, I witnessed it myself.”

“I wish I was mistaken.”  The man said.  “When they brought him in he was badly hurt, stab wound to the chest.  They were just going to let him die until one of the other prisoners talked during a torture session and revealed who he was.”  He sighed.  “I didn’t see him anymore after that, but…” The man’s lip trembled slightly, “I heard his screams.  That was the only way I knew he was still alive.  They tortured him once a day.”

Daehyun’s heart pounded as he tried to process the information.  His Jae, whom he’d thought died in his arms, had been taken captive and was now being tortured on a daily basis?  His body started to shake with anger and guilt.  He had left him out there on the battlefield.  He was the reason his best friend now suffered at the hands of those wretched creatures.  He felt a hand clasp his shoulder and he looked up to find Yongguk.

“There was no way we could have known.  I thought he was dead too.”  Yongguk looked down at his feet and then back up at him.  “If you want to blame someone, then blame me.”

Daehyun shook his head.  “I’m not going to blame anyone, I just want to find him.”  He looked at the battered man who’d told them his tale.  “Where can I find him?”

Eunji rolled over as she tried to fight off the dream, and it was a dream this time, one she’d had over and over ever since she first dreamed it.  It was the second half of the dream that she never wanted to relive, not just because it was a painful thing to experience, but because with the second half always came the end, the end of it all.  But, try as she might, she never was able to escape it.

They’d infiltrated the creatures small outpost compound fairly easily and dispatched the majority of the forces there inside and out.  As they were sweeping through the buildings they picked off any remaining creatures they found.  It was when they finally reached the area that had been used as the prison that they heard the screams, and it made Daehyun’s blood run cold.

They swiftly made their way further into the prison, passing holding cells filled with some of their comrades.  They would release them after they dispatched all the creatures running this place, after Daehyun found and saved his friend.  Yongguk took point while Daehyun and Himchan followed behind him and Jongup brought up the rear.  They’d cleared the entire prison except for one room, the room where the screams were emanating from.

Yongguk stealthily peered through a small window in the door and quickly scanned the room.  He then let them know with his hands how many hostiles were inside and their positions.  Once they were all on the same page he gave the ready signal and they stormed into the room guns blazing.  They neutralized the room within seconds and to their utter horror found their friend suspended by chains, half- and a bloody, battered mess.  Yongguk and Jongup went about releasing him while Daehyun and Himchan helped lower him and assess his wounds.

Daehyun had to restrain himself from pulling Youngjae into his arms and simply holding him.  While Himchan very carefully went about examining Youngjae’s body, Daehyun tried to hold himself together.  But with each new wound Himchan found, Daehyun felt his heart break a little more.

“It looks like they cut him first and then whipped him.”  Himchan winced as he found a particularly gruesome lash mark.  “Nothing I can’t fix, but…it’s just not going to be too pleasant.”

Daehyun wiped Youngjae’s hair away from his face and ran his fingers over those familiar features he knew all too well.  “I’m so sorry, Jae.  I’m so sorry.”

Youngjae’s eyes slowly opened and when he saw his friend he cracked a small smile.  “Dae.”  His voice was raspy and hoarse from screaming.  “I knew you’d find me.”

The sound of explosions going on outside the compound made the men all stiffen and eye each other nervously.  When the next explosion hit, it hit the prison. 

Eunji woke from her nap with a startle like she always did after having the dream.  She’d first had the dream about twenty some years ago, and after that dream there hadn’t been anymore and Zelo had stopped receiving transmissions as well.  It had been over forty years since they’d seen the men and she and Minhee were approaching their seventies, while the twins, by human aging standards, appeared to be about twelve.  They were sweet, helpful boys, albeit still very mischievous.  And Zelo, he had taken on the role of brother for Eunji.  He cared about her more than anything and always made sure she was happy. 

Eunji slowly sat up, her old bones aching and her muscles stiff and sore.  Zelo appeared in the doorway and eyed her.  “Do you require my assistance?” 

She smiled at the robot.  “If you wouldn’t mind helping me up that would be much appreciated.”  Eunji said, her voice now slightly gravelly instead of youthfully bright. 

Zelo came to her and helped her stand and get steady on her feet.  He touched her face, a gesture he did quite often.  He was still having a hard time wrapping his robot mind around the whole aging thing.  He smiled at her.  “Are you feeling well today?”

Eunji nodded.  “I am.”

Zelo’s smiled widened.  “Did you have the dream again?”

Eunji sighed.  “I did.”

Zelo nodded.  “And what about…the hallucinations?  Do you still see him sometimes?”

Eunji smiled.  “An old lady is allowed to have her indulgences.  Call them hallucinations if you want.  I like to call them my happy moments.”  Her hallucinations worried Zelo because he didn’t know what to do about them or how to fix them.  He still didn’t understand that it was part of the aging process for the mind to slowly blur what was real and what wasn’t.  She’d started seeing ‘Daehyun’ on a daily basis.  He would talk to her or just sit with her and keep her company.  She knew he wasn’t really there, but she didn’t care.  It made her happy.

Zelo nodded.  “Would you like to take your usual walk along the beach to watch the sunset?”

Eunji nodded.

“Would you like me to accompany you?”  He asked.

She shook her head.  “No, I want some time alone.”

Zelo simply studied her for a moment.  “Alright, but be careful.”

She smiled.  “You worry too much.”  She said patting his cheek.  He lowered his head to allow her to ruffle his hair as well.  He still hated it when she did so, but as she’d gotten older he allowed her to do small things like that simply to make her happy.

He straightened up and bowed before leaving her room.

Eunji wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and headed outside to walk along the beach.  She listened to the waves gently crash upon the shore and breathed in the fresh salty air.  She always felt at peace here.  As she walked along she realized that ‘Daehyun’ had joined her and she smiled.  “I miss you, you know?”

“I miss you too.”  He replied.

“I wonder what you would think of me if you were really here?”  She said with a chuckle.  “I wonder if you would even recognize me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”  His lovely voice purred.  “You are still the same beautiful woman I fell in love with.”

Eunji laughed.  “And you still know all the right things to say.”  She stopped and looked at him, he was gorgeous as always with his smoldering eyes and lush lips.  “I wish you were here.”

He flashed her his dazzling smile and it made her old heart flutter.  “But I am here, Eunji.”

She sighed and shook her head.  “I mean really here.”

He laughed.  “Eunji, I am here.”  He said reaching out and tracing his fingers along her wrinkled skin.

Eunji’s eyes widened at the touch.  She actually felt him touch her.  She started worrying about her sanity but was instantly stopped when she felt lips pressed against hers.  She melted into his kiss just like she always had, her arms following their familiar path around his neck.  When he pulled away she blinked up at him.  “You’re really here aren’t you?”

Daehyun smiled.  “I am.”  He said kissing her forehead.  “I told you I’d come back for you.  I’m just sorry it took so long.”

“I had dreams about you.”  She told him.

“Really?  What kind of dreams were they?”  He asked.

She told him all about her dreams and she could tell that it saddened him that she had had to experience some of them.

“I’m sorry, Eunji.  I’m so sorry for everything.”  He apologized, pressing his forehead against hers.

Eunji gasped.  “Does Himchan know about Kyuyun?”

Daehyun nodded.  “Yes, he does.  And thanks to Zelo’s thoughtfulness on freezing her, Himchan can now fix her up and revive her.”

Eunji’s eyes widened.  “He can do that?”

“Yes, he can.”  His eyes studied hers and his hands caressed her cheeks.  “Why don’t we go up to the house and see everyone?”

Eunji nodded and they went back up to the house.  Himchan was thoroughly enjoying his sons.  It was almost scary how much Namkyu and Sangkyu looked like him.  She saw Minhee and Yongguk snuggled together on the couch, happily conversing and it warmed her heart to see Minhee so happy.  Jongup gave her a hug and Youngjae did as well. 

“I’m so glad you are alright.”  Eunji said giving Youngjae a kiss on the cheek.  “Do you know how worried Dae was about you?”

Youngjae frowned.  “How would you know?”  He then raised an eyebrow.  “How worried was he?”

Eunji grinned.  “Very.”  She winked.

Zelo was suddenly beside them and he stared at Daehyun.  “I took care of her to the best of my ability.”

Daehyun smiled and put his hand on the robot’s shoulder, startling him.  “I knew you would.  Thank you.”

Zelo nodded stiffly and backed away allowing Himchan to come say hello. 

“Hey there.”  Himchan said with a killer smile.  “How are you feeling?”  He asked, going straight into doctor mode as he examined her features. 

Eunji shrugged.  “Old.”  She replied honestly, making him laugh. 

“Well, I have something here that might help alleviate some of that for you.”  He said pulling out two syringes.  He looked over at Minhee and Yongguk.  “Minhee dear, I need to give you this as well.  It will help you both feel a little better.”

“What is it?”  Minhee asked.

“Oh, a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”  Himchan said with a wink.  “It will help cure any ailments you have and make you feel a little more perky.”

The women both allowed him to inject them with his medicinal concoction, and Eunji felt an instantaneous difference.  She felt like her body was turning back time on itself.  She felt lighter, her aches and pains were gone, and….  She looked down at her hands and watched in amazement as her skin reversed in the aging process returning to the smooth suppleness from when she’d been young.  She reached up and touched her face; her face hadn’t felt like that in a long time. 

Eunji looked at Himchan in awe.  “Did you just…”

“Give you a ‘fountain of youth’ injection?”  Himchan grinned.  “Yes, I did.  And I plan on unfreezing Kyuyun and reviving her as well.  Ever since I learned of her death I have been perfecting the process.”

“Thank you.”   Eunji said, her voice sounding youthful again as well.

Daehyun tugged on her arm and she allowed him to pull her away.  “There is something I’d like to show you as well.”  He motioned to Youngjae and he put something on the floor that she could only describe as a giant light-up hula-hoop.  Daehyun stepped into it and she followed him.  “I’ll let you know when we are ready to come back.”  He said to his friend. 

Youngjae nodded.  “Take your time, and enjoy yourselves.”  He said with a wink.

Daehyun grinned.  “Oh, we will.”  He pulled Eunji against him and stared down at her with his lovely eyes.  “We’ll thoroughly enjoy ourselves.”

Eunji gazed at him curiously, wondering what he was up to.  She watched as he pushed a button on a device he had at his hip and suddenly there was a bright flash and she couldn’t see.  She shut her eyes tight and held onto Daehyun, waiting for whatever was happening to be over.

“Open your eyes now, Eunji.”  Daehyun whispered against her ear.

Eunji did as he asked and gasped.  She looked back at Daehyun and smiled as tears started to form in her eyes.  “Thank you.  I’ve wanted to come back to Jidae so badly.”

Daehyun tilted his head.  “Jidae?”

Eunji grinned.  “Well I thought my planet needed a name and Jidae just seemed appropriate.”

Daehyun smiled at her when he understood that she had taken the last part of her name and the first part of his and combined them to name the planet.  “I like it.  You’re right Jidae is very appropriate.”

They walked along the glowing beach, watching the creatures swimming around about them. 

Daehyun pulled her to him and gave her a look she knew all too well.  “What do you say we finish where we left off last time we were here?”

Eunji smiled at him.  “I say that sounds like a wonderful idea.”  She went up on tiptoe and kissed the tip of his nose.  “I’ve missed you.”  She brushed her fingers against those sinful lips of his.  “I love you so much, Dae.”

“I love you too.”  He picked her up and carried her to the small hut.  Once inside her lay her down and gave her a wolfish grin.  “Now, shall I show you just how much I’ve missed you?”  He asked as he descended upon her like a starving man would a feast.