It was the warm sun filtering through the open window that woke him.  Taking a deep breath and opening his eyes slowly, Ryeowook would never tire of that feeling.  Nor would he tire of waking up in the circle of Kyuhyun’s arms either.  Humming under his breath, Ryeowook placed his hands on top of Kyuhyun’s where they were hiding under the covers and snuggled against the bare chest at his back.  He was so warm and comfortable and he didn’t want to get up.  At least until Kyuhyun mumbled behind him.

                “Why is it so bright?” the sleepy man murmured into Ryeowook’s hair, obviously trying to hide behind the short, dark locks.

                “Because it’s morning, sleepy head,” Ryeowook laughed, wriggling around to better see his lover with his just waking eyes and pouty-in-the-morning face.

                Kyuhyun managed one of the least intimidating frowns of his life and then smirked, “Smartass.”

                “I learned from the best,” Ryeowook teased, smiling brightly as he came close enough to steal a quick kiss from the other man’s lips.

                But when he tried to go back to resting where he was, Kyuhyun pulled him close.  “Come here you,” he snorted, drawing Ryeowook into a more languid kiss, for all the world just savoring the feel and taste of him.

                Neither pressed for more, happy to simply share each other’s company.  And when they were sated with the taste of each other’s lips, they laid in bed with Ryeowook’s head pillowed on Kyuhyun’s chest, fingers threaded together.  He could feel Kyuhyun’s warm breath fluttering his hair and Ryeowook smiled.  As they lay together, his eyes traced over what they’d grown accustomed to in three years of peace.

                Like all the others in the city, they lived inside a tree.  Above and below, the rings of the trunk circled outward like ripples in a pond.  The room they were in now was small – their private, sleeping chamber, but it was more than cozy enough for both of them.  A slight breeze blew through the two open windows and their dark blue curtains fluttered at the passing, the light fabric open as well.

                On the walls, there wasn’t much yet.  Pictures were still hard to come by but there were a handful of aspiring artists in their midst.  Himchan wasn’t among the best but he insisted upon drawing a portrait of Kyuhyun and Ryeowook, which the latter insisted they hang in their bedroom.  Otherwise, there was a flower his grandniece had given him stuck to the wall, the braided strands of his and Kyuhyun’s long hair before they’d cut it after being healed, and the hanging wreath thing his niece and nephew in law had made for him.  It was falling apart but he cherished it all the same.

                There was a small desk grown from the tree itself and a chair risen from the ground that was immovable.  A tad bit inconvenient but it made sense considering it was still alive after all.  And then there was the bed they were in.  It too was grown from the tree but N had spoiled them a bit when he’d gotten his hands on a plush cover complete with fluffy pillows and a hand woven blanket.  They’d managed to find their own set of sheets with a little asking around, but it was certainly comfortable and warm.  Especially because it was spring: the same time of year they’d woken up in.

                With the quiet rumbling of his stomach, Ryeowook laughed and ducked his head further against Kyuhyun’s chest.  “Should we get up?”

                “Nope,” Kyuhyun chuckled matter of factly, the amusement obvious in his voice.

                “But I’m hungry,” Ryeowook pouted, turning his face up to look at the other man.

                “Then you can get up,” he smirked in response, his tone light and playful.

                Scoffing in mock hurt at the answer, Ryeowook slapped the covers over Kyuhyun’s belly with his hand – lightly.  But the other man still reacted as if wounded, loudly about Ryeowook beating him up and curling onto his side to continue his lamenting.  “Hopeless,” Ryeowook laughed as he shook his head and finally got up himself.

                The warm air inside caressed his skin while he strode across the living floor, blessedly warm as well, and searched through the open faced closet.  They didn’t have many clothes – there were a lot of people and not a lot of material yet – but the ones they did have were of good quality and comfortable.  He snagged a shirt and a pair of pants and dressed quickly, feeling Kyuhyun’s eyes on him all the while.

                With a coy glance over his shoulder, he smiled, “I’ll make some breakfast.  Come down when you’re ready.  And don’t forget,” he turned around to better face his blanket covered lover.  “We’re watching Yejin later today.”

                “I know,” Kyuhyun scoffed with a dismissive wave of his hand.  “That just means I have plenty of time to sleep right now.”

                “So long as you don’t sleep all of our anniversary away,” Ryeowook laughed as he turned to make his way for the spiral staircase leading down.  Formed within the tree itself, the few steps extended into the greater portion of their common quarters, complete with a kitchen set within the living room and a smaller guest room off to the side.  Here, things looked a little more advanced since electricity was more obvious.

                There was a dinted and dingy hot water heater sitting on the counter, connected to an outlet strip that was skillfully spliced to a wire that ran in from the outside to give them at least a little bit of power.  Taking the water heater outside, Ryeowook pulled the lever on the rain barrel overhead and filled the container before holding it in his hands and peering outside.  The tree formed railing kept him safe on the balcony setup, even forty feet up or so, but it gave him a wonderful view of the interior.

                Across the way and all around, he could see other houses in the trees.  None were too close so they all had their space, even if there were neighbors below them.  It wasn’t as if he ever heard them anyway, and he rather enjoyed living close to Kangin on the second level and Seungho and Amber on the first.  On the green, ground floor, where obvious paths had been worn away by many feet, people milled about.  Some were going to work in the fields or at their various shops in the heart of the city, while others looked like they were just enjoying the beautiful weather.

                The ground was still damp from the rainfall the day before but with a glance up, there was nothing but blue skies through the canopy overhead.  Ryeowook took a deep breath of the fresh, clean air and stepped back inside to make coffee and a late breakfast.  They only had a mini-fridge run by electricity but it was enough to keep a few things fresh: like meat mostly.  Ryeowook snagged a couple eggs from the basket on the counter, took the battered but whole frying pan down and the hotplate partially set into the surface.  It wasn’t the best and it was finicky but it worked since no one wanted live flames inside a tree.

                He was most of the way through cooking when he felt arms wrap around his waist as lips pressed to his shoulder while Kyuhyun hugged him from behind.  “Looks good,” he murmured, moving his mouth up to nose at Ryeowook’s ear instead.

                Ryeowook giggled when it tickled, ducking his head to the side with a tiny squeal.  “It will be if you don’t distract me,” he wrinkled his nose and laughed.

                “But it’s so much fun,” Kyuhyun taunted, letting his hands drift to Ryeowook’s sides so he could tickle him lightly.

                “Yah!” the shorter man yelped, wriggling in place to try and dislodge him.  “Kyu!” he whined plaintively, laughing as he moved the scrambled eggs off the hotplate to keep them from burning.  As soon as they were safely set aside, he was pulled into another, firm hug by Kyuhyun with the taller man’s chin resting on his shoulder.  “You’re a mess,” Ryeowook laughed gently, resting one hand on Kyuhyun’s while the other reached up to scratch at dark brown hair fondly.

                “Only sometimes,” Kyuhyun defended himself, sighing as he held tight.

                “Yeah, yeah,” Ryeowook smiled, enjoying the embrace for a moment longer before he reached out to start plating their food.  “Could you get the coffee?” he asked, turning his head to add a kiss to the request.

                “I got it,” Kyuhyun confirmed with a nod, snagging two mugs from the hanging hooks on the wall before he poured the coffee from the salvaged French press.  Carefully, he took the two mugs to the kitchen table, complete with four immovable chairs, and waited for Ryeowook who carried two plates of steaming food over right after.

                “Here we go.  Breakfast is served!” he beamed, waiting for Kyuhyun to take the first bite before he tucked in himself.  Wasting no time, Kyuhyun picked up a piece of beef – it was one of the most abundant meats since they’d found a few cows years ago to start building a herd – and nibbled on it with a hum of pleasure.  Satisfied, Ryeowook smiled, took a sip of his coffee, and began eating in turn.

                He was quite pleased with the morning thus far and Ryeowook was more than looking forward to the afternoon as well.  He always enjoyed spending time with the little ones – his grandniece especially.

                Sitting in the sun field of Survivor City 2 – the name had been claimed by several other sites in fact, Ryeowook watched with content eyes, his head pillowed on Kyuhyun’s shoulder, as the young ones played, human and wolf alike.  The massive solar panel they’d managed to cobble together stared up at the constantly burning orb above while those on the ground paid it no mind.  It had been there for years after all, and was only relatively new to those like Ryeowook and Kyuhyun or the odd traveler who stopped by.  As he watched his grandniece Yejin scamper around like the energetic five year old she was, playing tag with wolf pups and other children alike, Ryeowook couldn’t help but smile.

                “How your brother helped make someone as cute as her, I will never know,” Kyuhyun teased playfully as he grabbed the other man’s hand and kissed the back of it with their fingers threaded together.

                “You used to blame it on his wife,” Ryeowook tossed back, a bemused smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

                “Still do,” Kyuhyun snorted once, his fingers tightening just a touch while he held the hand to his chest instead.

                The pair glanced around to be sure that her parents, or grandparents, weren’t there yet, ready to pick the little girl up from the communal watch site.  On the outskirts of the field, which was actually a clearing in the forest that allowed for an unobstructed view of the sky so the sun would always shine down, three Guardians maintained their posts, looking more like sleeping giants anymore.  Lying in the shade of the overhanging trees, several wolves clustered, along with other humans, enjoying their down time in helping watch the next generation.

                Many of them were old, familiar faces while some were newer – refugees or wanderers who had made their way to them over time.  He nodded once at a very content Jiyong and Chaerin who were sitting, enjoying a light picnic meal with their son and daughter in law as their own grandchild played in the midst.  Some time in 21 AG, the last of the Hunters had been ‘convinced’ as Minsoo put it, to give up their powers.  Ryeowook wasn’t exactly sure how the convincing was done but he was happier not knowing if there had been conflict.

                His efforts had been rewarded at last when he gave his own strength up to become a human and the spirits had finally moved on, leaving the Possessed free for the first time in centuries.  It had cost him though.  In his hunt, he’d learned that his family had been among the casualties.  Much like most of Mir’s, the latter of whom had stayed on the other side of the world to raise his surviving son; interestingly, Mika had continued to travel with him.  Minsoo had not been so fortunate.

                The former Hunter spent much of his time watching the sun field and those within it now.  Even as Ryeowook and Kyuhyun looked on, they saw the aged man with long, dark hair and hidden scars wander into the open, his arms outstretched to pick up the squealing little girl of nine or ten who ran to him: Yerin, Luna and Junhong’s daughter and Minsoo’s god-daughter.

                “She makes him happy like no one else,” Henry murmured as he came to sit next to Ryeowook in the grass.  Looking over, Ryeowook nodded in agreement and marveled at how ageless his friend still seemed.  Linked with the Guardian, time had virtually stopped for the wolf-kin, much as it had when Ryeowook and Kyuhyun had been within them as well.  Only recently had he finally stepped down from being the voice of them as it was no longer needed.

                “Children have a way of doing that,” Ryeowook agreed, his fingers tightening on Kyuhyun’s hand subconsciously.  He laid his head back on Kyuhyun’s shoulder and the other man reached up to pet his hair in a tender but mute show of affection.

                “Kangin certainly seems to think so,” Kyuhyun chuckled with a nod towards the other man who was currently playing the human sized wolf for several of the kids just then.  A small swarm of them piled on top while actual pups ran circles around him, nipping at heels and hands playfully.  “Then again, he always was a big kid himself.”

                “Oh,” Henry murmured before he could forget, tapping Ryeowook on the shoulder.  “Not exactly speaking of kids but N wanted me to let you know he had something special planned for the evening.  Since it’s the third year anniversary of your awakening and all,” he winked, a bright grin lighting up his face.

                “Oh hell.  What’s he got planned this time?” Kyuhyun scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

                “Be nice,” Ryeowook chided, casting a sidelong look at him.

                “I am,” the other man retorted with a sidelong look of his own.

                “You only think you’re nice,” a new voice surprised the trio from the back, making them all start.

                “Dammit, Min!” Kyuhyun grumbled as they shifted to look back, knowing Changmin wouldn’t come to join them.  Untouched by the healing power of the Guardians, Changmin was still a vampire and just as quiet as they’d used to be.  “Stop sneaking up on us,” he scowled, throwing a glare at the standing man.

                “It’s not my fault you’re deaf,” Changmin chuckled, leaning easily against the trunk of a tree while he stayed in the protective cover of the shade.  He cocked his head as if listening and then laughed once, “I hear you, Changjo.”

                “Dammit,” the younger vampire huffed, coming into view as he revealed himself to be as unchanged as the other.  Thirty years hadn’t touched them at all.  “One of these days I will get you,” he pointed in the vampire’s face determinedly.

                “Keep telling yourself that, youngling,” Changmin grinned, his expression teasing but there was an obvious sense of affection between them.  When Ryeowook had eventually asked why he hadn’t changed, his answer had been simple: ‘Because she told me to watch over you guys.’  The unofficial deal that Changjo had apparently worked out with the other man was that they’d continue keeping an eye on the group Victoria had taken under her protective wings and then make the transition.

                Otherwise, vampires themselves were few and far between.  With the help of the Guardians, they had restored the planet mostly to rights again in a relatively short period of time and the return of the sun from behind the clouds made it difficult for the overly light sensitive.  Oh, things were still changing and while the seasons had actually reverted back to a more predictable pattern of change, technology itself was still struggling to find a place in the new world.  The solar panel had been huge in terms of getting power up and running, but most of their buildings were made out of trees instead of stone and glass.  Life was fulfilling in a different way and they’d been adjusting well to the lack of some comforts – like moving pictures or phones or computers and such.

                They’d found a few things to salvage but there weren’t enough to go around yet and doling them out was problematic.  So they learned other ways to keep themselves entertained and tried to continue building a better life.  The children helped with that.  They were a future everyone could agree on.  Even those who had been most resistant to change in the beginning. 

                Just as Ryeowook thought that, he saw Hyoyeon get up from under the shade on the other side of the sun field to greet one of her children.  It was hard to remember who was who anymore – damn the loss of perfect memory – but he thought it was one of their sons.  Looking a little gray in the fur, Seunghyun stood up to follow the pair as they headed into the field to retrieve a few of the pups playing.  One of them seemed particularly fond of Yerin and didn’t want to leave the little girl as Minsoo toted her around on his back, galloping around the space with a childish grin on his face.

                “Do you think…” Ryeowook started to say as he pointed at the two while glancing to either side of him before Henry answered the rest of the question.

                “Yep.  They’re definitely gonna be a companion pair,” he nodded happily.  “Give em a couple more years and they’ll be nearly inseparable.  Just like Sunhwa and Taekwoon.”  At Ryeowook and Kyuhyun’s confused expression, Henry waved his hands in apology.  “You remember, right?  He and Sulli are together, but Sunhwa gravitated towards him because he’s a Jung.  After the wolf-Guardian seemed to pull away – Daehyun’s memory had run its course – she needed someone to latch onto and he was that for her.”

                “Can they really talk to each other?” Ryeowook asked, still not entirely sure about that part.  Oh, the wolves were very intelligent and even the next generation evidenced just as much intellect as their parents.  It was just strange to think about speaking without words.  In person anyway.

                “That’s what the human companions say,” Henry shrugged.  “I wouldn’t know personally, though Jongup seems to think so.  With as much time as he spends around Hyuk and all.”

                “Is that like Karam and Yoochun?” Kyuhyun added in, looking around Ryeowook so he could better see the other man.

                Henry frowned slightly and shook his head.  “Not exactly.  Yoochun’s case is a bit complicated.  After everything that happened to the Park pack, he felt he needed to stay as he was to do his best to protect what was left of them.  Or so says Byunghee and he’s the closest anyone gets to Yoochun anymore.”

                Ryeowook nodded in understanding.  The closeness the pair had developed when they were struggling to survive had apparently carried over to now.  Though Byunghee had opted to become human while Yoochun had not.  It was endearing to see the Park Alpha carrying Karam around in a special harness designed just for him to ride the wolf since his legs were paralyzed.  So much healing had happened and yet there were still underlying currents of pain.  It would just take time…

                “Uncle!” the surprise shout caught all of them unaware as Yejin bolted for Ryeowook, nearly throwing herself into his lap before he could react properly.  “Help!” she added while a small pack of pups ran after her.

                “Oh!” he gasped, awkwardly trying to catch the bundle of flailing limbs and bouncing, black waves of hair.

                “No,” Kyuhyun pointed at a couple pups bouncing around him.  “No- oh bugger,” he grumbled when they ignored him and hopped into his lap anyway.

                “Come here you,” Henry giggled, snatching up one of the gray wolves hounding after Yejin with a bright grin as he cuddled it close, enduring wet and nose bumps along the way.

                For her part, Yejin wriggled free while another pup took her place, leaving her open to blink at the man in the shade.  “Grandpa Min!” she beamed, scrambling to her feet so she could throw herself at the tall vampire.

                Changjo didn’t even try not to laugh as Changmin deftly caught the little girl off the ground and frowned at her.  “I’m not a grandpa,” he chided, though amusement danced in his eyes.

                “But you’re old.  Everyone says so,” she nodded matter of factly as the words fell from her lips in slightly unclear syllables.

                “Just because I’m old doesn’t make me a grandpa,” he snorted with a wry twist to his mouth.  But when her face fell, as it always did with that argument, Changmin sighed and raised a brow with his lips pressed together.  “But I guess I can still be your grandpa.”

                “Yay!” she cheered, throwing her arms around his neck to hug him tight.

                “I wouldn’t tell JR that,” Changjo reminded her with a wink, bopping her on the nose with his finger so that she giggled and swatted at his hand.

                “He’s my grandpa too!” she beamed with a full set of tiny teeth and a face that could light up a room with brown eyes that practically sparkled in delight.

                “And this great uncle wants a better hug before he goes to see Uncle N,” Ryeowook laughed as he got up to accept the eager hug machine back into his arms, after gently depositing the other pup on the ground of course.

                “Uncle Wookie!” she giggled in delight, hugging him tight as he squeezed her gently.  “And Kyu,” she added, reaching one small hand towards the still seated man on the ground expectantly.

                “Do I hafta?” he asked with a wrinkled nose, deftly fending off pups with practiced ease.

                “Yes!” she nodded her head once as Ryeowook turned them around to get a better look.

                “Ugh,” he groaned, pretending it was some great chore to get up.  But then he moved close and she hugged him from Wookie’s arms, kissing him soundly on the cheek.  “Eww,” he remarked in mock disgust.  “Now I have cooties!” Kyuhyun groaned while he stepped back and wiped at his face as Yejin giggled in delight with her tiny fists covering .

                “The only thing you have is a case of bad acting,” Kangin couldn’t help but add when he got close enough to join the group, knees and palms dirty from his antics, but an unbridled happiness evident on his face.

                “Shut up,” Kyuhyun grumbled with a good-natured shove to his longtime friend.

                Kangin just laughed and then nodded his head towards one of the entrances to the field.  “Looks like the real gramps is coming to pick you up, kiddo,” he smiled at Yejin.

                “Grandpa!” she shrieked upon seeing JR walking closer.

                For his part, JR just grinned and shook his head as he joined the circle.  “Clearly, my granddaughter is unloved here,” he laughed with joy and appreciation in his gaze.

                “Of course,” Ryeowook nodded winking at Yejin.  “Not loved at all.”  Yejin merely kissed him on the cheek too and giggled at her antics.  “See?”

                “Come here you,” JR urged with open hands as he retrieved Yejin at last.  “Your grandmother wants to see you and if we don’t hurry, we’re gonna be late for helping make dinner.”

                “Oh no!” she gasped, both hands coming up to cover in surprise.

                “Yep,” her grandfather nodded solemnly.  But he turned a more relaxed expression to the rest of the group.  “Thanks for keeping an eye on her, Wookie.”  He only said his brother’s name but they all knew it was meant for everyone there.

                “Anytime JR,” Ryeowook knew he answered for all of them.  They looked to the side when a low bark called the pups away from their feet and the little pack swarmed back over to Seunghyun, Hyoyeon, and their son.  Oh, what was his name…?  One would think it would be easier to remember since the new wolves aged much the same way that the humans did; not to mention they had pups on a very similar time line too.  With smaller numbers to boot.  The pack they were herding was probably from all three of their children.

                The humans and vampires waved at the retreating packs and JR, with an energetically waving Yejin in his arms, and then took a collective breath.  They lived through the children of others but it was tiring sometimes.  None of them had their own: Kyuhyun and Ryeowook because it wasn’t possible; Henry since he had only just started to live his life anew; and Changmin and Changjo were vampires.  That didn’t mean that they couldn’t love and care for the next generation dearly though.

                “It’s getting late,” Ryeowook murmured with a glance up where the sun was no longer visible overhead.  It was starting to get darker but they had time yet.

                “N call you over again?” Kangin asked as he brushed his hands off and tried to clean the worst of the dirt from his pants.

                “As per usual,” Kyuhyun nodded, resuming his place next to Ryeowook with an arm settling in place against the smaller man’s waist.

                “I swear.  He just needs people around and Kiseop doesn’t talk nearly enough to fill N’s quota for any given day,” Kangin snorted with a shake of his head.  “He should just move in with Himchan.”

                “You know Hyosung wouldn’t have that,” Changmin barked a laugh with his arms crossed over his chest.

                “Especially not since they have a little one of their own now,” Changjo added with a shrug.

                “N should just be their permanent babysitter,” Kangin threw his hands up when getting clean was useless.

                “And have the kid grow up to be just like him?  No thank you,” Kyuhyun laughed with a gentle squeeze around Ryeowook’s waist.

                “He’s not that bad,” Ryeowook waved with a small laugh.  “But I still wonder what he has planned this time.  Last year was interesting with that cake and all.  Maybe he’ll try it again?” he shrugged, giving Kyuhyun a gentle shove to start them moving.

                “His heart is in the right place,” Henry agreed, falling into step beside them.

                “Even if his skills aren’t,” Kyuhyun mumbled under his breath.  Ryeowook heard him and elbowed him lightly in the ribs.  It earned him a soft laugh and gentle lips pressed against the side of his head.

                “You guys enjoy yourselves,” Changmin waved before they’d gotten too far.  “We’re gonna go visit the evening crews,” he explained with a wink.

                “Gotta keep em on their toes,” Changjo grinned playfully.

                The four just waved at them with amused sighs as they practically disappeared in the shade.  “I think he just doesn’t want to get trapped in N’s company like last time,” Kangin scoffed, placing his fists on his waist in annoyance.

                “It is what it is,” Kyuhyun shrugged, scratching at his head like he was forgetting something.

                Ryeowook paused to inspect his profile, a sad smile sliding into place.  He probably was forgetting something.  Over seven hundred years of memories sort of blurred together and it wasn’t always easy for Kyuhyun to keep everything straight.  But, that was what Ryeowook was for.  “Come on, Kyu,” he urged, standing up on his toes to plant a gentle kiss on the taller man’s cheek.

                Kyuhyun frowned slightly but then grunted with a shrug of his shoulders.  “Eh.  I guess if it’s important, I’ll remember later,” he smiled, forcing the expression just a touch for Ryeowook.

                “Old man,” Kangin joked, punching him in the shoulder lightly.

                “Impudent brat,” Kyuhyun shot back with a more customary smirk.

                “Both of you are hopeless,” Henry laughed, clapping Ryeowook on the shoulder from his other side.  “Isn’t that right, Wookie?”

                “Only some days,” Ryeowook agreed with a pat on Henry’s hand.  At Kyuhyun’s mock-offended look, he grabbed his right hand and brought it to his lips with their fingers threaded together.

                Kyuhyun only seemed partially mollified by the act.  “If I’m hopeless, then what are you?” he countered smartly.

                “Yours,” Ryeowook smiled in earnest affection.  The slight blush he saw form on Kyuhyun’s cheeks at the response was reward enough for him.

                “Of course,” he cleared his throat, ducking his head like he was looking for something as they started moving again.

                But by the way he held tighter to Ryeowook’s hand and how their shoulders brushed when he moved closer, Ryeowook knew he felt the same way.  Especially when he caught a clear glimpse of Kyuhyun looking at him out of the corner of his eyes: nothing but quiet warmth, appreciation, and contentment there.

                And honestly, Ryeowook could say he felt the same way too.  Life had changed a great deal for him since he’d caught a plane to visit the best friend beside him over thirty years ago.  But after having found the man walking with him, after going through what they did and surviving everything else, Ryeowook was happy with the way things had turned out.

                No, it wasn’t what he expected back then, but that was life.  And now, finally, they actually had a chance to live theirs.  Together.

The End

(a/n: As is always the case, finishing a story is tough.  It's hard to let something I've spent so much time and energy on go.  But it is a happy event too.  I am most grateful for those of you who have supported me and stuck with me to the end.  Your quiet presence and your encouraging words have been great sources of inspiration for me.  I must apologize again for the extended absence in the middle but I am happy with how things have finally turned out.  No, it should not have taken me nearly two years to finish but we made it!

I do have to give a special thanks to missbb247 who originally asked/inspired me to start the story in the first place.  I'm not sure if it went or ended in quite the direction she hoped but it was an excellent adventure for me all the same.  I have enjoyed this journey and I'm glad that some of you have as well.  Thank you again for all your thoughts and words and I wish you all the best!

Happy reading in the future.  Good luck with writing if you do.  And have an absolutely spectacular day, if nothing else!  <3)