Revolution (Collide, #4)(78)

She let her breath go slowly. "I thought you were never going to be able to forgive me."

I pulled her up and pressed her chest to mine. Just as I was about to tell her exactly what I wanted to do to her, a warmth hit my chest. It spread rapidly and when I felt the wind on my face that only touched me and not Sherry, I knew what this was. I looked over my shoulder to see Jeff and Kay and Ryan. All of us Keepers. We were being called home.

Piper began to scream and I looked over just in time to see her disappear. I closed my eyes and shut my mind to where she was going. I told them in my mind that I was happy. I wanted to stay with the woman in my arms that somehow had it in her mind that it was possible for me to hate her.

I waited for their disappointment, for their shame, for their judgment, but it never came. I got this feeling come over me. I heard the voice in my mind. "Content and happy are two different things." I nodded and looked at my Sherry whose silver dollar sized eyes were trained on my face. They certainly were two different things. The warm feeling left me peacefully, with blessings my way.

It was over. I was human. I was here to stay. I'd never see the After and I'd die one day as a human. It was everything I wanted and I smiled through my unshed tears and pulled Sherry to me.

Simon stood and went to Cain. He hugged him hard and Cain seemed to understand somewhat that this was a goodbye. "Cain, I've never been more proud of a charge. Thank you for allowing me to watch over you."

"Take it easy, Simon," Cain said in return and nodded to him. "You're a good guy."

Simon nodded and then closed his eyes. His body fell to the ground and he was gone. Jeff must've made the same decision I had because he looked as peaceful as I'd ever seen his human face look. Marissa was crying into his shoulder and he held her gently and smiled.

Kay went to Celeste and we knew what her decision was. Celeste shook her head a 'no', but Kay hugged her to her. "You don't need me anymore." She cupped her face. "Celeste, thank you." She looked between Danny and Celeste. "Take care of each other."

"We will," Celeste said, but still asked, "You have to go?"

"I have to go. I'll miss you. You were always my favorite. Maybe I'll check in on you from time to time." She looked at me. "Breaking the rules isn't unheard of."

I smiled and took Sherry with me as I went to give my sister a final hug. I bid her farewell. "Guard you in all your ways, sister."

"And you in yours, brother." She teared up. It was a mix of happy to go, but sad to want to stay.

All the Keepers followed suit and bid her farewell, and then we bid Max farewell as well. And then Ann and Patrick and all the rest. In the end, only Jeff, me and Ryan were left.

I held my breath and realized that I could no longer hear Ryan's thoughts. I wasn't tied to him any longer…because I was a human. I had chosen a mortal life and it made me the happiest to feel that I didn't feel much different. In my mind, I'd been human with Sherry all along.

He stared at Ellie and then glanced at Calvin before settling on Ellie again. "Ryan," Ellie began, "we talked about this remember?" Her chest bucked with a sob that she tried to stop. "Go. Be with your kind and be happy. I just want you to be happy."

He stared at her longer before nodding. The warm light left his face and I knew he'd made his decision. "I'm happy right here."

"Are you sure?" she said in hysterics. "It's permanent, Ryan. I don't want to be a burden or..or a…or a regret-"

He covered her mouth with his and she cried happily into their kiss and she got her answer. I turned to my wife and she looked at me like I was an alien. That thought stung after everything we'd just been through. She whispered the words like a prayer, "You stayed with me?"

"Of course I did. I told you I always would."

"But….I just thought you said that because the day would never come. You actually…chose me, over everything you've waited your whole life for."

"You are my life," I told her sternly in a growl against her forehead. "You are my life, baby. I'm here to stay."

Her sobs may have been the loudest of the whole bunch. It was almost funny how we all sat around and cried like a heap of babies for the ones lost, for the ones gone home, and for the ones who stayed who gave up one paradise for another kind.

I pulled her face up once more and kissed her eyes, tasting the tears that were shed for me and no one else. God…thank you for this gift, for this girl, for this opportunity at having my everything, for letting me feel the difference between content and happy, for letting me have this family that loved me to my core and vice versa. Thank you for making me just to end up in the arms of the girl I watched when I wasn't supposed to. The girl who stole my heart and saved it all in the same moment. The girl who I'd grow old with and die with, happily, blissfully, contently.

The end was looking pretty good. Brown eyes met mine and I was looking at my future. My brown eyed everything that saved us.

My Sherry.

The Beautiful End



Chapter 31


Sherry



His skin was warm, but not as warm as it had been. It really was true. He was here to stay, he'd chosen us.

He'd chosen me.

I felt…torn again. I wanted him to stay, but he'd given up so much. I looked up into his green eyes and tried to tell him everything with my stare. My mouth would never utter the words, but I wanted him to know. The tears wouldn't stop either. He kissed my eyes. Such a sweet gesture and gave me a look that told me everything.