Fear the Night
The Epilogue

The Epilogue

“Maverick! Maverick!” Isabella called, a grin plasteredacross her face, an envelope in her hand as she ran from the hotel lobby, upthe stairs and into one of the rooms. When the door opened to reveal Maverick with a frown of wonder, she threwherself into his arms, her own wrapping around his neck as he grunted from theimpact. She stood back and before hecould ask what she had called him for, she held up an envelope in front of hisface as she still grinned.

“Readit!” she urged, shoving it into his hand and he chuckled at her urgency thenheld it up with a smirk, noticing the ripped edge of the envelope.

“Couldn’twait for me?” he smirked, playfully. “It’s addressed to both ofus.”

“Justread it!” she replied, shoving him toward the bed as he laughed and she shutthe door before hurrying to sit with him, bouncing in her seat and making thebed shake as well.

“Who’sit from?” he asked, pulling a card from the envelope.

“You’llsee!” Isabella grinned, her eyes glued the card then she looked at him withwide eyes, waiting for his reaction. Hescoffed and shook his head at her as he opened the blank white card and readwhat was inside. It said:

Hey Mave, Izzy,

Natalie and I are getting married and wewant you to be our best man and maid of honor. Write back soon.

Yukio

“It’sabout time that kid did something with her!” Maverick laughed. “So the Greenhorn and the Little Heiress aregetting married and they want us inthe wedding?” He looked at Isabella whostared back at him, silently pleading with him to say they could go. “I guess I don’t need to ask if you wannago. It looks like we have no choice toaccept.”

Isabellalet out a squeal of delight and threw herself at him again, making Mavericklaugh as he caught. She suddenly gaspedand pulled away in worry making him frown in wonder.

“Unlessyou don’t want to go?” she breathed. “Don’t go if you don’t want to. Iknow you couldn’t stand---”

“Thatwas a while ago, Bell,”Maverick assured her. “We’ve been awaylong enough. Besides, after two years,I’d like to see how much the place has changed.”

Isabellasmiled and kissed his cheek before asking, “Shall we write back and tell themwe’ll be there?”

“We’lldo one better,” Maverick smirked, making her frown in wonder. “Get packing. We’ll get going now. I’m sureNatalie will be itching to talk flowers and dresses with you.”

Isabellagasped with another grin and hugged him again before moving to scramble off thebed to pack, but he gripped her wrist and pulled her back toward him, making herfall onto her back on the bed. He leanedover her and planted his lips to hers making her giggle and kick her feetagainst the mattress and when he pulled away they only grinned at each other.

“Youdon’t have to start packing right this minute,Bell,” hemurmured, making a trail of kisses from the corner of her mouth to her earlobeto nibble at it.

“You’rewicked, Maverick,” she giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Andyou are gorgeous,” he retortedagainst her ear.

“You’vebeen saying that since we got married,” she smirked back as he slid his armsaround her waist and held her close.

“Actually,I said it before we got married, andit’s still true,” he grinned against her neck.

“Let’shope Yukio and Natalie think the same way of each other as you and I do,”Isabella smiled and Maverick growled as she pulled away and sat up.

“Youalways have to ruin the mood!” he wondered as she slid off the bed and headedto the closet.

“Becauseif it were up to you, we’d stay inbed all day,” she still smiled. “And wehave things to do and places to go.”

“Fine,”he groaned, sitting up and watching her pull their suitcases from the closet toset them on the bed. “How about after we pack?”

Isabellasmirked back at him and murmured, “We’ll see.”

Maverickgave a sly smirk of his own, knowing exactly what that meant: Count on it.

“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“Thecouple waited outside the Keith mansion after ringing the bell and Isabellagrinned at Maverick every once in a while, making him smile back at herexcitement. They both turned to the doorwhen it opened to reveal a red-headed girl with wide sky blue eyes in surprise,full lips curving into a smile.

“Bella!”Natalie grinned and hugged her tightly before turning to Maverick and hugginghim as well. “Come in! Let me get Yukio!”

Sheled the couple into the mansion, their bags in their hands. Natalie hurried off somewhere then came backdragging Yukio with her.

“Izzy!”Yukio grinned, running toward her and hugging her tightly. “Thank Godyou’re here! Natalie’s been doingnothing but talk about girly wedding stuff since we got engaged!”

“Aren’tyou the groom?” Maverick smirked as Yukio came up to him while the girl’simmediately started chatting to each.

Yukioglared at Maverick and muttered, “Just give us an excuse to get outta here.”

“Ihaven’t seen Joshua yet,” Maverick replied. “You wanna come with me for a visit?”

“Yes!”Yukio replied, quickly and after telling the girls where they were going, hepicked up Isabella’s bags as Maverick still had his and headed out of themansion.

“So,where’d you guys go?” Yukio asked as they walked down the street.

“Hereand there,” Maverick shrugged. “Mostlythe Orient. Thanks for inviting us,kid. Congratulations.”

“Thanksfor coming,” Yukio replied. “Nat and Iwere wracking our brains trying to figure out a way to get you guys back here.”

Mavericklaughed and Yukio jerked his head toward a turn, making the other man stop andfrown.

“Hedidn’t write you?” Yukio wondered, stopping as well with a frown of hisown. “He found a pad in town. He lives there with a roommate to help himpay rent.”

“Hedidn’t tell me,” Maverick replied, somewhat astonished as he followed theyounger man down the street.

“Heprobably meant to,” Yukio shrugged. “Ever since the Revolution he’s been busy with his practice. Doctoring and nursing came back lastyear. There aren’t as many Suits asbefore. Even the sun around here isbrighter! It’s changed a lot here.”

“Andthe Drones?” Maverick asked. “Whathappened to them?”

“There’sstill a few,” Yukio replied. “But weoutnumber them, fifty to one. They leaveus alone, well enough, though. Some ofthem couldn’t be helped. Still, thepeople here have set aside their fear and helped those that could be cured.”

“That’sgood,” Maverick nodded. “This placereally has changed a lot.”

“Somepeople were asking about you,” Yukio reported, still walking. “They were looking for you to elect youPresident.”

Maverickgave a hearty blast of laughter then said, “Can you imagine me as president?!”

“Nope,”Yukio chirped. “That’s why I said Ididn’t know where you were.”

“Good,”Maverick replied. “I’ll take care ofanybody who recognizes me.”

Yukionodded then stopped at a door and knocked. Joshua opened it and his eyes landed on Maverick immediately.

“‘Bouttime you came back, boy,” he smirked.

“Yagot somethin’ to say about it, old man?” Maverick shot back with a smirk,noticing the bit of silver growing into the doctor’s auburn hair.

“Comein,” Joshua entreated. “There’s someoneyou should meet.”

Hestood aside to let them into his pad and Maverick stepped in first with a frownbut he stopped dead as Yukio stepped in after him.

Therewas a man sitting in an armchair across the room, his caramel, amber eyesshining through strands of dark brown hair. He smiled, slowly up at Maverick when he saw him and stood up, smoothlyas the younger man stared at him with disbelieving eyes and agape mouth.

“Well,close your mouth, son,” the man advised, walking toward him. “You’ll catch flies with a slack jaw likethat.”

“D-Dad?”Maverick breathed, still staring at the man as he stood in front of him.

“Dad?!”Yukio echoed in astonishment and Joshua slid Maverick’s bags from his handsthen ushered Yukio down the hall to give the father and son some privacy.

Theystood and stared at each other for a few moments before Maverick finallysputtered, “W-When did…?”

“Icame back, fully, a month ago,” his father replied. “I was hoping to surprise you. Did it work?”

“Whatdo you think?” Maverick retorted in abreath, still in shock and started circling the older man. Mr. Fallon stood still as he let his sonexamine him. Maverick stopped to stareat his father’s face again, eyes still round as saucers.

“Whatdo you think?” Mr. Fallon asked, lifting his arms up in presentation. “Do I look up to par?”

Mavericksaid nothing and instead of saying anything, he threw his arms around the olderman’s chest and hugged him close, then muttered, “‘Bout time, ya old fart.”

MrFallon only smirked and hugged his son back, tightly. They stood there for a moment, neither onewilling to let go, afraid that what was happening wasn’t real. Finally, Maverick pulled away, rubbing hiseyes as if something was in them as Mr. Fallon only his tears flow freely whilehe smiled at his son.

“What’reyou lookin’ at, dad?!” Maverick asked, irritably with a very small sniffle.

“Myson,” he replied, simply and Maverick only stared at him a moment beforesmirking.

“And?”he wondered, asking through the one word what the man thought of his son.

“I’mproud of you,” Mr. Fallon said, his voice thick with emotion and honesty.

“Yeah,well, Joshua said you would be,” Maverick shrugged with a sniffle, making lightof it outwardly, but his heart was swelling with joy.

“Areyou leaving again after the wedding?” his father asked, wiping his tears away,quickly.

Maverickshrugged again and replied, “I don’t know. We’ll see---” He stopped mid-sentence then scoffed at himself as herealized he was going to use one of those phrases Joshua had made up a longtime ago. “We’ll see where the windblows. That’s all we can do.”