The next morning Mark and I went home, together.

I started talking again, and after everything we had been through, our family was closer than ever.

We moved to a new town that summer. One a couple of counties over so we could distance ourselves from the past. We weren't denying that it happened,  we just wanted a new start and a clear path ahead of us as we kept our past behind us.

A week after Mark came home we did a big family interview for Korean social media networks on all the things that had happened to us, and especially Mark coming out of his coma along with all of our recoveries.

We all were laughing and smiling again. And we said I love you a whole lot more.

The day after the interview Jackson went back to Korea.

We weren't dating or anything even after we had shared our feelings with each other. We agreed that long distance would be too difficult to hold a relationship.  But that didn't stop him from kissing me before getting on his flight.

I cried my eyes out that night, locked in my room.

Of course Mark came to my door and made me let him in.

Okay, so he didn't exactly make me, I wanted him in there with me.

He was sad that Jackson had left too after all, but not as sad as me.

I cried myself to sleep in Mark's arms and he was laying right next to me, sleeping, when I woke up the next morning.

Six days after Jackson left, so did Joey. Mom and dad packed up his things into his car and off he went away to college.  I cried, again. And alot.

Joey and I stood there hugging in the driveway for ten minutes before Mark came over and pulled me away so Joey could leave.

I was the last one to go inside. I had to watch him drive away until he disappeared. Boy did I miss him.

I was crying alot lately due to everything that happened and due to the fact that everyone was leaving.

But nothing compared to what was coming.

A week after Joey left, so did Mark.

The night before he left he spent the night with me, crying. He cried harder than I did. But there wasn't anything I could do except sit there and hug him.

That morning was the worst morning of my life.

Mark never let go of my hand from the moment we woke up to the moment he stood at the gate entrance of his flight.

My big brother,  my first real family was about to leave. He was my best friend.  I couldn't help but cry, my heart was breaking.

With a heavy heart, I let go of his hand.

He hugged me before he knelt down on his knees and handed me something. I looked at him, tears streaming down his face.

It was a small box. I opened it up revealing a small necklace shaped like a puzzle piece.

The tears streamed down faster.

"Look." He said as he reached into his shirt and pulled out an identical necklace that was around his neck.

He took the two charms and placed them together,  connecting the two of them like a puzzle.

"Yours says Mark on the back and mine says Mason...because we're two pieces of the same puzzle."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him as I squeaked out between sobs, "I love you Mark."

"I love you too Mason."

We broke apart and smiled at each other, both of our faces soaked with tears.

He turned and walked into his boarding ramp and just like that he was gone.

But you see it's not forever. Besides the two of us are always connected.  We're part of the same puzzle.

After my mom helped me put the necklace on, we left.

As we pulled out of the airport and drive away I stared out the back window as I watched Mark's plane take off.

"Goodbye." I whispered as I watched until the plane disappeared into the sky.

After he was gone I grasped my necklace in one hand and turned back around to face forward.

My parents looked back at me and smiled.

I was finally home.

~Fin

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Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me throughout my journey of writing Adopted.  It truly has a special place in my heart. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I was literally balling as I wrote this last chapter.

Thank you so much. I love you all.

Remember we are all pieces to the same puzzle in one way or another. ♥