Goldi still couldn't fully wrap her head around what her sister had said. Sure, she and Cad were close, and had been for years. They were just getting back into their old habits, but Goldi could feel the years melting away.

That little, petty fight they'd just had before Crescent walked in was small potatoes compared to what they used to get into. Even back when Goldi only had one arm, they'd be in a full on brawl, rolling around on the front lawn of either of their houses and fighting.

But their fights always ended in laughter. Nothing could make them end a fight angry. Not even the day Cad broke Goldi's magic staff – a stick her father gave her and told had magical powers.

After years of being locked away and tormented, Goldi could honestly say she still loved Cad the same way she did back then. Well, maybe she loved him a little more than before.

His words from before repeated over and over in her head. While he was under the affects of the gas, he spouted about how much he loved her, and that he had since they were children.

While she'd been terrified of what he'd been doing at the time, trying to turn her and all, she secretly hoped the gas wasn't making him exaggerate, or lie. She wanted him to love her, as impossible as that sounded.

If it was simply platonic love, she could live with that. As long as he was in her life, she would be satisfied.

But if he loved her the way she did him, maybe, just maybe, Goldi could find a way to move on from her loses. Her mother's neglect. Her bone deep pain.

Maybe she could learn to let go of the past, and start anew. That would be nice, she thought.

"Cad?" she asked, a tad hopeful.

He flinched at her voice. He stood two feet from her bed, facing away from her. Goldi felt a ping of regret, knowing he was embarrassed by Cress's words. She hoped that didn't translate to him not feeling the same way.

"Cad," she repeated. She crossed her arms over her chest and held tight, bracing for impact. Well, more likely, rejection.

He took a minute, but faced her eventually. He didn't look her in the eyes, but rather eyed the floor. His lips moved in the form of words, though no sound came out. A software in Goldi's mind mapped the motions of his lips and attempted to form a script of what he was trying to say.

All the program came up with was gibberish.

Her robotic eye buzzed a stung in her skull. She closed both eyes to shut off the software and keep herself from getting another migraine. Still, she had to get this off her mind. After years and years of waiting, she had to tell him. Now would be optimal.

She calmly breathed and counted to ten before she spoke. "Cad, we have to talk about what you said. When you were trying to get me to join you when you were ... infected."

His frame crushed, bringing his shoulders closer to his head. He hunched over a little, and his fingers tapped the sides of his legs at the speed of sound. Clearly, he didn't want to talk about what happened.

But they had too. Sooner or later, they had to.

Goldi figured she'd start before he could bolt outside. "You said you – you said you loved me. That, you always have loved me, and that you wanted to be with me forever. That you'd even infect me to make sure no one could hurt me again and so that we'd never have to worry about being apart. Was that ... the gas talking?"

His blush flamed on his cheeks and ears. His knee bounce as fast as lightning. He wouldn't look at her.

Was he too scared of saying "yes"? Or was he too afraid to say "no"?

As she awaited his reply, she played with her new hand. While the metal was cold and foreign to her, she had to admit, it was better than having no hand at all. The same went for her new leg, and metallic side implant.

She felt the need to add, "If that's not really how you fell, that's okay-"

"No!" he yipped. He finally faced her, holding his hands up in front of him. His jaw shut, and his hands slowly fell onto the bed. His fists opened and closed over and over.

It'd been years, but Goldi remembered that tick. Cad clenched and relaxed his hands when he was too nervous to speak. He did it after breaking his aunt's favorite vase, and got into his first fight in school, and failed to describe to Goldi's father exactly why they were friends.

Little red blurbs of text blocked her vision again, and she learned that blinking twice got rid of them.

Her human hand laid on top of his, almost on it's own. She stroked the back of his hand with the pad of her thumb. Her eyes trained on her hand on his, and the rest of the world seemed to melt away.

In the corner of her mind, Goldi registered the patting of Cad's heel hitting the ground had stopped. Under her fingers Cad's hand relaxed, and turned to hold her's. Cad's arm sprawled across her legs, and his head weighed down on top of it.

Time slipped away as Goldi and Cad held hands. That's all ... they held hands. But as well as the seconds and hours in the day, words slipped away, and neither of them had to say a word. Their worlds were right again, and everything was okay.

Two lost souls, tormented victims, and best friends were together again. What more could the world provide? What more could anyone want? How could anything be more fulfilling?

How long would it last?

......................

The Republic of Luna is successful. Cinder and Kaito work tirelessly over two years to put everything in place for a democracy on the once exploited planet. A president is elected, and he it more than capable of leading Luna into a Golden Age of it's own. No one doubts the man, and his record it perfect. It's as if the man was created for the position.

Cinder did most of the heavy lifting for the government change, and spent a great deal of time letting that project consume her. But, with the freedom to no have to monitor everything on Luna and the possibility of becoming and Empress on Earth, Cinder knows where exactly her loyalties, attention, and affections lie.

Kai and the other world leaders work to uncover the terrorist group targeting Lunars and Lunar sympathizers. A few names come up, and some crucial evidence is found. Unfortunately, the moment anyone is given the clearance or authority to move forward, the suspects mysteriously disappear. Kai is infuriated, whereas many of the other world leaders .... Well, they're not too broken up about it.

Crescent and Thorne got back to seeing the world while distributing the Letumosis cure. There are millions of people in need of that cure, and they have to race against the clock to get it to people on the brink of death. On the upside, though Thorne has trouble landing, he's pretty good at flying ridiculously fast in a straight path.

Yet, they hardly ever talk about the things that truly matter. Their future, what each other wants, what they would do once their services were no longer required.

Or, what Crescent said when she was under the influence of the contagion.

Once back in the real world, Goldi and Cad require housing. The two of them decide to move in with one another, as they practically lived together when they were children. Eventually, Cad is able to communicate his feelings towards Goldi, and they become something more than "just friends".

Goldi and Cress stay in contact, catching up as much as they can and making an honest attempt at being sisters.

Goldi and Cad bury the three Darnel brothers.

...................

"Congratulations, Mr. President," says the voice over the comm link. "Linh Cinder is scheduled to leave for Earth in two days. Do we wait to proceed with our plans until after she's touched down in France?"

The President – Bidecent Dronla – chuckled warmly. He glanced at it watch. A two-hundred-year-old family heirloom passed down from father to the best son. It was sterling silver with yellow diamonds embedded in the fitting.

Dronla told his associate, "Ambassador Cinder left for Scarlet Benoit and Ze'ev Kesley's wedding three hours ago. We'll proceed the moment the child is born."