Seven years later....

"Auntie Abby!"

The front door burst open as I spun around to the chirpy voice of the overly excited girl. It was Evelyn. She came downright running towards me with a wrapped packet dangling from her hand and hugged my knees. I crouched down to the seven year old, enveloping her in a warm hug.

"Merry Christmas, Auntie."

"Merry Christmas Eve, my sweetie-cutie pie," I said, tickling her sides causing a fit of giggles from her.

"This is for you!" She said pushing the wrapped packet into my dominance.

"Evelyn, baby you're supposed to keep it under the Christmas tree now, we will all open together," Britney chimed in keeping her flurry coat on the hanger and making her way towards us.

"Okay Mommy. Auntie lemme go keep it then," Evelyn said, taking the present and making her way towards the jingle-bell adorned Christmas tree.

"You guys finally made it," I spoke hugging Britney.

"Couldn't miss it for life."

We both parted smiling at each other. It was a tradition by then. Over the years, we moved to Seattle which was a big change for William and I but it had to be done for the sake of our careers. Every year since then, especially on Christmas, every member of the Benmonte household was to be present for the special occasion. We always looked forward to it, although we did make frequent visits.

"Where's Benjamin?" I asked.

"Britney, honey, where do I keep all these-"

"Speaking of the devil," Britney said, as we chuckled at the coincidence.

Britney and Benjamin met each other on an annual programme of yearly reunion of officers when I had my final degree and was a registered detective under the supervision of Benjamin.

William, Britney and Evelyn had joined with me on the fortunate day and Benjamin fell in love with the three year old Evelyn at first sight with her cute remarks and naughty antics. To say the least, he couldn't hold it in when he met the mother.

Ever since then, they were inseparable and soon got married in a beautiful chapel. I would still tear up reminiscing how beautiful the ceremony was.

"Hi, Abby!" Benjamin waved.

"Hey," I said, smiling at him.

The sound of laughter and chuckles from behind grabbed our attention as we faced Evelyn in the arms of William while they continued descending down the stairs.

Mr and Mrs. Benmonte or, Albert and Betty also came down to greet all the guests. There were cousins and other close relatives who had joined us for the grand family dinner.

Aunt and Uncle visited us on Christmas Eve since they couldn't make it today. I would always miss them and couldn't meet up with them as frequently but video calling was non-stop.

"Everyone, please, let's not wait any further and dive right it," Mr. Benmonte spoke and all of us gathered around to sit.

"Oh Rose, aren't you glowing?" Aunt Becky, William's elderly aunt asked.

"Thank you Aunt, you think so?"

"Mhm," she said with a confused smile. I just smiled back at her.

William kissed my cheeks as we sat down, causing me to blush. Even after all these years, he still had the effect on me. I would still feel my heart getting excited whenever he was around and his kisses would still cause the butterflies in my stomach to fly wild.

"Aren't you quiet today, Rose?" He asked.

I just smiled sheepishly, "Oh, it's nothing, I'm just so happy to be back," I said, a grin stretching out on my face.

"Me too."

We all devoured down the blessing of the evening, chatting amiably among ourselves as the elderly couples shared their experiences and the conversation getting lighter with the dad jokes that Benjamin would crack every once in a while.

"So, how's the preparation for the upcoming match, Xander? Will we have our Seattle Sounders win this time also?" Lucas, Will's cousin asked.

"Rest assured, Lucas, just prepare for the after party."

William, after getting back into university, started playing again but when he got the opportunity, he had taken up to be the vice coach of the Seattle football team and initially became the head coach afterwards. He would sometimes work on his project of outer space studies with his friend, Navith, who was a NASA accomplice. With my transfer to the Seattle police department, everything fell like puzzle pieces and we started the new chapter of our lives.

To say, it was the most happy moments of our lives, and when William proposed to me that very year, I was beyond ecstatic.

It was all so surreal. And also, perfect.

After dinner, some took their leave while Britney and others stayed back for the presents and we spent a quality amount of time chatting and sharing the gifts.

"Oh wow!" I unwrapped the packet that was gifted by Evelyn to discover a picture in a beautiful flower themed frame.

The picture held so many memories. The picture that showed me singing an original song for William on our reception, brought back unshed tears of my Big day. The big day where I walked down the aisle in a beautiful wedding gown with Uncle to William, who was dressed in a white tux, looking ever so handsome.

It was just so perfect.

"Thank you so much, baby," I said pulling Evelyn into a tight hug to which she just hugged me tighter.

"Well, you're my favourite aunt, you don't have to thank me."

Evelyn was the perfect little doll that was every parents' wish and Britney along with Benjamin gave their all in her upbringing.

They were just the perfect match.

                             ☆☆☆

"Can't believe the day came to an end so soon," I said flopping down on the bed.

William just hummed as he digged into the cupboard.

Britney and Benjamin had already left with a sleeping Evelyn in their arms, disagreeing over staying the night.

"What are you doing?"

"Wait, I kept it here...Aha, found it!"

"What did you find?"

William faced me, his hands behind hiding the anticipated item.

"Close your eyes, Flower," he said with his childish smirk.

"Come on, Will," I said trying to peek at it to which he just moved further away and rose his eyebrows.

"Fine," I huffed out like a teenager and closed my eyes.

William strode towards me and moved my hair from behind, as I felt him sliding on a necklace.

"Open your eyes, Rose," he whispered huskily, placing a small kiss on my neck.

I smile at nothing and opened my eyes to look into the mirror. Only to find my mouth agape.

"Where did you find this?" I asked shocked seeing my locket. The same locket my Mom had given me which last year had fallen in a lake since the nook was very loose. I was very upset for the next few days and blamed myself for having lose something so valuable.

"Well, I had seen a post on your newsfeed about a guy named 'Man + River' who find lost objects in lakes. Well, I contacted him and ta-da, it's back."

I turned to face William, the moonlight adding a beautiful shine to his spirit.

"You do know how much I love you, Will?"

"No, I don't, why don't you show me?"

I chuckled but stood up to kiss him on the lips tenderly. Which soon turned into a heated one. We broke from the feverish kiss and smiled at each other. He rose his hand and caressed my cheek as I gave in his calloused hands.

"I never told you about the day I remembered everything. Everything about you and my spirited self," William spoke and I hugged him, listening intently to his soft beats.

"When you kissed me, I knew something was amiss. The sedates just made me wanna sleep in and I started seeing these weird dreams or memories of you and me. When I next woke up, I saw Aristotle. The same dog I had seen in my dreams. Just when I saw the letters and the guitar, everything I saw in my dream just made sense. But I couldn't understand.”

“Soon, I fell into oblivion and I saw this light again. But it wasn't like before. It was horrible and I felt myself falling in a pit of a dark hole. Then-then this voice spoke out. It said I was free, that some Angel had wished for me to be back. I know that the Angel's you, Rose," he said smiling through his teary eyes, "I remembered everything just then."

I smiled through the tears of my own and we both relished the events of the past that made us who we were. That made our love everlasting and our spirits to be bounded.

Aristotle and Trixie continued living with Aunt for which we missed them a lot, but they were in best care which relieved us since our busy schedules was also a challenge to keep them.

"Well, Will, I also need to give you your Christmas present."

"And that is?"

I smiled at him broadly and placed his hand on my two week old pregnant belly. He looked up at me with a confused yet excited expression.

"Will, I'm pregnant," I said, my voice meek for the over joy I felt.

The joy of the new feeling. The joy of starting another chapter of our lives.

William just stared at me with widened eyes, the shock and happiness prominent in his hazel eyes.

"I love you Rose, more than anything in the world," he said kissing me again and bending to place a small kiss on my belly also, "And you too, small one."

I laughed out when William suddenly picked me up in a bridal style and spun me around shouting, "I'm gonna be a Dad!"

It was then I knew. My life might not have been all rainbows and sunshine but this was all I needed. I couldn't help but feel the satisfaction of the joy I felt all over. The joy of finding the perfection I always sought for. For completing the story of ours with the blessing of the little one.

The perfection of having me and my friendly Spirit right with me.