LUNA

I pull up to our driveway and park, taking my seat belt off the same time Star does.

Michael's mom was kind enough to let me drive her car to my house with Star.
My first time driving, but surprisingly, I did it really well.

Star exhales softly, shoulders slouching forward.
She's dressed in a white tank top with a pink sparkly skirt that makes a mild 'clinking' nose as she walks.

She hasn't said a word to me since we entered the road leading to our driveway.
I glance at her. "You nervous?"

She nods. "Yes," she whispers, hand raising up to play with a strand of her curly hair, "what-what if they don't want me back?
What if they don't see me as they used to. What-"

"Hey," I reach over and put my hand on her shoulder.
She looks at me.
"All they've ever wanted was for there daughter to come back. All they wished for was for your safety," I push aside her hair. "Trust me, they'll be so happy to see you again that they'll forget any ounce of anger they felt."

"Luna..." Her lips part, eyes filling with tears.
I reach over and hug her, rubbing a hand up and down her back.
"I'll go get them," I open my door, "just wait out front, okay?"

"Okay," she nods, slowly stepping outside while taking deep breaths in and out, hands brushing away any invisible dust on her skirt.

I run forward to our front door, opening it and running to Mom and Dad in the living room.
Mom's reading, and Dad's watching a movie.

"Mom? Dad?"

They look at me.
"Yes LuLu?" Dad smiles.
Mom smiles as well softly.

I take a deep breath in, "can you come outside with me? There's somebody I'd like you to meet."
They share a confused glance between each other, before standing up and following me to the front door.

"Luna?" Mom asks as I open the door, "what's the meaning of thi-"
She stops, frozen in place, as her eyes stare at Star.
Star stands hands clasped behind her, a nervous soft smile on her face as she stares back at her parents.

Both of them look like they want to run to each other, but at the same time, afraid to do it.
Dad looks between his wife, and Star.

There minds are doing backflips, hopeful, confused.
"Luna..." Dad looks at me. "Whose that?"
But before I can answer, Mom steps down the porch and rushes to Star.

She gets so close that she's barely an arms length away.
Slowly, Mom raises a hand, touching her face softly.
"...Star?" She asks through a whisper, fear in her voice.

She's afraid that she'll be told no, or that she'll wake up from a dream and realize that it wasn't real.

But this is real...

Star nods, tears streaming down her face as she opens her arms.
"Mom."
Both of them collide into each other in a tight, long, hug. One that both Mom and Star have needed for years.

Mom's crying tears of joy, squeezing Star.
"Oh, my baby girl," she pulls away, eyes scanning every inch of her as if she's too good to be true. "Look at you. You're grown up."

Star giggles softly, before Dad runs up and hugs her.
"Star," he breathes her name, one tear running down her face.
She hugs him tighter. "I missed you so much."

I stand off to the side, watching everything unfold.
For years I dreamed of this day, when Star would come home and be a part of our family again.
And now, after seven years of wishing, praying, dreaming, and being told that Star wasn't alive anymore...

The dream is coming true.

Star looks at me, waving me over.
I smile, running to them and hugging them all.
Finally...the hole has been filled.

Star...is home.

***

When we went back inside, we all sat down in the living room to tell the story.
Star told them everything, about how she met the Lost Boys, how she couldn't come back home, and how I was the one who saved her.

For a moment, it looked like Mom and Dad weren't believing us, but in the end, they did.
We finished our story with another family hug and tears.

Now, fast forward to 5:00 in the afternoon, the sun is setting, and we're all at the beach, having a bonfire with a celebration party.
Everyone is here.
Sam, Michael, Lucy, there grandpa.
Edgar and Alan.
Star, Mom, and Dad.

And Marko.

Dad immediately went into protection mode over his little girl dating, but I calmed him down by telling him that Marko helped protect me, that he helped me save Star, and that he's been nothing but amazing to me.

Still, Dad has giving Marko and few 'I'm watching you,' stares.
But nothing could spoil this night.
Not with my friends being here, my family, my Mate.

Not while I watch Star dance with Dad, and Mom laugh as she clap along to the music.
I haven't seen Mom this happy before...
I remember all the moments I've found her crying during the days, clutching pictures of me and Star as children.

None of those moments will ever happen again.

None of us will ever cry over the loss of my sister, of there daughter.
No one will ever fear for her safety. Pray for her return.
She's home...

I glance around at everyone.
Sam, Edgar, and Alan are plowing through the potato salad, because it's the best thing they've ever eaten.
There words, not mine.

Michael stands up and dances with Star when Dad sits down for a break.
Lucy makes conversation with Mom, while Michael and Sam's grandpa talks to my Dad about men stuff.
Fishing, carpentry, etc...

And Marko sits beside me, hand wrapped around mine.
His chest is covered in bandages, but he's alive.
And unlike the others, Marko has still kept his image.
Crop top. Patch jacket. And a pair of jeans.

Perfection.
He glances at me, smiling as he blows a kiss.
I blow one back.

Could this night get any better?

***
STAR

It feels so amazing to be back in the family, to see Mom and Dad in the flesh without hiding in the shadows of the night.
I'm finally free...

I exhale a breath of satisfaction, putting my feet in the ocean water as I sit and stretch backwards.
I feel... relieved, like a weight has been lifted from my chest and I can finally breathe again.

I can stop looking over my shoulder for David.
I can stop running away and hiding in the cave.
I can embrace the sunlight with arms out stretched.
I can be with Michael, and not have to hide it.

Speaking of the devil himself...

Michael sits beside, his shoulder touching mine.
"Hey there," he smiles, "how do you feel."
"Amazing," I smile, throwing my arms out as I laugh, exhilarated.

"I'm free, Michael," I whisper, "free to go where I want. Free to be with my family," I glance at him, taking his hand in mine and bringing it up to my cheek. "Free to be with you."

He chuckles softly. "I think I can get used to that," he jokes before kissing my knuckles.
I laugh a little as well.

Michael exhales, sinking lower into his sandy seat.
"So? Date night this weekend?"
"Hmm," I lay down, "maybe. I'll have to ask my parents."

He laughs, laying beside me as his hand intertwines with mine.
"You've been waiting to use that joke, haven't you?"
"Yes," I giggle, kissing his cheek. "But to seriously answer your question...I don't know. I would like to spend time with my family first."

He smiles and nods. "Of course," he wraps his arm around me. "Spend as much time as you'd like with them. I'm not going anywhere."

"What did I do to deserve the sweetest guy in the world?" I whisper ask, laying my head on his chest as we stare up at the star filled sky.

He runs a hand through my hair. "Just being yourself did it," he whispers, kissing my forehead. "Love you, Star."
I blush an extreme bright pink, and thankfully he doesn't see it.
"Love you too, Mike," I whisper, snuggling closer into his side.

I'm not afraid anymore.
Not afraid to embrace the days, the weeks, the future.
Instead, I'm running full speed at it, yelling at it to bring it on.

Because now, after so many years of being scared, alone, controlled...
I'm free.
I have the only thing I've ever wanted now.

My family.
My little sister Luna.
My boyfriend, Michael.

And that is enough for me.

***
LUNA

"Star seems to be really happy now," Marko says.
We decided to get some air out of the party, and now we're sitting side by side on the beach near the water.

I nod. "This is where Star belongs," I look at him, "with me and them."
"Yeah," Marko says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer into his side. "I'm happy it all worked out."

I'm more then happy.
I'm thankful.
Thankful to have my sister home, after years of going without her presence beside me.

I glance up at Marko. "And, how are you?" I ask.
I haven't seen him that much lately, and I've yet to ask how he's been since the transformation from vampire to human happened.

But at the same time, I'm afraid to hear his answer.
Scared he might hate it, or scared that he'll lie to me just to make me happy.

He looks at me, and smiles, a genuine smile.
"Better then I have in years," he whispers, "and it's all thanks to you."

I blush a little, before I feel his hand grab my Mating Bond necklace, pulling it out from underneath my shirt.
It's not glowing red anymore, it's pitch black.
Since Marko isn't a vampire anymore, it's lost it's power...

I stare at it.

"You can throw this out," he whispers, "it's useless now."
I take it from his hand, clenching it tight in my palm.
"No," I whisper, "I'm keeping it forever."

"Why?" He laughs softly, as if amused by my determination to keep it forever.
I lean into him. "Because this is special to me. You gave it to me the night of my birthday," I smile, remembering that night as if it happened yesterday.

"It's a memory, of how we fell in love, how we overcame everything that tried to hurt us. So of course I'm keeping this."
Marko chuckles again. "You're adorable," he kisses my cheek.

"Well, get used to it," I joke, "you're stuck with me now."
"Oh don't worry," he smirks, "I'm already used to it."
He hugs me, and I hug him back, staring out at the ocean.

The future has never looked brighter for us...

(Stay tuned for the Epilogue!🖤)