Okay y'all...here we go. The final chapter.

So sorry for the delay. Between work, moving and summer plans, I have had next to no time to write. But I wanted to get this out for you all.

It took me four days to write. I hope I did it justice.

To avoid any confusion, the first two POV's are the same scene from both Kels's and then Anakin's perspective.

I could not be more grateful for each and every one of you. Just know, you have brought this Star Wars-loving girl an immeasurable amount of joy. You all hold a place in my heart <3

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Kels's POV

Growing up, my assigned responsibilities always paled in comparison to that of those around me.

I was never expected to save lives, smooth over political unease, or bring peace to troublesome corners of the galaxy. Instead, my designated tasks remained squarely within the confines of the marble kitchen walls.

Prep. Cook. Serve. Clean.

It was an endless stream of monotony that had swept me away for years. It always felt meaningless, like nothing I did truly mattered. I wanted to be important, valuable, good.

So, when Glynn boldly declared one day that a cook is only as good as her tools, I took that to heart. She had been frustrated by my poor knife skills as a young girl and immediately pointed to the blunt blade as the source of my struggle.

Nothing had ever been expected of me as an unremarkable human orphan. So, from that day forward, I was determined to at least always keep my knives sharp.  

It became my sole source of pride.

I'd grind the durasteel against the coarse whetstone, my determined features reflecting in the polished blade until the shrill contact rang at just the right pitch and it felt as if I could actually slice the very air around me.

The razor-sharp edge of those blades became fundamentally tied to my self worth. 

So, it was a cruel sense of irony that one of those very blades found itself lodged in my back just below my shoulder blade, mercilessly tearing through my upper chest.

The very knife I had given the chancellor to protect himself, had instead found its way into Argon's cruel hand. Me being his only target.

I didn't even feel the pain at first. Just the odd sense of intrusion that comes with such a brutal disturbance of torn flesh and severed arteries. The pure impact knocked all air from my lungs and wiped away any thoughts that had previously been racing through my head. My brain hardly had time to process before the blade was jerked away, pulled from my body with unrelenting cruelty and wreaking further havoc on my fragile being.

A searing heat rushed across my chest as I felt the fabric of my shirt begin to grow thick and heavy at my back. Suddenly my vision tilted, and I realized I was falling forward, completely unable to control my legs which had given out due to shock.

Anakin caught me.

"No- no no! Fuck, Kels!" He shouted. His eyes dilated in horror as his grip encircled my forearms, breaking my fall and guiding me down to the floor and into his lap.

"You're okay, you're okay, you're okay." He chanted in a low, panicked voice as if he could manifest a different reality than the one currently laid crumpled in his arms. His hand frantically reached around my back, pressing hard into the gaping wound to stop the bleeding.   

That is when the pain roared to life, forcing my eyes to snap shut. It shot down every limb, twisting up my throat and strangling me with agony. Suddenly all I could hear was the thrashing of my own pulse in my ears. It thrummed at a thundering pace, acting on overdrive to compensate for the blood now pouring from my back onto the floor. The dark crimson fluid seeped into the appropriately ruby-colored carpet, just like a twisted, self-fulfilling prophecy. 

Unable to speak, I let out a strangled groan and simply shook my head.

I don't think I'm okay.

I felt a desperate hand at my cheek, tapping rapidly until my eyes shot open. When I was met with those blue eyes, I had never seen them so clouded by panic and dread. Anakin's mouth was moving, but all I could hear was my pulse and labored breaths. Each new intake of oxygen felt increasingly strenuous.

So, I stayed focused on his eyes, so deep in color and expression. I could always read him by his eyes. They had become my unwavering source of truth and understanding when it came to the complex, tormented, beautiful man hovering just above me.

Reflected in his eyes, I had seen everything I spent my entire life looking for.

Importance, value, goodness. But most importantly, love.

Suddenly the pain subsided.

How lucky I am to be held by him. A lazy smile wound its way across my lip as I attempted to lift my arm and bring a hand to his face to smooth out the sharp lines of tension etched into his features. I didn't want him to be worried. I only ever want him to be happy. He deserves it. 

But much to my dismay, I had lost function of my limbs.

"Don't worry." I forced the words out of my throat, hardly recognizing my voice through the shaky wheeze.

The edges of my vision began to blur as I saw shapes come in and out of my peripherals. Anakin whipped his head to the side, tearing away his eyes from me as he bellowed out something I couldn't quite make out.

A whimper crept up my throat. I missed his eyes.

His head snapped back down to focus on me, and my heart seized when I saw a glossy sheen coat his usually sharp, sure gaze. The desperation in his eyes had my own feeling heavy. 

"Hey, hey-- keep your eyes open for me okay, pretty girl?" He said, his voice coming back into focus. He placed a shaking, blood-drenched hand on my chin, shaking it to keep me conscious. The touch felt hot against my skin as his thumb dragged across my jaw bone.

As the warmth was slowly leeched from my body, I lazily rolled my head further into his hand. Naturally gravitating towards his ever-present warmth and comfort. Locking eyes with him again, I was met a bloodshot gaze wrapped in anguish.

Was he crying? I've never seen him cry.

My instinct has always been to soothe him, so my emotions acted on their own accord. My mental walls crumbled and every ounce of calm I could conjure was thrust in his direction.

He winced, clenching his jaw into a sharp line. His head shook gently, and I think he murmured something about preserving my energy. But my hearing was going in an out, so I couldn't be sure.

I felt it. The energy, the blood, the life slipping through the cracks of my carefully constructed consciousness.  

Is it possible to physically feel your lifeforce draining from your body?

A panic began to cut through the haze in my head. There was so much I still needed to say, to experience, to live with Anakin.

He had become so intrinsically tied to all my delicate, precious dreams. He had made me believe in myself, opening my mind to a world of possibility I had never thought was within my reach.

And I felt it, brushing against the tips of my fingers every so softly. I was so close I could almost touch it. That golden future.

But it was just out of reach. And with every passing moment, my fingers ached with the increasing distance.  

But a future still exists for him.   

I needed him to know that. Does he know?

"You..." I choked out, desperately drawing oxygen down my throat to continue. "You n-need to live Anakin."

This was going to shatter him completely. My beautiful, broken boy.

But he is strong, stronger than any being I have ever met. With an innate determination and ferocity that has driven him his entire life. I only hoped he would use that strength to continue truly living. To continue bearing his heart and remain open to all the beauty, possibility, and light in the galaxy.

There is so much more out there for him.

"No, no don't do that baby." Anakin choked out, bringing his forehead down to meet mine as his body hunched over mine, gathering me closer to him in his strong arms. "We are getting out of this together, remember?"

Summoning my last few morsels of energy, I lifted my head ever so slightly to press my lips onto his. His hands immediately cradled the back of my head, and he held me close. His lips delicately pouring emotion into mine.

Devotion, passion, heartache, adoration. I felt it all in the gentle kiss.

A dampness coated my cheeks, and I was unsure if the tears were mine or his.  

"I love you; I love you." He whispered into the kiss, rocking me back and forth in his arms.

I love you too. I wanted to say, but I couldn't speak.

He nodded softly in understanding anyways.  

My lungs grew heavy and solid as my chest heaved with an uncontrollable jerk. A final desperate attempt to capture elusive oxygen.

I can't breathe.

Everything around me went dark. The muted hues in my peripherals fading black until all I could see was deep, beautiful blue right in front of me. My heart seized once that familiar azure faded into nothingness.

I can't see

The harsh grip on my chin, that had previously jolted me to consciousness, now felt feather light as a final numbness coated my body.

I can't feel.

But the love never left. It cradled me gently, pouring into every inch of my remaining psyche. It nullified the sound of commotion and outcry all around me.

Is Anakin saying something? I could no longer tell.

Instead, I relaxed into the love as it grew into a deep sense of calm carrying me...gently...away...  

...I am so sorry, Golden Boy.

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Anakin's POV

My eyes registered her falling. My hands felt her body go limp as I caught her. My ears rang with the echo of her sharp, horrified gasp.

But my mind wasn't catching up. My brain immediately battening down the hatches severing the tie between my emotions and what I was seeing unfold right before my very eyes.

This isn't real. This can't be fucking real.

No...no...no...FUCK

I didn't even realize I was shouting until her eyes locked in on mine. The usual serene silver was disrupted by shock and bitter bewilderment.

She looked so scared.

Finally, the weight of reality caught up with me and all the emotions tore through the floodgates of my mind.

The shock, the dread, the absolute fucking horror.

"You're okay, you're okay, you're okay." I found myself repeating, hoping that I could speak the words into existence.

Everything to me. Kels is everything in the entire fucking galaxy. And now her blood was seeping in between my fingers as I held her in my arms. I pressed into the wound in an attempt to stop the precious lifeforce from leaving her body.

Her entire body tensed, and my heart shredded at the sight of her eyes squeezing shut as a result of the pain. However as soon as I was cut off from her steadying gaze, the panic multiplied.

With more force than I intended, I tapped at her cheek, needing her to open her eyes.

She was losing so much blood. So quickly.

There wasn't enough fucking time.

The room burst into a flurry of movement around me, but I couldn't tear myself away from her face. Obi-Wan, Windu, Palpatine, Argon...they all were shouting, words melding together to form a hum of chaos that basked the room in uncertainty.

"Someone fucking help!" I shouted to anyone who would listen, panic carving vicious edges into my words.

"We need to get her to the hospital." I heard Ahsoka's voice call out from behind me in distress.

I shook my head sharply. The hospital had been destroyed, along with everyone inside it. There was nowhere to take her. And anyone with the medical knowledge needed to save her would never get here in time.

My chest seized tightly as I wracked my brain for solutions. Repeatedly coming up empty handed as she began to shake in my hold.

Jerking my body around, I scanned the room for anyone who could potentially help. All the power and political status in the galaxy, but no one could reverse the damage enacted by a simple butcher's knife.

My movement caused Kels to groan in pain and my fears were further confirmed. She couldn't be moved without causing further damage. She had to remain still, because she was losing so much blood. So fast.

Time was running out.

With each passing second, the pressure in my chest increased. My vision began to grow blurry as tears filled my eyes for the first time since I was a young boy.

No, no, no. Please, Gods, no. 

Voices continued to shout, but I wasn't listening, allowing their words to wash over me as I returned my focus solely to Kels. Every single sense tuned into her because nothing else came even close to mattering in this moment.

I felt her pain, her despair, her regret. Regret that our time was too short, and we'd never get to live out those quietly daring dreams of ours.

A pain spread across my chest as it felt like my lungs were about to give out. And that's when Kels, in all her angelic grace, tried to soothe me.

"Don't worry." She said in a weak voice as she projected her calm to ease my pain.

I fucking hated it. It felt like a goodbye.

But we had promised we'd get out of this together.

I refused to acknowledge a world where she wasn't next to me. I physically could not do it.

"I'm okay. Save your energy. You're going to be alright." I found the words tumbling from my lips. For once, she needed to not concern herself with how I am feeling.

I frantically scanned the room again. At this point, activity had died down. Instead, I was met with somber expressions watching as the most important part of me began to flicker in and out of consciousness in my arms.

My eyes found Obi-Wan. He stood still, chest slowly heaving up and down.

"Obi-Wan..." I called out, my voice cracking just as it did when I was a child. "Help her. Please."

It was a desperate attempt born out of the foundation of trust and guidance he had provided me for years. Maybe there was something he knew, something else he had been hiding from me that could help her. My eyes panned frantically across the rest of the Jedi in the room. Someone had to know something. 

But when no one moved, my eyes returned to Obi-Wan. He opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut with a harsh swallow. He tore away his gaze and looked down at the floor, unable to take in the sight before him.

We both knew the cutting, painful truth. He can't help Kels. Not now.

The sound of Kels's whimper drew me back to her. But her gaze was half-hidden under heavy eyelids. Fear pumped through my veins and seeing that soft silver again became my priority.

"Hey, hey-- keep your eyes open for me okay, pretty girl?" I begged, willing her to keep fighting against the lethal blood loss now staining my clothes and my hands.

My blood-soaked hands. This would be my greatest crime of all.

"You," She began, her voice soft and sweet. "You need to live, Anakin."

I found myself shaking my head, not liking how this sounded like a final wish.

And I didn't know how to tell her that I fucking can't live without her. No such life would be worth living. Not after knowing her endless light, her soothing touch, and her unwavering love.

"No, no don't do that baby." I murmured, squeezing my stinging eyes shut and bringing my forehead down to meet hers. "We're getting out of there together, remember?"

Together. Nothing less will suffice. I need her with every ounce of my being.

I wanted her to nod in agreement, to keep her eyes open, to sit up and fucking recover. Defy every single odd currently mounted against her.

C'mon, baby.

But instead, she kissed me with heartbreaking tenderness. And it was the softest form of aching surrender.

And I fucking lost it. I let loose every single emotion, channeling it into the kiss. Committing it to memory, I held her face with my bloody hand, marring her perfection with the horror of today's events.

Her breathing grew labored and her skin lost heat under my touch.

"I love you; I love you." I whispered against her chilled lips, forcing the words up my constricted throat. But I needed her to hear it. She needed to know.

I felt the subtle, soft brush of returned adoration roll off of her. She was allowing her emotions to talk now that words had failed her.

I nodded, needing her to know I understood.

Pulling away, I studied her face. Even leeched of color, she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

I never deserved her.

Her chest suddenly went still and suddenly everything around me went quiet.

"No, no, no, Kels. Come on baby, NO." I exclaimed in total despair, shaking her with vigor.  

Then I also lost the ability to breathe.

In a last-ditch effort, I summoned every ounce of force within me and expelled it from my body, bathing her in everything I had ever felt. Emptying myself of every single emotion, every desire to live, every ounce of power. I would give her the very breath from my lungs, every drop of blood inside me and my strong beating heart.

I willed her to live. With everything I have. 

But it wasn't enough.

Because even as I gripped her chin and jerked her head to the side in an effort to get another glimpse of her silver gaze, I fucking felt her leave.

At first it was a bone-chilling numbness as her absence so acutely permeated through my psyche. An icy sense of solitude crept into my very bones.

I can't feel her anymore.

I held her limp body in my arms, unwilling to move lest she come back to me.

My eyes shuttered close, unable to look at her lifeless form. But the image was burnt into my head. Something I knew would haunt me for the rest of time.

A myriad of emotion then exploded behind my eyelids.

Despair, agony, hopelessness.

A pain so severe cracked through my chest that I doubled over, clutching her body into my chest. It seared down my arms and ignited every single one of my nerves with a pain so intense I thought I might burst.

And I wanted to. I wanted to burst into nothingness, to cease to exist.

Because Kels is gone.

Kels is gone. Kels is gone. Kels is gone.

Forever.

The emotions tore through my head, causing me to clench my teeth so hard it made my jaw ache. And just as it felt like all too much, every single thought and feeling crystalized into one singular emotion...

Rage.

It infiltrated my body with such an immense force I could practically feel it tear into my inner-most anatomy, rewiring my mind and sharpening the immense void of her absence. Every space she once occupied was now being filled with fury.

All at once, my tears stopped, my panicked breaths steadied, and everything went...still.

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Third Person POV

Many point to that night as the moment everything changed.

When Kels took her last breath, Vader took his first.

Though at the time, no one could have fathomed the all-consuming darkness that surged to life in that blood-red chamber.

He held her limp body close, gently bringing his hand up to close her eyes, unable to stomach the lifeless silver for another second.

She was gone.

And all the good inside him left with her.  

A deep chill then permeated through the room as Anakin slowly lifted his head, Kels's body still in his arms. An unsettling fury sharpened his gaze into a predatory calm.

No one dared to move.

Foolishly, it was Argon who spoke first.

"Justice, Skywalker. It can be so cruel." He declared in a low, taunting voice. The bloodied knife was still held in his grasp like a trophy.

Anakin held Argon's cold gaze, and a slow smirk began to pull across his features. However, there was no warmth in the Jedi's expression, only pure malice.

And then, without even giving him the decency of a verbal reply, Anakin's arm jerked forward, fingers splayed outwards towards the elder crime lord.

A sickening snap rang through the room.

Argon fell to the floor, the life immediately vacant from his eyes as his neck was twisted at an unnatural angle. With a swift, ruthless flick of the wrist, Anakin had put an end to the storied Tarro crime legacy. 

First Rayme, and now Argon. A family lineage completely wiped out.

"So cruel." Anakin crooned in agreement, cocking his head to the side as he took in Argon's lifeless body with an emotionless expression.

Then with the upmost care, he placed Kels's body on the floor. Brushing her lips with his fingertips before rising to his full height. And with one last look, he tore his gaze from her, incapable of taking in another moment of her bloodied, deceased form. 

But the images were sure to last a lifetime in his head.

A militia man, decorated in badges that indicated a leadership role, stepped forward into Anakin's line of sight. Anakin watched him with the same detached expression.

"Now that he is dead, we have no more business here. We will leave." He said carefully, gesturing his head towards the armed men that lined the outskirts of the room. 

"You see, that's the problem with hired men..." Anakin said in an eerily calm voice, taking a step forward to tower over the militia man. "When you live with no loyalty, you die for nothing."

The man's eyes widened at Anakin's insinuation, but before he could even speak another word, Anakin's eyes sharpened. He brought up his arm and jerked it into a fist. A wave of fury so strong one could actually feel it grate against their skin bathed the room and an undercurrent of darkness surged powerfully. 

The sound of clattering metal hitting the floor filled the room as every single mercenary fell to the floor. Dead.

Unfeeling and completely untethered from any sense of morality, Anakin had killed them all in one fell swoop.

"Anakin, stand down." Mace Windu called out, taking measured steps towards the volatile young Jedi. Behind him, the faces of Anakin's comrades reflected the horror of what just unfolded. Each stood still, hands hovering over their lightsabers.

As if Anakin was the threat.

And he was. Oh, he was.

"Looks like I put a little wrinkle in your grand plan, huh Windu?" Anakin goaded the older Jedi, any hint of repentance or guilt absent from his voice.

"We must gather the council, immediately." Mace said in an authoritative tone, keeping his firm stare locked on Anakin. "To report what transpired here." 

Anakin returned Mace's intense stare. The two Jedi locked in a silent standstill. However, the exchange of heightened energy between the two was palpable. And while Windu's demeanor was one of seniority and dominance, the darkness and fury that wrapped Anakin in an impenetrable shell would not be bent to the elder Jedi's will. 

"Hmm..." Anakin finally said, nodding his head as if he had finally come to a long-drawn out conclusion. "I don't fucking think so."

"It wasn't a request, Skywalker." Windu said through gritted teeth. But when Anakin made no move to oblige, Windu snatched his lightsaber from his belt, igniting it with no hesitation.

"Master Windu!" Obi-Wan's voice cut through the tension, he had a firm grip on Ahsoka's upper arm who was staring at Anakin with a pleading look.

"Oh, don't fret Obi-Wan." Anakin called out, jerking his head towards where Obi-Wan stood without taking his vicious gaze off of the armed Jedi master in front of him. "He's been fantasizing about this for a while. Haven't you, Windu?"

"I always knew there was a darkness in you." Windu murmured, barely audible over the hum of his lightsaber. But Anakin heard him, and he grinned in response. Confirming every dormant fear that had long plagued the tormented Jedi. 

Anakin had finally given up. And in turn, gave in to the darkness.

With a flick of his wrist, Anakin ignited his lightsaber. He launched forward, completely unleashing on Mace Windu. Each violent swing of his saber fueled by unbridled rage. Mace hardly had time to react and was immediately on the defensive.

The two Jedi clashed. Flashes of blue and purple bouncing off the walls.

The remaining Jedi in the room immediately ignited their lightsabers, springing forward to break up the heated exchange.

But once again, Anakin was too quick. He threw out an arm while dodging one of Mace Windu's attacks, throwing the dutiful Jedi across the room. The sheer potency of force sent the unsuspecting Jedi careening into the walls.

The sound of the impact rang out across the room, drawing Windu's attention for a fraction of a second. And fueled by the anger pulsing through his veins, Anakin didn't hesitate.

He plunged his glowing blade straight into Mace Windu's chest, drawing downwards with a vicious ferocity. 

The elder Jedi dropped his weapon, crumpling to the floor with his face twisted in shock.

Not even he foresaw it would end this way.

But Anakin regarded Mace Windu with nothing but malice.  

"Fuck you." He seethed, drawing out each syllable between his clenched teeth. A lifetime of suppressed pain and anger laced in each word.

And then Mace Windu's body went limp, falling to the floor with a thud.

Anakin stood over the body, chest heaving and hand shaking as he held his saber firmly. And seconds later, Master Agen Kolar and General Saesee Tiin then jumped into action, holding nothing back to avenge their fallen comrade with lethal intentions.

But they were no match for Anakin, who was overcome with dark power. Finally, he was tapping into a side of himself he had denied for so long. And no Jedi could come close.

With an elegant slash and powerful strike, Anakin had eliminated the two Jedi. His body count rising steadily in tandem with his foreboding power.

Anakin blinked hard, staring at the slew of bodies at his feet. Mentors and leaders he had spent the years of his youth idolizing.

But they meant nothing to him now.

However, the same couldn't be said for the two figures that stood before him now.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano.

They both beheld Anakin not with fear or horror, but with immense grief.

"Master..." Ahsoka whispered, twin sabers held at the ready as she looked up at Anakin with glossy eyes. Anakin locked in on her gaze, result in a sharp gasp from the young padawan. "Your eyes." She whispered, face twisting into fear.

Anakin cocked his head to the side, allowing his breath to steady him.

"You should probably run, little padawan." He said in a sharp voice, affording her the mercy he withheld from their slain colleagues.

"No," She asserted in a strong but shaking voice, "this isn't you."

"Is it not, though?" Anakin replied with a cruel smirk. "I feel more like myself than ever."

His eyes then panned over to Obi-Wan who stood with a protective shoulder angled in front of Ahsoka. His lightsaber remained clipped to his waist belt.

"Anakin," He began slowly, eyes cautious yet determined. "We can find a resolution. You do not have to go down this path."

Anakin laughed.

"I think we both know I've been forced down this path for a long time." He snapped, shaking his head in disgust. "No turning back now, Master."

"There is always a choice, Anakin." Obi-Wan countered, his jaw clenching tight with tension.

"And where was her choice?" Anakin bellowed, sweeping his arm behind him to gesture to where Kels's delicate body laid strewn across the carpet. A flicker of anguish flashed across Anakin's expression.

But just as quickly, it was gone. 

"Anakin-" Obi-Wan began in a low voice. 

"You killed her. You all killed her." Anakin shouted, anger reverberating off the walls. The accusation set like solid stone in his mind. 

"No- no that was never-" Obi-Wan scrambled to find the words to protest.

"I fucking hate you!" Anakin cut off his former master again, the words so sharp and cutting they had a physical impact on Obi-Wan. Ahsoka stifled a sob, clutching onto Obi-Wan's arm. 

"You were my brother Anakin." He choked out in desperation, hoping to break through to his friend who was already too far gone.

"I was your pawn!" Anakin hurled back, infuriated by Obi-Wan's claim.

And his mind was made up.

Obi-Wan never cared about him. No one in the ranks of the Jedi ever saw him as more than a walking prophecy. One that needed to stay in line and obey. They never would have let him have his hopes, his dreams....and especially her.

They made sure of that.

Without hesitation, Anakin was set into motion. His lightsaber held at the attack.

But before he could reach his intended target, he fell to the floor. Both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were suddenly and instantaneously rendered unconscious.

Anakin skidded to a stop, confusion present in his features.

That's when Chancellor Palpatine stepped into view.

Anakin had forgotten he was even there.   

However, he didn't look like the frail man Anakin had grown accustomed to. Instead, he stood tall, shrouded in power and dark supremacy. And his eyes, they were a striking gold. Blazing with an evil energy and encased in a thin rim of blood-red.

"They're not dead." He said in a voice that shook with command instead of age. "I believe we should focus your rage elsewhere."

Anakin took a hesitant step backwards, beholding the Chancellor with shock and awe. the arm holding his weapon going limp at his side.

Chancellor Palpatine's mouth curled into a sharp smirk, basking in Anakin's astonishment. Taking a leisurely step towards the broken Jedi, he bestowed upon him a promise.

A promise that would change the course of history.   

"You can get her back." He declared in a voice that rang with dark intent before continuing...

"All you need to do is kneel."

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Ahhh please don't hate me.

Would it make you feel better if I told you the Kels and Anakin's story might not end here?

Keep an eye out for the sequel. Coming your way (hopefully) soon!

Love Always,

Kate