Chapter 55: Ending

--about seven months later--

~Third Person POV~ "So... how exactly is this supposed to work...?"

"Just talk to the camera and be honest; say what you would say if you were talking to a friend."

"O-Okay...?"

"Just calm down and take a deep breath. This is nothing new. The people we interview often get nervous."

"Okay..."

"Just take a deep breath. The camera will start rolling in a minute."

"Alright."

So June took a deep breath of fresh air, her lungs happily welcoming fresh oxygen into her body. "Um, not that I'm nervous or anything, but is this live?"

The reporter, a young woman by the name of Yumi, sat across from June along with the camera man sitting beside her, holding the camera, facing June.

Yumi tried her best to sound reassuring. "No, but it'll be on the news as soon as all of you have been interviewed; all your interviews will be played at once on the news tonight. And not just that, but these interviews will also be recorded as an article and put in multiple magazines. In fact, as we speak, all your friends are being interviewed right now. We just need to get the camera rolling and then we'll start the interview. Alright?"

June nodded. "Okay. Also, how many people will be watching this interview once it airs?"

Yumi sighed. "Well, considering that today is the one year anniversary of the Hope's Peak Academy shooting, I'm thinking a lot of people will be watching this on the news and reading this in a magazine."

This time June sighed. "Wow. I still can't believe it's been one whole year since that day... It's kind of hard to comprehend..."

Yumi gave an encouraging smile. "It's alright. Now, the camera is rolling now, but it's okay to take your time. This is your interview, so you can decide what and what not to do and say."

June nodded once again before she released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "That's... that's good... That's reassuring... Thanks." she mumbled.

"Okay," Yumi said before she gripped her notepad in her hand with her pen in the other, ready to write anything of interest down. "state your name and why you're here, please."

June took a deep breath before she looked straight at the camera.

"My name is June," she said. "and I survived the Hope's Peak Academy shooting."

"Good. Now, before we start and dive in on details all about the shooting, we'd like to know how everything's been going since the shooting," Yumi said. "Like, how's your life going? We've all heard that you married Byakuya Togami, the soul heir and who is currently in training to be the CEO of Togami Corp. (his successful multimillion-dollar family business), and who coincidentally was also a victim of the shooting. Can you elaborate on that?"

June straightened up in her seat. "Yes, I can. Byakuya and I did indeed get married after the shooting. Before the wedding and the shooting, we'd been dating maybe four or five months. We were madly in love and still are madly in love, so we got married. Quickly too, may I add; after the shooting, Byakuya decided he didn't want to risk anything and wait any longer, so he proposed to me right in the hospital room on the day of the shooting and right after I got out of surgery. I said yes, of course."

"I see. We've also heard that you and your new husband went all over the world for your honeymoon, which actually lasted until four months ago."

"Yes, that also happened. Byakuya and I decided that there were too many amazing places in the world to just spend our entire honeymoon in just one, so we made a list of all the places we wanted to go and see, and we went."

"Ah. Where did you go?"

"Many places. We even went to Brazil and visited the Amazon Rainforest and explored. It's really beautiful there, by the way. We took several pictures."

Yumi nodded. "Very cool," she said. "Now, how's your career doing? We understand that you actually just finished up your first Summer Olympics as an official Olympic gymnast for Japan. And not only that, but you won gold! It was your first time there and you already took home a gold medal. That's impressive, if you ask me."

June smiled and blushed. "Why thank you. I love my career and I love being an Olympic gymnast. I belong there. I've worked hard and it's been my dream since I was a little kid to be a professional gymnast and be in the Summer Olympics, and now I finally achieved that dream, and won gold; it feels amazing. I'm so happy."

Yumi smiled back. "Well, I'm glad. I'm glad that your life has improved since the shooting and you're doing just fine. Many people would have just given up and let the shooting ruin their lives, especially considering the fact that you lost one of your dear friends that day, but you didn't let it ruin you or your life. You kept going and allowed yourself to keep living and start the very long healing process."

"Yeah... It was hard. In fact, it still is hard. Every day we're reminded that all that happened to us and that we lost a friend in the process and almost lost each other. And, not only that, but fifteen other innocent people were killed as well as Ibuki... It was awful. I mean, Leon and I were almost killed that day, and it's a miracle either one of us survived at all."

Yumi kept nodding along with everything June told her and wrote things down in her notepad. "Yes, of course. It'll always be hard, because you'll never be able to truly erase that horrible day from your lives, but you can all continue healing and getting better. You've all had the strength to do so for a year now. You're all very brave and strong."

"Thank you."

"You all have scars from that day, scars that you all are trying your best to heal, no matter how slowly progress is made. All your friends are scarred from that day, some of your family is scarred from that day, and all the families of those fifteen other innocent victims are scarred from that day. And, I know for a fact Byakuya must be scarred by that day, judging by the fact he held you dying in his arms after watching Leo Gonzalez shoot you twice."

June winced. "Yes... Byakuya definitely is scarred by that day and is still trying his best to move on and heal... However, that's hard when nightmares and night terrors haunt him every night about that awful occurrence..." she muttered.

Yumi gave June a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry. That must be very difficult to go through."

June nodded, tears starting to slowly fill her eyes. "Y-Yeah... It is... It's hard...," She wiped her eyes as best as she could. "Some times I'd wake up to Byakuya screaming and flailing around in his sleep, obviously having one of the nightmares... the pain and suffering apparent on his face and in his screams and...," June cut herself off with a strangled cry. "I-I'm so sorry... Let me try to collect myself... This is just hard to talk about, even if it's been a year..."

"I completely understand. We all completely understand. I can't possibly imagine what it must have felt like to go through something as emotionally and mentally horrific like that," Yumi said with a sympathetic nod. "You take your time, sweetie. Just take your time and breathe. Now, how are you all doing now?"

June wiped her tears from her eyes and took a deep breath. "W-Well... we're doing better."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We're doing... better. Definitely better than we were doing on the day it happened," Byakuya answered another question from one of the reporters. "I mean, we'll all always have the mental and physical scars from that awful day, but we're all slowly working through the pain and are reminded every day we're alive and that we survived and we won the battle."

Byakuya's reporter nodded. "I see. Well, I'm glad you're all doing better and you're all healing. That was a very hard thing to go through, especially with losing a dear friend in the process. How are your friends doing, this being the year anniversary, and all?"

Byakuya swallowed. "Well... They're healing, just like I am, just like June is. Naegi has been writing a lot lately, especially since it's the year anniversary, and he says writing gets his mind off it all; like he's in his own little world. I don't know exactly what he writes about, mainly because he doesn't tell me, but I don't mind--the point is it works for him and he seems to enjoy it."

"What's everyone else been doing?"

"I know for a fact Kirigiri's been working a lot; getting a lot of new cases and working on them all the time. She loves being a detective. She also says that's been helping her. Erin spends most of her time with Ishimaru at their apartment or at the hockey rink shooting pucks into goals as her pastime with her team. Erin was actually finally cleared by her therapist and psychiatrist to go back to work as a professional hockey player about four months ago, actually. She seems fine, and hockey seems to help. Hina, like my June, went to the Olympics. In fact, she was accepted on to the Japan Olympic Swim Team. She actually, if you didn't see, competed in this year's Summer Olympics with June. She swims a lot lately. Teruteru cooks even more than he did before the shooting. He owns his own restaurant now. Just because his ankle is damaged, doesn't mean he's slowed down. Cooking seems to be all he does, and he says it definitely helps. I heard that Sonia's coronation to become queen is in two months. She's doing well. Mikan got a great nursing job at one of the top hospitals in the country. She's also doing well. Leon, with the exception of his baseball career, seems to bury himself further and further in music with Sayaka. They also got engaged just a week ago. They're happy. Everyone's doing better," He took a breath before letting it out and smiling a simple smile. "Life goes on."

"And how's June?"

Byakuya smiled. "June is... well, June. She's great. She achieved her lifelong dream and went to the Olympics to win a gold medal, she and I have been happily married for a little over half a year now, and she doesn't seem to be thinking about the shooting as much anymore, which is a relief for the both of us."

"That's good. That's really good. I'm glad, we all are. You seemed to have moved on."

Byakuya shook his head. "That's wrong," he said. "You're wrong about that. I mean, if you go through something like that, you never move on--you just get better. And even then it takes time. But you never fully heal; there's always the scars it leaves behind and those never go away, unfortunately. We have to live with them. It's hard. I almost lost everything I care about that day; I almost lost my wife that day, and I almost lost a friend, not leaving out the fact I did lose a friend... And, on top of all that, we all eventually learned fifteen other people lost their lives... It's just... it's hard... you know?"

A nod. "I completely understand. To go through something like that and have to live with it every day of your life... It must be hard."

"It is... But as more time passes, it gets easier. We all have each other--my family, my friends, my beautiful wife--and we all find new ways every day to try our best to heal and be happy."

"That's great. And how do you feel about that?"

Byakuya smiled again. "Well, considering the fact we have each other and will always have each other, I'm confident we can make it work."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm glad that's finally over."

Byakuya and June each took a seat in their living room at their house. They, including the rest of their friends, had just finished the interview and headed home.

"I know, same here," June agreed. "I thought they'd never stop asking questions."

Byakuya nodded. "Agreed," he said before he took a sip from his coffee. "Wow... I still can't believe it's been a year already..."

"I know the feeling..." June said.

They both just stood there in silence, having run out of things to say. They both felt there was nothing else to say about the current situation--about the interview... about the anniversary.

Byakuya raked a hand through his hair before he removed his coat and hung it up on the nearby coatrack, breaking the silence. "So... now that we did all that... what do we do now?"

June just stared straight ahead at nothing and was silent until she finally answered, "I don't know. What do you want to do?"

Byakuya pondered this for a moment before he knew the answer. "Move on."

June sighed and shook her head. She made her way over to her husband and placed her hands softly on his shoulders. "Byakuya... you and I both know there's no such thing as moving on from something like this... There's just... getting better."

Byakuya looked down at her and sighed. Tears started to form in his eyes. He tried his best to blink them away. "I know. But, how do we get better?" Even at a whole year later, there were times Byakuya felt small and helpless. And, this was one of those times; the interview had definitely been a trigger.

June stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck before she placed a soft, comforting kiss on his lips. She pulled back, their foreheads now touching. "We do what we've been doing for the past year now; we get better together."

At that, Byakuya looked into his wife's eyes and smiled, knowing that she always knew the right thing to say. He kissed her back. "I love you so much." he whispered against her lips.

June smiled into the kiss. "I love you too, so much."

June's comforting words and kisses had made Byakuya immediately feel stronger, like they did the majority of the time. He gave her one more grateful and loving kiss before he stepped away from her and took a breath. "Well. I don't know about you, but it's seven o'clock at night and I'm starving," he said before he started towards the kitchen. "Today's the chef's night off, so how about I make you something special myself?"

June snorted. "Byakuya, sweetheart, you know I love you and all, but the last time you tried to cook me something 'special' without the chef doing everything for you, you set fire to the kitchen and we almost had to call the fire department. Remember that? Also, don't forget the 'food' you cooked for me was burnt beyond recognition." she said as nicely as she could.

Byakuya gave her a look. "Is my cooking really that bad...?" he asked, although he remembered the 'fire to the kitchen' incident well.

June laughed. "Yes," she said. "But, if it means spending eternity with you, I'll gladly take your burnt-beyond-recognition food over the chef's very edible cuisine any day of the week."

Byakuya smiled at that. "Thanks, love. But you know what? We'll just order in tonight," he said before he took his phone out of his pocket and began dialing a number. "How do you feel about Teruteru's home style cooking?"

June smiled back. "Anything from Teruteru's restaurant I'm very a-okay with." she said in reply.

Byakuya finished dialing the number and put the phone up to his ear. Soon, someone on the other end picked up. "Hello? Yes, this is Byakuya Togami for Head Chef Teruteru Hanamura. Yes, that's right--tell him we want the usual."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That was delicious."

"As always."

Thirty minutes later, Byakuya and June were leaning back in their chairs in their dining room after finishing their meals.

"It felt like I was eating for two...," June said happily, rubbing her satisfied stomach. "Teruteru sure doesn't fool around..."

Byakuya smiled in agreement. "No, my dear, he definitely does not," He thought for a second before he added, "Well, not in the kitchen, anyway."

June chuckled. "Yeah. Right," she said. "Well, that's Teruteru for ya'."

Byakuya nodded. "That it is, that it is."

They sat for a couple of seconds of silence before June yawned, stood up, and stretched her arms. "Well, I think I'm gonna turn in for the night. I've gotta head to the gym tomorrow morning for more training."

Byakuya stood up as well before he made his way over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "You go ahead, my love. I'll be up in a minute right after I finish cleaning up." he said.

June frowned. "You want any help?" she asked.

Byakuya waved her off. "I'm alright. You go on up and I'll be right with you soon."

June gave him a nod before she exited their dining room and started up the stairs. "Okay then. See you in a bit, babe." she called down before she disappeared up the stairs and headed to their bedroom.

When she made it to their bedroom, June headed into their master bathroom and brushed her teeth before she went to her wardrobe, put on her pajamas, and picked out the outfit she wanted to wear to the gym. She then walked towards her side of the bed and was about to prepare to crawl in, when she accidentally rammed her shoulder into the bookcase that sat near her side of the bed.

June winced and clutched her shoulder. "Ouch! God damn it, I knew I should have put that darn bookcase in the other corner...!" she hissed.

Suddenly, she noticed when she bumped into the bookcase she had caused some of the books to fall out and on to the floor.

June rolled her eyes before she crouched down on the floor to pick up the books and put them back.

She was just putting them into a pile to place back on their bookshelf when one of them caught her eye.

June immediately felt a surge of mixed feelings and emotions when she picked up the book.

Her yearbook from Hope's Peak Academy.

In it were all the memories of the year she spent there.

June's eyes scanned over the book's cover and the familiar Hope's Peak school logo on it before she slowly and carefully--as if she were handling a bomb--opened it and began to look through its pages.

She flipped through all its pages until she came across the page that held her grade level.

She looked at her former classmates' with a smile, remembering all the good times they had shared.

Eventually, June found her picture, which happened to be right next to Byakuya's picture. They were next to each other because their last names both began with a T.

June also saw her sister's picture on the other side of hers.

Eventually, she had come across all her friends' yearbook pictures. All of them smiled up at her, toothy smiles and in their former wear for picture day.

She smiled back their pictures, remembering the day she had hers taken; it was the day after she and Byakuya had made up and officially became best friends again, so she had been in a great mood that day, which showed in her over-enthusiastic smile.

June chuckled at the picture of herself that was taken just a little more than a year ago.

Byakuya's picture also had a photo of him smiling, also obviously in a happy mood, which was rare for Byakuya considering the fact that the majority of every picture he'd ever taken before that one he never ever smiled in.

But, in this one he was, and all because he and his best friend were reunited as BFFs, basically.

June smiled warmly at the memory of their make-up; it had been a great day.

Then she turned the page and came across Ibuki's picture.

June suddenly felt another wave of feelings and emotions--happy and sad--rush over her, this one even stronger then when she had picked up the yearbook.

She just stared at her late friend's photo, now remembering all the times she had spent with Ibuki before her death.

Then she remembered all the times she spent missing and thinking about Ibuki after her death.

It was enough to bring tears to her eyes, which it did.

It's been a year.

June just sat on the floor, clutching the yearbook in her arms like it was a life preserver. She thought of the shooting. Of Leo. Of Byakuya. Of Erin. Of Leon.

A year since it happened.

Of Ibuki.

A year since we lost her.

As June let these thoughts swirl around in her head, she realized that in a year, in all that time and suffering and healing, she hadn't so much as stepped on the grounds of where it all happened.

A year since we left.

The grounds of Hope's Peak Academy.

And since we never came back.

We didn't move on. We stopped moving.

We've tried to heal, but we haven't fully faced our demons.

June realized it's been a full year since she or any of her friends had stepped foot inside Hope's Peak Academy. It's been a full since everything.

The demons of Hope's Peak Academy.

"June?"

June's head immediately whipped up and around from the yearbook to see her husband standing in the doorway of their master bedroom, a concern look etched on his handsome face.

There June was, sitting on the floor, clutching a book and crying.

This alarming situation raised some red flags for Byakuya as he watched his wife clutching the book for dear life.

Byakuya immediately knew this had something to do with the year anniversary of the shooting, so he crouched down and sat on the floor next to June before he put both his arms around her and pulled her against him, comforting her. "Shh... It's okay... I know it's hard, love... Shh... I'm right here... I'm here for you just like you're here for me... It's alright..." he whispered into her ear. He then rocked June slowly against himself. Then he took a look at the book June was clutching.

A Hope's Peak Academy yearbook.

Their Hope's Peak Academy yearbook. From their last year.

The year Byakuya and June were reunited as friends, and eventually brought together as lovers.

The year Byakuya finally made friends.

The year of all their memories.

The year of the shooting.

Byakuya made sure to hold on to June tightly. "Hey... it's okay... Okay?" he whispered before he took the yearbook out of June's hands. "Now, what's this?"

He flipped through the pictures and memories as he realized what June had been doing.

Reliving old memories, good and bad.

Opening up old scars.

Byakuya closed the yearbook and sat it down on the floor. "I know it's hard, but we're doing what you said we're doing--we're getting better together. What happened to us was terrible, yes, but we're working through it, just as we have always been."

June looked up at him and stopped crying before she wiped her face with her pajama sleeve. "That's not it. That's not... that's not it..." she muttered.

Byakuya gently cocked his head to the side, confused. "Then what is?" he asked.

"We haven't faced our demons."

Now Byakuya was really confused. "What? What are you talking about, Junie? We've been going to therapists and psychiatrists and getting treatment for a full year now..." he pointed out.

June shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. We've faced those demons, but we haven't faced the demons."

"What are you saying?"

June took a deep breath in and let it out all at once. "I'm saying we need to go back to Hope's Peak Academy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Byakuya was silent for the whole drive over--the whole drive over to Hope's Peak.

Just minutes earlier, June said they needed to return to Hope's Peak, the place where it all went down, the place where they almost lost June herself and Leon, the place where they did lose Ibuki, and the place that evil tyrant Leo Gonzalez terrorized by going on a violent rampage and shooting up, resulting in the horrific murders of sixteen innocent people--most of them their former classmates, no less.

Byakuya was definitely less than thrilled that they were returning to a place that held physical and emotional scars for all of them, and returning to it in the middle of the night in their pajamas.

June had insisted there wasn't enough time to change.

Byakuya definitely could think of a hundred other things he'd rather do than go back to Hope's Peak, but he also loved his wife very much and would do anything to support her.

And, if she thought going back to Hope's Peak Academy would support them and help them heal, then that's what they were going to do.

Byakuya knew this would be hard; going back to the place that was always the setting of his worst nightmares, the place that was the cause of his reoccurring night terrors. But, he would do this because deep down on the inside, he knew June was right--it was time for them to face their demons.

Their Hope's Peak Academy demons.

Byakuya felt his face pale over as he pulled into the parking lot for Hope's Peak and parked their car.

For a minute, they just sat there in the car staring at their old high school and not so much as uttering a word.

But, both Byakuya and June knew that minute couldn't last forever; they had to go in.

So Byakuya took a deep breath and opened his car door before he exited the vehicle and waited for June.

In a moment, June did the same and Byakuya locked the car and pocketed the keys before the both of them began their walk to the school, which stood proud and tall before them.

If it wasn't for all the little memorial plaques that stood at the bases of all the trees that were planted in honor of those whose lives were lost at the Hope's Peak Academy shooting, it would have looked like the shooting never happened at all.

After a couple of feet of walking past memorial trees and plaques, Byakuya and June soon were standing before the entrance of Hope's Peak Academy.

The entrance that they used to walk through all the time, several times day. The last time they had walked through these doors was a year ago.

For a moment, June and Byakuya just stood there, staring at the entrance.

June eventually took a deep breath and looked at Byakuya. "Ready?" she asked.

Byakuya swallowed hard. "As ready as I'll ever be."

June nodded before she leaned over towards the brick wall and pressed the buzzer. Luckily, they could see the front office from there and that someone was inside.

When the buzzer was buzzed, they saw a person look up from what he was doing to look at June and Byakuya.

The headmaster.

He looked surprised to see them but smiled and unlocked the doors for them. They both smiled back before June reached out to open one of the doors.

Then, suddenly, she stopped.

Byakuya gave her a look.

June began to retract her hand slowly and looked at her husband. "Maybe this was a mistake... Maybe we shouldn't have come here..." she mumbled, looking nervous.

Byakuya clasped one of his hands around her free one. "No, love, you were right. We were right to come here. We haven't been here since... that day... and I think it's important we finally face this place and our demons that come with it. You were right to bring us here. It's time. No more hiding." he said calmly. No matter how much he didn't want to be there, he knew June was right to bring them there to face it.

Byakuya also knew he had to accept that it was time for him to face his biggest demons.

June kept looking at Byakuya for a few seconds before she closed her eyes and took another deep breath. She then opened her eyes and nodded, now looking determined. "Y-You're right, Byakuya--it's time. No more hiding," Her hand went back to the door handle and wrapped around it. "Let's do this."

Byakuya nodded. "Yes," he mumbled, squeezing her other hand affectionately. "Let's do this."

June then pulled open the door and they walked inside.

They heard the door close behind them as they entered their formal high school, where Byakuya spent two years of his life.

This place held so many memories for the both of them.

Suddenly, the headmaster stood up from his desk in the front office before he made his way over to them.

"June, Byakuya! What a surprise to see you here," he said as he stuck his heads inside his pockets. "I'm just here finishing up some work before I call it day and officially begin my summer vacation. What are you two doing here?"

Both June and Byakuya didn't quite know how to answer that; they just knew they both needed to be there, to face their demons.

Byakuya was surprised when June suddenly spoke up and told her uncle just that. "We're here to face our demons." she said, her voice steady and calm.

The headmaster looked at them quizzically before his eyes widened and he seemed to realize what June was getting it. His mouth formed in the shape of an O before he slowly nodded, understanding. "Ah. Yes, that's right; this place does hold many memories for you two," he said before he gave them an encouraging smile. "I'm proud of you both," June and Byakuya were surprised to hear the headmaster say that but took the compliment nonetheless before the headmaster sighed and continued. "Well. I better get back to work. I'll just leave you two to it. Go wherever you'd like."

Then, before anyone could get another word in, the headmaster was entering the front office and closing the door behind himself.

June and Byakuya were left alone, standing in the main hall.

Byakuya gave June a look and June immediately understood what it said: let's go. June nodded before the both of them began exploring their former high school.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They knew they had explored every classroom and hallway on the first floor because it was almost a whole hour later before they made it to the second floor--the floor where they had most of their classes.

Not only that, but the floor where Leon was shot and left in the hall for dead, the floor where Leo played a sick game of cat and mouse as he stalked and chased their friends like prey.

The second they were on the second floor of Hope's Peak Academy, Byakuya felt all those memories rushing into his mind like a flood.

Byakuya clenched his fists together, which were now beginning to sweat. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing all those memories from the shooting out of his head.

When he opened his eyes, he thought for a split second he saw a pool of blood below his feet. He began to sweat even more.

It's all in your head, it's all in your head, it's all in your head, Byakuya told himself all the things he could remember from his sessions with Dr. Yamaguci. Don't let the memories in. Don't let them control you. Breathe.

Byakuya blinked and suddenly the pool of blood was gone. He relaxed and let out a breath.

June's hand made its way into Byakuya's. "Okay?" she whispered, sensing her husband was in edge.

Byakuya nodded, now calm. "Yes... Okay." he let out. June gave his hand a squeeze before they continued through the halls of the second floor and gazed at all the lockers and classrooms.

They were silent as they walked past all the spots that held memories--good and bad--for them. June was in a daze when she realized she and Byakuya were standing in the exact same spot where Leon was shot and left. June could tell because of the angle of the security camera when she looked up at it; exactly one year ago she had stared through that camera with her friends as they all watched in horror Leon being shot and almost killed.

This time, it was June who closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Calm down. Relax. Leon's fine. Alive. This is just a hall and nothing more. Leon did not die here. This is just a harmless hallway, one you've been in hundreds of times before.

Eventually she calmed herself down. She and Byakuya moved on from that spot and continued down the hall.

Once they had been in every classroom and examined every hallway on the second floor, they then headed back down to the first floor.

"I just realized something." June said as they arrived back on the first floor in the main hall. Byakuya gave her a look.

"And what's that, June?"

June closed her eyes once again and sighed before she opened them.

"We forgot the lunchroom."

Byakuya froze where he stood.

The lunchroom.

Where June had run off to try and hide from Leo as he chased her with a gun.

Where June had entered the kitchen and fought Leo with a knife.

Where June had found the stairs to the roof and climbed for her life.

Byakuya swallowed and tried his best not to look nervous. "Yes, I suppose we did." he muttered.

June put an hand on Byakuya's shoulder. "We don't have to--"

"Yes," Byakuya cut her off with a serious look. He took a breath. "Yes, we do. Our demons await."

June removed her hand from Byakuya and let it fall limply to her side before she nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We have to." she whispered in agreement.

And they were off.

Soon they were in the lunchroom, the very room where they along with their friends had shared many lunches together. It had been a good place to them, a place to talk and laugh and share stories and eat. The lunchroom had almost been like a safe haven away from the stress of school, a simple place to just hang out with their friends over a quiet lunch.

Byakuya and June both smiled at all the happy memories that entered their minds as they walked all around the lunchroom.

Eventually, they exited the lunchroom and entered the place June remembered well from the day of the shooting.

The kitchen.

June felt instantly heavier as she and Byakuya entered the kitchen, the place where she faced off with Leo with a knife and cut him before he chased her all the way up those flights of stairs to the roof.

June felt her heart rate increase as her eyes scanned the kitchen, she herself remembering the last time she was in there.

Byakuya watched June's reaction and this time was the one to reach out and comfort June. "June?" he whispered, unsure.

"I-I'm alright," June let herself say before she took another deep breath and settled down. "I'm fine. It's fine."

Then June's eyes landed on the door.

The door to which led to the stairs to the roof.

June felt like she was in a trance as she slowly left Byakuya's side and approached the door. Her hand gripped the handle for a few seconds.

Then she opened the door.

One foot at a time, she began climbing the very stairs she had practically thrown herself up when Leo had been chasing her.

Byakuya got the message before he prepared himself as he followed June up the stairs.

They climbed the flights before they reached the end and were standing right in front of the door to the roof.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, her fingers wrapped themselves around the door handle.

The door handle turned.

The door opened.

June and Byakuya stepped on to the roof.

Where June was shot.

Where Ibuki was killed.

Where they were all damaged.

Where it all went down.

Where Byakuya's life--ALL their lives--almost broke, crumbled, and fell apart right before his eyes.

June immediately felt the entire atmosphere change around her when she arrived on the roof; almost like the entire world had stopped.

They didn't even have the time to blink as all the horrible memories from that day immediately rushed into their minds.

The force of the memories almost knocked June off her feet. Byakuya actually stumbled back a bit.

It took a moment, but June and Byakuya eventually composed themselves before they both approached the ledge of the roof and looked out into the horizon.

The sun had already set, and they could hear all the crickets chirping into the night as they just stared.

They stayed silent for several minutes, staring and thinking.

Until, suddenly and unexpectedly, the silence was broken.

"Remember your first day at Hope's Peak?" Byakuya had ended the silence. "Remember how I said all that awful stuff about your... about your mother and you slapped me?"

June was surprised he brought that up, but she nodded anyway. "Yes..."

Byakuya chuckled. "You slapped me. You slapped me, and it hurt. I was surprised you slapped me, especially that it hurt. I expected it to be a weak, girly slap. But, it hurt," He shook his head and laughed some more. "I definitely deserved it too. I remember that clearly, as I remember everything about that day clearly. In my opinion, I deserved more than a slap."

June stared at Byakuya, her face softening. "You still feel bad about that?" she mumbled.

Byakuya turned to face her. "I'll always feel bad about that. I never quite thought I deserved your forgiveness," He let out a sigh. "Yet, here we are. But, that's not the only thing I blame myself for. I blame myself for a lot of things. Like letting you attend this school. I should have demanded you transferred schools, threw a hissy fit to the headmaster or run you out of Hope's Peak or something like that, and then the shooting would've never happened. I also blame myself for not protecting you when that bastard threatened you, for not kicking his ass before he hurt our friends, and then hurt you... If I did, then maybe Ibuki would be alive today and you and Leon wouldn't have been shot and those fifteen other victims would be with their families instead of in the ground. But, we'll never know, will we?"

June's look of sympathy turned to that of disbelief. "Byakuya Togami, don't you dare go and blame yourself for what happened! That was NOT your fault, you had NO control over what happened that day! You had NO idea Leo would completely lose his shit and shoot up the school and murder sixteen people in the process! It's not like you could predict the future, Byakuya! You're as much of a victim as anyone that Leo hurt. Don't think otherwise! It is NOT your fault. We all were hurt that day, and the bastard that did do that to us is buried. Got it? Do I make myself clear?"

Byakuya looked down at the ground.

"Do I make myself clear?"

Byakuya looked up and smiled at June. "Thanks, June." he said, relief in his eyes.

June cocked her head to the side. "For what?" she asked.

Byakuya's smile widened. "For saying that." he whispered back.

June smiled as well as a satisfied look came across her face. "You're welcome, my love."

After that they both fell silent again and continued to stare out into the horizon.

This time the silence was broken by June. "Remember the morning before the shooting?" she asked Byakuya. "Remember when you told me you had a surprise for me?"

Byakuya smiled as he remembered that moment clearly, because he had been talking about his plan to propose to June; that had been the one happy memory on that day.

Byakuya nodded, still smiling. "Yes..."

June's smile was so wide it almost split her face. "Well... I'm kind of returning the favor..." she mumbled, excited and nervous at the same time.

Byakuya arched an eyebrow. "Really? Are you planning on proposing to me? Because I think it's a little late for that." he said with a chuckle.

June's smile stayed on her face. "No," she said with a giggle before she bit her lip out of nervousness. "But I do have a surprise for you, one that will keep you up at night."

Byakuya's puzzled look on his face was immediately replaced with a sly smirk when he heard those words leave his wife's mouth. "Oh. Making sexual innuendos to me, are you? Well, I can definitely say I'm especially interested in your surprise now."

June blushed furiously before she punched Byakuya lightly in the arm. "No, idiot! I mean, I'm making an innuendo, but not a sexual one...," she said with a laugh. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Mr. Togami."

"Hm... I don't think it wants to leave the gutter, Mrs. Togami. Maybe you could help me out with that?" Byakuya wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and June once again blushed and punched him in the arm.

Byakuya laughed and rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright...! I get it...! Not a sexual innuendo! Message received!" He kept laughing after that. June put her hands on her hips.

"Will you just be quiet and listen to what I have to tell you?" June said, trying her best not laugh at the whole situation.

Byakuya stopped laughing and stuffed his hands in his pajama pockets. "Okay. Listening," he said before he held hands out. "Now, bestow your surprise upon me."

June took a breath before she became serious. Byakuya noticed.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked, becoming concerned.

At that, June smiled once again. "Nothing."

Byakuya looked puzzled once again. "Well, I don't under--"

"Byakuya," June said before she gently grabbed Byakuya's hands in her own and looked into his eyes. "I'm pregnant."

Silence.

Byakuya blinked several times. "Oh," he said quietly before what June said seemed to click in his mind. "Oh."

June shrugged with a nervous smile. "Well, a baby will definitely keep you up at night... There's the innuendo...," she mumbled. "Look, I definitely didn't plan on getting pregnant this soon, and--"

June was suddenly cut off as Byakuya took her in his embrace and kissed her. June tensed in surprise before she relaxed in her husband's arms and into the kiss.

After a few seconds Byakuya pulled away and smiled down at her. "Thank you." he whispered.

June gave him a playful smile. "For what?"

Byakuya took her in his embrace once again and held her against him, his smile the widest it's ever been. "For giving me the world."

June's face flushed even more as she kept on smiling back at Byakuya, loving him more than ever in this very moment. "You're welcome, love."

Byakuya laughed yet again before he and his wife kissed once more.

After they broke the kiss they leaned against the ledge of the roof, watching the stars in the sky shine brightly.

"Thank you for giving me a happy memory on this roof," Byakuya spoke up again. "I love you so much, and I'll love our baby just as much."

June laid her head against Byakuya's shoulder and looked up at him, her face bright and joyful. "Thank you for giving me a happy memory on this roof," she whispered. "And, I love you too as much as I will our baby."

Byakuya sighed happily. "How much do you think Jesse and your dad are going to freak out once we tell them?" he asked. June snorted.

"A lot," she said before she shrugged again. "But, that'll be one of the fun parts of the experience we're about to dive headfirst into. And, I'm ready for it all. You think you're ready?"

Byakuya wrapped an arm around June's shoulders as he simply kept on smiling. "With you by my side, I'm ready for anything and everything."

"God, Byakuya, you're so damn cheesy...!"

Byakuya smirked. "I know, and you love me for it." he pointed out.

"Yes," June said as they continued to look at the stars. "Yes, I do."

As they stayed in each other's embrace, they continued to look up. A single shooting star made a brilliant streak across the night sky, racing past the others that shone just as brightly.

And disappeared into the night.

THE END

Author's Note: WOW.

It's taken a REALLY LONG TIME to write and finish this story, in fact I can't even remember how long ago I started it.

I do remember, however, that I immediately knew I'd love writing it, and I did.

It's finally the end, and I hope you enjoyed this story to the fullest. I want to thank all the readers that read this through to completion.

Of course, the epilogue is being written and will be posted as soon as it's ready.

I've really loved writing this, and I'm sad that it's over, but happy at the same time. I hope you loved it as much as I did.

Happy reading!

-RadipDagger✌️️