Mercy (MGK)

Golden Dagger

The year 2022

Colson POV

"This place is amazing." I stated, looking to Megan for a moment before sinking further into the chair. We were in Paris, sitting outside a little cafe at one of the dozens of tables. Sarah sitting with us who asked to tag along, she'd been pushing us to go to Paris, for reasons unknown till today.

"Really good find." She smiled, giving my hand a squeeze. I looked around and that's when it caught my eye. The golden dagger earring dangling from a woman's ear. Her hair was bleach blonde, skin tan and a large pair of glasses covering her eyes. But the man she was with gave it all away. They both still looked very much the same, but everyone knew the story, the Montez died in a yachting accident. The boat caught on fire, actually blew up. No survivors were found. Many believe it was rival cartels who had planned the attach. I knew just by the way Danny said goodbye that wasn't the truth. This was just confirmation. I watched them for a moment, maybe because I was scared if it wasn't them. Her hand showed off a large ring, a simple gold band around his as the drank their coffees, watching the kids play in the spray up fountains. They'd look at each other every now and then, his hand would stroke her shoulder and he'd occasionally kiss her forehead.

"Colson?" Sarah said, though her eyes followed my line of sight, a smile slowly crossing her features.

"Excuse me for a few minutes. I think I see an old friend." Megan nodded with a smile as she let my hand go and I got up. The woman saw me as I grew closer, a smile on her face as she lifted her glasses. Danny.

"Colson Baker." Richard stated, chuckling slightly, dare I say the guy was smiling. He wore a white cream colored blazer and dress pants, a light blue shirt showing. Danny was in a red sundress, standing and already coming for a hug.

"Wow it's great to see you! Lola Morgan now, but you can call me Danny." I hugged her, laughing before we pulled away and I flagged Megan to come over and Sarah. "This is Paul Morgan." She motioned to Richard who raised his hand in a wave.

"This is Megan, my fiancée." Danny hugged Megan who looked at me confused only for a moment. She wasn't surprised I was correct, that the whole yacht story was exactly that, a story.

"It's good to see you again. Lola and Paul." Danny motioned to herself and Richard. "New names were worth it. Also moving across the world." She laughed before sitting down as did we all at the small table. Danny kept looking to the fountains where kids were playing, waving to a boy. He came running over, his hair wet and his clothes damp. "This is our son, James Colson Morgan." My heart felt full for a moment as the kid waved to us before asking his mom to run back to play. He looked like Danny but with Richard's dark hair.

"You finally got the life D." I said, sitting back and sipping on my drink that Megan had brought over.

"Yeah, Paul and I, we moved to Italy, a nice villa and right on the water. We just decided to come here for vacation for a few weeks and for Paul's work."

"What cha working on these days?" I looked to him, he laughed slightly, arm slung on the back of Danny's chair.

"We're in the wine business with a little import export gig. Something that a friend of ours sent our way after Richard Montez and Daniella Montez died in that yacht fire. Real bummer." He chuckled slightly as Danny rolled her eyes and released a laugh.

"What about you? When is that next tour? Maybe if you come to Europe for a few shows we can host you and Megan. We love the company."

"Yeah new album and all. That would be great.

Daniella/Lola (POV)

"He's so grown." I mumbled to Richard, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, too fast." He chuckled, ever since the new life things had changed. The business was legit in this part of the world, the targets on our back minimal. A familiar face appeared in my view. Sarah as well, but she was in on the secret since the safety deposit box. Sarah would mysteriously die in the coming weeks on the way home. She'd be joining us soon enough.

It was Colson and Megan who only now were let into the light. Part of me couldn't tell if they were truly happy to know the truth, maybe they preferred now having this secret. It would be the coming years that the couples would meet across the world, dinner dates and events. Cleveland no longer in their minds like it once was, as in a way both those kids in Cleveland had lived and died the moment they left that town. New lives and new names in some ways.

"Hey, to Cleveland." D said softly, raising her wine glass to Colson who did the same before they both looked back to her son.

"To Danny and Colson and to Lola and MGK. The old and the new." D nodded to Colson's statement before taking a sip of her glass.