Love or Die

Epilogue

One Year Later

            “Travis, what is taking you so long?” Jade asked as she placed the bowl of popcorn down on his coffee table. Her question was met by silence and she sighed as she made her way back to the kitchen. Walking through the doorway she found it empty and couldn't help but panic. With their track records, sudden disappearances were never a good thing. “Travis? Where are you?” Again she was met by silence. The panicked feeling inside her began to grow again and she looked around nervously. One bad thing about Travis living on his own was that vampires don't need to be invited in to other vampires' houses.

            There was a blur behind her but when she turned it was gone. Taking a step backwards, she looked around the room and saw the blur again in the hall. Breathing in, she walked towards the hall and froze when she felt someone come up behind her and spin her around, into them. “Got you,” Travis smiled wide and playfully at her. Jade sighed with relief that he was okay and slapped his arm.

            “What did you do that for? You scared me!” she scolded him.

            “I'm sorry,” he said seriously. “I was just messing with you. I didn't mean to worry you.”

            “Well you did,” she said stubbornly. “You shouldn't play tricks like that after everything we've been through.”

            Travis lifted her chin, making her eyes meet his. “Jade, I'm really sorry,” he said sincerely. “I had to answer a message on my phone and when I came back I  thought it would be fun to sneak up on you. I didn't know it was going to worry you like that.”

            “I know you didn't,” she said quietly. “I'm sorry I'm not as fun as I used to be. I wouldn't be mad if you got tired of me and left.”

            “Never,” Travis said. “When we fall in love it's forever remember?” He smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back.

            “I know,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and tilting her head up to kiss him.

            “Plus,” he said, pulling away from her lips. “Your brother would kill me if I left you.”

            “Oh so my brother is scaring you into staying around, huh?” she asked playfully.

            “Definitely,” he nodded jokingly at her. “But mostly I love you too much.” Travis leaned down to her and kissed her again, holding on to her tightly. Just as their kiss deepened, his doorbell rang and Travis groaned as they pulled apart. “Always did have the worst timing,” he mumbled. Jade tilted her head questioningly at him. “You mind getting the door?”

            “Who's there?” Jade asked.

            “Studio intern,” he answered. “They want him to pick up some of my ideas for the next album track list but I have to go get it from my room. So do you mind?”

            “Of course not,” Jade smiled.

            “Thank you,” Travis said and kissed her again before they both began the walk down the hall to his front door. He turned towards the stairs as she got to the door and opened it.

            “Hello Mrs. Garland. Long time no see.”

            Jade's eyes widened as she looked at the visitor in front of her and turned to look back at Travis who smiled broadly from the bottom stair. “Surprise,” he said.

            Jade turned back to the doorway and stared at Liz in shock before rushing forward and hugging her. “You're back,” she laughed out happily.

            “I told you I would be,” Liz said, hugging her friend back. Pulling away from the hug, Jade tugged her friend inside and closed the door as she turned to Travis.

            “You knew,” she narrowed her eyes at him. “You knew she was coming back and you didn't tell me.”

            “I actually only just found out,” Travis said. “And I couldn't tell you because then it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?”

            “Don't go trying to act all mad at us,” Liz said. “You know you love us.”

            Jade smiled at her friend's words and nodded. “I do,” she admitted before turning to look directly at Liz. “And you know before you left... I didn't hate you. I was just really upset about everything and then I thought I lost Travis but I could never hate you.”

            “I know,” Liz smiled. “It took me this whole year to realize all of this but I do know. That's why I came back.”

            “So you're staying?” Jade asked, not wanting to get her hopes up for nothing.

            “I'm staying,” she answered. Jade's smile grew wider than Travis had seen it in the past year and he was grateful for Liz's return. He walked back to the kitchen to get them sodas, and left the two girls alone. When he turned away from the fridge to put the cans down on the counter, he found Jade leaning against the door frame smiling at him.

            “What?” he asked.

            “Just trying to figure out how my life came out so lucky,” she answered. “Minus those dark spots anyway.” She walked over to the counter and leaned against it as he stepped towards her. Travis took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly.

            “We have had some pretty dark spots,” he said with a smile. “And I don't know when or if they'll ever go away. But as long as I'm with you I know everything will get better.”

            Jade smiled at him, knowing that he meant every word. “Me too,” she said, leaning in to kiss him. “Forever.”

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

Hey! Thanks for sticking around until the end of Love or Die. =) Hope you liked it as much as I  liked writing it. But it isn't over just yet! The first chapter of the Love or Die alternate reality is now up, so go check it ou! This time Mandee didn't leave Travis after changing him which means a whole lot of trouble. ;)