Epilogue

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She was staring at the sky, one end a dark blue and the other bursting with color. Carissa sat up, her shortened hair falling around her eyes. She wasn't sure if the sun was setting or rising. In fact, she hadn't even realized that Second Life had a sun.

Second Life.

She was in Second Life.

Elon was in Second Life.

She jumped to her feet, nearly tripping on her gown in the process. She was standing in the middle of the field.

Alone.

Had she come to the wrong Second Life? Maybe Third Life? Carissa laughed, the sound echoing hollowly in her chest. Unlikely. But what else could explain the emptiness? Had everyone else left?

The smile faded from Carissa's lips. What was the point of living a second life if she had to live it alone?

No. Elon had to be somewhere here. He loved her even more than she loved him. He would do whatever was necessary to ensure that they were together. If Elon wouldn't come to her, that just meant that she would go to him.

"Elon?" She waded through the long grass into the forest.

Perhaps he'd be waiting for her where she'd last seen him; perhaps he wanted her to return there. She quickened her footsteps. Her foot caught on the edge of a root and she flew forward, landing flat on her chest. It knocked the air out of her, but she didn't feel any pain.

Carissa picked herself up. She half considered plucking the twigs from her hair and the leaves from her dress. But that would take up time—precious time that she could be spending in Elon's arms.

She put on another burst of speed. She hadn't noticed before but running seemed effortless here, as if she could sprint forever. She slowed where she'd last seen Elon. The grass between the trees was slightly flattened, right where she'd lain with Elon.

Carissa knelt. He'd kissed her here, and she'd begged him to not make her leave. She curled her fingers around the grass and plucked them out of the ground. Elon wasn't here. So where could he be?

"Elon?" She rose to her feet, raised her voice, "Elon!"

"You needn't be so loud, love."

She whirled around. He was leaning his hip against a tree, his arms folded. He certainly hadn't been there when she'd first walked here. Her first instinct was to run to him and jump into his arms, peppering him with kisses.

But even as love filled her, anger nipped at its heels. Had he heard her this whole time? How dare he make her wait when she'd been literally dying to see him?

Carissa folded her arms, mirroring Elon. "Nice of you to finally show up."

Elon straightened, his arms falling to his sides. "No kiss?"

Even as her lips tingled in remembrance, her heart quickening its beat, she forced a shrug. "Perhaps I'll think about it."

"Are you pouting?"

"No."

"I think you're pouting."

"Well. Maybe I am."

Elon laughed and drew near her. "I can't have you pouting, now can I?"

"Then perhaps you shouldn't have let me wake up alone in Second Life."

Elon arched his eyebrows. "Definitely pouting. You look rather adorable when you're pouting."

Carissa turned away from him, keeping her arms tightly folding. If he thought that he could just smooth-talk her out of pouting, then he had another thing coming.

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