"Hey Jams." I knelt on the neatly kept grass next to her tombstone, ignoring the recently dug up earth in front of it. "You would think I would have a lot to say, maybe an apology even thought you would then tell me that it's not my fault. I'm sure I must have done something wrong for us to end up like this." I stared at the carved stone declaring the last place she would ever be. "I could tell you something a bit happier though. Like the fact that we have a little baby sister. A half sister, but a sister none the less. She's absolutely gorgeous and Hunter's really good with her." I could feel the tears and instead of wiping them away, I let them fall, "I'm glad you met him. I'm glad that you saw how he fought for me and for you because he knew that I loved you. I sometimes forget that it was his own dad that he had to fight against. I don't understand how he could have chosen me over his real dad. He's so special to me, Jams. I've only been with him for about eight months and those months have been absolutely amazing. Remember how mom always told us to find a boy who can make you laugh when you're angry? Well Hunter..." I smiled to myself, "he does exactly that. I just wish I was brave enough to tell him how much I love him. I could easily just say it but I'm so scared of more pain. I hate that he can do this to me and my emotions but at the same time I love it. Gosh, he makes me so happy, Jams. I finally understand what you meant when you said you can't explain how it feels to be in love. I wish you were here to tell me to forget all my previous pain and to take a leap of faith and love Hunter whole heartedly. I know I should. I just... I don't even know anymore." I sat in silence for a long time. "I guess I should thank you. For the airplane ticket. I'm leaving for New York in two days. I'm going to study at Juilliard. Well, I have some kind of an internship and I should hopefully be studying there full time by the end of the year. It's hard to leave but I know it'll be good for me and I do really just want to escape this place for a while. Not the best idea to run away but then again I haven't been well known for good ideas. And it's the beginning of my own little therapy. I'll look after myself a bit but I'll come visit you." I took a deep breathe and one last look at her name etched into stone, "Forever and always, Jams. Forever and always."

Turning around to leave was hard but I couldn't spend forever next to someone who already left me.

Turning around also meant seeing Hunter standing next to his car smiling a sad smile and his hands free of any chains.

I practically ran to him and squashed him against the car, nearly hugging him to death.

He dug for something in his back pocket with one hand while I kept holding him. When his hand was removed, I lifted my head and saw him holding a small teddy out for me. I also noticed the red under his eyes and a few stray tears.

"You're out?" I kept my body flush against his but used my hands to wipe away the tears and he did the same for me.

"I'm a free man, baby." He kissed my head and smiled.

"But how?"

Hunter moved both hands to my shoulders and slightly pushed me back, "I'm going to need to inhale some oxygen before I can speak. And please can you get into my car? It's freezing out here."

I smiled despite the sadness and realized that what I said to Jaimie was not completely true. Not only did Hunter make me smile when I was mad, he made me laugh when I was crying.

Hunter turned in his seat to face me once were both in his car, "My dad told them I was involved. An accomplice. But my mom sent records in of the days he had said I'd allegedly helped him. She had answers for everything. I don't know how she knew everything I was doing but she told me she'd been keeping a diary to give to me one day. So she used that to prove my innocence and of course some of the photos she had with time stamps on them. There was also your statement, which I can't tell you how grateful I was for. You told the story again of that day and how I'd fight to protect you and your sister. The police confronted my dad and he couldn't make up a good enough lie so he confessed that he was the only person involved. I was released, nothing going onto record and he's sentenced to life, Em. He's getting what's he deserves."

I looked at him, "Don't you feel bad? He's still your dad?"

Hunter shook his head, "He lost the privilege to that title the day he hit my mom. It's just taken a while for me to realize." He gently leaned over to kiss me and then sat back in his seat, "Ready to hit the road, love?"

My heart jumped at the name and made me smile ear to ear.

-

"You're leaving tomorrow correct?" Professor Jones had his hands intertwined resting on top of his desk.

Hunter had told me the morning after we left my home town that the Professor had wanted to speak to me so here I was.

"I'm so sorry to that. It will definitely be difficult to find someone to help me write my next book but I know that whoever it is won't ever be as good as you." I laughed at Professor Jones, sitting behind his desk in his office. "Juilliard will be lucky to have you and I hope to see you on Broadway very soon."

"I'll be sure to keep you a seat, sir." I smiled at him as he got up to shake my hand.

"I don't assume you have that assignment I request a while back on writing about a person? I believe you were writing about Hunter Maddox?" He smirked, "Even though you're leaving I would still love to read it."

"I have it on my phone. I'll email it to you immediately."

"I wish you and Hunter the best of luck, Emilia. You both will do great things."

I nodded and left.

Not only leaving Professor Jones' office but the campus where I had thought I would have spent so many years.

-

Walking into a half empty bedroom when I got back to our apartment in the afternoon was heart breaking.

Packing up posters and pictures my my heart squeeze. I knew it was going to be hard but this was worse than I had expected.

And then finally when I had packed everything and I was left standing in an empty bedroom, excluding the furniture, I was left breathless. I was staring at a room full of memories; looking at boxes were there used to be books or pictures. That's when my mind thought about the one frame I had left in a drawer for Hunter to one day eventually find. I was leaving the certificate of the star Hunter had bought for me and I had named after us. A reminder to him that no matter how far I was, in the darkness of the night he would be able to look up and see our star.

A gentle knock brought me back and I walked out my room instead of letting Hunter in. The living room was also considerably empty without some of my stuff but my focus was on Hunter. I looked at him and blushed when he gave me a soft kiss. He was keeping most of the pictures we had and they were all scattered around our little place we called home for awhile.

My gaze flicked down to his hands, where Jaimie's ring was still on his finger, when he took my hands in his and pulled me to the couch.

Skylar had packed up everything in her apartment while I was kidnapped and moved into the apartment Ivy was previously living in. Ivy had already flown to New York with Theo a day after Hunter was arrested. They didn't want to go but they had already bought their tickets so I forced them to leave. It was easier for all of us to move so that practice would work better considering the director would have his two leads with him to practice whenever he needed. And of course, Theo and Ivy were completely smitten and neither of them wanted to leave the other behind. So Hunter and I had the place to ourselves.

"I know you're leaving tomorrow morning but I just wanted to know..." he took a deep breath, "where we stand?"

I looked at the man that I loved and took a deep breath myself, "I honestly don't know Hunt."

"We could try the whole long distance thing..." he trailed off and looked at me hopefully.

I hated doing this but it had to be done. And if he wasn't going to say what we were both thinking... I would take one for the team.

"We both know it won't work." I looked down when I said it, refusing to look in his eyes that would easily be able to persuade me to stay with him forever.

"I know but we could still try." He lifted my head with a gentle finger under my chin.

That's all it took. One look for me to decide to be the bad guy. Again.

"It'll never work, Hunt. Let's not make it harder than it already is."

He nodded solemnly, "Let me at least make sure you get into your flight safely tomorrow?"

"Of course."

It was evil to do it but I leaned into Hunter and kissed him so passionately I was sure he could not only taste, but feel how much I loved him.

I didn't regret my decision when each article of clothing was removed and Hunter was carrying me to his room.

If I couldn't tell Hunter how I felt at least I could show him. So without speaking too much, we fumbled with foil packets and explored every inch of the other's body.

We were messy and gentle. Attentive and rough. Speaking unspoken words with our bodies instead of our lips.

And when the universe exploded I was certain of one thing: We didn't make love, love made us.

•

I know... they finally do the do and we're nearly at the end. Just letting you know incase you're disappointed with this ending of this chapter, it was never my intention to write a full on sex scene despite the title know I'm sorry but I'd still like to keep it PG enough 😂😂

And the quote "we didn't make love, love made us" is unfortunately not my own but rather from Artidote on Instagram.

I didn't even realize but there are only a few more chapters like literally 2 or 3... I didn't realize how close we were to the end either otherwise I would've given you a warning sooner... can't believe it's nearly the end.

Thank you for sticking with me! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Keep tapping the star, adding TBBIAV to your reading lists, following and commenting. You all deserve the best 2018 ever!