She fluttered her eyes open, faint sounds of people chattering were slowly reaching her ears until one voice that she missed so much woke her up fully by calling out her name.

“Val, Val. Can you hear me?”

Her eyelids finally opened and saw a blurry sight of her husband, smiling before her. His face drew closer as he planted a kiss on her forehead.

“Matt..”
“Yes, honey?”
“I’m..I was..I saw..”
“Shh..you shouldn’t move too much now. Your anesthesia just worn off. The doctor said you have to stay still or your wound will open again.”

She took a deep breath and nodded. She smiled to him eventually and he caught her smile with his lips. Later on she realized that Brian, Michelle, Zacky, Johnny and Arin were there too. The whole gang.

“Hey guys.” She called gently and they murmured a greeting back. “Oh, where’s River?”
They exchanged glances with each other.
“Who’s River?”
Valerie gazed back at Matthew, his hand still didn’t let go of hers as he placed them on his scruffy cheek.
“Our son.”
He raised his eyebrow. “His name is River?”
“Yeah. Blue like a river.”

Matthew furrowed his brows and staggered, how did she know that-

At that exact moment, a nurse walked in the room strolling an incubator and everybody was cooing at it. Matthew got up and said thanks to the nurse before she walked away from the room. He picked up the small bundle of joy and kissed his small forehead.

“Hello, sonny.” He said, with adorable dimples showed on both of his cheeks. He went closer to Valerie and passed the bundle to her.
“He has blue eyes. Neither of us have it. How do you know?”
Valerie was shocked and surprised, River’s eyes looked definitely like Jimmy. Only his irises weren’t really visible yet since he closed his eyelids most of the time.
“A dear friend told me.” She looked up to Matthew and smiled. “He looks exactly like you, Matt.”
“I know. Look at his cheeks. That’s definitely you though.”
“Are you saying that I’m chubby?”
“Well, I dunno. Since you got pregnant you’ve been eating nonstop, so.”
Matthew laughed and she was about to protest when suddenly the nurse earlier came in again.
“Excuse me, could you please register the baby’s name and family detail at the pediatric floor?”
Matthew looked reluctant to let his wife and son go. He glanced at Valerie and back to the nurse. But then out of nowhere, Zacky volunteered to go.
“I’ll go. So his name is River Sanders?”
“Yeah.”
“Got it.”
“Thanks Zacky! I owe you one, man!”

Zacky followed the nurse to the pediatric station until he arrived at the nurse counter where he had to fill in the forms that he didn’t even know how. He hadn’t filled out any forms ever since he graduated high school.

“So the full name is..River…Zachary..Sanders.” he stifled an evil laugh to himself while writing down the form. But just when he was about to write the middle name down, the pen ran out of ink. He knocked on it a few times but still nothing came out of it.

“Excuse me, can I have another-”

Zacky jolted back, his heart pounded hard when he saw the nurses in front of him froze in their conversation pose and just sat there stiffly like a stone. He glanced around, his surroundings froze too, it was like he was in a mysterious time and space continuum where everything just stopped but he can move around.

“Holy shit, what just happened?” he tried to walk but his feet glued to the ground, only his upper body can freely move.

“Zacky.”

He stood up straight and the hair on his neck stood in attention too. He felt goosebumps all over his body but quickly realizing that he recognized that voice. After 9 months of only listening to his accidental recording with Arin for over and over again, he’d never thought that he could hear his voice again.

“I’m right here, man.”

The voice echoed and swiped away like a fast car honking on the street. It faded too quickly that Zacky didn’t dare to turn around.

“You gotta take care of her. I can’t anymore. I know she likes you and deep down you like her too.”

He shut his eyes tight. Hoping that he wasn’t dreaming this time. These past few months really felt like a dream that everytime he wakes up, his best friend still not there, and that one girl who had captured his heart had also gone from his sight.

He opened them – the hospital moved around normally again. Buzzing noises of people chattering sounded clearly in his ears and the nurses were busy gossiping again. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. When he was about to grab the pen back and started filling the form, he was shocked yet again.

There was a book in front of him; To Kill A Mockingbird appeared out of nowhere. He gulped, slowly opened the book cover and saw some writings on the first page.

Property of Blake Quinn
If found please return to;
Book Heaven
123, Winchester Road, Camrose County
Alberta.

His eyes bulged in horror – that means Jimmy really did visit him just a minute ago! And how did this book end up here? He’d been searching for that girl for so long and always came back disappointed. Now that they were on tour in Canada, he’d thought about searching for her again.
And now together with a guide from his best friend. Thank you, Jimmy.

---

The bell above the door chimed, Blake came in – soaking wet. She closed up her umbrella and pulled off her jacket to hang by the coat rack next to her.

“Aunt Blake is hooommmee!!!”

Her lips grew into a wide smile when her growing up niece ran up to her and adorably stumbling in her way. She picked her up and swung her around, kissing her cheeks while at it.

“Zoey, how many times have I said, no running in the hallway!”

Zoey laughed and clasped her own mouth. “I won’t do it again!”

Blake kissed her cheek again and looked around. The book shop now seemed lively; a lot of customers came in since they combined it with a little café at the back so that they can drink some coffee while reading. It was almost like a library and Blake didn’t mind sharing her books with random strangers since she loved books so much.

The environment of the shop was no longer looked like haunted house. It was now painted in bright orange and there were Christmas decoration hanging since Christmas would be just around the corner.

“Where’s your mom?” She asked Zoey who was sitting comfortably in her arms.
“Upstairs. Aunt Blake, when will the snow come down?”
“Well, when do you want it to come down?”
“Tomorrow! I want to build a snowman tomorrow!”
Blake laughed softly and pinched Zoey’s nose. “Tomorrow it is then.”

Alberta rarely had snow and Blake just had to play along with Zoey, or the girl will be disappointed. If there’s snow coming down, it’ll be a miracle.

“Zoey,”
“Yeah?”
“Have you seen anyone today?”
“Yeah I did.”
“Who?”
“Mr Elmer. He came by to say hello.”

Blake smiled sweetly at her. Zoey also had the same ability as hers. At first she thought that Zoey couldn’t handle it well, as she couldn’t when she first met Jimmy but Zoey didn’t feel afraid at all. She would come up to a standing still spirit and friendly said hello. In fact, graveyard was her favorite place to play. Yeah it was creepy but they got used to it.

“How was he today?”
“He can pop his eyes!”
“What?” She gasped playfully.

Zoey laughed and demanded to be put down. Blake set her down on the floor and watched as she skipped her steps away to the café, meeting the barista there. Mr Elmer died about two months ago but he would still come into the shop like he always did. Sometimes Blake wondered whether his purpose was nearby, but she can’t really help him with that. She shook her head and went behind the counter, searching for something. She was sure she brought it with her earlier, or did she misplace it somewhere?

A few seconds later, Leana come down from upstairs, bringing a stack of books to be organized on the shelf.

“Hey, Blake. How’s the children there?”
Blake looked up to her and smiled. “They looked healthy. I guess the reading corner is working. They ordered some more children’s books to be delivered. By next month I guess.”
“Cool. Are you – searching for something?”
“Yeah, have you seen my To Kill a Mockingbird book? I swore I had it with me earlier. I read it on the bus while I’m on the way to the hospital.”
“Hmm. Maybe you left it in the bus?”
“Oh no, that’s my favorite book!”
“Oh relax, nerd. There’s plenty of books here.”
“But, that was a gift…from Judy..”

Leana’s face changed as they stood in awkward but sad silence. Thank God Zoey came running to them, cooing at her mom, asking to be picked up. Leana picked her up and brought her into the café, leaving Blake alone behind the counter.

“Excuse me,”

Blake winced a little and glanced up to the voice. There was a woman in front of her, black haired, wearing a large green beaded necklace that mesmerized her eyes to take a look at it.

“I’m sorry, yes?”
“Are you still looking for your friend?”
She scrunched her brows together, and looked at her intently. She wasn’t a spirit – Blake learned how to differentiate them now.
“I beg your pardon?”
“You once came to my crystal ball, and said you were looking for your friend. I’m sorry I can’t help you back then. My ball was stolen from me.”

Blake tried to remember. Slowly pieces of memory puzzle started to fall into place and reconnected perfectly. She went to a gypsy caravan looking for Jimmy 9 months ago, and she went together with Zacky, whose eyes as green as the necklace from this woman’s neck.
Her heart pounded like a thunder.

“How..how do you know?”
“Honey, we both have this gift. Or curse as some people might say it. But I’d rather see it as a gift.”
“I see it as a curse.”
“Oh but why? There’s a miracle coming your way, dear.”

Blake raised her eyebrows and blinked hard at her. She smiled and slowly rose up her index finger, pointing to the window. Blake followed her direction.

White droplets of snow started to pour down, though wasn’t as heavy as Zoey hoped but it was a miracle! Blake jumped from her seat and looked closer. She was excited as hell, that she called Zoey’s name repeatedly to make sure that Zoey sees this.

But as soon as she turned around, the time stopped. Her surroundings froze, the snow stopped falling and hung in mid air and the mysterious gypsy woman now gone and missing. So did her green necklace.

“What…in the name..?”

She had never experienced this kind of paranormal situation before where her feet glued but her upper body can move freely.

The bell above the door chimed loudly and Blake quickly looked at it. The time moved normally again, everything was moving again. The snow kept falling to the ground.

Stood in front of her door, shivering and cold was - Zacky.

Those familiar green eyes searched around looking for something while his breath blew out cold smoke from the snow. His gaze stopped at her who was standing by the window and as soon as their eyes locked, Blake felt full in her heart. She can’t breathe properly.

Both of them moved until they reached in front of each other. How he missed those blue eyes and her innocent laugh, he can’t even tell.

“Is this yours?”

Blake looked down to his hand. A book clasped tightly inside it. Her book. She took it slowly and their fingers brushed. He felt really cold.

“Thank you. How did you find it?”

Zacky chuckled but still shivering. He buried his hands inside his Vengeance University hoodie pocket and squashed his body to fight the cold.

“You dr- dropped it. I was at – the hospital. Val’s giv-giving birth.”
“Oh! That’s great! Is it a girl or a boy?”
“Boy. Named – River.”
“Oh, poor you. Come, take a seat. I’ll grab you a hot coffee.”
“Blake.” She was about to turn around but stopped halfway when he called.
“Would you like to – g-go on a- a date with me?”

She was stunned, not knowing what to answer. To be honest, these past couple of months she was missing him a lot. His attentive and caring attitude towards her, how he would accompany her in the bus while everybody went to sleep, how they had so much fun at the fun fair and her heart can’t stop beating fast ever since that night he confessed his feelings for her.

Though she loved Jimmy at the time but she knew that it was impossible for her and Jimmy to be together. And now, without Jimmy standing in between them, she had her heart fully vulnerable for Zacky to steal.

“B-Blake? Oh fuck it’s cold.” He mumbled to himself and Blake can’t help but smiled watching him so helplessly shivering.

With a push from somewhere she didn’t know, bravely she took Zacky’s jaw and brought his lips to her mouth. Her small hands rested on his plump cheeks as she kissed him softly and she can feel the coldness of his skin pressed on hers. Zacky was startled at first but when he was about to kiss her back, she pulled away.

“Of course I would go out with you Zacky.”

He smiled in victory and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Thank G-God it’s worth the c-cold.”

He pulled her into a warm kiss again and the time just stopped there. They were the only ones moving and entangled in a sweet reuniting kiss.

Notes

A/N: sooo guys, readers,...this is the final chapter. i hope i'm not offending anyone during this story. if i did, i'm truly sorry. i had fun writing this..fantasy is my favorite genre to write :) soo thank you so much for reading guys..i appreciate your support and endless feedbacks! <3 if you're interested you can read my new story called Hail To The King and it's about Brian ;)

A/N2: and thank you soo much Amanda a.k.a @akmo4725 for helping me during the last chapter process..i couldn't go through without your help on your amazing ideas..THANK YOU LOVE <3

SHOUT OUTS TO ALL MY LOVELY READERS:

@Leyla.lp
@MeRi
@akmo4725
@Kimmie
@DaniVengeance
@fantasygirltexas (sorry Tona i had to break u up with Zacky:P)
@foREVerA7x
@Forever17
@alataire
@xxUnholyConfessionsxx
@killem_vee
@BeAutifulDisaster19940
@tiff
@Harley Quinn
@anonymus
@midknight_avenged713


whew! and thank you all my silent readers and subscribers!! XD