Left Behind -Gally-

Epilogue

"Do you like it?" He asked nervously.

Emma spun around, a vibrant smile on her face. "I love it." She kissed him lovingly, as she always did. As she always would.

They spent a lot of time there. Talking in whispers, staring at the sky, at each other.

The tree hut was for everyone, but Gally had built it in her honor.

More time went by. Emma matured further, leading groups and helping out wherever needed. Relationships formed throughout the Safe Haven. For Aris and a girl named Amaris. Jorge started seeing a woman named Hannah. She was beautiful, with long grey hair and tan skin.

But most notable were Sonya and Frypan. It took them what felt like forever to finally get together. It was adorable but painful for everyone to watch. Eventually, Vince said something. After an awkward conversation about their feelings, Frypan and Sonya became something more than friends.

At the start of the third year, there was another change. It came from Thomas. He finally buried the past. Started following his heart, which led him straight to Brenda. It was beautiful to watch. Brenda was her best friend, and she had been in love with Thomas since the start. Watching them finally figure things out warmed her heart.

It made her think of Newt.

She thought of him often. Eventually, the sadness vanished, and she no longer cried when she thought about him. She could look back on their time together and smile. He would be happy for Thomas. For all of them. The rock would forever hold the names of the fallen and stand as a reminder of what they lost to gain freedom.

It wasn't easy to get to that point. There were many nights that Emma struggled. Luckily, she had Gally. He would hold her tight, whispering comforting words in her ear. Without him, Emma wouldn't have made it.

Year four came around rather quickly. Emma was constantly busy. Life in the Safe Haven expanded rapidly. People had families. Babies were born. Aris and Harriet were great doctors, helping people in every way possible.

Emma was still exploring, but not nearly as much. She was needed more at camp, and that was fine with her. Gally was the most appreciative of that change. It was lonely without her. He liked having her home with him.

Home.

A small house on the edge of the forest, hidden by a few trees. That was their home. Theirs. Just the two of them. Gally had built it alone because, of course, he had to. He showed it to Emma with an awkward smile and a "ta-da." She giggled, shaking her head, but was beyond happy.

She was so damn lucky.

That's where they lived. Small but cozy. She wouldn't change a thing.

It took a while for both of them to bury the past. Gally no longer walked around like an outsider looking in. The weight of Chuck's death didn't hang over his head like a personal thunderstorm. Emma was able to grieve Newt and Teresa. She no longer thought about the what-ifs or what-could-have-beens.

Another two years went by. They got older. Still young but not reckless teenagers anymore. What happened started to feel like a distant memory. Emma started to forget what gunfire sounded like. How it felt to be stuck in a war zone. To be on the run. What it was like to feel afraid, unsure if she'd make it to the next day.

Life contained to expand in the Safe Haven, and that applied to their group. First it was, to no surprise, Sonya and Frypan. Emma wasn't shocked by the news. Nobody was, other than Frypan, apparently. Who choked on his water as if he didn't already know.

Emma was thrilled for them. The two were undeniably a perfect couple. They were excited about taking the next steps into their future. 

Emma didn't miss the glance that Gally cast her way. She opted to ignore it, for now.