IT WAS WARM HERE.
Cozy.
The grass was softer than she remembered it ever being, but the sunset was the same. The beautiful pink and orange hues painted the sky, lazy and comforting.
Caroline could lay here forever.
Someone made a noise beside her, and she turned her head. A sweet smile crossed her face when she saw who it was.
"Will."
Her twin turned at his name. They looked in each other's eyes for a moment, just drinking in the sight of one another.
"When did you get here?" Caroline finally asked.
"I don't know," Will said. He looked so relaxed; so carefree. Happier than Caroline had seen her brother in years. "Right now, I guess."
"Me too," Caroline said softly. She turned back to look at the sky again. The warm summer breeze felt wonderful against her skin.
"Where are we?" Will asked. The wind had ruffled his bangs.Caroline reached out to run her hand through them.
"Heaven, I think." It was the only place that made sense. "Home isn't as good as this."
"Did we die?" Will said in a small voice.
"Our hearts stopped," Caroline said gently. Will turned to look at her again. "I missed you."
"I missed you so much," Will smiled. "You were there, weren't you? I saw you in that... place a few times."
Caroline smiled back. "Remember our Twintuition? Turns out it was a lot more real than we thought it was. I felt everything you did."
Will nodded lazily, as if it all made sense.
"Mom and Jonathan are going to miss us," he said.
Caroline ran her hand through the grass around her slowly, watching the sun stream through her fingers. "Yeah, they are."
"So is the party," Will noted.
Right again.
"We need to go back," Will said softly. "We have more to do."
Caroline closed her eyes, letting a relieved tear fall down her cheek. "I know."
There was a silence that spoke a thousand words. Then-
"I don't want to go back," Caroline whispered. Her twin met her eyes. "I'm... happy here. It's safe."
"Safer than home," Will agreed. He wiped away her fallen tear. "And warmer."
Caroline let out a laugh. "Much warmer."
"But we have to," Will repeated. "You know that."
"Yeah," Caroline whispered. "I know. I just don't know if I'm ready."
Will thought for a long moment. "I don't think we'll ever be ready. But you're Caroline Byers. You can do anything."
"Not anything," she said. Another tear fell, then another. "There are so many things I couldn't stop. But... I know I can't do anything else without you."
"You won't have to," Will promised.
"I know."
More silence. Birds chirped in the trees around them.
"Together, okay?" Will said softly.
Caroline looked at him. He looked back.
"You're my other half," she whispered. "Together forever."
Will smiled. He held out his hand.
Caroline took one moment to look around.
The beautiful sunset. The happy, chirping birds. The warm air that felt like the best kind of hug in the world. It was beautiful.
But it wasn't Mom.
Or Jonathan.
Or Mike, or Dustin, or El.
Or Lucas.
It wasn't the place she loved.
"Let's go home," Caroline whispered.
And she took her brother's hand.