Loving Merritt Forever

Loving Merritt After 45

The flood only took minutes, Marisol watched as so many destinies were met. So many endings to so many stories. "Merritt? What did you do?" Marisol asked again, she could feel it. She didn't believe it was possible.

Merritt smiled, a sad smile. "I always wanted to be a mother, Now I am, but I will only get to see her again when her life is over and she comes to join me here." Merritt said, crying a normal, salty tear now that her demon had sacrificed herself to ensure that Destruction did not have a chance to find form. Banishing both to a nether dimension unable to touch Earth again. "It just wont be like how I thought it would be." Merritt looked at her beautiful daughter in Marisol's arms, Asher's nose, in a face shaped like her own. Pale fuzzy hair on her head.

"When I absorbed Destruction, I learned the source of her power, something had broke the cycle of life. No heaven, no hell. Souls were waiting until they willingly gave up themselves to Destruction just to change, I had to do something with the path she had set, so..." Merritt turned back to her cave. An endless, labyrinth of stones that wanted to hear every word spoken. That would radiate acceptance, or any other emotion the soul needed to find their peace. When they were ready, the stones would accept the soul. Filtering the energy back to the living.

With Merritt as the Queen of the underworld, death would be gentle. A place to accept what had happened, a kind walk towards the end, getting to have your last thoughts, your memories, your desires heard, acknowledged, and finally a peaceful end to rejoin the essence of life when a soul was ready to let go of the life that had been lived and lost.

"Oh Merritt..." Marisol said, the baby in her arms starting to fuss.

Merritt wiped away another tear. "Make sure she is taken care of, Marisol. Keep her safe." Merritt doing her best to hold herself together. "Could you just bring her a little closer so I could say goodbye? Could I say goodbye to Joy and Xi before you go?" stuttering over the final words.

Marisol brought the baby as close to the divide between living and dead as she dared, her demon heart breaking as she watched Merritt say hello and goodbye to her only child. "Make sure she knows she was loved by all her parents. Wanted, and loved and perfect in every way in the eyes of her mom and dads." Merritt pleaded, Marisol nodding. She would make certain. Merritt was ready for Marisol to take away her baby, to make sure Bela was taken care of.

Merritt fell to her knees, her heart ached in a way she had never known possible. Trying to pull herself together for the fresh souls that needed to be guided. While Merritt tried to pull herself together; Another soul, one who Merritt had greeted, went to the newest soul, gently easing them into their death just like Merritt wanted as Marisol returned with Xi, and a tablet showing Joy still in the hospital Levi had put her in. Recovering. Xi stood back as Marisol took the tablet close to the magical barrier, so Joy and Merritt could see each other.

Merritt immediately spoke, loudly. wanting Joy to hear her. "It's not your fault Joy. This is where fate needed me to be. It's ok. I love you, because you loved and cared for me. Before and after and now." Xi heard the woman on the metal and glass rectangle start to cry as Merritt said soothing, loving things. Promising that Joy couldn't have done more. Wishing the human woman to have a happy, long life. 

"Until we meet again Joy, I want you to live a big, happy life." Merritt handed over all the bank information for Levi and Asher's accounts, her own meager savings. Telling her that Merritt's own will, left everything to Joy, aside from a small fortune that was going to be paid to Gabi. Asher's own will and Levi's both left everything to Merritt, which meant, everything was now Joy's.

Joy needed to go and have an emergency session with a councilor. One who was familiar with the complicated nature of Joy's relationships. The root cause of her depression. Then Joy was gone, Merritt hoped Joy would have a long, happy life doing anything she wanted. In death they would meet again and Merritt hoped it was a long time in the future before that happened.

"I'll give you a moment." Marisol said, teleporting away to leave Merritt in her cave facing Xi in daylight. "No one has ever done what you have done Merritt." He fell to his knee in front of her. "I have only ever known pride, in knowing that I briefly served you. I-" Xi was about to apologize.

"Don't apologize for something that could never have been changed." Merritt told Xi. "Thank you." She told him. He had treated her as an equal or better, saved and protected her. This outcome was only possible because of him. "The world is a better place because of you." She pressed on him.

He of course demurred, still unable to believe he was special. "You are one of a kind, just like me. You get to enjoy life, find love, find happiness, live a long, happy, rich life and then when it is over, come and tell me and the stones all about it Xi." She smiled at him. "I will be waiting." Turning to walk deeper into her cave, Marisol came to pick him up. Returning him to the cottage where he had a first met Merritt.

"What did Merritt give birth to?" Xi asked Marisol.

"A deformed monster that did not survive, Merritt guards the gate of the afterlife now. You have helped return some balance to the pattern of life." Marisol told Xi formally. "Thank you."

Xi knew Marisol had lied, and he was glad she did. He wanted to spend his life thinking Merritt had given birth to a beautiful child, one with her kind eyes. A child that would have a good life. He had helped to defeat a demon of immense power. By helping Merritt. Now he would get to live a quiet life, reading books at the end of the universe. Waiting for his chance to one day see Merritt again.

He would spend some time alone, to recover. Eventually he would seek something more. He owed it to Merritt to make sure he found a full life. He wanted to be able to tell her lots of stories when they met again at the end of his path. Marisol Teleported Xi to the cottage, telling him it was his to do as he would. Leaving a phone, and a talisman that could summon her if he needed anything.

The world was no longer at risk. A new queen ruled the underworld, and led all to the final end. Marisol placed Merritt's infant daughter under the care of the mortal earth dragons, Ensuring Lord Magnus would raise the girl as a princess.  Giving her the best life possible until it was time to meet her mother once again.

The end