Making the Match

Epilogue

A/N: It's finally here! I can't believe I'm giving you guys the last chapter of Making the Match. But let's save the tears for the end. Here's the chapter...

Sixteen years later...

"Adelia! Come down right now, you're going to make your brother late for his first day of Foxfire!" Sophie yelled up the stairs for the tenth time. She leaned down and ruffled her son's hair, grinning at his nervous smile.

Fitz walked into the foyer, holding out an intricate leaping crystal and handing it to Noctis. "Ready for your first day?"

Noctis nodded. "I'm so excited! I was talking to Corinne yesterday night and she said she already memorized the routes to her classes, the gym, and the healing center!"

"That's probably for the best," Sophie agreed with a wistful smile. "Especially the last one- I got lost going to the healing center on my first day."

"You got hurt on your first day?" Adelia asked incredulously, finally stepping downstairs. "Jeez, Mom."

"Your mother's been to that healing center enough times that Elwin has a picture of her up." Fitz draped an arm around Sophie's shoulder. "If you ever end up going there, which I don't want to be hearing very often..." He gave them a pointed look. "You'll definitely see it."

"Come on, Dad," Noctis reminded. "We have Mom's genes, remember? We'll probably end up there twice a year!"

Fitz smiled at Noctis's warm brown eyes gazing up at him. "Oh how could I forget?" He playfully pulled Noctis and sat him on his shoulders, pointing into the distance. "Off we go... To Foxfire!"

The last thing that could be heard were Noctis's whines of how eleven was far too old to be carried, as the light swept them away.

*~*~*~*

Sophie stumbled on the paved walkway as Noctis and Adelia dashed towards the school, their onyx and emerald uniforms flying behind them. Fitz caught her arm and gave her a reassuring smile, nodding towards a group of elves by the school. "Looks like Keefe, Biana, Linh, and Dex are already here," he observed.

"Tam said he'd be coming later," Sophie agreed as they neared their friends. "Hey guys!"

Biana smiled, brushing a curled lock of hair over her shoulder. "Glad you could make it on time!" she teased.

Fitz grinned. "Let's just say Adelia's morning routine is ten minutes longer, but she still wakes up at the same time."

"I wonder why..." Biana murmured, her eyes landing on Adelia and Calix's conversation. She and Sophie exchanged a look as Adelia twirled a lock of her dark hair around a finger and pushed the shoulder of one of Calix's friends, clearly a year older than her. Immediately, a group of Adelia's classmates ran up to her, pointing at giggling towards Calix. "Looks like our kids are really hitting it off."

"Well, what can I say?" Keefe answered with a smirk. "Calix takes after me."

Sophie laughed as Fitz protectively narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?"

"Fitz." Sophie gave her husband a look. "Let her enjoy herself."

"We'll keep an eye on them," Biana consoled, nudging Keefe. "Right, Keefe?"

Keefe nodded. "Yeah, making sure they don't lock the room door and all that stuff... although I could've sworn I saw those two groups ditching class together some time last year."

Fitz's eyes widened, his shock being derailed just as Linh and Dex came by.

"Dex! Linh!" Sophie almost sighed in relief. "Is Corinne excited?"

Linh smiled. "Oh, yes. She and Noctis were up late last night gushing about everything they'd learned about Foxfire."

"They've already coordinated all their classes," Dex said with a laugh. "Something about having Elvin History and Physical Education together."

"Did Corinne really memorize all the routes around the school?" Fitz asked, surprised.

"I couldn't believe it either," Linh confirmed. "She came to me on Saturday spouting all these directions, and I could barely keep up. Quite like her father, I guess, trying to always be prepared."

"Hey!" Dex protested. "Being prepared usually pays off."

"I never said it was a bad thing, honey."

"Sophie?" A soft voice called out from behind them. Sophie whipped around to face a young lady with dark brown hair in a messy bun a curious cobalt eyes. "Oh my gods, it's really you!"

Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Cecily? What brings you here? Didn't you graduate years ago?"

"All thanks to you Miss Foster... Mrs. Vacker for a while now I suppose. I've been mentoring at Foxfire while waiting for a new project from the Council." She held up a thick scroll full of names. "Though, you wouldn't happen to have kids in Foxfire, would you? Is Adelia Vacker your daughter?"

Sophie nodded.

"I'll be teaching her Telepathy this year!" She handed Sophie the scroll and gestured to an obscure point on it, balancing the rest of the scrolls in her hands. "She's here on my class list."

"I think this is the wrong list, Cecily." Sophie stifled a laugh and pointed to the Top Tiers inscription at the top. "You're getting your matches?"

Cecily looked nothing short of mortified, leaning forwards to confirm her mistake. "I- Well- Yeah." She glanced up with a sheepish grin. "It's been a crazy year so far."

"It's going to get a lot crazier," Sophie assured. "Matchmaking can be stressful."

"Tell me about it. Arden tried trapping me in a tree to tell her my number one."

Sophie grinned. "You don't say?"

"Yeah!" Cecily shook her head, shuffling the papers in her arms. "And Keyon will just not stop pestering me!"

"Enjoy it while you can, Cecily," Sophie recommended, turning away as the families started heading into the building. "Because time sure does fly fast."

"Thanks, Sophie. I'll see you around." She turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

Sophie smiled, taking in the warm sun above them and the playful mood of the families. Such a calm and carefree feeling... there were so many times she didn't think she would have made it here. She glanced up at Fitz, deep in conversation with Keefe and Linh, but didn't miss the look he gave when he locked eyes with her.

"Hard to believe, huh?" He asked softly, in a way that made her breath catch in her throat. "We actually made it here- past all the obstacles and crazy adventures. And now, we're sending Adelia and Noctis to do the same thing?"

"It's kind of crazy," Sophie admitted. "But we've done some insane things before."

"Parenting might have been one of the most insane things we ever did."

"But no matter how insane it is," Sophie began, taking Fitz's hand in hers. "I can do it if I'm by your side."

And that was that.

A/N: And there you have it. The (hopefully) fulfilling conclusion to this crazy, long story. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have, and thanks as always for putting up with my unscheduled updates. I've had so much fun writing this story for you, and it's been two years of following Sophie and Fitz in this incredible adventure. I love you all!

As for my next story, I really don't have an idea in mind. If you do, let me know! Anything goes.

Thanks for being the best readers ever. I'll see you all later! <3