Chapter 7, Part 3: Happy Golden Years (FINAL)

(Continued from Part 2.)

Aging gracefully... if anyone was capable of doing it, and actually pulling it off, it was Shark.

He always got worried about how he would look when he got old. In turn, I told him not to worry about it.

He couldn't have looked any worse than I did. When his birthday came, I promised him that however he looked, I wouldn't freak out.

He still had me stand a few feet away, in case he freaked out and accidentally decked me in the face.

When I asked him to make a wish, he wasn't sure what to wish for. His exact words were: "how can I wish for something, when I already have everything I could ever want?"

Shark decided to just blow out the candles, after thinking of something he didn't say at first.

Right before he changed, he told me to cover my eyes, which I did. Shark said that while it wasn't as bad as he thought it'd be, he still needed to make a few changes.

I was told not to see him until he was done. It took him a little while, but eventually he let me see him.

I'll say it now. It wouldn't have mattered to me how he looked. I knew he was still going to be Shark, no matter how old he got.

But when I saw him, he was so nervous about what I would think. I could see it in the way he was fidgeting.

Besides the gray hair and wrinkles, though, nothing really changed, at least in my eyes.

I told him that he looked as good as ever. Which he did.

It's just like I'd been telling him for years. Nothing could change how I feel about him. I told him, I was gonna love him until the day I died, and even after that.

Of course, Shark always smiled at the sentiment. Then he brought up something else entirely.

(I changed his shirt in between screenshots.)

Shark pointed out that the house we'd been living in wasn't really suited for two old men and an old cat. We weren't planning on moving back to that other house, either.

So...we moved here.

This place is amazing. It's got everything we could want. Dream kitchen, place to watch TV...Shark was especially happy to find it had a garage.

But what made him happiest of all was that he got to live here with me. We quit both our jobs, and settled into a nice, quiet retirement. We got plenty of time for the kids and grandkids, for our friends and the rest of our family, and for each other.

And of course, we met someone new when we moved here.

Shark named him Akira, after his favorite movie. He said the little guy reminded him of Masaru. He also figured that Tomoaki might want a friend to play with.

He was right on the whole Masaru thing. They did look pretty similar, what with the stubby tail and all.

He and Tomoaki get along great, just like Masaru and Yukiko did. I can't help if that was intentional, or some kind of coincidence.

Not only are the cats happy, so is everyone else. Some time ago, Lolly came to visit, and apparently, she'd aged as well.

Shark and I let her stay the night, and she just said nothing but praise about how great our place was. She even said she was a bit jealous.

As for how things were going with her, she was happy to report that Sheldon had finally found that special someone.

(How Lolly described the scene.)

Lolly also said that it wouldn't be long before she was a grandmother. Shark congratulated her, and they agreed that DeAndre would've been proud to see his son growing up.

I think everyone was happy where they were. Sure, it gets a bit quiet sometimes, but I don't mind it. Personally, compared to the hectic life we've had, this is a nice change.

We're old, we've lived our lives, and now we're enjoying our retirement, as best we can.

So there you go...That's the story.

I look back now, I see everything we've been through. Our time has come and gone. Nearly all of Shark's old family, and a lot of our friends are long gone. I'm sure even now, they're patiently waiting for me to join them.

It's kinda hard to fathom, that so many people I know and cared for, I'll never get to see in this life again. They've seen me at my worst, they've seen me change, and become a better person. And they all knew why.

I wanted to change for Shark. Even though I hurt him in one of the worst ways possible...he took me back. He gave me the motive to turn my life around. He was my chance for a better life, and I took that chance.

I brought back his drowned family, and had them relive their lives. I practically taught myself how to cook anything I could think of.

When he took me back, after what I did with Goodwin, all I could think of was to make him happy. I just hoped I did a good job. He's stuck with me all this time. We got married, adopted our kids and watched them grow up. We lived to see three grandchildren.

He stayed with me this whole time. All the heartache, the grief of many of those we knew dying, the hard work of raising a big family...

You might ask me now, 'was it worth it? Was our quiet little life now worth everything we endured in the past?' I can say, with complete and brutal honesty...

...

............

...Yes. It was worth it. Meeting Shark was the best thing that ever happened to me. If I hadn't met him, my life would have been very different. I'd probably have ended up in prison for life, or on Death Row, or dead in a ditch somewhere.

I guess you could say...he saved me. He got the local bad boy of Twinbrook to change his ways. I'd say that's a pretty superhuman feat. I see him every day, and I'm just glad to have him in my life.

It's thanks to him, and the kids, and everyone else...I was able to live my life, and I can now die peacefully, when my time comes.

...And yet, I still don't want to die. I know this town is aging, and a new generation is already taking root. I'm glad I was able to see it begin. But to know that each morning, I may wake up, and it could very well be my last day alive in this world... It's a bit hard to accept. 

To know that one day, I could go to sleep forever, and never see his face next to mine again.

Of course, fate may also play a cruel, unholy trick, and despite all odds, it's him that goes first. If, by some horrific coincidence, that were to happen, there's no telling what I'll do.

For me, it's 'til death do us part. And even though I dread the day my time is up, I still try to live the remainder of my life, as best I can. And with Shark by my side, I know that's possible.

...I think I hear him waking up now. Best not to keep him waiting. We've got places to go, and grandkids to visit.

Now then, if you'll excuse me...

*click!*

............

(A/N: Thus ends the story of Rötterdämmerung.)

(I might have a few more posts on here, detailing some things about the story. And even though this story's done, I still have a few ideas for a new one. Stay tuned.)