A warm light grows from out and around Bianca’s fallen body. Maggie steps from the light walking toward the broken woman. She bends at the knees touching her love’s shoulder. Bianca wakes, but instantly moves away huddling against the tombstone in shame. She is still wearing the blood of her actions and her wounds.

"Don’t…the hideous things I’ve done…" she won’t look at Maggie.

"Your duty is finished." She reaches her hand out again, "Come home, Bean. I love you."

Bianca stares out at the hand she is being offered. Maggie hauls Bianca to her feet with more strength than she should have. She smoothes Bianca’s wet, tangled hair away from her face. She then touches her cheeks lightly. Everywhere she touches the dirt, water, and blood disappear leaving Bianca beautiful again. The black and white mask of rage and pain being erased with Maggie’s loving touch.

"So much anger…so much pain…it is all purged." Maggie looks into sad eyes, "It will all fade soon. It wasn’t you not really." Maggie purrs at her trying to remove the shame she sees in her lover’s eyes, "I love you, Bianca…your mine, Bean…you did all for me and I love you."

"Love you, too, Maggie…God, I love you, Maggie…I missed you so." Bianca smiles shyly.

Maggie leans up as Bianca leans down their hands touching each other lightly as their lips meet. The kiss is sweet, but soon contains the lost passion they both have missed and need. They look into each other’s eyes longingly.

"Love me, Bean…" Maggie sighs.

"For all eternity, Maggie…nothing could stop me."

The light fades and so do Bianca and Maggie with it. The open grave now closed as if it had never been clawed out of. It isn’t but a moment and the fully healed crow takes flight landing on Bianca’s tombstone.

"Time is short, but you made it." It sends as it sees Anna walk in looking at him on the grave, "You chose home."

"You are a strange creature aren’t you?" Anna whispers, "She made it?"

The ebony crow simply squawks out at her in answer. Anna feels the tears slide down her cheeks looking at the strange bird that takes flight just as the tower in Wild Wind tolls the New Year at Midnight.

FIN