fellowshippers | Reincarnation and Postage Stamps, Part 9/9

Title: Reincarnation and Postage Stamps, Part 9/9
Author: The Phantom Writer

silentnumbsmoke
Pairing: BB/DM
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Do you really want to see me beg? ;)
Disclaimer: 'Tis all fiction...
Notes: 1) Thanks to my beta reader,

airlia_vega, and to

toasty_frog, for making sure I never lost confidence in this story or in my writing.

2) This is the final part. I'm... I'm actually really sad about that. It's all over. I've been working with this story (and obsessing about it) for a month. A month isn't an exceptionally long time or anything, but it's kept me up late at night, and kept me from doing important schoolwork. And now it's all over. *sighs* I'm so emotionally attached to this story! *cries*

3) Before you read this, I would definitely suggest reading Parts I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII!

Part IX

I pull my jacket tighter around my body, staring out over the coast of Glasgow. It had always been my favorite place in the world to just sit and think… Glancing down to the ceramic jar held firmly in my right hand, I know that Dominic would have loved being here as well. So calm and serene, no matter what time of day or year.

With a gulp, I kneel down, balancing on the balls of my feet as I set the ceramic jar to the ground. I bite my lip as I lift the lid.

~~~

I closed the door, holding the mystery package in my arms. It was marked ‘fragile,’ and I didn’t recall ordering anything within the last month – especially anything fragile. Moving towards the dining room, I placed the package gingerly on the table before attacking the packaging tape with my fingernails, reminding myself of Christmastime when I was child. As I peeled back the cardboard, I stared. It was… a jar. What the hell? Who the hell would send me a fucking jar? And why? Just before I peeled off the tape that was holding the lid in place, my eye caught sight of a piece of paper. Picking it up, I paled as I read it, my eyes darting back and forth between the ceramic and the paper.

…Dom…

I suppose it makes sense, but I’d never thought about what happened to the corpses after the scalpels were put away. In fact, I’d avoided thinking about it. I dropped the piece of paper, and, with shaking hands, pulled the tape from the jar, lifting the lid and placing it on the table gently. Taking in a deep breath, I leaned forward and stared down into the ashes, my eyes widening.

These ashes were Dominic.

Slowly replacing the lid, I stared at the jar before finally pulling myself from the shock, and, with a single purpose in mind, strode towards my desk. I didn’t need to search for the object; I knew where it was. I opened a drawer and pulled out the envelope, a small smile crossing my lips.

A moment later I was in the kitchen, watching as the envelope caught fire on the marble counter. The smile on my face grew as my scribbled ‘Dom’ lit, burning until the name had disappeared behind the red glow.

~~~

Staring down into the ashes, I remember that day. It was about a year ago. I reach my hand into the jar, clenching my fist around a handful of ashes. Ashes of Dom and ashes of the letter I wrote him a year ago today.

Standing, I feel the wind slap at my cheeks, and I move towards the edge of the cliff. Staring ahead into the cloudy sky (Dom’s eyes…), I lift my hand straight in front of me, imitating my actions from Wellington, Berlin, Manchester, and any other place where I knew the beauty would overwhelm Dominic. “I love you, Dom,” I whisper, releasing my hold on the precious ashes. “Happy birthday.”

I watch as the wind carries Dominic and his letter through the air, disappearing quickly. My idea was that, by mixing the ashes and then spreading them in all the places the Dom loved and would appreciate, Dom would, slowly but surely, get the message I wrote.

Smiling genuinely, I turn and kneel to carefully replace the lid on my ceramic jar. Just as I do, my peripheral vision catches movement to my left. Turning, I notice, by some nearby bushes, a full-grown bunny rabbit. Sitting perfectly still, I watch it, gaping.

He turns and sees me, cocking his head in confusion, and scampering over to my location. The creature’s silky ears are pulled back as he stares at me before visibly sniffing in the direction of the ashes. He blinks and looks back at me. As crazy as it may sound, our eyes meet.

His eyes are a stormy blue-gray color.

I smile. “Hiya, Dom.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh my goodness.

I absolutely love you to death. That was perfect. The most meaningful beautiful, ending. Ever. I've over here, inches away from crying (which from me, is pretty much like crying, because I hardly ever cry), going over this entire story and just marveling at how amazing you are.

I bow down to you, and I am going to go singing my praises of you and this story to anyone who will listen. If you don't mind, of course (which I'm sure you won't). :-)

I love you. :-D

And I too am sad this story has ended. But then again, I'm really not, because that was one of the best endings to a fanfiction story I have ever read in my entire life. I still am in absolute awe of you and your thought process and writing ability. I...I'm speechless, really. I don't know what else I can say.

Amazing job. I will love this story until the end of time. Thank you so much for working so hard on it and for sharing it with the community, and inadvertently, me. :-)

Aww, thank you so much! Y'know, when I found your feedback, it made me so incredibly giddy! I showed it to a friend (who hadn't read the story and didn't know anything about RPS), and just kept staring at your words! It was just... Mein Gott! So sweet of you.
Thank you so much for your kind words; I'm glad you liked the story!

I hadn't ever read this series before, but I just read all of it right now, and I love it. I am sitting here with tears pouring down my face, and I absolutely am in love with this story. I loved how you ended it with the bunny rabbit. That's what I was hoping would happen. Anyway, just wanted to say awesome, awesome story.

Y'know, it's weird. There were a few parts that I hoped might make people cry, but... It seems that some people cried through most of the story! That really surprised me. :)
Anyway, thank you so much for your comments!

I have no words...
This story has been on my mind since I first started reading it. So beautiful and sad. It actually made me cry, which is quite a hard task to accomplish.
I have to agree with the previous comment. This ending is absolutely perfect.
I wish I could say more, but it's been kind of emotionally drainging (don't worry, that's a good thing) so I'm just going to leave you with a simple thank you.
<3

This story was incredibly emotionally draining to write, so I completely understand.
Thank you so much for commenting and for reading the story! I really appreciate it!

wow.

yours was one of the first 'death' fics that i really liked, in multiple fandoms. let me just say that it was a beautiful series and you are a great writer. =)

Aw, that is one of the best compliments I could receive -- thank you so much!

Thank you for the beautiful ending - I can stop crying now :-)

Heh, yes. The tears can be dried now; it's all finished.

Thank you so much for your sweet comments!

Im crying my eyes out and there happy tears i think and im all shivering!! and by god!! that was a beautiful ending to such a beautiful fic!

*hands you a blanket* Don't shiver! *hands you Kleenex* It's all over now, you can stop crying.
*hands you a hug* THANK YOU!

absolutly the most perfect ending anyone could ask for. i was crying and it made me cry more when dom finally got what he wanted in the end. to be that happy horney bunny. and after that.... there arent any or enough words to say how much this story has (really corney i know) touched me =) i loved it so much, and i can understand why you got emotionally attached to it. wonderfully beautiful indeed.

Aww, thank you so much! Warm fuzzies! :)
I'm still getting over the shock that the story's completely finished. Just... shock! Mein Gott. :)

Thank you again!

*squeals* Happy ending, happy ending, YAY!! I have officially labeled this series as Best Deathfic Ever. I know you're sad that it's over, but it is ever-so-lovely! *applauds*

Best Deathfic Ever? Thank you, though I'm not quite sure I agree with that. But still, thank you so much for your comments and your happy banter over AIM! I love it.
Thank you!!!

I say Best Deathfic Ever because the ending is pleasant. Still sad, because [obviously] Dom's gone, but the bunny at the end just makes it delightful. Yay!

I'm trying to figure out what to say that would adequately express how I feel.

I connect very strongly with what you write, and I'm not sure why, besides the fact that you're a fabulous writer. You evoke such powerful images - each installation could be summed up by one or two pictures the umbrellas, the doctor's note, the kerchiefs on the dryer- and now Billy, standing on the beach, fists clenched. Maybe someday someone will draw those pictures for you.

Thank you very much for this. I'm putting the series on my memories list, and perhaps will print it out. I hope to see more of what you write, though I would be amazed if you top this. Be proud of your creation. You're amazing.

P.S. Of course, I'm crying.

Thank you so much!
I, too, would be surprised if I could write anything that even came near to the emotional power this story had. I can't speak for anyone else, but this story had a hold on me. I'm normally a fairly paranoid person, so I usually want my stories to be as close to perfect as possible when I post them, but... for this story, I felt that everything about it had to be perfect. I didn't want to mess it up, because it's such a sensitive topic matter. I can only hope that I did it justice.
Thank you for your constant compliments -- they always made me feel so good and confident about what I was doing. Thank you!

I'm sad it's over as well. But having looked forward to each chapter and following the progression of the story it does feel like it's come full circle. The ending was lovely and I was happy to see Billy healing. One of the loveliest fics I've read.

Thank you! I was aiming for a feeling of completion and resolution, so... thank you for letting me know that I succeeded!

Reincarnation and Postage Stamps, Part 9/9

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