Cold, harsh wind blew, yet there was an odd serenity tainting the atmosphere. Walter's thick brown hair was tousled by the air whirling around him. He stood up to his knees in the ocean. His eyes were no longer vibrant and his face had lost its charm. The rest of his body felt like it was drowning hopelessly in the deepest part of the ocean. He was numb to everything. The sound of the waves swelling and crashing onto the beach, the chirping of the birds, and the colors of his surroundings.

        Even to himself.

        All of the pain that once weighed him down had been hidden deep, deep, deep down inside of him under a dead man who was killed five years ago. Dark circles shadowed his puffy red eyes. Tears never seemed to stop flowing from them, the memories of Laura never leaving his heart, filling it with regret.

        He was not Walter anymore, he was a shell of a man who waited for death, longed for it.

        He was standing in the water, feet buried in the sand. Every surge of water that rushed past him and towards the beach pushed him a couple of inches back. 

        He had lost the will to live. He lit a cigarette, taking a long, burning drag of it then watching the ember glow in the pitch black of night when he exhaled.

        "Walter!" a feminine voice reached him from behind.

        He glanced back lazily and flicked his cigarette into the ocean. If possible, looking at Ella made him feel even more guilty.

        "What are you doing here?" he asked, almost surprised.

        He wanted to smile and assure her that he was fine but she could practically see the pain roiling in his chest.

        She bypassed the question almost immediately. "Where were you? I've been calling you all night. Why are you doing this, Walter? Answer me!" she was almost in tears. She grabbed his collar and peered with a fiery intensity into his lifeless eyes. She wanted him to be Walter Scott, the person who used to smile, who used to laugh and never let pain get the best of him.

        "I was here, sorry," he mumbled. 

        Ella knew what was wrong. How could she not? She released her brother's shirt collar and wrapped her arms around herself, chills raising goosebumps on her arms. 

        It had been five years since Laura passed away, but not once had Walter stopped blaming himself. After her death, he himself became ill and was hospitalized for six months. He was taken to England for treatment. Two years of his life were spent alone there trying to get rid of the memories that plagued him. 

        Jennie, Paul and their young daughter returned to Canada, John now living with them. Jennie contacted Walter many times but it was of no use. John had given up too, but he continued to work at the cancer society and the hospital. Ella moved to America for three years for the company. She didn't know how or what Walter was doing, all she knew was that she wasn't about to let their family's company go down because of just him. Four years later she found him drunk and nearly dead in a hospital in Italy, having no clue how he ended up there or where he had been before that. She decided to take him back to Canada and did everything possible to try and make him forget Laura but once a man gives up on life, there is no point of return. Yet Ella never gave up and she still attempted to help him.

        The previous Sunday she was in a coffee shop where she ran into Jennie and Rose. 

        "Hey Ella," Rose waved casually.

        Ella turned back, looking at Jennie. She was with her daughter, now eight years old. She was just like Laura; pure and innocent.

        "Hey Jennie! It's been long time!" Ella smiled. 

        "Too long for sure. How are you? How is Walter?" she asked eagerly.

        Ella looked down, sudden tears clouding her eyes.

        Jennie noticed the change instantly and took a hold of Ella. "What happened?" She asked her to sit down and explain everything.

        Ella was not only worried about him but his future, and she told that to Jennie.

        "He isn't the Walter we know," she whispered.

        "Is he still in the same condition?" Jennie asked, stirring her coffee.

        Rose watched them with wide eyes, honing in on her beloved Ella's tear streaked face. Ella swiped at the tears, trying to calm down enough to seem strong.

        "Worse."

        "John was like that too but if I can change him, I can get back the Walter we do know. Why don't you guys spend some time with us?" She paused, fingers curling around the warmth of her Styrofoam cup. "Laura can never be forgotten but we need to save more people. We need to do something that Laura couldn't do."

        Ella nodded, but to hear John's name again reignited the return of painful memories she would rather forget. Maybe they resurfaced because she hadn't walked into that cafe expecting to hear his name and had been caught off guard by it. Or maybe she was still in love with the heartless man he was.

        "I'll think about it." She handed a chocolate to Rose. 

        Ella didn't allow the tense pause between them to remain for long. As indifferently as possible she asked, "Did John marry?" She was eager to know but did not want to seem too interested lest Jennie get any ideas.

         Jennie brushed her hair out of her eyes and took another sip of coffee. "Not yet, maybe he never found someone," she said. 

        Ella stared down at the colorful picture Rose had drawn in a notebook Jennie always had in her purse. 

        'Why do I care so much? He broke my heart, nothing can change that... Can it?' she thought.

        They parted ways and Jennie practically demanded that Ella bring Walter for Thanksgiving at her house. 

***

        "I said I'm not going," Walter replied, changing the TV channel mechanically. 

        "Why? What's your problem? This is what you want to do with yourself? How many people are you going to hurt before you realize Laura would hate you for doing this to everyone she cared about?!" The words slipped for her mouth by fault, but she wasn't about to take them back. 

        Walter shifted his gaze from the television to narrow his eyes at his lap where his half eaten lunch rested. Tears ran down his cheeks in torrents and dripped onto the bun of his sandwich, leaving it soggy. He couldn't stop himself, couldn't hide, from this emotion.

        Ella drew closer to wipe away his tears and take his hands in hers. 

        "It's been five years, Walter. You have wasted your precious time on this planet. Your life is meant to be much more than wallowing in self hatred and overwhelming pain. Would Laura want you to cry like this? She wouldn't be happy if she saw you like this." Ella squeezed his hands, "It wasn't your fault. That end was already written in her life. We can't change it. What you did was for her. She knew that you loved her. But if you truly love her you have to do something more. Love is much more than crying over regrets. It's about doing something for the person you love and loving them while you do it." 

        Walter couldn't say anything, but her words melted his heart. He was speechless and now he knew that there was something more meant for him than wasting his life away. There was something much bigger for him than crying over his regrets.

***

        Ella and Walter had finally arrived at Jennie's house for Thanksgiving. Ella wore a long black dress with a pearl necklace while Walter was dressed in his black three-piece suit.

        "It's good to see you came," Jennie hugged them both at the door. Rose hid behind her, still afraid of unfamiliar people.

        "Rose, come on, say hi to your aunt and uncle." Jennie tried to grab her but she was shy and slippery as soap. Walter watched the little girl. Her hair, her face, even her eyelashes were like Laura's. He could see the spitting reflection of Laura in this child.

        "Can you give me a hand with supper?" Jennie asked Ella and she nodded and the two woman made their way through the house and into the kitchen. Rose, not yet old enough to be allowed to help with cooking, stood awkwardly in the corner of her own house's living room. 

        Walter closed the house door and stepped onto the rug covering the hardwood floor. He smiled softly as he knelt and called to the girl gently. 

        "Come here," he patted his knee invitingly.

        She was a bit scared of him but inched closer out of curiosity.

        Walter sat on a couch and pulled her into his lap. "What's your name?" he asked, smiling charmingly at her. 

        "Rose," she said timidly as she played with the hem of her best pink dress. 

        "Do you know my name?" he asked, pinching her red cheeks teasingly. She rubbed her face when he stopped and he laughed.

        "You're Uncle Walter." She rubbed her cheeks again.

        "You're exactly right. Now, tell me Rose, do you like sweets?"

        She nodded, looking down. Walter pulled a packet full of candies from his bulging coat pocket and handed it to her. She quickly slid from his lap and ran to her mother in the kitchen. Walter couldn't help but smile. He remembered how much Laura loved little kids and it warmed his heart to see what she once witnessed so fondly.

        John joined them an hour after Paul returned from work. Ella couldn't help but say hi to him out of habit. Walter was also feeling a bit awkward but, miraculously, they managed. Ella never wanted to face John again, not once the rest of her life. She hated him to the point she wanted to stab him. But first she wanted to ask him why did he broke her the way he did, but her lips were sealed.

        "When are you going back?" Jennie asked, shoveling rice onto her plate.

        "I will be leaving next week, Walter will be here, well...forever, I guess. He has some work to do," Ella told, looking down at her practically untouched plate.

        John was still staring at her in that black dress. It had been five years since they last saw each other, but she was still the same gorgeous and stunning Ella. The Ella whom he loved with every fiber of his heart. She was a part of him that he had lost years ago. He wanted to pick that part of him back up, but it was too late. He thought of how she was probably married to some handsome, well-to-do guy and lived happily with him. 

        "That means you and Walter have to spend more time with us this week," Jennie declared. 

        The siblings shared an uncertain glance. "Yeah," Ella muttered. 

***

      Three weeks passed and they were living at Jennie and Paul's house. Ella had planned to leave a week after Thanksgiving, but her long list of board meetings was cancelled so she decided to take a whole month before returning. Besides, everyone was having a great time. The best of memories had been restored and created. Walter had gotten attached to Rose. Now, Rose was the most important person in his life. Paul also visited them after his long tour to Germany.

        The only people left out of the loop of enjoyment were Ella and John. Every time they got close or their eyes met, something passed through each of them. Whatever it was, the only sense either could make of it was that it was the strongest feeling they'd ever experienced. Ella didn't want to stay any longer and keep exposing herself to that.

        Ella's birthday rolled around and Walter had something special that he had been working on that he couldn't wait to share.

        "What is it? Come on, you're making me nervous," Ella said. At the moment, Walter was busy driving towards some special destination he wouldn't say a word about. It took about an hour before the car came to a complete stop.

        "Surprise!" he climbed out of the car with a wide grin plastered to his face. 

        In an area not far from a well renowned hospital, a building stood proudly, surrounded only by a few small houses and fields. There was a playground and gardens, even a soccer field and basketball court. The building was blocky in form but large enough to hold a small medical center and rooms for those who lived and worked there. 

        Everyone was shocked and left wordless, hardly able to move for a moment. The plaque on the door said that the building wasn't just any building. It was a children's cancer society created in memory of Laura, as read the plaque. On the front door was a gorgeous portrait of Laura herself, smiling and in all her healthy glory.

        Walter had bought the property before Laura's death, but only three weeks ago had he resumed working on it. He remembered how much Laura loved these societies. Jennie, John, and Ella, everyone was in tears. They all knew how much Laura would have wanted to see this but never would.

        Even though she wasn't with them anymore, Walter had fixed it up for her.

        "Thank you," Ella whispered.

        Walter smiled softly. "No, thank you Ella, it would never have been possible without you."

        A month later and the building was teeming with kids and loyal, devoted volunteers and employees. 

        "Come on everyone, let's play basketball!" Walter yelled and jogged towards the court, the children swarming him the whole way. Their chatter was lively and hopeful. 

        Jennie was inside of the building, helping other volunteers with the blood bank and drugs. The society was huge for having only recently opened and it was a good project for keeping everyone busy. Rose had run off to join Walter and the other children in their play.

        Ella leaned against the side of the building and watched Walter run around with the kids. John had wanted to talk to her for a long time but was unable to do it. He always tried to reach her but something stopped him. This time he managed to do it.

        "So, you're leaving tomorrow?" John asked coming to her.

        She opened her eyes and looked around. Taking a deep breath, she merely nodded.

        "Five years, huh? Long time..." he tried to start a conversation but just ended up scuffing the toe of his shoes in the grass awkwardly.

        "Yeah."

        "You get married?" 

        "No."

        "Why?"

        Ella glared daggers at him, "I don't think I need to share my personal life with a stranger." 

        "Yeah, right."

        Exhausted by John's presence alone, she said, "If you excuse me I need to leave," and tried to walk away. 

        He snatched at her wrist and pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her to keep her with him. "I want to talk!"

        "I don't!" she hissed, struggling to free herself.

        "Please, just this once will you listen to me?" 

        She relented, going stock still. "Say it." 

        "I want to apologize for what I did. Forgive me, please, I don't want anything else from this world," he said. 

        Arms slack by her sides and still held tightly in the cage his arms created, she muttered, "I've forgiven you already." 

        "I know I was wrong, and I was so confused and I didn't know what else to do and that separated us. Ella... I am still in love with you..." 

        She quickly shut him up. "It's over. It was over the second you left me." She slipped from his grasp and hurried away.

***

        Ella was getting ready to leave. All her things were packed. Her flight was scheduled to leave in six meager hours. At the moment, she was standing in a gallery drinking cold coffee. Jennie and Walter were out buying her gifts. She was still struggling to process the 'conversation' she and John had shared the previous night. She wanted to tell him that yes she loved him but she couldn't.

        John and Jennie had a long argument yesterday.

        "Why can't you let her go?!" Jennie had demanded.

        "I love her, that's why!" he had replied.

        "You don't understand. This will be your biggest mistake yet." With that, Jennie had left.

        John was confused with himself. Why couldn't he just tell Ella what he'd told Jennie? He could never find his words when Ella was around though. In that moment, he could see said beauty standing in the gallery through the window.

        His heart was thumping against his chest. Everything she did made him love her more. Ella was the only woman he loved now. He couldn't stop looking at her.

        He encouraged himself and walked in. She was still drinking coffee.

        "Is hatred stronger than love?" he asked, standing next to her. For a moment she stood still but looked at the opposite side.

        "It depends on time, love becomes deeper with time and hatred grows stronger," she said.

        He shuffled a bit closer. "But is hatred stronger than love?" 

        "Love is stronger than hatred."

        They avoided the other's gaze. After a long pause. John cleared his throat and spoke.

        "This is something I wanted to give someone I love. Before you leave, take it with you. There is nothing I can do to make you stay with me but take this and i will always be with you," he handed her an ornate, intricately designed copper ring.

        She looked at him and now she was in tears. She couldn't do anything but cry and cry. John thought that he had hurt her again by giving her the ring. He couldn't stand seeing her cry and grabbed her arms. He pulled her against her chest. Tears stained the chest of his shirt. Ella could feel his heart beat resonating from deep within him. 

        "I am so, so, so sorry Ella. I didn't mean to hurt you again," he soothingly pet her hair.

        She pushed herself back and used the hem of her shirt to wipe up her tears. "You're still stupid," she smiled. 

        "Ah, can't you love the stupid man who loves you?" He curled his slender fingers in her hair and brushed his lips against hers, their breaths mixing and swirling off into the wind as one. Ella, impatient, pushed forward till their mouths were interlocked in a wordless, infinite promise.

        When they separated, Ella couldn't stop blushing and hugged John as tightly as she could. John rested his chin atop her head and held her against his chest in that manner for some time, simply basking in the warmth of her presence and tingling after affects of the kiss that had spoken every word neither could get past their tongues.

        "What are you waiting for? Put the ring on her finger!" Walter chuckled and Jennie laughed giddily. 

        John took the moment to kneel before his love and carefully slip the ring onto her finger. Joyous tears streamed down Ella's face and they kissed again and Walter couldn't stop himself from crying. Ella and John were finally one. 

***

        Walter was standing on the terrace of his home in the middle of the night, head tilted back and eyes searching for something. He smiled up at a dancing, twinkling star hiding there among the masses of others.

        'I found my answer Laura,' he thought. 'I searched for the brightest star but I never knew that love is the star. I don't need to find it because I found it years ago. It was you Laura, you were my shining star but I kept searching for you among people. Love is in the heart; it can't be found staring into space. I never knew that love is a star.  But now when you're no more I can see you in the stars. The brightest star there, you're there. I will never stop looking at the brightest star. I love you Laura.' 

He never searched her among people but he found her among the stars.

A/N;
So this is the end .. for all of you who were waiting.  I hope you liked the way I ended it... please forgive me for not updating soon.
Thank you guys for supporting me..it was never possible without you guys..
Lot of love from terra
Hope you'll comment and vote 😍

See you sooon. ...any suggestions or questions are welcome .