Melanie's always hated funerals.

She and her sister didn't attend Allison's, and god—she could hardly hold herself together during Belle's.

Now, Melanie stood in Derek Hale's living room, the home filled with his loved ones as Scott stood in front of them, speaking to the group about Derek.

Melanie could tell Scott was struggling speaking, but she was struggling even just being there. She stood in the back of the room with Liam and Theo, her eyes staying mainly on the coca-cola in her hand, too worried she'd burst into tears if she looked up to the front of the room at the big photo of Derek smiling.

"The first night I met Derek Hale, he saved my life. Then he said we were brothers, and I thought that he was crazy." Scott said, laughing at his memory.

Melanie giggled as well, remembering when Scott had used those same words on Liam. Although she wasn't there, she remembered Liam telling her and Belle about it and then immediately calling Scott a weirdo.

Feeling Liam laugh beside her, she turned her to look up at him. When their eyes met, they smiled at each other since they couldn't laugh at the memory in that moment. Liam reached over and grabbed Melanie's hand; he gave it a small squeeze before turning to look back at Scott.

Melanie followed his action, watching as Scott looked down at Eli, who sat beside Malia on the couch. "He was right. Eli, from that moment on, we were brothers." Scott said before he made the horrible decision of turning his head to look at Derek's portrait.

Scott swallowed the lump in his throat and looked down at his feet. Melanie could see, even from across the room, the shaky breath he took. "And, uh... Derek Hale was the first person to teach me that you don't just get the family that you were born with. You get the family that you find."

Melanie took in a sharp breath at Scott's words.

She started to think of Belle.

Melanie felt tears forming in her eyes. She licked her lips and pushed herself off the wall she was leaning on, leaving her cup on the counter beside her and walking out of the house.

Theo and Liam watched Melanie leave before they turned back to each other. Theo nodded his head after Melanie, signaling that Liam should go after her and Liam gave Theo a grateful nod, following after her.

For such a nice house, Derek's home was oddly close to cemetery.

Even after not visiting for a while, Melanie still knew where Belle's grave was.

She took slow steps up to the girls grave, careful not to step on anyone else's grave and disturb them. The gravestone looked fresh, like if someone had just cleaned it. Melanie figured Mason, Derek, or Melissa were probably the ones to thank for that.

Arabella Parker
November 1, 1996 — October 31, 2013

Melanie's chest tightened reading the stone. Guilt started to course through her body as she recalled the night of Belle's death. How she didn't make it in time.

How she wasn't there.

She didn't get to say goodbye to her best friend. Her sister. Melanie didn't realize she was crying until her lungs started to burn, begging for a breath of air.

Melanie finally let out herself breathe. She started to cry as soon as the air entered her lungs. Melanie fell to her knees and let out quiet sobs.

The only sounds around Melanie were her cries until she heard the sound of a leaf being stepped on. Melanie jumped at the noise. She turned her head in the direction she heard the step and immediately relaxed when she realized it was Liam.

Melanie quickly wiped her eyes and turned back to Belle's grave. "How did you find me?" Melanie asked, her voice nasally from her cries. Liam sent her a sideways smile, resembling a frown as he took slow steps towards her.

"I never forgot your scent." Liam whispered, his voice lower to stop the chance at of it breaking.

Melanie didn't know if it was all of the emotions she was feeling or his words, but she started to laugh. Liam's brows furrowed at Melanie's laughs at first, but after a couple seconds, he started laughing.

When the twos bittersweet laughing died down, Melanie maneuvered her legs to pull her knees to her chest and sniffled, wiping her eyes as she turned back to Liam. "Um... What are you doing here?" She asked, her demeanor easing as Liam walked over to her.

Liam knelt down beside her, his eyes on Belles grave until he gulped and turned to Melanie. "I wanted to talk."

Melanie licked her lips nervously and turned her head forward, too worried about what Liam wanted talk about to look at him. "What about?" Melanie asked, feeling Liam's eyes state into the side of her head.

"Us." Was all Liam responded with; his voice was a lot quieter than it just was. Melanie straightened up a bit and wrapped her arms around her legs. She turned to Liam and smiled. It wasn't on purpose she just couldn't not smile looking at him.

Liam smiled back, his eyes crinkling with the corner of his mouth. After a couple of seconds, his smile turned lopsided and even though his eyes were still bright, his eyes and smile didn't seem happy anymore.

"I'm so sorry for how that fight ended, Mel." Liam started. Melanie took a deep breath, practically holding the air in her lungs. Liam's eyes feel to the ground as he shook his head. "I was just mad about our fight. And... you know how I get when I'm mad. I just..."

Liam huffed. Melanie reached over and placed her hand over his. She gave it a squeeze and Liam finally looked up at her. He licked his lips before he spoke. "As soon as I walked out that night, all I wanted to do was run back home to you." Liam said as tears started to brim in both his and Melanie's eyes.

Melanie pressed her lips together to hold back her cry and tilted her head. "Then why didn't you?" She asked. Her voice broke, making the tears in Liams eyes fall. He maneuvered their hands so they were interlocked and squeezed Melanie's hand. "I was stubborn... Headstrong and hurt, I guess." His head dropped again. "You don't know how many times I've wanted to come back home."

Melanie smiled. "Then come home." She whispered. Liam chuckled, wiping his tears as he raised his eyebrows in amusement. "I don't think Theo and Corey would like that." He said and Melanie laughed too.

She shrugged her shoulders and scooted a little closer to Liam. "Eh, I was thinking of moving out soon anyway. I feel bad that the boys have to go back and forth between who takes the couch and the bed every night." Melanie said and Liam's eyes widened at Melanie's words.

Melanie still just smiled at the boy. "Let's find a place." She said before cupping Liam's cheek. "You and me."

Liam stared at Melanie with wide eyes and a slightly hung open mouth. He slowly nodded his head and Melanie smiled a little wider. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Perfect she whispered, starting to stand.

Melanie groaned as she stood up. She wiped the dirt of off her pants and looked up to where she thought Liam would be standing, but her brows furrowed when he wasn't there; he was still on the ground.

He was biting his lips and his eyes were squinted as if he was thinking. Melanie knew from that expression that Liam was wanting to do something, but was hesitant. "What are you doing?" Melanie laughed out.

Liam looked up at Melanie and Melanie smiled at the look on his face. She watched as Liam reached into his jacket pocket and moved how he was sitting on the ground.

He moved to be down on one knee.

Melanie's heart was beating just about everywhere but her chest, her stomach was filled with butterflies as Liam pulled his hand out of his pocket, revealing the ring Liam had gotten Melanie months ago. The one Melanie kept around her neck. The one the Nogitsune threw into the woods.

Liam smiled up at Melanie, his heart beating just as fast as hers as he let a breath of air pass his lips to relieve his stress. "Melanie Yukimura, The moment I met you in freshman year at lacrosse tryouts, I knew I wanted to keep you around in my life."

Melanie laughed at the memory, looking down at her feet before looking back to Liam, holding back the urge to just pull Liam into a hug and say yes right then and there.

"I'm so lucky that instead of only having you as a friend, I was given the chance to be your boyfriend." Liam said, his smile growing bigger by the second. "Even after... Everything we've been through, all I've wanted is you. You're my home, my safe space. You're my best friend and the love of my life." Liam said and Melanie's face started to hurt from how hard she was smiling.

"Now, all I want is you to be my wife." Liam said. His words were airy, almost worried to speak too loud in case he'd scare Melanie away. Melanie blinked and tears started to fall down her face. Her smile was just as big as before, making Liam smile even wider. "Melanie Yukimura, will you marry me?"

Melanie laughed in happiness, nodding her head crazily. "Yes." She said through her laughs. Liam grabbed Melanie's hand as quick and as possible and pushed the ring onto Melanie's finger. He got up off the ground and wrapped his arms around Melanie's waist, pulling her into a hug.

The couple were laughing, giggling messes as Liam lifted Melanie up and spun her around. When he put her down, Liam kissed Melanie. Their heartbeats slowed into the kiss. Melanie moved one of her hands from around Liam's shoulders to cup his cheek.

After a couple seconds, they slowly pulled away. Melanie's eyes stayed closed even after the kiss ended, wanting to soak up the moment. When she did open her eyes, Melanie smiled again.

She let out a small excited laugh as she removed her hand with the ring on it off of Liam to look at it. Melanie opened and closed her mouth as she looked over the ring. She looked up at with a confused look.

"How did you... How did you find the ring?" Melanie whispered. Liam smiled and shrugged her shoulders as if to say "it was nothing."

"When Eli untied us, I saw it on the ground. The nogitsune must not have thrown it too far." He explained as Melanie looked back down at the ring. Melanie looked up at Liam and rewrapped her arms around his shoulders. Her cheeks tinged pink as she tilted her head slightly.

"I love you." She said and Liam pulled Melanie a little closer to him since his arms were still around her waist. "I love you too."

————————————————

FIVE YEARS LATER

Melanie jumped and yelped when the door bell rang. Since she was in the middle of baking, the cup of flour she was holding spilled over onto her counter.

Melanie huffed at the mess and put the rest of the flour into her mixing bowl. As she grabbed a paper towel, Melanie turned her head in the direction of the bedrooms. "Can someone get that?" Melanie yelled.

"I got it!" A muffled voice yelled from upstairs. The patter of small footsteps echoed throughout the house and down the stairs until they reached the front door. When Melanie didn't hear the front door open, she turned her head and laughed at the sight of her daughter, Arabella, on her tippy toes trying to unlock the door.

Arabella huffed, turning to her mom with a pouted lip. "Mommy, I can't reach!" The girl whined. Melanie chuckled. Just as she was about to walk over and help Arabella, two more footsteps came down the stairs.

Liam and their son, Brett headed over to Arabella at the door, Liam walking and Brett running. Brett attempted to reach the lock as well, but failed to reach it just like his twin. Liam chuckled, unlocking the door for his kids and letting them open it.

"Uncle Scott! Aunty Ally!" Brett cheered as Arabella giggled in excitement. "Eli!" Arabella screamed, running up to the boy. As Melanie poured the contents of the mixing bowl into a pan, she turned her head to look at the door. Melanie watched as Eli laughed, grabbing onto Arabella and lifting her to carry her on his hip.

"How's my favorite little cousins doing?" Eli asked the two kids as Brett hugged Allison and Liam hugged Scott.

Melanie grabbed the pan and place it in the oven as everyone walked into the home. When Melanie stood back up, she felt a hand in her shoulder. She turned her head and smiled at Scott. "Hey, Mel." Scott said, pulling Melanie into a side hug. Melanie wrapped her arms around Scott and smiled.

When they pulled away from their hug, Melanie hugged Allison and then Eli, who was still carrying Arabella. "How long are you home from school for?" Melanie asked Eli and the boy smiled, he out Arabella down and started walking towards the dining table where the rest of the food already was.

"I go back in September so I will be home for a couple months." Eli said, taking a seat at the table. Allison, Scott and the kids followed after Eli. Liam smiled at everyone sitting at the table. He wrapped his arm around Melanie's shoulder and kissed her temple.

The couple watched as everyone started to serve themselves food. Melanie smiled, resting her head on Liam's shoulder. "I love you." She told the boy. Melanie felt Liam look down at her. He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too."

Everyone at the table turned to Melanie and Liam when they realized the two of them hadn't sat down yet. Scott chuckled, gesturing for the two of them to sit down across from him and Allison and in between Brett and Arabella. "Come on, guys. Or all the food might be gone once you get here."

Brett and Arabella turned around to face the parents, both of them having huge smiles. "Momma! Sit next to me!" Brett said, holding onto the back of the seat next to him. Melanie chuckled, leaving Liam's side to sit next to her son as Liam walked over to the seat in between her and Arabella.

—GUYSSSS😭😭😭😭
THEYRE SO CUTE

yes their kids names are brett and arabella.

i'm very sad to announce that this is the last chapter of sign of the times. this is one of my favorite fics ive written and mel, belle, melliam EVERYTHING about this fic holds a special place in my heart.

thank you for all the love you guys have given this fic. i really do enjoy publsihing to read everyone's comments. they make my day<3 i love all you so much!! if you guys haven't had enough of me and my writing, you guys should definitely check out my other fics

bye everyone!!!
—ems🫶