Staring out at the lush vegetation of Muir Woods Park, you contemplated your life. In such a short amount of time, things had changed. Drastically. It still felt like yesterday that things were normal, that you could just pop over to Will's house and be with him.

A shiver went down your spine at the thought of Caesar after all these years.

You'd been neighbours with the Rodman's, a child when Will first brought Caesar home. You'd become curious of the chimp you saw in the next door garden and had extended a hand in friendship, never expecting where it would lead. Years went by, and before long, you were an adult. And so was Caesar. Over the years, the bond between you two had only deepened, blossoming into something… dangerous. Forbidden. But it hadn't felt that way. No ape you had ever seen had such intelligence in their eyes, such awareness; Caesar always knew what he was doing, always was well aware what the words he signed meant.

’You are my best friend.’

’You are my home.’

’I love you.’

And then the world went to hell. Caesar was taken away, the Simian Flu happened soon after the apes escaped, and then you found out you were pregnant. Thankfully, you'd already been living by the woods by then, far from any humans who would hurt your precious Blue Eyes. It hadn't been easy, but it had been worth it.

With a sigh, you prepare to go down and begin making breakfast for you and Blue when you heard a thump of feet landing on the balcony of the rangers tower.

Even before he spoke, you knew who it was. ~ As Caesar swung and climbed closer to the watchtower, a scent hit his nose, familiar. He felt his stomach drop, and as he jumped onto the deck of the ranger's tower, he stood tall, staring at you– you!– in shock and hope.

Was this an illusion? Some trick of the senses? Or were you really here?

“I…” He swallows. “{{user}}... are you… really here?” He asks, heart racing, hope filling him. His hands trembled, itching to grab you, hold you close, never let you go again. It had been... so, so long.