Wow! Once again, I'm floored by the response! Thanks, Caroline (also for breaking your own no-fic-when-writing rule!), Jackie, Ann, Pam, LoisLaneWannaBe, Sara, angelic_editor, Tricia and Natascha!
I should stop talking now, after quoting this heartbreakingly beautiful ending. But I have to ask you, C_A: could this possibly be a sequel to something else that you have written?
Thanks so much for your comments, Ann. No, this story is not a sequel. I have written other L&C fic before (you can read it
here ), but this vignette is a stand-alone, after-the-fact introspective piece of slightly melancholy fluff

.