A better version? No way! Keep it as is. This is a satisfying end to the 
was TBE should have ended. ::mumbles:: No thanks to Zen.

Well, Zen wasn't exactly going for a happy ending.  :)  And Zen's fic was 
great because it didn't allow us any ray of hope - that would have
lessened the impact of the story.

Good point.  Weirdly, I didn't realize how much I wanted that ray of hope
until I saw the ending of your fic.  Redemption themes again, here and in
IMBS...  I find I *want* BE-Akane to come out of that near-catatonia and
at least try to make amends...

Hey, Zen... how's this for a concept?  Take Richard's story as canon for
the BE world... let Akane get better -- and then let her run into all that
hatred and fear, and not be able to cope with it.  Think you can come up
with something just as horrifying as BE? <grin>

-- Bob