So, here's another story. Probably the last. Its set two years after the end of "Family Bonds Strengthen Over Time". Its not going to be too long, only a couple of chapters, and there's not really much of a plot. Its more of an epilogue of sorts. I hope you like it :)

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"Well now, anyone on the roads today will need to watch out later, as frost and snow are forecast. Please keep us updated if you encounter these conditions, but make sure you're safe to do so. And now onto Charlie for the news in Sport."

The radio presenter cheerfully started to tell the world in general about an up and coming sportsman who was being tested for use of performance enhancing drugs, and Robbie turned to his daughter.

"Do you think they'll still make it up here."

"They will have already left Dad. And besides the frost and snow warnings are for later. Sam knows what he's doing, and James would have got in touch if they weren't coming."

"You're right, of course." Robbie said, grinning, before settling back in the armchair. Lyn smiled softly at the back of his head. He'd been chomping at the bit to see the Hathaway family, ever since James had phoned him and told him the news. If she hadn't been working the last five days, she'd have driven him down to Oxford herself. As it was he'd mentioned many times that he would just get the train. They both knew that it wasn't feasible, age had finally caught up with him, and a train journey would do him no favours.

Her father and James made quite the pair really, when she thought about it. James had always been determined to just get on with things, as evidenced on the trip to the beach they had all gone on nearly nineteen years ago, when he'd been recovering from a serious knee injury. Robbie was the same. Having a heart attack nine months ago, had done nothing to make him slow down. He had slowed down of course, she'd made sure of it, but he wasn't impressed with it at all. Even when he'd first come out of hospital, he'd been making noises about going to visit James in Oxford; 'Lyn you know what he's like, he'll worry. He'll try and come up here, with that stick of his, attempting to lug a suitcase on and off trains.' Lewis hadn't been far off. She'd phoned James in a bit of a tizz once she'd learned that Robbie was stable and the man had all but promised to walk to Manchester himself, before she'd managed to assure him that Robbie would call as soon as he was up to making a phone call.

But those days were behind them, and after strict instructions from his doctor, and a prescription as long as his arm, Robbie was a lot more healthy, especially for an eighty-eight year old. The same couldn't exactly be said for Hathaway, since his knee had got worse, so Sam had informed Robbie in his phone calls, but he was certainly happy.

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Three hours later, and they heard the sound of a car door slamming. Robbie started to stand and Lyn shook her head.

"Honestly Dad, will you just sit down." He frowned, but did as he was told, he was more tired than he though he was.

When Lyn opened the door to James, she nearly didn't recognise him. She didn't have much time to contemplate this however, as he grinned at her, bending down and kissing her on the cheek.

"Hello Lyn. How are you?" She smiled back at him, marvelling at how he seemed to be...radiating happiness. Which was honestly not something that she'd ever imagine she would see James doing.

"I'm fine James. Robbie's in the living room. Come on, get yourselves all out of the cold. I thought you'd be here earlier."

"Well, you can blame my son for that. He was driving like an pensioner." From behind James there was a chuckle and the son in question answered.

"What like you would you mean Dad?...Come on its raining, we're getting soaked." James swatted his son lightly on the head, which wasn't easy considering the man was only an inch shorter than him. As Sam headed back to Holly, who was trying to get a huge bag out of the car, James spoke quietly to Lyn.

"How's your old man doing?"

"He's fine James. I promise, he's a lot better" James searched her face before seeming to take her at her word. As if to prove a point, the Geordie tones sounded from the living room.

"Oi, are you all gonna stand around in the hallway for the rest of the evening, or do I have to come out." James smirked and dropped his bags at the patch of carpet Lyn was pointing at, before heading into the living room.

Robbie was stood facing him with a look of faint exasperation on his face. "You took your time." James only grins because he sees that Lyn is right, for an eighty-eight year old man, Robbie does seem reasonably healthy.

"Hello to you too." The exasperation on Robbie's face morphs into a soft smile.

"Come here kidda." he says as he gives the younger man a hug. "Its good to see you James."

"Its good to see you too Robbie, really good." Hathaway didn't fail to notice that Robbie had sat down again, and he sat on the sofa, his knee making it clear how it felt about standing.

"That knee still causing you problems then?"

"Yeah. Still using the stick, as you can see." Robbie nodded at him, still smiling.

"Where's that son of yours, and his beautiful girlfriend?"

At that moment, Sam and Holly came through from the hall. The younger Hathaway looked more like his father every time Robbie saw him. Sam had hold of two bags, while Holly had a small bundle in her arms.

"Hi Uncle Robbie. How are you?"

"I'm grand kidda. Yourselves?"

"Shattered," Holly said through her rueful laugh. "We've got someone to meet you though." Sam took the bundle off Holly, before walking over to Robbie and gently handing it over.

"Benjamin James Robert Hathaway, meet your great-uncle Robbie." Lewis gazed down at the tiny little boy in his arms. He'd been waiting to meet his 'grand nephew' since James had phoned him in the middle of the night, just over a month ago:

"Robbie? Sorry if I-"

"Jim?...Jim! Is everything alright? Has?-"

"Yeah...yeah Sam and Holly have a little boy...I er..." Robbie had settled back onto his pillows then, anxiety forgotten. The child was born before his due date, but James didn't seem worried, so it didn't sound like there were any complications.

"That's great James. Give them my love will you?"

"Of course. I...I'm a granddad. Ha! I'm a granddad."

"Aye, that you are lad. Magic feeling isn't it?"

"Its brilliant. I've got to go. Holly's knackered and Sam's looking...well a lot like I did when he was born I'd imagine." Robbie chuckled.

"Go on then, off with you. You go look after your family. Come and visit soon though eh?"

"Of course. See you soon."

Robbie had sat, smiling at his mobile, long after his friend had hung up.

The little boy squirmed in Lewis' large, wrinkled hands.

"Hello Benjamin," Lewis says, a soft smile on his face. "Look at you, another little Hathaway in the world eh?"

"Question is, is the world ready for another one?" Sam jokes, and James grins.

"Oh I think it is," Robbie says, running a finger down the baby's cheek. The month old immediately turns his face to try and suck his great uncle's finger. "Well you've got all the right reflexes haven't you bonny lad? He's beautiful Sam, Holly."

"I know." Sam puts his arm around Holly. "I only hope we can do right by him."

"You will, you'll both be great parents." The baby gurgled at him, limbs moving constantly. "You my lad, are a very lucky boy you know. Your Dad will take great care of you. And your Mum will too if the way she looks after your Daddy is anything to go by."

"Thanks Unc." Sam says quietly, as Holly puts a hand on Robbie's shoulder and squeezes it. She had often told Sam that she felt blessed to be accepted so easily by his family, even the members that weren't technically related to him. Robbie smiles at them, his eyes saying what he couldn't at that moment. He was fully confidant that the young parents would do their best and would raise a healthy happy child.

"You've also got a fantastic Granddad. I know that because he raised your Daddy and your Daddy is a fine young man. And you'll have to tell him he's brilliant kidda, because sometimes, I don't think your granddad knows just how loved he is." Robbie looked up to see James staring at him, tears brimming in his eyes. Benjamin started to grizzle quietly and Robbie shushed him gently. "I know kidda, boring old man talking to you eh? Well its all true Benji, every word of it" He looked up and James spoke.

"Give him over here then."he said roughly, as he levered himself off the sofa. He limped over to Robbie and took the baby gently from the older man, before limping back again. Robbie noticed how much slower James moved once he was holding the child; compensating for the fact that he couldn't use the walking stick for support when he had hold of his grandson. The new grandfather settled himself down on the sofa, adjusting his grip of the baby until Benjamin fit snugly in the crook of his arm, fingers fisting in his shirt.

Lyn came into the living room and smiled at the scene. She'd long accepted that James was family to Robbie, and by extension to her. It'd been clear when she'd met him and Sam all those years ago. But standing there now, seeing three generations of the Hathaway family (of which Holly was definitely one) something just felt right. It was nice to see her Dad happy. Of course he had friends in the area, she'd made sure he'd met people when he moved up to Manchester and came to live with them. But she knew that no friendship he made here would ever be the same as the friendship he'd forged with James Hathaway.

"Eddie's not staying here at the moment, he's out in Iceland working, Tim's got a week off so he's gone to see him. So there's his bed going, and the sofa opens out. I've got duvets and pillows and stuff."

"Thanks Auntie Lyn." Sam says gratefully. Its been a while since Lyn has heard him say that. She still can't quite believe that the bloke is twenty three years old, let alone a father himself. Then again, looking at James, with his walking stick, she can't believe that he's younger than her, even if its only by a few years. She's glad he's looking happy though, it takes years off him. And anyone with half a brain can see that his grandson makes him very happy indeed.

"You alright with him Dad? I'm going to take the bags upstairs." James nodded.

"Course I'm alright with him." He said, eyes fixed on the baby. "Come on little man, you come and sit with Granddad James eh?" Robbie watched as James put his little finger near his grandson's hand and smiled as the baby grabbed hold. "You're going to be a strong one you are. That's 'cause your Daddy is a fire-fighter. You've got a hero for a Daddy Benji, great uncle Robbie's right, you're a very lucky boy. And you have the best great uncle anyone could ask for mate. He made sure that I made it to your Dad's 5th birthday." Robbie coughs slightly.

"Leave off James, you did that yourself." James doesn't answer, because he doesn't know how, but Robbie knows that James would be arguing against that if he could find the words.

"He won't admit that though Benji...silly man." James continues as Robbie rolls his eyes. "And who knows, Granddad might have a new knee by the time you're ready to play chase."

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They ate dinner, and talked for a few hours, while Ben lay in his cot, gurgling every time Sam or Holly checked on him. Which they did very often, even though they were always in the same room as the little boy. Robbie recognised the behaviour, when Lyn was born he'd been scared to leave her alone for longer than five minutes. After a while, it became clear that everyone was getting tired. Sam yawned and Holly kept dropping her head onto his chest. James kept shaking himself and then wincing and glaring at his leg, and Robbie had fallen asleep twice. She decided to take charge.

"As lovely as this is, I think its about time, we all went to bed." Sam stretched and smiled.

"I think you're right. We've brought a travel cot, if we could set it up down here that'd be-"

"-Never mind that" James interrupted, "You and Holly take the bedroom and set the cot up there, you'll need a good night's sleep if Benji is anything like he was last night."

"Dad, your knee..."

"Bugger my knee Sam. I'll be alright on the sofa for a night. I'm not old and decrepit yet son."

"No that's me" Robbie muttered, as he stood up, groaning. "You lot can argue it out, but I really need to go to bed" he said, making his slow way out of the room. As he past Sam he sighed. "I wouldn't bother kid, he'll only remind you of this tomorrow when you complain that you didn't get enough sleep." James looked triumphant and grinned smugly.

"See, listen to your Uncle Robbie."

"You're just as bad James Hathaway," Robbie said, pausing by the door frame. "Anyway, its far past this old man's bed time, see you in the morning."

"Night" everyone chorused. Sam relented to James using the sofa bed, but insisted that James wasn't going to help set it up. James responded by heading upstairs and putting the travel cot together. Holly just watched in amusement as the father of her child pulled the sofa bed out, muttering about stubborn old buggers that were a danger to themselves.

Just before they headed upstairs, James gave them both a hug. "Good night you two. Try and get a good night sleep eh?"

"Night Dad" Sam said at the same time that Holly mumbled "Night James." The sixty one year old bent down to the baby wrapped in his son's arms and kissed his forehead.

"Na'night little man. You let your parents rest ok? Love you.".

Sam is heading to the bathroom, when Robbie comes out of it.

"Night Uncle Robbie, sleep well."

"Aye you too kidda." He pauses, and turns back to Sam before the man goes into the bathroom. "Your Dad, he's doing ok isn't he?" Sam shrugs.

"Yeah, I think so. He's barely dreaming anymore. His knee's worse though. The docs are fiddling about with the painkillers at the moment, and I'm not sure the dose is high enough, but he won't let them raise it."

"Sounds about right."

"I know," Sam says, exasperation on his face. "I've caught him a few times, lying awake in a fair amount of pain, but he always insists he's alright. I tried to give him a chance to get out and stretch his legs on the way down here, but he weren't having any of it. The arthritis is worse if he doesn't move about." Robbie sighs. Sam had told him that James had arthritis while he'd been in hospital three years back. James had told him himself eventually, Robbie had never let on that he already knew.

"Silly sod, doesn't know what's good for him does he?"

"Nah. Ben's good for him though. Every now and then he'll have Ben's cot in his room, take over the feeding duties and all. He loves it. Hol found him in the living room reading Keats to him last week."

"I'm glad. Its easy to see how made up he is about being a grandfather. And you and Hol too. I'm happy for the both of you kiddo."

"Thanks Uncle Robbie."

"Away with you lad, get some rest."

"Night."

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James shifts on the sofa bed, marvelling at how such a comfortable sofa, can make such an uncomfortable bed. Not that he can complain, he did insist he'd sleep on it after all. And its not really all that bad.

He rubs his knee absent mindedly, wincing as he touches a tender spot. Seems to be doing that more and more these days. He can't help but smile though. Its been brilliant seeing Robbie again. Seeing his family all together. His heart had swelled when he'd watched Robbie holding Ben. Just as it had when he'd gone into the hospital room and seen Holly holding the newborn child while Sam kissed her forehead.

He'd never have imagined his son having a son of his own. Its gratifying to see how well Sam has taken to it. He and Holly are young parents, but its clear to James that they will do their best, they already are. They are both nervous, that's plain to see, scared of getting it wrong. And Sam has already expressed worry about not being able to read to his son, or help him with his homework. Watching his son with Ben over the last month though, he knows that its all going to be ok. Sam and Holly love their little boy, and really that's all that matters.

With that happy thought, James wriggles again, in an attempt to get comfortable, before he pulls the blankets up to his chin, and drifts off to sleep.