AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey everyone! So, as I said last time, this is the final chapter of this story! I have to say, I'm quite sad to be saying goodbye to little universe (for the second time!) but, I couldn't keep going forever. Anyway, I'm pretty happy with this chapter and I really hope you'll enjoy it!

I'm also still working on "A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever", so, if you're following that, that'll still be going. I'm going to try and get a bunch of chapter done before I go back to university.

Anyway, enjoy! x

A Life Worth Living

Epilogue

Three more years passed easily for the Alfred family and life seemed so blissful. As soon as Bert walked through the door that August evening, Evelyn – now a handful at four years old – came barrelling into his awaiting arms. Even now, with Europe at war, Bert couldn't help but smile at the life he had – the life he was sure was perfect.

"Daddy!" she greeted with a cheer.

Bert picked her up like she weighed nothing and spun her slightly before holding her close to him.

"'ello, Evie…" he cooed, "…did you 'ave a good day?"

She nodded excitedly.

"Mummy took me to the park!"

"What? You went t' the park without me?!" he teased – feigning his hurt.

Evie could spot his façade from a mile away and began to giggle.

"But you were at work, daddy!"

"Well, that may be so, but ya could've waited until me day off!" he teased.

"Mrs Banks invited us" Mary said coyly as she entered the room with a somewhat sly smile. Bert practically gawped at her as the sun of summer's twilight framed her so beautifully.

"Ah, well, you couldn't turn down an invitation like that, could you?" he chirped.

"Exactly" Mary replied before moving across the room to give him a quick peck on the lips. Thankfully, Evelyn had dropped her habit of interrupting them years ago.

"I got to play with John and Barbara!" Evelyn announced.

"Did you really?"

"Yep! They let me fly their kite!"

"Well, that was nice of them"

"I drawed a picture of it, can I show you?"

"You drawed a picture, did you?"

She nodded excitedly.

"Sure you can, Sweet'eart" Bert smiled.

She wriggled out of his arms.

"I'll go and get it!" she announced before bolting for the stairs.

"Don't run, Evelyn!" Mary called.

But when Bert looked at her, he simply found Mary gazing at him.

"What're you smilin' at?"

"You" she smirked.

"An' what 'ave I done to receive the gift that is your smile?"

She rolled her eyes at his comment – even he knew how sickeningly romantic he could be.

"I just like watching you with Evelyn" she stated with a slight blush.

"Even after all these years?" he chuckled.

"Some things never get old, darling, and I just like seeing you be a father to our daughter – and a good one too!"

"I do me best" he said humbly.

"Yes you do…" she twirled her arms around his neck, "…and I like it very much" she whispered – somewhat huskily.

"Mrs Alfred, are you tryin' t' say that you find my parenting skills…attractive?"

"Most attractive" she smirked before leaning in to kiss him softly. She heard him let out an even softer moan.

"You know, a person never stops bein' a parent" he winked.

"Then let's hope I never get sick of you!" she teased.

He studied her for a moment.

"You okay? You look a bit pale"

"I'm fine, Bert" she assured.

"You sure? You're not bein' a martyr again, are you?" he teased.

"You needn't worry, dear"

They were about to kiss again, but heard the sound of Evelyn's footsteps coming down the stairs…it seemed as if her old habit was still there. They smirked at each other before settling into a more child-friendly embrace.

"Here's the picture, daddy!" she announced proudly.

"Hey! That's fantastic! You'll make a fine screever one day!" he joked – earning a hearty laugh from his daughter, "I'll 'ave t' buy a frame for this when I get the chance"

"Thank you!" she beamed.

"Sweetheart, supper is going to be ready soon, can you go and wash up please?" Mary asked sweetly and Evelyn did as she was asked – practically skipping out of the room.

"So, you 'ad a good day, yeah" Bert asked sweetly, wrapping his arms around Mary again.

"I did" she smiled.

"'ow are Mrs Banks and the twins?"

"They're all very well, John and Barbara are as lively as ever" she chuckled.

"What about the rest of 'em"

"I didn't get to see Mr Banks, but I'm told he's been well, as for Jane and Michael…well, they've just grown so much, I mean, they're teenagers now…" she breathed in disbelief.

"Seems like yesterday that they were barely up to me waist" he pondered.

"They'll be as tall as me soon"

"We'll be saying that about Evelyn before we know it!" Bert chuckled.

"Oh, please don't say that!"

"Don't fear your twilight years, love, you'll still look as beautiful as ever"

"You know, for a married man, you say the nicest things" she smirked.

"That's 'cos y' treat me so well" he leant in to give her a quick kiss.

"Speaking of, Mrs Banks did mention the prospect of me working for her again"

"She sure seems desperate to 'ave ya back" Bert joked.

"Well, that's understandable!" Mary joked back…although, part of Bert wondered how much she was actually joking.

"You could do it, you know?"

"I know I could…but it all comes back to the same issues regarding Evelyn; for the whole thing to work out, I'd probably have to send Evelyn to my uncle's all the time"

"You could take 'er with you"

"I could, but why employ someone to look after your four-year-olds if they're going to have one of their own?"

"But the Banks family won't mind an' I know that Albert wouldn't mind takin' Evie off our 'ands either"

"They may not mind, but I would still feel guilty about it…I'd feel like I'd be acting far too entitled"

"You worry too much, love" he said softly.

"I guess it's always been in my nature…as a nanny and as a mother"

He bent to kiss her forehead.

"You do what you feel is right, but don't be afraid to ask for a few favours…you've been 'elping everyone for a very long time now, so don't feel guilty about wantin' something back"

"I know…" then a slight smirk spread across her cheeks, "…but, I think I have my reasons for not going back to work…at least not yet"

"And what's that?"

"I'll tell you later" she chuckled softly.

"Why not now?"

"Because…" she began – moving out of his embrace, "…your supper is ready"

0oooooooooooooooooo0

Bert kissed the forehead of his sleeping daughter as he tucked her beneath the blankets; he took a few moments just to gaze at her, even after four years he still had trouble believing that she was his…well, theirs. She looked so peaceful and he couldn't help but smile at her, the kind of smile that he felt grow from the very depths of his heart, the kind of smile that conveyed just how much he loved her, treasured her and would do absolutely anything for her. He ran his fingertips delicately through her locks of brown hair before turning off the light and making his way out of the room.

"Goodnight, Sweet'eart" he whispered – bringing the door to a close.

As he made his way down to the drawing room, he found Mary on the sofa where he'd left her, except her frame was curled slightly and her eyes closed. He let out a small chuckle as he stood in front of her.

"Okay, now you 'ave to tell me what's up with ya"

"Nothin is 'up with me', Bert" she laughed as she sat up and held back a yawn.

"Mary…" he said as he took her hands and guided her to her feet. He slipped his arms around her waist, "…I 'ave known you for a very long time now an' I know when something's not quite right…especially after the last four years…" he teased, "…an' I know that fallin' asleep on sofas in the evening isn't a popular past time of yours, so, I'll ask again, what's up?"

She smiled back at him.

"I'm going to stand by my previous statement and assure you that there is nothing the matter with me, but, there is something that I need to tell you" she said – almost mysteriously.

"And what's that?"

For a few seconds she simply smiled at him, but then she took one of his hands and brought it to her stomach. She eyed him for a moment and watched as an endless smile spread across his cheeks as he began to realise what was happening. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Mary, are you…?"

She nodded.

"I'm pregnant!" she announced giddily.

Without letting another second pass, Bert picked her up and twirled her around – laughing and cheering as he did so. Once her feet were back on the ground, he kissed her solidly, passionately, trying to let her news sink in. They couldn't stop smiling at each other when they parted. He moved his hand back down to her abdomen.

"You're really pregnant?" he giggled – his smile utterly infectious.

"I am"

"I can't believe it!" he breathed.

"So, can I assume that you're happy about this?"

"Happy? Mary, I'm over the moon!" he exclaimed before kissing he again, "When did you find out?"

"This morning"

"Thought you went t' the park?"

"I called into the doctors beforehand" she stated.

"So, does Evelyn know?"

"Not yet"

"Do I know what?" they heard a timid voice ask.

Bert and Mary exchanged a questioning look before Bert smirked.

"Well, I guess we're gonna 'ave t' tell 'er now"

"Tell me what?" she asked again before rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Did we wake you, Sweetheart?" Mary asked as she guided Evelyn to the sofa.

"Yeah…daddy was making a lot of noise"

They laughed as they all sat on the sofa together.

"Sorry" Bert blushed.

"Okay, Evelyn…" Mary began, "…your father and I have got something very important to tell you"

"What is it?"

"Well, how would you feel about having a little brother or sister?"

A look of awe washed over Evelyn's face.

"I…I think I'd like that very much!" she beamed sweetly.

"Well, that's good, because yer mum just told me that she's 'aving a baby!" Bert told her excitedly.

"Really?!"

"That's right" Mary confirmed – wearing a smile of her own.

"Is that why we went to the doctors this morning?"

"Yes it is, I hope you don't mind me not telling you straight away, but I wanted to tell daddy first"

"That's okay, mummy!" she smiled, "So, when are you going to have the baby?"

"Not for a while yet…" Mary chuckled, "…the doctor said that it'll probably be in March"

"That's ages away…" Evelyn sighed.

"Well, the baby 'as to grow in yer mum's tummy first" Bert chuckled.

"The baby's in your tummy?"

"That's right"

"Was I in your tummy too?"

"Yes you were"

Evelyn placed a curious hand on Mary's abdomen.

"Your tummy isn't very big…does that mean that baby is gonna be small?"

"The baby is small at the moment…" Mary chuckled, "…but they're going to keep growing until they're ready to be born"

"And they'll be born in March?"

"Most likely"

"So, are ya excited?" Bert questioned as he hugged her loosely.

"I am!"

"Being an older sister is a very important thing, you know?" he added.

"It is?"

"Yep, your little brother or sister is gonna really look up t' you, so you get to 'elp us teach 'em everything they'll need to know"

"And I get to play with them too?"

"Of course!"

Evelyn tried to speak again, but her words were interrupted by a deep yawn.

"Okay, young lady…" Mary announced, "…I think it's time for you to go back to bed"

"Okay" she said glumly.

"But, if your gonna be a big sister, you need t' get plenty of sleep!" Bert reminded her.

"Of course!" Evelyn exclaimed before running back up to her bedroom.

"We raised a good kid, Mary" Bert sighed happily.

"Well, get ready to raise another one!"

"I honestly can't wait…" he gazed at her for a moment, "…I love you so much" he whispered.

"I love you too"

They kissed again, and this time let it deepen – simply telling the other how much they loved each other.

"So, I take it that you're 'appy too?" he asked.

"I'm, as you put it, over the moon…despite any struggles that we may've gone through whilst I was carrying Evelyn, once we were married and everything was sorted, it was one of the best times of my life…and now, I get to do it all over again with the man I love"

0oooooooooooooooooo0

Naturally, their family and friends were overjoyed when they heard the news, they received numerous visits for the first few weeks after they made their announcements; but, they didn't mind, of course, they were so thrilled by the prospect of having another child and they just wanted to share it with everyone. The months rolled on easily and they had to admit that the second pregnancy was easier than the first, they knew what to expect and they didn't have to worry about anything…expect for the fact that Mary still had a tendency to almost faint every now and then. But they took it in their stride and couldn't help but laugh about the fact that the great Mary Poppins – known for her ability to fly – often had trouble staying upright.

But, that side effect passed after the first few months and soon the pregnancy was in full swing. Bert would come home from work every day – a huge smile on his face and a song or whistle on his lips. As soon as he found Mary within their house, he'd kiss her softly before bending to kiss and nuzzle her growing stomach.

"'ello, little one…" he would coo – causing Mary to smile and roll her eyes, "…'ave you been good for your mummy today?"

Of course, the second pregnancy was no less magical than the first, when they felt their child kick for the first time, they were struck with as much awe as when Evelyn had done the exact same thing. Evelyn took to it well too, she often enjoyed imitating her father by talking to her soon-to-be sibling – especially when it involved telling them about the games they would play or about all the magical things their mother could do. During the fifth month, Mary and Bert discussed names almost every night, sometimes staying up far later than was appropriate for such an issue. They had bounced names back and forth as they had done before finally agreeing upon Charlotte for a girl and Thomas for a boy.

At night, Bert would hold her close, kiss the back of her neck and draw lazy circles across her swollen stomach with his fingertips. Mary would snuggle against him – wanting to be a close as she could be to this wonderful man – and every now and then, would ask herself the question that she had been asking herself all the way through her first pregnancy…what on earth had she done to deserve someone like him? Of course, Bert was asking himself the same thing about her. He had an amazing wife who was about to give him the gift of their second child; sometimes he would ask himself why she had chosen him, but ultimately decided not to question it; he knew that she loved him, and he loved her in return. That was all either of them needed.

He had to admit that he felt a bit helpless as the final few months arrived, he was always at work at wished for nothing more than to be able to stay home and help her out, he knew that pregnancy coupled with a four-year-old had to be tough – regardless of how well-behaved Evelyn was. But Uncle Albert – and on occasions, Mrs Corry or Mrs Banks – would check in on Mary regularly, so she assured him that he had no reason to worry. Still, the moment he got home, he would make sure that all household duties were his responsibility – insisting that she relax. She wasn't always entirely happy about that, but she had to admire his dedication and fidelity; she made sure to tell him how grateful she was.

Since the entirety of the second pregnancy had seemed easier, Mary had hoped that the birth would somehow be the same. But she was mistaken. If anything, it was harder. She had gone into labour on a Saturday evening – which luckily meant that Bert was home. Bert – who was just as frazzled as the first time – took Evelyn to Albert's before alerting their midwife. It was a lengthy birth that took them into all hours of the night and Mary had been exhausted; she had clutched desperately at Bert's hands – stifling sobs and screams as she claimed she was too tired to continue. That was the part that Bert hated, seeing her in so much pain and knowing that there was nothing he could do to take it away; but he stayed loyally by her side, squeezed her hands, stroked her hair and never stopped telling her that she could do it. His only words to her were ones of love and encouragement.

Then, finally, after hours of struggling, their son was born.

Thomas Jerry Alfred was born healthy and as Bert had commented, with a great pair of lungs! And even though she was exhausted, Mary spent what seemed like hours just staring at this new life that she and Bert had created, their second child, and he and Evelyn were their greatest treasures. The proud parents studied him beneath the moonlight for hours hat night, he had Mary's eyes, but the structure of his delicate face indicated that he would be the spitting image of his father.

"He's perfect" Bert whispered into his wife's ear before softly kissing her cheek.

"He is…" Mary agreed, "…I can't believe he's finally here…I mean, we have a son now"

"That we do, an' I'll do anything for 'im and Evelyn" Bert assured her – not that he needed to.

"We have an even bigger family now…I never thought I could be so happy" she breathed.

She felt lips press against her cheek again.

"I've been the 'appiest man on earth since the day I met ya…but you keep finding ways to make it better"

"It's a mutual feeling, I assure you" she smiled.

"Thank you for giving 'im to me, Mary"

"I couldn't have done it without you, and I mean that in a way that goes beyond the obvious; you've been so supportive throughout both my pregnancies and you're the best father a child could wish for…and I'll never stop loving you"

"An' I'll never stop loving you either" he chuckled affectionately.

They embraced beneath the sheets that night, but they didn't get much sleep, for they were overwhelmed with euphoria, now their family had welcomed one more and they couldn't be happier.

0oooooooooooooooo0

A week after Thomas' birth, Mary and Bert sat up in their bed, Evelyn between them and Thomas in his mother's arms; they all just simply gazed at him, taken aback by this new life that was now a part of their family. Soft breaths escaped from him as he slept, and Bert snuggled against Mary's side so that he could look fully at his son – the son he couldn't believe was finally here. He was so captivated by this little boy, he'd known him for only a week, yet, like he had been with Evelyn, he instantly felt so connected with him. He knew that it was that special bond that only a father knew, that urge to love and protect for the rest of his life. He swore by the urge, swore that he'd never ignore it. He leant over and delicately kissed Mary's temple, trying to thank her for giving him the gifts of their children, for the life they had and for her love. He pulled Evelyn into a close embrace and kissed the top of her head; the room was so peaceful, it was just one loving family, looking at this new little person they had to love and pondering what the future held for them.

But one thing was for sure, they truly had a life worth living.

**!**

AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, they you go! That is the end of "Come What May" *AND* "A Life Worth Living"!

Thank you so much for following these stories and thank you for all the reviews - it really means the world to me!

I really hope you enjoyed all of this and I'll see you soon! xxx