Disclaimer: I still don't own them, but here they are nonetheless. Sorry it took so long, school's been crazy but here it is! Enjoy! (And please review, it feeds the plot bunnies)


So much had changed in the last annual and all of it was for the better. Az and Jeb had married and in early May their daughter Lily was born and they couldn't be happier.

Lily was growing quickly and at almost four months when the royal family decided to have a picnic and enjoy the beautiful weather at FinAqua before the close of summer. Cain was holding his granddaughter in his arms while her parents were off enjoying some alone time.

After Lily had been born, DG and Cain insisted on babysitting for them as they had insisted on babysitting Wyatt when he was little. At Cain's insistence that he get some time with his granddaughter Az and Jeb had finally agreed to have their own date night, with the understanding that they would continue to babysit Wyatt as they always had for them as well. The arrangement suited everyone.

Cain looked down at the little girl in his arms and his grin couldn't be any wider. "You're so beautiful, Lily," he whispered in her ear, causing her mouth to turn into a smile that matched his. She giggled and he laughed along with her.

DG leaned over and kissed him on the cheek as she put her arm around him. "You're good with her, you know?" she asked, her eyes twinkling. Seeing him with his sons was one thing, but holding his granddaughter? That little girl had him wrapped around her finger almost as much as DG did. He just grunted and continued paying attention to Lily, trying not to blush at the compliment.

"She's just so…little, and precious, and…"

"Probably stubborn, troublesome, and stoic too if her parents are any indication," suggested DG. Cain slid a glance in her direction before melting at the sight of Lily falling asleep in his arms.

"You know," DG whispered in his ear. "I was thinking…it might be nice to have a little girl…"

Cain's eyes lit up at the implications and DG walked off smiling, pausing only to turn around and wink before heading back to the gazebo to spend time with her parents. Cain followed at a much slower pace so as not to wake Lily up.

--

Once back at the gazebo Ahamo and Lavender Eyes reached for their granddaughter to put in her bassinet while they watched Wyatt. The two had loved spending time with their grandson and now they had two grandchildren to spoil. The utter delight the young children gave them could not be more apparent.

Lavender Eyes rocked Lily in her arms, singing the special song she had taught her girls when they were little; the same song that saved them in the end. Lily snuggled up, completely content and Ahamo watched his love hold their granddaughter and smiled. It wasn't often the royal family had time like this to spend with each other as a group. This picnic had definitely been a good idea.

--

Az and Jeb headed back to the group after their walk around the lake. "This is the perfect day for this," said Az, sighing as she walked hand in hand with her husband. "It's so beautiful, peaceful…"

Jeb nodded, thrilled to see his wife looking as relaxed as she did. While some memories of this place got to her every once in awhile, her nightmares were now few and far between, and her main focus had been Lily. It had taken a lot of effort but he had finally convinced her to go for the walk with him and leave Lily with the rest of the family.

"So, you're…you're happy then?" he asked, nervously. She stopped walking to look at him.

"Of course I'm happy, Jeb," she said, confused as to why he would ask that.

"I just wanted to check. You know you make me worry sometimes," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

"We agreed. No secrets. I really am better," she said, curling up against him.

He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her tighter. "I'm so glad to hear you say that," was all he could get out without breaking down. He was a lot like his father. Only one thing could break a Cain man and that was worrying about the woman he loves and their children. Jeb had almost lost her an annual ago, he couldn't bear the thought of losing her again.

As if reading his thoughts Az whispered, "I'm not going anywhere, not ever," and kissed him.

--

After handing Lily over to Ahamo and Lavender Eyes, Cain grabbed DG for a little walk as well.

"So about what you said earlier…." he started, trying to figure out what he wanted to say. She smiled up at him mischievously.

"Whatever do you mean?" she asked, trying to sound innocent and failing miserably. He grabbed her into an urgent embrace and grumbled, whispering thickly in her ear "You know what I mean."

"I just thought it might be nice, you know…I see how much you love being around Lily. I know you have Jeb and Wyatt and that you love them both so much, and so do I. I just thought it might be nice to have a little girl too…" she said, hiding her face in his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her so tightly then that she couldn't move if she wanted to, yet the way his hands were on her back was so gentle that she couldn't believe how amazing this man was even though she had been married to him for years.

"As soon as we can get away from everybody else tonight I will be more than happy to get right on that, Sweetheart," he chuckled into her hair. "I love you so much, you know that. And of course I wouldn't mind having more children. Nothing would make me happier as long as it's what you want too."

"Um, Wyatt?" she asked, looking up at him. He looked down concerned but just nodded to show he was listening. "You kinda already did."

--

Lily and Wyatt were both napping in the gazebo while Ahamo and Lavender eyes watched. She was sitting on his lap in the swing with the children nearby.

Looking around she spotted her daughters off in different directions of the lake with their respective husbands and smiled widely. "They're happy. Finally, my daughters are happy."

"Your daughters?" he laughed, then stopped, thinking. "Well, I suppose they are…especially when they get into trouble," he said, tickling her slightly. She shushed him but smiled.

"It's hard to believe after everything that's happened. I never thought this day would come. To be sitting out here with you…watching our children, our grandchildren. I guess good things really do come to those who wait," she said, sighing.

At that moment Lily woke up and started giggling though nobody knew why. Ahamo just laughed as Lavender Eyes went to pick up their granddaughter. She's gonna be just like you, you know," he said.

"What makes you think that?" she asked, surprised. If Lily was going to be like anybody it was bound to be Az, not her.

"Well, she'll probably be like Az, and Az – and DG too for that matter – are both a lot like you, so like it or not, she'll be just as feisty, stubborn, and troublesome as all the Gale women combined," he stated, shrugging. "Some men like that kinda thing though," he added, kissing his wife while she rocked Lily in her arms.

"They do, huh?" she asked, looking slightly skeptical after the explanation he just gave. She placed Lily back in her bassinet.

"Yes, yes they most certainly do," he said, laughing and wrapping her in his arms so he could kiss her properly.

--

"What do you mean I 'kinda already did'?" Cain asked, startled.

"Well, you see…remember when you and Jeb went out this morning to check on the security arrangements for the picnic?" she asked. Cain grunted and nodded, urging her to continue given the inkling that he knew what she was about to say.

"Well….I haven't been feeling well the last couple of days so I asked Raw to stop by and I'm –"

He interrupted her with a deep, powerful, urgent kiss. "Are you really pregnant?" he asked, breathless, hoping that was what she had been about to say. He couldn't think of any other possibility really. She nodded. "And it's a girl…wow…Deeg, I….I don't think I could be any happier right now!" she shouted, lifting her up and kissing her again.

"Oh, I don't know about that…" she started, reaching in to kiss him again, only to be stopped by a loud coughing sound behind them.

"Sorry to interrupt," said Jeb looking ashamed. Az grabbed his hand and smiled.

"So what are we celebrating?" she asked, looking between her sister and Cain. DG looked up at Cain who was ready to burst and nodded.

"DG's just informed me that I'm to be a father again," he said, smiling. "And it's a girl." His grin was evident now as he wrapped his arms back around his wife before they were attacked by both Jeb and Az, the latter of which was squealing with delight.

"Oh! We must go tell mother and father, they'll be so pleased!" she said, grabbing DG's hand and heading straight for the gazebo.

The Cain men followed close behind. "Congrats, Father. Not bad for an old man," he added. Cain playfully punched in the arm. Nothing could make this day better, he was sure, and even a comment like that from his son wasn't going to get him down today. He wasn't old, he was a father, for the third time. It took awhile to wrap his head around that.

He had just about gotten used to the idea when he heard squeals of joy from a few feet in front of him in the gazebo. Ahamo was keeping an eye on Lily and Wyatt while the three girls were hugging and crying and squealing in turn and chatting about something that nobody seemed to be able to hear. The men just watched and shrugged, figuring it was a female thing and not to be questioned.

Once the girls had calmed down they took a moment to look back where Cain and Jeb stood. Ahamo and Lavender Eyes offered their congratulations and he smiled and thanked them.

On the way back to the palace with Lavender Eyes and Ahamo carrying their grandchildren, the couples walked along, all laughing and talking about everything that had happened and thrilled at the way things had come out right in the end.

--

"This was the perfect day," said Az while she leaned against her husband on the walk back. "I can't think of anything better than spending the day with the ones I love. And to think, Deeg is pregnant! Things really are ok now, aren't they?" she asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes, they most certainly are," he agreed, happy to have the woman he loved back, knowing now that it was permanent. She was stronger than people had given her credit for and she never stopped fighting for them, or their daughter, once she had gotten them back.

--

"Wyatt?" DG asked quietly when she thought nobody else was listening.

"Yes, my love?" he whispered, pulling her closer to him.

"Did I mention I'm having twins?"