A/N: I'm back and everything is fine, thanks for asking. I have missed writing but life has just been busy to the brink of madness. In the past month I bought a new house, prepped and sold the current, went on a business trip to Cambridge in between plus lots to do at work and at home in general. I enjoyed the trip enormously because I have not been in UK since I lived in Cambridge six months 22(!) years ago. Now, only one more week's work to survive before annual leave.

I have not only lacked time to sit on my bum and write, but the story simply was pushed out of my head and now I have tried to find my way back to it. This will be the last chapter of this story though. I'm always a bit unwilling to write the last chapter but this was after all first intended as a one-shot and I think we are well past that.

Maybe I ought to apologise for not issuing a warning about upcoming hotness in the previous chapter, but I thought it would be a spoiler. Usually, I let my versions of Molly and CJ be friends and talk and talk before they get to it, so I felt like doing it the other way around this time. They did after all get to talk afterwards if anyone still was paying attention by then.


Chapter 9


After the half-hearted dinner with his dad, Sam headed home, dragging his feet because he was not looking forward to returning alone to empty rooms instead of walking through the door hand in hand with Betsy after a nice dinner with their parents as he had anticipated. He had considered giving Betsy a call but decided to keep his distance and respect her wish to have some alone time with Molly. When or if she wanted to talk to him, she would. He hoped to God it would be when.

When he woke up this morning, he had been so incredibly happy. Betsy was to meet her mum at the train station already at ten, so they got up unusually early for a Saturday and he made her breakfast whilst she had a shower and got dressed. When she joined him in the kitchen with damp hair, smelling fresh of that shampoo he loved and took the plate and mug he handed her, it had struck him that he could easily imagine every morning of his life like this.

Over the last weeks he had been considering different options of what to do after passing his final examination and leaving Professor Watson's research group. This morning in the kitchen it had dawned on him that his choices now would be limited to those that meant he could keep seeing Betsy. He would not go abroad for a postdoc unless she could join him, he would not accept a job offer in a location too far away. He wanted and needed to see her almost every day, to be part of her life, that was what mattered most to him.

That had been his conclusion this morning. Now he was not sure she would want that; want to stay his girlfriend, want to make plans for a future together.

He knew that Molly had loved him once, but she had also loved his dad and what he had done, what he had put her through, seemed almost unforgivable. What if Molly told Betsy that she could not stand a connection with any James? What if she made Betsy choose? He was far from sure that he would be the one chosen then, because the bond between mother and daughter was obviously very strong. The Molly he once had known would never have forced Betsy make such a choice, but that was before his dad slept with another woman on tour. One who Molly had considered a friend, which made the betrayal so much worse. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Was that true for Molly?

During their many talks during Sam's first year of research, Charles had revealed everything to him. Gradually he had unfolded his and Molly's story to Sam, the X-rated version of how their loving relationship had spiralled down, the full picture his son never had known before. The last piece he shared tearful and full of shame, when he reluctantly admitted what he had done only a few days after Molly had said the marriage was over. Unable to look Sam in the eyes whilst telling this sordid part of his story, he had taken a large gulp from the beer bottle in his hand and fixed his gaze on a dark corner of the bar they found themselves in that evening.

"I always knew she didn't mean what she said. It wasn't over for her. It wasn't over for me either, but I wanted her to think so, to make her let go of me, because I felt like shit personified and didn't want to drag her down with me. So I did the one thing I could think of, that would really end it for both of us. For me because I knew I wouldn't do such a thing when I was in a sound loving relationship. For her because she would despise me. Hate me."

"What did you do?" Sam asked wide-eyed.

"I slept with someone else. On tour. The medic."

"Dad!"

Charles looked into Sam's appalled face which once again reminded him of the magnitude of what he had done back then, not that he had forgotten. Not only had he slept with another woman when he still was Molly's husband, but on tour and in the same role that Molly had held when they once met, somehow tainting even the beginning of their love story. He could hardly have done anything worse.

"Yes, Sam, I totally deserve the way you're looking at me right now." Charles' voice broke. "In one way I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing telling you. Maybe you'll never respect me again, but I've been thinking… Our talks, since you started your research, it has meant a great deal to me and I have realised that I want you to know me. Know all of me, the real me, including the mistakes I've made. You have known for long that I'm far from perfect, now I'm trying to explain why I have done some of the things I have in the past. You're a grown-up and you're entitled to the truth and to decide what you make of it, but more importantly you are my son and I don't want to keep pretending that I am or have been someone different than I am. I'm tired of keeping appearances up."

Sam had stayed silent for a while before he spoke, measuring his words carefully, despite his young age wise enough not to say anything he would regret later.

"I'm shocked and appalled, I won't deny that. Finally I understand why Molly left like she did. I need to think about this dad, need to take it in. I'll call you when I have."

He had grabbed his coat and left Charles, walked away just like Molly and Betsy had today. The difference was that Charles was his dad, he had no other and he loved him no matter what. He had called him after a week and said he appreciated the honesty and wanted to move on from there and so they had.

Sam paused outside his door to reach for the keys. Years had passed since they had that father-son-talk and even if he had found Charles' actions horrible, putting the cards on the table had made them grow closer. He had forgiven his dad the past, but today was another trial in the present. Maybe Betsy, faced with the facts of their parents' past, would not want to be with him anymore. Maybe it was simply too much to stomach.

He opened the door and stepped inside, prepared for silence, but soft music was playing, and the lights were on. She was here. His heart made a little somersault.

"Betsy?"

She appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. She had changed clothes and was dressed in her favourite among his t-shirts. He always loved the way it dwarfed her. She looked comfy, like she was waiting for him and had no plans to go anywhere. To his utter relief a smile was playing on her lips.

"You're home already?"

"I found mum and talked to her, but then she needed to be alone."

"So you don't know if she went to see dad?"

"No. She said she would think about it. I told her she should go, if only to get closure. She wasn't as upset as I thought she would be, quite calm actually. Come, I've just put on the kettle."

He followed her into the kitchen and leaned against the worktop, watching her as she prepared two mugs of tea. Appreciating that she was here.

"Did she tell you about what happened back then?"

"Yeah… So hard, for both of them."

"What dad did…"

"He fucked up, he really did… but he seems to have suffered too from what you've told me. Suffered more than enough, don't you think?"

"Knowing him… having seen him and talked to him over the years, I think so, yes. But do you?"

She nodded.

"In the end it is only the two of them who can fix things between them. Ask forgiveness, forgive."

"And if they don't? What if Molly still hates dad?"

She stepped closer, her eyes locked in his.

"I don't think she ever hated him. I think she was just terribly, terribly hurt because she loved him."

"Still… would you want to be with me then? If she can't forgive him?"

Then she laughed a lovely laughter, like small bells jingling, closed the remaining gap between them and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"As much as I feel for both of them, they are them and we are us. I won't let their screwed up past stop the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"I'm the best thing that has happened to you?" He cracked up in a smile so wide it would never end.

"Yup."

"You mean that? Seriously?"

"I do. I love you, Samuel James." She kissed him on the mouth and relief flooded over him. She would not push him away over this.

"I love you Betsy… or Bashira? What do you want me to call you?"

"You can call me anything you like as long as you stay with me, but I'm most used to Betsy these days."

He just smiled and kissed her again. Neither of them felt like sitting down by the kitchen table, the distance between them would be too wide. Instead they brought their mugs to the sofa and cuddled up close to one another.

"Do you know that Molly used to tell me stories about you? Even dad told me stories where Molly was a heroine and you played a part. I loved those stories, they were more exciting than Harry Potter."

"No? What did they tell you?"

Entwined on the sofa, he told her everything as he remembered it, as an adult realising that the story had the rosy shimmer of a fairy tale which probably had not been the real daily life of Bashira. Realised that if all was true, her childhood had been harsh.

"Did all that really happen?"

"It did."

"The part where your father put a suicide vest on you too?"

"It is long since I thought of him as my father. He was my biological father, sure, but I never had a father-daughter relationship with him. I was never worth anything to him, except like a merchandise he could trade for something he wanted more. My mother loved me, but she was so repressed." She shook her head sadly at the memories. "The first real family I knew was when I came to live with Molly and Simon and they became my parents. They have always shown me they loved me and coming here, to UK, I was free in a way I never would have been allowed to be in Afghan. I remember good days, good moments there too, but I would never have been able to go to school like here. I would never have been allowed to fall in love with whom I wanted, decide who I marry. I will not throw away any of the opportunities given to me, especially not you."

"You're saying you think you will marry me?" He flashed her a cheeky grin.

"I think you're a bit previous there", she giggled.

He pulled her even closer to him.

" Maybe so, but it was you who mentioned marriage first. You know, if I believed in fate, I would say everything seems to have led up to this… to us meeting each other and falling in love. Molly and dad going to Afghan and meeting you…"

"...Them falling in love and getting married…", she filled in.

"Yeah, and dad's best friend's death and the PTSD and the divorce, because otherwise Molly may never had adopted you and then you wouldn't have come here."

"But I did. I did come here and walked into the office a sulking researcher who turned out to be quite charming after all."

"Really? Who was that?"

"As if you don't know, you numpty."

She turned her face up to his to let him kiss her and he was not late to pick up the message and gave her an intense kiss.

"You know I want to be with you when I'm done? That I want to make plans for my life after the examination together with you?"

"I didn't know…" Smiling she nibbled his bottom lip. "But I'm thrilled to hear it because I want that too, and my plan for the immediate future…"

"Yes?"

"Can you please take me to bed?"

"Sounds like an excellent plan to me."


It was the day of the ceremony. Sam was dressed to the nines in white shirt and navy blue suit and tie, looking absolutely dashing but as usual unaware of it. He paced around mumbling to himself, waiting for the moment when it was time for him to enter before the assembled audience.

Charles strolled in, nervous too under the surface even if he pulled off to look cool as a cucumber. This was after all a big day for his only son and consequently for him.

"Feeling ready?"

"As ready as I can be. I wonder if any preparations in the world are enough not to be nervous on a day like this. I'm afraid I'll make a mistake, and someone will eat me alive."

Charles snorted.

"And who would that be? Not Betsy I imagine, or Molly, or me. Not even your mum even if she is a perfectionist. Do you care about anyone else?"

"Not really."

"There you go, nothing to be nervous about then."

"Easier said than done." He adjusted his tie knot for the umpteenth time. "Were you? Nervous?"

Charles delayed his response to think back of how things had been.

"With your mum I was nervous like a cat on hot bricks. We were so young, and I wasn't entirely sure it was right. It turned out it wasn't, but I'll never regret it because it gave me you. With Molly I knew for sure it was right, that it was everything I wanted, yet I was nervous. Feared I would screw it up somehow, because I was so unbelievably in love and I couldn't believe I would be allowed to stay as happy as I was that day. That came true too as you know."

Sadness passed briefly over Charles' face before his expression transformed into a happy smile.

"The second time with Molly, I wasn't nervous at all. I was still as much in love as the first time but knew both myself and her better. I felt certain we had already gone through the worst challenges a couple can be faced with and made it through to the other side. Not side by side together all the way, but we came back to each other and we will stay together always. I knew that for sure on our second wedding day, so all I felt was gratefulness for asecond chance, happiness and anticipation. And love of course."

"I know this is right too, without a shadow of a doubt."

Charles seriously met the brown eyes that were a duplicate his own, then smiled.

"Well, I have seen you together and I know that too. I think you're lucky enough to get it right the first time and I think you'll be very happy."

"Thanks dad."

"I can hardly take any credit for that. You handled that part of your life brilliantly on your own, just as you have with so much else. I hope you know Rebecca and I are very proud of you? Molly too of course."

Sam only nodded, as he by now had a lump in his throat. Charles' eyes were also suspiciously glossy.

"Alright, I think we need to pull ourselves together. We can't leave the ladies waiting, can we? Let's go in."

The two handsome, suited men entered the crowded little church, where Sam took his position by the altar. Charles first gave him a reassuring pat on the back, but then went for a full hug before he stepped to the side.

Sam's gaze wandered over the first rows. His mum and grandparents were seated next to Timmy and Tamara, Betsy's little brother and sister, who oddly had become his step-siblings too when their parents got back together. He saw aunt Bella come scurrying down the side aisle as fast as she could in her high heels, with eyes fixed on Charles and a look of distress on her face. Sam laughed to himself as he realised the reason was the baby in her arms who had started making displeased noises.

"You had better take her, or she might scream throughout the entire ceremony", she blurted out when she stopped in front of an amused Charles.

"Oh dear, we couldn't have that", he said with soft voice, directed more to the baby than to the reluctant baby sitter Bella, as he took the little one in his arms and held her close to his chest. The rosy baby snuggled into him and immediately went quiet when she sensed the familiar body shape and scent of Charles.

Sam smiled again. Despite that Stella was six months old, he still was not used to the sight of his father with a baby in his arms, but it was one that made him happy. He had given up the thought of any sibling's on Charles' side so many years ago, that it had taken some time to fully adjust when dad and Molly had broken the news.

It seemed like they had been a bit nervous to tell him and Betsy that they were expecting a baby together. Molly stuttered slightly as she said the words, whilst Charles held an arm around her in an almost protective manner as if he feared a negative reaction.

"We realise if this is weird to you. I mean, it will be a brother or sister to both of you and since you are together... well, that is weird." Molly had wriggled uncomfortably on her chair and Charles was drumming his fingers on his thigh until Molly grabbed his hand to hold it instead.

"We wanted this very much and we're very happy. We hope you can be happy for us too, even if it is a bit screwed up", Charles chipped in.

Betsy and Sam had looked at each other and burst into laughter. By now they were already used to and fully accepting a messed-up family tree and this added complication was indeed a happy one.

"I can only speak for myself and I'm really glad, but a bit shocked or at least surprised. Not because it will be weird, but I didn't expect more siblings. To be honest I thought you were too old by now..."

"Oi, don't be cheeky. I'm only turning 40 next year. There are lots of 40-year old mums out there." Molly grinned, knowing Sam meant no offense and relived he seemed to take the news well.

"I was talking about dad", he grinned in return.

"You had better watch out young man, or I will disown you." Charles tried to put on a stern face but for once failed miserably, looking more like a giddy school boy now when there was no negative reaction.

"As it takes nine months I'll have some time to get used to the thought at least."

Sam had accepted the imminent baby immediately, as had Betsy and both had been looking forward to its arrival, yet it had been strange to see her in Charles' arms for the first time and realise his dad was a dad once again. It had been strange but touching and once again he got to know a new side to his father, one which he appreciated very much and hoped he would be able to copy if he one day had kids of his own.


Standing behind Betsy, Molly smoothed a strand of her hair in place, then let her hands rest on Betsy's shoulders and their eyes met in the mirror.

"Do you miss your mother? Do you wish she was here with you today?"

A look of uncertainty and something that resembled guilt passed over Molly's face.

Betsy moved a hand to place it over Molly's.

"Of course, I have thought of her, thought I wished she could see me this happy and dressed like a bride, but you are my mum too and we are close in a way I never could be with her. You are the one I truly wouldn't have wanted to be without today."

Molly gave her a radiant smile, she had worried she would not be enough on this special day.

"I wish dad was here too."

"You know that I'm always thinking Simon is looking down on us from his cloud, especially on a day like this. He wouldn't miss it for the world."

"I know, and I think so too."

Neither of them mentioned Betsy's biological father. No one would have wanted him here and they preferred not spoiling the day by thinking of him even briefly.

"I have something for you."

Molly took out a small jewelry box and gave to the surprised Betsy, who opened it. It contained white gold necklace with the most beautiful blue sapphire pendant.

"I had it made for you because I thought it could be your 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue'."

"I love it! But it looks all new to me?"

"In a way it is, and definitely new to you. You know the story of Smurf. Once he gave me his mother's wedding ring. I told him I only saw him as a friend, but he asked me to keep it for him for now and I agreed to wear it on a string around my neck, never on my finger and said I would return it when he found his girl. He never got to do that though... So, you can say I borrowed it, and it is old. His mum didn't let me return it after his death, said he would have wanted me to keep it, but I never wore it again. Last month I used it to make this pendant instead and asked them to add a blue stone. I think that is a worthier use of the ring than just having it hidden in a drawer and I wanted to take something sad and turn it into something good, like we have done with so many other things in our lives."

"I think that is so beautiful, thank you."

"I had something engraved on the back of the pendant, but it is so small it is almost impossible to read."

"What does it say?"

"Soul sisters."

"Oh, mum you're making me cry before it even has started."

"No, no, I didn't mean to." Molly reached for a handkerchief and both carefully dabbed under their eyes not to smudge the makeup.

"It's happy tears though. I love you."

"And I love you, both like my daughter and a sister. You have been special to me since the day we met."

Sometimes, Molly had thought to herself that the love she felt for Charles and the love she felt for Bashira, had started to grow simultaneously back in Afghan and were somehow so connected that she could not quite separate them. During her first years with Charles, being without Bashira and worrying for her had left her with a hole in her heart not even he could fill. The many years without Charles, after she had brought Bashira home to safety, there had instead been a vacuum after him. Only now, when she had them both in her life, together with the other children, she was finally complete. The circle of love was closed.

"Now I had better bring you in to Sam or he may worry you have jilted him at the altar."

"As if I could. I'm crazy about him and can't imagine my life without him, but you already know that."

"I do and I'm so, so happy for you. I can't think of anyone I'd rather see you marry."

"Not strange since you're crazy about his dad."

"Weird but very true."

Giggling like two teenage girls they prepared to enter the church.


An acoustic guitar began playing Pachelbel's Canon in D and the double doors at the entrance of the church swung open. Sam immediately re-directed his gaze there and unconsciously clenched his jaw in fear of anything that could happen between this moment and the moment she said yes, but there was nothing to fear. Only good things came to pass.

Betsy was standing in the door with Molly by her side as she had decided that she wanted her mum to walk her to the altar on this day. Betsy looked ethereal in a wedding dress with a fitted bodice of Chantilly lace, a full-length wide tulle skirt and a beaded belt at the waist, showing her delicate silhouette to perfection. Her hair was made into a soft updo with white flowers dispersed in the dark locks instead of a veil. Sam almost stopped breathing at the sight, unable to believe that this almost supernatural beauty was to be his wife, but as she came closer he saw her green eyes seeking for his, twinkling with happiness. Once their eyes met, she did not let go and as she walked up the aisle she smiled the widest smile. It was like there was only the two of them in the room. He knew then for sure that nothing would ruin this day.

Molly walked next to her eldest daughter, her heart swelling with pride and joy. All those years ago, when she left Charles and consequently left Sam behind, she could never have foreseen that a day as happy as this would come; that she would get to walk her daughter Bashira to the altar, where a totally smitten Sam would be waiting for her to make her his wife, whilst Charles, her own beloved husband for the second time around, waited for her to join him, holding their baby.

A year or so after they had reconciled and were already married again through a small ceremony at the register office with only Sam and Betsy present, Charles had asked almost bashfully, if she could imagine having another child. He had told her he would fully understand if she did not want it but that he would love to have a baby with her. It took her by surprise and at first she had been hesitant to start over. Not because she had not forgiven him or did not trust him, she did by then and had proven it by accepting to be his wife again, but she was hesitant to go through another pregnancy, breast feeding, and nights deprived of sleep.

However, time went by and she saw how great he was with Timmy and Tamara, taking them on as his own. He showed her daily in every way possible how much he loved her and her own love for him grew stronger than ever; different, deeper, more mature. Gradually she started longing for a child with him, one that was half him, half her and one night in bed when he started touching her she told him she was no longer on the pill. He paused, looked at her searchingly and saw in her eyes that she meant what he hoped. The love making that followed was more passionate and intense than ever.

If it happened already that night or during one of the many intimate moments in the weeks that followed was not possible to tell for sure, but they liked to think that it happened that special night and soon Molly's baby bump was growing. She had an easy pregnancy, even if there were a few more health checks for both her and the baby this time as she was turning forty that year. Nine months later they welcomed baby Stella to the world, immediately adored and spoiled by everyone in the family.

Molly had not regretted her decision one second; not through the pregnancy when Charles was there every step of the way; held back her hair during the few episodes of morning sickness, cried at the first glimpse of the baby form at the scan and later on froze in amazement when he felt her kick. Even if this was not his first child, Sam was so long ago, and he had been on tour for part of that pregnancy and missed much. Now he savoured every day more than the more experienced Molly and she laughed at him when he googled the development of the baby week by week, like she had done with Timmy but not bothered once she got pregnant with Tamara. Now, during her third pregnancy she did not really feel the need either but took great joy in letting Charles inform her that the baby this week was the size of a kiwi; now had a beating heart; now was fully functional and only growing in size before it would come out to them. Most of all she enjoyed the happy expectation in his eyes and when the baby finally made its entrance into this world and she saw Charles holding the tiny, perfect creature in his arms, she realised that Stella was the final piece of mending them. They were what they always had been meant to be; a loving family. Their life paths had taken a detour, for good and for bad, but now they were intertwined again and would not drift apart a second time. She felt certain of that.

Despite that Stella had been with them six months by now, Molly also was certain that she would never tire of the sight of Charles with their daughter. As she walked up the aisle by Betsy's side, she watched him. After one long admiring look at the bride, his gaze had shifted to her, the most important woman in his life. Now he watched Molly with a look of unbridled joy and she took him in too, enjoyed the combination of handsome, impressively tall man in black suit and tiny baby cradled in his arms and she wondered to herself if it was very inappropriate that she wanted him badly right now. When she left Betsy by Sam's side and went to stand by Charles, he looked down on her and whispered.

"You look as beautiful as the bride."

"You're not supposed to say that", she beamed.

"Am I allowed to tell you I love you very, very much then, Molly James?"

"You are, and I love you very, very much too, but now you have to stay quiet because I want to hear our children getting married."

And so, they stood, side by side and watched Sam and Betsy promise they would love one another for better and for worse, sealing it with rings and a kiss, knowing that they too would hold that promise true for the rest of their lives.


A week later the quartet plus Stella found themselves at Heathrow. Molly and Charles had come to see Betsy and Sam off for their honey moon trip.

"Promise to take care of yourselves now", a tearful Molly demanded as she hugged them both hard.

"We're adults mum and you know it is a different ball bag now from when we last were there. Once we get to Italy you can stop worrying completely."

"Worrying is a mum's privilege no matter how grown-up and independent the kids are. You will get that one day."

After Sam had passed his final examination with flying colours and graduated as PhD, and his thesis and publications had received great acclaim, he had received many job offers both in UK and abroad. One had been to join a private clinic based in Oxford, treating PTSD patients, but although it was tempting it was only part time. Then Professor Watson had offered him to stay in her group also for a post-doc, admitting she would be thrilled if he stayed. A half year earlier that would have been the last option on his list, but with the vastly improved relationship he now had with Watson and the prospect of staying close to Betsy, he had gladly accepted and spent part of his time at the university, part at the clinic working with patients.

Within a few months Betsy had moved in with him and they had remained in Oxford, but a few months ago she had completed her PhD too, Sam was done with the post doc and they felt ready for some adventures.

For their honey moon they had decided they wanted to visit the country that was Betsy's roots and Sam always had found alluring; Afghanistan. Over the last decade, the situation in the country had improved and stabilized in ways few had dared to hope, with the few remaining Taliban well-controlled and suicide attacks being a memory of the past. Now, the newlyweds would spend a week there before flying to Italy where they would stay at Sam's grandparents' villa by Lake Garda.

Molly was both excited and a bit envious about them going to Afghan, but could not help also feeling motherly concern.

"We will be fine mum, and we'll text you and send photos. It will almost be like you're there."

Charles put his arm around Molly and pulled her close to him.

"Did you know that Molly once seriously considered living there permanently in some little mountain village, because she thought it was 'proper nice'?"

"No!? What happened that made you change your mind?"

"I pointed out to her there was no Wi-Fi and then she realised there would be one or two other things she might miss from home."

"Yeah, like Top Shop and Starbucks", Molly reminisced.

"Do you remember what else you worried about that day?"

"Bashira. I worried about Bashira."

"Some things never change, do they?"

All laughed, and both Molly and Charles got a fuzzy warm feeling in the pit of their stomachs, thinking back to that day on patrol between the green mountainsides of Helmand. The initial ice between them had been broken at that point, he had realised she was indeed 'the nuts' as a medic and they had shared one of their first laughs together at the thought of the Newham born and raised Molly living in the Afghan mountains. It was also the first time he had realised how much he appreciated that she made him look at Afghan with different eyes than he had before, during any of his previous tours.

"Anyway, we had better go through security now, so we don't miss the plane. I promise we will come back to you, not settle down in the Afghan mountains", Sam said.

"No, I would also miss Top Shop and Starbucks too much. And you." Betsy stepped closer to give the trio one last hug and kissed Stella on her forehead. She was sleeping in Molly's arms, blissfully unaware of her surroundings and the goodbyes being said.

"Oh, just go now before I start crying. See you in two weeks, but I want many photos! And give Quaseem a hug from me."

They watched the newlyweds disappear after one last wave goodbye.

"I already miss them."

"They will be fine you know."

"I know, and so will we."

"And so will we. You would want to go with them, wouldn't you?"

"I would. I would really like to go back one day, now when it is peace. Visit Quaseem, see what Kabul looks like now, go for a mountain hike maybe. But you wouldn't want to return, would you?"

"I have thought about it. For some time, I wondered if it would give me closure to go back, but then I realised I have already had my closure; by finding my way back to Sam, by finding my way back to you and by Stella coming into our lives. All I want and need is here, I don't need anything else to be happy. I think you should go one day though, with Betsy or maybe with all of the kids to show them where their big sister comes from."

"I might do just that, but I think it will have to wait until Stella is older. For now, I'm one hundred percent content here, by your side."

Charles wrapped his arms around Molly and held her as close as he could without squeezing Stella and bent down and kissed his wife for long. So long that the baby finally stirred and began making sounds.

"I think someone is saying we should go home", Charles mused.

"We should probably head for the house, but as for being home, I am already. It's where you are, Charles James."

"As glad as I am to hear that, I'm wondering if you ever will let me have the last word, my gobby little Cockney?"

"Very small chance of that happening. Can you live with that?"

He cocked an eyebrow in the way she loved so much and smirked.

"I think I can. It's a small price to pay to have you in my life for always."


THE END


A/N: Hope you enjoyed. As always, thank you for following to the end and thank you for all the reviews because they truly encourage me to keep writing. The full completed story will soon be published as an e-book on the blog where I keep all my completed stories: www misspionyff wordpress com. Replace the spaces with dots.