AN: This is the last chapter of this story. Is a bit longer than usual, so I divided it in two parts. The PART II contains some spoilers for the next season, not literally but you'll see. If you don't want to know anything ahead of series 3 you can read only the first part, I think it will totally make sense on its own and can be a good end too. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Last Chapter: February 14th

PART I

The following weeks Ross developed a new routine, not that he was entirely content with it, but it was far more pleasant than he thought it would be at first. As always, since that fatidic night in may last year, he slept in the cot in the library, but from that day on the cliffs a couple of weeks ago things had changed for the better. He used to get up, get dressed and get on top of Darkie to go and see Demelza. She had told him she needed time to think about his proposal, he wanted them back on Nampara that very same day, but she was not so easily persuaded. In a way she was asking something that he never gave her, some kind of courtship, attentions between a man and a woman that he was pleased to give her, to call on her and to talk and spend time together with their son as chaperone.

His arm was almost healed, she had removed the stitches and helped him stretched it every day so it wouldn't lose muscle. He rode to the cottage every morning knowing that she always gets out of bed very early to do her chores so he could spend some time alone with her. And now that was what he did every morning, Demelza waited for him to have her breakfast and Ross took as a enormous sign of improvement when the marmalade she served was a strawberry one, his favorite.

The awkward silences were thing of the past as well, now the conversation was fluent and amicable, even when he was the one who made most of it. Ross had never been good in small talk, Demelza being the one in charge of telling gossips or telling him about her plans for the day and himself mostly listening with amusement, making ironic remarks or asking questions, now the situation was reversed, and Ross had become an expert in tricking Demelza into talks about the future, suddenly without her noticing she was wrapped in plans to go to town, dinners with their acquaintances, buying new furniture or even trips to France, to which she would gave him a look and if she was in good humor even a kick to his leg under the table.

After having breakfasted with his wife, Ross went to the mine, stood in the office until noon and then he'd go down with the afternoon shift. In past months he used to stay with the rest of the miners until their shift was over, when they went out it was already dark, but now he found that he didn't want to do that. A few days after the accident, when his wife considered that he was strong enough to go to Wheal Grace, Ross asked Demelza to help him with the mine's books:

'Ney Ross, I know nothing about mine numbers'

'Is not very hard, I'll show you. I can't write with my arm like this'-he pivoted his body to show his side to Demelza.

'Then ask Henshawe to do it.'

'Is not Henshawe's job. Besides he's got his hand full with the supervision of the tunnel, without me unable to go down...'

'You can't go down yet.'

'Then you'll help me with the books. Is your mine too Demelza, so don't make that funny face'

'What face?'

'This face'-Ross got his lips near Demelza's and waited for her to looked at him before sweetly touch her mouth with his.

'Tis fine Ross, I'll do it if you want me to.'

'Yes, I want you to.'-he said with a winning tone-'It's only a couple of days in the week, we can go after breakfast and be back to lunch with Jeremy.'

And so they did. Two or three days of the week Demelza went with Ross to the mine and he taught her how to keep the books, with the load coming from the mine and the price they were selling it, minus the cost of coal and the payment to the miners and other outgoings, it was not hard but it required concentration and she couldn't get much with Ross prowling in the office, so he was soon send away to supervise the work on the ground.

When payday came, Demelza couldn't help being amaze by the amount of cash that Ross and Henshawe had brought from Pascoe, she had never seen so much money together in her life.

On their way back to the cottage Demelza was still astonished.

'You seem quiet.'-Ross told her while walking arm in arm by the path on top of the cliffs.

'The mine is really paying, isn't?'

'I told you. And you've been keeping the books this last weeks so you should know.'

'Yes, but 'tis different, when you see it I mean. Judas, I've never seen such amount in my life!'

Ross smiled at her.

'Nor I until Grace started to pay. Are you pleased?'

'Yes. Oh, but not for me, for th... for Jeremy. To think he will grow up with no needs, we mustn't take things for granted.'

'We won't. We will take care of it for him, it will all be his someday.'

Demelza's smile brightly and her green eyes sparkled with the sunshine of the dying day. Ross stopped walking next to her and brought her close to him, his hands in her waist, hers in his forearms. They looked at each other for what it seemed an eternity, Ross pressing her to him, never wanting to let her go again. He kissed her sweet and adoringly and she kissed him back, her heart beating so strongly she felt it could escape her body. When they stopped to breathe Ross rested his forehead in hers, like they used to do long ago.

'I'd like you to be pleased too. For you, not just for Jeremy.'

'I am Ross.'-He took her face in his hands and kissed her again.

The hardest part of the day were the nights. Ross had not only taught her how to keep the numbers of Wheal Grace, but he also needed her to help him to draw the charts with the progress of the tunnels in each level, and this was a daily job, so after they had supper and Jeremy was already asleep, they sat together at the table with the parchment and a quill and he would point with his finger and tell her where the advance of the day had been and she would draw it on the paper.

Most of the days ended the same way. Her closeness, the candle light, the silence in the house and Ross looking over her shoulder, she couldn't help but shiver, her hand trembling and unable to finish her job. Even worst was the fact that Ross realized that and was encouraged to give her soft pecks from the edge of her dress to the back of her ear, a couple of times he even managed to steal a few kisses on her lips. It always ended up the same way though, with the "Ross I have to finish this'" and the "You better go now". So he reluctantly left her every night to complete her task alone. He promised to give her all the time she wanted and he would keep that promise not mattered how hard it was.

But this night something was different.

He couldn't say what or why. Maybe he felt it in the way she was holding his hand that afternoon, or maybe it was the kisses they shared on the way home. Now the day was long gone and the moonlight was piercing through the only parlour window. They didn't talk much at dinner, each of them lost in their own thoughts, when Ross came back downstairs after putting Jeremy to bed Demelza seemed to be ready for another night with charts, drawing tunnels and mine levels. He served two glasses with port and went to sit next to her. She slowly drank the glass Ross gave her and then began to work in the paper, he watched her for a while and then he yawned and stretched out his arms and ran a hand softly down her back, putting his arm around her waist to bring her closer to him.

'Ross…'

'mmm?'

She didn't say anything for a moment.

'Yes, Demelza?'

'I don't want to do the maps tonight.'-she muttered.

Ross lifted his hand to her cheek and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She turned her body to him and grabbed his hand in hers and kissed it.

'What do you want to do?'-he gasped.

Demelza gave his hand another kiss and then shyly raised her eyes to his.

'I want to show you something.'-she said-'Will you let me?'

'Yes but… Demelza, these last few days have been marvelous, but I don't think I can…'-He was struggling to find the words, he knew what he wanted to say, but was still cautious about how would she react if he tried to move things forward- 'I won't be able to resist… Demelza, what I want is to hold you hard to me and kiss you, and never let you go.'

Her long mouth curled in a faint smile as his glance met hers. She kissed his knuckles once more and stood up.

'Let me show you. Wait here a moment and then come upstairs.'-she didn't let him reply, she left him there and went to her bedroom.

Ross could hear her wandering above his head, he wondered what she was about and what she was doing, the palms of his hands were sweating in anticipation. It could be nothing, she said she wanted to show him something but that could be anything, he drank in one sip the glass he was still holding. He waited a moment after he couldn't hear steps anymore and went up.

The hall was in darkness but a soft light was coming from her bedroom. The door was slightly open but he still knocked before coming in. There was only one candle burning next to the bed, Demelza was standing in the blaze of the fire next to the hearth. Her hair was loose, the curls waving over her shoulders, her skin like made of alabaster glowing in front of the fire, her cheeks pink the same as her lips. She was wearing a pale silk nightgown, tight over her chest, falling width like a tide to her feet. The cleavage was large and barely covered her breasts, it was held by a ribbon, the same that held the sleeves over her elbows.

His gaze traveled her body over and over again. His heart was pounding in his throat, he'd never seen her so beautiful, he'd never seen anything more beautiful than her in that moment.

'Do you like it?'-Demelza asked him but he didn't hear her.

He took a step closer to her and raised his hand to touch her on her waist with one finger, he needed to check that she was real, that she was really there. He went around her, Demelza stood still while he watched her from behind like a tomcat. Her small back was covered by her hair, it was so long and it reached near the waist, her bottom covered by the waves of silk, he could see her gasping, her chest moving up and down with each breath.

He went back to stand in front of her.

'Where did you get this?'

'I bought it,'-she hurried to reply -'from the dressmaker in Sawle. She said is the latest fashion in London.'

'London…'

'You don't like it?'

For the first time since he came to the room he looked up from her body to her eyes.

'Like it?... Like is a very short of a word to describe what I feel for you in this moment Demelza. You look exquisite. You look like a bride… my bride?'

She nodded quietly and he took her in his arms. She pulled against his grip and he sucked her breath with a kiss as he pressed to her even deeper. They touched and caressed each other where they could reach. Ross took off his boots while Demelza untied his neckcloth and unbuttoned his waistcoat, they were soon in the bed, Ross covering her body with his, kissing her face, her neck, her shoulders, his hands roving trough her body over the silk.

'Did you buy it for me?'-he whispered in her ear, the thought of her thinking ahead in this moment arousing him deeper.

She chuckled with his question. – 'Yes Ross.'

He raised his head to look at his wife.

'You're a supposed to moan ecstatically, not giggle.'

'Then you must endeavor yourself harder'

He kissed her deeply, and as yet too hungry and too clumsy for tenderness, still they made love with a sort of unflagging joy and passion utterly new but yet familiar, and in that moment the past no longer existed and there were only the two of them like they were before, stronger than they were, full and lost in their love.

Midnight found the Poldarks cuddled close beneath the sheets, Demelza's leg between Ross's, her head on his shoulder and her fingers caressing his chest. His hand draw patterns over of her back, her skin was tingling and tight with goosebumps.

Ross fondled her forehead with his lips, she felt him smell her hair, she planted a kiss over his heart and lifted her head from his shoulder putting her arms across him and resting her face over her hands, he started to untangled her hair with his fingers while she looked at him.

'Will you come back to Nampara?'-he asked her after a while.

She didn't reply immediately, instead she kept pecking his chest, teasing him with her tongue until she reached his mouth. She could feel him waking once more underneath her and she wanted to have him inside her again, but they were things that needed it to be said before.

'Demelza.'-he spoke between her lips.

'mmm?'

He kissed her deeply once more, but then he held her face away a few inches from his.

'I want you to come home. Would you?'

Demelza placed her head again over her hands on top of his chest and sighed.

'I supposed that would be proper... I miss home. Miss my garden and my kitchen. And the windows! Is so dark in here... And I miss to play the spinet...'

'Do you miss your husband too?'

'Sometimes.'-She said laughing, but Ross didn't smile, so she drew close to him again and gave him a light kiss on the lips.-'Of course I miss you Ross. All this time, I've done nothing but miss you, and long for you, and think of you, and...'

'Alright, alright, no need to make fun of me.'

Her whole body was resting on top of his, he held her by the waist pressing her tighter against him.

'Yes, I will go home Ross... But I think I'll miss this place too, it was a healing place. In any case this house is too small for all of us, and I want our child to be born in Nampara'

Ross was listening to her but didn't quite react when she spoke the last words. Second after second, like and eco they reached his brain, he let go his hands from her and tried to sit over the back of the bed but couldn't quite do it with Demelza resting on top of him.

'Child?'-he said with surprise in his voice. Demelza looked at him, with... fear?, he couldn't tell. She responded him quietly while she got off from him.

'I'm pregnant Ross'

For a moment Demelza remembered when she found out she was pregnant with Jeremy, she remembered Ross telling her he didn't want any more children, she remembered how she feared to tell him she was with child. Now she hadn't thought in any of that, she thought he would be happy after everything that happened between them. Could she be wrong?

'Christmas?'

She nodded and tried to seat in the bed as well but Ross didn't let her, he lay down under the blankets again and brought her close to him once more. Ross said nothing for a while.

'Is that why you are coming back with me?'

'What?'

'Because you're with child?'

'No. No Ross...How can you think that! After all we been through in this last few months, and after everything we said...'-she tried to seat once again.

'Shhhh... I'm joking Demelza.'

'Well is not funny!'

He smiled sweetly at her and after a little hesitation she laid back against him once more. Ross turned his body to her side, resting Demelza on her back and gently started to kiss her on her cheek, near her eyes, on her forehead, her nose, while with his hand he traveled her body from her neck to her belly and let it resting in there.

'Are you pleased Ross?'

'Demelza, I don't think ever a man could love someone more than how I love you right now. Yes, I am pleased, I am so happy my love, thank you.'

He kissed her and in his kiss he tried to put all the love he had inside for her and hoped that she could feel how much she meant for him. His partner, his friend, his lover, his wife. His loyal Demelza.

'I hope it's a girl. A redheaded baby girl like her mama.'

PART II

'Where is mama Jeremy?'

'She's gone out'-said the little one.

It was nearly noon when Ross opened his eyes. He had a faint recollection of Demelza telling him something and then touching his cheek with her lips, but he couldn't remember exactly what she said, something about him staying in bed and her chores?. They stayed awake until very late in the night, he felt numb, rested and above all things, happy.

He woke up because someone was shaking his legs, or rather jumping in them. Jeremy was over the bed, swinging over his knees. When he stuck his head from under the blankets he also saw Garrick with his two legs on the edge of the mattress looking strangely at him. The boy hugged him and laid his head on the pillow next to him, he talked while Ross finished waking up, he thought about calling for Demelza so the three of them could lay on bed all day, he was in such a good mood he would even let Garrick rest on the bed too.

'Where did she go?'

Jeremy shrugged his shoulders and pouted, raising his hands to indicate he didn't know.

'A man in a big carriage came to look for her and she left.'

Surely to see one of her patients he thought, well now that she was moving back to Nampara people won't feel so freely to look for her so often and with the child even Demelza will want to be more time at home, if he learned something from her first two pregnancies it was that Demelza didn't like to show her swollen belly to anyone unless it was strictly necessary.

His good humor didn't last much, he just had to come downstairs.

He found Prudie violently kneading a dough.

'Where's Demelza?'-he asked her.

Oddly she sighed and looked at him for a long second before telling him:

'She went t' Trenwith.'

'What?'

'They came lookin' for 'er. Missus Warleggan tis about t' have 'er child.'

Ross was astonished, frozen, as if someone had thrown him a bucket of cold water.

'Why?... Why did they come for her? Why did you let her go?!'

'I?! I told 'er to tell 'ee, but she didn't want t' wake 'ee... said she be back soon. A steward came, said Mr. Warleggan hired a doctor from London but th' child came sooner an' Dr. Choake been away... So he sent for 'er, she being a gentle woman an' all...'

'Jesus Prudie!'

He doubted what he should do, he couldn't go to Trenwith. If George had sent for Demelza must be because he really mustn't have anyone else to turn to, but if he went there he would probably send his thugs for him. If Demelza said she'd be back soon maybe he should wait.

'How long since she went?'

'About two hours'

He couldn't wait. At least he would go and wait for her on the road.

When Demelza arrived to Trenwith Mss. Tabb welcomed her in the house, she seemed very stressed and was clearly glad that she was there. While she guided her way to Elizabeth's bedroom she told her that Mr. Warleggan was very nervous about Mistress Elizabeth's and his child's health, apparently Elizabeth had fallen on the stairwell and because of that the baby was coming earlier. She also told her that George was furious because the doctor he hired hadn't even left London, Dr. Choake was in Bath, Dr. Enys at war so there was only the village midwifes to turn to. He reluctantly had accepted her suggestion of calling for Mss. Demelza Poldark.

Elizabeth looked pale, her georgian beauty hid behind a veil of pain. She looked surprised when she saw her. Demelza quickly ordered boiled water and more towels, also some brandy wine for the Mistress, and she prepared to help her.

'I didn't think you'll come.'-she told her clearly aching while Demelza checked her.

'I never thought you would call for me.'

'George did.'-she said bitterly.

'Well, sorry Elizabeth but apparently you're stuck with me. You'll have to relax if you don't want to suffer much, the babe is upside down. Drink this, it will calm you.'

Elizabeth didn't talk to her again but did do everything she said to her.

A few hours later she heard a knock on the door in the middle of one of Elizabeth's contractions, it was George, worried for the noises coming from the bedroom, he obviously never heard Elizabeth scream before. He waited outside, when the pain was gone she went to talk to him in the hall.

'She's yelling so much, is that normal?'

'You'd be yelling too is there was a child coming out of you.'-he looked shocked, and Demelza had to remind herself that George was going to be a father for the first time after all.-'They're fine. The baby is not in place yet but Elizabeth is ready...'

'I don't think I need to know the details.'-he stopped her.-'Will the child be alright?'

'I think so. I've never delivered a child like this but a saw how it is to be done... I'll do my best George.'

He just nodded to her and went back to his study. Demelza had never helped with the birth of an upsided babe, but she saw Mss. Martin do it once, it was painful for the mother and risky for the child but they will have to do it. Elizabeth was fully dilated now, it wouldn't take long, she was being brave, more than Demelza would have thought she'd be. She encouraged her to push and to stop and to push again until she saw the little feet and then she could reach the bottom of the babe. It was a boy. Elizabeth was sitting on the edge of the bed with two maids holding her and Mss. Tabb helping Demelza. One more push and it would be it. The baby was big, at least bigger than Demelza expected a premature child would be. He was purple and didn´t cried, not until she gave him little pats on his back. While the other women attended Elizabeth she went to wash him and see how he was. Under the light coming through the window was when she noted his bountiful and dark hair. She held him against her chest wrapped in a blanket, the baby opened his eyes, his Poldark eyes while he held her little finger in his tiny hand. She instinctively looked at Elizabeth, she was watching her paler than before if that was even possible.

She couldn't say anything to her, she walked to the bed and just placed the little child in his mother's arms, picked up her things and went away.

The corridor of the second floor of Trenwith never looked so endless to her, she was almost at the front door when she heard George called for her.

'Demelza... I've heard the cried of a child.'

She unwillingly turned around.

'Yes George. You have a son. It was not an easy birth, but they both did a good job.'

He looked relieved, like any father would be after the birth of his children.

'How is Elizabeth?'

'She be resting now, but she'll be fine. It was hard for her, the women will know what to do, you can call me back if you need me.'

'I thank you Demelza... I am in debt to you.'-he sounded awkward but sincere.

'No George, you are not. I would have done it for anyone'

'Still. Thank you.'

'You'll have a valiant son, he is strong.'

Demelza could see the pride in George eyes but for the first time since she had met him she could also see humility and honesty in them. She felt sorry for him. Because he had married into this predicament without knowing. He could never know. He was another victim of what Ross and Elizabeth had done, like her, the only difference was he was ignorant to all that. She didn't wish to any person what she had gone through, not even if that person deserved it, not even to George Warleggan.

'Have a good day George.' –she told him and meant to go away, but before she could reach the door he call for her again.

'How would you call him?'

'I'm sorry?'

'My son. You've seen him and I'm not yet, what name do you think would suit him?'

Demelza considered his question for a while, and then said:

'Valentine. Valentine Warleggan.'

George nodded to her and she curtsied him back and went away from Trenwith.

Ross had been waiting for Demelza on the road, on the limits of the now enclosed Trenwith territory. As time went by, his anxiety grew and Darkie was starting to get restless due to the inactivity and the humor of his owner. He decided that the best thing he could do was not to go there himself, but he could send Prudie to enquiry why her mistress was taking so long, so he set back to the cottage. But he needn't to get there, he saw her from atop of a cliff sitting on the beach, her green dress getting wet with the call of the waves.

Demelza preferred to walk the way back. They had offered to bring her back in the same big carriage in which they had come for her but she respectfully refused. She needed fresh air. She didn't take the usual road, instead she thought to take a stroll by the sea and the easiest way to do that was going down to the beach by a rocky path near Trenwith and from there back to the house. It was a long walk but the breeze felt good in her face, she had been walking for nearly an hour and her feet were starting to sore, so she sat down in the sand with the elusive sun shining on her now and then.

She was calm. The nerves she felt earlier in the day gone. She barely realized that Ross was near her when he sat down at her side.

'How did it go?'

'Elizabeth has a son.'

He went silent, not able to read his wife mood.

'George must be exultant to have an heir. Is the child in good health?'

'Yes, he is. Elizabeth is well too.'

Ross didn't reply.

'I thought… I've never seen an early child, so I wonder how it would be. If he would be smaller than other babes or if he would be well formed. But he was not any of that… he is even bigger than Jeremy was when he was born.'

Ross was still silent. He was taken aback for her tranquil attitude and didn't know what to say to not make her think that he worried about Elizabeth.

'I had him in my arms for a while as Elizabeth was being tended. He looks like his father. With his soft dark hair… and the shape of his nose. I even think he frowned at me.' – she sounded amused at the last part.

'He looks like you.' –She said finally.

Ross felt as if the ground was suddenly removed under him.

'Are you certain?' –was everything he managed to say.

'Yes. I held two new born babies of yours before… yes, I am sure.'

Ross stood up and walked towards the ocean. His tricorn in his hands, the water near his knees, looking to nowhere. Demelza couldn't see his face, therefore she couldn't know what he was feeling. After all she fought for bringing her mind to it, for let the past be the past and focus on the future, it turned out that it was impossible to leave it behind, now there was always going to be a reminder of his betrayal, a living scar in their lives. She was robbed even from that, even from being the mother of his children. She felt powerless but at the same time peaceful, maybe it was the life inside her that made her strong, but she felt she could face anything life put in her way, even this, she knew she could live with it but wasn't sure if Ross could.

'I hate her Ross. Truly. I don't want to but I do and I don't like myself for it. 'Til now at least I was the mother of you children but now… Oh Ross!... Go with them if you want to, if you still feel something for her or if you think is the right thing to do. I won't be mad at you for it…'

Ross had slowly turned around to see her while she was talking.

'… the babe, his name is Valentine. He is a very handsome boy.'

'His name is Valentine Warleggan,' –he said strongly at her –'my only children are Jeremy, Julia and the one growing inside you…'

His voice was choked by his tears. Demelza looked up at him for a very long moment, her hand covering her eyes to protect her from the sun so she could see him.

'Why are you crying Ross?'

'Because surely you're going to leave me again.' –he blurted out. –'I'm sorry for what I done to you, to us. I've ruined everything…'

Demelza stretched an arm to him asking for help to get up. He came close to her again and gently pulled her up. She didn't let go his hand, but she did not look at him.

'Demelza, he's not my son. He's George's...'

'George... Francis and I, we all have part of the blame too...'

'You have not.'

'…but this child... he is innocent. None of what any of us did is his fault.'

Demelza raised her head and locked her eyes in his.

'I don't have any resentment against him, if you want to go with them…'

'Oh for God's sake Demelza I don't want to!'-he released her grip from him and walked a few steps back. He couldn't face the notion of losing her again. He covered his eyes with one hand and stroked his forehead with his fingers. He felt her hands on his arms again, forcing him to put down the arm from his face and look at her.

'What you did… what happened between us in the last few days... it doesn't change because he's here. I don't want you apart from me either.'

It took a while for those words to settle in him. He didn't realize when but his hands had started to shake, Demelza squeezed them and gave a kiss on each one.

'I don't deserve you... Remember what you told me? That you had pride in me?, you were wrong. It's me who is proud that you choose me.'

'Ross...'

'And if you are so generous like I know you are, and accept me again, I will work every day for the rest of my life to be a better husband and for you to be proud of me again.'

Demelza didn't say anything, there were nothing else she could say. She was still hurt, yes, perhaps she forever will be. But even when she was willing to let him go if that's what he wanted, she couldn't foresee her life without him, she loved him, with all his flaws and mistakes, with his wicked smile and dark looks. No one else existed for her but him, and she knew deep in her heart that finally he was only hers, and whatever fate may bring to them they would face it together.

'You still want me to go home?' -she said after a few minutes of hugging.

'What?'-she asked again when he didn't answer.

'Maybe I can stay with you for a while… we could use the time to remodel the library.'

'The library? What for?'

'We need a bigger room downstairs, and we could build a couple of bedrooms on the first floor…'

Demelza looked questioning at him.

'You know…'

He said and kissed her

'… for Jeremy…'

And kissed her again.

'… for this little girl…'

Ross touched her belly.

'… and the babes to come.'

And he kissed her again.

Fin.

AN: I cannot thank you enough for keeping with this story and for the kudos and comments, they meant a lot to me. Sorry once again for the grammar mistakes, I'm really working to improve my english, this is the longest story I've written and it was a very hard work get to this end.

I started to write this when season 2 just ended, in fact the scene between Demelza and George was one of the first that I wrote many, many months ago, because even when I don't like George I still feel sorry for him, kinda.

I hope you enjoyed this last chapter, and please tell me what did you think about it, and how do you think D will react when she founds out...

Thank you again for reading!