Epilogue:

"Ashes to ashes…Dust to Dust."

The Reverend droned on but Alexis could feel herself breaking inside, staring down at the coffin as it was slowly lowered into the ground she was relieved not for the first time that someone had insisted on having chairs available. Normally Alexis would have considered it a sign of weakness, would have preferred to stand but considering the circumstances and the fact that even sitting it felt like her body was liable to collapse at any moment for once she didn't give a damn about showing how she felt.

Not that she could contain the tears that were flowing down her cheeks even if she had wanted to. A handkerchief was clutched in her gloved hand but Alexis had barely glanced at it, not lifting it once to brush her tears away. Her tears were a memorial, a public statement of her very real grief no matter what all the cruel cynics might say.

It just didn't seem real, this couldn't be happening, it had to be some sort of terrible dream. Some sort of terribly cruel joke that was being played on her, after all that lost time they had finally reconnected, admitted how they felt, how much each of them meant only to have everything ripped away. Fate had to hate her to punish her like this, tempting her with the prospect of love and a happy family before ripping one away.

Finally it came for her only active role in the ceremony and as a strong hand supported her Alexis took the handful of earth she was offered, throwing it down on the coffin, then before her grief became overwhelming she added a single perfect red rose.

"Good bye my darling." She added softly her shoulders shaking with the effort of holding in this wild monster in her chest, the one that screamed and clawed at her throat in an effort to escape and Alexis found herself screaming her frustration as her grief overwhelmed her and strong arms tried to help back to the waiting car.

"No…No I can't go…I can't leave h…"

Instead she staggered back to the little white fold up chair, refusing to leave even as the other mourners started to leave but not without filing past to pay their respects; not that Alexis heard a word, she just nodded mechanically whenever anyone spoke to her. She even refused to leave when the men slowly began to fill in the grave watching as shovel by shovel, each load of earth slowly filling up the open grave and Alexis shivered as a cold wind through blew the cemetery.

Finally it was done and the men left and they were alone.

Finding her feet Alexis wandered to the graveside her delicate gloved hand reaching out to touch the marble headstone, the cold stone was smooth under her fingertip, expensive only the best to mark this grave, a Carrington grave. She couldn't bring herself to read the inscription, she didn't really need to in any case, she had given the instructions to the stonemason personally. Yet still she traced the curved letters lingering on the elegant capital C of Carrington.

"I will never forget you…I will always love you my Darling…my little darling."

This time when the sobs shook her body the strong hands refused to take no for an answer as they escorted her firmly over to the waiting limousine. They helped her inside and now finally alone they pulled her into warm arms where a strong shoulder was there for her to cry the remains of her tears on. It was only as the car began to move that Alexis jolted from her stupor.

"No I can't it's too soon we can't leave yet."

"Alexis we have to it is getting dark." A soothing baritone insisted and Alexis tilted her chin to stare into an equally devastated pair of dark eyes.

"I'm just not ready to leave her Blake please she's my little girl she'll be frightened if we leave her all alone, she always hated the dark remember."

Sighing deeply Blake reached forward for the car phone. "Eric stop the car please."

Rationally he knew it would be best to leave now, Alexis would still be distressed no matter when they left but Blake didn't have the strength to deny her something this small no matter how much it hurt him to linger here.

Fallon's cancer's remission had already taxed her mother's emotional wellbeing. Alexis had considered it a personal failure that the bone marrow transplant had ultimately failed and no one, neither consultant nor even him could convince her otherwise. She had become obsessed with finding something, anything to save their daughter; no matter how extreme no matter the personal risk, he mentally added, automatically running his hand over the bump that was clearly visibly through his wife's black dress suit.

At the time he had been so angry when he realised what Alexis had done. So obsessed with finding a better genetic match for her ailing daughter she had gone against her own doctor's advice had even lied to him, well by omission, when she stopped taking any birth control. The fact that she had manage to keep the pregnancy a secret even from him until she was twelve weeks along still irked him, as if she honestly thought he might force her to get rid of their child. Now at six months along it was a waiting game, that the pregnancy had proceeded so far was a good sign but always at the back of Blake's mind was the dreadful knowledge that he could any moment lose his wife just as he had his daughter.

Clenching his eyes together Blake wished with all his might he could go back in time; a year ago they had been so happy, a year ago everything seemed to be going perfectly. He was finally remarried to a woman he loved and who loved him, the children had accepted their mother back without further complaint and there had been a new baby in the house.

"Look Blake he has your eyes!" Alexis cooed staring down at the baby in her arms who was staring right back up at her blowing little spit bubbles as his new brother and sister crowded round.

"And your ears Dad, good job he escaped your nose." Steven added cheekily laughing as he ducked the playful swipe Blake sent his way as he went to hide behind his sister.

"Why you little…" Blake began beginning to doubt the wisdom of telling the children the truth after all; although in the long run he could see the sense it not to mention the fact it would help them bond with their new little brother since he really was their brother.

"Is he going to be blond like Steven or dark like me?" Fallon asked squinting to try and make out the beginnings of hair on the baby's bald head.

"We'll have to wait and see I suppose." Alexis added softly lifting her gaze to meet Blake's before gamefully adding. "As long as he doesn't end up silver like your father."

"Now don't you gang up on me too?" Blake exclaimed leaning down to capture his wife's lips in a chaste kiss that quickly evolved into more, as Blake took advantage of every opportunity to demonstrate his renewed affection for the love of his life.

"Ewwww gross come on Fallon let's get out of here before they start getting all mushy on us."

Pulling away laughing as their two eldest ran away before seeing anything too sentimental Blake watched entranced as Alexis put the newest addition back in his bassinette brushing a brief kiss to his little forehead. Walking up behind her Blake slipped his hands round Alexis's slender waist leaning down to press a kiss to her exposed neck before muttering against her skin, "Thank you."

"What for?"

"For putting me out of my misery and agreeing to re-marry me, for being a wonderful mother to my children, all my children." Blake added pointedly stepping back slightly as Alexis turned in his arms and slid her hands up to clasp round the back of his neck.

"Well I do get you out of it so it is not like it is a completely bum deal." Alexis added teasingly as her fingers played with the hair that crept over the edge of his collar.

Biting her lip Alexis risked a glance at the now sleeping baby and the childrenless upper floor. "You know we really should take advantage of the fact he's sleeping. Leading paediatricians advise new mothers to rest when their babies do."

"Oh really." Blake replied teasingly, his eyebrows rising in surprise, yet he didn't speak aloud the fact that most new mothers didn't have an army of staff or a nanny waiting to take the nightshift. If Alexis wanted to retire to the bedroom in the afternoon 'to nap', and if that invitation was extended to him as well, then he was not going to complain.

"Well I am always one for taking doctor's advice." Blake added with a wink as his hands slipped from her waist to cup the more ample handhold of her backside. "Shall we 'nap'?"

Laughing at Blake's turn of phrase Alexis reached down and caught his hand before practically dragging her husband down the hallway. "Oh yes a 'nap' is exactly what I need right now."

The sudden sharp kick to his palm jolted Blake back to the present and he rubbed Alexis's bump soothingly. The baby was clearly reacting to its mother's distress as Blake was certain neither mother nor child had slept at all in the last few days and that needed to stop.

Alexis had every right to grieve their beautiful daughter but not at the expense of their other children. Right now Blake could only imagine how Steven was feeling waiting for his parents to return from the funeral; wondering what was taking them so long since neither Blake nor Alexis thought a cemetery was the best place for their two youngest children and had sent them home after the church service.

"I think we need to go home Alexis."

"B…"

"The boys need us." Blake added before Alexis could protest and wind herself up into another hysterical fit. "And you need to sleep."

"I couldn't…I can't." Alexis began to protest yet despite her assurances a yawn managed to escape her lips, it was just the way Blake was rubbing her belly, in that damn soothing circular motion.

"Yes you can. I'll stay with you; I'll always stay with you. I love you Alexis, I love you more than anything and I need you, I won't be able to get through this without you; help me please together we can find a way to deal with this, I know we can."

Lifting her gaze from his shoulder Alexis stared into Blake's dark eyes and she felt a feeling other than grief welling up in her and for a wonderful moment the blackness that had overwhelmed her in the last few days actually lifted a little, allowing her breathe a little easier. "I love you too Blake, I always have and I always will."

Sliding her gloved hand into his Alexis rubbed her thumb over the simple gold band that little over a year ago she had placed on his finger. "Together forever just like I promised."

Peeling off Alexis's gloves Blake lifted her left hand to his lips pressing a kiss to her wedding band, then her knuckles before turning her hand over and kissing her wrist, closing his eyes as he felt her strong pulse beat under her skin, beating in time with his own. Lifting his eyes Blake melted into her emerald gaze and he wondered how the hell he had ever thought he could live without her and he could only thank god that he never had to find out.

Reaching up to cup her beautiful face Blake leant forward and kissed her gently, savouring the complete intimacy he could only ever find with this woman. Pulling Alexis back into his arms where she melted into him, the missing half of him now home where she belonged Blake couldn't help but add, "Forever sounds perfect to me."