Hey there! I bet you're surprised to see that I've updated so quickly. Well, I thought since this is the last installment, that I should ease your pain and get it out there XD I would like to thank everyone that has reviewed. I know these are words that are said many times when reading a story but you've no idea how happy you've made me. This is the last authors notes I will write for "A Cowboy in Shining Armour". That makes me want to cry! :P So I'll leave you with this short epilogue. It's short, because it needs to be. I just wanted you all to get a feel of what has happened... And that's a lot! Goodbye for now!. You can be sure I'll be writing more stories from here on out.

Thanks again to all the support I've received. I love you all!

6 months later

The scorching sun was high in the sky when the wagon approached the small village, bystanders waving their hats in the heat of the morning while they went about their business as usual. The town had a light buzz to it. People were smiling and the occasional elderly person would shout at the "rotten kids" for breathing too loudly. The horse guiding the carriage came to a stop outside the largest house in the village, next to the sign that read "Sarutobi ranch."

A woman in her early twenties was standing at the door of the house, her hand placed gently on her slightly protruding stomach where a ring lay on the fourth digit of her left hand. Her golden hair shone in the light that reflected off of the bucket of water on the porch and her cream dress flowed in the light breeze. Shikamaru climbed out of the carriage with a few scrolls in his hand. The horse whinied loudly and as though reading its thoughts, Shikamaru grabbed a sack from inside the wagon and dropped it in front of the mare, whose nose buried itself in the bag until it found the seeds.

"Delivery went great. Asuma and Kurenai send their love," he called to the door to the smiling blonde. "Kurenai's gettin' awfully big now too."

Temari smiled as he approached the door until he was a step in front of her. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly in greeting as per usual.

"Have they decided on a name yet?" she asked, hand reaching up to his chest to hold onto the fabric of his dirty shirt.

"No not yet. They think it's a girl anyway and there's a fifty percent chance that they're goin' to name it Kyako after Kurenai's mother." Temari nodded in understanding.

"How are you feelin'?" he asked her, a concerned look on his face. She couldn't help but laugh.

"Shikamaru, I'm havin' a baby, not dyin'!" He sighed, rolling his eyes. That was her response everytime he asked. Two months along and the bump was growing by the day.

"Neji called by awhile ago.. Said he needed to talk to you about somethin'.. I told him to call over some time tonight," she said to him, pulling at her hair. It was sticking to her in the heat of the sun. She turned around and strolled into the house, Shikamaru taking up the rear until they set at the table which was laden with food. The hungry brunette hastily dug in, bringing whatever sustenance he could find on the small wooden plates to his mouth. Temari laughed.

"Gaara and Matsuri are goin' away for awhile and Kankurou is takin' Ayame to Kiri for a holiday. That means we'll 'ave the house to ourselves," she said smiling devilishly. He chuckled and nodded. It was strange that Tenten and Neji rarely stayed. They were building their own house before they started a family and now that the bedrooms were done, they were able to stay there instead.

"Did Tenten fill out that form I asked her to do before I left?" asked Shikamaru, shoveling another spoon full of vegetable soup into his mouth. Temari nodded, got up from her seat and walked to a drawer in the far corner of the kitchen. She pulled out a scroll that looked a little worse for wear. Typical Tenten.

"She said that it's all done. Oh yeah, she met up with Hinata the other night. Apparently, Naruto proposed. Romantically! Can you believe it? I didn't think he had it in him," Temari laughed, taking a piece of bread for herself. Tenten had called by everyday for the past two weeks to see if she was okay while Shikamaru was out on the delivery to Konohagakure no Sato. It was strange that she was settling down. It was so unlike her to be tied to anything but Neji brought out the best in her. It's only a matter of time before they start poppin' out the kids of their own.

A knock came to door and Temari got up to answer it. A tall brunette stood with a smile on her face, hair tied up in its two usual buns. "I see he's back! Tell him I said that the horse is eatin' from the cabbage patch out the front."

Temari laughed and ushered her in. Shikamaru smiled when she entered the kitchen and gestured to a seat. Instead, Tenten grabbed a piece of toast from his hand and ate it while leaning against one of the counter tops.

"You filled out the scroll?" he said, more of a statement than a question. She nodded enthusiastically, chewing on the food in her mouth before answering. "Yeah, I hope you don' mind but you ordered fifteen bags of seeds so I changed it to nine. The horses are bein' rented out to some local farmers so there's no need for so many."

He nodded appreciatively. "Good catch, thanks," he said. He was still getting used to the whole "running a ranch" thing but at least his friends were there to catch any mistakes. Tenten shrugged modestly before finishing her food.

"Thanks Tem' but I gotta run. Neji's havin' a freak attack because the wall in the livin' area is after been put in the wrong place. His hair is sheddin' with the stress from it all!" she laughed before taking leave. "I'll tell him to call over later now that you're back Shika.. He's been meanin' to have a word with you about some cattle or somethin'.. Not too sure.."

She left after that and closed the door behind her. There was no need to see her to it. She practically lived here when she wasn't at home.

The noise from the lower part of the village could be heard from the open window and Temari couldn't help but lean back comfortably in her chair and sigh in content. She had wanted to leave Suna forever, maybe go some place green and filled with trees. Now, she couldn't imagine leaving the desert. It was her birth right. It was who she was. And in the end, she got her knight ..er.. Cowboy in shining armour who was currently wiping some soup from his chin with the back of his hand...

Her palm drifted to her stomach gently and she smiled warmly at the little bump. Things could only get better; and she sure as hell couldn't wait to see what the future brought her way.

~Owari~