A/N: Hello everyone! We've made it to the final chapter of Colors!

Before we get started, I would like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Side1ways, Guest, RainbowDiamonds, and XxxAnimaniacxxX for reviewing and sharing your thoughts throughout the story. :)

I hope you all enjoy!

Was it possible to feel as if he was being unfair to James while James was being unfair to him at the same time? All Kendal knew was those were the exact thoughts going through his head on the quiet drive to the hospital.

He knew this wasn't the time to push James. He knew this whole situation was out of James' control. That there was a time and place for everything, and springing a boyfriend in the hospital wasn't that time.

But he also thought James should see how he felt. That this was hard on him, waiting in the wings, being here for James but not allowed to fully be there for him because no one could know who he was. Seeing him with Stephanie, and Stephanie not knowing who Kendall was to him either.

That was the hardest part because there was a quiet truth in Kendall's brain since they'd spoken this morning.

She still cared about James-maybe still loved him. They'd been happy...and maybe they could be happy together again. She could give James the life he'd seen for himself, the things he'd wanted, in a way that Kendall couldn't.

They were down the hall from the room when Kendall stopped. James took another few steps, then did the same, looking back at him.

"Are you coming?" James asked.

He couldn't. He really didn't think he could fucking do it.

"My stomach is a little upset. I think I might go down to the cafeteria and get something to eat first. Do you mind?"

James walked back to him. "Are you okay?" He asked before reaching for Kendall, then stopping himself.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just hungry." He wasn't okay at all.

"You should get some food, then. I want...I want to introduce you to him."

Kendall wanted to meet him as well, but he wished to God he could do it as James' boyfriend. He'd never had that, not with his parents or anyone else's.

"I won't be long." They were close. He could smell James, and Jesus, he wanted to reach for him, to kiss him. Wanted to claim James as his.

James gave him a sweet smile, looking like he wanted the same thing. It was there between them still-the connection. Kendall could feel the air zap with it.

Just as he thought James was going to lean forward and take his mouth, there was a noise.

They both snapped their heads up at the same time to see Stephanie standing outside the doorway of the room, looking at them.

"I didn't mean to interrupt. I thought I heard your voice, Jay."

James cleared his throat. "You didn't interrupt. Kendall needs some food. He's going to run downstairs real quick."

"I'm actually hungry, too. Do you mind if I go with you, Kendall?" She asked, walking toward them. "That'll give you some time alone with your dad, James."

He saw James bite back a frown. It hurt Kendall, while he felt the same way, too. He didn't want to share a meal with James' pregnant ex-wife. He didn't want to like her.

"Yes, of course. We'll see you soon, James." He said.

Stephanie smiled at James and then joined Kendall. He could feel James' eyes on them as they walked down the hallway and back to the elevator.

They were quiet until they got to the cafeteria and Kendall held the door open for her.

"Thank you." She said.

"Not a problem."

They got sandwiches and chips before finding a table. Luckily, the cafeteria wasn't busy since it wasn't a typical mealtime.

They sat, and Stephanie immediately started talking about James, his dad, her job-anything and everything. She was kind and friendly. There wasn't a doubt in Kendall's mind that she was a good woman, and part of him hated that.

He wanted her to be a bitch, to not deserve James. He didn't want to see how happy they had been or know that if the situation was different, they could be happy again. Hell, maybe the situation didn't even have to be different.

James had no ties to Lakeview. Not really. Just himself and a couple of friends. He had Stephanie here, the place he'd grown up, his father. James was a great guy, and Kendall wasn't stupid. If his dad was going to need rehab...would James have to stay to help?

All those thoughts soured his stomach and made it hard for him to eat, even though he truly was hungry.

The more she spoke, the more he liked her and the angrier he became.

She was… He could see James with her. They'd been dealt an unfair hand. Their relationship had suffered for it. Would they want to try again? Why in the hell were his thoughts going this way?

Mixed in with everything else was the fact that he also knew she'd hurt James. She'd ended them for something that wasn't his fault, and Kendall knew what that had done to him.

"I'm sorry. I've been talking your ear off. Tell me a little about yourself. You're looking to buy a bar, right? Is that always what you've done?" She asked.

"No. I actually haven't bartended in years. Before that, I was in prison." He'd said it to be mean...to make her uncomfortable, to make her look at him differently so she wouldn't seem so perfect.

He wasn't proud of himself for that, but it was the truth. There would always be a small part of him that felt unworthy because of where he'd been.

"Oh...I…" She sighed and then pushed her plate away. "Are you in love with James?"

He was so surprised by that, his damn heart stopped beating.

And he couldn't deny it. Maybe that made him an asshole, but he couldn't.

"Yes."

"He's in love with you, too." Kendall shook his head, ready to tell her they couldn't have this conversation. It wasn't fair to James. But she continued before he could.

"You don't have to answer that. I'm sure you want to be loyal to him, but I don't need you to answer it. I know him. James has always been all heart. The second I realized you were here with him, I wondered. He wouldn't have brought you if you weren't special to him, but he would have needed you if you were."

And somehow...those words helped. They released some of the tension inside him.

He thought of how close she'd stayed to James, as if they'd been attached, how she'd slept with her head on his shoulder, and said, "You didn't act like you knew."

"I wasn't sure...I didn't know he was bisexual, if that's what he is, so I wasn't positive, but the way he talked about you yesterday...the look he gave you when you left...those made me wonder more. Once I saw you in the hallway today, I knew. He looks at you like you're his entire world, and I know what it's like to see that in his eyes."

Because he used to look at her that way. Did he still? Could he again?

"So, you can be angry or scared or hurt. You can tell me you've been in prison for whatever you hoped to accomplish with that, but I've seen how James looks at you, so I know you're a good man."

Well, shit. That put a different spin on things, brought some needed clarity, but didn't completely clear the fog in his brain.

"He loved you, too."

"Past tense being the important part. Does he love me? Yes. Is he in love with me? No."

"How do you know?" He asked her. "And are you in love with him?"

She shrugged. "Part of me always will be, I think. If there was no you, would I want to try again? I don't know. We've been through a lot. There's a great deal of pain between us, and I don't think we could ever be the same.

I know what I did. I know I was hurting and pushed away the best thing that had ever happened to me. I know that in my grief, I devastated a good man, but maybe everything really does happen for a reason. Maybe somehow, some way, all of it happened so he could find you and I could have my son. As sad as it is, as much as I hate losing Emma and will never be over it, maybe she's looking at us from wherever she is and saying...finally."

His damn eyes started to burn at that. Jesus...this woman was incredible.

"It feels good...to see James happy again. To know he has someone. And even though this isn't the way I planned to have another baby, I'm happy, too. If you're worried, I just wanted you to know you have nothing to fear from me being in James' life again. Even if I wanted him, James doesn't work that way. Once his heart is in, it's in. There's not a doubt in my mind that you have his."

Kendall let his gaze settle on her, waiting until hers locked with him.

"Thank you. All I want is for him to be happy."

She smiled. "That makes two of us."

The only question was, could Kendall really make James happy? Was Kendall who he would continue to want? He sure as hell hoped so.

"Why are you so distracted? You look like it's torture to be here." His father said, his voice still rough but soft.

He was obviously not feeling great, which was a ridiculous thought since he'd just had surgery. Of course he wasn't feeling well.

"I just have a lot on my mind, Dad, that's all." Like Kendall and Stephanie. He hadn't stopped thinking about them since they went downstairs…-he glanced at his phone-over an hour ago. What were they doing down there for so long?

And his father, too. It was a strange feeling seeing such a strong man in a hospital bed. He was rough around the edges, hard. He'd always been harder than James.

He'd lived through losing his wife to cancer, losing a granddaughter, raising a son on his own, almost losing his business once because of the economy. This was the first time he'd needed something, and James didn't know how to deal with that.

"It's good...seeing you with Steph again."

"Dad. Don't." James told him.

"I damn well will if I want to. I can say I like seeing something. She's a good girl, always has been. She's the best thing that's happened to you, and I hated to see what happened to both of you."

"Both of us? Obviously, the loss of Emma, but you didn't approve of how I handled life afterward."

"No, I didn't. You should have fought harder for her. She was your wife."

What he didn't say but James heard was, I would have fought harder for your mom.

"But she's not anymore, so why are we doing this?" He asked. "It was four years ago. We've moved on. We're both happy. She's having a baby."

"Alone. She's having a baby alone."

He hadn't been sure if his father knew that part, but it looked like he did.

"And I'm sorry for her about that, but people do it all the time. Give her some credit. Steph is a strong woman."

"I know she is." His dad sighed. "I just...I miss you, son."

James' eyes snapped to his father's. His dad didn't say things like that. Ever.

"I know I don't always show it, and I sure as hell don't say it, but...I miss you. Almost dying opens a man's eyes. I know we've never gotten along well. We don't get each other, and I tend to lash out at you because of my own failures as a father, but I miss you...I want you happy. Steph made you happy, and maybe you could have that again."

The truth was, maybe he could.

If they both wanted to try, James believed that he and Stephanie could possibly find happiness again. Just the way they'd fallen back into step together showed him that. He could come home, he could try again with his wife, he could have a family, he could try to fix things with his father.

But in all that, he would lose the man he loved. He would lose Kendall. James couldn't do that. He couldn't walk away.

Kendall meant more to him than the rest of it. He was James' heart, and that wouldn't change.

"I'm not in love with Steph anymore. I don't want to be in love with her anymore. I'll always love her and she'll always be part of my life, but our relationship is over. I'd like to try to build one with you, though."

His dad paused, and damned if his chin didn't start to quiver.

"When I was surgery...I know I was knocked out, I know it sounds ridiculous, but I swear to God, James, I saw your mom. And Emma. She was with her." His father swiped at his eyes, and James realized he was crying.

It was the first time in his life he'd ever seen his father cry. Not when his mom died, not when they lost Emma. It was something he'd always kept to himself.

"I looked at your mom...at your baby girl. I tried to get to them, but every time I walked closer...they got farther away. I could hear her, though. I know it sounds crazy, but I could hear her in my head, son. She asked about you, and just the way she said it, I knew she was disappointed in me. She was disappointed in how I raised you after she was gone. In our relationship. I realized I was disappointed, too."

He wiped tears from his eyes again, and James did the same.

Out of everything they'd lived through, this was the only time he'd cried with his father. How sad was that? He'd just given in...accepted it the same way he accepted everything in life.

"It wasn't just you. I'm guilty, too. I didn't try either."

"Yeah, but we both know it was mostly me. When I saw you yesterday...I was mad at myself-because of you and because of your mom. I took that out on you like I always do, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything, son, and I want to start over. Whether you're here or in Lakeview, I want a better relationship with you, and I want you to be happy."

James' hands shook. His chest ached...but he knew he had to do this. He wanted to do this.

He wouldn't accept less that he and Kendall deserved, and he wouldn't let Kendall either. If they were going to start over, they had to be honest with each other.

"Even if what makes me happy is being with another man?"

He could see the shock in his dad's face. His eyes widened, and James saw his heart rate increase on the machines behind him.

Still, he'd immediately expected his father to lash out, but he hadn't. He'd expected to feel as if he'd let his father down, and he hadn't felt that either. He was being true to himself and the man he loved, and James took pride in that.

"You're gay?" His dad asked. "What about Stephanie?"

"I loved her. I was attracted to her. You can call me gay or bisexual if you need to label it that way to understand it. But now I love Kendall, and I'm attracted to him. That's all that matters to me."

To some, he would be gay, to others, bisexual. James wasn't ashamed of those things. People could call him gay or bi, and he would wear those labels proudly if others needed them.

But he was demisexual. He knew that, but for him, none of it mattered. What mattered was that he'd loved Stephanie before...and now he loved Kendall. Nothing else was important.

Everyone had the right to identify how they wanted or choose whether or not they wanted to label themselves. To each their own. That was the way the world was supposed to work, right? James just knew he loved Kendall, he was in a relationship with him, and he planned to stay in one.

"You're happy? This...man makes you happy?" He asked.

"Yes. It's like...like I spent most of my life seeing in black and white. Hell, maybe all of it, and now, with him, there's color. He colored me in." And he knew he did the same for Kendall.

Maybe others wouldn't understand. Maybe they wouldn't accept it, and hell, maybe he was sappy as hell now. Whatever it was, this was how he felt, and he wouldn't hold it back anymore.

"Good...that's good. It'll take some getting used to, but I meant what I said. I don't want to be a disappointment to you or your mom anymore."

With that, James could breathe.

He wasn't stupid. He knew there would be a serious adjustment period. Things wouldn't always be easy. His father would mess up. James would mess up, but he'd also push forward. As long as he had Kendall, he'd be okay.

"Thank you." He leaned forward and gave his father a hug. He couldn't remember the last time they'd hugged. Had they even when they lost Emma? He didn't know.

When they pulled away, there a soft knock on the door. He waited for his dad to wipe his face, and James did the same.

When they were finished, he called out, "Come in," then stood up.

Stephanie stuck her head inside the door.

"Do you guys have room to two more?" And just the way she said that, James could tell that she knew about him and Kendall.

"We do." He replied as he walked over. He reached for Kendall's hand, saw his head cock in response, but Kendall didn't pull away. He let James lead him to the bed. "Kendall's not my boyfriend. David is my dad. Stephanie's my ex-wife."

James could see the confusion from Stephanie and his dad, but right then, he didn't care. He knew Kendall would get it and knew it would make him happy.

"Two Truths and a Lie…" Kendall whispered.

"Yeah." James looked at his father, ready to say what everyone in this room knew, but needing to claim it out loud. "Dad, this is my boyfriend, Kendall. Kendall, this is my dad, David."

James felt Kendall's hand tremble in his.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Kendall said, his voice an octave higher, likely in surprise.

His dad cleared his throat, paused and for a moment, James held his breath.

When his dad replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you, too," he knew everything would be okay. Not perfect, not one hundred percent fixed with this one moment, but they were on the right track.

He and his father had a lot to work through. He had a lot to put to rest with Stephanie, too...and he wanted to take Kendall to see Emma, but somehow, he knew they right where they were supposed to be.

Somehow, he knew they would all be okay.

Kendall stood behind the bar at Round Table toward the end of their grand reopening.

The bar had been packed all night, so full that they'd reached capacity. It was likely because they'd opened with half-priced drinks, but Kendall was telling himself it was a sign of what was to come.

The past six months had been crazy.

He and James had spent another week in California, James working on building a healthy, solid relationship with his father. Kendall knew him so much better now as well.

As much as neither of them saw it, James and his dad were similar. They both loved really fucking big, his dad never recovering from losing his wife, and also in how he loved James.

The difference was, he didn't know how to show it and oftentimes tried not to feel it so he wouldn't get hurt. That hadn't done him or James any good, but they were on the mend now. They still had their moments, but it was much better than it had been.

That week had also been spent with Stephanie. Kendall loved the woman like a sister. He could see why James loved her so much. She was strong and had a big heart, and she would forever be a part of their lives.

A couple of days before they'd left California, James and Stephanie had planned to go see Emma together.

Kendall had figured he should give them their space, but they wouldn't have it.

"James loves you. He wants to spend the rest of his life with you. That makes you her stepdad, and she needs to meet you."

He would never forget those words from Stephanie when he tried to stay back.

It had been hard...seeing them here, at her grave, knowing what they'd lost, but he would cherish the memory as long as he lived and would forever be grateful to be a part of it.

James had made numerous trips back to California since they got home, most of them with Kendall along. They'd seen his father through rehabilitation, watched him learn to walk again, and had gone down to support Stephanie after the birth of her son-Jacob.

Somehow, in the middle of all hat, Kendall had bought a bar, remodeled it, and planned the grand opening.

"Holy shit, Round Table was always the most popular bar in town, but this is crazy, Kendall! I've never seen it like this." Lucy slipped beside him to make another drink.

He'd kept all the staff, of course.

"That's a good thing." He told her.

"It is, but man, my feet are killing me. I don't have a man to massage them for me like you do." She teased.

Yeah...yeah, he did.

There was a loud laugh at the end of the bar. Kendall would know that sound anywhere. He looked over to see James cracking up at something Dak or Jett said. The other two men sat beside him, all three with empty beer bottles in front of them.

Kendall's heart jumped into his throat just looking at him, hearing his laughter through everything else in the building. Jesus, he was so fucking crazy about his man.

"I'm gonna go grab them a refill." He squeezed Lucy's arm and then made his way to where his boyfriend sat with their friends. "I see how it is-all laughs and a good time while I'm working my ass off back here."

"You love it." James teased before leaning over the counter and pressing a kiss to Kendall's lips. There was never any hesitation now where that was concerned. Everyone knew they were together, and both of them claimed it proudly.

"Yeah, I do." Kendall admitted. He really fucking loved it.

"We're talking about the wedding. Annie's going a little crazy with the plans."

Dak had proposed to Jett two months earlier. The wedding wasn't until next year, but it was still a hot topic of conversation-at least with Dak's mom.

"She's excited. You can't blame her. Sweetie's getting married." Kendall teased, and Dak flipped him off.

Kendall playfully swatted at his hand.

Annie was doing even better than she had been when Kendall moved back. They actually brought her down to the bar, along with Carlos and Logan, to see it before they'd opened today. She wouldn't have been able to handle it filled to the brim with people, but she'd wanted to see it.

"You guys want another beer? I need to get back to work."

Dak and Jett both shook their heads, likely because they had to drive home. James answered with, "Yep. My boyfriend's working tonight, so he's sober. He's my ride."

"Your boyfriend will give you a ride anytime." Kendall waggled his eyebrows, showing he wasn't talking about cars anymore. Jett laughed, Dak pretended to vomit, and James blushed. "Love that blush." He said as he took James' glass, filled it, and then left them to get back to work.

The bar stayed packed until closing time. They had to force people out, which he had to admit felt pretty fucking good. They had karaoke now, which Round Table hadn't had before, and it was a hit.

Kendall let the staff go, wanting to be alone with James in the moment.

Dak and Jett were the last to leave. Just before they walked out the door, Dak pulled him into a hug.

"I'm proud of you, Ken. This...having you back...everything is perfect now."

And it really fucking was.

"Thank you. I feel the same way."

When they pulled away, Jett nodded at him, giving Kendall a smile. He returned it, then locked the door behind him, finally alone with James.

"Come on, babe. You deserve a drink." James took Kendall's hand and pulled him over to a booth where he sat Kendall down.

He watched James as he walked behind the bar, made a drink, and then brought it to Kendall before sitting beside him. The second he did, Kendall let his head find James' shoulder, inhaled his scent, and let it wash through him.

"I did it." He whispered.

"You did. Tonight was perfect. Are you happy?"

"Happier than I ever thought was possible."

James slipped his arm around Kendall's shoulders and kissed his forehead. "Yeah, me too."

"It's amazing...when I look back at my life, at everything I've been through and everything I've seen...You told me once that I lived a lot of life, but it didn't feel like it...like living. It felt I'd existed through a lot of life. This? This is living."

He paused, and James didn't reply. Like always, he knew what Kendall needed, they were on the same wavelength, and he just knew Kendall wasn't finished.

"I came to Lakeview to find myself again, or hell, to find myself for the first time. I didn't know what I wanted, just that something was missing. I found everything I didn't know I needed, in you. In us. This is living, Sweet Tooth, you and me. Everything else is just icing on the cake."

"Mmm. I love cake." James teased, and Kendall laughed.

"My crazy little Sweet Tooth."

"Crazy for you." James replied. "It's funny…"

"What is?"

"You came here looking for something, but I didn't know anything was missing until you. But we both found what we need in each other. I wouldn't even have known how empty my life was until you came to fill it."

Well, shit. That was…

"I totally just swooned again." Kendall replied.

He sat up and tilted his head toward James, who pressed his lips to Kendall's. Their tongues moved slowly, and Kendall's chest swelled so big, he wasn't sure he could contain it.

"You're turning me all sappy and sugary, Sweet Tooth."

"Just how I like you." James replied. "Now let's get this bar cleaned up so we can go home and I can show you just how proud I am of you."

Kendall cocked a brow. "Show me how?"

"With my mouth...my tongue...my hands, cock, ass, whatever you want. It's your special night."

"I just want you."

"That's good, because you have me, and I just want you, too."

They cleaned the bar together, then locked up, and Kendall drove his cherry-red Charger to their home, where he parked it right next to James' black one. They went into the house, stripped each other bare, and touched and loved one another, the way Kendall couldn't wait to do every day for the rest of their lives.

Done! Of course, I couldn't end it without Kames together and happy. :P

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter and story in general, as well as if you happened to have any favorite parts/moments!

Again, I hope you all enjoyed! I had such a fun time with this story, and would like to thank you all once again for your support and for joining me on this ride! :)

-Epically Obsessed