This is it, the final chapter. I'm aware of the fact that there are a few loose ends, Tom's dissatisfaction with his job for example or Sybil's further plans for her career, but when I came to this point in the story, I thought it would be a nice ending. Maybe I'm going to write a few one shots in the same AU universe in the future, but I don't know yet.

The resemblance of the beginning of this chapter to the very beginning of the story is intentional, btw.

I thank the yankeecountess for the idea towards the end of the story. She doesn't even know she inspired me here, but she will know once she reads it! She made a remark about a picture on tumblr and I thought this was the perfect idea for the ending of this story.

Thank you to all readers, followers and reviewers. It was a pleasure to read so many reviews and it motivated me so much! Thank you!

And last but not least I want to thank Scarlet again, who edited this story for me and who does an amazing job. I know beta reading for me requires much more work than it does for a native speaker and I'm entirely dependent on her. Thank you so much, Scarlet!

And now without further ado... enjoy!

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18 months later

She threw her head back, pressing it in the soft pillow beneath her. Her breath started coming in gasps and not as quietly as she would have wanted, but she was beyond caring.

"Yes!" she gasped. "Yes, yes, oh Tom! Yes right there!"

She felt the tingling sensation, the pressure, the need to get there and she knew she was getting close. When he sent her flying over the edge, she saw stars. She arched her back, pressing herself closer to him, if that was possible, holding onto him with her arms as tight as she could.

He came right after her, groaning her name loudly, his face against her neck, his whole body shuddering in a powerful release.

For a while they just lay there, not moving, both out of breath and almost clinging to each other, unwilling to lose a millimetre of that contact between them. He then popped on his elbows to take some of his weight from her and started kissing her face with tender, soft, languid kisses.

She opened her eyes and looked up to him, smiling dreamingly. "Mhm?" she murmured. He smiled, too, and rolled them over so they were lying at their sides, facing one another and she was still enveloped in his arms.

"Well, Mrs Branson, that was amazing," he murmured to her and she sighed happily.

"It definitely was. Our first time as husband and wife."

He chuckled, raised her left hand to his lips and kissed the new ring on her finger. Then he looked around. "I must say Mary and Matthew really outdid themselves with building us a love-nest for tonight, didn't they?"

Taking in the numerous candles that lit the room and the red rose petals that were scattered over their bed, Sybil smiled. "They did, but they're probably just setting the stakes high to their own wedding in three months. So we know what we'll have to do then."

"You don't think they'll be spending their wedding night at home, do you? They'll be probably at the Ritz or something," Tom snorted. "But I'm absolutely ready to throw some rose petals around there, too, if you think they'd like it."

He looked down on her, his blue eyes intense. "I'm happy we're here though. It couldn't be more perfect." He leaned down and kissed her again and she responded immediately, moaning at the back of her throat, when he deepened the kiss, his hands coming to her face to bring her closer, his fingertips losing themselves in her hair. He rolled on his back, bringing her with him and she wrapped herself around him as well as she could.

"Oh, that reminds me," she suddenly said and raised her head. "I have a wedding present for you."

He opened his eyes. "A wedding present?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Go and look into the shoe closet."

"In the shoe closet?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "Do I detect a well-hidden secret of yours on our wedding night? I know perfectly well about women's obsession with shoes, but I hope you didn't buy me shoes as a wedding present."

She laughed. "Go and look," she demanded and rolled down from him on her side.

He sighed dramatically and sat up. "Okay, I'll go, I'll go."

Sybil watched when he went through the room to the cabinet at the far end of it, momentarily distracted the lovely view of his backside, until he opened the top drawer and froze.

"Oh my … Sybil?"

He turned around and looked at her. She stood up, too and went to him.

There in the top drawer were their running shoes. On the left his bigger pair, on the right her smaller ones and in the middle of it stood the smallest pair of running shoes he'd ever seen.

"What … does that mean … what I think it means?" he asked her.

Sybil felt tears in her eyes. These damned hormones!

"Yes," she said, her voice cracking a bit. "I guess the baby will be a bit early about 8 months after the wedding."

A smile spread over his face and she squealed when he took her in his arms and twirled her around.

"This is … wow," he said after putting her back on her feet again. He was for once lost for words to describe the feelings that threatened to overwhelm him a bit. "When did you … I mean … how long do you know?"

"Only for four days," she said. "And I nearly burst for wanting to tell you, but then I thought it would be perfect for today."

He shook his head in wonder, staring down on the tiny shoes in his hands. Then he scooped her up and carried her back to the bed. Lying down next to her, he put his hand on her flat stomach.

"A baby," he said with wonder. "Who would have thought that it would happen that quickly? I mean, you just went off the pill five or six weeks ago."

Sybil chuckled. "Seems we're terribly fertile. I never expected it to happen so quickly. The doctor said it could take a few months."

He grinned broadly and she swatted him on the chest. "Don't be so full of yourself, Mr. Branson."

"I didn't say anything," he laughed. "But the proof is right here, isn't it?" He stroked her belly.

He put is lips next to her bellybutton and whispered. "Your dad is a champion, Baby Branson."

Sybil giggled. "Come here, Champ." He started kissing her belly instead with very tender and very sweet kisses.

Then he looked up at her watching him and she saw his eyes were shining.

"I love you, Tom," she said, her own eyes getting a bit watery and reaching out for him. He came up to her willingly, wrapping her in his arms and kissing her with all the emotion that was welling up in him.

"Oh my darling," he whispered. "I do love you so much."

THE END