Hayley...

It hurt her to do it, but she felt like she had no choice. She couldn't ruin his marriage, even if not telling him the truth would cost her happiness.

Hi guys, this is going to be the first of a few epilogues I think. Hope you have enjoyed the fic, I have certainly loved writing it.

'Stop it,' she replied whilst laughing.

'Kiss me then,' he said. 'Perhaps I'll shut up for a while.'

Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed him with all the fire, passion and love that had been mounting up within her for what seemed like an eternity, not even letting breathlessness stop her from doing it over and over again.

'Here we are,' said Joseph, peering out of the window to glimpse the city lights once more.

'Yeah,' said Jac. 'It's so busy, almost makes you miss Ireland...'

'We'll always have a special connection to Ireland,' said Joseph. 'We were out there for so long that we had to register Hayley's birth, so technically she's Irish. I think we'll go back there often, to visit Hayley's birthplace and so that she can be in contact with her godparents.'

'Aisling made me promise before we left that we'd keep in contact and send photos,' said Jac. 'They really were so kind to me, even from the very beginning when they hardly knew me. I owe them a lot...'

'I'm so grateful to them for looking after you when I didn't,' said Joseph, gently caressing her hand.

'You weren't to know,' said Jac softly. 'I should've told you.'

'We're past that now,' said Joseph reassuringly. 'Now it's just the three of us and our future that matters. The past is in the past...'

'Wise words,' said Jac, interrupted by a little squeak from the backseat.

'She's awake,' said Joseph softly, his face lighting up as he got out of the car and went to tend to her. Jac followed him, and looked over his shoulder at their barely awake angel.

'She's beautiful,' said Jac, reaching her hand in to stroke Hayley's cheek. 'She's 2 months old, but she's so tiny still, almost like a newborn.'

'She's been through a lot,' said Joseph. 'But our little angel came out fighting.'

'Yeah,' said Jac. 'She did...'

'Let's get inside,' said Joseph, lifting up Hayley's car seat and carrying her inside. 'I'll go out and get the suitcases in a little while...'

'There's so much to organise,' said Jac. 'Hayley needs a nursery, we need to move my stuff in, and then there's the matter of telling your mother and sister.'

'Tell us what?' demanded Sophia and Anne Marie Byrne from the living room.

'Mother? Sophia?' asked Joseph. 'What are you doing here?'

'We heard you were coming home today,' said Sophia. 'We thought we would fill up the fridge, clean up a bit.'

'We had no idea that you'd be coming home with Jac and a child!' exclaimed Anne Marie.

'She has a name,' said Joseph. 'Hayley.'

'Are you telling me that she's yours?' asked Anne Marie.

'Of course she's mine,' said Joseph.

'What about Faye?' asked Sophia.

'Faye kissed Linden on our wedding day,' said Joseph. 'We're over...We both love other people. I love Jac, and she loves Linden. I haven't had a chance to talk to them properly yet, but I think we can all behave like adults here.'

'This is Jac!' said Anne Marie. 'The woman who betrayed you, who slept with your own father.'

'I'm well aware of that mother,' said Joseph in annoyance. 'But Jac has changed. We conceived Hayley by accident, but now that she's here, we're both changed people. We were out in Ireland for so long because Hayley nearly died. Look at her, she looks like a newborn, but she's 2 months old. Jac and I understand each other more than anyone else, and we love each other. So we're going to live in this house together, or move away and buy a new one, and raise our daughter together. You never know, we may have more children in the future, and we'll probably get married. Now, you can remain on your high horse and look down on her and us, or you can welcome Jac into your lives along with Hayley and you'll actually get to see your granddaughter/niece. It's your choice.'

'Hayley is family,' said Sophia. 'Mother, we really should try to put our grudges behind us. Jac after all is Hayley's mother, and there's something about her that seems different. She doesn't seem as cold as she used to be, she's softened a lot.'

'I don't know if I can forgive her,' said Anne Marie. 'I'm sorry.'

Getting up, Anne Marie left the room with perturbation on her face.

'She'll come around in time,' said Sophia gently. 'You know what she's like, just let her think things over.'

'I guess I'll have to,' said Joseph.

Standing up, Sophia moved over to Joseph and said, 'I'll leave the two of you alone to settle in. I'm happy for you little brother.'

Hugging her close, Joseph said, 'Thank you Sophia, it means a lot to me.'