This is it! Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for all the wonderful feedback.

Chapter Thirty-Six – And in the End

~A Year Later~

Dean walks into the restaurant and waves at Charlotte as he passes to the small room to put his things away. He's surprised to find Charlotte standing outside the room as he turns around. "What?" he asks.

"I want to talk to you," Charlotte answers.

Dean frowns. This can't be good. "You're firing me, aren't you?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous. Why the hell would I fire you? It's actually the very opposite."

"I'm already hired, so it can't exactly be the opposite."

"Dean!" Charlotte rests her hands on her hips as she tries to glare at him. "Will you let me talk?"

"Go ahead." Dean crosses his arms over his chest as he watches her; unsure of what she could possibly want to talk about.

"This is something that I've been thinking about doing for years. However, no one has ever come close to expectations of what I want this person to be. That is until you. I want to make you partner of this restaurant. As you know, Roman and I actually own this one. We've talked about it and want you to be a part of it."

Dean is shocked. He clears his throat, trying to come up with something to say. What can he say? "Um…"

"You don't have to answer me now. Think about it. Talk to Renee. Just know that you earned this spot. I wouldn't offer you this position if I didn't think you deserved it."

Dean nods. "Well, I um…"

Charlotte smiles at him. "Here." She hands him the folded contract. "It has everything you need to know in there. Go over it with Renee and then the four of us can sit down and talk if you want to talk more."

"Okay. I think I definitely need to talk to Renee." He takes the contract. "Thank you, Charlotte. You have no idea what this means to me."

Charlotte gives him a quick hug. "You deserve this."

"Um... Saturday. Why don't you and Roman come over for dinner? We can sit down then and figure everything out?"

"That sounds perfect."

Renee looks over when Dean walks into the kitchen. "Hey," she says. "I didn't even hear you come in."

Dean grins as he steps over. He gives her a quick kiss. "Well, good thing it was only me and not some robber."

Renee laughs softly. "Good thing." She looks up at him. "How was work?"

"It was… interesting."

"Interesting good or interesting bad?"

"I guess it depends on how you look at it. Charlotte wanted to talk to me this morning when I came in. She wants to make me partner of the restaurant."

Renee turns away from the counter. "Are you serious? You told her yes, right?"

Dean chuckles. "I told her that I needed to talk to you. She gave me the contract and told me to go over it with you. Her and Roman are coming for dinner on Saturday for the four of us to talk."

"Unless there's something completely wacky in the contract, you better say yes. This is amazing. I mean, it's what you want, right?"

Dean nods. "Obviously going into the job it was just a job. But I love it. I never thought I would love working in a restaurant. So yes, I want it. I just want to make sure it's something that's right of us."

Renee rests her hands on his chest. "Well then we'll sit down and go over the contract."

"I'm letting you look it over. Because I know jack shit when it comes to that stuff. You've had contracts with your jobs."

"Okay." She smiles at him. "You said it depends on how you look at it. Why would it be bad?"

"Means I'm in charge so I'll likely have to be there a little more. And I don't know if there's an initial payment or whatever to go into it."

Renee nods. "We'll figure it all out."

Renee meets Megan in front of the car after they reach the park. Dean had told them to meet him here. Now they just have to figure out where he is. Renee looks at Megan as they start to walk.

"Did he say where to meet him?" Megan asks.

"Of course not. You know Dean." Renee smiles as she hooks her arm through Megan's. "We'll find him. I've been to this park a million times over the years."

"I recognize it from your pictures. I'm glad I finally get to see it in person."

"You should have said something. I would have taken you here. I love this place." As they walk up the small hill, Renee realizes where Dean is. "I know where he is."

"You do? I don't see him."

"You will." Renee leads Megan around the corner to the bench. She beams when she sees Dean sitting there. "This is where Dean and I met."

Dean stands up and smiles at the girls. "Hey," he says.

"Hi." Renee leans up for a quick kiss before they all sit down on the bench. "So why'd you want to meet here?"

"Because it's where it all began." Dean takes a hand of each of them. "I think you saved my life that day."

"Dean…"

"I'm serious. Yeah, I know I was still involved in the shit, but I stopped doing the really dangerous stuff." He smiles. "I signed the contract today. I am officially part owner of Auburn Mount."

"That's amazing, Dean."

"And you're happy?" Megan asks.

"I'm very happy." He kisses the top of Megan's head. "And I think it's time we make a change."

"What do you mean?" Renee asks.

Dean looks at Renee. "I think we should get married."

Renee stares at him, slightly shocked by the statement. She isn't, however, at all shocked by Megan's squeal. "Is that your way of asking me?"

Dean snorts. "Not exactly." He lets go of their hands and pulls a ring out of his pocket. He looks at Renee as he lifts it up for her to see. "Marry me?"

The End