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Chapter Thirty Seven: The End
And just like that with one accident on an icy road three days before Christmas life changed for John McBain, Marty Saybrooke, her son Cole and their unborn baby. From that accident Marty had woken up with no memory of the love she shared with John or the child they had created from that love. Slowly but surely she remembered somethings but not everything. John told her what she couldn't remember about Cole and Todd and even Spencer, which had lead to Marty giving birth under the darkest of circumstances.
However the strong-willed woman pulled through just like John and Cole knew she would. It was now four weeks after the birth of their little girl Ella Sofia and after an additional two week period in the hospital both mother and baby had been released without any complications. Surrounded by family and friends they were very happy to go home to the apartment.
During that two-week additional stay Marty had agreed to a voluntary CAT scan to see if she would be able to recover any more memories. The doctors informed her that the concussion she suffered from the accident had been so severe it was unlikely she would ever recover those memories. Although the news was bittersweet, Marty was happy to start the life she was meant to have with her daughter, her son and the man she loved.
Everything was finally falling into place for two people in Marty and John that had both lost the loves of their lives in Caitlin and Patrick respectively. They shared in each other a love they thought they had lost long ago and in Ella Sofia a chance at children they thought had past them by. Also everything fell into place for Cole who had found in John something he thought he lost when he lost his father. He had found in the stoic sometimes brooding detective a man he could count on, a confidant and a friend and in his little sister he found the sibling he had always longed for.
"Cole!" Marty yelled knocking loudly on his bedroom door. "Hurry up sweetheart you can't be late for your own sister's christening!"
She backed away from the door when she heard the knob turns and then it opened moments later. Cole walked out of his room just as he finished tying the Windsor knot in his blue tie saying, "Chill Mom we're not going to be late. See? I'm all ready to go."
"You would have been ready at least 15 minutes ago if you had gotten dressed when I told you to. Instead you spent all that time talking to Langston."
"I wasn't talking to Langston." Cole proclaimed but the blush on his cheeks gave him away.
A knowing smile passed on Marty's full petal like lips as she shook her head. "Sure you weren't."
"Is everyone ready?" John asked holding Ella Sofia on his hip.
"We are now." Marty replied. "No thanks to Mr.-I-Can't-Get-Off-The-Phone-With-My-Girlfriend over here."
John smiled at Cole who just continued to get redder with embarrassment. "You're going to see Langston in about 20 minutes at the church. What could you two possibly have to talk about now? Don't you see her enough at school anyway?"
"Don't you see enough of Mom here and then at the police station too, John?" Cole countered smartly.
"You've got me there kiddo." John admitted.
"Okay I've got everything now." Marty announced walking back into the room with her purse and a diaper bag.
With that the family piled into the silver SUV they had invested in shortly after the newest addition was born and headed to St. Timothy's Cathedral where she would be christened. Marty carefully removed the little girl from her car seat beaming at her as she wriggled about in her long christening gown. Cradling her gently in her arms she looked ever the proud mother along side John the proud father as they walked inside the church.
Walking up to the basin of Holy water, the proud parents were flanked by Jessica Buchanan-Brennan whom Marty had chosen as Godmother and Bo Buchanan who John chose as Godfather.
In the front pew of the church Cole sat along side Langston of course. Next to them sat Michael and Marcie who had an obedient Tommy in her lap and next to them sat fresh from flying in from Atlantic City a very proud Grandmother in Eve McBain.
Behind them sat Nash who held a beautiful looking Bree in his arms while Nora and Matthew sat next to him. On the other side of the church sat Vicki Davidson along with Clint Buchanan and behind them sat Natalie and Evan both honored to have been asked to attend such an important event in the family's life.
As Father O'Connell announced to everyone why they were all there and spoke of the blessed event they were all witnessing John looked down at the slowly stilling bundle in his arms. There was no denying his daughter was beautiful. Even at just a month old she had a full head of curly dark-brown hair eyes that were as wide as saucers were a clear crystal aquamarine blue much like someone else's. Her chubby cheeks were always rosy while a big smile never failed or faltered from her face, which she undoubtedly got from her Mommy.
"As your daughter's parents John and Marty you have asked that she be baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibilities of teaching her the practices of the faith. It will be your duty to raise her to live by God's commandments as Christ taught us." Father O'Connell recited. "Teach her to love God and all of our neighbors. Do you both clearly understand what I'm asking you to do?"
"Yes we do." John and Marty said simultaneously looking upon their daughter with all the love in the world.
Smiling at the loving parents the Father then turned to Jessica and Bo saying, "Godparents are you ready and willing to help John and Marty fulfill their duties as Catholic parents?"
"We are." They both answered proudly.
"Great." Father O'Connell proclaimed smiling. Turning to the beautiful little girl in John's arms, he smiled at her speaking softly as if not to startle her. "Ella Sofia the Catholic community welcomes you with great joy and now in His name I am going to claim you for Christ your Savior. And I'm going to do that by making the sign of the Cross on your forehead like I did your Mommy."
Ella Sofia's blue eyes focused in awe on her Mommy as Father O'Connell gently made the sign of the Cross on Marty's forehead. He then dipped his thumb into the basin of Holy water and made the sign of the Cross on Ella Sofia's forehead smiling as she wriggled a little in John's arms. Transferring her into his other arm John dipped his thumb into the basin and gently made the sign on his daughter's forehead.
Marty then did the same as she smiled proudly at her daughter. Ella Sofia giggled quietly when she felt the cool water touch a few curls of her dark-brown hair that rested on her forehead. Then the Father turned to Bo and Jessica presenting the smaller basin of Holy water to her first and she placed the sign on Ella Sofia's forehead proudly as did Bo right after his niece.
"Is it your wish that Ella Sofia be baptized in the faith of the church?" Father O'Connell questioned. "Yeah, yeah it is." John whispered while Marty could only nod as she wiped tears from her eyes at the beautiful ceremony.
With a smile he turned to the baby in John's arms while making the sign of the Cross in front of her, "I baptize you Ella Sofia McBain in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
"Amen." John and Marty recited along with Jessica and Bo.
"That was such a beautiful ceremony." Eve whispered as the water works started flowing. Vicki walked up to the elder woman who was in the same state she was in. And handed her the other handkerchief she always kept with her. Eve graciously accepted the handkerchief and the two grandmothers then sobbed happily together in the first pew.
"You did so good up there Ella Sofia. Yes, you did." John told his daughter as he bounced her on his hip. Ella Sofia looked up at her Daddy as she played with his tie a wide toothless smile gracing her chubby face. It amazed John how much she looked like Marty when she smiled.
Inside the pocket of John's charcoal suit was a black box that felt like it would burn a hole through his pocket if he didn't give it to Marty soon. Carefully he fished it out while managing to hold Ella Sofia at the same time. Smiling at her he said, "Okay baby Daddy needs you to help him do something really special for Mommy okay?"
"Daddy needs you to hold this box for him? Can you do that?" She quickly snatched the box from John and giggled happily as she shook it before putting it in her mouth nibbling on a corner. Shaking his head he wiped off his daughter's spit and kept the box in his hand as he walked over to Marty who was talking to Nash.
"Hey Brennan can I borrow this beautiful lady for a second." John asked. "Besides I think yours is looking for you."
"Say no more McBain, Marty's all yours." Nash mused and in a flash he was gone appearing by Jessica's side within seconds.
"Boy John you really know how to clear a room don't you?" Marty teased.
"Can we go sit down somewhere?"
"Sure we can."
They sat in the back of the church as John placed Ella Sofia in his lap she snatched the box from him again. And again she put it in her mouth. Marty giggled as she took the box from her saying firmly, "No Ella Sofia we don't put things in our mouths."
"Remember La La only food goes in our mouths, just food." As she said this the box fell into her lap and opened revealing to her a beautiful simple elegant three karat Princess cut diamond ring set in sterling silver. Her large chocolate eyes became wide as she looked up at John and then down again at the ring. "That's definitely not food." She whispered shocked.
"No, I don't think it's food either." John quipped smiling. His face however became serious as he took the ring out of the box. "I'm not one for words and I'm sure you know that by now." Sighing he regrouped and started over. "I never thought I would ever reach this point in my life. Where I would have a woman, I love as much as you and a baby of my own. With you I have both and then some. So how about I make an honest woman out of you? Marty Saybrooke will you marry me?"
Marty couldn't actually believe that this was happening to her to them. She had everything she thought she lost and would never have again after Patrick died. And with a sob-ridden nod she accepted John's proposal. Carefully he sild the beautiful ring onto her shaking ring finger.
"Yes, John McBain I'll marry you." She whispered once she regained her composure.
The happy couple sealed the deal with a kiss and soon everyone was not just celebrating a christening but an engagement also.
I would love to continue this story but suffice it to say it has run it's course. I hope you all liked reading it as much as I loved writing it. It's been fun and I hope you enjoyed the journey of John and Marty.
Requests for a sequel or even a future fic will be seriously considered. Just drop me a line in your review or pm me at so much for reading.