AN: I'm deeply, deeply sorry for having been neglecting this story. As you now witness, I haven't forgotten about it, Animal Attractions has just gotten all my inspiration and attention these days. But here I am… with another update on the piano-loving Eliza and the rain-loving Arizona. Enjoy!

We have just arrived home from Greece, from 14 days solely spent on my wife, from 14 days of perfect honeymoon, and I couldn't be happier. The honeymoon did all it was supposed to do. It made me fall even more in love with my wife… not that I thought it impossible to do just that, it just… it keeps surprising me how much I can continue to expand my love for this woman. Just when I think I can't love her more, she does something or says something that totally blows me away or throws me off of my feet. All the wise men call it true love… and so do I. I never really believed that I would find love again, not anything real or true, but here I am… more in love than I've ever been before. Someone up there must love me… and I know for a fact that Tim has been dancing ever since my wedding to Eliza. I'm certain of it. I can feel it. I know in some silly way that he sent Eliza… in some far out philosophy, he sent her to me. He sent her to show me that love wasn't something I should give up upon. Well, at least I choose to believe it.

Looking at the Seattle sky, I smile. I send my big brother one of my best dimpled smiles as I walk the pavement, hand in hand with my wife. We got home almost two hours ago, and now we have unpacked and settled back home. Only one thing missing… my daughter. Spending the entirety of two weeks with my wife and both of our undying attentions has been so good, so amazing, so needed. And now we are back. Now we are back home, meaning I need to see my daughter. I need to get her back with me, with us. I need her to really begin this journey that is our new future. Me, Eliza and Sofia. And that's why we are walking the few streets, our destination being Callie and Penny's house, my daughter's other home.

"You excited?" Eliza asks me casually. I guess she already knows the answer since I can't keep the bouncing out of my steps.

"I am! I really am," I grin widely. "Um, are you?" I quiz my wife cautiously.

"Of course I am," she replies sweetly, squeezing my hand. "Can't wait to play the piano with little miss chopsticks," Eliza chuckles.

It really warms my heart how much my wife has taken my daughter into her own heart, into her life. I know it shouldn't surprise me, given that I wouldn't have married her if she didn't like my daughter, but it just… it makes me so profoundly happy and giddy. The special bond my two favourite persons have created is something I didn't dare hope for. I got it, nonetheless. Thankfully, I did.

"You ready to be called silly pet names?" I smirk, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek as we continue walking.

"I am," she laughs. "Although I've really come to love your pet names the last two weeks," she shrugs nonchalantly.

"Ha! What do you mean? I don't call you silly pet names?" I laugh, pulling her arm playfully.

"Not silly, no," she sends me a big smile. "I just love how you've been addressing me lately, is all."

"And how have I been addressing you, if you don't mind me asking?" I ask, squinting my eyes in confusion. Eliza lets a cute chuckle escape her throat, the butterflies basking in the pit of my stomach.

We round the last corner, Callie's house being at the end of the road. Eliza stops in her tracks, causing me to do the same. She takes both of my hands in hers, our bodies facing each other's. She smiles… that big, heart-warming smile. That smile I fell in love with years ago. She has that look in her eyes… that look she so eagerly pursued me with years back. That confident, sassy look… that intriguing, beautiful smile. I know I chose wisely… I know I did the right thing when I finally caved and let myself feel, when I ultimately gave in and let myself experience Eliza and all that she is. It's one of the wisest decisions I have ever made.

"Just, you know… the usual names. Honey, babe, love, and that," she reveals, the ghost of a blush creeping onto her face. Why she all of a sudden finds these terms of endearment so special, I don't know. She is cute, though.

"But, honey," I wink playfully. "I call you that on a daily basis. What's so special about that?"

"It just means more now, you know?"

"I don't, though."

"Well, before… before you called me those silly love names because I was your girlfriend, then I became your fiancé, but now…"

"Now you're my wife," I finish her sentence, a big smile on my face. I tug at our joined hands, causing Eliza to step closer to me. Our hands caught in between our bodies, I lean in and place a soft kiss upon her lips.

"Now I am your wife," she echoes my words, a deep sigh leaving her throat. A content and very happy sigh, though. "And that's… you know, all the silly pet names mean more now."

"Eliza, don't call my love names silly," I shake my head slowly, pretending to be offended.

Eliza chuckles, kissing me chastely. "I'm sorry, it won't ever happen again."

"Good," I nod. "I know someone who will actually address you with silly pet names, though…"

"What?" she exclaims. "You call Pocahontas, P, Big Chef and Piano-mom silly pet names?" she fakes shock, her mouth shaping like an O.

"Yeah," I state amused, laughing as I start walking again, Eliza following just next to me. "Not Pocahontas, though. I actually like that one."

"I thought you didn't like that one," Eliza laughs. "What changed?"

"Nothing changed, really… it just happens to be one of my best memories of you and Sofia," I tell my wife honestly. The memory of Sofia discovering Eliza coming through the sliding doors of the hospital, excitedly exclaiming that specific name. I know I told my daughter not to call Eliza Pocahontas in public, but the truth is… I find it quite endearing, actually. And Sofia isn't wrong. With some good will there is a resemblance. That being the beautifully long, dark hair and the tanned skin. Two traits I love so fiercely much about my wife.

"It is?"

"It is! Don't tell her that, though," I scoff. "Can't have her calling you Pocahontas all the time."

"I won't," she chuckles, leaning in and placing another gentle kiss to my cheek.

"Thank you…" I smile, trailing off. "…wifey."

"Don't call me that," she yelps in disgust, screwing up her beautiful face. "Makes me sound like an old housewife."

Laughing, I shake my head in amusement. "Fair enough… honey."

"Much better," she lets out a big fake sigh, pretending to be relieved by some big announcement.

We pass the last couples of houses leading up to where Sofia is living half time. I can't wait to have my daughter in my arms again. I can't wait to start my new life… our new life. I can't wait to have my family under the same roof again. The three of us. This is happening… I know that we have been living together all of us before and for quite some time now, but this is just different. I know it's silly, but it's just how I feel. I'm married now and the ties of my family have just gotten stronger, more secure and way deeper. It's really something to celebrate. I for one can't get my hands down. This is freaking awesome…

"Look at that!" Eliza smirks, pointing her finger. And I know what she sees. I know why her steps just bounced a little. I know that feeling, I experience it tenfold in my own body right now.

"Oh my gosh," I breathe out, the happiness threatening to break me in countless of little pieces.

We both watch as Sofia comes flying on her big girl's bike, streamers and all. God, how I love that kid. She's clearly spotted us, her tiny feet working the pedals of the bike like a fury.

Ringing her bell, she squeals in excitement and delight. "Mommy, Mommy! Hi… look at me, P. I'm coming, I'm coming!"

"Be careful, baby girl," I yelp when her one hand leaves the handlebars, waving at us.

"Both hands!" Eliza calls out as we both rush to Sofia's aid should she somehow crash.

"I'm fine, I come to you. See," she gets control over her bike once again, her speed driven by the joy of seeing us.

When we finally reach each other, she almost gracefully steps off of her bike, throwing it at the curb. If it was any other day, I would've chastised her for throwing it like that… but today, today I let it slide. Simply because I've missed her so much! I kneel down, Sofia launching herself at me… helmet and all. The feeling of being complete washing all over me, especially when Eliza crouches down beside me, her hand on my back.

"I missed you so much," I coo into the crook of my daughter's neck, her helmet making it a bit difficult to really absorb all of my daughter's being.

"I missed you, Mommy," she mumbles into my chest. Pulling out of my embrace, she looks to my right, catching the form of my wife. "And I missed you, too, Pocahontas," Sofia smiles, her facial expression radiant.

"And I missed you, Lil' Chef," Eliza replies, her own smile beaming. Sofia goes on to hugging my wife, their exchange of love hitting me straight in the chest. I watch my wife's eyes glaze with pure love and gratitude as my daughter hugs her tight, causing my own gratitude to escalate.

Sofia pulls out of the hug, looking both of us up closely. Her little head almost hidden completely by the helmet. She looks so grown up… where did my baby go? When did she become that big? "You had a nice honey-trip?" she asks sweetly.

"We sure did," Eliza replies, nodding. We both move into standing position, smiling down at the almost 7-year-old girl.

"We saw a pig turtle," I state, widening my eyes in awe. Sofia immediately widens her eyes as well, her mouth dropping.

"Really?" she exclaims. "You took pictures?"

"Actually, yeah," Eliza informs the dark haired beauty in front of us.

"Can I see? Prrrretty please?" Sofia rolls her tongue the best her Mama's told her.

"Let's just go see Mama, get your stuff and then go home, okay?" I say, kissing the cheek of my daughter.

Eliza situates the bike for Sofia to hop on again. Patting the helmet, she encourages my daughter to ride her bike back to where she just came from. Sofia places herself in the saddle, the coloured streamers flying in the wind as she runs the bike like she's been doing it her entire life. My kid is awesome like that.

"See ya at home," Sofia calls over her shoulder, her tiny legs going a hundredth mile every second… almost.

Eliza and I just chuckle as we keep on approaching the home of Callie and Penny. Before entering the path leading to the front porch of my ex-wife's new home, I stop. Eliza stops, too.

"What's up?" she speaks softly, her hand stroking my elbow.

"Nothing… just, I'm happy, you know. Just so happy," I turn my head and look at my wife. The woman I intend on loving forever and way beyond that. The woman I keep on falling in love with. The woman who has made me the luckiest woman alive, allowing me to become her wife… allowing me to love her and hold her. The woman who causes the smile on my face every morning I wake up and every night I go to sleep. I never really believed in second chances… I never thought I'd get another shot at being happy or even loved. I thought I'd used up all my take in that department. That I had had it. But sometimes I'm wrong. It doesn't happen often… thankfully. I hate being wrong, and I am usually right. But this might be the first time I'm actually happy about the fact that I was wrong.

Eliza runs her thumb over my jawline, then my lips… her beauty once again hitting me. "I know how you're feeling," she tells me, her voice covered in devotion. "I definitely know how you are feeling, love."

We are finally back home. We have settled in… all three of us. We have eaten Chinese take-out since none of us was in the mood for cooking. All we really wanted to do was just kick back and cozy up on the couch, watching some TV. Having a kid usually leads to watching weird cartoons or Disney movies… but not my kid, though. Of course, she loves those kinds of entertainment. But more days than not she chooses food programs over cartoons. It's true. Sofia loves American Bake Off, Hell's Kitchen, Masterchef and programs like that… just like my wife. It's really interesting and quite fascinating how the two of them continues to bond over food. It's enjoyable and it makes my heart flutter. So, now we are perfectly sprawled out on the couch, all three of us. Yeah, where there's heart there's room… that's the saying used very frequently in our household. And I love it. Sure, it makes for limbs and hair all over the place but it doesn't matter. We are at ease, and we are together.

Eliza's got one of her legs dangling over the back of the couch with Sofia hugged around her midsection. Sofia's on her stomach, face turned towards the screen while she runs her fingers through my loose hair. I'm laid on my side, my back against Eliza's other leg and Sofia's lower body. Thank God our couch is long and kind of wide as well, otherwise I would be on the floor at this point. Yeah, it's a mess alright. It's a beautiful mess, though. My beautiful mess. Watching as some random guy overcooks his raviolis, Eliza and Sofia scoffs, clearly not impressed. Did I mention that I love how invested my two favourite humans are? Because they are. So freaking adorable.

"We're better," Sofia snorts.

"We so are!" Eliza agrees.

"We make awesome ravi-lo-lies, right Mommy?"

"Oh, you do. The best raviolis," I praise my chefs, making the two of them high-five behind my back which causes Sofia to giggle.

Gordon Ramsay shouts something at someone for setting fire to a pan, but I couldn't care less. It makes my girls ooh, though, which is priceless. They get so excited which gets me excited. I could just stay like this forever… watching them enjoy themselves, just being in their presence.

I know it isn't possible. I know that work starts tomorrow. And frankly, it shall be good cutting again. Good to save lives again. Good seeing all my colleagues, my patients and all that. It shall be good getting back to normal again. Only that way our life can truly begin and unfold… life with daily routines of getting Sofia to school, both of us working family-structured schedules, picking up Sofia, preparing dinner, helping Sofia with her homework, reading bedtime stories, asking my wife how her day has been, cuddling on the couch and then going to bed, only to wake up again the next day. I can't wait for my life to find its pace and its steady rhythm; the rhythm that follows the steady beating of Eliza's heart as my head rests on her chest at night, the rain drumming against the windowpanes. I can't wait for the rest of my life to begin.

AN2: So, this was actually the last chapter of this story. I promised you a warning before I ended their journey, so just relax. You'll get an epilogue, just stay tuned. And if you're real sweet, you might even leave a review to tell me how you've been enjoying the story. Your reviews have been so encouraging and kind, and I appreciate each and every one of them. THANK YOU for following, this wouldn't have been the same without you.

So, remember. An epilogue is on its way!