Chapter 15: Epilogue (1st)

Fate had taken surprisingly well the changes in her lifestyle. As she got used to the changes in her body, she adapted accordingly, and as she had anticipated, applied for a temporary desk job in the Central Offices of the TSAB in Midchilda; that way she was able to sleep every night at her home. During those months any and all field activity was out of question. It was a huge change in her life, but she never gave a second thought of it. Ironically, now she spent more time at home than Nanoha.

That had allowed Fate to enjoy a side of life she had neglected. The joy of taking Vivio to school every day, finding time for hobbies. She had even started to learn to cook under Nanoha's supervision. Sometimes it was a hit or miss, but the experience of doing that simple yet, fulfilling day-to-day activities actually made her happy.

Like that day when Nanoha arrived home to an unexpected scene and just had to ask.

"Fate-chan what's wrong?"

The love of her life was curled up on the sofa, covered in a blanket and tears streamed down her cheeks as she read an old book, her lips slanted in a bittersweet smile.

Fate sniffled and apologized.

"Mou, I didn't expect to get so emotional with this novel I was reading."

Nanoha rushed to clean her tears. She had paled at first worried sick, but the feeling was rapidly replaced by a comforting warmth as she heard Fate's explanation.

Nanoha wouldn't dare say a thing, but there had been some atypical reactions in her, surely due to the hormonal cocktail brewing in her system, that sometimes resulted in an overly-sensitive Fate.

"Are you crying over a story you are reading, my wish, my love?"

Fate nodded with a childish pout.

Nanoha took the weighty tome from her hands and after reading the title turned over the book to read the back part of the dust jacket. An epic high fantasy novel narrating an old tale of courage and love; of blood and death; of light and darkness; of broken oaths and dreams but also new promises and hopes. Of pain and love under the clash of swords.

It did sound like something Fate would enjoy reading. She wouldn't have expected for her to be in tears though.

"I remember you picking up this book years ago, back in Uminari. I am glad you finally got the time to read it."

"One of the warriors reminds me of you. Trying to break through the other's dark past to reach to her despite her resistance."

Nanoha smiled guiltily and handed back the book to the blonde, who had already calmed her watery eyes.

"Did she fall in love with her at first sight too?"

"You'll have to read it for yourself to find out," Fate answered with a smile.

"Fate-chan you are too cute for your own good." Nanoha could just melt with that smile.

She kissed her briefly and got under the blanket to hug her close.

"Did you, really?"

"Huh, did I...what?"

"Fall in love with me at first sight?" Fate asked shyly.

Nanoha inspired thinking of that very first moment her eyes met Fate's.

"Koi no yokan."

"You know I always struggled with Japanese idioms a little bit in school. That means love at first sight, right?"

Nanoha shook her head pensively.

"It's complicated to explain with words. It is... that feeling you get when you meet that someone you will unequivocally fall in love with. Even if you don't know it yet. Even if you don't feel that love yet. I may have fallen for you at first or at second, or at third sight and in all afterwards. It might have taken me longer to fully understand everything you made me feel, but for me, that moment was it. You did not have to do anything, or say anything. I was drawn to you. You were just you and something in me knew."

Nanoha let out a long sigh and rested her head to Fate's shoulder.

"Would you read your book to me?"

She didn't have to turn and see her to know Fate was smiling at her. Fate closed the book and opened it again on the first page and read it to her. And the same happened the next night, and the next. A new chapter would sometimes take them several nights to complete. Whether they chose the window corner of their bedroom or their couch in the living room, Fate would lean on Nanoha and she would read to both of them. And they smiled together and cried together, and laughed together along the narration of the legend and romance of two brave warriors told under Fate's voice.

They didn't realize it just yet, but that would be the first story of many more they would be telling their baby.

For Nanoha this had to be the first time that being in a hospital was a reason to be more than joyful. The day they had been counting down for the last months had finally arrived.

At the hospital's waiting room, each and everyone one of their friends anxiously awaited. Nanoha walked in holding Vivio's hand and went to greet them.

"Vivio, Nanoha-mama has to go back to take care of Fate-mama and make sure your little sister gets here safely. Is that ok?"

"When is she coming, Nanoha-mama? I want to play with her!"

Nanoha looked at her daughter lovingly as she stroked her hair. Vivio's expression was almost the same as the one she had when she wanted a new toy.

"You'll get to meet her in a little while. For now I need you to stay with Vita. Can you do that for me?"

"Okay!" she agreed and went to sit next to Vita.

Hayate approached Nanoha sharing a look of excitement.

"Go on, we will all wait for you to come out." She held her friend's hands between hers and pressed them supportively. "Your parents and all the Harlaowns should all be getting here soon. Go with her now."

Nanoha hurried to the delivery room after thanking her friend for life.

"We are ready, Nanoha you are just right on time," Shamal welcomed her.

"Are you ready, my wish, my love?" Nanoha said, placing herself by the side of the bed, stroking Fate's hair.

"No!" Fate shrieked terrified, looking intensely at her.

"Yes you are Fate-san. We've gone through this several times, you will do just fine. Your contractions are increasing," Shamal encouraged her as she carefully kept track of her contractions.

"No, I don't…," Fate couldn't suppress the exclamation of pain that rumbled the entire room.

"It is time, Fate-san you have to push!"

After an intense session of loud gasps and cries, calmness finally settled in, and a second later it was broken by the cry of a newborn baby. Shamal excused herself and went to evaluate, clean and get the baby girl ready while Nanoha couldn't stop watching Fate with profound admiration and undying devotion.

"Where is she?" Fate asked Nanoha, clenching her hand and squeezing it with a little more strength than necessary.

"Shamal will bring her back any moment now. Take a rest in the meanwhile."

With a light cloth she carefully dried the sweat from the blonde's face. Fate was too impatient to say or do anything. She just wanted to see their daughter.

A few minutes later Shamal got back smiling. In her arms, wrapped in a soft pink blanket, she was holding Fate's and Nanoha's baby. Nanoha almost flew the barely five steps separating them to meet her and Shamal carefully handed her the small warm bundle. Nanoha cradled the most beautiful baby she had ever seen.

A fun-sized Fate.

The delicate thin fluff on the baby's head revealed the unmistakable blond hair.

It was unreal and mesmerizing. She was holding their baby.

Nanoha felt her heart flutter and time stopping entirely as the baby opened her eyes, and looking at her for the first time, she saw the reflection of her own eyes looking intensely at her. A self directed starlight breaker could not have hit her any harder. At that moment, Nanoha knew she was crazy in love with her daughter.

"Nanoha?" She heard Fate's soft voice calling her.

Fate's sweet call snapped her out of the spellbound she had momentarily lost herself to, and Nanoha sat in the bed next to her, still speechless, gently placing their daughter in her arms.

Fate watched the baby thunderstruck. She was real, and she was hers. She leaned against Nanoha's shoulder and kept observing her daughter.

"She has your eyes," Fate said happily surprised.

Fate touched her baby's cheek as gently as she could and brushed her nose lightly. She felt her heart exploding when the little hand reached out and closed over her finger. She turned to see Nanoha, tears of joy streamed out of the beautiful blue-violet eyes she had fallen in love with years ago. Fate took Nanoha's hand and led her towards their daughter. With her little hand, the baby also grabbed Nanoha's finger.

Without moving her hand from her baby, she turned her body to be face to face with Fate and reached her lips with hers.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Fate said mid kiss.

"I know exactly how much you love me, Fate-chan."

They stayed for a while just absorbed until they both felt their daughter releasing their hands and started to shift her position, instinctively looking for Fate's breast. Fate somehow understood the non-verbal request and unbuttoned the top of her robe. A sense of peace and happiness filled her as she nursed her baby for the very first time. Nanoha just stared in awe at the woman she loved. It was breathtaking to see her so delicate and peaceful. This was another type of strength Fate had in her. If she ever thought she couldn't love Fate anymore than she already did, now she knew she was completely mistaken.

Shamal walked in quietly. She didn't want to interrupt the sweet moment, but in her hand she had the name bracelet that was to be put around the wrist of the baby.

Along with the rest of their family and friends, she had been silent witnesses of the comings and goings between Fate and Nanoha deciding on their last names.

"I already wrote down Takamachi-Harlaown. Have you finally decided on the name?"

Nanoha and Fate looked at each other. They both opened their mouths to say something, and despite their best efforts they couldn't help sharing a guilty laugh.

Author's Note:

I want to thank the nice readers who have been following the story, and especially the ones reviewing.

I need to explain why this is called "Epilogue (1st)" and why there are two more chapters missing.

As mentioned in the note in the first chapter I published Beyond the Magic a long wile ago.

Being Beyond the Magic: Full Drive an extended version of that fic, this chapter includes the original epilogue for the story, and I have kept it with that name for the sake of tradition.

Over the years I got several comments asking for the two significant moments I didn't write about for the story and I just left for the readers to imagine (the wedding and the baby's name).

It has been so long, it's difficult to think any of the original readers who liked the story will find this version, but anyways, I think I owed it to them. If anything I have to thank them, because I am quite happy about the new ending.

So, two more chapters coming up. I hope you like them, as I said from the very beginning, I'm not sparing on the sugar at all.