A/N: And here endeth the epic journey of 'New Beginnings'. Thanks to all those who came along with me for the ride, especially those who left reviews so faithfully - you're the best! :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Epilogue

May 2013

"They don't get here soon, they're gonna miss the big event," said Earl, checking his watch one more time and then adjusting his tie for good measure.

"They'll be here, old man," Wade assured him, patting his father on the shoulder from the next folding chair over. "You seriously think Zoe or old Harley would miss this for the world? Not a damn chance."

He hoped what he said was true. Of course, it was pretty tough sometimes for doctors to cut out on their work duties early and what-not. Much easier for Wade to just leave the staff in charge of the bar and skip out himself whenever he needed to.

Today, he was bound and determined to have his butt in the front row of the audience for this event. He knew Earl would be there too, with bells on, but as for Zoe and Harley, he could only hope they hadn't been called to some emergency that'd make them too late.

"We're here! We're here!" Zoe suddenly yelled, hurrying across the square in the most ridiculous high-heeled shoes that she would always insist on pulling out for special occasions - this surely was that, there was no denying it.

"Momma!" the baby in Wade's lap cried happily, reaching out for Zoe as she finally made it into the row of seats and sat down hard next to her husband.

"Oh my God, I didn't know I could run that fast!" she gasped.

"I don't know that your dad actually can," said Wade, wincing on poor Harley's behalf as he did his best to catch up.

By the time he got into the last seat in the row, he was looking kind of pale and breathless.

"Reckon I need to start cuttin' back on the desserts and gettin' myself a little more exercise or something," he said, swallowing hard.

"Givin' yourself doctor's orders now, Harley?" Wade joked.

"Somebody ought to, I reckon," his father-in-law chuckled, finally getting his bearings.

"Hey, baby," Zoe greeted her son, lifting him out of Wade's lap and into her own. "You ready to see your big sister graduate elementary, huh? Are you?" she asked, bouncing the two-year old up and down until he shrieked with laughter.

"You cut that real close," said Wade. "'Course I knew you wouldn't miss the big moment."

"It really was close," his wife agreed. "I had AB wanting me to check over Will and Bobby again. She is a wonderful mother, but she really does worry so much!"

"All mothers worry, Zoe," Harley reminded her. "Fathers too."

"Oh, I know that, but not as much as AB. We hardly ever have Lemon and Lavon or Tansy and George come into the office with their kids. Poor Annabeth panics so much, I've seen her three times in the same week with the same question before now."

"Don't worry on it, Zoe," Wade advised. "She'll calm down some when her husband comes back from his latest trip, and hey, since he's bringin' his sister with him, you oughta be lookin' forward to that anyhow. It's been a while since we've seen Katie around here."

"I know she'll be glad to be in Bluebell again." Zoe smiled widely. "And I will be very glad to see her too."

"Hey, it's startin'!" Earl called down the row.

Zoe and Wade fell silent then, and attempted to quieten their son also, as all focus went to the makeshift stage in front and the ceremony started. Though it was just an elementary school graduation, the teachers really had gone all out, getting all of the eleven-year-olds into little caps and gowns, calling their names so they could walk across the stage and be presented with their little diplomas. None of those kids were cuter to Wade and Zoe, nor Harley and Earl, than the one who's name was called next.

"Ellen Katherine Wilkes-Kinsella."

Wade's hand slipped around Zoe's own then and squeezed. He glanced down to see the eternity ring still shining right there on her left hand, and with it the wedding band she had worn for more than a few years now. In her lap, their son clapped widely at the sight of his sister on stage and Wade could hardly keep the grin off his face.

"Look at her," Zoe breathed. "Our little girl," she said, glancing at Wade.

"Yes, ma'am, she is," he agreed without pause.

The ceremony didn't last long and when it was over Ellen came barrelling at her parents, brother, and grandparents for hugs and congratulations aplenty.

"Did you see me up there? Was I great or what?" she asked without pause.

"You were the best little graduate Bluebell Elementary has ever had," Zoe told her easily. "We are so proud of you!" she promised, hugging her daughter tightly.

"Were you proud too, Daddy?" she checked with Wade.

"You have no idea how much, baby girl," he told her, taking his turn at hugging her and swinging her around until she was dizzy for good measure. "Never was a prouder daddy than me in the whole state of 'Bama."

Ellen laughed at that then got a real over-serious look on her face. Wade was about to ask her what the problem was, when suddenly she told him anyway.

"Taylor has it all wrong," she said, glancing towards one of her little friends that was being congratulated by her own family across the way. "She said next time we graduate, we'll be eighteen, and then, we can go find our fathers and no-one can stop us."

Wade swallowed hard. He always hated when talk of Logan came up and he sure as hell had not been expecting it today. He was well aware that Taylor's father wasn't in the picture, though no-one was all that clear on why. Clearly, someday she wanted to find that guy. It scared Wade to death that his Ellen would want to know that low-life Logan, who never even bothered to try and track her down, but if she did, he knew he would have to live with it.

"She's not wrong, sweetheart," he told her, looking sideways at Zoe, who he knew was listening in, even as the grandfathers got distracted playing some nutty game with little Ben. "When you're eighteen, you can go find your real daddy, if you want to," he admitted, as much as it killed him to do so.

Ellen actually rolled her eyes and out-right laughed at him, looking for all the world like a miniature of her mother.

"You don't get it!" she said, with some kind of exasperated sigh. "Logan isn't my daddy. He's just my father," she said plainly. "You are my daddy. My real, only daddy, and I don't want another one," she told Wade, throwing her arms around him for another huge hug. "I don't need some stupid father, not when I have a daddy like you."

Wade wished to God he could tell her how much that meant to him and how much he loved her, but no words would come. There was a lump in his throat a mile wide and as he looked at Zoe over little Ellen's head, he saw her swiping furiously at her eyes. She had heard every word and it had moved her just as much as it had moved Wade.

"Come on now, you young 'uns," said Harley then. "What are y'all doin' standing around here when there's cake and ice-cream to be eaten at home?"

"Well, if the graduate don't want none, I'm sure we could eat it all without her," said Earl, grinning at his granddaughter. "What do you say, Miss Ellen? Wanna give up your share?"

"No way, Grandpa!" she told him definitely.

"Well, first one to the car gets the biggest piece of cake," he said, leaning forward ready to race and waiting for Ellen to do the same. "On your marks, get set, go!" he cried before they both went charging off in tandem, with Harley following behind at a more sedate pace this time.

"At this point, I'm not sure who the craziest person here really is," said Zoe, laughing through the last of her happy tears by now.

"Pretty sure it's you, Mrs Zoe Wilkes-Kinsella," said Wade, one arm holding onto his son, while the other went right around Zoe's shoulders to pull her close. "You put yourself in the middle of all this chaos and you made a home in it. Now, what kinda crazy does that make you?"

"The best kind," she said, looking up at him with nothing but joy and love in her eyes. "Making Bluebell my home and you guys my family was the best decision I ever made. I have absolutely no regrets, not one."

Wade leaned in a softly kissed her lips. "Well, then, that makes two of us, sweetheart."

The End