NOTES: Yes, this is the end. This chapter was really intimidating to write. I hope it lives up to everyone's expectations. Hopefully soon we will get the announcement of a second season. I imagine this story will be much different than what we actually see on screen, but this would be my ideal finish to the story.

~10 years later~

~Charlotte POV~

Ten years had passed since I found my fate in Sanditon. It's funny how a simple carriage accident could change the course of my life in such a significant way. That carriage accident set me on a path of discovery, a path of true friendship with so many, and a path to true love. I thought about all the people I had crossed paths with along the way to finding my happiness with Sidney.

My sister and Mr. Crowe had truly grown to love and respect one another. He was good for her. He challenged her as she challenged him. They complimented each other well and had a very successful marriage. Their house was not far from Sanditon House, so we spent nearly every day together. I believe with the guidance of Alison, Mr. Crowe was finally able to put some of those demons from his past to rest and truly be happy in who he was and what he had. They also had many children, four to be exact. The three eldest being sons, William, Isiah and Noah, whom Mr. Crowe doted on like his own father never had with him. The youngest was a daughter, Louisa, which made Alison very happy to finally have a child that wasn't a son. Mr. Crowe gave the world to his children, knowing truly how easily life could be taken away. He never wanted any of them to ever feel inferior to him or anyone else. Their children spent a lot of time with mine and Sidney's children, and Tom and Mary's children were always on hand to hold a baby or play with a cousin.

Tom had not changed one bit. He still had grand ideas for Sanditon and worked tirelessly at finding new and innovative projects to make Sanditon a success. Mary, the loving and supportive wife she is, stood by him with her unwavering faith in her husband's ideas. They raised beautiful and respectable children. The girls were just beginning to enter society, which caused Tom and Mary to have a sense of pride, but also a sense of heartache. I knew it was only a matter of time before Sidney and I would start to have those same feelings with our own children. Mary came for tea at Sanditon House nearly every day confiding in me her fears for her own daughters being in society. Shortly after them, her sons would be off in search of a wife as well. It was hard for her to believe they had grown up as quickly as they had.

My family visited often. Many of my siblings had found their own happiness in Sanditon. My brother Simon being one of them. He married Philida Beaufort a year after their courtship began even though her father rejected the union at first. It took lots of convincing on mine and Sidney's part, but I think my brother's love for Philida was what finally convinced her father to relent and give in to the union. He only asked that they court for at least a year before a marriage happened. They remained in Sanditon, being the fulltime caretaker of the Arab Stallions.

Some of my siblings were more content to stay in Willingden and live a comfortable life close to home, while others ventured off in search of new and exciting adventures elsewhere. One of my brothers had decided to become a doctor and started learning under the tutelage of Dr. Fuchs. A sister found comfort working in the library in Sanditon while she attended every ball and party she was invited to. She had many admirers, but she seemed content being a flirt with all of them rather than choosing just one. Perhaps someday someone would come along with an offer she couldn't refuse.

I had received a letter from Clara five years after she left with Edward Denham. She wanted to explain her actions further as if the way she behaved had been eating away at her and she needed to get it off her chest. I learned she also sent a similar letter to Esther. Beyond her explanation, she informed us that her and Edward had indeed married and settled in with a great uncle of Edwards living in Scotland. They had a son, Stanley just three months after their marriage and a daughter, Susannah a year later. She wasn't entirely happy with her choice of husbands, given his philandering ways, which Edward's uncle encouraged. She wrote that at least she was well taken care of and her children would have a life she never had. I truly felt sorry for her, but her earlier actions could have been different, which would have resulted in a more favorable outcome. She thanked me for my kindness even after all the damage she had caused. I never heard from her after that one letter. I wondered if our paths would ever cross again.

Lady Diana and Lord Grasmere settled into their newly built home in Sanditon and travelled often between Sanditon and London. At times, Diana looked uncomfortable in her husband's presence, but at other times seemed to care deeply for him. He was a constant benefactor for Sanditon and helped with many investments along our journey to build Sanditon into the success it is today. Two years ago, Lord Grasmere fell ill. Diana held a constant vigil at his bedside until his passing deep in the night. She mourned him much longer than any of us had anticipated she would. She was just beginning to feel alive again but Arthur, now taking on the role of caregiver, was always at her side. They lived in the Grasmere Estate he had built for Diana in Sanditon and she took her role as aunt to so many children quite seriously. Benjamin Moreland visited them often, staying many months at a time. He and Arthur had become great friends and Diana supported their friendship. She spoke often of not being in want of a husband, but perhaps she would change her mind if the right man came along.

As for the other Moreland men, their father died just a year after he thought he would, leaving his fortune to the eldest and only married son at the time, Isaac Moreland. Isaac, being the sensible and caring brother, split the inheritance between him and his brothers equally. Isaac inherited the title of Lord and with much surprise, he and his wife settled in Sanditon shortly after his father's death. Sidney and I ran into them often. It took Sidney years to get over his jealously of Isaac Moreland, no matter how many times I assured Sidney there was never any feelings there. Lord Moreland was a benefactor to many improvements in Sanditon as well.

Last I heard, Thomas Moreland had gambled away his inheritance. He groveled at his brother's feet often for more money. He had become a drunk and no woman found him to be a suitable husband. Mr. Crowe often compared himself to Thomas Moreland and truly believed his life would have ended up similar if it wasn't for Alison.

Andrew Moreland waited a year for Julia Beaufort to be free to marry. Her father insisted, like he had for Philida, that they have a long courtship. If Mr. Beaufort was going to give his daughters away to men he personally didn't find suitable, he wanted his daughters to be sure they found the men to be suitable. They married shortly after the passing of Lord Moreland and settled into the London home the brothers grew up in since Isaac and Benjamin now lived in Sanditon.

The youngest Moreland man, Frederick, being the adventurous type, set sail shortly after their father's passing and had not been heard of since. We all assumed he was off exploring far off places and perhaps even found someone to love.

Lady Esther and Lord Babington visited Sanditon every season, staying at Denham place. Their children, Montgomery, Elizabeth and their newest children Cynthia and Paul, which I also helped deliver when the time came for each of them to be brought into the world, were treated like family and played with our own children as if they were cousins. Thankfully these pregnancies for Esther were much easier than when she had the twins. But she still didn't trust anyone but me to deliver her children. When the time got close, the Babington family made the trip to Sanditon and stayed with us at Sanditon House until the babies were born.

I had begun to have a reputation as who to call when a woman was giving birth. Dr. Fuchs even called on me at times to help in deliveries or on occasion the broken bone or wound that needed tending. I wasn't a nurse or a doctor, but I had no qualms about jumping in to assist when I was needed.

Mr. and Mrs. Stringer settled nicely in London. Mr. Stringer became a highly sought-after architect who found plenty of work in London. Hannah Stringer was always at his side helping him and guiding him along the way. They made a great team and Mr. Stringer did everything in his power to give her the credit when credit was due. He may have had the title and reputation of a great architect, but Hannah was truly the backbone of their operation. I had heard a rumor that they just had their first child. I imagined James Stringer was probably thrilled at being a father for the first time.

Fred Robinson stayed in Sanditon for many years helping with building projects, before travelling to London to be of service to his great friend, James Stringer. They too, were a great team. We had also heard rumors Fred had finally found a girl he settled down with named Alice. Apparently, she was a good friend of Hannah Stringers and sparks flew between them the moment they met.

We had heard that Eliza Campion had recently married again after ten years of being a widow and being cast out of London society. She married well, of course, to a man twenty years her senior with a Lordship title. By all accounts, it was a loveless marriage. Eliza once again married for money and position rather than for love. How thankful I was Sidney had found a way out of that entrapment. I fear he would have perished long ago if he had gone through with the union.
Eliza got what she wanted though. With her marriage to a Lord, she was welcomed back into London society where she was invited to multiple balls and parties. Position was truly all she cared about.

Lady Susan still didn't care for Eliza and refused to acknowledge her in public, which irritated Eliza to no end. Lady Susan wrote letters often detailing their encounters and how much joy she found in giving Eliza the cold shoulder. I looked forward to Lady Susan's letters merely for entertainment purposes. The Prince Regent and Lady Susan spent the summer season in Brighton most summers but would always make it a point to visit Sanditon towards the end of the season right around Michaelmas for festivities and an occasional show put on by the newly built theatre. The Arab stallions and theatre had proven to be great successes for Sanditon, and many patrons flocked to Sanditon for these luxuries as well as the obvious luxuries of the sea bathing.

As for Georgiana and Otis Molyneux, they stayed at Sanditon House for many years. In those years, they grew as people and as a married couple. They both had a lot of built-up resentment from their positions in society. Georgiana hated being gawked at everywhere they went. In Sanditon, most people had grown accustomed to her presence, but every summer when new guests arrived, there was always someone who would say something disrespectful. She wished more than anything to prove to everyone she was just a person like everyone else.

She and Otis worked tirelessly with the Sons of Africa movement to help put a stop to slavery and slave trade all together. Sidney was a constant supporter of the movement himself. He felt it his duty to help the men, women, and children who were treated as less than equal to others. Georgiana dedicated her fortune that was earned on the backs of slaves, to free slaves and give them a better life. She and Otis, along with Sidney's help, had shut down multiple secret slave trading operations. Sidney's importing and exporting business was once again booming with customers as many traders did not want to get caught up with a shipping company that may be involved with slave trade. It wasn't worth the risk to lose your hard-earned products on a ship that was dealing in slave trade. Sidney prided his company on being one that had never and would never be involved with slave trade. I couldn't be prouder of the man he had become and the reputation he had earned.

Sidney and I had made a wonderful home in Sanditon surrounded by family and friends. With the help of our families all working together, we were able to create a successful sea bathing resort. Every year proved to be more successful than the last. I still loved him beyond measure. I still longed to be in his arms at night when we were alone. And every day when I looked into the faces of our children, I was reminded of how much he loved me. There were times we argued and times we didn't see eye to eye, but usually a trip to the cabin so we could discuss our disagreements away from the children's ears, was all it took for us to come to some sort of an agreement and join together in love to remind ourselves just how much passion we still had inside for each other.

We walked hand in hand coming back from a night at our secluded cabin in the woods. This trip to the cabin was purely based on needing time alone for sexual pleasures. Even after ten years, we still couldn't seem to keep our hands off of each other. We spent lots of private moments at the cabin beyond the occasional argument.

"Sidney, I have to tell you something," I began.

He laughed and pulled me into his arms, stopping us from walking. "I already know, my love."

"You do?" I asked curiously.

"Do you think after all these years I wouldn't see the signs of my wife being with child?" he asked with a huge grin on his face.

I laughed, knowing it was hard to hide after having five children already. He knew what the signs were, perhaps even before I realized them myself. "Are you pleased?" I wondered nervously.

"I'm always pleased when my wife brings me another child. How could I not?" he said.

"We already have five children. Do you ever think we will decide we have enough?" I wondered.

"I truly doubt it." He grinned happily and leaned in to kiss me while his arms encircled me, molding me to his form where I fit so perfectly.

~15 years later~

~Sidney POV~

It had been fifteen years since I met Charlotte and my life changed significantly. I never thought I'd love anyone. I never thought I was worthy of love. But Charlotte came along and made me realize I was worthy of her love. She had shown me a strength I didn't know possible. She had given me everything I had only hoped for. I watched her playing in the yard with our children, knowing I still loved her as much today as I did the day I married her. She still made my heart soar, especially when I saw her interacting with our children. Charlotte and our children were my world and because of her love, I had grown into the man I'd always wished to be.

Lavinia, or Livi as we liked to call her, was nearly a grown woman and looked exactly like Charlotte. She was much like Charlotte in many ways also. She looked after her younger siblings, Theodore, Oliver, Isabella, Miriam, Jasper, Olivia, and baby Sophia as if she was a mother figure to them all. She took after her namesake in ways we weren't expecting. She was opinionated and bold in her thoughts. I assumed some of that influence came from her Aunt Georgiana. But perhaps some of Lady Denham lived on in Livi as well. Charlotte encouraged her strong personality, of course, wanting nothing more than for our Livi to change the world someday. I believed she would. Despite her strong personality, she was also much her mother's daughter. She was kind and loving towards all and even though she never went without, she was humble and wanted to give of herself to everyone she saw less fortunate than her. She worked in the library with her mother and aunts at times, finding every excuse to read a book in a quiet corner.

Charlotte and I were very hands-on with our children, only using a nanny when absolutely necessary. They were always with us and knew just how much we loved each one of them. Being a father was my greatest accomplishment. Charlotte had given me eight children over the years. She wished for a large family to fill the extravagant house we were left, so I was not one to deny her what she wanted. I could see the wear it caused on her body though. She tired easily and spent a lot of time trying out Dr. Fuchs' bathing machine once he made some minor adjustments to the safety of the contraption. But when she was with our children, one would never sense her body was weakened in any way. They gave her strength as she gave me strength.

The only thing missing in our family adventures was our beloved dog, Heraclitus. He had been Charlotte's constant companion during every pregnancy and every birth. I believed he loved our children even more than we did at times. Shortly after our youngest, Sophia was born, he took his last breath. It was a devastating day for all of us, but no one took it as hard as Charlotte. He gave her comfort in ways I never could. I believed he held on as long as he could, waiting to see the last child Charlotte would give him. I offered to get her another dog, but she refused, thinking no other dog would ever take the place of her beloved Heraclitus. I had to agree with her. No dog would ever replace our Heraclitus.

I held baby Sophia in my arms while I watched Charlotte run and play with the children, teaching them fun games and making them laugh with glee. When she was worn out from the excitement and couldn't go on any longer, she collapsed next to me on the blanket. "Your turn," she laughed. "I'll take the baby while you go play."

I chuckled and handed her our youngest. Charlotte kissed our daughter on the forehead while I kissed Charlotte on her forehead. "Papa come play with us," four-year-old Jasper called out in his innocent voice. I hopped up and ran across the yard towards my brood of children. They scattered with excited cries as I chased after them, trying to gather them all up in one scoop.

My longtime friend and brother-in-law, Crowe came walking across the yard with Alison and their children, William, Isiah, Noah, Louisa, and baby Abigail in tow. Once the children saw their many cousins, they went running towards them to play. I sat down next to Charlotte and brushed a strand of hair out of her face before kissing her cheek. She smiled at me with so much love in her eyes. There was never a moment in my life that I couldn't see the love she held for me in a simple glance of her eyes.

"Good afternoon," Alison said as they came closer.

"Good afternoon," Charlotte repeated joyfully. Baby Sophia and baby Abigail were born just days apart from each other and at times looked almost identical. Alison carefully sat down next to Charlotte and began talking about their day's activities.

"What do you say, old friend?" Crowe said. "Should we show our children how to play a good game of cricket? Not counting the two babies, we have eleven players."

I laughed and shook my head. "Might I remind you that Olivia is only three years old?"

"And she will outplay all of them, I'm sure of it," Crowe insisted. Knowing my Olivia, I wouldn't doubt it.

We spent a lovely afternoon with family watching our children play together and attempting to teach them the game of cricket.

"Perhaps some of our eldest sons will someday play in the annual cricket match," I pondered openly as I watched them try to hit the ball from afar.

"Or perhaps our daughters will play," Charlotte argued.

I grinned bashfully, seeing the error of my ways. "I'm sure of it."

Later in the evening after all our children were safely tucked into bed, I asked Charlotte to go for a walk with me.

"Now?" she whined.

"It'll be a short walk. I promise. I received news that I wish to share with you."

Even though she looked exhausted after the day's events, she took my hand and walked with me into the darkness. The summer moon shone brightly above us illuminating our path. I led her across the yard until we reached the cove. We walked along the beach, listening to the waves crashing against the shore.

"What is this news you have to share?" I asked.

"I received a letter from Georgiana and Otis today," I began. Georgiana and Otis had settled in London so as to be closer to the action of the anti-slavery movement. They also had three children, Daniel, named after Georgiana's father, Seth, and Edith. As much as I disliked Otis at first, I realized most of my distaste for him was because he reminded me of myself. I had done many of the same unfavorable acts in my younger years as he had and had learned how to put them behind me, yet I still had an air of self-loathing. He too, shared in that same manner until he was with Georgiana. I had learned to put my assumptions aside and truly see the man who made Georgiana happy. I didn't hold any ill-will towards the man anymore, seeing as he had done exactly as he promised. He never once asked for Georgiana's money, nor did he ever tell her what to do with it. He simply took care of her and their children the best he could.

"And?" she pressed.

"The movement we have worked on for years has finally come to fruition. The Slavery Abolition Act received the royal assent this week. It's one step closer to abolishing slavery for good," I explained happily.

"That's wonderful!" she shouted excitedly, wrapping her arms around my neck. I picked her up and swung her around. I was sure there was still a long road ahead for slavery to be abolished completely, but it was a good start to what was sure to be a lifelong battle.

"There's more," I said gleefully.

I placed her back down on the ground and looked down at her curious face. "Georgiana is expecting another child."

Charlotte laughed excitedly at the news. I leaned down and gave her a kiss, being totally and utterly lost in the moment.

"There's something we've never done that I wish to do right now, right here," I said.

"What is it?" she wondered.

I grinned and scanned my eyes across her form. "We live in a sea bathing community and in our sixteen years of marriage, we have never gone sea bathing together."

Her eyes widened. "You wish to go sea bathing now?" she asked.

"It's the best time," I explained. "The water is still slightly warm from the sun hitting it during the day, there's absolutely no one around to see us, and there's a calm across the water this time of night."

"Sidney," she said hesitantly.

"Do you trust me?" I asked.

"Of course, I do."

I leaned down and kissed her passionately while I began to unbutton the back of her dress like I had many times before. With a nervous breath, she removed her dress along with her stays, leaving her in only her shift. I too, removed my clothing, standing fully exposed in front of her. Her hand reached out and rested against my chest. I took her hand in mine and brought it to my lips for a gentle kiss, before placing it back against my heart.

"I love you, Charlotte. Every day I find something new to love about you. But mostly I love you for giving me the most perfect of lives. Thank you for your unwavering and constant love after all these years. You have given me a reason to wake up every morning and a reason to go to bed every night."

She stared up at me with a small smile on her face as I spoke. I kissed her again, holding her face between my hands. With her trusting eyes connected to mine, I pulled her shift up and over her head. She shivered against the cold breeze that blew across us and curled up against my warm body. I wrapped her in my arms and guided her into the water until it was at our knees. I listened for the wave to come rolling in behind me, before falling backwards into the water, pulling her in with me.

When we both came to the surface of the water, she squealed from the cold shock. I pulled her into my arms and held her tightly as we bobbed in the water. She took a couple deep breaths, trying desperately to warm herself. "It's colder than I expected," she said, shivering.

"Do you wish to get out?" I asked.

She looked at me with so much trust in her eyes. "No. I will never leave your arms for as long as I live. I love you, Sidney. It is I who should be thanking you for giving me the life I have only ever dreamed of. It's because of your love that I know my path was always leading me straight to these arms." I tightened my arms around her and kissed her once again. A kiss that would last a lifetime.

AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER

THE END! THE END! THE END!

NOTES: Thank you to everyone who read my story and took the time to comment and let me know what you thought. I truly appreciate all of you for your kindness and love for this story.