*AN: Well, here is the last part of my story. I hope you all have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
Thank you all so much for all of the wonderful reviews, support, and for sticking with me. It's taken me a while to write this, but it has been fun. I'm actually getting misty eyed because it's over, but that will leave me with a lot of time for more writing.
Thanks to DFerveiro and Amalia for all of their help during the writing process. You gals have made my life easier by being there to help.
Epilogue:
"Aidan! Aidan. You need to wake up now." He blinked his eyes and tried to rid himself of the sleepiness that he was feeling. He didn't want to come out of the warm cocoon that he was wrapped in. "Tired," he mumbled, not wanting to wake up.
Sydney smiled to herself as she noted her husband's scrunched up face and his protests that he was tired. She leaned over and kissed his forehead and was rewarded with bright blue eyes popping open to gaze at her. She laughed as his strong hands found her body and pulled her down under the covers with him.
"Why so early, céadsearc*? Don't we have the whole day?" Aidan grinned as he knew just why she had felt the need to wake him early. Today was their anniversary. They had been married for 1 year. Each day, he wondered how they had made it this far. Each day he marveled over their 2 month old daughter. With her blonde curls and big brown eyes she resembled both of her parents. Things hadn't been simple for them. Every day was a challenge, but they were working through it together.
Sydney smiled to herself at Aidan's use of his native tongue. She couldn't help but think back to that fateful day, when she had almost lost him. Her parents had been near the facility trying to infiltrate it. They had heard the loud noises and the gunshots and had found both Sydney and Aidan. They were able to take Aidan to the hospital before he lost more blood. She had been in such shock that she hadn't moved from the cold floor where she had Aidan's head cradled in her lap. At the hospital, she hadn't left his side until he woke up. When he did, she didn't waste time, immediately telling him how she felt. She had tried her best to show her gratitude to her parents for all they had done. Each day, they grew closer, and she never hesitated to tell them that she loved them. She showed them all of the affection that she had never been able to bestow on them. The biggest step was truly working toward a relationship with her mother. It was a slow process, but it was worth it. She realized Aidan was thinking of the same things when he spoke.
"It's over now, we can put the past behind us." After he had regained consciousness, he had thought about Allie, who had died to save him. Things had evened out. He was thankful to her for saving him and he realized how precious life was. He had lived and with a little time he was moving on with life. Sometimes it wasn't so easy. Wounds healed and left scars in their wake. Nothing could bring the past back, but the future was ahead. Sydney couldn't return to the CIA, not with a wanted assassin by her side. There were no hopes for a pardon for him, so they had to disappear. That she had chosen to be with him told him exactly how much she cared. He was sure he didn't deserve it, but he wasn't about to turn down the love of the only woman he truly cared for. He had temptations to go back to his old life; after all it was what he had known. But, with each day he grew more content being a husband and father.
"I know. I was just thinking of how I almost lost you." Sydney didn't want to think about it, but it was there, just the same. Now there was more to think about, so she brought herself back to the present. Her parents had their daughter, Maggie, with them for a few days. They had named her for Aidan's mother. She was a bundle of sunshine, and she already showed signs of having both her parent's stubbornness. Sydney marveled at how they had been lucky enough to have had her after all they had done. A pregnancy so soon after marriage was a surprise, but she wouldn't take it back for anything. Sydney's parents were not remarried, but continued to spend most of their time together. Jack had left the CIA and like Sydney, had disappeared from their radar. There was nothing left for them there now. Sloane was destroyed. It wasn't easy leaving her life. When she left, she had every intention of going back after Sloane was destroyed and she found out what had happened to her during her absence. Things had changed however. She realized that she was tired of that life. Things were not as black and white as she had always believed them to be. Gray was a shade that she had grown accustomed to. She was pulled from her reverie by Aidan.
"Maggie is with her grandparents, so you and I have the place to ourselves. What shall we do today?" Aidan grinned as he thought of a few things that they could do.
"We could spar!" Sydney said laughingly. Even though they were trying to live a normal life, old habits died hard, and they still loved fighting with each other. Of course, that kind of sparring wasn't what she had in mind.
"Although that does sound intriguing, I have a much better idea." A devilish grin lit up his face as his wife smiled at him and pressed closer, her lips meeting his.
Life had truly begun for both of them. They weren't going to waste a moment of it.
*****
'But I'm sure there's something in a shade of gray,
Or something in between
And I can always change my name, if that's what you mean.'
Anna Begins by the Counting Crows
*****
*céadsearc* = sweetheart