Epilogue

"Mike, here, Mike!" Laurie called from the bedroom, then not hearing any response, came limping out of the room. Hearing shouts of glee from A.J.'s two children, she guessed they were chasing Mike around, so it was safe for her to discard her walking stick for the moment.

Going to the kitchen, she was just getting ready to start lunch when two arms picked her up, and
she found herself meeting the stern glare of her husband.

"Laurie, did I see you walking without your cane just now." She was ready to give him a smart
answer, when she looked in his eyes. Not able to resist, she put her arms around his neck and
kissed him.
"Sweetheart, don't do that, I'm going to forget to be mad at you." He whispered, then continued the kiss, until steps on the back porch and a "ahem" alerted him to an audience.

"Uh, Rick, I think Oscar's ringing the buzzer out front, want me to let him in?" A.J. was grinning
like a fool, and Rick and Laurie couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, please, little brother, that'll give me time to finish yelling at my wife here for running around
without her cane." Rick snickered. He suspected this "family picnic" was the blind for a birthday
party, but he was too happy to have his family over to object.

"Yeah, right, that's not the kind of yelling Oscar's going to do, honey if he catches you sans cane!" A.J. teased, heading toward the front door.

Rick sighed as he set Laurie down. "What am I going to do with you, darlin'? You know you're
supposed to be using your cane."

"I know, Rick, and I'm sorry, I feel so clumsy with it. I'm always afraid I'm going to hit someone or step on Mike with it. I'll try to remember, love." She leaned against him and gave him a hug, then started pulling cold cuts out of the fridge.

As Rick helped her with the sandwich platter, Oscar came into the kitchen, waving Laurie's cane.

"Honey, did you leave this in the living room just to give me grey hair." He announced, quizzically.

Seeing his expression, she put down the bread she was layering and gave him a hug.

"I'm sorry, Dad, like I told Rick, I feel clumsy with it. I'll try to remember to use it, I promise."

"You'd better." He smiled finally, then handed her the cane. "Now you two can leave that,
I want to hear about this class you're going to teach, son!"

After lunch, the afternoon chill drove everyone inside for hot drinks, and Rick was
watching his nephew playing with Robin when Ricki suddenly looked up and began to wail. "Robbin, where's my rabbit?"

"What rabbit, Ricky, you mean Mr. Bunny?" his daughter asked, looking around the living room for his stuffed toy. "Yes, he's gone." the little boy sniffed.

A.J. came into the room, having heard his son's cry, then grinned at Rick.
"I think he was playing with it outside with Mike, I'll go look for it."

Laughing at his little brother mimicking a cartoon character, Rick started making faces to distract Ricky when he caught a flash of terror from his wife.

Realizing she wasn't in the house, he jumped up from his chair and headed
for the kitchen when he saw Laurie standing still in the patio.

"Sweetheart?" he called, then saw her turn back and spot him. "Rick, A.J.'s going to fall in!" she called.Immediately grasping his wife's premonition, Rick raced outside and down the driveway to the back of the ranch. Suddenly he saw what Laurie must have "seen"; A.J. was standing on the partially frozen creek, holding his son's toy and trying to tiptoe across the ice. "A.J., don't move!" he yelled at him. Coming about 10 feet from the edge of the water, Rick stopped, then calmly told his brother. "Ok, A.J., step where I tell you to, the ice is starting to crack."

Nodding, A.J. followed his directions, then just as a loud snap sounded, jumped to the frozen edge of the creek as Rick leaned forward and grabbed him, pulling him to safety. Embracing his brother, Rick swallowed hard as A.J. took a deep breath. "Thanks, big brother, guess I owe you one!" "Debt's canceled, just don't go rabbit hunting without me!" he grinned weakly, then turned to see Laurie limping toward him. Abruptly she stopped. "Rick, the ground is cracking!"

Startled, he and A.J. quickly jumped over a large gap in the ground then reaching her, looked and saw that the ground they'd been standing on had dissolved into the creek. "Laurie, back up, this whole area is unstable." He warned, taking her arm and moving onto more solid ground.

Laurie immediately grabbed her brother-in-law in a hug, then put her arms around Rick. "Darlin', it's all right, we're safe." He assured her, feeling his wife trembling. "Rick, darling, I knew you'd save him, it was you I was scared about!" she told him, sniffing. "It was you I saw falling in!" "Sweetheart, I'm okay, you warned me in time. Now let's get inside so I can warm you up." he reassured her gently. Just then Oscar and Rudy came running up and immediately hustled all three of them inside.

Finding Robin brewing some hot tea, Rick had his brother and wife sit by the fireplace then brought each of them a steaming mug. "Pop, is Mom all right, she's so pale!" Robin asked, worriedly looking at her mother, who was having her knee examined by Rudy. "She'll be fine, honey, she's just had a shock. How did Ricky manage to lose his bunny?' Rick wondered, then saw the answer as the little boy threw the now muddied toy for Mike to chase.

"I think he kept throwing the toy, you know Ricky kept telling Mike to get the rabbit, well, Mike obeyed!" Robbie added. "He took it outside and I guess he dropped it!" "I'd laugh if I hadn't been so scared!" Rick shook his head, bewildered.

Oscar looked up from petting the unrepentant dog to put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "No harm, no foul, pal, thanks to you." the big man grinned. "Yeah, except for five years off my life!" Rick sighed, starting to calm down "Rick?" Rudy called him from the doorway of their room. Rick went to the door, only to see a knowing smile on their friend's face. "Son, you really took my advice to heart, you weren't even out of breath coming in!

"Laurie's all right, as long as she remembers when she has these premonitions to take deep breaths and keep calm, she'll be all right. Now, her knee really healed up nicely, she sure moved on it to get to you! Once she's warmed up, she'll be okay, I promise. I want her to rest until dinnertime, though."

"Thank you, Rudy!" he sighed, relieved. "It's okay, son, I think what she needs right now is you." Rudy answered. As he closed the door, Rick sat on the bed next to his wife then put his arms around her. "Laurie..." he barely got out, then she buried her face in his chest "It's okay, sweetheart. I'm here." He comforted her.

"I know, but it was so real. I remembered what the Chief and Rudy told me about letting the vision go and breathing real slow. It was still bad, though, darling." She sniffed. He caressed her, whispering "better?" She smiled, "much better!" then snuggled into his embrace. .Feeling Laurie warming up in his arms, they quietly talked over his plans until Rudy knocked, then entered to take her temperature. Finding it nearly normal, he grinned at the two of them.

"All right, Missy, you can get up for dinner. I want you to have an early night, though!" he chuckled. "I will, Rudy, thanks!" she leaned over and kissed him. Rudy hugged her tightly. "Be sure to put something warm on, both of you. Rick, I'll be glad when this front finally blows out so we can go fishing for your birthday."

"That makes three of us!" Rick laughed, then waiting until the doctor closed the door, pulled Laurie back into his embrace for another kiss.

Breathless when he finally released her, she gazed at him with a wondering look. "Yes, I'm all right now, sweetheart. I mean, about turning 50." he explained with a grin.

"I'm so glad, my love. I've been worried, I kept thinking that you didn't know how important and special you were to me, to all of us." she murmured. Leaning her head against his shoulder she added, "I love you, Rick, you are the love of my life and I adore you!" her voice breaking with emotion.

Overwhelmed, Rick kissed her, saying "I love you, my sweet Laurie. I'll never be old as long as I'm with you!" Cuddling her against him, he lay there, thinking of how lucky he was.

"Darling, I think they might be waiting dinner on us.", she finally whispered, smiling up at him.

Pretending to groan, her husband got a warm outfit for her and helped her dress, then went to the bedroom door. As he opened it, he was surprised that the room was dark, then as Laurie joined him, the living room lights went on and their friends and family yelled "Happy Birthday, Rick!"

Startled, the two of them laughed, then Rick saw that his wife was just as clueless as him. "Darlin' they decided to surprise you too, huh!"

"I knew we were going to have a party, I just forgot in all the excitement!" Laurie giggled.

Greeting and hugging everyone all the surprise guests from Temple and Downtown Brown to Father Nick, Rick took his place at the head of their table, then was wowed by the succulent prime rib produced by Robin from the kitchen.

"You know, I think fifty isn't such a bad age at all!" Rick teased. "Remind me of that when it's
my turn!" A.J. replied, dishing up new potatoes for everyone.

"By that time, Uncle A.J., I'll have lots of new recipes to tryout on you for your party!" Robin
beamed, earning a kiss from her uncle. "Just as long as I get the one for these vegetables, honey!" Cecilia demanded, putting her arms around her grandchild.

After "the bonfire" as Towne kept referring to Rick's cake, everyone settled in to watch a specialvideo put together by Robbie and Robin, titled "Pop's Greatest Hits."

Full of silly still pictures and music, then "this is your life" style interviews done at the cultural
center and at Mike's in San Diego, the crowd howled over the parodies and the intercut footage
of politicians seemingly praising Rick as a investigator.

Finally at the end, both Robbie and Robin came on camera. "Pop, all kidding aside, we want to
thank you for spending some of your fifty years being our father." Robbie said.

"You have always been there for us, and no two kids have every been prouder to be called Simon." Robin added, bringing sniffles from Cecilia and A.J.

"That's why we wanted to say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, POP!" both brother and sister yelled into the camera.

As the lights came up, Rick wiped his eyes, then hugged his children, only managing an "I love you" to both of them. Pushed to the center of the room by A.J. and Towne, he cleared his throat, then said, "Uh, what can I say, but, thanks." Swallowing hard, he added , "I never thought turning fifty would be anything I'd look forward too, heck, I thought it was the end of the good times."

"But now," he looked at Robbie and Robin, then at his wife, "I know it's just the beginning, especially with the one who once asked me to grow old with her, that the best was yet to come."

Holding out his arms, he mouthed "Come here, darlin' ", and Laurie went into his embrace, as their friends burst into cheers and Cecelia and Temple into tears. "That is so beautiful, Rick!" his mother finally said,as Rick finally let go of his wife to exchange hugs and kisses with everyone. "Don't cry, Mom, save it for A.J.'s birthday, he's going to get one of these not too long from now!" he teased, kissing her cheek.

After all the emotion, Laurie had to blow her nose, which broke everyone up and set her giggling at the face Mike made at the noise.

"All right, which one of you brothers taught him that!" she pretended to huff, then started laughing as Rick told his dog "All right, say you're sorry to Mom!" and he covered his eyes with his paw.

"Always knew you had it in you to be a dog trainer, pal!" Steve grinned, then dodged a wad of gift wrap.

As the party broke up, Laurie snuck off to their bedroom as Rick was busy with goodbyes. He didn't notice for a few minutes that she wasn't by his side. When he suddenly realized she wasn't in the living room he caught Oscar's eye. "Uh, Dad, have you seen Laurie, she's not feeling sick, is she?"

"Uh, no son, but I think she's tired, why don't you call it a day too, you both had something of a timetoday. Rudy and I will stay over and lock up for you two." he replied with a straight face.

"Thanks, I think I will. I really had a great time. Thanks again for the fishing pole,
you and Rudy, well, all I can say is thanks!" he fumbled, wanting to tell Oscar how important they were to him.

"You're welcome, son. As our girl says, we're family." the big man said quietly, then hugged his
son-in-law.

Passing on a good night to Robbie and Ramona and Robin and Ian, who were all staying over, Rick quietly opened the door to their bedroom, then caught sight of a mound of tissue paper on their bed, with his wife sticking out of it with a bow on her hair.

Quickly turning and closing the door, he stood and stared as Laurie whispered "Happy Birthday, darling. I, I tried to wrap your gift properly, but what do you give the most important man in your life?"

Rick moved toward the bed as she added, trembling with emotion, "I did get you and A.J. tickets and hotel reservations to the Rough Rider Convention next month, but .."

"You are all I want." he interrupted, climbing onto the bed and tearing away all the wrapping paper to take his wife in his arms.

After the first kiss, Laurie managed to say "I wore your favorite nightgown." "Not anymore." Rick grinned, finishing "unwrapping" her. Feeling his wife shivering against him, he threw a blanket over them, then started to laugh as he saw she had taped an envelope on her skin. "You can have the tickets as well as me, you know." she teased. Taking the envelope and tossing it on the bed table, he took her in his arms murmuring "what other birthday traditions do you want to start?"

"Well, then, seeing as I can't, "she kissed his neck, "spank you fifty times, I guess I'm just going to have to kiss you," "darlin', I don't plan on stopping at fifty."he interrupted her with his lips, placing a kiss on every part of her face..

Breathless, Laurie cupped his face in her hands, then whispered, "neither do I, my love. Happy Birthday!" "And ....many more..." Rick finished with another kiss.

As he reached over to turn off the light, Rick decided fifty wasn't the end of his dreams if tonight was any indication, just the beginning.