Hi, again! :-) I guess you could say I'm on a roll. LOL! Thanks so much for your fantastic reviews. You guys are the best, and I really appreciate every single one of them!! :-) I thought I may have a couple more chapters to write, but after having written this chapter, I'm now thinking the next thing I'll post will be the Epilogue. I'll have to see how that works, but I think I can cover everything else I want to include for this story in the Epilogue. In the meantime, hope you enjoy this chapter! :-)

Chapter 26

"Are you having fun?"

Taylor nodded and told her mother she wanted to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse. And Goofy.

"Okay, then," Jack said, leading the charge. "Let's go find them!"

Taylor had been released from the hospital on Friday, and by Saturday afternoon, she wanted to go to Disneyland. She had to take it easy, but the doctor said she could enjoy some of the sights, but shouldn't go on any of the rides. That was fine with Taylor. She was having a ball meeting the various Disney characters, having her picture taken with them, and looking around at the fun things to do and see. She was also enjoying her mother's company and Jack's. She liked hearing her mother laugh and enjoyed seeing her smiling so much.

When Terri and Travis wanted to ride the Matterhorn, Janet looked at it longingly.

"Come with us," Terri urged. "Jack can watch Taylor and Jeremy."

"I haven't been on a roller coaster in years."

"Then it's time you enjoyed this one," Travis said. "And Space Mountain, too. Hey, you only live once."

Janet looked at Jack. "You don't mind?"

"Not at all. Better you on that contraption than me. I'll stay right here with Taylor and Jeremy. Go on. You deserve to have some fun."

"Okay," Janet said, getting excited. "Let's go guys!"

Jack laughed and smiled as he watched Janet behaving like a kid who had never been to an amusement park before. Taylor laughed, too, when she saw how silly her mother was acting.

"Mommy's happy again," Taylor said to Jack.

"She's happy because you're well," Jack said.

Taylor shook her head. "She's happy 'cause of you."

"Your mother makes me very happy, too," Jack told the smiling girl.

"I know. When I was sick, you said something about marryin' my mommy, didn't you?"

Jack looked at Taylor with amazement. "It's true you really can hear what people are saying. Yes, Taylor. I did tell you that I was going to ask your mother to marry me. When the time is right."

Sitting next to Jack on the bench, Taylor swung her legs back and forth as she looked down at the ground. "I wanted Uncle Nick to marry mommy," she said honestly.

And then she looked up at Jack.

"But Mommy's happy when she's around you."

"I know you love your Uncle Nick," Jack said, "and I would never do anything to change that. But your mom and I go way back, Taylor. We have a history, and I believe we belong together. We messed it up once, but I don't intend to mess it up this time."

Taylor nodded. "I talked to Uncle Nick this morning. He told me you love my mommy and that she loves you, too. Uncle Nick told me he would always be there for me."

"I know he will be," Jack confirmed. "He's a great man. I'm glad to know him, and I know your mommy is thankful he's in her life."

"I want my mommy to be happy," Taylor said, giving Jack a spontaneous, heartfelt hug. "Uncle Nick said you and my mommy should be together, so I want that, too."

While keeping an eye on Jeremy who was sleeping in his stroller, Jack held the little girl close to him.

"That's so sweet of you, Taylor," he said, her words impacting his emotions more than he thought they would. "I promise I am going to do everything I can to make sure you and your mother are happy and content if your mother agrees to share her life with me as my wife."

Later that evening, Jack and Janet took advantage of the unusually balmy weather by walking along the beach after Taylor had gone to sleep. Terri and Travis had agreed to keep an eye on her and encouraged the two of them to take some time for themselves.

"You've been so wonderful," Janet said to Jack, as they held hands and strolled along the sand, listening to the waves crashing against the rocks.

"It was time, don't you think?" Jack asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I know I wasn't always there for you, Janet, when I should have been. I wanted to be with you, but I let other people and things distract me from what was really important. I've learned my lesson."

"Well," Janet admitted, "I wasn't always there for you either. Emotionally, I mean. I held back because I was afraid of getting hurt. I started to do that again when Taylor got sick and you came here, but I realized I either trust you or I don't."

Jack stopped their progress and turned to face the woman he very much wanted to spend the rest of his life with. "Which is it, Janet?" he asked plaintively, his eyes searching her face for the truth. "Do you trust me or don't you?"

With moonlight spilling down on them and the water calmly lapping against the shore, Janet graced Jack with her biggest and brightest smile. "I trust you, Jack Tripper. I love you. I think I always have, and I know I always will."

Before Janet could say anything else, Jack swept the love of his life into his arms and twirled her around in the air. She gasped in surprise and then laughed at the sheer thrill and pleasure of being in his arms. They would always be together. Somehow, she knew that now when it had never been so clear to her before.

"Janet," he said, a bit breathless from his display of exuberance, "you have made me the happiest man alive! Yes!"

Still holding her in his strong arms halfway up in the air, he looked at her and smiled. "I love you. So very much. I know we said we'd take things slow, but why should we, Janet? Taylor getting sick has taught me so much. We don't know what life is going to throw our way, but I know I want to be with you. And Taylor. I want that family you asked me about. Janet?"

"Yes, Jack?" she asked, tears of joy filling her eyes as she thought about what he was going to ask her.

"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she answered with pure jubilation echoing into the still, warm night. "Yes, Jack. I will marry you. I would be honored to be your wife. But wait," she said, after he'd twirled her again and then set her back down, even though she knew there was no way her feet were touching the sand. "I promised Taylor we would include her in this. I can't officially accept until we talk to her. I'm sorry, Jack."

"It's okay," he said, a devilish gleam in his clear blue eyes. "We have her blessing."

"What? How?"

"We talked. Your daughter is very perceptive and very smart. We also have Nick to thank. She wants you to be happy, Janet. And she said she knows you're happy when you're with me."

"Oh, Jack," Janet said, drawing him into her arms. "I am happiest when I'm with you and when I don't want to smack you," she added playfully.

"Hopefully," Jack said, his grin just as wide as Janet's, "that won't happen too often or, you know, at least you'll feel badly afterwards, and I'll get what I want."

"See?" she said, but she was laughing and smiling, "that's exactly what I'm talking about."

"Janet, Janet, Janet," Jack said teasingly, continuing to hold her close, "you know you love it and me."

"Yeah," she said, still giggling as she gazed into his handsome face. "Unfortunately, I do. I guess there's no hope or help for me, huh?"

Her dark eyes twinkled mischievously; Jack shook his head.

"Shut up and kiss me," he finally said.

And that's exactly what Janet did.