Author's Note: Okay. The song at the end is by Garth Brooks. AMAZING song. I love it to pieces. Also, thanks to everyone for reading this series. It's not done (this is probably the second to last chapter or so). But it's going to be totally done after this story. I'm putting an epilogue and everything so there will be no turning back.

Plus, I'll get to post my fun story that I started writing way back in the summer. Of course, I wrote it backwards but whatever. Maybe that'll be up next week.

And Loose, I finished part III...I think. I just gotta add some stuff to II and I and it'll be totally done. Woot.

MICHAEL:

"I do believe I just covered that question a few moments ago," she replied. "I see you have a tape recorder, you can refer to that for my answer.Yes, Jessica?" shecontinued, looking at another reporter.

The questions went longer than ten minutes. Her press secretary wanted them to stop at the ten minute mark, but she agreed to stay until everyone's questions were answered appropriately.

I looked past her and saw Cammie blotting her eyes and the prince with his head down. I never saw him with his head down. He always told Mia that royalty does not do such an act because it makes them vulnerable.

Mia finally came down the podium two hours later. She fell into my arms and started crying. "It's over. No turning back," she mumbled.

"It's a new beginning," I reminded her.

"Can we go home?" she said softly.

"But I saw your-"

"Please," she pleaded.

I guessed that she had seen her father as well and was choosing to avoid the confrontation. "Fine," I said, kissing the top of her head.

We kept to ourselves that afternoon. The phone was ringing off the hook with interview offerings. Lilly must have called thirty times. "I can't talk to anyone," Mia said softly. "Because then I would have to talk to everyone to be fair."

That was what I loved about her. She knew everyone had a story to write and she wanted everyone's questions to be heard and answered sufficiently. As long as they weren't rude (like the one guy who asked if she was abdicating because of her father's new wife), she would answer them.

"I'm going to get the mail," she said as I made our dinner.

"Are you sure you don't want me to?" I asked.

"I'm sure. I am only going to the lobby," she explained.

She came back a few minutes later with a single envelope that had her name on it. "Who's that from?" I asked.

"I….I ….Um….need to be a lone for a little while. Are you going over to my mom's to set the tables up?"

"After dinner," I replied.

"Then I'll read this when I'm alone. I…I might stay with my mom tonight."

I nodded. Clearly the contents of that envelope were a secret that she didn't want me to know about.

The phone rang. "No inter-"

"I don't want to interview Mia. It's her friend, Brock."

I looked at Mia, "It's Brock?"

Her face exploded into a huge smile, "Hey loser," she greeted him. "Oh God...okay, I'll see you there tonight. I can't believe you are really going to do this...yeah...okay, Tawny will probably want to come as well. She does want your bod Brock...okay, in a little while. Bye."

I stared at her.

"What?" she asked.

"What did he want?"

"Oh, he's just letting me cash in on a bet we made a few years ago," she replied cryptically.

I knew I wasn't about to get an answer out of her."Okay. What time am I supposed to go to the church tomorrow?" I asked, trying to forget the envelope.

"The ceremony is at three, so you have to be there at two. The photographer will take you and your friend's pictures there."
"Okay babe. Why don't you get ready to go to your mom's?"

We quickly ate dinner and headed to her mother's house to set the tables up and to put the place settings down. Mia acted like herself then. No one asked her about the days earlier events. I did hear her stepfather asking Miss Thermopolis if she knew Mia was going to do that.

She walked me to the door that night. "Bye baby," she said softly. "I'll miss you tonight."

"I just want to say good bye to Mia Thermopolis. Because tomorrow I am going to make you Mia Moscovitz."

She smiled widely, "And how does one say good bye to the person they love?"

I took her face in my hands and kissed her like I have never kissed a woman before. From the expression on her face I could tell she enjoyed it. "Night baby."m

I tapped the tip of her nose, "Night babe."

Tony was waiting for me at my apartment that night. We decided to play some music and chill out without all the craziness that the other guys bring along with them. I liked it when it was just me and Tony. We could just chill and watch television without having to talk. Everyone else thought that you needed to talk all the time.

"Nervous?" Tony asked as we watched an old episode of Reno 911!

I shook my head. "No. It'll be the easiest thing I've ever done. I was more nervous when you and I flew to Genovia to see her. I hadn't seen her in…oh God, five or six years? That was nerves. Now…I am marrying my best friend. It'll be the easiest thing ever."

"Think she'll cry?"
I smiled a little bit, "She cries when I least expect her to. And now that she's pregnant she's-"

"She's what?" he said, almost spilling his drink.

"Tony, I…we're not telling anyone. Don't tell Lilly," I pleaded.

"When did you find out?"

"On Christmas she told me. She's only about two and a half months along. We don't want to jinx it…"

"No, I got it bro…that's really cool. So we get to be dad's together. Nice huh?"

"Ohhh, yeah."

"Mood swings?"

"They're nuts."

"Does she pick fights and stuff with you?"

"Not on purpose. I dunno, she's just been ultra emotional with the abdication and her dad and stuff. She's just…"
"I know what you mean. It gets so frustrating that you don't know if you should kiss her or just shake her..."

"I know…I know…"

MIA:

I bundled up aftermy mother's and went to meet Brock and Tawny down the street at the diner they were eating in. "Enough tourists around?" I said laughing.

"A bet is a bet," Brock said getting up and dragging us to the direction of Central Park. I hated goign to the park at night, but I also knew that Larswas near by (he voluntarily continued services after today's news).

"Strip," Tawny said laughing.

Brockhid behind a bench so passerby's wouldn't notice. Then he started running.I burst out laughing because some tourists were snapping pictures, cuz obviously you would never see a naked man running outside on December 30th inDetriot (I'm guessing they are from there since they had a Lion's hat on). He ran around the resevoir (ugh, how many times have I run around thatfor the Presidential Fitness test?).As he approached us he was yelling for us to run.

"Run?" Tawny asked, looking at me.

"OhGod! Police!" I said laughing.

So we tossed his clothes to the ground and ran. He managed to throw his pants back on and his jacket. We caught acab. "Thanks for almost getting arrested," I teased.

"Anything for you sweetie," he said with a wink.

"You aren't getting any from me, so you might want togear your flirting in another direction," I replied.

"No lastminute fling?" he teased, his arm around Tawny. I know he's joking. In fact, he's even given Michael his approval. He said that Michael was the only other person he'd let me marry (other than Joshua or himself).

"How about the three of us get some drinks?" Tawny suggested.

I yawned. "Nah, I promised my mom I'd watch a movie with her tonight. You can drop me off here," I said, directing that lastpart to the cabbie. "See you kids tomorrow."

I watched a movie with my mother that night. I came home at like, nine from my trip to the park. I told her what Brock did and she laughed. "I always thought that kid had spunk. Ever since you told me about the shark bite he got."

She thought I should see Titanic one last night (after all, I did ditch her for our traditional Christmas Eve Titanic fest) before I got married. She knows that Michael refuses to let that rubbish into the apartment.

"How does it feel?" she asked as we put tape two in.

"What?" I asked, rubbing my belly.

"Being a commoner?"

I smiled. "So far I'm still not being treated as a commoner. Michael and I had about thirty photographers following us here tonight. But it will all be an adventure Mom…I'm starting a whole new life tomorrow. I know you don't think I should take his name-"

"Mia, you aren't me. If you want to take his name, then by all means, take his name. I won't think less of you. You have shown who you are by doing what you did today honey. You are an adult. You can make any decision you want. I'll support you baby."

I sighed. "I'm gonna go to sleep," I said kissing her cheek. "I love you Mom."

"You too. Will you be comfortable on the fouton?"

I smiled and thought of something Joshua had told his mother, "Mom, I have slept on a cot for two months in South America. I think I can handle a futon from Pier One."

My mom laughed and told me that I could send Frank in for bed.

Frank gave me a hug and wished me luck for the next day. I settled onto the fouton when Rocky came up to me. "Hey Mia."

"Hey Rock Rock."

"I've told you not to call me that anymore. I'm Rocky," he said rolling his eyes. Such a grown up right?

"Oh. Sorry. Hi Rocky."

"I um…just wanted to say that you looked good today. And you sounded really smart."

I smiled, "Thanks."

"And I was thinking…do you think you'll miss Genovia?" he asked tentatively. "Because you see…I was watching it…your press conference I mean, with my friend Charlie. And his mom says that you'll live to regret it. That you will go running back begging for-"

I bit my lip, "Rocky, don't listen to Charlie's mom. You know me. Am I the type to make a decision without fully considering all the options? Rocky, I'm going to be around here."

"What do you mean?"

" I will be living in New York City. Probably not that far from you."

"What about Michael? Will he be living in New York as well?"

I sighed, "Dur, he'll be my husband," I teased, "We'll be moving around a little bit. But in a few months we'll be settling in the apartment again and…Rocky, if I tell you something, you swear not to tell a soul?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Of course."

"You are going to be an uncle."

He smiled, "You are having a baby?" he asked, looking at my still flat belly.

I nodded. "What do you think?"

"That's great. I mean, you don't have to pretend with me. I know that you can have babies without being married…I mean, your dad and Mom did...and Mom and Frank only got married after they found out about me...I'm happy for you. And I'm really excited about Michael being my brother. He's really cool Mia. And he'll be a great Dad."

I gave my little brother a big hug, "Go to bed. We have a big day ahead of us."

"Can I sleep out here with you?" he asked, pointing to his sleeping bag and pillow on the floor.

I sighed. "Sure little man. I'm gonna go to the bathroom first."

He climbed into his Star Wars sleeping bag. "Okay."

I took my envelope from my purse and snuck into the bathroom.

The moment I took the envelope from the mailbox I knew who had written something to me. It was Joshua's handwriting. I am assuming that my father had dropped it off for me.

I opened the envelope and was greeted the aroma of his cologne. I froze for a moment then continued to take the letter out of the envelope.

Mia-

I know, weird huh? Getting another letter from good old Joshua. I have no idea how old you are when you are getting this letter. It could be when you are forty and barely remember the letter I sent you through your father when you turned twenty five. Or it could be six months after your twenty fifth birthday. I have no idea.

This is a letter I asked your father to give you on your wedding day. I don't want you to feel sad. Remember, this is a happy event! This is the day you and I had always looked forward to…albeit with a different man. . But I know that you have gotten over me. You are getting married, something I have always hoped you would do.

Of course, I hoped that you would be marrying me, but that wasn't in the stars. I can only hope that you are marrying the man of your dreams. The man that will be your prince not only in name, but in practice. That he will treat you like I would treat you. I am not going to lie to you, imaging you with any other man brings tears to my eyes. But the thought of you living alone makes me feel even worse.

But you could do that. You could survive without a man. I always told you that you didn't need a man to make yourself worthwhile. Of course, I always said that when you were dating someone else and I wanted them out of the picture so I could have a shot at you (hey, it worked, right?)

Mia I've had time here to think about my life. And I've been talking to Father McGilly (who is actually writing this) and he asked me a question. If I knew the outcome here and I could go back and change anything…Like not meeting you or not going to Africa, would I?

My answer is no. Because knowing and loving you is the best thing I could have ever experienced. And I got to be happy in life. I get to be young forever, right?

And this man you are marrying is living out my dream. And if I didn't do the things I have done then I would not be me.

And he and I also talked about sex. I told him that you and I never have. He asked me if I regretted not getting intimate with you. And I answered him honestly. No. We were doing what was right for us. And that was right for us.

I have a feeling that you are still young as a bride. You are very likely with someone I remember quite well. A man that has always been in your heart. And knowing this makes me happy. I know he can take care of you. He's probably the only man I'd think was good enough to be your husband. The only one that I know loves you as I do. And that puts you before anything. That isn't something I've always done. I mean, you asked me not to go to Africa since you had a bad feeling, but I went anyways. I bet if you asked this young man to settle in one place he'd do that for you. Just to make you happy.

And if it is not him I know you have made a good decision about your mate. You have always had the best taste (well, not including your fling with Rob…what were you thinking darling?).

All I ask of you is to remember me on this momentous occasion. And to say a prayer for my soul. I will be looking down on this day happily.

I wrote a song for you years ago and it made you accept me as your 'man'. Can you believe I just had Father McGilly say I was your man? Anyways I wrote another poem for you. Maybe your future husband can write it to music (if it is in fact who I believe it will be). This is my wedding present to you my darling, darling girl. I know in my heart of hearts that you will be a beautiful bride. All my Love….

Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared 'neath the stars alone
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known that we'd ever say goodbye

And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance

Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I a king ?
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know I might have chanced it all

And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance

Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance

The last part was written in Joshua's handwriting. I could barely tell it was his hand writing, but it was. He must have written this right before he lost his muscles in his arm.

I started crying. Joshua had planned everything before he died. And this explains why my father was in the city. He was carrying out the wishes of the son he always wished he had.

ButJoshua was happy. He didn't want me to live my life wondering what if. He wanted me to actually live it. And that was what I was going to do.