By the time John was able to pull himself out of his state of shock, Pocahontas had already retreated to the small room to be of further assistance. Placing a hand to his forehead to smooth back his golden hair, he glanced once again over at his friend. Thomas had returned to his place on the nearby sofa, head in his hands. His shoulders shook as he cried silent tears of fear for his young wife. John's heart went out to the younger man and he made his way over to sit beside him.

"Are you alright Thomas?" he asked softly. "Do you want me to go in with you." Thomas didn't answer, but finally faced him and allowed John to see his tear-stained face. "What if something happens, John? What if I lose her? I don't know how I would go on!" John nodded silently. He knew that feeling all too well. It was one of the worst feelings one could ever experience. To lose the one you love was almost worse than losing your own life, especially when your life together had just begun.

John shifted on the couch and placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "Thomas, all you can do is hope for the best. From the sound of things, there is nothing that you can do except to be there for her right now. Let her know that you love her, even if she already does. That's one thing that you can never hear enough of, trust me." Thomas had dried his eyes by then and gotten his emotions under control. He chucked slightly. "Now I think I know how you felt last year when you had to leave Pocahontas behind." He shook his head, brows raised. "I don't know how you handled it." John sighed deeply. "Trust me, my friend." He said. "It was not any easy thing. It was all that I could do not to break down. I had to keep believeing that the separation wasn't forever, that we would be together again someday. If not in this life, then for all eternity."

Thomas nodded in understanding. "I'm hoping for the former." He said, a wry smile on his face. John smirked. "Aren't we all." The two friends were interupted once again by Pocahontas's presence in the room. "Are you coming, Thomas?" she asked. "Linda is asking for you." The calmness that had been in Thomas's brown eyes was gone now and replaced by panic that had been there only minutes before. "Is is alright? What's going on?" Pocahontas didn't answer, but only glanced toward the room. "I think you should go and see for yourself."

Thomas said nothing, but nodded solemnly and tured to walk away. Before he had taken a step, John stopped him. "Is there anything at all I can do?" Thomas turned back to face them. "Pray." John nodded. "You know I will." Thomas returned the nod, then went to to wife. After Thomas dissappeared from sight, John turned back to his beloved. :Pocahontas, don't lie to me." he said. "What is wrong with Linda?" Pocahontas sighed as she took his hand. "I don't know" she said, her voice beginning to break. "This is the first childbirth that I have ever seen. Nakoma has always been the one to take care of matters such as these. John, I hate seeing anyone in pain, you know that. Especially a good friend. I just hope that she'll be alright." John drew her too him then and simply held her for a few moments. She was not crying, but the way that she clung to him in those few moments told him all he needed to know. She was afraid. Afraid of losing a friend and afraid of not being able to help to ease the pain that her friend was feeling. John knew this feeling as well. He knew because he was feeling it too.

The moment was interrupted by John sensing someone's presence in the room with them. He lifted his head to see Powhaton standing on the opposite end of the room, arms crossed, looking none to happy. Refusing to be intimidated by this man any longer, John gave him a small nod before replacing his head back on top of hers only seconds before. "Your father is here." He whispered in her ear. He felt her shift against him and he released her.

She stepped from the comfort of his embrace and finally came face to face with the very man she had run from only twenty-four hours before. "Father." She acknowledged him politely. Powhaton did nothing, but began to approach the couple. Pocahontas felt the sudden urge to bolt but John's arm around her waist stopped her. He placed his lips close to her ear and whispered. "You need to talk to him. Not only for your sake, but also for my sanity." She smiled to herself and turned her head up to meet his gaze. He smiled back down at her and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll be outside if you need anything." She nodded and placed a hand alongside his face. "Thank you. However, I believe that this is something I need to do myself."

John nodded in understanding and squeezed her hand before heading toward the cabin door. When he was gone, Pocahontas once again turned to face her father. "Hello Father." she stated. "What are you doing here?" Powhaton looked her straight in the eyes when he answered. "I've come to take you back to the village. Your marriage to Naco has already been announced." Upon hearing this, Pocahontas wanted to tell her father off like never before. Before she could, however, she remembered what John had said and kept her anger in check. Instead, she calmly approached him. "I'm sorry Father, but I'm not going back to the village with you and I am not going to marry Naco." Powhaton narrowed his eyes at her. "You will do as I tell you." he growled through clenched teeth. "I am your father and you must obey me."

Pocahontas was finding it harder and harder to control herself and found herself wishing that John was with her. Then she realized that he was. He was in her heart and supporting her with his love. She unclenched her fists and tried to speak calmly. "Father, I realize that you are only doing what you feel is best for me." When he was about to interrupt her, she held up a hand, then continued. "I realize that you think you are trying to protect me by keeping me away from John, but in reality you are only causing me more pain. I'm a not a child anymore, Father. I'm a grown woman with my own heart and mind and I don't need your protection any more.

By this time Powhaton had calmed to the point in which he could place his hand's on his daughter's shoulders. "Pocahontas, you know that I love you and only want what is best for you. Why do you fight me so?" Pocahontas sighed deeply. Why couldn't her father understand? "I don't mean to fight with you father! How do you think I feel raising my voice to you? Do you think that brings me happiness? It doesn't. Not by any means does it. However, you can't seem to get past the fact that I am no longer a child and I know what is best for me. I don't need you to decide my life because I am capable of doing things on my own. That doesn't mean that I won't ever need you! Every girl always needs her father, but I need someone else as well. Someone who loves me and I love in return. I can't go through with an arranged marriage, especially when I am in love with such a wonderful man. Father, can't you see how happy I am?"

Powhaton let out a long breath before replying. "Yes, my daughter, I can." Pocahontas looked confused. "Then why are you going to such lengths to try to control my life?" Powhaton glanced at her before he turned away. "Because I want to be apart of that happiness." Pocahontas stared wide-eyed at her father. "That is why you have done all this? Father of course you are a part of my happiness. You are all I had when mother died. Without you, I don't know where I would be." Powhaton finally turned back. "I'm sorry, Pocahontas. It just seemed to me that whenever that man came into the pictures, the only words between us were words of spite and anger." She once again was amazed. "You think that John was the cause of our arguments? Father, no. If anything, john was the one to support me when we did have words. He wants us to get along. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be talking with you know. Isn't there any way that you can put yourself aside and wish for my happiness?"

Powhation smiled gently. "You really love him, don't you." Pocahontas returned the smile. "With all of my heart." Powhaton sighed. "Then I suppose that I could grow to do to same and accept him as a son." Pocahontas threw herself into her father's embrace then, and hugged him with all her strength. "Thank you." she said. "This is the best thing that you could have ever done for me." This was the scene that John saw as he watched through the window. When Pocahontas released her father, she saw John in the window and smiled and motioned for him to come in. John beamed as he walked through the door. He was glad that she had made peace with her father. Her whole demeanor had changed and the sparkle was back in her eyes. This was the woman that he had fallen in love with.

When he re-entered the house, Pocahontas rushed over to grab his hand. "I take it you worked everything out?" John whispered. She nodded. "Yes. thank you for all your support" John smiled. "Your welcome. You know that would do anything for you." She said nothing, but gave him a large smile. When they reached the place where her father stood. John was first to move. "Chief Powhaton." he said. "John Smith," the chief replied. "I feel that I owe you an apology. My daughter tells me that it was you who convinced her to speak with me?" John nodded. "Yes, sir I did. I couldn't stand to see the way this feud was hurting her." Powhaton nodded again. "I see. I must thank you for that, John. It seems that my daughter has made her choice and there is nothing that I can do to change her mind. For this reason, I give you my blessing. Take care of her." John found he couldn't speak, but somehow managed to choke out five words. "Thank you, Sir. I will."

Powhaton nodded and turned to leave, stopping only to hug his daughter and offer a handshake to John. After he had left, John swept Pocahontas into his arms, holding hr tightly. Finally, they were together, nothing keeping them apart. They had faced obstacles and overcame them all. After a moment, Pocahontas pulled back. "At last." she breathed. John nodded. "At last." he replied before he brought his lips to her own. Pocahontas sighed and placed her arms around his neck as he held her. There moment was interrupted by a frantic Thomas rushing into the room. "Pocahontas? John? Where are you guy-" he stopped dead when he saw them. Both met his gaze and where surprised to find joy instead of panic on his face. "Can I help you with something?" asked John, a teasing edge to his voice. Thomas broke into a huge smile. "Do you think you can stop making out in my living room long enough to come see my daughter?"

The couple gasped in surprise and followed their friend to the side room. Upon arriving, they found Nakoma and the doctor sitting at Linda's side, wiping the sweat from her brow. Thomas made his way over to his wife, looked at the small bundle in her arms, and softly kissed her. He then took the child from his wife and brought her over to where Pocahontas and John stood. he handed the babe to Pocahontas and she looked at John with love shining from her eyes. John knew what she saw. It was the same thing that he was seeing. Instead of Linda, it was Pocahontas that was exhausted from the process, yet estatic to be a mother. Instead of Thomas, John was the proud new father, unsure of what to do, yet still willing to give his life for the new addition. It was a beautiful sight and he could only hope for that day.

He glanced down to see his love cuddling the child close and it warmed his heart even more. Suddenly a question popped into his mind. "Thomas," he said, pulling his friend aside. "What was the big emergency?" Thomas placed a hand over his heart. "Oh, that." he said. "John, can believe that there was no emergency at all? Linda was just about to give birth and wanted me to be there." John raised his eyebrows. "So all of that panic was for nothing?" Thomas nodded. "I can't believe she would do that to me. she will get it later, but not now. Right now, I'm just enjoying my new daughter." John smiled and patted his friend on the back. "Good for you." The two friends then went back to their women. He glanced around to find Pocahontas kneeling beside Linda, where Thomas had been only a few moments before. He made his way over to join them.

"Have you chosen a name yet?" he heard Pocahontas ask. Linda smiled at her husband. "As a matter of fact, we have. We decided to call her Fiona. After my grandmother." Pocahontas tested the unusual name. "Fee-oh--na?" she said. At the amused looks on her friends faces, she smirked. "Well, I suppose I'll have a long time to get used to it." The four friends shared a mutual laughter before John decided that they should leave and give the new parents alone time with their daughter. After all good-byes were said and they doctor sent on his way, John decided to walk Pocahontas back to her village.

As the walked, hands clasped together, they simply enjoyed each other's company. Finally John broke the silence. "You know, I'm glad everything was alright with Linda." Pocahontas laughed. 'Yes, though it did cause for Thomas quite a scare." John nodded. "I'm sure he'll get over it. By the way, is everything really alright with your father?" Pocahontas stopped him. "Of course it is. He has given us his blessing, wherever the path of life may lead us." John smiled. "Good. In that case, I have a question to ask you." Pocahontas's heart fluttered. "Yes, my love?" John smirked and shook his head. "I'm sorry, love." he said. "Not today. This is Thomas and Linda's day. But don't worry. We'll have our own soon enough." Pocahontas smiled as he winked and kissed her hand before they started walking again. She knew that he was right. They would have their day. They would have their rest of their lives. This was only the beginning, she knew. the begging of a wonderful path that would make all of their dreams come true.

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Hi everyone!

words cannot describe how excited I am to finally have completed one of my stories. It has been an amazing expirience that I will never forget. I must thank all of my reviews from the bottom of my heart. You guys are the ones who keep me inspired to write and I hoped that you have enjouyed the story.

I must also say a special thank you to SunRise19. Not only has she become a very good friend of mine throughout this process, but she has also helped me a great deal with this final chapter. So, SunRise19, thank you so much for your wonderful comments, ideas and reviews. your friendship means a lot to me

So, until next time, thank you all!!!

Lindsey