Chapter Seventy-Seven

"MOMMY!" came a call from the far reaches of the house. I groaned and rolled over, disentangling myself from my husband's arms.

"Who was that?" I moaned.

"Uh, Tara. Or Jordan. One of the two," he said.

"So one of our two children is calling me mommy? Thanks a bunch BJ," I said sarcastically.

"AUNTIE CALLIE!" came another yell.

"Who was that?" I said again.

"Definitely either Gavin or Aidan," he said, referring to Tess and John's son and Brooke and Mouth's son, who had been born three months after our first daughter, Tara.

"So either one of the two children in the house that call me Aunt Callie? Thanks, BJ," I said. "You're totally going down there."

"No, this one's all you," he said. I rolled over on to him and surprised him by pressing my mouth on his. His arms were quickly around me, moving up and down my back.

"Come on, go," I whined.

"Oh, you need more than that to convince me," he said, winking.

"Bastard. Kids, I'm coming!" I yelled.

Draping a dressing gown over my frame, I began to make my way through the maze of bedrooms to Tara's, which was being shared with her little sister Jordan, her cousin Gavin and her best friend Aidan on their sleepover.

As I got into the room, I dropped in exhaustion onto the carpeted floor. At once, six year old Jordan threw herself into my lap. I kissed her and held her tightly.

Jordan was still just more than a baby, but already she had potential in every sense of the word. She had a beautiful voice for such a small child, an amazing jump shot, and the light brown hair and big brown eyes of her paternal grandmother.

Tara, at ten, was slower to come and greet me. She slung an arm around me when at last she arrived, dressed in pink pajamas. I put an arm around her and squeezed her into me.

She was a tolerant child. She somehow managed to deal with her little sister intruding on her sleepovers and stealing her clothes. I fancied myself that she and her sister were both equally beautiful-Tara had my hair, my skin, my features. My height. She was taller than Jordan, but Jordan was much taller than Tara had been at six.

Sometimes, I looked to long and too hard at my eldest daughter. Sometimes, I scared myself into thinking Tara Jennifer Scott had the eyes of Mark Delaurier.

Shaking my head slightly, I looked to the far corner of the room. Gavin and Aidan, bored with all the females in the room, had their heads bent over comic books. Gavin was an odd trick of fate-he looked like the biological child of his mother, Tess, and her husband, John, though he was his uncle. Aidan had his mother's dimples, her smile, and a bit of his father in him that endeared him to all he met.

"Guys, you have to get dressed. Everyone's coming soon," I reminded them. Their parents, my parents, Sawyer's parents and just about everyone else we knew was coming over to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Nathan and Haley.

I leaned back on my husband and smiled as the guests pored in. Brooke and Mouth embraced their son as did their sixteen year old daughter Kylie, who quickly rounded up the children and did her best to organize them.

Tess and John appeared next. Tess was holding her baby, the youngest at the gathering. Zachary Nathan Fenning had been born only weeks previously.

Lucy arrived solo. In the past ten years, her bitchiness had decreased slightly, and she'd become almost lovable.

Lauren and her husband Kevin restrained a toddler each. Her daughter, Isabel, and her son Michael were almost as much as the pair of them could handle.

Jenny had yet another new man with her. I hugged her joyfully, and forced myself to swallow the lump of guilt that lived in my throat whenever I wondered whether or not she was happy.

Mom and Daddy, married officially twenty-nine years, greeted us before rushing around to greet their grandchildren and all their surrogate grandchildren.

Nathan and Haley's own grandchildren swarmed around them when they arrived. Jordan, Tara, Zachary, and Gavin all exchanged hugs with them.

Karen and Keith had only great great nieces… or cousins… or something. It was a hard thing to figure out.

Eventually the whole lot of us wandered down to the beach. I discreetly pointed out Tara, her arm clamped around Aidan to Sawyer. He smiled and kissed my lips.

The conversation dimmed as Mom went up to the head of the crowd and began to speak.

"You know, thirty years ago, Nathan and Haley were only sixteen. And at that point, pretty much nobody were happy with them getting married. Quite frankly, I thought they were kind of insane," said Mom. Most of the crowd laughed as they remembered that Mom had been married at eighteen, only two years later. "Anyway. They persevered. They knew that they were right, and that they were meant for each other. And they are! They've had their bumps, I mean who hasn't. But they have what some people looks for their whole lives. And look at all of us here on this very beach. If Nathan and Haley had done the smart sensible thing, Sawyer and Tess wouldn't be here. Which would mean that their beautiful children, Tara, Jordan, Gavin and Zachary wouldn't be here. And believe it or not, Haley was a big force in my marriage. So without her, who knows if Callie would be here, or her sisters Jenny and Lauren? And Lauren's children, Michael and Isabel? All I'm trying to say that if Nathan and Haley contributed to all these people, as well as all the love that stills stands between them, it's a good thing they never listened to anyone back then," said Mom. Everyone cheered as they raised their glasses and drank.

Slowly and hesitantly I stood. I'd promised Mom I'd make a speech, but I was far from looking forward to it.

"Like the bumps my mother was talking about, my marriage has had it's own. The largest of which was probably when Sawyer was initially trying to get married. You know, he was pretty desperate in those days. Anyway. I can honestly say I never could have gotten through that first year without my parents in law. They've loved me like a daughter my entire life. They knew what was right for me even when I was convinced it was completely wrong. They as people, and their marriage, have always been examples to me and always will be. And remember how my Mom was talking about all the people they've affected and created? That's true. But uh, she missed out on one," I announced awkwardly. Sawyer, standing behind me, came up, kissed the side of my face and placed one of his large, square hands on my stomach. In realization, the crowd cheered in congratulation.

"Yep, because there just aren't enough Scotts in the world," he joked. Our daughters, Jordan and Tara looked confused. I promised myself I'd explain to them later.

Hours later, after all of our guests had gone home, the cleaning staff had made the house decent and our daughter were finally and bed, my husband and I fell onto each other.

"I don't think I ever believed that the last ten years would have been like that," said Sawyer.

"Me neither. I mean, I have two kids. I thought I'd be just getting married, ten years after high school," I said.

"I know. And who would have believed that Sawyer Scott got past his pimp days at seventeen?" he asked.

"No one. And I thought I'd wait until marriage, and only ever be with one…" I cut myself off and blushed. The whole incident was and always would be an elephant in the room.

"I'm glad the last ten years were like this," he said, after a short, awkward pause.

"Me too. Most of the time," I said quietly. Gently he put his arms around me.

"It's almost our birthday again," he reminded me.

"Yeah. We should go to the Bahamas," I suggested.

"Mm. Leave the kids behind… drink lots of margaritas… pretend we're newlyweds…" he said.

"Why?"

"Oh, for the newlywed sex," he joked. I lightly slapped his arm.

"Can you believe we're twenty seven?" I said in disbelief.

"I know. Almost senior citizens," he said.

"Sawyer Brian Scott, I have the oddest feeling you're making fun of me," I said. He rolled on top of me and silenced me with his lips.

"Calista Brooklyn Jagielski Scott, I have the oddest feeling you're correct," he said.

"Calista Brooklyn Jagielski Scott. It's quite the mouthful," I commented.

"That's why you're just my Squirt," he said.

"Your Squirt?" I asked provocatively.

"And no one elses," he said, falsely serious. We kissed again.

"I love you so, so much," I said.

"I love you too. I mean, apparently it's been incredibly obvious since we were thirteen," he said.

"Oh no, I've recently discovered that it was obvious at eleven," I countered.

"Whatever," he said.

"Goodnight BJ," I said, rolling over. I smiled as he snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. He was right-I wasn't anyone elses. And thankfully, neither was he.

THE END

DEFINITIVELY

Author's note: First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who's read all or any part of this. Because after Three stories, one hundred and fifteen chapters, 316 pages, 181,121 (!) words, four marriages, seven new Scotts, four new Jagielskis, and four pregnant teenagers I have received 549 reviews. 549! Thank you so much. That's amazing, and I'm so proud of all of them.

In addition, I'd like to thank Nathen'sraven for all her input and spoilers, and all the emails we've exchanged, and all the inspiration she's provided me with. And also BrookenLucas12, who's cool and an awesome writer besides.

And besides the fact that this is the definitive end, eventually, when you least expect it, I'll write a one shot to go along with that.

I don't know if I have to do this but I do not own the characters created by the lovely WB people. I only lay claim to Calista Scott, Sawyer Scott, Tara and Jordan Scott, Tessa Scott Fenning, John Fenning, Gavin John Scott, Zachary Nathan Fenning, Lauren Haley Jagielski, her offspring and spouse, Lucy Wheeler-Turner-Scott, Mark Delaurier, Eli Hutchings, Rhys (remember him?) Kylie Osorio, Aidan McFadden and Antonio Osorio. Who, unfortunately, was killed in a mysterious shooting accident. Anyway.

Once again, thank you for reading and keep your eyes out for my next story, Broken Alliances.