By Your Side: Epilogue
Three years later
Tim sat at the edge of the bench, trying to think of the happier times with her. He felt as if the time had robbed him of that. He absent mindedly played with the flowers that he had in his hand. It had been so long since he had done this. He looked at his watch and sighed. Time again was his enemy.
He sat for a minute later, then he saw her pull up. The twins were now eight years old and little women in their own right, and they burst from the SUV with all the energy in the world.
" Lizzy, Livvy , stay with me," Calleigh said as she lifted her three year old son out of the car seat. Tim got up and met her at the SUV, helping her close the door. " Thanks, Yankee."
" It's nothing. How are you doing today?" Tim asked the little boy. He had his father's deep blue eyes and his mother's blond hair.
" Timmmy!" the little boy said happily. He squirmed in his mother's arms as he held his hands out to Tim.
" My lord Ben , you act as if you never see him," Calleigh said as she gave let him down. Benjamin Caine toddled to Tim and held on to his pant leg .
"Up Timmy! Up!"
" You know you are the only one who calls me that," Tim said as he picked him up.
" Sash?" Ben asked as he looked at Tim through furrowed brows. He could swear he was looking at Horatio Caine right at that moment.
" Sascha will be here in a minute. You want to go play with your sisters?"
" Play! Play! Lizzy, Livvy,play!" Ben said as he squirmed to get out of Tim's arms. As he watched him run to his sisters, Tim turned to look at Calleigh and smiled. Through out the years since Horatio's death, she had slowly come back and became the Calleigh that everyone had known.
" These are for you," Tim said as he handed the bouquet of tulips to her.
" Oh, Tim, they are beautiful," Calleigh said as she breathed in their scent.
" Just like you," Tim replied. " So the question also goes for you too. How are you doing?"
" Fine, the twins are my biggest time cruncher and energy drainer, Ben's been well , he's been an angel. I think he inherited Horatio's calm temperament," Calleigh said wistfully. " But enough about me, how are you?"
" Today, I am fine. But sometimes, I feel like I can't go on. It hurts to know that the only one who loved you is never coming back."
" She wasn't the only one who loved you ,Tim." Calleigh said softly. She felt her heart beating a mile a minute as he looked up at her with surprise.
" Are you trying to say something Calleigh?"
" I love you, Tim and I don't think I have ever stopped loving you. When I lost my memory, it seemed as if I was living a different life, but when it came back, I knew exactly where I belonged. With you."
" Calleigh..."
" Tim , I gotta say this. I loved Horatio with all that was in me, and I think he knew in his heart that I was still in love with you, but he looked over all of that... He was a wonderful, loving man and wanted nothing more than to see me happy. Truth be told, Tim , I am happiest when I am with you. The time that we have spent together these past three years, Tim have been the best times of my life. I was able to let Horatio go finally and start to live more. For that I thank you," Calleigh said as she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
Tim looked at her and smiled slightly and grabbed her hand. He had virtually been feeling the same thing she had. He pulled a ring box out of his jacket, knowing that the time had finally come again.
" Calleigh, these past three years have been tough, but you have been there by my side to help me. Ihave been waiting for so long to say this to you, and it just felt right to buy this," Tim said as he opened the box. A ring twinkled in the sunlight as he knelt down on one knee. " Calleigh, will you marry me , again?"
Calleigh put a hand to her mouth as the tears began to flow down her cheeks. She nodded her head furiously as Tim slipped the ring on her finger, " Yes, Tim I will."
Tim stood up and took her in a powerful embrace. He closed his eyes and felt a tear as it dropped. For so many years he had wanted to hold her. The emptiness that he had felt when he lost her the first time was replaced with the love that he would carry with him until the day he died.
" Oh, man, I missed it!" Sascha said as she walked up to them. She had a big smile plastered on her face as Tim looked up at his daughter. She winked at him and then walked to where the children were playing. Tim led Calleigh to the bench and sat with her putting his arm around her protectively as they watched their children play. They were finally together. Finally a family again.
The End.
A/N: Whew! There it is , the end. Let me know how you feel about it... Please don't burn me too bad. And for those who think I massacred this story, also press the purple button and let me know. If I get the feedback I will write an alternate ending.