Epilogue

A car horn honks angrily outside and I hear shouts. Normally I would be irritated by such noise at this time of night, but laying here next to my beautiful sleeping wife, I hardly notice. She's let her hair grow out and it's spread out wildly over the pillow. She complains about it being too long but won't cut it because she knows how much I love it. I love to run my hands through it.

Jessie and I had been living together for seven months when I asked her to marry me. I will never forget that night. We were at the Christmas Eve party along with our fellow co-workers. John and Olivia celebrated their seventh month anniversary that night. Everyone was sort of surprised when the two started dating, even me. Well, everyone except Jessie. She claimed to of known it would happen all along.

Even Elliot was dating again. He'd met a quiet, small, sweet girl while buying coffee one afternoon named Kay. I was relieved when he found himself a girl. He'd loved Jessie very much and I certainly didn't want to have to worry about him anymore.

I asked for everyone's attention. "I have a little surprise." I said with a grin. John flashed me a knowing smile. He'd already agreed to be my best man. I had tried to convince him to make it a double proposal but John said that this time around he was going to do it right. He loved Olivia very much and wasn't going to go into anything half cocked. I didn't think that I was rushing into anything. I knew Jessie was the one for me. The only one there would ever be.

"I actually have a surprise too!" Jessie said laughing. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Yeah, great, I'm sure yours is wonderful but Fin's going first." John said. I nodded.

My stomach felt like giant birds were flying around in it. I was about to purpose! I swear, I don't think I've ever been that nervous and yet excited at the same time. My whole body was shaking.

"Jessie, I love you." I said, letting out a shaky breath. Jessie smiled up at me.

"I love you too dear." She said giggling. Her giggle made me relax. It was such a cute sound.

"The night at the hospital when I thought you were gone… I've never felt loss like that before. I thought I'd lost my soul mate. When I saw you lying on that bed I knew I would never let you go again. I can't picture my life without you. We already share jobs, a home, and a life…"

I pulled the box out of my pocket and got down on one knee. The room was filled with a collective gasp and Jessie's eyes filled with tears. Jessie still didn't cry much so I knew I'd evoked some deep emotion.

"Jessie, baby, will you share my name? Will you marry me?" Jessie began to cry and nodded hear head yes. I stood up, put the ring on her finger, pulled her to me, and kissed her gently.

"I love you so much." She whispered.

"I love you too baby." I smiled and kissed her forehead. People clapped and started giving us congratulations but Jessie stopped them.

"Okay, now my turn!" She said. I had no idea what was coming next and I was quite curious. Jessie smiled and turned to our group of friends. "Well," She sighed. "I wanted to let ya'll know that I'm not gonna be going out on cases with ya'll for a while."

John, Elliot, Olivia, and Don all looked at each other with a questioning expression as if to as 'did you know about this?'. I looked down at her.

"What are you talkin about baby?" Jessie just smiled and took my hand. Tears filled my eyes when she put my hand on her stomach.

"Hi dad." She laughed. At first I just stood there but when the realization hit me I pulled her into a hug.

"I can't believe it!" I said. I was so happy. As everyone came up to give us their congratulations Jessie whispered in my ear, "Merry Christmas."

We were married in a small church a few months later with only our close friends from the office and some of my family. Jessie's family didn't come in from Texas. She never talks about it but I'm sure it has to do with the fact that they didn't really like the fact she was marrying someone from another race. "Screw em'," Jessie had said, but I'm sure it bothered her more than she let on.

John, of course, was my best man and Olivia was Jessie's maid of honor. Jessie looked so beautiful in her simple white dress. Of course, she complained the entire time she was in it, and changed into a pair of jeans as soon as she was able, but she still looked great.

That September our daughter Nevaeh Eve Tutuola came into our lives. Her middle name came about because her birth was announced on Christmas Eve. We'll tell her that story when she gets a little older. Two years later Nevaeh's twin brothers Jeremiah Jonathon and Nehemiah Jacob were born.

Laying here next to Jessie I find it a little hard to believe we've been married for so long. Last week we celebrated Nevaeh's ninth birthday and in January we'll celebrate J.J's and Nehemiah's eighth. This February Jessie and I will be married nine years. It may not seem like a long time but it is.

Ken loves having a little sister and little brothers. He and I have become much closer and I have Jessie to thank for that. She's always made sure he was included in family events. He's forgiven me for the past and we've actually become good friends.

Jessie's aged wonderfully. She definitely doesn't look like a thirty-six year old woman with three kids. We both still work with SVU but make it a point to be home with our children as much as possible. We don't want our children raised by a sitter and I wasn't about to make the same mistakes I made with Ken.

We try not to put ourselves in dangerous situations, but as a cop, that's often unavoidable. Jessie still has a bad habit of getting herself into sticky situations but she hasn't taken a beating like she did in that alley way again. She tries to be careful but almost finds herself punched, kicked, scratched, or have her life threatened. She was born for trouble.

Elliot married Katy the same year John married Olivia. Olivia had a daughter a few years after their marriage. John was worried about being a dad. He was scared he wasn't cut out for fatherhood but he took to it like a champ.

I love being the kids Godparent. I get to tell her funny stories about her daddy that she can use against him later. John loves being a Godparent to my kids too. My kids think its funny to call him Uncle Munch. Even Ken's gotten into it. John is always teaching my kids lessons in Judaism. My kids love telling their little friends that they are "part Jewish, part white, and part black,". We celebrate Christmas and Hanukah with the Munch family every year. Our kids love it and are all pretty close, except Sarah Anne (John and Olivia's daughter) hates being called The Munchkin.

Jessie rolls over and her eyes flutter open. She glances over at the clock on our side table.

"Are you okay sweetie?" She asks. I smile down at her.

"I'm just watching you sleep." I mutter. She giggles softly and snuggles into my chest as I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head. I trace a finger along the small scar on the side of her forehead and frown.

Jessie doesn't like the fact that I still think about that terrible day at the hospital when I thought she was dead. More than once I've woken up to Jessie holding me, begging me to calm down, after a horrible nightmare. It's always the same dream. Me finding Jessie's dead, raped, and mutilated body. I always wake up in tears.

"Did you have a nightmare baby?" Jessie whispers, her voice laced with concern. I don't know how she's done it but nearly eleven years with SVU and she's never had a nightmare. She says that she saw worse when she was in gangs and that she's deal with it. It takes someone strong to deal with it the way that she does.

For no reason at all Jessie leans up and kisses me softly.

"What was that for?" I ask as she pulls away.

"Because I love you so much." She says and moves in for another kiss.

"That's all the reason I need." I murmur. And it's true. Love, her love, is all that I need. It's all I could ever ask for.

Authors Note: THE END! Tears! Yes I know it's so sad! I enjoyed writing it so much. I just wanna say thanks to all the people who reviewed. You all made my day every time I read them! So, what does anyone have to say about a sequel? I'm not sure if it can be done but if it can be let me know! I've got another idea but haven't started writing anything. I will soon tho! Again, thank you to all who reviewed! Leave me lots of love again! Forever yours-Ali P/S I changed the rating on this story because I think its not bad enough to be M so I made it T. If anyone thinks I cshould change it back let me know.