Epilogue
It was a gorgeous day, almost fairytale beautiful: turquoise skies, no clouds, and a light breeze to take the edge off the August humidity. Steve and Jaime sat on a blanket in the park, surrounded by the remnants of a picnic lunch. Each of them had one hand hooked through the suspenders of one of the pair of squirming toddlers: their twin grandsons.
Jaime sighed happily. "You think Jenna'd let us keep them?"
"Terrible twos are on their way, Sweetheart; wouldn't take long before you'd change your mind." They both laughed, and Steve leaned over to kiss her. "If you really want another one that badly, we could always -" he fell silent, his eyes suddenly deathly serious and his face ghost-white.
"Steve? What is -" Steve held up his hand and Jaime stopped talking, looking at him quizzically. His bionic eye was focusing on something too far in the distance for Jaime to spot. He turned to her grimly.
"Sweetheart, take the babies and go - "
"Steve what is going -"
"Please, Jaime. leave the stuff; just take the babies and go. When you're far enough away, call Washington and tell them to send in the cavalry. Do it now!" Frightened and confused, Jaime complied. Her husband did not follow, but as she was pulling away, her ear picked up a faint whisper: "I love you, Sweetheart..."
When those bloodthirsty animals came for my parents for the third time, my dad decided he'd had enough. He sent Mom and the twins away and, when the men were close enough, somehow used the power pack in his arm (don't ask me!) and a match from the picnic to create an explosion. No one survived. He chose to die to thwart their plans and keep my mom and my sons from harm.
Now, as I stand looking at the gravestone, I realize the lesson he and Mom had been trying to impart my whole life: that true love means forgoing your own wants and needs sometimes, in the best interests of those you love. Thank you, Dad; I finally get the message.
END