A/N: This is the final chapter! Thank you to everyone who read, commented, followed, or favorited this story! And now, without further ado, here is the final chapter. I hope you enjoy, please read and review!

Chapter 18: Tomorrow

Like so many other things in spring, the spring of 2006 signaled new beginnings.

It was graduation season, and for two of Liberty's citizens, it marked a highly emotional and highly exciting change in their lives. In two days, Ellie would graduate from Dartmouth with a degree in communications. She had applied for internships at notable newspapers all over the US but was still waiting to hear back from her top two choices: the New York Times and the New Hampshire Union Leader. While both newspapers were excellent, and both offered substantial entry-level staff positions for graduating college students, there was still a part of her that clung to her childhood dream-a dream that got stronger as a teenager-of landing an internship at the Times.

She was stewing about her applications when Charlie came up to find her. While they had gone out a few times, neither of them had many any serious overtures to a relationship in the year since Charlie had moved back to town. He, too, was about to graduate from UNH with a degree in criminal justice and with a full-time job working at the Hanover Police Department as a clerk while he attended the local Police Academy.

"Hey, Ellie." He greeted.

"Hey, Charlie." She replied.

"What are you doing?" He asked her.

"Just waiting on my internship application results. They should've been back by now."

"Well. don't worry too much. You have a crazy high GPA, and you're about to graduate summa cum laude from an Ivy League college. There's no way that any newspaper wouldn't take you."

Ellie looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." There was a 'ding' from her phone, and her eyes widened. "Oh, my God!"

"You got it?"

"No, Donna's in labor, I gotta go!" Donna was just one week from her due date, so everyone in the Lyman household was on high alert. Ellie smiled briefly at Charlie, then took off. Charlie watched after her, slightly upset. What would it take for him to get her alone so that he could confess his true feelings for her?

As it turned out, Josh's text might've been the slightest bit premature. By the time Ellie arrived at the hospital, completely out of breath, Donna and Josh were trudging through the entrance, utterly defeated.

"What happened?" Ellie gasped.

"False alarm," Josh informed his daughter. "She's not in labor yet."

"I told Josh it was too early to text you," Donna explained, side-eying her husband.

"How are you feeling?" Ellie asked her, instantly concerned.

"I'll be fine," Donna reassured her. "I just want him out already." They had learned they would be welcoming a son just four months prior.

"I'll be around if you need me to help with Abbie Jean until the baby comes," Ellie told her father and stepmother.

Donna smiled gratefully. "Thank you." They hugged, somewhat awkwardly. Suddenly, Ellie got an email message on her phone and gasped. "Wow."

"What? What is it?" Josh asked frantically.

"Josh…" Donna said with a long-suffering tone to her voice, obviously exhausted by the events of the day, "let her tell us."

Ellie, her finger shaking, clicked on the email from the New York Times. The first line said, "Thank you for your application to our one-year internship opportunity. We are pleased to offer you a spot in our 2006 Fellows program. Congratulations!" She shrieked in delight. "I got it!"

"You got it?" Josh said in disbelief. "The Times job?"

"The Times job," Ellie confirmed. Josh, unable to speak, wrapped his daughter in the tightest hug. He was so proud of her that what the job would mean didn't hit him until several hours later: Ellie was officially moving to Manhattan almost as soon as graduation was over.

Meanwhile, CJ was at the diner working. Donna was taking the next two and a half months off to be there for the baby, leaving her without an assistant manager. Luckily, she had finally managed to find a waitress. Zoey Bartlet had come to her for a job, hoping to help pay her way through grad school. CJ had gladly accepted, and now, Zoey was staying in the loft, just as Donna had as recently as two years earlier, and commuting to Dartmouth while finishing up her Master's degree.

The older woman was so lost in thought that Zoey had to literally snap her fingers in front of her face to get her to pay attention.

"CJ? Are you OK?"

CJ snapped out of her trance. "What?"

"Table 4 needs their meal at some point." Zoey replied, referring to the plate of food abandoned on the counter during CJ's daydream.

"Oh, yeah, of course," CJ said distractedly. "Tell them I'm sorry for the wait."

"What's the matter with you anyway? Are you thinking about Danny?" She asked teasingly.

"No!" CJ replied defensively. The truth was, she was doing nothing except thinking about Danny Concannon.

He wasn't exactly her boyfriend; no, that wasn't the right word. Or was it?

He spent more time in CJ's loft apartment than he did his own, or vice versa. They were together more nights than not now. That was what you did in a romantic relationship, right? And they actually talked now about everything: about CJ's insecurities, about their lives, about their future. Both had agreed that they wanted a future together. What that future would like, though, was anybody's guess.

"He really seems to love you." Zoey commented off-handedly.

CJ whipped her head around. If she hadn't been on her way back from taking the food to the customer, she would have dropped the plates of food all over the floor. "What did you say?"

"I said he really seems to love you." Zoey repeated. "Are you sure you're OK?"

She put the platter down, deep in thought. Suddenly, she had an epiphany. She was in love with this man. She was really in love with him.

So, what was she waiting for?

Danny Concannon was working in his office at Dartmouth, getting ready to attend the rehearsal for the upcoming commencement exercises. He was just packing up when CJ appeared in his office doorway, breathless.

"Hi." She breathed.

"Hi." He said, obviously surprised to see her. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you." She replied. "I know what I want."

"What?" He was flabbergasted.

"I know what I want now." She repeated. "I love you, Daniel Concannon. I love the way you laugh, and the way you make me feel. With you, I feel alive. I haven't felt that since...well, since the Bartlets took me in." She took a step forward. "Since the last time somebody loved me for who I was. And you're the first person I've loved back. Will you marry me?"

He blinked, obviously taken aback. Then, he said, "I don't have a ring or anything."

"That doesn't matter." She said imploringly.

"I'm not saying it does." He replied. "I'm saying if we're gonna get married, then we should at least get a ring first."

CJ's eyes widened. "You want to marry me?"

"Of course I want to marry you. CJ, if you'll have me, I would marry you right here, right now if I could."

She cocked her head, suddenly having a brainstorm. She smiled wryly. "Hanover Circuit Court's less than twenty minutes away."

He dropped his jaw. "You're serious."

"Aren't you?"

"Of course I am." His voice was serious. He grabbed his coat, clearly signaling that they could leave. "So let's get married. There's no waiting period in New Hampshire. We can stop and pick up rings on the way. What do you say?"

CJ grinned. "Let's go call witnesses."

An hour later, after Josh, Donna, and the Bartlets had excitedly driven down to Hanover to serve as their witnesses, CJ and Danny exchanged vows in front of a Justice of the Peace.

It was the day of Ellie's graduation from Dartmouth, a day of great celebration for all of Liberty. But while her high school graduation had allowed for eight tickets, she only received three for her graduation from Dartmouth. All the same, the three Lymans were looking forward to the festivities with pride, and the other Liberty citizens were looking forward to a town-wide celebration after the commencement.

Ellie was in town before she had to be in Hanover for the graduation, excitedly chatting with CJ and Danny about their wedding, when Jed and Charlie came in.

"Ah, Ellie!" Jed greeted as he came into the diner. "I'm glad I caught you before you have to leave. I wanted to give you something in honor of your graduation."

"Oh!" Ellie said, surprised. "You didn't have to give me anything, sir."

"Nonsense, nonsense," Jed replied dismissively. He handed her a beautifully wrapped package. Ellie opened it to reveal an engraved gold watch.

"It's inscribed. Turn it around." He told her softly.

She turned it around and read, "E.A.L. Today, New Hampshire; tomorrow, the world." She teared up a little, before throwing her arms around Jed. "This is beautiful, Mayor Bartlet. I will treasure this forever. Thank you."

"You're very welcome," Jed replied. "And, if I am correct, you have something else to celebrate."

"What?" Charlie asked, confused.

"What do you mean?" Ellie wanted to know.

"Well, your acceptance to the New York Times internship, of course. Your father told me. I understand that's a dream come true for you."

Charlie's eyes bugged out. "You didn't tell me you were moving to New York."

Ellie turned around so fast Charlie thought she would fall over. "I was going to." To his credit, she looked guilty. "I was. I've just been so busy."

"When were you going to tell me?"

Her eyes widened. She took Charlie by the hand and led him out of the diner, where he wouldn't make a scene.

"Look, I wasn't aware I had to inform you of all my decisions before I made them," Ellie told him, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You don't." He replied. "But I mind you ignoring the truth."

"The truth?" Ellie was perplexed.

"That I love you!" He said before walking off, leaving Ellie in shock.

Did he love her? Did he really love her?

She checked her watch. It was time to leave for her commencement ceremony. But she had to sort things out with Charlie before she left. Before it would be too late.

Two hours later, Josh, Donna, and Abbie Jean were seated at the stadium at Dartmouth, waiting for the commencement ceremony to begin. Donna rubbed her protruding belly absentmindedly; she hadn't been feeling well all day.

Josh noticed that she looked uncomfortable. He leaned over. "You feeling OK, baby?"

Donna turned to him. Putting on what she hoped was a spirited smile, she said, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"'Cause if you're not…"

"Josh, I'm just tired, that's all. Believe me, if I was in labor, you'd be the first to know." She hoped that Josh would take the hint and leave her alone about it, because she really didn't want to spoil Ellie's graduation, but she was beginning to doubt the truth of her words.

He nodded, not fully believing her but choosing to accept it for the time being, but leaned over with a final thought, "Okay, but if that baby decides he wants out before this is over, just say the word and we are out of here."

Donna opened her mouth to say something else, but the familiar strains of "Pomp and Circumstance" drained out her voice. It was just as well, she thought as she sat forward to watch the processional. She wasn't going to give Josh the satisfaction of knowing he was right until after the ceremony.

The ceremony moved quickly. As at UNH, there were so many graduates that they announced them by degree and department rather than by name. Still, when they announced the candidates for the English Department, Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Josh clapped harder than anyone in the stadium. He knew his baby girl had just graduated.

Six-year-old Abbie Jean was fidgeting. She wanted to see Ellie, but she knew she had to wait until the graduation was over. Finally, the graduates all threw their caps up in the air. Abbie Jean squealed with excitement. She jumped up first, bouncing on her heels for her parents to stand up.

"Come on, Mommy!" She exclaimed.

"Give Mommy a second." Josh told her as Donna stood up. If she thought that he didn't notice the slight cringe of pain on her face that she tried quickly to mask, she was wrong.

As they crossed the green, Abbie Jean saw her big sister and went running. "ELLIE!"

Ellie broke into a grin and ran to catch up to her family. "Hey, peanut!"

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you!"

By this time, Josh and Donna had caught up to them. "Ellie…" Josh began. "I am so proud of you. This is...one of the greatest days of my life. Second only to the day you were born."

Ellie smiled at her father with tears in her eyes. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too." Josh said, embracing her. Their tender moment was broken only by Donna yelping in pain.

"Donna?" Josh called, jogging over to her.

Donna's face betrayed the amount of pain she was in. "Yeah, I think you might've been onto something earlier."

"It's time?"

"It's time."

"Oh, my God!" Ellie said, half excited and half freaking out. "We better get you to the hospital!"

"Yes. Right. Hospital!" Josh said, still in shock. "Unless, of course, you want to deliver in the Dartmouth stadium…"

"Josh!"

"Okay, okay, let's go!"

An agonizing four hours later, CJ and the Bartlets had met the Lymans at the hospital, and the five of them were sitting in the waiting room at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (at least they had only been a stone's throw away from the hospital when Donna went into labor) when Josh emerged from the labor and delivery ward, a tired but excited smile on his face.

"Daddy?" Abbie Jean asked. "Is our brother here?"

"He's here." Josh confirmed. "And he is perfect!"

Everyone broke into relieved grins and cheers. Josh accepted hugs from his friends and his children.

"Can we see him?" CJ asked.

"Donna wants the girls to meet him first, then you all can have a turn."

"Sounds more than fair, Josh. Take your time." Abbey replied.

Josh beckoned to Ellie and Abbie Jean. "Come on, guys. You want to come meet your brother?"

He didn't need to ask them twice. They nodded in excited disbelief. Josh led the girls into the labor and delivery ward and into a room midway down the hall, where Donna was sitting up in bed. Her hair was pulled back, and in her arms was nestled one of the most adorable babies Ellie had ever seen.

Abbie Jean ran up to her mother, while Ellie held back slightly. Finally, she approached her new half-brother.

"Do you want to hold him, Ellie?" Donna asked.

Ellie nodded, unable to speak due to sheer delight. Donna gingerly transferred the tiny bundle into Ellie's arms. A tiny fist lifted from the bundle and waved toward her, causing all four of them to laugh softly.

"Hi, little buddy." Ellie said tenderly, grabbing his fist with her finger. "I'm your big sister. I'm sorry I'm not gonna get a chance to see you grow up, but I'm gonna love you anyway."

"What's his name?" Abbie Jean asked her mother. Ellie looked up expectantly.

Donna looked up at Josh, who nodded as if to give permission.

"His name's Noah." Donna told her.

Ellie grinned. "After Grandpa?" The elder Lyman had died well before Ellie was born, but they talked of him often.

Josh nodded. "Noah Daniel. After both his grandfathers."

"I like that." Abbie Jean declared. "Hi, Noah. Welcome to the world."

Three hours later, Ellie had taken Abbie Jean home after the parade of Liberty visitors had come and gone from the hospital. Given the events of the day, everyone was in favor of pushing the graduation/going-away party to the next night. Ellie was sitting on the front steps, reflecting on her life, when her cell phone rang.

She picked up immediately. "Hello?"

"Ellie, have you seen Charlie?" Abbey's voice held a sense of urgency to it.

"No," Ellie said, surprised. "I haven't seen him since we fought this morning. Why?"

"You guys fought?"

"Yeah. Dr. Bartlet, what's going on?"

"I've been trying to reach him all day. He hasn't picked up yet. I've tried all the usual places, but I can't find him."

At the phrase, "usual places", Ellie's ear perked up. Suddenly, she thought of a place that Charlie had shown her years before, a place that the Bartlets would never think to look. "Dr. Bartlet, I think I might know where he is."

"Where?" Abbey's voice sounded so desperate, so panicked, that it was heartbreaking. After all these years, she still loved Charlie as if he were her own son.

"Maybe you better let me go find him."

"You think you can get through to him?"

"I know I can." She was the only one that ever could, besides Deanna. She said a quick goodbye to Abbey, hung up, made sure Abbie Jean was safe in Deanna Young's hands and drove off. While she was driving, she began to realize the truth. She was madly in love with Charles Young.

He was right where she thought he would be-out by the lake at the edge of Hanover. It was a beautiful spot that reminded him of his mom, he once told Ellie. They had spent hours at this lake, fishing, and Charlie never felt closer to his mother than when he was out here.

"Hi." Ellie greeted quietly.

He whirled around. "How'd you know where to find me?"

"Because whenever you're like this, or whenever you're really down, I'll know where to find you. I will always find you."

He ran his hand through his hair. "Really?"

"Really."

Charlie was quiet at first. "I was upset when you told me." He finally admitted. "I was upset because...you know how you realize something only when it's too late to do anything about it? Well, that's how I feel about you." He stepped closer, sighing. "I love you, Ellie Lyman. I love you so much, and now you're leaving."

Now it was Ellie's turn to soak in this unbeatable declaration of love. Then she smiled softly.

"Who said it was too late?"

Before Charlie knew what was happening, she walked up to him and did something she had been waiting to do for the last six years.

She took his face in her hands and kissed him. She felt him kiss back as they kissed against the backdrop of the stars.

As they pulled apart, she whispered, "I do love you. You're the one for me, Charles Young. And I know it'll be hard, but we can work something out."

"You mean that?" He asked skeptically.

She nodded. "You can come with me this summer, and come up to New York as often as you can. And I'll be back in Liberty as often as I can, too. After all, I've got a new little brother."

"I'll wait for you." He said. "I've been through a lot in my life, a lot, and honestly, trusting someone's been a long road for me. But I trust you. And if you'll have me, I'll wait for as long as I have to. Because this is it. You're it for me, now and forever."

Ellie smiled through her tears, then leaned in to kiss Charlie again. They had no way of knowing what was coming next. But they knew that whatever happened, they would face it together.

Ellie and Charlie spent the next day and a half planning their summer before Charlie would return to Hanover for the Police Academy and they would begin the oftentimes difficult life of a long-distance relationship. But they had faith that they could make it work.

All too soon, it was the day that Ellie and Charlie would depart for Manhattan. It was a five-hour drive to the city, and they planned to get on the road early so that they could be in New York by nightfall. Ellie's internship would start the next day.

Josh sat and watched helplessly as Ellie finished packing the last of her things. Donna was busy with Noah, and Abbie Jean was still asleep.

"I can't believe you're leaving." Josh said. "My little girl's all grown up."

"Dad." Ellie sighed. "Part of me will always be your little girl."

"Yeah." Suddenly, Josh stood up. "Don't forget to pack long underwear."

"Come again?"

"You'll need it. It'll be cold in the winter. And pack earmuffs, and a warm ski hat, and boots, and-"

"Dad, I'm not going to need winter clothing for quite some time."

"Just let me make sure you have everything you need, OK?"

"Dad." Ellie said in a suddenly soft voice. "You've given me everything I need."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Suddenly, Josh reached out and pulled his daughter into a hug. They stood there for several minutes, soaking in every last minute with one another.

A few hours later, most of the town was gathered outside the diner, ready to see Ellie and Charlie off. Charlie would return, but Ellie would not. After saying a heartfelt goodbye to CJ, Sam, Ainsley, Jed, Abbey, and even Toby, she turned to her family.

"I don't want you to go, Ellie." Abbie Jean said, hugging her legs.

"I'm gonna miss you too, peanut." Ellie replied, crouching down to her level. "But you can still call me, okay? Anytime you want to talk or let me know what's going on in this town. Does that sound good?"

Abbie Jean nodded eagerly. "Okay."

Ellie stood back up. Brushing her hand against baby Noah's head for a moment, she hugged Donna as gently as she could.

"Keep in touch, okay?" Donna said sincerely. "Don't be a stranger."

"I won't." Ellie promised. Over the years, Donna had become a big sister to her, and she would miss her dearly.

Finally, it was Josh's turn. They hugged tightly.

"Call me, day or night." Josh told her. "And never forget how much I love you." There was a hitch to his voice.

"I love you too, Dad." Ellie said, her own voice breaking. They pulled apart, and Josh kissed her cheek.

There was nothing left to do but head to her car, waving at everyone as she and Charlie climbed in.

She took a last look around. Liberty had grown and changed in the last 7 years. People had come and gone. They had survived death, four births, new businesses, and even a murder trial. Life would go on, Ellie knew. But she would never forget this place.

As she and Charlie drove down the street towards the highway that would take them to New York, Charlie turned to her and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

And Ellie smiled softly to herself and replied,

"Tomorrow."

A/N: And there's my story! I hope you enjoyed this AU. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story! Let me know what you thought!