AN: Well folks, this is the end. thanks for taking the ride with me! I have a few other things already written that I'll put up in the coming days, so there will at least be something new to read. I very much appreciate all of the positive feedback I receive. It means the world to me. I hope you enjoy this last chapter.

Chapter 16

September 1994

Elizabeth sat on the back step of the McCord home in Pittsburgh watching Henry and Benny play catch. Both were having a good time and she was so thankful. It had been tough in the months since Henry left the Marines and was now back home for good. Benny was used to Henry only being around for short periods of time and when he didn't leave, Benny became angry and defiant at the change in routine and expectations.

Henry tried not to take it personally, but it was hard and because Henry was focused so much on Benny, marriage issues took a back seat. Add to that, Henry had to transition to academia, accepting a job as an adjunct professor. For a while, all three were just out of sorts. Now though, finally, through a lot of patience, they were back on an even keel-just in time to have it all upset again. Elizabeth rubbed her very round belly. Baby McCord number two was due in ten weeks. Benny would most likely turn 8 just before their new baby girl, Stephanie, arrived. Benny spent eight years being the only child, almost half of that spent with Elizabeth alone. She sighed, it seemed that a lot of the time, Benny took the brunt of their life changes. They had been trying to prepare him, but he seemed oblivious to their efforts.

"Mom!" A sweaty boy, ran across the yard, halting right in front of her. "I'm thirsty. Can I get a drink?"

"Sure. Ask Grams. I think there is lemonade in the fridge and if you ask very nicely, I bet she'll let you have one of the popsicles that's in the freezer." A wide smile, broke across his face.

"Grams!' he shouted, barrelling around Elizabeth into the house. Elizabeth chuckled softly

Henry sauntered across the yard and sat beside her. "How are you feeling?" he asked, leaning in to kiss her behind the ear. She giggled and squirmed away.

"Stop that." She swatted him away, but he could tell she was amused. "I'm feeling good. Thank you." Henry placed his hand on her belly and stroked it softly. "I'm glad it's different this time." She looked up at him.

"Do you know how guilty I feel?" she murmured. "I wish I could've enjoyed being pregnant the first time."

"Let it go, babe. We were doing the best we could. Things were hard. And, besides, it turned out well."

Benny had tiptoed out the back door with the intention of surprising his mom and dad, but listening to them talk, his face fell and he quietly went back inside. He flopped down on the couch and curled up into a ball. Patrick looked over from his recliner. He noted Benny's agitated state and studied him for a moment. "You okay?"

"Sure. I'm fine," came the muffled response from the pillow.

Patrick rolled his eyes muttering, "So much like your father."

He moved to the couch and pulled Benny up and tucked him under his arm. "Alright. Spill it,"

Benny pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes and then let the tears fall. "They didn't want me."

"What? Who?" Patrick was confused.

"Mom and dad. Mom just said that she didn't enjoy being pregnant with me. She didn't want me, but she wants baby Stevie." Benny's eyes pricked with tears and he started to cry.

Patrick sucked in air through his clenched teeth, "Aw, shit," he muttered under his breath. Evelyn came down the steps with a laundry basket on her hip. Patrick turned and looked at her wide eyed.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes at Patrick wondering what inconsiderate thing he'd offhandedly said now, when he spoke, "You need to go get them now," and pointed to the back of the house. Evelyn dropped the basket at the bottom of the stairs and headed outside.

Sticking her head out the back door, both Henry and Elizabeth turned. "You guys need to come inside. Benny's upset about something and your father looks like he's way out of his league." Henry and Elizabeth looked at each other for a moment, and then Henry stood and pulled Elizabeth to her feet.

They entered the living room and Benny was still sobbing against Patrick who looked more uncomfortable than Elizabeth had ever seen him. "What?" Elizabeth mouthed. Patrick just shook his head. He wasn't going to be able to explain with Benny sobbing in his lap.

Henry knelt on the floor next to Benny. "Hey buddy. What is it? Why are you so upset?" Anger flashed across Benny's face.

"You didn't want me. You only want the baby you are having now." Henry reached out for his son, but was pushed away as Benny curled up in Patrick's lap.

"No. That isn't true. Why would you say that?" Elizabeth moved from her spot near the kitchen and sat on the couch.

"Because just now, you said you didn't enjoy being pregnant with me. I just heard you." Elizabeth dropped her head. "Don't tell me you didn't mean it how it sounded."

She cupped her hands around Benny's head. "Benjamin Patrick, you listen to me right now. There is a lot that you are too young to understand about all the things that happened before you were born, but one thing is true. You are loved so very much. We could never want this baby or possibly love this baby more than we wanted you and love you." She leaned in and kissed his forehead. "We love you to the moon and back, both of you."

Henry took Benny's hand and tugged him off of Patrick's lap and into his own. "Benny." Henry rested his head against his son's. "I started praying for you and your mom the moment I found out you existed. Every day of your life. You and this baby that's coming to our family are the greatest, most important things I've ever done in my life. I love you with all my heart."

Benny turned in Henry's lap so he straddled it. He hugged Henry tight. "Don't go away Daddy. I love you."

Evelyn appeared with a present and offered it to Benny. "This was supposed to be for your mom, but I think she'll be okay with me sharing it with you." He took the gift and opened it. It was a picture frame and it held the picture of Henry kissing Elizabeth's pregnant belly taken on their wedding day. "You should never worry about whether or not you were loved or wanted. You can see that you were both in this picture."

Elizabeth peered over Benny's shoulder to see the picture and gasped. "How come I've never seen this? I didn't even know it existed."

Evelyn grinned. "I had Erin take it that day because I knew you would want it. It's a gorgeous photo, don't you think?" Elizabeth nodded, leaning down to run her fingers over the surface, tracing her belly and Henry.

"We were so happy that day," Henry whispered.

"We still are," Elizabeth agreed. "And we love our Benny." She leaned down to kiss him on the top of the his head. He looked up at her and smiled.

April 1999

Benny walked into the kitchen cradling a whimpering Allison. "Mom, Ali is hungry."

"Thanks hon. I was headed up to get her, but you saved me a trip. Are you headed outside?"

"Uh, yeah. I was going to shoot some hoops." But, Benny followed Elizabeth into the living room instead of going out the back door. Elizabeth got comfortable in the chair and started to feed Allison, Benny's one month old sister.

"Is it alright if Stevie sits by the garage and draws with chalk?" Elizabeth asked absentmindedly. Benny nodded, but continued to loiter near her, causing Elizabeth to pay closer attention "What's up?" Benny shrugged, tracing circles on the back of the couch with his index finger. "You obviously want to ask me something, so just ask."

Benny shifted from one foot to the other before he finally mustered the courage to speak. "You know how we've been studying the human body in science class." Elizabeth nodded. "And the other day we learned about reproduction, and how it takes about 9 months for a human baby to develop before being born." Elizabeth nodded again, guessing where Benny was going to with his line of thought.

"So anyway, I was born in October, 1986 and you were married in July, 1986, right? Well that's only three full months."

"That's correct," Elizabeth replied.

"So you were already pregnant with me when you married Dad?" Benny looked skeptical.

"Yes. I was," Elizabeth answered matter of factly, doing her best to keep her expression completely even. It had been a while since she'd dealt with much judgement concerning her pre-marriage pregnancy and she hadn't expected it to come from her son, at least not today.

Benny sat down on the couch, obviously confused. "I thought you needed to be married to have a baby."

"Honestly, it helps to be married to work together to raise a baby, but you don't have to be married to physically make a baby."

"Oh," Benny sat quietly. Elizabeth waited for Benny to lead the conversation. There were many things she could say, but she didn't want to muddy the waters with information Benny didn't want to know or understand. "Is Dad my real Dad?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Is that why you didn't like being pregnant with me, because you weren't married?" Elizabeth's brows knitted together. She hoped she was eloquent enough to explain so Benny understood. "That one day a long time ago at Grams and Grandpa's house, you told Dad that you didn't enjoy being pregnant with me? Is that why?"

Elizabeth sighed. "I remember. Yes, partially, but there were other things too. I was very young and scared, and I didn't know how to be a mom and I didn't have a plan. But, your Grams and Grandpa took me in and your dad and I got married and he made sure we were both taken care of." Elizabeth looked over at Benny who was staring at the floor. "You're so very blessed that you ended up with Henry McCord as your father. He's the best example of what a man should be, and you're growing up to be just like him. Somewhere out there is a girl who doesn't even understand how lucky she will be when she falls for you."

"Ew, Mom, that's not going to happen for a long time," Benny said, mortified.

"Hopefully not too soon." She smiled. "I love you Benny. I want you to know that even though having you when I did wasn't part of the original plan, I've never once wished it hadn't happened."

Benny gave her that lopsided Henry McCord half-grin and stood. "Thanks Mom." He turned his attention upstairs. "Stevie, do you want to go outside and draw while I shoot hoops." Elizabeth heard several thumps coming from above her head and then four year old Stevie appeared on the steps. "Come on squirt. Let's go." Stevie scrambled down the stairs and placed her hand in her brother's and he led her through the kitchen and outside.

July 2003

"Hey Dad. Do you think I could ask you something?" Henry looked up from his desk where he was grading papers.

"Sure bud. What's going on?" Henry leaned back in his chair and looked at his 16 year old son. Benny stood in the doorway with his hands jammed in his pockets, staring at the ground. His slightly too long sandy brown hair hung down, covering his eyes. "How about we go shoot a few hoops?" Henry offered. Benny didn't answer, but stepped back from the doorway and headed into the kitchen. When Henry heard the back door open, he decided that Benny had taken him up on his offer.

After 20 minutes of taking turns shooting the basketball from different areas of the driveway, Benny spoke. "How do you know if the girl you like is the one for you?" The basketball bounced off the backboard and rolled around the rim before falling off the edge. "Like how did you know you were in love with Mom?"

Henry snagged the ball as it started to roll down the driveway. "Our relationship started a little different than you and Julie. But, before Mom, I had a girlfriend for 2 years. I thought she was the one. And I was devastated when she broke up with me. In fact, the night I met your mom, I spent a long time boo-hooing about how she broke my heart." Henry chuckled and Benny looked mortified.

"Mom doesn't seem like the kind of person that would appreciate you talking about how you loved someone else."

Henry shot the ball. "Well, we weren't really anything then. But it wasn't very long after I met your mom that she consumed all of my thoughts and once we started spending time together, I found that I would do almost anything to keep her from being sad or hurt. The moment she was more important than anything I could want or do for myself, that's when I knew I was in love with her."

Henry studied Benny as he attempted to focus on shooting the ball. "Do you think Julie is the one?"

"She means a lot to me Dad."

"Have you had sex?" Henry avoided eye contact, but could feel Benny recoil.

"Dad!"

Henry turned to face his son. "Look. I'm not so much older than you that I don't remember what it was like, and I can lecture you about waiting until you find the one you're going to be with forever. But, the fact is that sometimes we think we've found that person and it's not, or you may think something won't last and it's forever. Anyway, my advice. First, talk to her. If you're too embarrassed to have a serious conversation about sex, you probably don't need to be having sex. Second, when the condoms run out you are finished. Don't think you can get away without one even once."

"Dad. This is beyond awkward. Can we talk about something else?"

"As long as you understand what I'm saying," Henry replied and Benny nodded before sending the basketball swishing through the net.

January 2005

"Mom! I'm 18. You are being ridiculous. Why do you or Dad feel like you have to tag along to everything? I can take care of myself." Benny paced the end of the kitchen, while Elizabeth finished putting lunches together for Stevie and Alison. Four year old Jason sat at the foot of the stairs loading dinosaurs into his backpack to take for preschool show and tell.

"Toast?" Stevie asked, offering Benny a piece, slathered in grape jelly. He took it. "You might as well give it up," she said. "You're the favorite. They go to all of your stuff."

"I'll gladly give them to you," Benny grumbled. "You can be the favorite. I can't do anything by myself."

Henry came down the stairs having caught the gist of the conversation. "Your mother and I both know how it feels not to have your parents at important events, and we don't want you to ever feel like that if we can help it."

"I'd like to try it out sometime for myself," Benny mumbled under his breath. "It feels like you go just to keep tabs on me. I mean really. It's the National Speech and Debate Tournament. What could I possibly do?"

Henry raised his eyebrows and grinned, stepping in behind Elizabeth, he wrapped his hands around her middle. Placing a kiss on her temple, he said, "Well at our last National tournament, we made you!" Elizabeth giggled and pushed her elbow into Henry's side.

Benny's face screwed up in disgust. "Ew, seriously? Why did I need to know that?". He shook his head. "Sometimes you guys could share just a little less."

"Perhaps." She shrugged. "Either way, Jace and I will be in attendance. Get over it son." Elizabeth smiled and kissed Benny's cheek. "Let's go."

The kids all filed out of the house and into their respective cars to be transported to school. Henry stood on the porch watching them and Elizabeth came up behind him. "Do you want to join us. Relive our youth?"

Henry grinned and turned his back on the kids and took Elizabeth into his arms, kissing her passionately. "I'd need to show up with a whole box of protection or we might end up with number five."

"It wouldn't be such a terrible thing would it?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Not when they turn out as great as ours. But we probably shouldn't push our luck." Henry laughed, and they headed down the porch hand in hand, realizing they had come full circle.