Well, this will be the last chapter. I have struggled with this fic and almost quit it completely, but I am glad I worked through and finished it. I never planned it going where it's gone, but I like it, somewhat. Hope whoever reads this has enjoyed it!
"..there has been an incident at the prison involving Jesse.."
"I can't believe we are here," I say to nobody in particular, just saying what I am thinking. I will never admit it aloud, but I wished so many times for this. I'll be damned if I ever feel bad for wishing for something that actually happened.
"Me either, but..here we are," Chloe mumbles as she grabs onto my arm.
"He deserved it," Aubrey says what we all truly believe, but cannot bring ourselves to say aloud.
"Goodbye Jesse," I whisper taking one last look at his headstone before turning and walking away.
Chloe and I dated for five years after Jesse was killed before getting married. Her parents didn't like me at first considering all the trouble I brought into her life. I grew on them though; her mother loves me just as much as she loves Chloe. Her dad is like a second father to me, I love him, but he could never replace my dad.
We were married for five years before we finally decided to have kids. The nine months passed quickly and then we were a four instead of a two. It was hard at first, but we quickly got the hang of it. I didn't sleep much and I constantly worried about them, but I was completely happy with my life.
Natasha is a spitting image of Chloe even down to the personality. She's loud and bubbly, always happy no matter what.
Spencer is more like me, he's usually quiet and likes to stay to himself. Just as Chloe did for me, Natasha brings out a different side of him. He can get just as loud and happy when he's with his sister. We were told when they first started kindergarten that he wasn't really interacting with other children. Then a week later Natasha had swooped in and stayed glued to his side and he seemed to start making some friends. He's three minutes older than she is, but she acts like his big sister and always takes care of him.
15 Years Later
I wake up to the smell of pancakes and the sound of laughter downstairs on a Saturday morning. I can't even attempt to stop the smile that takes over my face. I jump out of bed and quietly make my way down the stairs to see them, my little family in the kitchen. Chloe, beautiful as ever, with her back to me flipping a pancake. At the bar, sit two of the greatest people in my life, Natasha and Spencer, who both inherited Chloe's red hair. Spencer is quietly coloring in his dinosaur-coloring book while Natasha sings a song from one of her cartoons as loudly as she can with Chloe. I love these kids, but god the cartoons they love are terrible and I don't know why Chloe even knows the words to this song.
Chloe turns around laughing, spots me standing in the doorway just smiling, and winks at me before turning back.
I walk up behind the kids and pepper kisses all over both of their faces, laughing with them as they try to push me away.
"Oh come on, you know you want mama's kisses!" I say trying to lean back in.
They of course squeal and lean away from me again.
"If they don't want them I will gladly take them," Chloe says turning her head smiling at me.
"You got it, babe," I laugh walking over to kiss Chloe.
Later that evening we're all sitting down on the couch, Spencer between Chloe and myself, and Natasha on the other side with her head in Chloe's lap. They made it about ten minutes into the movie before passing out. Chloe lays her head on my shoulder and a kiss the top of her head and mumble an I love you into her hair.
"I love you too," she mumbles back sleepily.
"You know," I start, not sure if I really want to bring this up, "15 years ago today Jesse died and we were able to move on."
She's silent for what seems like years before sits back up and looks at me.
"Is it bad that I'm glad his cellmate killed him?" she whispers to avoid the twins hearing.
"No. No, I don't think so," I whisper back and we just sit there staring at one another.
I have a list in my head of the five greatest things that ever happened to me.
One, meeting Chloe. The day she tried to get me to join an a capella group. I may have lied to her saying I didn't sing, but it was the beginning of what we now have.
Two, marrying Chloe. I never really planned on getting married, but the day we got married is one of the happiest days of my life. I think Chloe looks beautiful all of the time, but watching her walk down the isle to me, she was absolutely gorgeous. I remember Fat Amy, who was my 'best man' tell me to close my mouth that flies would get in if I didn't. I didn't realize at the time, but looking back at the pictures the photographer took; I had tears in my eyes when I watched Chloe make her way to me.
Three, finding out we were pregnant, well finding out Chloe was pregnant. I still remember the day we found out it was twins, and hearing their heartbeats. Chloe cried, and I'll admit so did I. Again, kids weren't really something I planned on, but Chloe has a way of making me want things I never wanted before.
Four, the day the twins were born. When Chloe's water broke, I immediately began to panic even though we had gone to so many classes and read so many books. She calmed me down, and then had me call Aubrey on the way to the hospital. A few hours later, with no problems, we had two little red headed, beautiful babies. The moment I laid eyes on them, I was hooked, there wasn't a thing in the world I wouldn't do for them.
Five, the day I met Jesse. Jesse may have made my life hell, countless times, and tried to kill my girlfriend, but in a way I am glad he was in my life for a short period. If not for him, and his crazy actions, I may not have ended up with Chloe. I may not have wanted to fix my relationship with my father. He made me realize just how much Chloe meant to me when he almost had her killed. He also made me realize how hurt and lost I would have been without my father. Towards the end, I really did not care for Jesse, but I hate that he had to die the way he did. They told me he got into a fight with his cellmate right after he had finished his visit with me. They weren't sure what caused the fight but the man pounded on Jesse until the guards shot him with a taser gun. Jesse was already gone when they pulled him off him. It is a terrible way to go and I hated it for him. I go every once and awhile to his grave, Chloe doesn't really understand why I go, and I don't explain it to her. I don't really want to let her know that I feel somewhat responsible for what happened to him.
