Chapter 30

A/N: I am posting this with my original author's notes but would like to add onto it. First of all, this story is one of the most difficult that I've ever written and it could not have been written without the support of all the ladies of the JohnandNatalieFanfictionGroup, especially the two named below. That being said, this story was also fun to write because it was such a challenge. And I will always be so proud of myself for finishing it despite the many frustrations and times I wanted to quit on it. Thank you ladies for keeping me going!

Original A/Ns: So... Here it is. The last chapter of this fic that has been going for lord only knows how long. Is it just me who finds it kind of cool that I finished it just 4 days before my one-year anniversary of getting hooked on Jolie? (August 11th, the scenes of the pit flashbacks lol--looked it up on KS last weekend.)

This has been one hell of a ride, thanks to all who stuck with me from the start and those who joined up along the way. (Okay, this is getting lame lol. I should sleep...)

Enjoy!!!

Disclaimer: I own all the kids you don't recognize from the show!

Author's Note: Jessica's little girl was named for this particularly difficult but adorable little girl I saw on last night's "Supernanny". I could so see her as Jessica's spawn lol.

Dedication: I've said before that this series is dedicated to Becki for being its most enthusiastic cheerleader, but I'd also like to dedicate it to Dana for exactly the same reason! Neither of you would let me give up on this when I wanted to, so thanks!!


"Come on baby, let's get your hat on." Natalie knelt in front of Shane and somehow managed to get the party hat to sit on the top of his head while pulling the string under his chin as he wriggled impatiently.

"Mommy hurry, Nick and Jack are here!" he said, talking about his twin cousins, Kevin's three-year old sons.

"Okay there, now go have fun," she said, laughing as he took off across the yard.

"Hey there, sis! Where's the birthday girl?"

"Jess!" Natalie threw her arms around her twin and they embraced. "Princess Sarah is in the bathroom with her daddy getting cleaned up. Where's my brother-in-law and my niece?" She demanded, looking around for her sister's husband Nash Brennan.

"I think they got surrounded by Grandpa and the other men back there—you know how they are about Chantal," Jessica replied, shaking her head.

Natalie grinned. "Yeah, they're almost the same way about Sarah. I think that's why John still has her in the bathroom—he knows that once he brings her out here he won't see her again until after the party's over."

"Hey gorgeous, sorry we fell behind," Nash said, pressing a kiss to Jessica's cheek. "Hey, Natalie, where's the princess?"

"Hand over my niece and I'll tell you," she replied with a laugh. Grinning, Nash handed her the nine-month old Chantal, who grinned up at her aunt and grabbed a fistful of her auburn hair.

"Sarah's in the bathroom with John," Jessica told Nash with a grin, seeing that Natalie was lost in Chantal as usual.

"Ah, I see. Daddy's scared to bring her out here right away, is he?"

"I don't think that's it, I think he's just trying to spend as much time as possible with her before bringing her out and not seeing her again for a while," Natalie replied, making faces at Chantal who giggled and tugged on the fistful of hair she still held.

"Oh, here they come now," Jessica said, nodding towards the house behind Natalie.

Natalie turned and smiled to see her husband of seven months walking out of the house carrying their daughter. He certainly had done a good job of getting her ready—her pink dress that complemented her fair skin so well was without wrinkle, her brunette hair was in adorable pigtails and she wore a silver crown atop her head that she kept reaching for, trying to pull it off.

Smiling, Natalie kissed Chantal's forehead and gently untangled her hair from around the baby's finger before handing her to Jessica. She walked over to John, giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. "She looks beautiful," she whispered, kissing Sarah's cheek.

He grinned. "Thanks. How long you think we have before the vultures descend?" he asked jokingly, nodding towards the Buchanan men who already had their eye on the baby.

"Not very long, I'd say," she laughed, watching as Bo started their way.

"Hey, there's the birthday girl!" He grinned. "Can I steal the princess for a while?"

"Of course you can," Natalie replied, kissing her uncle's cheek. "Just make sure you all get her back to us in time for cake."

"No promises," he joked with a wink, taking Sarah from John's arms and returning to the group.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Sarah, happy birthday to you," the large crowd of friends and family sang as Sarah, blue eyes wide with excitement and curiosity looked around. When the song finished, Natalie checked to make sure John was running the video camera before she smilingly placed the small chocolate cake in front of her daughter who was now attired in only a diaper.

"If you don't want to get messy, may I suggest you step back now," John called out as Sarah reached out and experimentally slapped the cake with her hand. A grin crossed her face when everyone just smiled, and she giggled loudly as she sank both hands into it, pulling out two large chunks and stuffing them into her mouth.

John watched through the viewfinder, chuckling as Natalie got hit by a few pieces of cake and screamed playfully. Shane was to Sarah's right, laughing and urging her to put her face into the cake.

Natalie looked over at him and smiled brilliantly, her blue eyes meeting his as she got caught up in the magic of this moment. Just four years ago, she had been convinced that John McBain was nothing more than a waste of time. Then so many things had happened…

But she had dealt with them all and moved on. She couldn't help thinking that although everyone said problems were how you define yourself maybe that wasn't true after all.

Maybe, just maybe, how you were able to deal with problems was the true test.

Just then Shane succeeded in getting Sarah to bury her face in the cake, and the roar of laughter from all sides succeeded in wiping all serious thought from her mind.

FIN!!!!