A/N: My apologies for taking a year to finish this story. I don't really have an excuse, but hope you all will read this still and love it. Laura-to answer your two questions 1) Yes, I guess I do like knocking her up, and apparently finally so do TPTB. 2) The muse left it, but she was finishing this up when I checked my e-mail the other day to see SEVENTEEN reviews from you. Good lord, darling. Again, sorry for the delay. Until next time-ya'll truly are the best-PCGirl

John paced the floor in the lodge-what if this didn't work? What if she came up here, but still thought the same thing from before? That child or not this wasn't the answer?

It didn't matter what she said-he'd still fight for her. Still show her that they belonged together-it wasn't just a child he wanted with her, but a family too. A family that included them growing old together.

He stopped questioning himself and took one last look as he heard a car pull up and looked out to see it was her. He didn't move to the door though, just stood there as she walked in and had a look of shock on her face.

"John-what are you doing here? I thought-."

"What? Your dad was having a Buchanan pow-wow up here?" he said with a slight smirk at how easy it had been for her to get here.

Natalie laughed a bit, "You set this up, but why?"

"Hold on," he said as he left her in the middle of the room and returned a few minutes later with two bowls of macaroni and cheese.

She laughed hard as she put down her purse and sat on the edge of the couch, "You still haven't answered my question," she said as she finished her first bite.

The nerves he'd had before suddenly came back, "Do you remember when I found you up here that first time?"

"Yeah," she said nodding slowly as a lump formed in her throat.

"You said how could Cris leave you like he did?," he said as he leaned forward and set aside both of their bowls. He watched as her eyes swam with tears and he suddenly felt a little easier on her answer. "I never want you to feel that way again, Natalie. Never want you to feel alone-not on a holiday or any other day," he said as he reached in the cushion of his chair and pulled out the black box he'd put there earlier. "Natalie Buchanan-will you be my wife?"

Natalie tried to blink back the tears so she could see his face, when she realized how useless that was she finally answered him in a choked sob, "Yes. I'll be yours forever."

John couldn't help but smile as he took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger before pulling her into a hug.

A few months later

John walked back into the hospital room from setting his plan in motion and saw the most beautiful sight ever. When he'd left just a few minutes ago Natalie was sitting up nursing their newborn daughter, Sara Grace, and now both were asleep. He walked over and brushed Natalie's hair out of her face before running a finger over Sara's cheek. He watched as his daughter seemed to relax at his touch and he wondered how he could pick her up and not break her.

"She won't break, John," said Natalie sleepily as she read his thoughts.

He had to smile at her for knowing him so well, and he gently scooped up their daughter and held her close, proud that he remembered to support her neck as he walked over to the rocking chair to sit down. Looking at her sleeping he realized this would be the first time of how many times he'd get to do this-that this little angel in his arms was a product of their love and it was her that helped him realize that all he'd ever wanted or needed was in this room.

Natalie was surprised when John pulled up to Llanfair-her and Sara had just been given a clean bill of health and released and she figured he wanted to continue to be the protective father and get them both home. "John, I know everyone wants to see her, but I'd really just like for the three of us to go home and spend our first night together alone. Mom won't mind if she doesn't see her newest granddaughter again until morning."

John smiled at her comments, normally he would agree with her, but there was something he had in mind before they went home, "She might not mind, but she'll be hurt-just an hour, Natalie. And then we can leave-I'm sure by that point Sara will be getting fussy and we'll have the perfect excuse."

"But," started Natalie, but John cut her off by pressing his finger against her lips until he saw a smile on her face, "All I'm asking for is one hour. Ok?," he said as he took his finger off her lips and moved his hand to the small of her back while the other hand carried the car seat with Sara sleeping inside.

As Natalie walked in something smelled off-her mother loved flowers, but it smelled of a tremendous amount of roses and-was that freesia? The doors to the sitting room were closed and she didn't realize John had stopped and was now holding their daughter against his chest tightly.

He couldn't help but smile as Natalie opened the doors to see the chairs lined up, making a walkway towards an altar. She swooped around and looked at him, "What is this?"

"What do you think? Hurry upstairs-we've only got an hour and you need to get into your dress. We'll be waiting," he said as he kissed her on the cheek and walked into the room.

Natalie stood there watching him-listening to him cooing to their daughter and then looked upstairs-taking the steps slowly until she reached her room and saw her sister in the dress she'd picked out for a bridesmaid dress before Sara was born. The thought of marrying John had gone out of her thoughts the past few days as they settled into the roles of parenthood.

"You knew all along, didn't you?" she asked, a smile on her face as she took one glance back to the hallway and then closed the door.

Jessica just smiled, "It was actually John's idea. He wanted you to have his last name as soon as possible."

Natalie's eyes began to fill with tears and she shook them off-her hormones were still off balance, but hopefully she could get through the next hour without becoming too much of a sopping mess.

When the Justice of the Peace said they were saying vows they'd written themselves John was sure Natalie was trying not to gape at him, and he just laughed as he began, "Before you I had given up on love, figured it wasn't for me. And so I put my life into work, not letting outside influences change my mind on what was right or wrong. But you-you showed me what it means to care for someone and do whatever you have to in order to keep them safe and in your life.

"I want to apologize for being a jerk-for pushing you away because I was scared to let my heart feel anything. And thank you for not listening to me-not listening when I tried to shove you away. It's my fault it has taken us this long to get to this point. But that changes today-today I promise to be there for you through whatever life brings us. To love you and not let a day go by and not show you. I love you, Natalie."

Natalie could barely make him out through the tears, "Wow. When you finally speak you let it all out. I'm-I'm not sure what to say.

"I felt something when we first met-and I immediately wanted to fight it. Wanted to believe I'd already found my happily ever after. But in reality you are it-and I know it might not always be 'happily', but it will be ever after. And I'm not scared anymore or fighting this because I know it's right-I know through all our up's and down's we still have this connection. One that no one could ever break, and that has already given us a beautiful daughter. I love you, John."

And when they kissed they knew that no matter how much wasted time they had let go by, they would be together ten-fold and beyond that.

The End.