TITLE: The Sting of the Past (epilogue)
AUTHOR: trista groulx aka dustyiger
RATING: T PG-13 same as the show
DISCLAIMER: these characters are not mine, i have lovingly borrowed them, and will make no money from this fic, they belong to their creator, NBC and the actors and actresses who portray them i also do not own the trademark of Starbucks, please don't sue all you'll get is debt!
TIMELINE: after Bobby dies, and Jimmy sues for custody of Joey
SUMMARY: Jimmy gets a call from Kim while trying to patch things up with Brooke telling him she's in trouble. He soon realises his gambling problems have put the woman he loves at risk. Can he find her in time, or will Brooke shoot him first?
AUTHOR'S NOTES: what can i say i'm a sucker for happy endings. thank you for those of you who have reviewed and enjoyed this fic, i'm glad you liked it!

It had been a year to the day since Kim had been kidnapped by Jimmy's former bookie. Since that night they hadn't heard anything from him. Jimmy had gotten all of his debts paid off mostly because he didn't have to pay a full rent or child support any more. He had moved in with Kim within a month of the incident. They weren't sure who was happier about their reconciliation, the couple or Joey, not that it mattered they were a family again and they couldn't be happier.

Their colleagues and friends at the station had been worried at first that they would have to once again witness all the drama that came along with the pair; but it didn't happen that way and were soon celebrating their happiness. Kim's family had not taken it as well, and it took nearly six months for Kim's mother to talk to her daughter again. Things had gotten back to normal and Joey was spending the night with his grandmother for the first time in a long time so that Jimmy and Kim could celebrate their one year anniversary.

Brooke had been suspended for three months for going to Kim's apartment that night and getting arrested. Jimmy tried to explain to her that he did care about her, but he had always loved Kim, but she didn't want to hear it. He wanted her to know he was sorry for what had happened between them that he hadn't meant to hurt her, but it wasn't worth risking his neck for. She was angry and hurt because of what he had done and he knew that he would likely never make it up to her.

Jimmy had never been a romantic before a year ago, but that night called for it. He wanted everything to be perfect. He had gotten Joe Lombardo, his squad's best cook, to make him Kim's favourite foods, vegetable lasagna and his famous coconut pie. Jimmy had made a Caesar salad and garlic bread to go with it. He couldn't wait for Kim to get home, he was very proud of himself for cooking the meal without burning it.

Kim should have been home already, he had been expecting her about half an hour before the food was ready. The bread and lasagna were just about cooked.

He wasn't sure if he should pull it out of the oven, and put it back in. He was going to call Joe to ask him what he should do when he heard the door open.

"Kimmy!?" he called.

"Yeah, sorry I'm late," she said. "Wow, something smells amazing in here. What did you do?"

"I asked Joe to make me a lasagna to warm up and that coconut pie you ask for on your birthday every year, and I made some garlic bread and salad to go with it."

She moved over and kissed him. "Thank you Jimmy, I love you."

"Well I wanted our anniversary to special."

She smiled. "Well it will be, and would have been even without this."

"Really?" he asked, wondering if she had somehow figured out what else he had planned.

"Yeah, I was going to wait till after dinner to tell you, but now I can't keep it in."

"Kimmy what's going on?"

"I was late cause I had an appointment after work today. My doctor was barley able to squeeze me in today, but I had to get it confirmed to make tonight perfect." Jimmy looked at her, his eyebrow raised, not sure what to expect. She took his hand. "Jimmy I'm pregnant."

Jimmy's jaw dropped, and he pulled her into his arms. "Seriously? Wow!"

"Yeah, I wasn't even sure when I took the test this morning, but I thought well it would make today perfect so I got the appointment to have the official word, and it's true."

"Is that why you didn't drink your coffee this morning?"

"Yeah, just like with Joey I can't even keep down decaf, so I'll have to switch to hot chocolate again."

"I should take the stuff out of the oven. But I had no idea Kimmy, this has made tonight perfect."

"You do that and I'll get the dishes out."

She went to go into the living room, and just about fell over when she saw that he had set the table with the good dishes, wine, and candles. The salad was already on the table ready to be served. He came in with a basket with the bread.

"What would you like to toast with instead of the wine?"

Kim shrugged. "I think there's some apple juice I could go for that.'

"All right, well go ahead and sit down. I'll get everything tonight."

He came back into the room, and put the lasagna dish onto the lazy susan, before going off with her wine glass, and returning with it filled with apple juice. Kim smiled and kissed him lightly.

"Thank you Jimmy this is the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me."

"Well I love you Kimmy, I want you to know how much."

"I do know how much Jimmy, you helped me last year when I had no one else to turn to and we were on such bad terms."

"But it's my fault cause of that guy." He put some salad onto her plate, as well as a piece of bread and lasagna before serving himself.

"No it was his fault, for doing what he did. But in his own twisted way he did help us both just like he said he wanted to."

"It shouldn't have had to come to that."

"No but we can't change that now, can we?"

"We can't, and we are happy, that's what we need to focus on." She took a bite of the salad. "You know Jimmy when you try you can make things taste good."

"Thank you, I'm glad you like it."

She took some of the lasagna, and sighed happily. "I'm sorry but you'll never be as good as Joe. That man should have been a chef I a small Italian restaurant."

"I know I'll never be as good as Joe. I know he could do that but he loves his job."

"And he's great at it too."

"Yeah he is."

They ate their dinner chatting about work, and Joey mostly. When they were both finished he cleared away the plates before going to get the desert ready. He smiled as he the ring behind Kim's piece of pie. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she realized that he had already had something even more special planned, and that her announcement had made the evening absolutely perfect.

He put her plate down in front of her, carefully so she wouldn't see the surprise right away. He had known Kim long enough to know it wouldn't take too long to move the plate and find the ring, so he wouldn't have to sit there staring at her for too long. Sure enough Kim took a few bites of the pie, before spinning the plate around to eat it backward. Her jaw dropped and she locked eyes with his.

"Kimmy, will you marry me, again?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed, practically flying across the table into his arms.

He kissed her gently, and reached for the ring, then slipped on her finger. She broke the kiss and smiled at him. She touched his face her thumbs on his cheeks, as he ran his hand through her hair. She leaned in close to him, resting her forehead against his.

"I love you Jimmy Doherty."

"I love you back Kimmy Doherty."

"I like that," she leaned in to kiss him when she heard a something thud against the door, then someone knocking. "What was that?"

There were times where she was still jumpy after what had happened the year before. Jimmy knew that she wouldn't calm down if he didn't go make sure that there was nothing at the door. He got up, and Kim followed behind him. He opened the door and was surprised to see a package on in front of their door. He picked up carefully, and saw that there was a label on it that read "to Jimmy and Kim Doherty from your old friend."

"Jimmy, what is that guy up to?" she asked, a shiver going up her spine, as her mind wondered if Joey was safe with her mother.

"Well we might as well find out what he's got planned for us this time. There's no point drawing this out."

She nodded, and the two of them sat on the couch curled up together, and opened the package. Inside there was a box. If it had been heavier Jimmy would have been more nervous. They opened it up, and inside there was some paper and a key.

"What?" Kim asked, confused, looking at the key.

He noticed that there was one sheet that was a different colour, and they were all upside down. "This should explain it."

She curled up close to him, shaking, he snaked his arm around her waist as they read the note:

Dear Dohertys,

I am glad to see that you are both doing well. I still check in on you once in a while, to see if you need any help. I told you I like to help people when they need it. I know you don't need me to give you any money, and you wouldn't accept it. But with a new addition to your family you will need a bigger home. So here is the key to your new apartment. Please sing the lease I enclosed and return it to the office on the letter head. You can move in any time you'd like, the first month will be my engagement present to you, after that Jimmy all I ask is you pay your rent on time. Your wife is far too lovely for me to play games with again. Good luck.

Your old friend, it was signed with an unreadable scribble.

The End