A/N: Okay, I'll save the tearful good byes for the moment, and get through the "future plans" part …

I'm not planning any other Harry Potter stories in the near future. My plan is to revise the three stories of this series once the seventh book is out. I want to make them completely canon-compatible. That could be a challenge, but I'm pretty excited for it. My thought right now is to dabble in some "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" fanfic, so if you like that series, be on the look-out for my next venture. No promises yet, but I do have a strong desire to try out some new characters in a new setting.

Okay, now for the emotional part …

Well, we've finally come to the end of our journey. I want to thank you so much for reading my stories, and for "sticking with me" through all the bumps along the way. Your support has meant the world to me. Please believe me when I say that I read every single review, and that they've all helped me in some way. They've helped me to grow as a writer, and, most importantly, to see my characters clearly from every angle. You have shaped my writing, and I thank you for it. You've made all the work and frustration worth it.

Thank you again. I love you all!

- Michelle

I don't own the Harry Potter universe.

Epilogue

19 February 2001, 11:00 pm

Remus lay on his stomach, drifting in the world of the almost-asleep, when he felt his wife's feather-light kiss on his cheek. He smiled sleepily, knowing that any other response was nearly beyond him.

"Remus, are you awake?"

"Sort of," he mumbled.

"Can you do better than that? I have something to tell you."

Remus opened one eye to look into Tonks's excited face. "Something to tell me?" he repeated, trying to draw himself away from the comfort of sleep.

"Yes. A secret."

"All right, I'm awake," he said, still not rolling over onto his back. "Tell me."

She grinned and leaned down so close that her lips were practically against his ear. "You're going to be a daddy," she whispered.

Shivers ran through Remus at both the touch of her breath on his skin and the words it carried. "What?" he whispered. He finally managed to move, sitting up to look into her eyes. "I'm going to be a daddy?"

"Yes," she said, her face shining.

"You're sure?"

"Of course." She looked at him closely, trying to gauge his reaction. "Remus … you are happy about this, aren't you?"

"Happy?" he repeated, tears filling his eyes. "Darling, happy doesn't go far enough."

She laughed, feeling tears fill her own eyes, and threw her arms around him. He crushed her to him, laughing and crying with her.

In that moment, he truly felt like the happiest man alive.

21 June 2001, 3:30 pm

"You're really, really sure about this?"

"Positive."

"You know, there are plenty of tests we could do to make sure. Dana has suggested several."

Tonks shook her head. "Dana is a great Healer, and I'm glad that she's going to help us deliver our baby. But, Remus, we don't need any tests. We're going to have a boy. I can feel it."

"There is a chance …"

"Don't even say it," Tonks said, holding up her hand to stop him. She ran her other hand over her rounded abdomen. "This baby is a boy, and we're going to name him Sirius."

Remus smiled a bittersweet smile. "He suggested that James and Lily name Harry Sirius, you know."

"I don't doubt that for a minute," Tonks grinned. "But, I'm glad that they picked Harry. They've left Sirius for our little boy."

"He'd be so excited – not just about the baby, but about everything. About us, our marriage, our baby … I know this is what he wanted for us."

Tonks smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "It's what I wanted for us, too."

"Obviously," Remus smiled.

She shook her head. "Quit stalling and just do it."

Remus made a face. "I'm still not sure this is the best idea."

"Remus …"

"Oh, all right, then."

Making another face, he took out his wand.

"Oh, stop acting like it's going to kill you," Tonks laughed.

He shook his head, and waved his wand. Within seconds, all four walls of the nursery were painted a lovely shade of sky blue.

"There," Tonks smiled. "Doesn't it look nice? Little Sirius is going to love his room."

"I just hope it really is little Sirius … and not little Nymphadora."

It was Tonks's turn to make a face of disgust. "Do you honestly believe that I'd let you name a child something like that?"

Remus laughed. "Stranger things have happened."

12 October 2001, 2:00 pm

"My feet hurt."

"I think I've heard that every single day for the past five months."

Tonks shot him a look of death. "Would you like to be the pregnant one next time?"

Remus laughed. "Only if you can find a way to make it happen."

"Was that a challenge?"

He laughed again. "Come here. I'll massage your feet."

Tonks lowered herself onto the couch, grimacing in pain.

"Do your feet really hurt that much?"

"Well, it's my back, too …" She trailed off, her eyes widening. "And my abdomen."

Remus was on his feet in a flash. "Did you just say abdomen?"

"Now, calm down," Tonks said. "We can't panic. It could just be nothing."

"Or it could be labor."

She shook her head. "I'm not entirely sure."

"Tonks, we need to go to St. Mungo's."

"I don't want to go yet."

"What?"

"Let's just wait a bit and make sure that it really is labor."

Remus looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Please, Remus, let's just stay here for a bit."

He lowered himself back onto the couch next to her. "How long do we wait?"

"Just a bit longer. You promised me a massage."

12 October 2001, 4:45 pm

Remus had long-since finished Tonks's massage, leaving her lying on the couch. He was in the kitchen, debating whether or not he could physically drag her to St. Mungo's, when she gasped.

"What?" he exclaimed, running into the living room.

Tonks was sitting up on the couch, her eyes wide with wonder. "My water just broke."

"Tonks!" he yelled. "Why didn't you tell me how far into this we were?"

"I didn't want to be one of those women who goes to the hospital over nothing!"

"This is definitely something!" Remus cried. "Were you hoping for little Sirius to be born at home?"

"No," she said, tears beginning to gather in her eyes.

Remus sat down next to her. "Does it hurt very badly?"

"It's not just that, it's …" She trailed off, and a tear ran down her cheek. "I'm scared, Remus."

He grabbed her hand, squeezing it. "I'm a bit scared, too, love. But, we can do this. We can do anything together."

She gave him a watery smile, and he kissed her lips.

"Come on," he said. "We're getting to that hospital."

12 October 2001, 10:53 pm

"I think we're almost there!" Dana said encouragingly.

Tonks began to sob in earnest. "Please, Dana, please just get this baby out of me."

Remus held her hands tightly. "It's just a bit longer, darling. In just a few minutes, we'll have Sirius here with us."

"You tell me it's 'just a bit longer' when you're the one pushing the baby out," she groaned. "I swear to you, Remus, if you ever suggest that you want another baby, I will hex your –"

"Okay, I need you to push!" Dana yelled over her, trying not to giggle.

Tonks groaned as she struggled to lean forward to push again. She screamed, squeezing Remus's hands with bone-crushing force. Her scream ended in a sob that Dana had to speak over to announce their child's birth.

"Congratulations, Mum and Dad!" she exclaimed. "You have a beautiful baby!"

"Oh, let me see him," Tonks sobbed.

Dana laughed. "I might suggest rethinking your name. I don't think that your daughter is going to appreciate being called 'Sirius.'"

"Daughter?" Tonks and Remus repeated in unison.

She nodded, laying the baby on Tonks's chest. "You have a lovely little girl."

"Oh, look at you," Tonks sobbed, gently running her fingers over the baby's cheeks. "Hi, Baby. I'm your mummy."

Tears slowly filled Remus's eyes as he looked at his daughter. She was so small, so beautiful, and so perfect.

"I think Daddy wants to say hello," Tonks said.

Remus blinked. "What?"

"Hold her," Tonks said, offering him the baby. "Let her meet her daddy."

Remus gathered the baby into his arms, looking down at her in awe. "Hi, sweetheart," he whispered in a choked voice.

He stared down into her blue eyes, thinking of the last newborn he had held. Harry Potter had been no bigger than his little girl when he had looked up at him with eyes that would change to match the green in Lily's. In two weeks' time, that little boy would be a married man, the husband of Ginny Weasley. It was so hard to believe that James and Lily's little boy was all grown up.

James and Lily had been so excited to share their son with their friends. They had passed the baby around, as Remus was sure he would do with his little girl in just a few minutes, when Dana brought Olivia, Laura, Harry, Kingsley and Tonks's parents into the room. He remembered the emotion that he had felt when he had held Harry on that long-ago day, and knew that it could not compare to all the he felt now, looking into his own daughter's eyes.

"I'm your daddy," he told her, smiling through his tears.

He had waited so many years to be able to say those words. For so long, it had seemed like an impossible dream. Now, he knew why he had had to wait so long.

He had been waiting for her.

13 October 2001, 7:30 am

"Good morning," Remus said, walking into Tonks's room with two bouquets of flowers. "How are my girls today?"

Tonks grinned up at him from her bed, where she was holding the baby. "We're fine," she said quietly. "She's sleeping."

Remus stepped closer, leaning down to kiss his wife's lips and his daughter's forehead. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Yes."

He smiled and straightened up. "I brought these for her."

Tonks smiled as she looked at the pink roses in his right hand. "I'm sure she'll love them … as soon as she wakes up."

Remus grinned as he put them down on the nightstand. "And I brought these for her mummy."

Her smile widened as she looked at the daisies – her favorite flower – in his other hand. "I think the baby's flowers were more expensive than mine."

"What can I say? She has more expensive taste than you."

A soft knock sounded on the door before it was pushed open. Dana peeked into the room, smiling at them.

"Good morning," she said. "May I come in?"

"Of course," Tonks grinned. "Come and see my beautiful baby."

"She is beautiful," Dana smiled, stepping over to join them. She looped her arm through Remus's as she looked down at the baby. "Does she have a name yet?"

"Don't rush us," Tonks laughed. "We're still getting over the fact that we can't name her Sirius."

"I'm sorry," Dana laughed. "It's just that I have this annoying birth certificate to complete …"

"We'll have a name by lunch," Remus said. "I promise."

"You'd better," Dana laughed. "Okay, give me a minute to work, then I'll leave you alone."

After checking both mother and baby, Dana left the room. Remus sat down beside the bed, staring at his daughter as though afraid she would vanish.

"So, do you have a name in mind?" Tonks asked, looking up at Remus. "You seemed pretty confident that we'd have a name soon."

Remus hesitated. "I'll understand if you don't like it."

"It's not Nymphadora, is it?"

He laughed. "No."

"Well, then there's a good chance that I'll like it."

Still, he hesitated.

"Remus," Tonks said firmly, "if you don't tell me the name, I'll never like it or dislike it. Spit it out."

"I … I was thinking … Hope."

"Hope?"

"Yes." He began to speak quickly, wanting to justify his choice. "You see … for so many years, I had no hope of ever having a family. First there were all the problems Laura and I had conceiving, then she got sick, and she died … I never thought I'd love anyone again. Then, you came into my life, and you brought me happiness, love … and hope. You gave me hope of loving again, hope of sharing my life again … hope of having a family. You've given me so much hope … I suppose it seems fitting to call her that."

Tears filled Tonks's eyes. She leaned over and kissed Remus; her tears falling onto his cheeks. He smiled against her lips.

"Should I take that as a yes?"

13 October 2001, 3:20 pm

"Hey, Dad."

Remus tore his eyes away from the nursery window to see Olivia coming toward him. "Hi," he replied with a grin.

"I was just at Tonks's room, but she was asleep. Somehow, I knew I'd find you here."

Remus grinned. "Look at her, Liv. Look at my little Hope. Isn't she the prettiest baby you've ever seen?"

"She puts the competition to shame," Olivia smiled. "You have a gorgeous daughter, Remus." She put her hand on his arm. "And, she has a wonderful father."

Remus swallowed hard. "I hope so. I want to be the best father she could have."

Olivia leaned up to kiss his cheek. "You already are."

He put his arm around her, pulling her to his side. "You are the best friend I could ask for."

She smiled. "That's what I always say about you."

12 December 2001, 4:15 am

Hope's cries filled the air, shaking Remus from a deep sleep. Tonks mumbled incoherently and rolled over.

"Don't," Remus said, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder. "I'll get her."

Tonks nodded sleepily and rolled back onto her stomach.

Remus pulled himself out of bed and padded across the hall to his daughter's room. The pale pink of her walls was illuminated by the soft light Tonks had cast over the room before going to bed. Hope was lying in her crib, her little fists flailing fitfully. The light shone on her face, showing that it was quickly turning red from the force of her screams.

"Hush, little girl," Remus said, gathering her into his arms. "Don't you want to let Mummy get some sleep?"

The baby calmed down as her father gently rocked her, reaching for the bottle that was kept on the dresser with a cooling charm on it. He muttered a warming charm that would bring it to the perfect temperature to feed to his daughter. Remus then finally settled himself on the rocking chair to feed Hope.

She looked up at him with her light blue-gray eyes – eyes that were so reminiscent of Sirius – as he fed her. He smiled down at her.

"Did you know that today is your birthday?" he asked quietly. "You're two months old now. That means that two months ago today, I became a daddy.

"You know, when your mummy told me that you were on the way, I almost didn't believe her. I didn't think that I'd ever get to be anyone's daddy." He paused. "I don't think I've ever told you this before, but the first time I held you, I realized something. I realized why I had to wait so long for a baby of my own. I couldn't be just anyone's daddy – I had to be your daddy." He gently kissed her forehead. "I'm so glad, Hope. I'm so glad that I'm your daddy. I'm so glad that you're my little girl."

A pair of arms circled around his shoulders and a warm kiss was pressed against his temple. He smiled, flushing slightly.

"How long have you been here?"

"Long enough," Tonks replied, kissing him again. "I love you, Remus."

He turned to capture her lips with his. "I love you, too." He smiled. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not giving up on me. For forcing me to see that we do belong together." He smiled and kissed Tonks again. "For loving me. For giving me a family." He could feel tears pressing against the backs of his eyes. "For sticking with me."

"You're welcome, my love." Tonks kissed his lips again. "And thank you, too."

Fin