Hello dear readers. I hope the week has treated you well. This is a fairly short epilogue, but necessary one I believe and I hope you enjoy.

Note that I forgot to mention in the last chapter, Jade's outfit for the night was the same one as Elizabeth wore for past New Year's Eve.

Fanfic-Reader-88: A legend feels like an understatement to his contribution.

Due to the circumstances of what they've been through, they certainly have options that other people wouldn't have. Of course I'm touching on the idea about how easy it could to abuse such a thing in 'Who are My Brothers?'

A careful reading of the ratings guidelines for the site calls for such a warning. Jade and the vampire thing is obvious with the shirt, her disposition and a Slap video where she's upset people jumped on her vampire bandwagon, but the fact that Freddie dressed up as one that time just gives them another connection. There is a pic somewhere that shows that Liz actually kept the 'Bite Me' shirt after the show ended.

Twilight Warrior 627: I think I covered my thoughts about Mrs. West and the Colonel in my PM. You can't prove anything with the Colonel's involvement in certain classified military actions. Thanks and I hope you like this epilogue.

Challenge King: Them having a child would shake up things in the family dynamics between the Shays and Lynns.

Jonathan 81: I'm glad you're still reading. I think there are always threads to explore with these characters, plus there is always inspiration from what the actors/actresses are doing post iCarly/Victorious.

Rating: K

Epilogue

Benson Residence
Beverly Park
Beverly Hills, CA
Saturday, February 12, 2022

Ian's brow was knotted and cheeks raised with tightened muscles around the eyes. He lifted his right pointer finger up and tried to comprehend what he was told by his brother-in-law and asked in a hasty voice, "So let me get this straight, that was you… from seven years ago?"

The houseguest and family member was sitting on the couch while Freddie sat in one of the other chairs in the room. Jade was upstairs with Sapphire to show her that the Valentine's Day card hadn't been lost during her father's 'magic trick' of being in two places at once.

Freddie calmly nodded his head and answered, "Yes, that was me. A little help from a cupid trying to help me figure out a Valentine's Day gift for your sister back in fifteen and I showed up here."

Ian threw his hands up and glanced down at the coffee table. "So I spent the last hour with 'you', but not 'you' without realizing it?"

"As I just told you, that was me, just a younger me." Freddie patted his cheek and remarked, "It's only been seven years. I've aged pretty well, so I don't look appreciably different."

The young West motioned towards Ira and stated, "Yeah, but you fooled Ira. He should have known."

Freddie glanced at Ian's longtime companion and pointed out, "Who said he didn't know it wasn't 'now' me? What point was he to bring it up since it was still me? It's not like I was going to be a threat to you or Sapphire."

The dog barked in agreement.

Ian looked to his dog and gave a scathing look and sarcastically remarked, "Thanks buddy."

If it was all possible the dog barked in such a way that one would think he was responding in as much a sarcastic manner.

The teenager looked to his stepbrother-in-law and asked, "So you time hopped because you couldn't figure out a present for Sis?"

Freddie helplessly shrugged his shoulders. "It was Nathaniel's idea. I couldn't think of anything to get her. I just knew that didn't want to get her something, just to get her something. The experience of knowing Sapphire before she was born was a fantastic gift for Jade. You being here when it happened was an incredible bonus. Unfortunately, you should have seen the Valentine's Day after it; she may have liked it, but I thought it was a serious letdown."

"So the message we just recorded and pictures was your way for her to know Sapphire before she was even conceived?"

"Since she missed out seeing her in person, getting a recording of you two was the next best thing then I realized to really set up the surprise, I included you on our day. I wanted Jade to feel loved and you definitely loved her at the time. I'm thinking about pulling the same trick again with Sapphire since Jade's been away on tour for so long. I think it seriously bothered her being away from her that long."

The brown messy haired teenager joked, "I wouldn't be brought along this time would I?"

Freddie cracked a grin and gently mocked, "I thought you would be too busy with your girlfriend that day… and you have school. I don't Sikowitz would mine you missing his class, but the others might have a fit."

"I was hoping to spend part of the day with Grace if I…" Ian realized the significance of seven Valentine's Day ago as it held special meaning to him. "…wait a sec, did you set me up with my girlfriend when I was seven?" He didn't wait for a reply as he stood up from his seat and started pacing in front of the couch. "Isn't that some kind of time paradox or something?"

"I've actually thought about that a few times. Jade originally buying this house could be a bootstrap-paradox, but then it depends if she really went to the future or it was a parallel universe she visited of us being apart and she was a pill popping rocker, but I don't think it is one for you and Grace. If you didn't like Grace in the first place, it probably could have been one, but you're the one that told us that you liked her after I came back. You developed those cute feelings for her before I said a thing."

Ian thought about his point for several seconds, trying to recall some details of that time. His memories weren't as sharp as Freddie or Jade's memories since he was seven at the time. However, another thought occurred to him and he accused, "You knew I was going to go into Hollywood Arts and things were going to go to chizz with me and my dad and I would be staying here, so why didn't you say anything?"

Freddie snorted out dismissively, "In that case, I was trying to avoid a paradox about you going Hollywood Arts. I said to you that day you didn't have to decide on anything. What was I going to say about your dad? Your dad's an asshole? The man has only gave ground once, just once that I can remember since I've known him when it came to you and that's when he knew if he didn't, that there would have been Hell to pay for it from me and the Colonel. I wasn't going to change his mind by saying anything differently than what I told him—which I wouldn't know what to have said differently since I don't know what I said in the first place—and I sure wasn't going to take his side on the matter."

Ian frowned and retook his seat on the couch. He loudly sighed, "And you didn't think about giving me a heads up?"

"I didn't want to mess up this from happening. One thing already got changed from my visit here."

"And what was that?"

The doorbell rang out unexpectedly to interrupt Freddie from answering the question. The ring was an unusually occurrence at the household with the necessary security with Jade being such a recognizable star and being the stepdaughter of the President of the United States, so no one just walked up and rang the doorbell.

Freddie called out as he got up from his seat, "I got it."

He reached the door and took a quick peek into the peephole then opened the door. A blonde girl in her mid-teens with blue eyes and high cheekbones stood on the other side of the door, one all too familiar to the computer animator. He grinned at seeing her appearance and warmly greeted her, "Hello Grace."

"Hi Mister Benson. I'm here to see Ian."

Freddie looked over his shoulder and grinned to his stepbrother-in-law. "Well you're in luck. He's here. Ian, you have a very lovely young lady here to see you!"

Ira trotted to the teenage girl and happily barked at her arrival. Grace knelt down and cupped the sides of the dog's jaw to playfully ruffle it. "Hi Ira. It's good to see you." The dog tried to lick the girl's cheek, but she pulled away with a laugh then hugged the loyal companion of her boyfriend.

Ian grinned in a manner that could put Freddie or Beck to shame to impress the ladies as he approached his girlfriend. Grace noticed his smile while she pulled away from her hug and bashfully returned with one of her own with brushing some her blonde locks behind her right ear.

She stood up and timidly began, "Hey, I was hoping we could go out. Maybe get something to eat and see a movie? My dad's outside to take us to Green Meadow's Mall and can pick us up when we're done."

Ian could care less that it was Grace basically asking him out on a date. "I was watching Sapphire, but since Sis and Freddie are home, I would love to grab something to eat."

"That's great."

Ian looked to Freddie and hopefully asked, "Or I could borrow the keys to your car so we wouldn't have to bother him?"

Freddie wore smile so large that it threatened to pull a muscle as he calmly answered, "Not a chance in the world even if you had your license."

The leanly muscular teenager's shoulders slumped in disappointment and put on an equally matching look that resembled one Jade could wear.

The computer animator relented, "But, I guess I can play chauffeur to anywhere you need to go for the next few hours. I could hide for hours at the mall."

"Thanks Bro."

"Just let me tell your sister what's going on and I'll meet you in the garage."

"Right." Ian looked to Grace and took her hand and lacing his fingers with her fingers to the approval of the blonde. He led her through the multi-million dollar house towards the three car garage.

Freddie headed up the stairs and after reaching the landing, headed for the master bedroom. He stopped at the entrance of the bedroom to see his wife sitting on the edge of their bed with Sapphire sitting on her lap.

Jade held the card in front of her daughter and showed, "See, here's the card that you made for me."

The pale little girl looked at the card with a mix of confusion and disappointment. "But it was supposed to be a surprise."

Jade kissed the crown of her daughter's head and whispered, "It was the best surprise for Valentine's Day I could ever have."

"But it's not Aunt Cat's day yet?"

"No it's not, but…" Jade grinned as an idea came to mind. "I have a bedtime story I can tell you tonight explain how I got it as a Valentine's Day present, okay?"

Sapphire's eyes lit up, always enjoying listening to the stories her mother would tell her before bed. She looked to her father and pleaded, "Daddy, you have to tell me how you did that trick."

Freddie felt trapped for a moment as he never felt comfortable with even the little while lies and sugarcoating the truth to protect her innocence for as long as possible. "Oh, I'm going to leave that your mom and her bedtime story tonight."

Jade rolled her eyes at dumping that responsibility onto her. However, it was probably for the best to leave the explanation to her and he would be tongue tied when it came to his little girl.

The handsome young man thumbed over his shoulder and informed his wife, "Hey, Grace just showed up and basically asked Ian out, so I'm going to take them out for a few hours. They need a chauffeur and I volunteered. I guess they deserve a little time out since they do have school Monday."

The musician licked her bottom lip while grinning. "You just didn't want Ian taking your car."

"He's almost fifteen; he still doesn't have his license and… I don't want him to dent it up. I love that car."

Jade licked her lips and knowingly smirk about his exaggeration about his feelings for the car. The vehicle had a lot of sentimental value, but he would give it up in a moment for any of them. "Okay, I guess it's a lady's afternoon in." She looked to her daughter and asked, "Do you want to see what Mommy's wearing to her awards show tomorrow night?"

Sapphire eagerly nodded, always enjoying the time with her mother when she showed off a new dress for an event or outfit/costume for her musical performances or acting as they were pretty to look at and it was an excuse for them to basically play dress up.

Freddie picked up his daughter and kissed her forehead. He happily told her, "I love and I'll see you before dinner. You have fun with your mommy."

"Okay daddy," she answered and placing a peck on his cheek.

He lowered her to the floor and waved to his lovely wife then turned to head downstairs.

After reaching the first floor, he cut through the living room to round back to the kitchen to pick up his car keys. While Freddie made his way towards the garage, he walked past the family portrait, the same one that he had saw seven years ago, not paying it much mind even though it had a significant change than when his past-self saw the photo. It was basically the same portrait of their extended family that Freddie had seen during his time jump except that Shay and Ruby were standing side-by-side with a little boy that resembled them and the same age as Sapphire and Spencer's son standing in front of the eldest couple.

Author's Note: I hope this wrapped the story up in a nice little bow for you. Whether my previous Valentine's story takes place two days later is up to you. As you can see, time can be fluid. Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing.
Casting notes: Jack Griffo as Ian West, Dove Cameron as Grace