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a/n hey all... Here's the last chapter. Thank you all for your wonderful support and kind comments. Again, I'm sending out mega thanks and kudos to my most excellent beta REIDFANATIC. She got me through writers block and convinced me not to give up on this when I thought I'd bit off more then I could chew. You are the best my friend!

Epilogue

"I'm glad we decided to come back here." Danny said as he held Lindsay close.

The beach was deserted that fall day. Six months had passed since Lucy had come back to them. They'd finally had the chance to come back to Amagansett and the scene of the crime as it were.

The sun was setting over the ocean in a riot of pink, gold and purple as it met the sapphire sea at the horizon. A cold breeze ruffled Lucy's blond hair as she played with the new sandcastle they'd spent most of the day building with her.

"Do you think she remembers?" Lindsay asked with a shiver.

Danny shivered too, so he tightened his grip on his wife through the dark blue coat she wore. "I hope not. Dr. Winter said that since the nightmares went away a couple of months ago, she should be fine. He said she won't remember it when she's older."

"I know… I just wondered if being back here might bring something back."

Danny shifted, pulling Lindsay between his legs so her back rested on his chest. He kissed her neck and she sighed. "I know I'm probably being paranoid."

"Hey, you're not the one that won't let her out of your sight." He said. "I don't want to make her scared because I'm afraid." He told his wife.

"Look at her, she's fine." Lindsay said. "You haven't made her scared. She's a lot stronger than we are."

He squeezed her tight. "You're right about that. She didn't lose her sweetness." He said, watching Lucy with rapturous eyes. "So you're saying I shouldn't worry." He said.

"Yeah… That's what I'm saying. She's going to be just fine."

"I just thank God I had you through all of this. Remember what I told you the day we got married."

"Yeah… You said I was the one you always wanted." She shifted around so that she could look into his eyes.

"It's more than that… You changed my life. A song Billy Joel sings says 'Did you know that before you came into my life… It's some kind of miracle, I survived.' That's exactly what I think every time I look at you."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Wow… that's pretty romantic Messer."

He threw back his head and laughed. "Don't let it go to your head Montana."

She punched him hard in the shoulder. "Watch it!"

"Dada…" A little voice said from behind them. They both turned to see their little girl with a small white shell in her tiny hand. She held it out to Danny. "Thank you my sweetheart." He took it from her and showed it to his wife.

"Did you find a shell?" Lindsay cooed. "You are the smartest little girl in the whole world."

She gathered Lucy up in her arms. The little girl turned and smacked a kiss on her mother's cheek. "Mama," She hugged her.

"Oh I love you so much Lucy." Lindsay squeezed her back.

"I love both of you." Danny said.

Lindsay let Lucy back down to play with her sandcastle before it got too dark to see. They watched her play for a while, then gathered up their picnic and hurried back to their little rental cottage.

00000

Danny held Lindsay close in the black of the night that had descended on them. Lucy slept peacefully in her crib in the next room. Everything was right with the world, but he still couldn't sleep.

"What's wrong?" Lindsay mumbled.

"I was thinkin," He said.

"Hm…" She said, rubbing her hands up and down his arms.

"Do you remember the night you came into Lucy's room and found me standin after those months in the wheelchair?"

"Of course," he felt her turn over to face him. "I'll never forget that."

"The day before that, I went to PT and I was ready to give up. Hawkes came in and really ripped me a new one. He said that pain is the price of every precious thing. He made me get up off my butt and work so I could walk again."

"Then I owe Hawkes thanks. He's right though, nothing is more precious than Lucy." Lindsay said.

"You got that right," He bent down and kissed the top of her head. "Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Promise me we'll have a little more happiness than pain from now on."

She laughed. "I can't make that promise, but I'll see what I can do."

He held her tight as the silence of the night closed in around them and held them close in the happiness they made for each other. Life was opposites and full of pain but hope held sway over every precious thing.