Author's Note: Last chapter. It was very hard to end this, and I am still not happy with this chapter. I may come back and edit it, but I feel I must finish and let this be before I decide to come back. I appreciate you - the readers - for your reviews. It meant a lot, and thank you!

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They were opening their gifts when she started to feel a sharp pain in her side. She continued to ignore it until she felt something warm trickling down her leg. The sharp pain became more intense as she grabbed Tom's arm.

"Emma… you're hurting me." Tom looked down at the tight grip she had over his forearm, but she sat there frozen with a pained expression on her face.

"Emma what is wrong?!" she turned to face him with her lips trembling.

"Tom, I-I think my water broke. I c-can't move, the pain is becoming intense!" Tom looked down and noticed a small pool of water around her chair.

"Mom! Bill! It's time!" Tom shouted through the house, guests who still lingered rushed over to see the couple sitting there frantic. "Emma you are going to have to let go of my arm so I can grab your bag."

Emma shook her head and loosened her grip around Tom's arm. Simone appeared with a wet cloth and placed it on Emma's forehead,. "Emma, honey, please try to relax and practice your breathing. It will alleviate some of the pressure and pain you are feeling."

Simone grabbed Emma by the waist and helped her outside. Tom's SUV was blocked in by guests cars. Emma let out a few grunts through her teeth, as she surveyed the driveway to see whose car they could take.

Bill sped up to the curb of Simone's house and honked. He jumped out of the car, opening the back door as Emma waddled her way. She pulled herself in the car and kept doing her breathing as Simone wiped her forehead.

"Where the hell is Tom?" Emma grumbled through her breaths. "How about I pull his bottom lip over his head, then he can feel the pain I am feeling right now."

Simone patted Emma's arm and yelled at Bill to find Tom. Seeing the twisted expression on Emma's face, he knew that he should not waste anytime. Bill turned on his heels and ran into the house calling for Tom, the still lingering guests conversing over what they just saw.

"Tom! Tom where the hell are you?" Bill heard a noise down the hallway and rushed over.

Tom was standing over Emma's hospital bag with a blank expression. "What is wrong?" Bill questioned as he ran up to his twin's side.

"I… I am scared Bill. I… I don't know if I will be a good-"

"Enough of that talk Tom, we really need to get Emma to the hospital." Bill grabbed Tom by the shoulders and gave him a reassuring hug. "Tomas, I have never seen such adoration, love, and respect for you as I have from Emma. The woman who is about to give birth to your child, if that isn't consolation for you… then I don't know what else to say."

"You're right Bill" together they made their way back to the car, trying to not let Emma's cries upset them.

Bill turned towards Tom right as they reached the car. "I would watch what you say, she already threatened to pull your bottom lip over your head."

Thirteen hours. The longest thirteen hours he could have ever went through. Her cries of pain were finally subsided when Emilene was told that she could have the epidural. The first seven hours were the hardest, before the epidural it was a constant string of words and phrases that even Tom never heard of. Simone stayed by her side the entire time, soothing her, calming her, and letting her yell at everyone. At first her words stung, but his mother reassured him that it wasn't really Emilene talking. It was the motions of going into labor.

After Emilene received the epidural, the commotion settled in the room. Every so often he would hear her heavy breathing. Never did he leave her side, while she was sleeping he would hold onto her left hand, admiring the ring her gave her. Commitment. The one thing he was absolutely afraid of, and now he just committed himself to her and their child. The woman in front of him turned his world around, he would move mountains for her, swim a thousand laps around the world to make her happy. It was always Tom that came first, but she had him rethink his whole entire through process. She made him want to be a better man and want to do good for her.

Ten hours into her labor and the contractions started closer together. She didn't cry from pain, instead she commented that it felt like she was "taking a shit" out of the wrong orifice. Poor Bill left the room after the comment, his face flushed red, as he never heard such language from Emilene. Emilene always kept her composure around Bill, he embarrassed easily and sometimes she would say certain things to shock him. She would always tell Tom that she didn't want to "taint" Bill, that she loved how pure and innocent he was. Tom tried to be like Bill, but it only lasted for a day, much to Emma's joy. She always enjoyed Tom's outlandish personality, his big mouth and boisterous ego.

Thirteen hours until their baby was born. The cries brought tears immediately to her face; the happiness that lit up her face brought him to the verge of tears. He now had a child to also love and protect. A child with the woman he loved.

"Alexandria" her voice shook him from his thoughts.

Tom gently picked up the newborn; afraid he would damage the baby. "What did you say?"

Emilene let out a small giggle. "Alexandria? For her name, I was thinking…"

"It's perfect. My little Alexandria." Tom bent down and kissed Alexandria's forehead before placing her back into Emma's arms.

"I love you Emma."

"I love you Tom. But I can't wait to get out of here and be back home with Alexandria. Hospitals creep me out."

Shaking his head in, Tom made his way out into the lobby where Simone and Bill took off once the baby was born, so that the new parents could spend time together.

"Is she ok?" Bill asked worriedly.

"Yes, everything is ok. Alexandria would like to say hi to her grandmother and godfather."

"Godfather?" Bill's eyes lit up.

"Right after Alexandria was placed into Emma's arms, she told me without hesitation that she really wanted you to be the baby's Godfather. I can't argue with her choice."

"Thank you, it means so much to me." Bill softly replied.

Nights came and went by with not much sleep. But the joy of waking up together to see what troubled Alexandria was surprising. Usually she needed to be changed or feed, but other times Emma would hold her and rock her in her rocking chair. Tom would softly play his guitar and sing some songs, other times he would just play some chords. Within a few moments, Alexandria would fall back asleep with her parents watching her in awe.

"How did you know I loved that song?" Emma whispered.

"Which one?"

Emilene looked up from the baby and her soft eyes rested upon Tom's. Despite not having a decent amount of sleep she still took his breath away. "Sacred."

Nervously he didn't know how to respond. He didn't really know that Emma liked their music. She rarely mentioned their music or what she thought about it. Perhaps she was letting him enjoy what he loved and did not want to taint it?

"The lyrics are just magical, they really helped me when I realized I was falling in love with you." Emilene had placed Alexandria back in her crib and wrapped her arms around Tom.

"I never was good at opening myself up to people, then you came along and challenged everything that I thought and believed in. You were the complete opposite of what I would go for. You were loud, boisterous, thick-headed, but the compassion you showed me, the willingness to open yourself up to me, really changed my perception." Tom could feel her chest moving with every breath. Her arms tightened around his waist and he knew that she didn't have to say anything else.

Without hesitation, he spun himself around to face her. Emilene's eyes were wide and filled with tears. He hungrily pulled her into a kiss and let his body show her the love he would always have for her.

It was on their anniversary that their lives would be forever changed. They wanted to bring Alexandria with them, who now four, to their overnight stay in Paris. Emilene now was able to drive and learn how to drive in Germany. It was difficult to remember that the stops signs looked different than back in the states, and the round a bouts! Oh, how she despised them so! The sun was shining bright, making her smile wider. She was going to be celebrating her anniversary with her husband and her daughter. Their wedding was a small family affair, close friends and relatives gathered in the backyard of Simone's house as they were wed. It was everything that Emilene could ever dream of. They waited until Alexandria was three, so she could be apart of their special day. Alexandria looked precious in her white lace dress with a grass green ribbon tied around the middle. At first she was confused on what to do, but Bill grabbed her hand and she skipped down the aisle with him throwing the flowers around. When they arrived at the alter loudly Alexandria declared that she was going to stay next to Bill. It had everyone laughing that was in attendance and helped calm down Emilene's nerves as she waited to walk down the aisle.

The soft melody flooded her mind as she kept breathing in and out. Her legs felt wobbly in her heels. What if she fell? She wanted to turn and run, not from Tom, but from anxiety. Simone's gentle hand rested on the small of her back as she told her everything would be all right. Emilene wanted Simone to walk her down the aisle, in many ways she reminded Emilene of her own mother. The relationship she had with Simone grew immensely in the years they knew each other. Together they glided down the aisle, the ivory lace floating when the wind blew. The soft delicate curls hung loosely around Emilene's face, with some white lilies clipped up in her hair. Tightly she gripped her bouquet of white lilies and grass green carnations. It was Tom that took her breath away. She didn't think Tom would have worn a tuxedo, but he did. He looked breathtakingly beautiful, she couldn't keep her eyes off of him. The ceremony was short; each reciting vows that they wrote for each other. Not a dry eye remained in their attendance; guests flooded the newly married couple with words of gratitude, love, and encouragement. It was a new chapter in their lives together, a chapter that included their daughter.

Honk!

Startled by the horn Emilene stepped on the gas and drove through the green light. A loud screeching could be heard to her left, she turned to see the large 18-wheeler coming towards her. Frozen in her fear she braced herself for the impact. "I love you Tom. I love you Alexandria."

Bill was the first to make it to the scene of the accident. Metal pieces lay across the intersection; firefighters were still trying to put out the fire that started when the collision happened. He scanned the scene for ambulances; he hurried over to the first police officer he could find who directed him to an area next to the tow truck. Bill stopped in his tracks, there was Emilene's car, and the black metal was all twisted and distorted. The windows had been busted out and the roof was missing. Somehow he knew what was to come, he braced himself and slowly pulled out his cell phone from his back pocket. Tears dropped on the keypad as he dialed Tom's number.

"Please don't pick up…" he mumbled.

"Bill?"

"Shit."

"Bill what is it? What is that noise in the background? Where are you?" panic started to rise in Tom's voice.

"Tom, I need you to drive over to mom's house right now."

"...What? Why Bill? This is nonsense, I am suppose to be leaving with Alexandria to meet Emma at the airport."

"NOW! Leave Alexandria with Georg or Gustav, I just need you to listen to me and get to moms immediately."

"Bi-" Bill hung up. He felt himself start to panic, if anyone had to make sure, it was going to be him. He wouldn't let Tom come to the scene to find his wife dead on the road.

Bill began to pray that Emilene was ok, that at worst she had some broken bones. He could make out some loud cries of desperation behind him. He backtracked to find the ambulances parked near an alley. His eyes already confirmed what his mind feared.

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Weeks went by. Weeks filled of silence, despair, anger and depression. Alexandria stayed with Simone for her benefit, no one wanted her to witness what Tom was going through. First his anger took over, he was angry at the whole situation. It was their anniversary, a time to celebrate and be happy. Instead he had to mourn the loss of the one he loved. He was angry with the person who honked at Emilene to drive; he wanted to rip the guy's head off. He was presented with the opportunity when he went to the hospital to identify his wife. Instead he let his anger go and focused on the matter at hand.

His wife, she wasn't even recognizable. Her once gentle face was covered in liaisons and blood. Her body looked like someone ran over her numerous times. Without thinking he rushed over and pulled her bloodied and mangled body into his arms. This wasn't real, it was all a dream, a horrible dream that he would soon wake up from. Not so.

He began to drink heavily to numb the agony he was feeling. Never leaving the house except to get more alcohol, the pain and loss was too much for him to bear. He didn't want to live anymore without her. She help hold him together, it was her faith in him that kept him going. He would cry himself to sleep at nights, wake up and drown himself with alcohol. He was selfish, how could Emilene do this to him? Why couldn't she be stronger and had survived? Why did she have to leave him?

It was Bill who put his foot down. Tom was being selfish and self-distructive, not thinking once about his daughter who needed him more than anyone. Alexandria. He completely forgot about his sweet daughter, it pained him to look at her. She was beginning to look so much like her mother, and her eyes. They could read your soul; Emilene's eyes had the same effect. It wasn't his daughter that needed him, in fact it was reversed, Tom needed Alexandria. She was the rock that helped him through the difficult times. Her innocence made him notice the goodness in the world. Slowly, he began to clean up, he began to be apart of Alexandria's life again. He would tell her stories of Emilene before bed, they would look through photo albums together and he would always sing Emilene's favorite songs to her. Together they kept her memory alive.

"Daddy! Daddy, I can't keep up!"

Tom look behind him as Alexandria struggled up the grassy hill, a laugh escaping his lips. Two years had passed since her death, they were still healing with the loss but it brought him closer to his daughter. She was his everything.

Alexandria began to giggle when she saw her father laugh. "Daddy it's not funny! Please carry me!"

Tom reached down to his now six-year-old daughter and placed her on his shoulders. "Are we close Alexandria?"

"It all looks the same daddy, you said a big brown tree… but there are millions of them!"

Tom surveyed the area and spotted the old walnut tree next to the creek. When they arrived he put Alexandria on the ground next to the white limestone.

"Do you think mommy knows that we are here?" her big brown eyes looking up into the sky.

"Yes. She knows everything that is going on in your life Alexandria." He squatted down next to his daughter pulling her into a hug.

Alexandria wrapped her small arms around Tom, giving him a gentle hug. "Do you think she reads our letters daddy?" she whispered in his ear.

The hint of sadness in her voice brought the tears to his eyes. He picked up his daughter into a tight hug; kissing her cheek lightly he looked into her eyes. Her inquisitiveness came from Emilene.

"Yes darling she does." He couldn't tell her no. He grabbed Alexandria's letter and placed it under a rock next to Emilene's tombstone, along with his. They sat there for hours, Alexandria talking about events at school, with grandma, with Uncle Bill and with Tom.

When they arrived back at home, Tom put Alexandria to bed and made his way to his bedroom. Waiting to make sure Alexandria was finally asleep, he pulled the letters from his pocket. He would always grab the letters before they left; he wanted to keep them for a reason even he couldn't understand. He lay on the bed tempted to read Alexandria's, he let temptation take over and opened it.

Mommy,

I miss you very much. I had my recital today! Uncle Bill came to see me! Daddy is always there taking pictures and cheering me on. I wish you could have been there too mommy. Daddy sings me your favorite song, but don't tell him that it's my favorite too. I love you mommy. Daddy does too. He doesn't know, but sometimes at night I can hear him cry. I go in and lay with him mommy. I don't like it when daddy is sad, it makes me sad. I love you mommy and daddy says that one day I will be able to see you again. That makes me happy.

Love – Alexandria

Tom let it all out; he let all the tears flow. His body convulsed with each sob, with cry to have Emilene back. He didn't hear the door creak open or the patter of small feet making their way over. Soon he had his arms wrapped around his daughter, cradling her gently as he cried. He could hear small sobs escape her throat.

Together they would help each other through. Alexandria was Tom's rock, his reason to go forward with life, a life that he was able to create with his late wife. A gift so precious that kept her memory living.