I'm sorry. I know this was totally crazy. But I just couldn't. I couldn't leave it. I promised an Epilogue and I just couldn't leave the end like that. I really like the end, but I still just couldn't let it go. I know the way things worked out were kind of crazy but...whatever. I don't even care.

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Epilogue – Mal

"Honey, are you okay?"

Rachel walked over and sat next to Mal on the bed and he flicked his phone closed.

"What are you hiding on that phone?" his wife demanded suddenly, grabbing the phone.

"Nothing!" he said, desperately trying to grab the phone back.

"Who's this?"

A picture of Natara flashed onto the screen as she opened it and Mal blushed for the first time in years.

"That's…" He blinked. "That's an old, old friend."

"She's ugly."

Red flashed in Mal's eyes. "She is beautiful," he said forcefully. "She is the most beautiful girl I've ever known in my life."

"What?"

But Mal was too busy slamming the door to regret what he'd said. He stormed through the rain angrily, hands in his pockets. Before he knew it, he was at the door of the motel room Natara stayed in when she had just come to San Francisco. Back when Mal had still had his chance. Before he blew it.

He didn't know why, but he was knocking. She didn't live there anymore. She'd moved to the suburbs with Oscar years ago. They'd lost touch already. Who knows who was staying here now? But he was knocking desperately, trying to reach the past.

The door opened hesitantly and Mal prepared to apologize and say he had the wrong apartment, but he didn't. He didn't have the wrong apartment. In front of him, standing in the doorway shocked, was Natara Williams.

"N-Nat?"

"How did you know I was here?" she whispered, tears in her eyes. "How did you find me?"

"I…I didn't. I didn't know. I don't know why I came, I just…"

Natara flung her arms around him and he felt tears spilling onto his back, effectively cutting off his stuttering explanation.

"Mal, I didn't want this to happen!" she cried. "I didn't want to lose you! I just didn't know what to do. You understand, don't you? I just…I was engaged. And you just told me you loved me. Maybe if it had been before; if it had been sooner…"

"Shh," Mal said gently, patting her back awkwardly. "It's okay. I understand. It's alright, Nat. Relax; I'm here."

"Mal, I didn't want to lose you, but I didn't know what to do!"

"I know, Nat," he whispered. "You haven't lost me. I'm right here."

"Okay," Natara said quietly. "I love you, Mal. I love you. You're my best friend. You know that right? You always have been."

"I know. I love you too. You know I do."

"Do you want to come inside? Oscar is in here. So is Emma, my daughter. She's five. I actually…" She trailed off, blushing. "I wanted you to be her godfather…"

"Natara, I'm honored, really. But if I may, why are you all in this motel room?"

"I'll explain in a bit, it's a long story."

"Are you sure it's alright if I come inside with Oscar here?"

"Yes, of course," Natara said, but bit her lip hesitantly. "Actually, would you mind waiting over there in the stairwell for a minute?"

"Sure…"

Five minutes later, Natara came over and took his hand, pulling him back over to the motel room.

"This is Emma," she introduced him to the little girl hobbling around inside.

"She looks just like you," Mal said sadly. "But she has…"

"Oscar's eyes, I know," she answered, rolling her own brown ones. "Says you and everyone else that sees her."

"You don't seem too excited by that."

"It bugs me," Natara says. "I think it's because…" She blushes a deep red.

"What is it?"

"I think…it's because…ever since I met you I pictured my daughter with bright blue eyes, like the sea," she said shyly.

Mal smiled knowingly. "I pictured her with chocolate brown hair, like yours."

"She'd be beautiful," Natara said quietly.

"Yeah," Mal whispered.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Natara looked down at her feet, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," Mal said. "It's all my fault. If I'd just stopped being an idiot and told you how I felt sooner…"

"Mal," Natara said hoarsely, shaking her head. "Don't."

"What?" he asked blankly, seeing a tear escape her eye.

"Don't, please don't. You have no idea how many nights I lie awake, wondering what that would have been like. I've wanted to know for so long. Please, don't make this harder."

Mal cleared his throat. "Sorry." He paused for a while, then said uncomfortably, "Maybe I should just go."

"Maybe you should."

Neither of them moved.

"I really have…missed you," Natara said awkwardly.

"I've missed you too."

"So where did Oscar go?" Mal asked after an expanse of awkward, nostalgic silence.

"I sent him to the store for diapers. He will be back any second, probably."

"I guess I better get going, so he doesn't see me around here."

"Yeah, take the back exit to be safe, I'd say," Natara said.

"Got it." Mal opened the door and began to walk out.

"Mal!" Natara cried out right before it closed all the way. He stopped and turned back in time to see her running at him, tears streaming down her face now.

She flung her arms around him once again and kissed him so forcefully it almost knocked him backwards.

After a second, or maybe several seconds, or maybe days, or months, they broke apart and Natara looked up into the deep expanse of sea that lived in his eyes and smiled sadly.

"Just wondering," she whispered.

"I always knew it was you," he answered quietly.

"Always."

And then she shut the door on him, took a deep breath, and began to cook an elegant dinner for her husband and two year old daughter.

"Be good for mommy, Emma. Don't cause any trouble, okay?" Oscar said as he dropped me off. "I love you."

"Love you too, daddy," I answer as he kisses me on the forehead. I get out of the car and wave as he pulls away. I walk up the narrow driveway and use my pink, personally made key to open the front door.

"Mommy!" I call out. "I'm here!"

"Hey, kiddo!" she says as she walks quickly over to me and pulls me into a hug. "How was your weekend with daddy?"

"It was fun I guess." I look around. "Where's Mal?"

"He's in the bedroom taking a nap. He's really excited to see you again, sweetie."

"Is he going to take me to the zoo again?" I ask hopefully.

My mom laughs. "I don't know, Em. But I wouldn't be surprised; he loves you so much."

"I love him too, mommy. Can't I just stay here forever with you and him?"

"Oh baby, I wish you could. But you know daddy would be angry if he didn't get time with you too."

"He doesn't like me, mommy. He just leaves me at home and tells me to stay in my room."

"I'll talk to him about that, hun," she says and I can tell she's repressing her full anger at what I said.

"Can't Mal adopt me and then I'd be his daughter too? Then we'd be a real family!" I pause. "And you and him could get married!" I giggle at my great idea.

I notice through my giggles that my mommy glances at her hand, and I see a pretty ring on her finger. She hadn't worn any rings since daddy moved to a different house.

"Mommy, what's that?"

"This is a present from Mal," she whispered, a smile tugging at her lips. "He wants us to be a real family, too."

"Really?" I ask, excited.

Just then, Mal walks in, his hair standing straight up from lying in bed and tossing around.

"Emma!" he yells, running over and scooping me up. I giggle happily.

"Daddy!" I cry back at him and he pauses for a second.

"Daddy?" he repeats, confused.

"You and mommy are getting married and then you'll be my daddy, right?"

Mal turns to my mommy and beams at her.

"You bet, kid. We're going to be a real family. I promise."

He sets me down on the couch and takes my mommy's hands.

"Always."

"Kiss her already!" I yell in his ear, making him jump, causing me to burst into giggles again.

My mommy leans forward and kisses Mal and I smile. Sometimes, I wonder how those two would manage without me helping them along.

They break apart and Mal grabs me again carrying me into our den with mommy trailing behind. He sets me down and I grab my favorite board game and start setting it up in the middle of the rug.

"Okay," I say bossily. "I'm going to be the blue gingerbread. Mommy will be red. And daddy is green."

I watch as Mal grins ear to ear, apparently just because I called him my daddy. Jeez, that guy is so easy to please.

My mommy leans over and whispers in Mal's ear, thinking I can't hear. "I'm going to kick your ass, Mr. Fallon."

"Ah, that's where you're wrong, Mrs. Fallon," he teases back. "I just so happen to be the king of Candyland."

And that is when I realize that my family doesn't have to be my real mommy and daddy and me together. This family will be perfect too, because Mal will be a perfect daddy, and my mommy already is perfect. And I'm completely happy with this version of perfect.

My name is Emma Santos, and my new family is perfect, too.