Chapter 24: Ever Ever After

There are different endings for the legend of the Lindorm King. After the (second) joyful wedding ceremony, the now King Lindorm and his peasant Queen loved each other greatly and the Queen soon conceived.

Of course there were more trials, betrayals and tears in their future path. In one version the evil stepmother of the young queen became jealous of her happiness and writes a fake letter, in name of the young Queen, telling the young King, who was away in a battle which lasted a long time, that the Queen had born him two whelps.

In another, the same treachery is committed by one of the trusted knights of the king, the Red Knight, who intercepts the correspondence between the King and Queen while the King was away in battle and, thanks to a series of misunderstandings, it leads to the Queen's banishment along with the two kids.

But the brokenhearted King Lindorm, once the treachery was discovered, orders the children brought back to their home and departs on a quest to find his beloved.

After a long journey he finds her and, after some convincing on his part, he brings her home.

And they lived happily ever after.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

"That's a great story, dad, but you still haven't answered my question." I lifted my eyes from the papers on my desk and looked at the handsome teenager in front of me, his coltish arms and legs in jeans and t-shirt not really hiding the promise of new growth spurts in a nearby future.

"What was really the question, son?"

"Will you let me borrow the car or not to go to the prom?" My son looked at me eagerly waiting for my answer, his bright green eyes surrounded with brown a silent testimony of his mother's beauty.

"I'll let you have the car." He grinned at me but I wasn't finished yet, "with one condition." I stood up and went to his side, smiling as I found him staring into my eyes at the same level as he had inherited my height. Though I'm glad he inherited his mother's eyes and freckles. "Whoever is the girl you take to the prom, you will treat her with the utmost respect."

"Come on, Dad!"

"I'm serious here, son. You will not use my car to take liberties with some girl because sometimes what happens in one single night might haunt you for the rest of your days. I'll not abide to that. Neither will your mother. So, either you take it or leave it."

He bit his lip, unsure if he would be willing to take the deal or not. If he did, he might have to obey his father, if he did not, he would have to borrow a car or - even worse - rent one. Not good with his meager salary hardly earned in odd jobs here and there.

Finally he relented silently nodding to me. I smirked and put my hand on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly until he looked up at me and smiled.

"It's worth the wait, son."

"But how will I know if... ahh..."

"If she's the right one for you?"

"Yeah..." My son blushed deeply, his pale skin becoming bright red and making his freckles even more visible on his face.

I sighed loudly and looked out of the window of my study, seeing my gorgeous wife playing with my youngest daughter, laughing at our dog's antics in the garden. I smiled and looked down at my boy, knowing exactly the answer I had to give.

"Look for the girl you still want to kiss even after she has slapped you."

- THE END -

================= MISSING SCENE================

"Ziva, take this."

"What is this, Gibbs?"

"It's the name of an instructor at the FBI Academy."

"Uhm?"

Glare...

Evil grin...

"Ah... any specific orders or requests?"

"Not really. Just make him suffer."

"As you wish, Gibbs."

==============END OF THE MISSING SCENE =============

A/N: Thanks for all the great reviewers and the people who read this lovely fairytale.

I hope you have enjoyed the great tale of love and heartache of our darlings. This story was very difficult to write, as I've started its drafts in one of the worst days of my life and I kept trying to figure out how to fix things and finish the story.

I was able to finish the story, but I have to accept that I'll never be able to fix things. But as Laura, I won't jump out of the ship. Let's just see how it ends...

On a happier note, thanks for my lovelies:

Danielle - ohhh thanks *hugs hugs*

Watchdog - Everybody has emotional luggage. Some more than others. Some break under its heavy weight. Others learn how to face it and become stronger despite of it. I'm right now studying to be able to identify this on people, so that aspect might reflect in my stories. And I'll keep you posted on the Novel project and I'll send you a signed copy when it comes out. I hope you like WWII spy novels... kkkk

Cheether, alix, Jake Crepeau, lsmcfan - Thanks for the compliments!

Dr. Pyro - Sweetheart, take your time. As Tim said in the story, love is something powerful but its not only an emotion but a decision to stay together. It takes two to make it work. Don't rush, your time will come.

THANKS!

Writerkos