Epilogue
Ellie opened her eyes and they were on the Watchtower again. Home. She looked around. Where were her parents? Where was Uncle Tim?
Dick walked into the room and held his hands out for a hug. Jamie dropped his sister's hand and ran to his father. He jumped and leapt into his waiting arms.
"Daddy I sawed you when you were young."
"Saw, Jamie," Dick said correcting his son's grammar as usual. He pulled a component from his pocket and slipped it into his son's ear, restoring his hearing.
Ellie hobbled towards her father.
"Dad, where is Momma?" She had expected her mother to come out with her father. When she hadn't, worry had begun to etch itself into her. She bit her lip.
Her father sighed. "You better come with me. There's something that you have to see."
Ellie's heart dropped into her stomach. She dreaded what she would have to see. But she followed. She knew better than to disobey her father.
She hobbled into a dark room. The bright light flipped on and Ellie had to cover her eyes for a moment. When she looked again she nearly fainted from the sight.
Barbara was standing. Not using her arms to hold herself up like she used to, but standing. On her own two legs. Ellie could feel happy tears begin to fall down her face. She'd dreamed of her mother walking and dancing with her since the incident when she was four.
"Momma?"
"Eileen. Did I ever tell you how much I loved you?"
Ellie let out a happy sob and flung her arms around her mother. She squeezed as tight as she could, for once not worrying about whether or not it would hurt her mother.
"Uncle Tim gave you my message?"
"Yes, sweetie. Thank you." She squeezed her daughter in return, being careful of her head.
Ellie was so focused on her mother she didn't notice when a blonde woman and a dark-haired man entered. The two new people held each other close around the hips and watched the happy reunion.
"Oh, Tim, isn't that one of the most beautiful sights you've ever seen?"
Ellie turned, saw the couple and screamed. Jamie covered his ears. That wasn't what he wanted to hear once he got back home.
"Uncle Tim! Steph! You're not dead!" She left her mother and hugged both of them tightly around their necks.
"I'm not dead?" Steph asked confused.
Tim winced as if the thought caused him some pain. "I'll explain later Steph." He kissed her on the cheek.
Ellie dropped back to the ground. She looked at her family. Tim was holding Steph close. There were matching bands on their ring fingers. Her brother was jumping to get into Momma's arms. Daddy laughed. She was complete again. She was whole. Everyone she'd ever wanted, and how she'd dreamed they'd be was there in the same room as her. She was reveling in her joyous epiphany when she noticed the look in her father's eyes.
Uh oh. She knew that look.
"I'm still grounded, aren't I?" She winced at the thought.
"So grounded."
Ellie hung her head and marched off towards her room, all the way grumbling. Damn catch-22.
A/N: *sobs* It's all done now. Thank you for commenting/favorites/follows. I'm still working on the prequel, the ideas just need to make it down out of my brain. And I'm gonna say it, I support Tim/Steph. For one last time, please review.