A/N: Last chapter! (plus epilogue) I'm so happy to be finally able to mark this story as complete. Thanks so much for the kind reviews and comments.

Danny is still a nervous wreck when the plane takes off, but it's only images of plunging to a fiery death that plague him. He's not really worried about anything else, and when they hit turbulence Mindy's hand is right there for him to hold onto, an anchor that he doesn't let go of until long after the ride evens out.

He'll never get used to the way adrenaline makes all the colors around him pop, the way the tiniest details jump out at him. It's as if his life is suddenly in high definition and the normally intangible thoughts are technicolor. It's amazing how clear everything suddenly is. He quietly follows her a few minutes after she gets up to find a flight attendant, hunting for something to drink.

The air in the cabin is somewhat stale, blowing from tiny vents just over the drink carts Mindy's standing at, pondering the selection. They're tucked away in the back of the plane, an oasis of privacy in the cramped cabin. His heart is beating out of his chest again, but it's not from fear any longer, it's just pure unadulterated love for the person he's staring at.

She's oblivious to his presence, carefully vetting each item in front of her. His eyes light on the thin tank she's wearing, the smooth slope of her shoulder begging to be touched. Her hair is piled on top of her head in a messy bun, exposing the curve of her neck. He woke this morning with his nose buried in that hollow, and he decided then and there it would be a wonderful place to live.

He regrets his half declaration on the roof, because it's a paltry version of what he wanted to say. They don't really know each other, and everything about the path laid out in front of them looks rocky, but she makes him want to be a better version of himself, the best version.

Striding toward her is the easiest thing he's ever done. She jumps with a little squeak when he hooks his hand in her elbow, spinning her around so he can look into her eyes when he says, "I love you."

He almost wishes he could fight the urge to pull her in for a ravishing kiss, because the look on her face is something he wants imprinted in his memory for the rest of his life. But the need to feel her, to consume her, wins out in the end.

EPILOGUE

There's a reason everyone loves fall in New York. The air is crisp and there's always the faint smell of woodsmoke just floating on the breeze. Mindy doesn't even mind that all of the orange decorations and occasional flashes of foliage kind of clash with seventy-five percent of her wardrobe. On days like this she happily clutches her pumpkin-spice latte as she steps through the elevator doors. She even has a plain black cup of joe nestled in the crook of her arm just for Danny.

She doesn't have time to call out his name, because as soon as the double doors slide open, he's striding across the reception area and escorting her back to his office like she's a delicate piece of china, one hand firmly planted on the small of her back as he calls out to Betsy to hold his calls while he's on lunch. He relieves her of both coffees, sniffing suspiciously at her latte. "Decaf?"

"Of course."

"Just checking." He says this sheepishly, and gives her a quick peck on the cheek in apology. "So, what's the rush today? You said you only have fifteen minutes or so for lunch."

She's practically bouncing with excitement, eyes bright as she beams up at him. "They're going to make me a partner, Danny. I can feel it. And I'm going to have my own meditation center for expectant mothers." Rummaging around in her back, she yanks out a portfolio, flipping it open so Danny can look at it.

It's an organized explosion of colors and shapes, plans for an addition to the practice up stairs, charts detailing empirical research of her preferred methods of healing. His fingers brush along the edges of a particularly eye popping pie chart, grin spreading across his face. "Babe, this is amazing."

She nods happily. "And Duncan took a look at it for me this morning, to see if I'm the right track, and he said it looks like I have a real connection with the universe."

A short little chuckle escapes Danny. "You know, I've always liked those guys."

Mindy rolls her eyes, snatching up her pumpkin concoction. "Oh, puh-lease. You told me Brendan was a pompous granola-eating asshat. Which, by the way, you eat more granola than anyone I know, so I don't see how that's an insult."

Danny shrugs. "Well, Duncan isn't so bad anyway. He knew the sex of the baby before anyone else."

Mindy nods, tracing the curve of her distended stomach out of habit. "To be fair, he had a fifty/fifty shot. Anyway, they'll have to be idiots not to make me partner. Their clientele has nearly doubled since I took over their talk therapy sessions." She's getting too big to sit comfortably in Danny's straight backed office chairs, and her breathing is a little short already from the excitement. "Help me up."

Danny obliges, his own hands lingering on the sides of her waist after he's hauled her out of the chair. He does the thing Mindy loves, resting his forehead against hers, breathing her in as if he can't get enough. She always wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him in for a kiss. This time is no exception.

She can feel tears slipping down her cheeks, and tries to wipe them away before Danny notices, but it's a futile exercise. He dashes the remaining moisture away with his thumbs, and looks at her expectantly. "Hey, what is it?"

"I never could have imagined this two years ago, Danny.

It feels like a lifetime that he picked her up, trudging along the side of the road at night. Sometimes his heart skips a beat, fluttering up in his throat, when he thinks about how he could have so easily missed her.

"With the extra money that comes with the partnership, I'll be able to clear all of the student loan debt away finally."

He knows what it means, and his heart soars at the mere thought. They've been living in his apartment, really feeling just how cramped it is with two people, let alone three. There had been so many real estate opportunities that he'd wanted to jump on, houses in Brooklyn, brownstones in Manhattan, but she'd flat out refused to let him buy a place on his own. She wanted to be able to contribute to their family's home.

He wants to pick her up and spin her around, just like in those ridiculous movies she fills the DVR up with, but it's a little difficult with their child resting between them, so he settles for holding her as tightly as possible, peppering kisses all over her face.

She pulls away, gasping with laughter. "Alright, alright. I have to go. I have to take five minutes to give myself a pep talk before my proposal." They're walking through reception when she stops abruptly, eyes wide. "Oh Danny, don't forget-"

"Your parents are coming for dinner, yes you won't let me forget."

She nods. "Chicken marsala?"

"Coq au vin."

She knows what they're having for dinner, she just wants to hear him over-enunciate the italian words. Biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing, she continues. "And those little fried donut hole looking things?"

"Zeppole."

"Mmm, with extra powdered sugar?"

The elevator doors slide open, and Danny leans forward to give her one last kiss. "Double dusted, as always. I know what you like."

"You certainly do."

THE END.