A/N - so work went from bad to worse this morning and my mood would *definitely* not improve this chapter so...unedited. Hopefully there's nothing too bad here. Cheers! xoxo - tmtcltb

x

Chapter 20 - And They Lived Happily Ever After

x

"You look like a fairy princess, Miss Kara," Stella whispered, her voice breathless.

"Thank you." Kara smiled, smoothing down the tulle of her skirt. When Alisha pulled the halter-style floral pattern dress off the rack, Kara had initially balked. The pattern was too big. The halter style would leave Kara's shoulders exposed. The pastel colors were definitely not something she normally wore. It had ribbons. And, yet, the second that Kara slipped the dress on in the changing room, watching as it floated around her frame, she knew that Alisha was right.

The dress was perfect.

And if Kara had any lingering doubts, they were laid to rest when she walked out of the bathroom. Watching Danny's face as he took in her appearance - the dress, the strappy gold sandals, the hair floating loosely around her shoulders. His eyes widening, grin growing, before he leaned down to press a kiss to her lips, whispering You look stunning.

Kara searched the garden until she found Danny standing with Tex and Wolf, enjoying some of the beers available on tap. With the official meet-and-greet portion of the event complete and the photographer banished, they had actually been able to relax. Danny's jacket had disappeared, leaving him in his vest and shirtsleeves, which he had rolled to the elbow. Kara suspected that the understated beige suit that Danny dug out of his closet was probably something that Laura picked out, Danny's own taste running more to polos on the rare occasion when he was out of uniform. But as much as Kara appreciated the trim lines of the suit, she much preferred his current appearance. Kara tried to recall the last time that she saw Danny looking so relaxed.

So happy.

Memories of the Arctic flashed through her mind. Of Danny and Frankie walking down the pathway, Danny shooting her a mischievous grin. Of late nights in the wardroom playing poker, Danny proposing more and more ridiculous stakes. Of stolen moments in his cabin, doing things that were certainly not appropriate to be thinking about at a garden party.

"You look quite lovely yourself," Kara said, focusing her attention back on Stella.

Stella twirled. "I love my dress! Thank you for buying it for me. Miss Elena wasn't sure about the leggings but Mr. Danny said that I look like a rainbow and that I'm the prettiest girl here." Stella faltered. "I'm sure he likes your dress too. Maybe next time we can all wear the same dress."

"I'm sure that Danny does." Kara reached to take Stella's hand, amused by the thought of how Danny would react if she showed up in a florescent pink swing dress with purple leggings. Even Stella's shoes glittered, Kara unable to resist when she saw the sparkly white buckle shoes in the boutique where they bought the girls' dresses. "Shall we find the ponies?"

"There are ponies?" Stella squealed, her head swirling one way and then the other. "Can I ride one?"

"Of course," Kara replied. "And there are also goats and rabbits and guinea pigs if you want to pet them."

Although Kara originally envisioned this fundraiser as an evening affair, with a sit down dinner and auction, that changed the moment she asked Rick to participate. Rick had said yes, of course, apparently still feeling the need to pay penance. And Courtney suggested using her mother's gardens for the event. One call to Mrs. Abbot and Kara not only had a location for the event, but an event coordinator.

And, Kara could admit, shifting the event to the afternoon and inviting children, both those within the foster system and those attending as guests, had been a stroke of genius. For the children there were pony rides, a small petting zoo, balloons, a bounce house, and a dance teacher. For the adults there was a full buffet, despite it being mid-afternoon, as well as floating appetizers and an open bar. Although they had been there only two hours, the silent auction had already met their monetary goal. Best of all, with the Abbots providing the location, the entertainment, and the catering free of charge, the cost for hosting the event was minimal. Resulting in close to one-hundred percent of the proceeds going to the Florida Orphans Fund. Even with Bacon catering the event at a severe discount, Kara didn't want to contemplate how much this all cost.

Mrs. Ebu, the head of the Fund, was already hinting about next year.

Stella jumped up and down as they reached the ponies. Mrs. Abbot had the foresight to hire a dozen ponies and trainers so the line was relatively short and within minutes Stella was helmeted and clambering onto the back of the pony, almost tumbling off the other side. Fortunately she righted herself, beaming at Kara the entire time, displaying not an ounce of fear. Kara forced herself to step back, watching as the trainer helped Stella place her feet in the stirrups, resisting the urge to demand that the child immediately return to solid ground. These ponies were well trained, of course, but they were still far bigger than Stella.

Andrea sidled up to Kara as she watched Stella, relaxing slightly when she realized that the ponies were going no faster than a sedate walk. Still, Stella seemed overjoyed. Waving enthusiastically at Kara each time she passed. Andrea shifted Liam on her hip. "You outdid yourself, Kara. This one event will probably bring in more money than the Fund raised themselves in the last two years."

Kara reached for Liam, who happily clambered into Auntie Kara's arms. She swung him in a circle before blowing a raspberry on his cheek. In response, Liam began chattering happily, although he was too young for actual words. "Not me. This was all Courtney and Mrs. Abbot. Maybe I need to make Rick feel guilty more often."

Andrea laughed. "I doubt it took much of an ask. I suspect that Charlene enjoys hosting these events. Apparently the transition from Louisiana to Florida was harder than she imagined and planning today gave her something to do. I wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow she hits you up about any other pet charities."

"What makes you think that she's looking for things to do?" Kara asked, her eyes focusing on the woman in question. Mrs. Abbot did appear to be in her element, leading a group of senators through the silent auction, her face animated. In Kara's, admittedly limited, experience with Rick's mother-in-law, the woman had never been less than the stereotypical perfect Southern lady. The idea that, under her calm façade, she was struggling, was a surprise.

"Debbie told me," Andrea explained, seeming startled by the question.

Kara turned, staring at Andrea. "Debbie? As in my mother?"

"Yes," Andrea paused, but then continued. Andrea was nothing if not direct. "She and Charlene met when Charlene went in to get the permits for today's event. They've had lunch a few times since. I figured that you knew."

"No, I didn't." Kara began bouncing Liam, using the child as her excuse for not looking at Andrea. Although Kara was aware that Debbie was helping with the logistics for today's event - in fact, Kara was the one who suggested that Mrs. Abbot go to Debbie given her job at the City - she never imagined the two women might connect socially.

After all, what could they possibly have in common?

"Sometimes circumstance makes strange bedfellows," Andrea murmured.

Kara glanced sideways. "Are you a mind-reader now?"

Andrea shrugged. "It was pretty obvious. And I agree. At first blush, Debbie and Charlene are pretty different. But they both lost their husbands. Both left their homes to be closer to their only surviving children. Both are still adjusting to the military life. They might not have much in common on the surface, but that doesn't always matter when you find yourself thrust into a new situation. The things that you have in common matter more than the things that you don't."

Kara considered Andrea's words, hearing all that wasn't being said. After all, if it wasn't for the events of five and a half years ago, Kara and Andrea never would have become more than casual work colleagues. Their lives on completely different paths. Kara just beginning to think about settling down, Andrea a dozen years ahead, closer to retirement and empty nests than wedding bells and newborns.

She reached over to squeeze Andrea's arm. "I'm glad they have each other."

"No!"

Kara turned, startled by the shout, only to see Delilah barreling towards them. Behind her Elena was giving chase, but the preschooler was far quicker.

Reaching Kara, Delilah began batting at Liam with her little hands. "My mama. Baby go away."

Andrea raised an eyebrow as she rescued Liam. "Mama?"

Kara felt herself flushing, bending down to scoop Delilah up. The child wrapping her arms around Kara's neck, her head moving to Kara's shoulder, thumb in her mouth. Giving Liam what could only be deemed a look of triumph. And, in that moment, Kara knew.

She wanted this forever.

Not that she thought Delilah would be a baby forever. Frankly, she wasn't a baby now, already a walking, talking little person with plenty of personality. But Kara wanted to watch Delilah grow up. To tuck her into bed at night and see her again in the morning. To take Stella to school each morning and pick her up in the afternoon. To be the one the girls came to with cuts and scrapes. To listen when they sobbed over their first broken heart. To spend hours pouring over the perfect college and stress over degrees. And maybe even watch as they found their own families, some distant day in the future.

To have more days like today.

Trips to the zoo and afternoons at the pond and barbecues in the backyard. Lunch at restaurants before nipping into a store to pick up a new dress or pair of shoes, the last ones outgrown. Road trips with the girls asking are we there yet a million times, driving them to distraction.

And sitting next to Danny at night, the girls tucked into bed, talking about their day.

Just another family doing family things.

She was willing to take all of the risks that went along with that future. The fear that everything would go to hell. The possibility that she would be terrible at parenting. The chance that she would be left a single mother with two children to raise. The much more terrifying possibility that she would be left without any of them. That the past would repeat itself.

And she would be left with three ghost children floating around her, rather than one.

Elena finally reached them. "Sorry, Kara, she's quick and I am no longer as young as I once was."

"I don't mind," Kara replied, her voice soft. She looked up, meeting Elena's gaze. "In fact, I think that I'm ready to take charge of her permanently."

Elena glanced between Kara and Andrea, her smile slowly growing. She reached out to squeeze Kara's arm. "I couldn't ask for a better mother for the girls. I'm thrilled."

xxxxx

Danny swung Kara around in a circle, humming an off-key tune as they half-waltzed, half-stumbled down the hallway of her bungalow. Laughing, Kara cupped his face, pulling him down for a kiss. His lips tasting of beer and sweat and barbeque sauce.

She began unbuttoning his vest, his jacket long gone. Kara vaguely wondered whether he left it at the Abbots' house. "I like this suit."

Danny shrugged out of his vest and then his shirt. "You can't possibly like it as much as I like this dress. Stella was right. You look like a fairy princess. It was driving me crazy all afternoon."

"You seemed perfectly fine to me." Kara giggled, stripping off her strappy heels as they reached the bedroom. She reached up, tugging at the knot at the base of her neck, allowing the top of her dress to collapse.

"I like it even more now," Danny murmured, hands lifting to squeeze her bare breast before pushing the dress over her hips, leaving Kara wearing nothing more than tiny lace panties. Kara momentarily considered whether she should retrieve the dress and hang it up, but was almost immediately distracted by Danny tugging her towards him. Leaning down to give her another heated kiss, his tongue plundering her mouth while his hands traced the lines of her body. Groaning, Danny toed off his shoes before tipping them both onto the bed.

They landed with their chests pressed together, legs tangled. Kara lifted her hands to his cheeks. "I talked to Elena."

"Mmmm," Danny murmured, lips dropping to her neck.

Kara turned her head to give him more access. "About the process for adopting the girls."

Danny froze for an instant, before his head dropped further, drawing a nipple into his mouth. "Did you now."

"Yes. I thought maybe we could adopt them together. Assuming that's something you might be interested in doing with me," Kara continued, her back arching into Danny's mouth as he repeated the caress.

He was now kissing his way around her breasts, one hand running in lazy lines up and down her inner thigh. "I'm all in, Kara. I have been since the day we took them out to lunch. You, me, Stella, and Delilah. It felt right."

"A family," Kara agreed, breath catching as Danny dragged her panties down her legs. Tracing the line of her slit before easing one and then two fingers inside of her. Instantly finding the spot that turned her into a pile of goo. Kara's hips were already rocking against him, and she was suddenly desperate to have him inside of her. To ease the tension as only he could. She fought to remember what she wanted to say. "It's a process. Adoption, I mean. Lots of paperwork."

Danny shifted to the side long enough to kick off his pants and underwear. And then he was back, every part of them touching. Their faces now even. Danny brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. "Good thing that you happen to be very good with paperwork. Maybe you can assign it to Altro. She seemed very interested in our personal life."

Kara chuckled as she imagined Slattery's reaction to such a misuseNaval personnel. She bit her lip, hesitating only a second. "Elena mentioned that there's a preference for married couples. It might help our application."

Abruptly, Danny rolled, pulling Kara on top of him. Her clit pressed deliciously against his dick and Kara groaned at the contact. She rocked against him for a few moments before lifting, sinking down on him until he was buried deep within her. Danny wrapped a hand around Kara's neck, pulling her down for a lingering kiss. Neither moving, simply feeling.

Their lips parted, and Danny spoke, voice gravelly. "Was that a proposal?"

Kara sat up, entwining their hands as she rose and then sank down again, enjoying the way that his breath caught. Relishing in the way that their bodies came together so perfectly, so compatible, no matter what was going on outside of that door. "Do you want it to be?"

"Hell yeah." Danny's smile grew, his eyes darkening. With passion, but with something else as well. Something she had seen only once, back in that tent on the Nathan James. When he told her that they were going to have a baby.

Something that looked a lot like joy.

She wasn't sure now long passed, the two of them moving silently together, before he spoke again. "How does tomorrow sound?"

"For what?" Kara replied, her eyes drifting closed as her thighs began quivering. Feeling the beginning of her orgasm approaching.

Danny caught her hips, holding her still, waiting for her eyes to open. To look at him. "For a wedding. How does tomorrow sound for a wedding?"

Kara leaned down, waiting until their lips were touching. Knowing that this moment would change - would define - her life.

Forever.

"I think tomorrow sounds perfect."

xxxxx

It was only much, much later, that Kara realized they forgot the condom. Panic swelled as she struggled to breathe, her vision turning black and body ice cold. Kara forced herself to count backwards from one hundred. Blanking all thoughts from her mind. As her vision cleared, she snuggled closer to Danny's slumbering frame.

Reminding herself that she was on the pill, which was over ninety-nine percent effective. Reassuring herself that the condoms were simply a precaution - a backup that nobody else in the world seemed to require - so the failure to use one tonight meant nothing. Calculating the chances of an accidental pregnancy from one time, while on the pill, were statistically less than one percent.

The last finally enough to calm her spinning mind.

After all, she couldn't get that unlucky twice.

x

x

A/N - just in case the chapter title was misleading, this is NOT the end. LOL.