Here's the first part of my "epilogue" material, which started as part of the previous chapter. I still have a bit more, which I might not use all of. All in all, this has been a lot of fun.

On the other balcony, Fiona stood with Willow. Handler had joined them. "So, we found out the SSS had the code name of an agent who might be in love with Twilight," Handler said. "Probably from Franky. Lieutenant Briar asked to meet her. It was suggested we reciprocate."

"They told me that, kind of," Sally said.

"My real orders were to obtain a live offspring or other material from Yor or Yuri Briar for study," Handler continued. "Since Yor was needed for Strix, we focused on Yuri. If your mother had conceived naturally, she would have been confined immediately."

"Yeah, I figured on that," Fiona said. "But it wasn't the only reason I went to the lab. I wasn't ready. Your father and Twilight both told me that. And… the ones who thought there would be problems weren't wrong. There were others, your brothers and sisters, who didn't make it. You're one of a kind, more than anyone may ever be."

Sally embraced her mother. "So what didn't you want to tell me?" the girl asked.

"It was never really what, it was why," Fiona answered. "I was in a very bad place when I met Daddy. I don't want you ever to be there. I didn't want you to think you would need to be, to meet the right person… or not walk right by him."

Sally smiled shyly. "So, what was it… like with Daddy?"

Fiona smiled back. "Honestly?" she said. "Total train wreck. We had nothing in common, not even in bed, unless it was equal and opposite. I was out of his league, he was completely not my type, and he just would not shut up." Sally giggled. "All we could do was just… obliterate each other, till we couldn't even move. Then we found out we could talk because, like I said, I could not make him stop. Actually, the things I did to shut him up mostly made him talk even more."

She sighed. "At first, we would tell each other the missiles were coming and we didn't have anyone else. The way it really felt was riding a bomb all the way down. We would scream and blame and, well, do things to each other, just so we could feel … But when it was over, it was like we touched down and found out we were still here. And then we figured out we still wanted each other, even if it meant doing it all again."

"We finally found audio, from that first night," Handler said. "Everybody wanted in on that. Nobody had ever heard you talk that much. There were people who said it had to be fake, because they didn't believe you would talk like that."

"You told me if I said no, you had someone who would go and say she was me," Fiona said. "Did you really?"

"We had an alternate, as usual for a senior agent," Handler said. "She would have gone in if the mission had been deemed high enough priority. We probably wouldn't have bothered."

"And you didn't act like I wouldn't do it just so I would be mad enough to prove you wrong?" Fiona said.

"Hey, I put down 5 dalc you were going to run out of the hotel room," Handler said. "The others were betting 2 to 1 you would bail before he saw you. Oh, and want to tell the kid about the bill? 20,000 dalc in damages on a 2 dalc room. The whole building was valued at a quarter million."

Sally blushed, but also shook with laughter. "Oh, my god," she said. "I didn't do that much damage fighting Anya…"

"Of course we wouldn't do that now," Fiona said. "We were both young. And… energetic."

"Both?" Handler said. "He was 21. You were 30."

"Wait- what?" Sally said. "Thirty minus twenty one is- nine? That's old as me! Oh my god, Mother, you are a pervert!"

"Coming from the great Twilight's overflow doesn't sound so bad now, does it, kid?" Handler said. She looked at Fiona. "Hold on… you went 9 years without telling your own daughter when your birthday is?"

"It's every year!" Yuri said, emerging from the door where he had obviously been listening. He put one arm around Fiona and reached for Sally with the other. "Hey, my girls! Are you doing better now?"

"Oh, Daddy!" Sally said as she squirmed away. "Stay away from me! Mother's a pervert and you are too young to be my real Daddy. And I am not over you and Mother lying to me!"

"Aw, but now you can call me Father!" he said.

She ducked under his arms. "No way!" she said. She laughed as he chased after her. "Daddy, you are so creepy!"

Handler smiled at the receding laughter. Fiona turned to her. "Twilight told me about your daughter, once," she said. "I had my people look into it."

Handler nodded. "Fine, you know," she said. "Then you would know why."

"The old military intelligence didn't want recruits with children," Fiona said. "And orphans had the best chance of getting passage to the neutral states. I'm sure you did what was best. There's an agency that's been working to reconnect families separated in the war. It's run by a woman who was adopted as a war orphan. You could talk to her. You won't be the first person who didn't try before."

"I've thought about it," Sylvia said. She rose to her feet. "We'll do what we can for your girl."

And soon enough, Nightfall was alone. She stood at the railing, gazing outward. She did not turn when Twilight stepped onto the balcony. "So," she said, "we finally sorted this out. Do you think it will make it easier, when we get back to our lives?"

"I'm going back to my life," he said. "You're going to prison."

"I know, I know," she said. "I suppose I'm not going to see you again."

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's my fault as much as yours. But you could have come to me."

"I know," Nightfall said. She turned to look at him then. "I spent a lot of time thinking, how I kept myself believing I loved you for all that time. I finally realized, it was because I never had to think about you really needing me. I didn't have to worry what would happen after I'm gone."

"I can appreciate that," Twilight said. "Yor is younger than me, also. She can handle herself, of course, but sometimes, she needs my help."

"Can I ask you this?" Nightfall said. "Did you ever want for us to have a baby?"

"I always considered it," Twilight answered. "It seemed like we both went in other directions."

"Well, I told you about the lab I went to," she said. "They still have some of my material. I left instructions for them to give you access to it."

"Yor has been open to another child," Twilight said. "I have been concerned whether it will be safe. I might suggest the option of a donor who does not have the same… issues."

Nightfall nodded. "I owe you that," she said. "Can I have just one more thing?"

"Just ask," Twilight said.

"Let me kiss you," she said. He nodded. She took his hand, and put the other on his chest. He closed his eyes… and she kissed him on the cheek.