Nine Months

Disclaimer: These characters are owned by CBS and the CW network. I mean no infringement of any sort and am only using the characters for personal enjoyment and for others to enjoy as well!

DISCLAIMER: THIS FIC IS RATED M FOR LANGUAGE, CONSENSUAL SEX, AND REFERENCES TO VIOLENCE. IF YOU ARE UNDER 18, SCRAM! IT IS NOT MY JOB TO POLICE WHAT YOU ARE READING! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ IT, SCRAM! I WON'T TOLERATE BULLYING!

Chapter 12- Epilogue

2 Years Later...

A huge crashing noise sounded through the small house. Catherine's eyes widened. Not hearing any other noises, she began to panic. Slowly, she made her way toward the hallway, where the noise had come from. "Vincent? Nessa?" she called out. She heard no reply from her husband or their daughter. "Vincent? Nessa?" she called again, louder. By now, she was standing outside Nessa's closed bedroom door.

This time, she could just make out low murmuring voices, that sounded suspiciously like her husband and child. Catherine knocked on the door. "Vincent? Is everything okay in there?"

She could hear shuffling noises. Catherine tried the door, finding it locked. "Vincent? Unlock the door? What on Earth are you doing in there?" She tried the door knob again. "Vincent! Open the door right now!"

Finally, Catherine heard the lock click. The door swung open, and Vincent slid out, Vanessa on his hip. His large frame blocked the inside, and before she could try to see anything, Vincent had shut the door again. He stood in front of it, blocking her.

Catherine put her hand on her hip. "Vincent Ryan Keller, what are you hiding from me?"

He held his free hand up, as the other was circled around their daughter. "Relax, wife. I'm not hiding anything, honest." He leaned down, and his hand brushed against her swollen abdomen. "Don't stress out. It's bad for the baby. I just wanted to surprise you, that's all."

She cocked her head at him. "Oh, yes. Because hearing loud crashes that shake our house is such the way to do that," she told him, sarcasm dripping from her lips.

Vanessa looked between her parents, and started to clap her hands. "Dada scare Mama," she crowed. Both parents started cracking up. Leave it to their daughter to cut to the chase.

"I know you have been pretty tired lately, and I wanted to do something for you. Well...for both of you," he said, nodding toward her belly. Reaching behind him, he turned the door handle, and stepped aside. Catherine walked through the door, Vincent on her heels.

"Oh...Vincent!" Catherine breathed out. "It's beautiful!"

"Well...painting isn't my strong suit, but I think it turned out alright."

On one side of Vanessa's room, he had set up the new baby's crib and changing table. A small dresser was there as well. Over the crib, he had painted the Moon, some stars, and a couple of other planets as well.

"They glow in the dark," Vincent told her. Catherine looked over Vanessa's bed, and saw the same design. "I couldn't do one, and not do one for Nessa too."

Catherine turned around, and hugged Vincent as tight as she could. His arm slipped around hers. Nessa squealed, and wrapped her arm around Catherine's head. "Cuddle!" she exclaimed.

Catherine looked around the room. Then, it hit her. "Vincent, where is the lamp my dad bought for Nessa for her first birthday?" She looked up at him.

Vincent looked sheepish. "Well...it may have a little...color addition to it." Vincent walked toward the closet, pulling it open. He pulled out the lamp. It was decidely...greener.

"Oh my god..."

"It was an accident, I swear. I didn't realize how close the ladder was to it, and the paint was right over top of it, and then...you know it was pretty ugly to start with anyways," Vincent finished, bracing himself.

Catherine looked at the lamp, then at her husband and child. She looked at the lamp again, and began to snicker. Vincent raised his eyebrow. Catherine continued to laugh, and soon Nessa joined in.

Once she sobered, Catherine smirked at Vincent. "Well, we can always say Nessa was finger painting..."

Vincent chuckled. "Sure...blame it on the baby. It's always something they do."

"Well...if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't even be here right now. So, I guess that saying is true," Catherine said, smirking again.

"Finger painting sounds good to me..." Vincent said, before lowering his lips to Catherine's.

The next time Thomas Chandler was at their house, he noticed the lamp was a different color, but he never said a word. If there was one thing he had learned over the years, it was when to keep his mouth shut...