So, here it is, my last chapter. I've reread it multiple times and have debated changing it. Still on the fence for that, so let me know what you think. Thank you to my amazing fans and reviewers for hanging on for the ride. I've so enjoyed writing these characters. I will be writing a sequel. It might not come up for a bit as I've got 7 other stories on the go at this present moment, but, in saying that, I can't help myself so you might see it sooner than I think.
"She said yes!" Lucy squealed. She jumped up, phone in her hand. "Myles! She said yes!"
"I think I heard her all the way from here," Myles joked. Lucy was dancing in excitement.
"I have to call Tara!" she said. She looked down at Jack's text one more time in amazement. Her best friends were finally getting married. This was the best day ever.
"Tara, Tara, Tara!" Lucy shrieked into the phone.
"What?" Tara asked, getting excited.
"She said yes!"
"Ahhhhh that's fantastic!" Tara cried.
"I know! You guys have to get over here now!" Lucy ordered, still excited.
"We're coming!" Tara replied. They hung up.
"I knew he'd get it right," Bobby grinned. "I'm assuming with all the yeses flying around that Sue said yes."
"Yes!" Tara laughed, pushing him playfully. "Come on! We have to get to Lucy's to celebrate."
"You think they'll want us there so soon after?" Bobby asked.
"Jack wouldn't have told us if he didn't," Tara replied solemnly. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"
John
"Looks like we have a gathering to attend," John said, looking at his phone while Jane was finishing clearing the dishes up. Lucy had put a lot of exclamation points in her message with smiley faces. Maddy looked up from her homework.
"What do you mean?" Maddy asked.
"Your aunt just got engaged," John told her.
"Really?!" Jane cried. "That's so great! I knew she'd say yes."
"Why wouldn't she? Jack is the best guy I know outside of this family. I'm proud to call him my new brother," John said. He ached a little inside knowing Billy would have been just as thrilled.
"Can I come too?" Maddy asked.
"We're all going," John said. "It's about time we had some fun." He sent Charlie a text message.
Dimitrius
D was sitting in his living room with Donna while the kids were getting ready for bed. His phone buzzed, making him pick it up. He smiled and then laughed.
"What's so funny?" Donna asked.
"Jack finally asked Sue to marry him," D told her, grinning.
"Wow! That's wonderful," Donna said, smiling.
"Yes. I'm invited to the celebration for when they get home," D explained.
"Go ahead. I'll stay with the kids. I know how much you've been wanting your friends to finally do this," Donna said, shooing him.
"I'll see you later," D said, giving her a kiss. Then he was out the door.
Charlie
"Hey, Tess? I'm off to Sue's place wanna come?" Charlie called. Tess was in the laundry room downstairs.
"If you want me to," Tess replied. She was happy to see him in a good mood. Things had been a little rocky since Billy had died, and Charlie had withdrawn from her more than he usually did. They were just now starting to pick up the pieces.
"Of course I want you to," Charlie said, coming down the stairs. He paused at the bottom. "Unless you don't want to?"
"I want to," Tess said quickly. They hadn't done much together in a long time.
"Okay. I'll see you in the car," Charlie smiled. Tess smiled back. She had really missed his smile. She tossed the shirt she was folding into the basket and ran up the stairs behind him. She'd finish her chores later.
Sue & Jack
Sue was sitting on Jack's lap on his office chair staring at her ring. She still was in shock. Levi was still lying on the floor with his puppy grin on his face.
"You okay?" Jack asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"I'm more than okay," Sue replied, kissing him in return. "I'm just...in a daze." She laughed.
"A good daze?" Jack asked, worried.
"Of course! It feels like a dream. One that I've been dreaming of for years," Sue smiled at him.
"I'm glad I made it come true," Jack said.
"So, how should we tell everyone?" Sue asked. She had been thinking about it.
"Well," Jack said. "You know how it is when you tell one person in confidence and the next thing you know everyone knows about it?"
"Ah," Sue said, nodding.
"They already know. They're waiting back at the house to celebrate," Jack told her.
"Then we should hurry up and get there so they have something to celebrate," Sue suggested.
"Just, one moment," Jack said. He kissed her softly. He wasn't quite ready to share this moment with everyone yet. He only intended to do this once in his life, and he wanted it to be perfect.
Lucy and Sue's Home
"What could be keeping them?" Lucy asked, feeling worried. Myles patted her arm reassuringly.
"I imagine they just want to be alone first," he said.
"Yea, Luce, they just got engaged. They're probably in seventh heaven," Bobby winked.
"Bobby! I hope he didn't forget he was supposed to come back here," Lucy said, fidgeting.
"He didn't," D said. "He's just enjoying his success without all of us first."
"I'm glad this is finally happening," Tara said. They were all sitting in the living room, waiting. Jane was on John's lap while Maddy sat on the floor beside them. Charlie was sharing the loveseat with Tess. D was on the the couch with Myles and Bobby while Lucy was running around making sure things were perfect, and Tara was attempting to make her sit down. They heard the car door slam first.
"They're here!" Lucy squealed. She ran to the door, Tara right behind her. Jack and Sue came inside with a glow about them.
"Hi!" Lucy cried. She grabbed Sue and hugged her tightly.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me you knew," Sue said accusingly, but she was still smiling.
"And ruin the surprise? I'm not that mean," Lucy said to her. She hugged Jack next while Tara embraced Sue next. Bobby came in behind her and slapped him on the back before giving a sideways hug.
"Wow, when you said everyone, you meant everyone," Jack laughed. Lucy beamed.
"Of course!"
"Hey, sis," John said, hugging Sue. She spied Charlie over his shoulder.
"You came!" she said to him. Charlie nodded.
"Wouldn't miss it," he said.
"Congratulations!" Tess, Jane, and Maddy said excitedly, each pulling Sue into an embrace.
"Welcome to the family, bro," John said, shaking Jack's hand. Charlie followed suit.
"Thanks, guys," Jack said. D and Myles finally got in there to congratulate them. Everyone eventually migrated back to the living room. The women grouped together so Sue could show them her ring and tell them what happened. The men passed around beverages and ribbed Jack about how it took him long enough.
"So, is there a date yet?" Lucy asked. She had to know.
"We haven't gotten that far yet," Sue said, looking over at Jack. "But I think it'll be soon." He nodded in agreement.
"I'm just so happy for you," Lucy said, getting teary.
"Stop that," Tara commanded. "You start and we'll all start."
"Sorry," Lucy sniffed.
"Let us know if we can help in any way," Jane said. Tess nodded beside her.
"I will," Sue promised. She looked around at her friends and family and felt truly blessed. She couldn't wait to begin planning her wedding with Jack. She could tell he was just as excited. Things really were working out the way she imagined.
The Next Day-Homeland Security
John looked up to see his sister staring at her hand absently. He couldn't help but smile a little. He remembered when he had proposed to Jane. She had been so entranced by her ring that she walked into a lot of doors. He caught Charlie's glance as he also noticed Sue's behavior. John chucked a crumpled piece of paper at her, getting her attention.
"Why don't you take the day off?" he suggested when she looked at him.
"Oh, I couldn't do that. I was just...thinking," she said, blushing.
"I know you were. Come on, live a little. I'm giving you my permission," John winked. "This will all be here when you get back."
"Are you sure?" Sue asked. "I don't want to leave you all hanging..."
"Pfft. We've got lots to do that doesn't involve you. Just go," John said, gesturing. Sue obeyed. She waved to them when she left, Levi at her heels.
"Can I have the day off too? I'm feeling extra dreamy and happy," Charlie sniggered.
"Hey, this is Sue here," John said. "Mom never thought she'd get this far in life, so she deserves to revel in her happiness for a day."
"I know," Charlie said. "I was just being stupid."
They went back to work. Jane was out on an investigation and wouldn't be back until later. John paused and looked at Charlie again, who was focused on his computer screen.
"Everything all right, man?" he asked finally.
"Yup," Charlie replied, not looking at him.
"You sure? You haven't really been yourself since..."
"I'm fine, John. Don't get all up in my face about it," Charlie said.
"Okay," John muttered. He hadn't been around Charlie and Tess much since the funeral, but he could tell there was a strain between them just from watching them last night. They worked in silence for a while.
"I'm seeing a shrink," Charlie said suddenly. John looked up quickly.
"Oh?" he prompted.
"I'm working on it," Charlie replied.
"That's great. I mean, if it's helping," John said.
"Sort of. Like I said, I'm working on it."
"Cool," John responded. He wasn't sure what else to say. Charlie went back to work as though nothing had happened, so he followed suit. What he said made John think, however. He had been toying with the idea of seeing a therapist himself. If Charlie was brave enough to, then maybe he was too.
Jack
He couldn't stop thinking about her all day. He ignored the ribbing from the others as he struggled through is work day, waiting desperately for it to end so he could be with her. He was currently alone in the office, biting the end of his pen.
"Jack?" He looked up. He blinked, thinking he was seeing things, that he had thought of her too hard he was now having a hallucination.
"Hi," he said, when she looked at him curiously. "I didn't expect you...I thought I was imagining it."
"John gave me the day off," she said. "Want to have lunch?"
"Yea," he said, jumping up and knocking his papers askew. "Let's go." They walked out together.
"So I've been thinking," Sue said as they meandered to their favorite diner.
"About?" he prompted.
"We should get married soon," she said. "What do you think?"
"I like it. How soon?" They sat down at a table.
"How soon were you thinking?"
"Tomorrow?" he asked, laughing.
"I can't pull that off," she teased. "Next month?" She watched him ponder.
"I think that would be difficult for my family to get here," he said. "As much as I'd love to say yes though."
"I agree. I was being silly," she said. "How about three months from now?"
"That I can work with," he replied, smiling at her. He leaned in to kiss her.
"Nice work, Hudson," a voice said. Jack looked up.
"Booth," he said, nodding.
"Glad to hear you finally asked her!" Booth grinned.
"Marriage is just a piece of paper," the woman behind him began.
"Bones, just...stop talking, okay? You're ruining their happiness," Booth cut her off.
"What? It's true..."
"Dr. Brennan," Jack said. "Good to see you again."
"Likewise," Brennan said, shaking his hand. "I don't think we've met...Sue is it?"
"Yes. No, we haven't," Sue said, shaking her hand too.
"Bones here works with us now to help solve murder investigations," Booth bragged. "She's very good."
"I'm the best," Brennan corrected.
"And she has no filter," Booth added.
"Booth!"
"We'll leave you to your lunch," Booth said to Jack. "Congrats again!" Jack and Sue watched as they left the diner, still bickering.
"Am I the only one seeing the tension there?" Sue asked.
"Nope. Maybe they'll figure it out sooner than we did," Jack replied, winking.
"I'm struggling to remember Booth," Sue admitted.
"He's upstairs. He was a sniper too, like me," Jack said. "We kind of go back a little." He didn't mention that Booth and Bobby were fairly close from being in Gambler's Anonymous together.
"I see," Sue said, nodding.
"Anyhow," Jack went on. "Three months from now. I love it. Let's start planning."
"Later," Sue said. "I just want to have lunch with my fiance for now."
"Deal," he smiled.
Bobby & Tara
Bobby was pacing nervously by the door while Tara finished getting ready. He never met Darcy's father. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure why. He was great with people. At least, he thought he was. He was doubting himself now.
"Are you all right?" Tara asked, coming out of the room finally. She squeezed past the piles of boxes. She had been packing like crazy in order to move out.
"Yea. Yea, I'm all right," he said. "You look great." He gave her a kiss.
"Thanks. Just so you know, he's nervous too," Tara told him.
"I don't know if that makes it better," Bobby confessed.
"Come on," Tara laughed. "It'll be painless." They left for the restaurant, Bobby still worrying he was going to screw up their first meeting. He wanted Steve to know that he truly loved Tara.
"Bun!" Steve called when he saw Tara approaching. He stood up and hugged her tightly.
"Bun?" Bobby asked her, a twinkle in his eye. Tara gave him a look that conveyed the message he wasn't to ever use that term.
"You must be Bobby," Steve said, shaking his hand heartily.
"Sure am," Bobby said. They all sat down while the waitress delivered their menus.
"So, Bu-Tara," Steve corrected himself. "How are things?"
"They're good. Really good. Dad, I'm moving in with Bobby," Tara blurted out. Steve looked surprised, but he still smiled.
"Things are very good," he said.
"Yes," Tara agreed.
"I just want you to know, sir, that I really love your daughter, and I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe and make her happy," Bobby said, feeling like he was losing points already for having Tara move in so quickly.
"Please, call me Steve," Steve said. "And I know. I can tell from just looking at the two of you. I've never been happier for you. Your mother would have been thrilled." Bobby gave Tara a questioning glance, which Tara dismissed quickly. She hadn't told him about her mother dying so long ago. She hadn't wanted him to look at her sadly or with sympathy. She was well over it by now. She figured she'd tell him when the time was right. Bobby let it go for now, but he was definitely talking to her when they got home.
"So, you mentioned your friends were getting married?" Steve asked. "That's exciting." They talked a little about that for a moment. Bobby was feeling like he didn't know what to say to Steve. He noticed the guy was a little jumpy himself.
"Are you okay, Dad?" Tara asked, also noticing this.
"Hm? Yes. I'm fine," Steve said absently.
"I know you better than that," Tara said.
"Totally, utterly fine, love," Steve said.
"All right. Excuse me a moment," Tara said, getting up to go to the bathroom. She was intentionally doing this so that they would bond in her absence.
"So, Tara's mother?" Bobby asked as soon as she was gone.
"Died from cancer almost 15 years ago. She doesn't like to tell people. Thinks it makes everyone feel sorry for her," Steve added.
"I'm so sorry," Bobby said to him.
"I've let it go enough that it doesn't hurt to breath every moment of every day," Steve sighed. "But I still miss her."
"I can't imagine," Bobby said.
"You still have parents?" Steve asked.
"Yea," Bobby said. "My mum and adopted dad are in Australia. I visit when I can."
"Your biological dad?" Steve asked, curious.
"Not in the picture," Bobby said. He didn't want to share all that just yet.
"That's too bad. He's missing out," Steve said, smiling a little. Bobby just nodded.
"Who's missing out?" Tara asked, returning.
"You. With this steak. Try some," Steve said, offering her a piece. Bobby was grateful Steve didn't rat him out. Dinner went on rather smoothly until the end when Steve got a little teary watching them.
"Dad, what's wrong?" Tara asked. "I can read you like a book, and you've been off all night."
"I...I didn't want to say right now," Steve said. "I don't want to ruin this evening."
"Dad, I'll just worry about it all night unless you tell me," Tara said. Steve twisted his napkin tightly. Bobby sensed it was a biggie, whatever it was he was going to say.
"I can leave," Bobby said.
"No, no," Steve said. "It's okay. You actually inspired me to say this, so you might as well stay." Tara looked at Bobby curiously. He made an "I have no clue" face back.
"Dad?" Tara prompted.
"I...I..." Steve tried. His face crumpled. "Bunny, I have cancer." The air stilled, and Tara's face was frozen in shock. Bobby felt his heart drop. This was not how he pictured this dinner ending.
"W-what?" Tara asked. "Dad, what are you saying?"
"I was diagnosed eight months ago," Steve went on. "I tried a lot of what they suggested..."
"And? It's working, right?" Tara asked, practically begging.
"No, Bunny. It's not. They...they haven't given me much time left," Steve finished, becoming choked up.
"Dad," Tara said, getting up to embrace him. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were going through hell of your own. I didn't want to add to it," Steve explained.
"You should have told me. Oh my God, Dad," Tara started crying. Bobby felt unsure of what to do now. Steve held her close.
"I didn't want you to hurt," he offered.
"So now I just get what...how much time do you have?" Tara asked.
"Could be tomorrow. Could be next month," Steve said. "They said it depended."
"Depended on what?" Tara asked.
"How things progress," Steve answered. "That's not all though."
"What more could you possibly have to tell me?" Tara asked.
"This...this will be a shock to you," Steve began.
"Just tell me!" Tara was angry now. She couldn't believe he'd hide cancer from her, especially after her mother dying from it.
"Tara, I'm not your father," Steve said. Bobby felt the blow the same time Tara did.
"What...what are you talking about? Of course, you're my Dad," Tara said. She felt sick, dizzy even. She couldn't believe she was hearing this.
"I always meant to tell you. This just made it more evident that I needed to," Steve said. "I don't want you to be left without family. Tara, we adopted you."
"No. No you didn't. Stop lying."
"I'm not lying."
"I just...I can't...I gotta go," Tara said, grabbing her purse and running out. Bobby apologized and went after her.
"Tara!" he called, catching up to her.
"What the hell is he talking about?" Tara asked. "I'm adopted?! This makes no sense at all! How could he lie to me?!"
"Tara, slow down," Bobby said, taking her hand.
"I will not slow down!" she snapped. "My father just told me he's not really my father. I think I'm going to be sick." She hurried to the nearest garbage bin and retched into it. Bobby carefully held her hair until she finished.
"He's not my father," she cried. "He's dying, and he's not my father. My mother wasn't my mother! What am I going to do?" She looked to him for answers.
"I think," Bobby said, "you should maybe hear him out? See what he has to say?"
"I don't want to. Not right now," Tara said.
"I understand," Bobby replied.
"Can we go home?" Tara asked. He nodded, taking her hand and walking alongside her. Tara's head was spinning. She was adopted. Her dad wasn't her dad. She still had a mother somewhere. Her dad was dying. Steve was dying. She couldn't not think of him as her dad.
"You know," Bobby said, reading her thoughts. "He did raise you, so that makes him more of a Dad to you then your biological one." Tara glanced over at him. She knew what he was saying. Bobby loved his adopted father way more than his biological one.
"I see what you're saying," Tara said. "I just need to process all this." They arrived at her place.
"You want me to stay?" Bobby asked.
"No. I just want to think this through. I'll call you," Tara promised. He stood there unsure. "Don't look so worried. This changes nothing between us."
"Okay," he said. Tara kissed him to reassure him.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she said. He nodded. Then he was gone. Tara closed the door and fell against it, crying. Her father was dying. She was adopted. These thoughts kept swirling in her brain. What was she going to do now?
Sue
She was falling asleep feeling happier than she'd ever felt. Levi was snuggled against her, snoring. She rubbed his ears absently. She had received an excited text message from her mother, which she left to answer tomorrow. She didn't want her mother taking over the planning. Sue kept thinking about Jack and how much she loved him. Sue Hudson. She smiled at the name. It sounded amazing. Nothing could spoil this happiness for her. That she was very sure of.
Jessie
He opened the letter carefully, making sure nobody was reading over his shoulder. Despite the tough act, jail was frightening for him. He was smaller than most, and that was never a good thing in a place like this.
Hang tight. I'm coming for you. That was all the letter said. Jessie swallowed. He ripped it to pieces and flushed it down the toilet. No sense in anyone reading that. There would be a lot of questions. Jessie crawled onto his bunk thinking about how freedom would taste. If the author of the letter kept their word, he'd be out soon enough. He felt anger burning as he thought about the team that put him in here. He wasn't finished with them, but it was all in good time. All in good time.
The End...For Now
I'm sorry for the cliffhanger! Stay tuned... ;)