Chapter 5 - Epilogue

Since starting this fic my life has just about fallen apart: lost my mum; left my husband; became homeless; went into hiding with children from husband till police could sort things; had to leave my job and became a carer for my dad – and that is just the highlights! So I'm sorry for the late updates, the frustrating thing is I had it almost finished but had to re-write as computer died.

I do intend to take this fic down and polish, but it will be to tidy up the grammar and punctuation rather than change the story so you may not notice if you've not read it for a while and come back to it, however the name will change because I hate this name – PLEASE make suggestions as I can't do titles.

I had the pleasure of seeing Christian Kane perform in Birmingham, UK in November 2012 and he sang the song below, 'Happy Man', which I believe he wrote although it's possibly better known when performed by ... The comment about 3 ways to kill someone was his, not mine.

Lastly thank you all for your kindness, I really appreciate it and will be back writing fics when I get more time as I really enjoy it.

Many years later...

Sophie sat sipping champagne on the morning of her wedding, as Parker arranged her hair for her. It was a beautiful spring morning, warm but not muggy and just a slight, fresh, breeze coming across from the East. Parker loved this view from the guest bedroom of the home she shared with Eliot. Sometimes when he was away she would sleep in here as their room always seemed so big without him.

"...but he's just so frustrating. I don't understand why he's so stubborn sometimes." The younger woman complained.

"He's a man; men are different. They get so focused on one thing sometimes they lose sight of what's important. He loves you and you love him, this is just a stupid fight and soon you'll be laughing about it", the older woman told her reassuringly.

"But what if we can't, what if we..."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes but..."

"No buts, if you love him, you will work it out. I promise. Look at me" she told her as she gently turned her so they were face to face, "today is a big day, for all of us. Nerves are getting to you, that's all. I promise."

Parker gave Sophie a big smile and they embraced, just as the door burst open and the bridesmaids bustled in all excitement and energy. It was all too much for Parker so she slipped out into the hallway, catching Eliot's eye as he carried more gifts to the drawing room.

"How's our girl doing?" Eliot asked nervously. Parker smiled, she'd never seen Eliot so on edge before.

"All good" she nodded as she started to head out to take care of the million and one details she still had to see to.

"Parker," Eliot called as she headed out of the French doors "listen I just wanted to say..."

Parker stopped and turned back towards him questioningly.

"What?" she asked as he seemed to clam up

"Oh, nothing. It doesn't matter, I mean it does matter; but it will wait." He smiled at her but she sensed there was more to it. However in the middle of Sophie's wedding she didn't have time to drag it out him, so she put it out of her mind as she went to check on the flowers and the food and the photographer and...

A few hours later Parker stood with tears in her eyes as she watched Sophie marry Stephen. He was a good man, everyone like him, and he adored Sophie. She'd met him through mutual friends a few years ago and they just clicked, sometimes you can just tell when it's meant to be. Which made her think of her and Eliot, she looked over to him and realized he was already watching her, smiling. Briefly she wondered what he had wanted to tell her earlier but as the happy couple were announced to be husband and wife all other thoughts were lost.

Later that evening as Parker got ready for bed, Eliot came in from checking on the horse; they employed enough people on the ranch, all of whom knew what they were doing but still Eliot wouldn't sleep until he'd done his rounds. Tonight however, he came in with his guitar slung around his neck, which made Parker wonder as it was his favourite guitar and it normally lived in the recording studio out the back. Parker frowned an unspoken question at him, and he grinned back as he dug out a pick, and started to sing:

Well throw me under the train,
Tie me down to the track,
Let them big ole' wheels roll right over my back,
I'll have a smile on my face
All the way to the promise land.

Well toss me out of the plane,
Watch me fall to the ground,
No I don't care
If my body ever gets found,
The way you're lovin' me baby,
I can die a happy man.

Now that I've tasted all your squeezin' and a touchin'

Baby there ain't nothing I'd miss.
There ain't no reason now for me to go on living
Only heaven could be better than this.

So stuff me into a barrel,
Lock some chains on my hands,
Take me down to the river
And send me over the dam,
The way you're lovin' me baby,
I can die a happy man.
"Yes I can"

Now that I've had a little shot of your affection
I can't imagine nothing I'd miss.
There ain't no reason now for me to go on living
Only heaven could be better than this.

So throw me under the train,
Tie me down to the track,
Let them big ole' wheels roll right over my back,
The way you're lovin' me baby,
I can die a happy man.

Oh, yeah,
The way you're lovin' me baby,
I can die a happy man.

As he finished Parker walked towards him as he took off the guitar, she smiled tenderly at him, "Only you could write a love song that involves three different ways to kill someone" she told him, as she put her arms around his neck.

Eliot smiled back as he pulled his wife into a kiss before leaning back to look in her eyes. "I've been trying to tell you how happy you've made me and I couldn't think of a better way. Watching our daughter get married today, seeing how happy she is, how perfect she is...I'm so proud of her Parker, and her brother, but more than that: I'm proud of you. You don't know how grateful I am to have you in my life, and I need you to know how much I love you. You amaze me, dazzle me, you gave me a life that I never thought I could have Parker, and I love you so, so much that it hurts sometimes."

"We did good Eliot, we did good together; you and I, stronger as a team remember? " She asked him as she touched her hand to his cheek, looking into his eyes. "Now, it's all very well telling me you love me, but I think you should show me..." she told him glancing meaningfully at the bed.

Eliot grinned, "Yes ma'am" he drawled before carrying her to their bed and kissing her.

Somehow Parker and Eliot both knew their relationship would make it.

The End