A/N: This is the final chapter. It's basically written as a bunch a snapshots into everyone's future, mostly Carrie and Quinn. I did my best to wrap up all of the story lines. Thank you everyone for taking the time to read, review, and follow my first fic. It was just a good time to end it while going pretty much full circle with it.

Saturday May 17, 2014 10:00 a.m.

This is what it all came down to for him. His last moments spent with a person he loathed, the enemy in fact. For what, to get back to square one? But he had felt so guilty for what he'd done and get back at Javadi that he wagered his own life.

His funeral is today, so many people around. Carrie wants to blame herself so much but can't, because nobody will let her. Especially not Mira - and Quinn for that matter. It was like Mira had expected this day to come. It had been a strange kind of preparedness. Like he himself had already had this stuff picked out and ready for her. It's something she's never even considered before, because she really didn't care. What would happen if she was the one gone?

Although Mira pretends everything's fine, Carrie knows she's not. Not everything anyways. Mira was just happy that they sent his body back to America. They were bitter about being accountable for the guilty party, but had the decency to do that. The fact that he can have a proper funeral and goodbye is assuring. Carrie sits with Mira holding her hand as they say while the service goes on. They both speak at the podium about him, what he meant to them.

Mira had no one left here in America, just Carrie. And even though Mira tells her she's going back to India, she knows she'll come visit. She told her she would and she believes her. Not a shadow of a doubt.

The only thing Carrie has left from him beyond her friendship with Mira is a clean state for her and her career. Her investigation is closed due the compelling evidence pointing to the also deceased Javadi. A chance to claim any position she wants. He'd tried to tell her what she wanted, but the more he did the more and more she repelled. He had watched as she was submerged underwater, quickly sinking to the bottom and now it's like she floated right to the top, built a life raft out of nothing, and threw some people up there with her, thriving. She wants to what's right, something that can change what happens next. Definitely build a future, something to build on. He'd want that for her, to be free. She just knows she's sick of death and wants to do everything in her power to prevent it.

Friday August 15, 2014 6:00 p.m.

Carrie stares at the wall taking it in as she had done almost a year ago. More stars have been added once again, although not as many as the year before. It's in fact the first time she's seen it since. The piece she'd drawn has disappeared, replaced with official stars, but she remembers exactly what it looked like. All of the heart she had put into it. The only part of her heart that she had left then she'd put into it. He'd be happy for her and for Stella that they made it, even if it had to be without him. That they could just be together.

And now Saul was gone too. His heart overshadowing his mind, to this point. He had burned down his whole empire to redeem himself, to protect her from what he had done. The consequences had been sure. But she doesn't need to draw another star and just thinking about what Saul would say makes her smile. He'd be grateful that she didn't have to join the witness protection program or have to live everyday worrying about Javadi or get fired for something she didn't do - again. They'd both want her to go on.

She's gone to his grave a few times since. Even if Brody had had one, she has convinced herself that she wouldn't have gone - not right away anyways. But it's okay now. She can't bring these people back, but forgetting them was never an option. They'll always be with her.

She'll tell Stella one day about him, her father. She knows she has too. Everyone deserves to know where they came from. It'll be hard she knows it, but she'd always been the stronger one out of the two of them. For now she keeps a picture that Dana had given her, waiting for when it's right.

"Hey," Quinn comes behind her after a few minutes, knowing that she needed a moment.

"I'm fine," she tells him.

"I know. Do you want to-"

"No. We can go home."

He doesn't have to ask anymore. At this point he knows she's sure. She'd really always been.

Saturday September 13, 2014

Carrie has Stella's first birthday party two days after her birthday. The celebration of life feels so meaningful. A year? Wow. She'd thought. A whole year that brought her joy in ways she'd never envisioned. What it is to give and get back. She found that she loved giving more than receiving though.

In some ways she feels Quinn is more excited than her, which is kind of scary. Like this child was just an added bonus being with her. That's what she'd hoped for and got it. He won't even tell Carrie what he got for her. Though he'd just started his classes and hasn't been home much at all, he made sure to spend his free time with them. This beautiful home they have and are able to share this day there with everyone else.

Her camera has been so active lately. Capturing the moments that she doesn't want to end. Just silly things like when Stella opens her mini kitchen set, and Quinn smiles like a kid on a candy shop rushing in to rip open the package with her and Stella is so giddy that she can't sit still, quivering with excitement. They don't do it purpose, but sometime they make her shake, the thought of them. It's surreal. This is the way they want to live.

Tuesday December 23, 2014 6:00 p.m.

Quinn is sleeping on the couch on the pillows that he hates. Carrie insisted that they have the pillows from her apartment at the house. She tore apart Maggie garage praying that she'd kept them. He fucking hates how stiff they are, but he's actually starting to break them in. Well not sleeping, just resting. Just taking a few minutes before they get home, yet all he can ever think about is them.

"Hi we're here," he sits up hearing more footsteps than he anticipated. When he sees that there are four children instead of one it makes sense now.

"Sleep over?" He asks, watching the three girls run past him.

"I told you I was taking them tonight."

"Here?"

"Yeah here. Maggie and Bill are moving his stuff in today. They wanted to do it before Christmas."

"Okay then, sleep over it is," he's enthusiastic about it. "A night of pretty pretty princess for me I take it?"

"Can you just watch Frankie while I go to the car? You see how much shit I had to haul here," she says placing the sleeping baby next to him.

She comes back to him making those silly faces with Frankie that he used to do with Stella at that age, giving him that look of disapproval on what he may be thinking. "Don't get any ideas," she says and he arches a brow.

Carrie's actually surprised that she hasn't gotten pregnant with the amount of sex they do have. It's everyday she loves him more and knows he does too. It was impossible to get bored. They can never have enough of each other's love.

She's on the pill now, but she forgets some nights every couple of months now and then. The number of times that she's told him that she was going to get an IUD has been dozens, yet she still doesn't. She's happen with just these two being in her life. But some days in the back of her mind she knows if it does happen it'd be counted as a blessing rather than a curse and he'd be there every step of the way.

Saturday August 22, 2015 3:00 p.m.

She feels like she on display standing up there, but she couldn't say no. Only the word yes had left her mouth. The dress is so tight though, she feels like she can't move. And of course it had to be the hottest day of the year.

Quinn and Virgil, and Max aren't doing so hot themselves in their tuxes. It looks like someone dumped a bucket of water on their heads, yet they managed to keep smiling. Then she sees Stella walking down the aisle throwing all the flowers at once, accidentally hitting a couple of guests. At first she's mortified, but then she sees Fara smiling. Like she didn't want anyone else to do that job but Stella and Carrie as her Maid of honor. She sucks it up as the other bridesmaids had to wear the same dress. Carrie will never forget Fara and Max's wedding day.

Thursday December 24, 2015

She wakes up to silence, everything is still. A faint snowfall is lightly frosting the window. There are gifts displayed along the shelf by the window, a few balloons and a couple bottles of white wine, because of course there would be and she smiles. Then she sees him holding them, one sleeping little girl in each arm looking at them like he will stop at nothing to protect them. He whispers "Daddy loves you two."

He liked to say that out loud a lot. That he'd loved them and would do anything to keep them safe. Like for some reason what he actually does for them isn't enough. Carrie knows this, but she lets him say whenever he wants because she knows it makes him feel better. If that's the validation he needed then so be it.

She loves these girls two, both of them. Each of them holding a place in her heart that grows bigger by the second, the kind that she can't explain. The kind of love she could only ever see from the outside and found the room on the inside and it won't stop. It was only a matter of finding out for herself that all the love she had could be a reciprocal to this degree. She doesn't feel at all suffocated or trapped with them, but free. A love designed so custom that she can't believe this is her life.

Wednesday May 24, 2017 4:00 p.m.

It's Quinn's turn on stage and she's never been more proud of him. He was so excited about this day, had talked about it all week. To begin doing what he loved. He was so happy to find something that he did. And damn he looks so good with that uniform on. His detective shield was so much to him.

"Wave to daddy," she says to the girls as his name is announced.

He didn't need to have them there, but it makes everything that much better. That he wasn't just doing this for himself, but for them too. That Carrie took the day off work to be with them was jist enough. Never in a million years did he think he would be doing this, but he wants it more than anything. Ever since admitting to those murders of Javadi's family members it's been on his mind. And he knows he'll be good at it. He'll be able to make a difference.

The CIA was far out of his mind at this point, even if it wasn't for her. It was for him, meant to be. This way he was always close to home, their home. Go home at the end of the day and surround himself with love.

Sunday July 29, 2018 4:00 p.m.

"Carrie you're going into work now? We're suppose to be at your family's house for dinner in one hour. I mean we're leaving the girls for a whole week Carrie!" Quinn says.

"I told you I'll be quick. This person flew all the way in today because of the vacation we're taking this week," she tells him while putting the finishing touches on her makeup.

"Honeymoon," he corrects her. "I hope you're not wearing that when we get there... Mrs. Quinn."

She gives the eye and knew he couldn't help but say it when they were alone. They never really cared if they were married or not, that was never an immediate priority, but Carrie had better benefits and now it was easier to consolidate everything they owned. It'd been six months and hardly anyone knew they were. And it made officially adopting Stella a lot easier, even though he'd always been her father. It's that easy to see for even a stranger. There isn't an ounce of him that treats Stella any different than Charlotte, or loves her any less. In fact Stella is much more of a daddy's girl, where Charlotte tends to cling to Carrie.

Carrie heads downstairs ensuring her quickness.

"I'll meet you guys over there."

"Okay," he says turning off the TV. "Stella, Charlotte say goodbye to your mother."

They're not at all sad that he just shut off their favorite cartoon. They run straight over to Carrie.

"Bye mommy," the both say as she wraps her arms around them, holding on tight.

"Bye babies. I'll see you in a bit."

"Can we come with you?" Stella asks.

"Not today honey. I'll be back and over to Aunt Maggie's as soon as I can."

"No, I mean tomorrow," Stella says

"Please mommy," Charlotte adds.

Carrie sighs as she gets up to her feet. She'd never left either of them for more than a couple days since her last trip back from France more than four years ago. Stella still had the slightest scar on her leg from the accident then.

She gets back to their level doing her best to explain it.

"You guys love Aunt Maggie's house right?"

"Yeah," they start to pout knowing that they wouldn't be going.

"You've got grandpa and Aunt Maggie and Uncle Bill right? And Ruby and Josie and Frankie too.

"Mmmhmmmm," Stella says trying her best not to sob.

"And even Uncle Max and Aunt Fara said they will bring you to the zoo this week okay."

"The zoo!" Charlotte shrieks!

"Yeah. And we'll uh... bring you guys presents when we come back," Carrie's just now beginning to get emotional about leaving. "Okay?"

"I love you two so much," she hugs them once more.

"I love you too," they say almost at the same time.

"Bye," she kisses them, then Quinn before leaving.

5:00 p.m.

The young man waits nervously, shaking his knee at a violent pace. But he also looks determined and driven. She knows the look and wonders if he'll calm down. He had to in order to make it.

"Nicolas Rofcolt," she reads.

"It's Nick," he says. She already likes him. His composure completely different now.

"Nina Havari recruited you, for counter terrorism?"

"That's correct," he says while gazing at what seemed to be endless amounts of pictures propped around her desk. He's vetting her, a key feature.

"And what made you decide to join the CIA?"

Tuesday July 31, 2018 10:00 a.m. (Punta Cana)

Quinn wakes first, immediately feeling the affects of tequila from the night before. He doesn't want to leave the bed. Carrie can hear him moving, just knowing how shitty he must feel. She'd backed off somewhat after the sixth round, but let him go. Which directly lead to her walking him back to the room, needing to actually help him get into bed. She gets the need of having to let yourself go, yet hasn't really needed it herself for a long time.

She turns ready to check his state. "How you doing?"

"My eyes hurt a little," he tells her. "I'm never doing that again."

"What do you want to do today?"

"Nothing?" He says.

"Nothing?" She says. "No kids for a week and you want to do nothing?"

"Not nothing just..." He uncovers his eyes needing to look at her. "... just be with you."

"I guess I'll stay," she teases. She smiles then kisses him, still tasting the tequila on him. His headache isn't slowing him down though as he begins to make his way down her neck. "Why don't we go get breakfast first? You'll feel better." She says.

"And that... is why... I... love you..." He says while continuing to kiss her body.

"Me too."

A/N: Hope you liked it!