Ahhhhhh, the last one! Oh my god, I never seriously thought I would get here. I want to thank NESSAANCALIME6913, UnstableLunaticLucy, writergrrrl, KairiAnneYukari21, ThatGirl54, Amnbama, labinnacslove, hOtlilmofo, DeeMarie426, xSamiliciousx, StephLauren, raaeebrucee, calwitch, tonisparkz, Chermayne and Cougar3371 for the reviews. I specifically want to list a group of you guys who always gave the best reviews and helped me through:

angelsdee327- Always the best. No need to hide any emotions with this one cause she'll tell ya exactly how it is.
DeeMarie426- Always the most insightful into the emotions and what the characters really did to fuck things up.
ThatGirl54- I could read your emotion in every single review. I felt like maybe I surprised you the most with each twist and turn.
writergrrl- And I feel like I frustrated you the most with my cliffhangers! Your reviews are always really insightful as well and really thoughtful. Read her story Handle With Care now! It's so good.
Cougar3371- I really hope none of your patients died because of me. I feel like I caused you stress on the job and for that I'm sorry except I'm not sorry. At all. :)

Alright, enough of that mush. Here we go!

*********khan*********

And in a white sea of eyes, I see one pair that I recognize and I know that I am...the luckiest.
-Ben Folds- The Luckiest

April 16th, 2016- Davenport, IA

Scarlett moved faster than Jon had ever seen. She was out of his arms and halfway across the room before he even had time to react. Gathering his wits, he started after her, catching Brie in his sight. Moving slightly towards her, he called out quickly.

"Will you take Danny? He shouldn't see this."

Brie nodded swiftly, holding out her hands, and Jon barely paused as he handed over his precious son and kept moving, catching up to his girl. He couldn't let her face them alone. They would figure out a way to make it all his fault and, even though he was responsible to a point, she'd forgiven him and they weren't going back to before. They couldn't. Not when they'd finally found each other again. He'd be damned if he went back to that misery. He walked up behind her just as she hissed her first sentence.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

The sneers of disapproval that had graced Vince and Stephanie's faces quickly became looks of shock at the words that escaped her mouth. Vince stood opening and closing his mouth, sputtering breaths, while Stephanie quickly collected herself.

"We were invited by Colby. We are his bosses, after all."

Jon and Scarlett both turned to stare at their friend and he held his hands up, begging off.

"I sent the invites before I knew everything!"

Scarlett pointed her finger back at her family and then motioned behind them.

"Outside. Now."

"Scarlett..."

"No. Outside. Now."

There was no more argument as her father and sister turned to step out with Scarlett and Jon following them. His hand came up to her neck, squeezing gently, and she looked over to him.

"I'm here, babe."

She smiled, nodding, and his hand slid down to grasp hers. Once they were out of sight of the reception, Vince and Stephanie turned, both of them staring down at the couple's conjoined hands.

"Well, this is an interesting development. Jon, did you forget our little agreement?"

"No, Stephanie, I didn't. I just chose to be happy instead."

Jon smirked triumphantly at his boss while watching her grow even more infuriated. It was at this point that Vince took over and his eyes were only on his daughter.

"Scarlett, you need to explain this. We thought you were done with this one..."

Jon's eyebrows raised in protest, but Vince just soldiered on.

"He cheated on you and lied to you. He broke your heart. Why does it look like you guys are back together?"

Scarlett had been silent this entire time and her face raged like a thunderstorm, but after her father's question, it smoothed into a stone visage and she smiled. It scared Jon to death.

"That's because we are back together, Dad. Or should I start calling you Vince? Cause, ya know, apparently you're not my real father."

Vince's face went completely slack and Stephanie's eyes bulged out of her head.

"Yeah...he told me what you did. How you told him that fat stack of lies that you created for Ryan so fucking long ago and made Jon believe that he had to leave me to ensure my happiness. Do you deny it?"

Their silence was her only answer.

"That's what I thought. How could you do this to me? I'm your daughter! Your sister! How could you do this?!"

The silence continued.

"ANSWER ME, GODDAMMIT!"

Her scream reverberated down the hall and Jon put his hands lightly on her shoulders, trying to calm her down. It seems to work a little as he felt some of the tension leave her. She just stared at her family, not saying a word until one of them did. They owed her an explanation and by god, she was going to get it. It was finally Stephanie who spoke.

"We thought we were doing what was best for you."

"And how is that?"

"We all saw what you went through with Phil..."

Scarlett put a hand up, "Hold on, Jon is nothing like Phil. Let's just agree on that, shall we? Stephanie, you let me have Jon around the girls. A lot! They called him Uncle. Why would you do that? Why would you guys give him the main event at Wrestlemania if you didn't like him? You never gave Phil the main event and we were together for a lot longer."

Stephanie sighed, "We couldn't have bargained with Phil. He was so stubborn and he would've just told you the truth no matter what, just to grate at us. Jon, the truth is that we gave you the main event because we knew you would have almost no free time and we figured you two would break up because of that. But you didn't so we had to do something more drastic."

"Like tell him that I wasn't a McMahon?"

Her sister nodded, "It had worked before. Scarlett, we didn't want to cause you pain. We just wanted you away from Jon."

"Why?"

Vince laughed, "Because he could not be a part of our family."

"Again, why?"

"Because look at him, Scarlett. He's a no-good waste from Cincinnati. He doesn't have the breeding, the manners, the education...he doesn't belong with us. You know that as well as I do. Your family was just trying to help you before you got your heart broken again. We all know it would've happened. You're a McMahon. That name means something in this world and he doesn't deserve to be near it. To tarnish it with his wild, reckless debauchery."

Jon and Scarlett just stared at Vince in shock. He said everything in such a matter-of-fact way, like there was no opposition. Scarlett could feel Jon trembling behind her and quickly took his hand, squeezing it. She didn't know if he was angry or feeling worthless. No matter what it was, she wouldn't just stand there and let her father speak that way. In an equally calm voice to match Vince's, she cut her father with an icy glare.

"Jon is a better man than you will ever be. He doesn't look down on people because of where they come from. Or forget where he came from. Do you remember your childhood, Dad? Cause you were poor too before Grandpa accepted you as his own. Once he did, you worked hard and bettered yourself, just like Jon. If he was the no-good waste you say he is, he'd still be in Cincinnati doing nothing. But he's not. He's a WWE superstar and former World Champion. He works hard for you everyday, going out and putting his body on the line all the time and keeping himself in great shape so that he doesn't get hurt. He loves your daughter without asking for anything in return. And guess what? He's going to be a great father to your grandson as well."

Stephanie's eyes bulged in surprise, "So you two are back together. You're going to let him be Danny's father? Why?"

Scarlett rolled her eyes, "Because he is Danny's father."

"But you told us he wasn't. That it was just a one-night stand."

A chuckle escaped her, "Well, I lied. You guys aren't the only ones who do it."

"Why wouldn't you just tell us that Jon was his father?"

"Because Jon didn't know and I didn't want you giving him grief over it. I made a mistake by not telling him but I wasn't in the right frame of mind, no thanks to you. If you had just let us be, we would've been together this whole time, raising our son and being happier than ever. Jon would've been there when Danny was born and hell, you probably would've been there too. It could've all been good if you had just butted out of our relationship."

Stephanie and Vince were silent after that for a moment until Vince could meet his daughter's eyes again.

"So do I get to meet my grandson?"

"Are you going to apologize for what you did to us?"

Vince huffed, "No."

Tears pricked Scarlett's eyes, "Well then, my answer is the same."

"You're not going to keep my grandchild away from me, Scarlett. I am your father and deserve to meet him. You will respect this."

"Dad...Vince, at this point, you're never going to meet him. You don't deserve it. And as for respecting you, that is complete bullshit. You sure as fuck don't respect me or my choices and let's face it, being around you and the family is just a bad idea. The environment is toxic and I won't subject MY son to that. I am his mother and I will always protect him, especially from those who would cause him hurt."

"You think we'd hurt him?"

"Yes! You hurt me! Intentionally!"

Stephanie spoke up, nearing tears herself, "Scarlett, don't do this. We just wanted what was best."

"No, you didn't. You didn't want what was best for me. You wanted what was best for you. You wanted the picture perfect family. Well, guess what, I've always been a little different and you had to know that the guy I would ultimately fall in love with would be a little different too. You guys are just too jaded to see that."

Stephanie took some steps forward, coming to a stop in front of her sister, "So, what does this mean?"

Scarlett took a long moment to think. In front of her was her family, who had raised and supported her with everything they had until a year ago. Behind her was the love of her life and the family that they had created together. This included not only their son, but their vast friends who she felt loved her more than her family did sometimes. The people who would always love her no matter what happened. With no prejudice or judgment or lies.

"That means we're done, Stephanie. You guys keep telling the men in my life that I'm not a McMahon. Well, consider it official. I'm not going to be a member of the family anymore. You will have no influence in my life anymore. Danny's either. I can barely look at the two of you without wanting to rip your eyes out. I just hate this because it's so fucking unnecessary."

Her father spoke up behind Stephanie, "You don't mean that."

"I do. I am so done with the lies and the manipulation that you guys seem to think is okay. I won't have it in my life now. Not when it affects Jon and Danny just as much as it does me."

She turned around and Jon extended his hand. She smiled, taking it, and they started walking back to the reception.

"What about the girls?"

Stephanie's question made her freeze in place and then slowly turn on her heel.

"Don't you dare! Don't throw them in my face when this is all your fault. I don't know, Stephanie, why don't you tell them the truth? That their mommy and daddy did something bad that their Aunt Scarlett can't forgive them for."

"And Shane? And the boys?"

Scarlett chuckled, "Shane and I will be fine. He already knows about all of this and is just as disgusted by it as I am."

"Scarlett..."

She looked at Stephanie expectantly and when her sister couldn't come up with anything else to try and guilt her for, Scarlett turned and continued down the hallway.

"Jon, we're going to find a way to fire you."

Again, Scarlett froze and she and Jon turned back around, only this time, their eyes were on Vince, who had uttered the harsh sentence. Even Stephanie had turned to stare at him, wide-eyed.

Scarlett crossed the distance towards him and pointed a finger in his face, "You won't do that."

His smugness couldn't be contained, "And why not? He's taking my daughter and grandson from me. I should take something from him."

"I'll tell everyone. All the media. All the dirtsheets. It'll be everywhere and you'll be a laughingstock and a joke, even more of one than you already are. You're going to fire one of your best people? Do it and there will be consequences."

Jon had passed Stephanie and come up behind Scarlett, pressing his hands to her shoulders once again, kissing her lightly on the back of the head.

"Don't worry about it, babe. Vince, you want to fire me? Go ahead. I can wrestle somewhere else after the non-compete period is over or I can never wrestle again. I can open up a gym or a wrestling school. You guys have paid me pretty well so I'll be fine no matter what. And I'll have Scarlett and our son and nothing you do to me will ever be bad enough to make me miserable when they're in my life."

Vince's face became cherry red in fuming anger. Scarlett simply shook her head, turning on her heel once again.

"Goodbye. You two need to leave now. Today's supposed to be a happy day and I don't want you to ruin it anymore for Colby and Leighla."

They were walking past Stephanie when her arm shot out, grabbing Scarlett's wrist, and pulling her into a firm hug. Scarlett's arms hung loosely at her side while Stephanie whispered furiously in her ear.

"Please don't do this. You are family, Scarlett, and you're always going to be a part of us. Please find some way to forgive us. The girls will hate that they never get to see you and Mom will be so heartbroken. I'm sorry. I never meant for it to get this bad. I'm so sorry."

She pulled back and tears were streaming down her face. They matched Scarlett's. The sisters stood there in momentary silence. The elder's hands on the younger's upper arms, quietly begging her not to go. Not like this.

"What do you want me to say, Stephanie?"

"That you'll find a way to forgive us."

Scarlett slowly shook her head, "I can't."

"Please, Scarlett...please! I'll do anything."

"Prove to me that I can trust you."

Stephanie furiously nodded her head, "Ok, what do I have to do?"

Scarlett smiled ruefully and stepped back, her arms out of reach from her sister, "You're smart and resourceful. Find a way."

She turned away from them for the last time and went to Jon, throwing her arms around him as they walked back into the reception. Just before entering, Jon pulled her to the side and together, they cleaned up her face so only her eyes showed where she'd been crying.

"Come on, Scar, let's finish that dance."

She nodded happily and they walked back into the room, smiling at everybody to let them know it was okay. They left Danny with Brie for the moment and when they got back to the floor, he wrapped his strong arms around her, giving her all the strength he knew she needed after the fight with her family. Her hands were on his chest and she looked up at him, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I'm gonna give the bar to Anna."

"What? I thought you wanted to keep it."

"I thought I needed to for some reason. But I don't, Jon. I wouldn't have even been in England if it hadn't been for them and I wouldn't have had the bar either. I can open up a new one in Vegas if I want. I just want to be with you and Danny and that's all I need."

He leaned down, kissing her and pulling her even closer, and then they settled back into their dance. Her head rested in the crook of his neck and Jon realized that he was finally truly happy again. He had his girl and their son and all his friends who loved him. He had everything he could possibly ever need, but there was still one more thing he needed to do. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled something out and gently put it into Scarlett's hand that was resting on his shoulder. He could feel her smile against his neck and a memory floated into his brain.

Eventually, he collected himself and wrapped her in his arms before leaning forward, still inside her, and picking up the box off the coffee table. He sat back and put it into her hand on his chest. She was still against his chest, her face in the crook of his neck, and her fingers wrapped around the box. He could feel her smile against his neck.

"Open it, please. Gotta ask you something."

He was brought out of his thoughts by her soft voice.

"Does this one have a key in it too?"

He chuckled, "Nope. It is pretty shiny though."

"Jon..."

"Just open it, Scarlett."

She did and gasped at the ring inside. It was perfect. Not too big or ornate, just a simple diamond with a sapphire on each side. Tears, of the happy variety, pricked her eyes again.

"Oh Jon."

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's perfect."

"I've had that ring in my possession for almost a year now. I should've given it to you when I originally wanted to, but...well, you know that story. I just...I love you, Scarlett, and I'm never gonna stop and I'm never gonna be dumb enough to let you go again. I'm gonna be the best father you've ever seen. We'll never be like my parents or yours. We know all the mistakes and what not to do. I know you've been Scarlett McMahon for your entire life, but I want you to be Scarlett Good for the rest of it. Know it doesn't have quite the same ring to it, but that doesn't matter. What did you say, babe? Will you marry me?"

He hadn't gotten down on one knee, but Scarlett loved that. Loved that they weren't like the traditional couples who did everything the expected way. Hell, they'd already had a baby before getting married and that had been complicated enough. Pulling back so she could look at him, she smiled widely.

"Nothing would make me happier than being your wife, Jon. I love you so much."

Their smiles were contagious as they kissed in the middle of the dance floor and only broke so he could slide the ring on her finger. Everybody else caught sight of it and surrounded them in a huge group hug. The rest of the day was full of laughter and fun and they partied well into the early morning hours before people started making their way back to houses and hotel rooms. As they were walking out themselves, Jon and Scarlett were hand in hand, Danny asleep on his father's chest, and he couldn't stop looking at the ring, finally where it was supposed to be on her finger.

"No matter what, Scar, we're going to be just fine."

She smiled at him again, pulling him into a hug, grinning up at him in pure happiness, "Always."

EPILOGUE

Scarlett and Jon got married six months later in Las Vegas. It was a small wedding with only their closest friends there. Joe and Colby stood up for Jon and Brie and Leighla were Scarlett's bridesmaids. It was a beautiful wedding, the exact opposite of what John and Nikki had six months after that. Yes, Nikki finally got John to marry her and it was the biggest, more over-the-top wedding ever imagined.

That was the first time Scarlett saw her sister since Colby's wedding. Stephanie had been very busy in the year away. She and Paul had consolidated their power within the company and forced Vince out, completing the coup of the century. Stephanie became the CEO while Paul became the President of the company. At John and Nikki's wedding, Stephanie brought the girls along and Scarlett got to reunite with her nieces and Stephanie and the girls finally got to meet Danny, who was already walking around. Stephanie related all the events that had taken place to Scarlett and asked her to come back to work for the company.

Scarlett couldn't come back though and her reason was because she couldn't really travel. She had just found out that she and Jon were expecting another baby and they couldn't have been happier. Joe and Galina had just given Jojo a brother and Colby and Leighla were trying for their first as were Brie and Bryan. Nine months later, Scarlett gave birth to a healthy little girl, who she and Jon named Alexandra Jane, and the whole crew was there in the hospital when she gave birth. Even Stephanie. Inside the birthing room, it was just Jon and Scarlett and the doctors and Jon literally started crying when their daughter came into this world.

Jon became champion again a couple of months after Alex's birth and, when Vince passed away shortly after, Stephanie once again asked Scarlett to come back to the company. She agreed, wanting her family to be together as much as possible, and on June 2nd, 2018, Scarlett McMahon Good walked back into the WWE as the Vice President of Talent Relations and Live Events. Paul had long ago apologized for his role in her and Jon's troubles and she and he worked closely to run NXT and WWE shows, always on the lookout for new, exciting talent. Jon would tell her all the time about new guys on the indie circuits who she should watch and thanks to the hard work of everyone, the WWE entered a new golden age, with quality wrestling and exciting stories. Revenues continued to grow and eventually the company was bigger than anything Vince could've ever dreamed of.

When Jon eventually retired at 40 and became the head of creative for NXT, he and Scarlett were just as in love as they had ever been. He was a six-time WWE champion and five years later, when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he told the audience that there was no way he could've done any of it without Scarlett, the love of his life, and their two wonderful children. The years passed and Scarlett and Jon eventually saw old age, complete retirement and grandchildren. They would spend their days at home, surrounded by the laughter of their grandkids, and sometimes catch each other's eye and smile. Some dreams do come true after all.

*********khan*********

I'm done! Oh my god, I'm done! Hahahahaha hallelujah glory be!

I wasn't going to originally include that epilogue because I was going to write a sequel, but...some things don't need a sequel and I feel like this is one of those instances. I want to sincerely thank everyone who has ever read this story and reviewed. This one was my heart and hopefully my next one will be just as good. Don't know when that will occur cause I gotta flesh out the plot, but we'll see.

I also want to dedicate this to my granny Faye and all the time we spent watching soap operas when I was a kid. A lot of you commended me on the plot and all I can say is that my devious, twisted plot bunny mind comes from years of watching Young and the Restless and General Hospital. Alright, until the next story, XOXO