Disclaimer: Better luck next time, Jaz :-)

A/N: I'd like to thank Sophiepicklegirl, JeanieJ, highlandsgirl and Nikki9601! Thanks for the support!

And so we have reached the end, friends! Before I go, a huge shout-out goes to JenRar, jkgk, isabellsah cullen, carrotmusic, Marsha, caregiver and Four Reasons. You guys rock, and it was with your encouragement and advice that this story became what it is!

Some special shout-outs: 4everstephranger, thank you for always pushing me to get new stuff out!

Kbellamanoso- Thank you for encouraging me and helping me to improve this story, and for being so straight with me! I'm glad to have found my long-lost twin ;) and I look forward to building our newfound friendship!

Wraithdarte- For all that you are, Didi, I love you. You're an inspiration. Thank you for everything, a ghra.

Last, but not least, this chapter is dedicated to all the readers, followers, and reviewers here on Fanfiction. This story, is for you guys!

Enjoy!

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Stephanie

SLAM!

I started at the unexpected crash of our front door, and acting on instinct, I was up and moving, hand lightly resting on the gun that sat comfortably at the small of my back.

"Yeah? Well you're just a big STUPID HEAD!"

I sighed, dropping my stance and letting my hand flop back to my side. Our normal nanny was off today, so I was working from home; although if this was the sound to greet me every day, I was seriously considering giving Letty a raise.

"Alejandro Carlos Manoso!" I rapped out sharply, sending a reprimanding gaze towards my youngest son. "What did we talk about the other day?"

"Being nice to JR because he's my brother," my youngest mumbled diligently, looking at the floor, and judging from the tears shimmering in his eyes, I was inclined to believe there was more to the story than just "you're just a big stupid head".

"And Julio Ricardo Manoso," I turned my stern look at my oldest now, "what did I tell you about irking your little brother?"

"That I shouldn't because he's my baby brother and I should protect him," the ten year old answered dutifully, but I could hear the eye-roll in his tone. I cuffed him lightly across the back of his head.

"Don't you roll those eyes at me, mister," I told him lightly, smiling when his mouth dropped open in shock. "I'm your mom, I know everything," I winked, and was rewarded with two small giggles.

Unheeding of any of my youngest son's previous arguments that 6 years old was too big to be a baby, I leaned down and gathered him in my arms. To my surprise, he came willingly, throwing his arms around my neck and burying his face there. I flicked my head in the direction of JR's room and he nodded at me, biting his lip and looking remorsefully at his little brother. I carried him to the living room before sitting in the middle of the couch, legs crossed Indian style and settling him into my lap.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked softly, smoothing his curly brown locks that were so like mine behind his ear, and mentally making a note to get him to a hairdresser. "Did something happen at school?"

"Mommy, don't leave us," came the tiny, quivering response that spoke a tale of tears. I jerked back in surprise to look into my 6-year old's face. His cheeks were flushed and streaked with tears and he was gnawing at his lip with a vengeance, a trait both boys seemed to have taken from me.

I cupped his face gently in my hands, peppering his cheeks with kisses. "Alex, honey, why would you…"

"Promise!" Alex shook my hand, eyes widening with the threat of more tears. "Promise you won't go 'way, Mommy!"

Hushing him and rocking him in my lap, I spoke soft reassurances that I would never leave, never in this world, not for anything. Whether my words were going through or not, I could never be sure, but I continued my steady slew of assurances.

So attuned was I to my sons' that I immediately noticed the almost inaudible sniffle that came from behind me.

"JR," I called out softly, holding out my other arm, and within seconds, I had two armfuls of very distressed sons. I pulled them both to me, JR wrapping his arms around my neck and burrowing his face into my shoulder, and Alex taking JR's lead, putting his arms around my waist and snuggling deeply into the crook under my arm. "Either of you want to tell me what's the matter?" I asked softly, gently. "Or do I have to tickle it out of you?"

"Noo, Mommy," Alex replied exasperatedly and I had to smile. Alex had calmed a little, while JR's body still trembled, so I turned my attention to my oldest.

"JR, honey, whatever it is, we can sort it out, okay?" I murmured gently, nuzzling the nape of his neck with my nose. "Talk to me, kiddo."

When he shook his head adamantly, I tried a new approach; between my sons, although JR was a splitting image of Carlos, his personality was more like mine. Deflection by sarcasm, the fear to face a problem, the greater fear to ask for help, the gentle way in which he approached things, the unavoidable mischief he sometimes attracted…Alex, on the other hand, took my curls, my eyes and my smile, but he was Carlos' son through and through, down to the quiet place he retreated to when he was well and truly upset, and his intrinsic ability to think things all the way through, never making a foolhardy decision- even scrutinizing the training wheels on his bike until he was sure he wouldn't fall- unless it had to do with following JR's example, or doing something with the concern that his brother would be alone in it, should things go wrong. They were as thick as thieves, my two, and while they annoyed each other and fought every day, you'd never have one in trouble without the other standing right there next to him, and similarly, they helped each other excel too. After all, it was JR who patiently ran next to his brother until he was sure the training wheels would protect Alex from falling, and it was Alex who spent an entire weekend painting all JR's pencils with Batman colors, after JR failed a math test, to remind him that he could do anything because he was, in Alex's eyes, a superhero.

It was bearing my sons' personalities in mind that I made my call.

"Alright, sweetheart," I nudged Alex's head up with a bump of my nose against his downturned forehead. "You're starting here. What were you and JR arguing about, and why are both f you crying because of it?"

"Tommy's parents are getting a…a…div…div-sauce," he mumbled, stuttering through the word he didn't quite understand. I almost laughed, but looking at his eyes, wide with fear, I felt my heart melt.

"A divorce, honey?" I asked gently, and his lower lip wobbled as he nodded.

"Tommy said his parents used to fight, and then I told JR and he said you and Daddy was fighting in the mornin'," he whispered, voice trembling as my heart shattered. "I don' want you and Daddy to get a div-sauce, Mommy."

"Oh, sweetheart," I choked, feeling my eyes burn at the utter innocence and love from my two boys. I gathered them close to me, and before I could say anything more, JR spoke.

"Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to break Mrs. Hartley's window," he sniffled, and I felt my neck getting wet from his tears. "Please don't fight because of me, I promise I'll…I'll…I'll never break anything again! And I'll...um…I'll fix the window! Um...somehow…"

"Stop, baby," I commanded softly, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. Carlos and I had fought in the morning, granted, because while he thought JR should be grounded for kicking in the front yard instead of the back, where we'd told him to play, I thought that JR was just being a kid, and he was sorry enough, so being the overprotective mom I am, we fought over a way to deal with it. I hadn't even realized JR had overheard our argument. "None of what happened this morning is your fault. And both of you listen to me; Daddy and Mommy might fight just a little, but I love your Daddy very much, and he loves me, and we both love you two and Julie more than anything in the world. We would never leave each other. We're a family, okay? You guys never have to worry about that, I promise." I peppered kisses on each of their heads. "I promise."

I held them a little while longer, only loosening my grip when they did. Wiping each of their tear-stained faces, and giving them both kisses, I decided they needed a treat to forget about their previous fears.

"Who's up for some ice-cream, huh guys?" I asked, ruffling their hair. They both sent me brilliant smiles, tears forgotten and responded with resounding affirmatives. I laughed, and told them to put their shoes on, while trying to locate my own boots.

I trudged upstairs after a few minutes to see what was taking them. I stopped at their doorway in amusement when I saw Alex rifling in their closet for his sneakers. Though he had a room all his own, Alex had spent most nights sleeping in the second bunk bed in JR's room, and when the elder had caved to his brother's puppy-dog eyes, Carlos and I had woken the next morning to find Alex had all but moved into his brother's room, with most of his shoes in JR's closet and his blanket and pillow adorning the once-empty bottom bunk.

I watched in amusement as JR sighed long-sufferingly, while Alex pushed his feet into his sneakers. Sending his big brother a hopeful look, Alex stuck out his leg and JR crossed the room to tie his laces. When he was done, instead of standing up, he pulled Alex down and into his lap, into a big hug. Alex threw his arms around JR in delight, not questioning the hug, simply enjoying it.

"I'm sorry, Al," JR mumbled, cuddling his little brother close to him. "I didn't mean to make fun of you. That wasn't nice." My heart melted.

"S'okay, JR," my toddler responded happily.

"No, s'not," JR shook his head, pulling back from the hug, but not removing his arms around Alex. "You're my baby brother and I'm supposed to protect you, not make you scared."

"S'okay, Jay," Alex insisted, favoring his brother with his biggest smile. "You always pr'tect me. You stopped the monsters from getting me just last night!" Alex bi his bottom lip. "I'm sorry I called you a stupid head. I didn't mean that. You're the smartest ever in the whole wide world!"

"It's okay, Al," JR grinned, ruffling his brother's hair. "Truce, okay? S'you and me against everyone, okay?"

"Yeah!" Alex threw his arms around JR's neck and the brothers embraced fiercely while I fought against the urge to cry.

My sweet baby boys.

###

"Alex, don't run up the driveway," I shouted exasperatedly. "You might fall!"

"Don't worry Mom, I'll get him," JR grinned at me before dashing off after his brother. I sighed, knowing that any sort of reprimand would be utterly pointless. Smiling slightly, I locked the car and headed up the driveway myself.

"Come on, guys, time to wash up," I called as I unlocked the door. "You two are wearing more of the ice-cream than you ate!"

They came to a stop behind me as I opened the front door…

…to be greeted by the sweet, delicate scent of flowers, and a living room with petals of, none other than, cherry blossoms, adorning almost every available surface. Since we'd gotten married, Carlos had gotten me a single cherry blossom every Friday without fail, and today was no exception, but in this magnitude?

"Whoa," Alex mumbled, peeking from behind my leg.

"Whoa indeed, Kiddo," I giggled. My attention was caught when a flash of black presented itself from the archway leading into the dining room.

"Daddy!" Alex shouted out, running to Carlos and launching himself at him as JR used to do. JR grinned, but remained at my side, unconsciously hooking his fingers in the belt loop at my hip. A wave of love crashed over me and I ruffled his hair, sending him a reassuring wink.

"Hey buddy," Carlos murmured, picking Alex up and sending me and JR a small smile. JR looked back up at me, and I could see in him asking me with his eyes whether things would be okay. It choked me up that my eldest was already a little protective of me, seeing as how he wasn't pleased with his father at the moment, and I knelt down to his level, pulling him into a hug.

"I promise we'll be fine, Kiddo," I breathed again. "I'm fine, sweetheart. Go to your dad."

A huge, relieved smile broke over his face as he too, ran to Carlos, comfortable in the knowledge that I wouldn't feel as though he was siding with his father. I grinned at Carlos as he braced himself for his hug.

"Why don't you two go finish up your homework really quickly?" he suggested. "We're going to go get something to eat later, and then we're going to spend the rest of the weekend at the beach house, okay?"

Enthusiastic cheers and frantic scrambles upstairs were his only reply. I sauntered up to him, cocking my head to the side in silent question.

"I was watching the camera feed from the living room," he explained, coming forward to wrap me in his arms. I melted into him, burying my face in his chest.

"They're great kids," I murmured. "We need to try not to fight in front of them, they shouldn't have to ever worry about that."

"They never have to ever worry about that," Carlos reiterated with a small growl, burying his face in my hair. "Don't you ever leave me, Babe."

"Never planned on it, Carlos," I murmured, tightening my grip around him. He pulled away, only to kiss me deeply, plundering his tongue into my mouth and tracing every line and bump and ridge until I was sure he had it memorized. Nipping at my bottom lip, he licked away the sting of this bite before sucking my lip hard. I moaned and rocked against him, eager suddenly to get to the bat cave because our bedroom was blissfully sound proofed from the outside world. Perfect for us and the kids.

"I'll love you for always, Carlos," I breathed against his lips. He pulled a fraction away to look into my eyes, his molten hazel piercing into my clear azure. His promise was a whispered one.

And so, four simply uttered words from the love of my existence showed me that, for all the changes in my life so far, there was one thing in this world, that would never change.

"Forever and a day."

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A/N 2: And so, my dear friends, with four simply uttered words, allow me to tell all you Fanfiction-ers, exactly what I've been meaning to say with this entire story:

You guys kick ass! :-)

-JazMitch