I Learned to Love You by Tamyalways

Translated from Spanish by ebfiddler

Author's note: Good morning everyone, here's the epilogue of this story. Without a doubt, this story is the one that has given me the most joy, and no doubt it will continue to do so. Thanks to everyone who participated in it—without you there would be no sense in doing this. Thank you of course to Lizcecilia6CECIFILLION for letting me write this story. It made me learn a lot, and I enjoyed and struggled with this story as never before. It has given me hell (and my beta/collaborator, too) but it certainly was worth it.

Many thanks to all of you for your support here as well as on twitter or the Spanish Castle forum. I really don't know how to thank you enough for your support, because without it I don't think we would have gotten anywhere with this story.

Finally and especially, I want to thank my beta/collaborator ladydkl for her support, for her work and for getting me to do things I didn't know I could do. For teaching me to be a better writer and for continuing to help me. Today, with your permission, I want to dedicate this chapter to her, for her special talent for being so supportive all the way, and for teaching me so much. Ladydkl, many thanks to you, and thank you for always being there.

The characters are not mine ...

Idea from Lizcecilia6CECIFILLION

translator's note: And here we are, the end of a long journey. I hope you've enjoyed reading this. I made it a goal to get this finished by October, 2016, and I've managed to do so—about a year since I began posting this translation. Thanks to all for your support in this endeavor.

Epilogue

RICK'S POV

I could not stop smiling at the sight of Kate sitting on the seashore with our baby in her arms, enjoying the beautiful weather. Seeing them, I couldn't help but remember the most beautiful moment of my life ... the previous week.

My son was about to be born, and Kate was suffering through what was necessary to bring him into the world. All I could do was give her my support, be there and speak words of love to make her feel better, so that she knew she had me with her. When the doctor called on me to help my baby come into the world, I could scarcely believe it. It was the most special moment of my life, and I was very nervous.

After I cut the umbilical cord and the doctor gave him to me to hold, it felt like my heart was just shouting with joy. I looked at my son as if he were the most precious thing in my life ... and he was a part of me.

Then the doctor took him to wash him, and I went directly over to Kate who was both excited and completely exhausted.

"Honey ... he's here."

"I want to see him."

"They're bringing him. He's beautiful."

"This is so—"

"Exciting."

"It's the best moment of my life…"

"Here you go, parents, here's the little champion," said the doctor, handing me the baby.

I brought him to Kate and placed him carefully on her chest. When she felt him, I saw the tears stream from her eyes, from all that emotion, and then that smile—this was a version of her that I had never seen before. The most beautiful image of my life, one that I would cherish in my heart forever. I pulled out my phone and took a snapshot to remember always.

Then I sat down gently next to Kate and placed my arm around her back, snuggling her into my side. I supported her head on my shoulder and we just sat there watching our baby for a long while, until Kate broke the silence.

"He's so perfect."

"Yes, he is."

"He has a lot of hair," she observed joyously, "and he's so handsome. Looks like you."

"Of course. That's why he's so beautiful," I said to make her smile.

"I never imagined how this would be ... no matter how hard I tried."

"He's perfect ... he's unique ... he's part of both of us. I also never imagined what he would be like, but I knew he would be perfect."

"Rick ..."

"He's perfect because he's the fruit of our love. For us, he'll always be the most important person."

"That's true."

"I know. 'Cause I'm always right," I laughed, placing a kiss on her forehead. We fell back into silent contemplation of our baby, enjoying our now larger family.

At this moment, seeing her so happy with little Ricky Junior in her arms, I just felt so blessed. I realized it was not only witnessing his birth, not only getting to bring him home ... that alone was not enough. I had a need to live through each of life's milestones with him, with the two of them. I wanted a long and full life to enjoy my many good fortunes.

I drew near and slowly sat next to her. Kate smiled at me and passed our little baby over so I could hold him again. I could feel her smiling into my shoulder, where her face pressed against me.

"This is incredible."

"It is."

"You know what? I know I have to go back to work soon, but right now, I don't miss it at all. I don't want to miss a single minute with him."

"I know, me too. We could live on what I earn selling my books."

"But I'm your muse. I think you need to see me in action," she said sensuously, eliciting a groan of frustration from me.

"Kate, you're sooo bad," I said, and we both laughed.

"I don't want to stop working. It's a part of who I am ... but now I'm thinking I should take it easy, a bit."

"In what way?"

"Maybe ask for a promotion."

"To captain?"

"Well ... if I can get it. I'd have more free time, and it would be less dangerous for—"

"Of course you can get it."

"I know you've always wanted to be—"

"No, I really only wanted to be your partner. Maybe now, if you become my boss ... it'll be even better," I said gently kissing her lips, making her laugh again.

"So, then …"

"Whatever you need, Kate, whatever you want. I'll support you in it. I ... the truth is that I've been thinking a lot about it, and ... I'm thinking maybe I should leave the force."

"You want to leave it?"

"I'd like to write ... and I could spend more time with our son."

"Well…"

"Besides, I also have inspiration at home … and you could always help me."

"Always ... I'll support you, whatever you decide."

"Well then—" Suddenly our baby began to cry, and I handed him to Kate. "I think our little guy is hungry," I said, kissing Kate and helping her up to go back inside the house.

I was very happy. We had only had our little Ricky for one week. Our lives had changed completely. My book had been published a month ago, and was so far a big success. I ought to have gone on tour to promote it, but I knew the birth was approaching, so I decided to stay home. But I couldn't put it off indefinitely, so tomorrow I was scheduled to leave for a week of book promotion. It was taking advantage of Kate's maternity leave, so that the baby was not left without one of us. It was hard to have to leave them and not spend more time together, but I knew that if I wanted the book to be successful, I had to do my part. I needed that book do well—because it was definitely a key part of our life together ... it was something I wanted to show the world ... because it showed my Kate, the true Kate, my hero.

Today my—or rather our whole family was coming to stay with Kate. I knew she was perfectly capable of taking care of our son herself; it wasn't that. But I didn't want her to be alone, I didn't want her to dwell on my absence, I wanted it to pass in the best way possible. And, well, it would also serve to celebrate the life and birth of our baby.

The party had begun, but I was still in our room ... alone, thinking and giving thanks for the good fortune I'd been granted. Just a month ago or so I'd also had my first long-term follow up check-up, and it went very well. A very pregnant Kate had accompanied me, knowing how nervous I was, how sick I'd made myself just thinking about it in the days prior. But now ... we were good, very, very good. I had recovered, and Kate, thanks to the pregnancy and my care, also recovered quite well. We just needed to be together to recover. Our love was what saved us both.

I finished combing and styling my unruly hair, the hair I had missed having for such a long time, and went out of the room, bumping directly into Kate on her way in.

"Oh! Excuse me!"

"Where have you been? We've been waiting for you."

"I was just making myself beautiful."

"Oh! Of course," she said, running her hands through my hair, disarranging it completely. I glared, but couldn't keep it up for long, not when I saw her smile.

"You're so bad…"

"Yes. So?"

"Yes, but you're also the dynamo that motivates and lights up my life."

"Rick ..."

"I'm going to miss you so much."

"It'll only be a week."

"So you won't miss me, then?"

"Of course I will, silly. We'll both miss you."

"Speaking of him ... Where is he now?"

"With Aunt Lanie and Grandma Martha."

"I suppose they're spoiling him already?"

"Yeah, like you haven't already done so."

"But I'm his father. I'm the only one who's allowed to do spoil him."

"So I always have to be the bad cop, is that how you see it?"

"Of course ... because you're the best bad cop ever, Detective," I replied, and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Suddenly I felt something tugging at my pants. Pulling away from Kate, I looked down to find my niece and nephew looking at me mischievously.

"Hey kids," I said taking up Emma in my arms, and hugging Edgar … the boy who saved me.

"Uncle Rick, we've been waiting for you! It's just that ..."

"What's up?"

"Well, we're bored!" they whined, and their pouty faces made us laugh.

"Come on, the party's only just getting started," I said tickling them both, and hearing them laugh, I was so happy to have them in my life. Without a doubt, having an extended family was a very pleasant surprise.

FOUR YEARS LATER…

We were all together, four years later. Our son, the life and soul of our home, was, as usual, running around nonstop, when Kate arrived home after a long day.

"Hello," she said, kissing me as she entered.

"And a good evening to you. Everything okay?"

"A bit tired."

"Well ... today your boys made you dinner."

"Oh, you did?" she said, gathering Ricky into her arms.

"Yes, Mommy."

We ate amidst laughter. Truly my son was a lot like me. He was a sharp as a tack, and in truth he was a spoiled child. But in spite of all that, in spite of spending so much time with me, he was his mama's darling. When his mother came home, he bypassed me entirely ... his mom was, for him, his hero.

"Mommy, I want ice cream."

"No, it'll give you a stomach ache."

"Pleeeeeease ..."

"Don't look at me like that."

"Daddeeeee ..." He now appealed to me, and I ... I could never resist that look. And now I imitated him—or was he imitating me?—but we both had the same expression on our faces, the expression that he used to sweet-talk us.

"Don't you guys look at me like that."

"Pleeeeeease ..." Now we were both pleading with her.

"Fine! But if you feel sick afterwards—"

"Right, I'll deal with it," I agreed, getting up to get the ice cream. When I sat down again I offered some to Kate, who opened her mouth to provoke me. No matter how long we'd been together, she always made me feel so alive. I was always ready for her ... always … and our passion for one another was a strong as ever.

"Daddy…?"

"God, Ricky! Let me wipe off your … how did you even...?" I exclaimed, upon seeing his entire face covered with chocolate.

I cleaned him up thoroughly and then carried him off to bed. After I got him ready and settled down a little bit, I left Kate to say goodnight to him, and went to our room to prepare a nice bath for my wonderful wife, so she could relax. When she came in, she gave me a smile.

"For me?"

"No, I was planning to invite our neighbor from upstairs."

"Very funny," she said, draping her hands around my neck to hug and kiss me. "Care to join me?"

"Of course," I said making short work of undressing, and getting into the tub with her. "This feels amazing."

"It is."

"Bad day…?"

"Yeah, well ... anyway ... you've made it better already ... both of you have made it better."

"You know I'd do anything to make it better for you."

"I know. Thanks," she said turning to kiss my lips.

"Thank you, Kate ... thank you for giving me all this time ... for making me happy."

"I should be thanking you..."

"I love you..."

"And I love you."

"Always."

"Always."

THE END

Author's note: Thank you to all of you who have been excited about this story and given it such a great reception, thanks for your continued support despite all the drama and angst that I have made you live through with this story.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Well, let's keep reading! I hope you'll enjoy my new story Escondidos [Hidden], and there will be many more, if you keep following.

Thanks for sticking with me here.

XXOO

Twitter: tamyalways

translator's note: And thank you, likewise, from me, for reading, following, favoriting this story, and continuing to the end. It's been quite a journey for me, as well, one that started in the late spring of 2015 when Tamy started posting the original, Te Aprendí a Amar. The subject resonated with me, as my mother had undergone cancer treatments earlier that year (for a different kind of cancer, and thankfully these have been successful in her case). In August 2015, I began the translation. I've learned a lot in the process. I've written hundreds of thousands of words of my own fan fiction stories (shameless plug: check them out!) but this story still represented several first-time challenges for me as a writer (first time for an extended story told from first person POV, first time for M-rated anything). It most certainly has improved my Spanish. For those who have followed me as a writer, I am continuing as beta for Madreag, who has just posted a new chapter of "The Interview"; and for GotchaYouLilDirtbag, who will be posting another chapter of Revelations before long. And if you've been following me for a while, you'll probably be glad to know that lately I have been writing more of the sequel to "Ends with a Horse," the thirteenth story in my Firefly series. I don't know when you can expect to see that posted, but I think I can say with some confidence, that indeed there will be a story to be posted…so keep your eyes open, and sign up for an author alert if you want to know when I do begin posting it. I may also have a Castle one-shot or short fic somewhere in me...