Chapter 10: Epilogue

Author's note: This last chapter is several years late so I don't expect anyone to be still on board. Life got in the way but hey, there it is.

When I cross the front door, the lights are out. I notice the TV's on in the living room, leave my luggage next to the staircase that leads to the bedrooms.

As I walk into the dark hall, I sigh contently at the familiar smell of our home. I hate being away and this week in Florida didn't seem to end, even if it was nice to see a sunny sky for a change.

Add crazy turbulence to my chronic fear of flying - quenched with 2 mg of Valium - and even the mess that our kitchen's in seems endearing.

Abby's asleep on the sofa, I kneel next to her and press a kiss to her forehead.

She stirs and smiles when she sees me "Hey you...".

"How was your flight?" Abby asks gently when I sit down next to her, leaning onto her side, needing that familiar warmth.

"Terrible, I hate flying", I whisper into her neck. "Mmm, you smell nice..." I smile smugly against her skin while my hands try to open her robe.

She sighs when she feels my hand on her breast. "You're away for a week and you wake me to jump my bones? Not even some small talk first, a souvenir?", she smirks.

"I just missed you so, so much..." I smile as I lean for a kiss. She parts her lips to accept my tongue and kisses me the way she does when she's teasing me, slow and sensual. It's delicious and I moan when she stops.

"The boys?", I ask before going for another kiss.

"Took them to McDonalds after karate practice, crashed as soon as we got home" she says as she starts to unbutton my oxfort shirt. She smiles when she spots her favorite underwear "Hoping to get lucky, are we?".

I untie her robe "It's working, isn't it?", I ask as I press a kiss to her shoulder, neck, suck in her earlobe.

"That's awfully snug of you, Dr. Lewis...", she sighs into my mouth, clasping her hands behind my neck.

"Come on, upstairs...", I whisper. Last thing I want is any of the boys walking in on us.

"Aren't you hungry? I ordered from that italian place you love" she laughs as I try to hurry her up the stairs.

"Oh, you have no idea...", I smile into her ear and the look she gives me is enough to make us both reach our room in just seconds.

There, she closes the door quietly and joins me right next to our bed, reaches for the zipper of my pencil skirt "The powersuit look really suits you... but I want you out of this...", she sinks her teeth at my shoulder. I wince and grab her hips, we fall on the bed messily, her hair is all over her face and I want to see her eyes. She leans into my hand as I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. God, I love her.

Abby's nakedness rubbing against my thigh is making my breathing more ragged and I know I won't last so I roll her and pin her with my body, bite her nipple slowly and feel my heart thump when she moans my name.

We like foreplay but tonight is about needing this release so badly so I just go straight to the point and trace her abdomen with my tongue. Abby shivers with antecipation and grabs my hair when I close my mouth on her. The wetness I find there is overwhelming and I want it all. I have to palm her hip more forcefully and tell her to keep her moaning down, she rolls her eyes "Yeah, that's easy for you to say... Keep doing that...".

I could suck at her clit for hours but that would be cruel and I'm knackered from the trip anyway so I add three fingers unanounced and it's enough to get her off in a few minutes. I know she likes it rough sometimes and I'm always happy to endulge.

Abby's glowing and smiling like a cheshire cat "Mmm, I should send you away more often...". I rest my head on her chest and feel her fingers tracing my scalp, lulling me, tiredness overcoming my desire.

The following day I have a board meeting that should take a couple of hours but just drags on. When I accepted this position at Northwestern, I knew I'd spend more time in meetings than in the ER but I still feel like an outcast.

The hospital board want me to do a presentation with the convention's highlights, I nod and add a reminder to my already busy agenda for the next days. If it wasn't for the decent paycheck I'd pass on this tenure spot in a heartbeat.

I finally meet with Spencer, the ER's chief resident to approve next month's schedules and remind her that I'll be away for 2 weeks.

"So where you guys going?", she asks, while pouring us coffee.

"Paris. We're getting married there...", I blush like a schoolgirl.

"No way! That's so romantic, chief...", Spencer sighs and savors her coffee "You make a terrific couple. Are the boys coming with you?".

"Yeah, there goes your romance..." I laugh. "But we want them there, with us. It might not mean anything under US law but it's important for us. They're so excited!", I smile.

"How long you guys together?", Spencer asks while scribbling down the sheets I'm handing her.

"Ten years last month". My phone starts dancing on the tabletop "Speaking of the devil...".

"Hey... I was wondering if we could take a rain check on lunch? I'm stuck here...", Abby sighs on the other side of the line.

"Ok, I'm kinda tied up, too", I nod.

"Can you make it to that PTA meeting later? Haleh, I need 5mg of Versed in curtain 2!", the racketing noise behind her is so familiar. You can tell she's swamped.

"I'll clear my schedule, don't worry. Love you...", I whisper before hanging up.

Spencer's batting her eyelashes at me "You're such a softie, Dr. Lewis".

"Mom, the Eiffel Tower! Look!" Mark and Joe shriek excitedly as we emerge from the Trocadéro subway station.

"Boys, calm down", Abby smiles. "It's beautiful, isn't it?", she says leaning into my shoulder. The tower lights dance in the sky.

"Beautiful", I nod and lean for a kiss.

Joe rolls his eyes "Get a room...".

Abby raises a eyebrow at him "Joseph", he just smiles my smile that he knows can get him away with almost everything.

I chuckle "This one is all you, Lockhart...".

"Mark, can you take us a picture, please?", she asks and pulls me closer. Our eldest tries different angles then grins "A kiss?".

We chuckle and my wife kisses me softly under the Eiffel Tower. The boys join us for a family hug and I don't want ever let go.

THE END