Disclaimer: I don't, as ever, own a single thing but the plot bunny that hops here!
A.N: Right, this is the Epilogue, I just felt like I was dragging this out far too much now... so much so my muse is dying ='(
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"Mommy!" Came one voice. "Daddy!" Came the second, before two tornadoes hit the bed and began to jump all over Penelope and Derek.
"Careful!" Derek said shooting up and grabbing them both in his arms. "What's up?" He asked as Penelope sat up fully, her hand pressing to her pregnant stomach and she watched the twins and their father.
"This got put through the door, Daddy!" Amelia said excitedly as she shoved a leaflet into Derek's hand and Derek saw it was Bobo's clown. "It's the circus daddy!"
"And there's a clown!" Caleb said as he began to grow hyper again.
Both children looked at each other before looking at their parents. "Can we go?"
Derek looked at Penelope apprehensively; he could see the wide stare in her eyes, her breathing a little faster than it had been. He was lost for words, he didn't want to say no and disappoint his children, yet he didn't want to say yes and put Penelope in a difficult predicament.
"Yes." Penelope said and the pair launched over to Penelope. "On one condition..."
"What?" Both of them asked excitedly.
"You two cheeky monkey's don't tire me."
"Deal!" They both said and jumped off of the bed and ran out excitedly talking about the circus and the clown they were going to make friends with.
Derek looked at Penelope and she looked at him, she smiled. "It'll be fine." Penelope told him and went to the edge of the bed; she got up and slowly went into the bathroom. Derek sat on the bed and waited for her to come back.
"We don't have to stay long, Baby Girl." He told her, after four years of marriage things still ran as smoothly as the day they got married. "As soon as you begin to feel uncomfortable we can leave."
"I can't run from things like this, Handsome." Penelope said softly as she sat on the bed. "They're four; they need to experience the circus. I can put the past behind me."
"Pen..." Derek showed her the poster and she saw Bobo's face on the front.
"Bobo's dead. I shot him near enough five years ago. We have kids, they prove to me that I lived passed him and this little bubba," she commented running her hand over her stomach, "is the thing that's going to help me through this." She looked at him, and leant in and gave him a strong, heavy kiss. "I've got my husband and I can put money on it that the rest of the clan will join us. I have distractions and kids that need to love the experience."
"You actually are the best mom alive." Derek said as he pulled her down and began kissing her greedily. His love only ever grew for her. She hadn't one single selfish bone in her body and she wasn't going about growing one.
Penelope's life over the years had only ever been about family, and when she got her own, that response only grew more and more. It was instinctual and she found she'd do anything to keep her children at their happiness.
Even if it meant facing a nightmare from her past.
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It didn't take long for the twins to get hold of the phone and ring their granddad and persuade him and with it Penelope and Derek rang the others on the team and called them in for reinforcement. Everyone took it willingly.
They all set off in their own cars and met in the car park that was set up. Penelope slowly got out of hers and Derek's family SUV and took a look at the massive blow up clown. She'd done quite well to avoid anything clown orientated over the years. Yet she'd always known that one day something would make her own up to her fear and put other's first. She was just glad she had an understanding family to help out with it.
"You okay, PG?" Emily asked as she walked over, moving away from the growing crowd of their family.
"Yeah." Penelope told her and smiled and walked towards her. "Perfectly fine."
"We can take a time out whenever, you call it."
"Time out's when we leave." She responded and her smile broadened as her children looked up at her excitedly. That one splay of emotion was something that made this worth it. "You ready, kiddie winks?" She asked them all and they all came to life. She then looked up. "I think the kids have spoken."
The adults agreed and began the short walk; Derek took Penelope's hand in his as they entered the grounds sent up from the circus.
Penelope was too distracted by the details, the music, and the entertainment, the enjoyment of the extravaganza to notice a clown come up to her and distract her.
Derek couldn't react fast enough, nor could James, as she was pulled back and the clown began to dance to the circus music that was filling the air.
Both men went to pounce, but stopped as Penelope laughed.
James looked the clown over, it was Bobo's double. The makeup done to exact perfection. The hair the same bold colour, the clothes identical mismatch of shapes and patterns. The only thing wrong was the teeth beneath the big red box painted mouth and the eyes glistening green.
When the clown stopped he smiled at Penelope. "Thank you for the dance." He told her and looked passed her at the two men. "Seems I interrupted something. Is there anything I can do to repay?"
Penelope looked behind her and went to decline but had an idea. She still had a niggling fear in the pit of her stomach, but seeing her children be so happy she did one thing to help herself without harming her children's view on clowns being frauds. She took one last look, seeing if the kids were far enough away.
"One small thing..." She asked as she approached, "can I have your nose?" She then smiled sweetly at him and without another word, he shrugged and took off his red nose and handed it over and then moved on.
She turned back to the two men and smirked. "Always wanted to do that."
"Why?"
"I read that if you have fear of clowns taking the nose of one help... you know me, I need to give everything ago at least once."
Derek chuckled a little and put his arm around Penelope's back. "That's very true, Baby. You do, annoyingly, have to try everything at least once. Even if we tell you not too."
Penelope laughed and looked at her daughter get told no before going to do it anyway. JJ throwing her hands up in the air before laughing. "Seems your daughter's the same, Hot Stuff." Penelope teased adoringly as she watched her family. The ball of dread dispersing instantly as she squeezed the red nose in her palm.
Penelope pulled her husband and dad towards their family as they made their way towards the funhouse.
What could you complain about when you'd been to hell and back and survived to tell the tale anyway?
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A/N: THE END!
I felt appropriate closure was needed and there's some family love chucked in for good measure! Hoped you like! =)