So the next long awaited chapter has arrived! Thanks for waiting so patiently, I was having trouble focusing long enough to write it.

Also, this is the last chapter! *sob* I can't believe this ride is over! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

See you in the next story (which will probably be up in the next week)!

Not mine.

"Carlos?" A small voice asked.

"In here."

"Hey," Stephanie said. "My parents are leaving and they want to say good-bye."

"Sure. I'll be down in a minute."

She came closer. "What are you smiling at?"

"Diesel's gift." I showed it to her.

"A pregnancy test? You think I'm pregnant?"

"No, but Diesel does."

She snorted. "Figures."

I grinned.

"Well… should I take it?"

"Take what?"

"The test, stupid."

I looked at her for a moment. There was nothing more important that her, but finding out if she was carrying our child came a close second. But the nervous look on her face stopped me from pushing the box into her hands and shoving her into the nearest bathroom.

"Are you ready?"

She bit her lip. "I'm not sure."

I cupped her cheek. "What's wrong?"

"What if I'm a bad mother?"

I smiled softly at her. "I can't imagine that at all."

"But I barely remember to feed Rex!"

"Rex is a hamster. Babies cry when they want things."

"And the crying! Don't get me started on the crying."

"And pooping. Babies poop."

"You're making fun of me now."

"Only a little."

She smacked me in the shoulder. "Aren't you worried?"

I thought about how she acted around our son in the future. Making sure he was warm and always in eyesight. "Not in the slightest."
Stephanie gaped at me.

"You're forgetting one big thing."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Me."

Confusion hit her.

"I'm not going to force you to stay at home while I go and work. You won't have to do all the heavy lifting after he or she is born. You can bring the baby to work where we'll all take turns."

"But… but…"

"I'm not Joe. You won't be tied to the kitchen stove. That'll only slow Ella down."

"Yeah, but…"

"And any time you need a break, just say so. You don't have to be Wonder Woman all the time. Just be you, the wonderful woman I married."

She looked deep in thought now and I was almost positive that she was going to run away and take residence in denial land.

Except, she didn't.

"Give me that box." She said, practically ripping it from my hands. I laughed as she ran to the bathroom.

Unfortunately, the test was negative. But that didn't stop us from trying.

"Happy Valentines day!" Stephanie said, skipping into my office. "I missed you this morning."

"I missed you more."

She hopped into my lap and laid her head on my shoulder. "Busy?"

"For you? Never."

Stephanie giggled. "Good. I have your present."

"Babe, we were going to exchange them later. When you can get use out of mine." I said, wiggling my eyebrows at her.

"Carlos you dirty man." She handed me a box. "Just open it."

I pulled at the ribbon.

"I wasn't sure what to get you. I mean you have so much already and you could practically buy your own country with your savings…."

"You bought me a country?"

"No, I thought I do that for your birthday." She poked my chest. "So I was at a loss. And then it came to me."

I opened the box. "Babe." I breathed.

"I know it's not much, but I'm thinking this is a good gift in the long run."

"It's the best gift you could've given me." I placed my hand on her stomach. "My son."

"Or daughter. We won't know for a few weeks."

"I have a feeling."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Men."

"You're getting good at the multitasking."

She placed her forehead on mine and smiled. "I'm great at multitasking."

"Don't I know it."

Three years later

"Dad! Come on! It's Christmas!" The little child was jumping on my chest now.

"Hey! Oof! Heavy!" I said, trying to get him to stop. "CJ, I'm up! I'm up!"

"Oh." He stopped and looked at me. "Let's go!"

"Why don't you go see what Julie's up to?"

"Okay." He jumped from the bed and scurried out of the room.

It was Christmas once again and this was better than the last time I lived it.

I remembered how I got here.

I remembered watching Stephanie grow with our child, how the company grew that I could delegate to some of the other men. How Tank and Lester both got married (Tank's kid being born just a few weeks ago and Lester's just a few months before that). How Joe ended up marrying Terry.

Even how our second child was conceived. I really should thank Joe for that one…

Julie has been visiting more often after Stephanie and I got married. Julie, Rachel and Stephanie all insisted on it. Stephanie wanted Julie to remember that even though we were married, she was still a big part of our lives. She was even here when CJ was born and plans on being here for the next birth as well. Julie and I have gotten closer, and for that, I'll always be happy. The apple didn't fall far from the tree and I want to know my daughter before it's too late. She reminds me a lot of myself and that both makes me ecstatic and a little frightened.

"Hey old man," Stephanie said, coming out in a towel. "You too lazy to get out of bed this morning?"

I grabbed her waist. "Nope, just waiting for my first gift."

"Carlos," She said, blushing. "Not with Julie and CJ in the other room."

"I can be quiet if you can."

She glared at me. "You know I can't."

I grinned. "I know." I touched her growing stomach. "How are you feeling today?"

"The twins are jumpy."

"Active, Babe. Active is good."

"Annoying is more like it. I've peed twice already."

"Babe." We were both surprised when the doctor told us that we were having two babies instead of one. I'm pretty sure Stephanie passed out for a second. I had a feeling one was going to be a boy and I was insisting on giving him the middle name Diesel.

After all, it was his stupid ass that got me here.

And I would always be forever grateful.

The End.