Author's note: OK people, this is the last chapter! *sniff* I know, it's been fun. I would like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed, particularly Cherry3456 who reviewed virtually every chapter since the beginning and Xealvi who reviewed, made me laugh and gave me advice (and on deviantArt as well). HUGS TO EVERYONE! XD

So yeah, here it is: the last chapter. Enjoy!

Vaughn's P. O. V.:

3 years later

I walked up the small hill to the house. It was late Thursday morning and I had just finished my shift at the animal shop. It was the beginning of summer and the sun felt good on my skin. Even though I still dressed like a cowboy, the heat didn't bother me.

"Daddy!"

I looked up and then smiled. My three year old daughter Esmé was running towards me. I held my arms out to her and she ran into them. I picked her up and gave her a hug, kissing her cheek as I did so.

She rested her head on my shoulder.

"I missed you," she said happily.

I smiled. "I missed you too."

I carried her back to the house where Chelsea was standing by the door, smiling. I set the baby on the ground and she skipped into the living room, singing to herself.

I embraced my wife tightly and she whispered "Welcome home" in my ear. I lifted her chin up and then kissed her lips softly.

"Have you done the farm work yet?" I asked her.

Chelsea shook her head. "I was going to wait until you came home so I wouldn't have to ask anyone over to watch Esmé." Chelsea knew that Esmé wouldn't be in any danger if she took her with her to work on the farm but she preferred it if Esmé stayed at home.

"The captain reckons that there'll be a massive storm tonight," I told her. "You might want to prepare the animals."

Chelsea grimaced and nodded. "I'll go do that now," she said. "I'll only be a couple of hours."

She pecked my cheek softly and then started walking towards the crop field. I watched her go, smiling to myself before walking inside the house. It felt good to be home again.

I wandered into the living room where Esmé was lying on the floor, doodling on a piece of paper. I wasn't really watching where I was going.

"No! Daddy, stop!" Esmé squealed suddenly.

I glanced down and realised I had been about to step on some of her crayons.

"Sorry, baby," I said, putting my foot down on a clear part of the carpet. I knelt down beside her and looked at the paper. "What are you drawing?"

Esmé showed me her drawing. "Me and you and Mummy playing wis Wosie," she said, smiling up at me. A three year olds version of a family of three and a dog were on the paper. I smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"That's pretty good," I told her, even though I could hardly make it out.

I sat on the sofa beside her. Rosie padded into the room. When she saw me home she let out a happy bark and then jumped up onto the sofa behind me. I smiled and tickled her ears. She ran her tongue along my hand then lay next to me, resting her head on my leg.

Esmé finished her drawing and then pulled herself up onto the sofa with us. I wrapped my arms around her and then pulled her onto my other leg. She smiled and snuggled into my chest, sucking her thumb.

"Where's Mummy gone?" she asked me, a little while later.

"She had to work. She'll be back in a couple of hours," I reassured her. "What did you do yesterday?"

Esmé smiled widely. "Me and Mummy went to see Kelly and Auntie Julia."

I smiled to myself. Esmé's "cousin" Kelly had been born nine months after Esmé had. Julia had found out she was pregnant the day Esmé was born. As you can imagine Mirabelle was on top of the world. Anyway, Kelly was three in two months. She and Esmé got on so well.

I stroked Esmé's hair tenderly. She smiled, nuzzling into my chest.

"You want to go for a walk?" I asked her.

Esmé thought about it. "Wis Mummy?" she asked.

"Of course," I said. I took Esmé out for walks quite often in the summer and she loved it when Chelsea got to join us.

Esmé smiled. "Kay."

Esmé stayed on my lap for a while longer, gently stroking the dog. When Rosie hopped off the sofa and padded off somewhere else, I read to Esmé and then she started playing with a toy in the corner of the room.

I heard the front door open and shut and Chelsea walked into the living room.

"I'm home."

"Mummy!" Esmé squealed. She immediately ran over to her and hugged her leg. "Mummy! Going out wis me!"

"What?" Chelsea asked, looking at me.

I smirked and then walked over to the two of them.

"You're home. I was gonna take the baby out but she wanted you to come too."

"Please Mummy?" Esmé said, looking up at Chelsea with sparkling violet eyes.

Chelsea smiled and gave the baby a hug. "Sure thing!"

I smirked. Chelsea was a sucker for the puppy dog eyes. And actually, so was I. We needed to man up.

Esmé squealed excitedly. Chelsea and I took her hands and we walked out the house.

We ended up on the beach. I let go of Esmé's hand so she could run around.

"Don't go out too far," Chelsea warned her as she also let go of her hand.

Esmé happily ran down to the edge of the sea. Chelsea and I watched her as the tide kept chasing her up the beach.

I wrapped my arms around Chelsea's waist and pulled her close. She rested her head on my chest, her arms around my waist.

"It's been a while since we got to relax like this," I said softly.

Chelsea nodded. "The baby's happy. I'm glad we did this."

"So am I," I nodded, kissing the top of her head.

Esmé turned to look at us and looked a little disappointed when she saw we weren't immediately behind her.

"Daddy! Mummy!" she squealed and rushed up us. She tugged my hand excitedly. "Come over here! The water's cold!"

I smiled and took her hand. "Yeah, we're coming."

Chelsea laughed as we walked down to the edge of the sea together.

We played in the spray with Esmé for hours. Just this once I didn't care if we got our clothes wet.

That night we put the baby to bed and then went to bed ourselves.

I was woken suddenly by a flash of lightening and a crash of thunder. So the boat captain had been right about the storm then. I glanced beside me and noticed it had woken Chelsea too. She snuggled into my chest and I put my arms around her.

"It must be right over our heads," Chelsea murmured. I nodded. Then we heard a crying sound from the next room. I sat up.

"I'll check on her," I said, climbing out of bed.

"If she's scared, let her sleep with us," Chelsea told me as I walked onto the landing and then into Esmé's bedroom.

She was lying in the bed, her face buried in one of her teddy bears, hands over her ears. I sat on her bed and put my hand on her shoulder, shaking her softly to make her look up at me.

"Daddy?" she whispered.

"Hey," I said gently. She sat up and I lifted her onto my lap. She cuddled into my chest and I rubbed her back to calm her down.

"It's scary," she said softly.

"I know," I said. "It's ok baby. It can't hurt you."

"But it's still scary."

I stood up with her still in my arms. "You can sleep in our bed tonight."

"Really?" Esmé squeaked. I nodded and carried her back to our bedroom.

Chelsea sat up when we came in. Esmé reached out to her and I handed her to Chelsea. They hugged each other tightly.

"I'm scared, Mama," Esmé said to her. She called Chelsea "Mama" when she wanted comforting.

Chelsea kissed her forehead and gently laid her down in the middle of the bed. I slid in beside them.

Esmé cuddled up to the two of us, burying her head in Chelsea's chest whenever the thunder rumbled. Chelsea whispered words of comfort in her ear.

I contemplated something.

I wasn't the same cold, antisocial cowboy I was when I first came here. I had someone who loved me and wanted to be with me. Chelsea's dad was in prison. Chelsea was alive and well. Our daughter was healthy and happy. I wasn't abusive towards either of them.

The shadows of the past couldn't hurt us anymore.