This is it. The last chapter!

It's taken over well over a year and a half, and 120,000 words, but we have finally reached the end. Huge thank you to everyone who has continued to read this and stuck with me, especially during the rather long hiatus this year. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And genuine thank you for all the comments you've left. Although I haven't had chance to respond to them all, I have read every single one and your feedback has been invaluable.

On with the last part...

"So when is the due date?"

"Huh?" Kate spun around at the sound of Douglas' voice.

"When is the happy day supposed to be?" He gestured towards her stomach with a wave of his hand.

"How did you...?" Kate was completely taken aback.

"I'm assuming there's a reason why you are also on the apple juice on your wedding day?" Douglas raised the glass in his hand before indicating to the one in hers.

Damn the man was far too clever for his own good. They were thankfully stood out of earshot of anyone else, behind the head table. Even so, she kept her voice low. "It's early days." She told him; resigned to the fact he'd worked it out. "Some time in January."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you." She smiled at him. "But you can't tell anyone."

"Perish the thought." Douglas replied with a smile. "Does Martin know?"

"Of course Martin knows." Kate whispered to him.

"And yet he's still here. Unless..." Douglas looked around.

"He's still here." Kate told him firmly, but with warmth in her voice. "He's gone to talk with his brother."

"Ah yes."

"Thank you, Douglas." She reached out to touch his arm. "For getting Simon to the ceremony. I know how much it means to Martin."

"Glad to be of service."

"And you even got him to take part! I bet that took some persuading."

"Not at all. He was only too happy to lend a hand with the rings." Douglas paused. "Once I'd threatened him with actual bodily harm he positively jumped at the chance."

Kate couldn't help but laugh. "He's really not that bad. It's just this thing with Martin..." She trailed off again before she said too much.

"Yes." Douglas intoned slowly. "About that..."

Before he had chance to enquire further, Aggie snuck up behind Douglas and threw her arms around his waist. "Fraternising with the bride?"

He chuckled, bringing her to his side with an arm around her shoulders. "As if I would."

"Oh, I have no doubt you would. Given half the chance." She winked at him, before turning her attention to Kate. "So...apple juice huh?"

"Oh for the love of...!" Kate threw them both a look. "Do you both practice at home or something?" She glared at them good naturedly. "Yes. Alright? Yes I am."

Aggie squealed and launched forward to catch Kate in a hug. "Oh, I knew it!" She drew back, still holding Kate by the shoulders. "That is such brilliant news. I'm so happy." She gave Kate a worried look."Does Martin know?"

"Yes!" Kate admonished her as Aggie stepped back. "He's happy about it. Ok?" She looked from Aggie to Douglas and back again.

Douglas held his hands up in mock surrender.

"I was just asking." Aggie smiled at her. "Knowing what Martin can be like."

"Well, he's fine." Kate reassured her, trying not to get defensive. She knew they were mostly joking. "In fact, it was his idea."

"It was?" Aggie asked.

"Yes. He suggested we try straight away. We just didn't expect it..." Kate paused, realising she was divulging something quite personal to not only her best friend, but Douglas too. Somehow though, it seemed quite natural. "...to happen quite so soon."

"Well..." Douglas intoned. "Martin was due."

Both Kate and Aggie turned to look at him quizzically, so he continued.

"I mean...there had to be something Martin got right...first time."

-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-

"So how did it go?"

Kate had been worrying after Martin ever since she saw him step through the outside door to speak with his brother. Her mind had been racing with the million and one ways the conversation could go and the fear of dealing with a dejected Martin whose wedding day had been utterly ruined.

His face was unreadable as he reached her, but instead of answering her question he stepped into her personal space, put his hands on her face and kissed her, before letting his hands slip down to her waist.

"Hello Mrs Crieff." He grinned at her.

She couldn't help but laugh at him. "I take it everything is ok then?"

"Oh yes."

"You and Simon...?" She let her question drift.

"It's all good. Well..." He hesitated. "It's not bad. It's not great." He clarified. "..but it's significantly better than it was."

Kate brought her hands up to rest on his shoulders, letting the rest of the room melt away around them. "I'm glad." She told him with a smile. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about going to see him."

Martin shook his head quickly, cutting her off from saying anything further. "It doesn't matter. None of it matters." He paused. "What does matter..." He slipped a hand from her hip to rest briefly on her stomach. "How long have you known?"

"Not long." She grinned at him. "A couple of days. I wanted to surprise you."

"Well you certainly did that!"

"Sorry about that." She looked sheepish. "I was going to tell you tonight, but I..."

"...needed a distraction to sneak my brother into the ceremony." Martin finished for her with a knowing look.

"That's about the size of it."

They both chuckled.

"Are you ok?" She asked him hesitantly. It occurred to her that Martin hadn't yet given his thoughts on the news, despite his cheerful demeanour and her assumptions.

"I have never been better." He grinned.

"I mean...about the news specifically?"

Martin drew her closer again. "I have never been better. " He repeated clearly for emphasis, before adding. "And I have also never been so utterly terrified."