Disclaimer: Dave Bautista and company are not mine. I am not making any money.

Author's Note: It's finally over! I hate that it's over, but all good things come to an end. I hope you enjoyed His Shadow as much as I did. Thanks Guys for all your reviews and all your love!

Please forgive me for taking so long... I wasn't sure how I wanted to end it, but I once I knew it was written in no time.

Epilogue: Christmas of 2012

"Hey Dad, Caitlyn just pulled up and I think she has Chloe with her." My fifteen year old daughter, Chesi called from the living room window. I sighed in relief. My three youngest were getting impatient, but who could really blame them. They were four and two and they had been waiting a long time for Christmas morning to come again. Now that Christmas morning was finally here, they were practically dancing on their tiptoes with excitement. And they were finally getting old enough to enjoy it and that was enjoyment enough for Ashley and me.

"Let them in, Chesi. Then come into the kitchen to finish breakfast." I called back to her. I heard her reply, but didn't actually hear what she said. I was sure she was agreeing so I didn't say anything in return. I turned back to my three youngest who were seated at the kitchen table. My only son, David Michael the Third sitting like a big boy in one of the dining chairs was eating his waffle and bacon like a pro. Out of all six of my kids, he was the only one that looked his mother. Mischievous brown eyes and curly brown hair, he was the spitting image of my Lil Bit.

My two youngest, my last two babies were identical twin girls and adopted. After Ashley almost died giving birth to Davey, I just couldn't go through almost losing her again and she didn't want to put me or her family through that either, but she did however want a little girl. After talking about it for months on end, we agreed to look into adopting a little Pilipino girl. Ashley was beyond excited that she too would get her own little girl. Just shy of Davey's second birthday, we got a call from our lawyer. A young woman had given birth to twin little girls and just up and decided she didn't want them. After calling my mom to watch Davey and the girls, we left for the Philippines. A week later, we were back in the states with two beautiful perfectly healthy baby girls. Keely and Kiley are the apple of their momma's eyes and well hell, mine too. In their matching high chairs, they too were scarfing down waffles and bacon.

"Momma?" Keely asked with a mouthful of waffle. Waffles and bacon were almost an everyday thing around here. All the kids loved it as did their mother.

"She's upstairs, Sweetie. Now eat your breakfast so we can open presents." I bribed her and she giggled with glee.

"Pwesents, pwesents, pwesents." My three youngest began chanting with syrup running down their chins.

Suddenly, Davey squealed and tried to get down from his chair. "Caity!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

I turned just in time to see my eldest daughter at twenty-two walk into the kitchen with my middle daughter, seventeen year old, Chloe at her heels. Caitlyn held open her arms and squealed too. "Davey!" She enveloped him into her arms and gave him a loud smacking kiss on his syrup sticky cheek. "I've missed you, Davey Michael." She told him.

He pulled back and gave her a toothless grin. His favorite song right now, 'All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth' and with good reason. "Missed you, Caity." He kissed her cheek. "Did you bring me anything?" He asked hopefully.

Caitlyn laughed and kissed his forehead. "Don't I always?" She teased. He nodded eagerly. "Exactly, but you have to eat first and then we'll open presents." He nodded again and began to shovel his waffle in his mouth.

I watched as Caitlyn gave her two little sisters hugs and kisses and then murmured and whispered to them as they fixed their plates and ate side by side. She was the best oldest sister I think any of my kids could have asked for. Accepted into Harvard Law School, she was a full time student and a part time assistant teacher at a local day care where she lived in Massachusetts. I helped as much as I could with her schooling, but she wanted to do it on her own. As independent as they come, but she didn't hesitate to ask me for help so she could buy her little brother and her sisters something for Christmas. She also insisted that she wanted to get something for Ashley too. I'm so very proud of my eldest daughter and it actually saddens me that she's growing up.

"Where's Ashley, Dad?" Chloe's question pulled me from my thoughts and I turned to look at her.

"She upstairs and on the phone when I came down."

"With who?" Chesi questioned.

"With your grandma."

That made Caitlyn look up. "Is Grandma coming today?" She asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we'll find out when Ashley gets down here."

"Find out what?"

I turned at the sound of my Lil Bit's voice and my smile is immediate. She's absolutely beautiful in a silver baby doll dress with silver flats. Her luscious brown locks are down and cascading around her shoulders. In the past six years, she's only gotten more beautiful, more gorgeous and I can't help but love her more and more.

I pulled her into the circle of my arms and she leaned back against me so she could face our brood. I buried my nose in her hair and inhaled. She always smelled good, even after one intense night where all three of our youngest were sick and throwing up, she still managed to smell delicious.

"Is Grandma coming?" Chesi asked.

Ashley shook her head. "Not until way later this evening. She's met someone and wants to spend the day with that person." Ashley replied and they simply nodded without any questions. Recently my mother came out and told us that she was a lesbian. I was a little shocked at first, but I didn't care. It didn't matter to me. She was my mom, she gave me life, and made sure that I was always taken care of. I would have supported her no matter what. Even if she told me she wanted to join the circus, we would have cheered her on. Only Ashley and I knew so I guess she had now decided it was time to stop hiding it from her grandchildren. I agreed with her; Caitlyn, Chloe, and Chesi were old enough and mature enough to understand and hopefully accept it.

Ashley pulled out of my arms and hugged Caitlyn to her. Caitlyn had about four inches on her, Chloe had three, and Chesi had almost five. She whispered something to Caitlyn that I didn't hear and Caitlyn nodded with a watering tear filled smile. She then turned to Chloe and pulled her into a giant hug. She whispered something to Chloe who blushed. My eyes narrowed in confusion and suspicion. What the hell was she saying to them?

"Chloe come help me get the presents from the car." Caitlyn suddenly announced.

"Can I come to?" Chesi asked her oldest sister.

Caitlyn nodded. "Of course, come on."

I looked around the kitchen as my three oldest daughters left to find Ashley cleaning up a sticky Davey. She was so gentle and loving towards our only son, it made me emotional. Davey was grinning with glee and shouting pwesents at the top of his lungs. Ashley shushed him and kissed his forehead. He immediately quieted and smiled at his momma. I joined her side and began to clean up Kiley.

"What did you say to Caitlyn and Chloe?" I asked.

She glanced over at me with a coy smile on her face. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She teased.

I gripped her chin between my thumb and forefinger and planted a hot and hard kiss on her parted mouth. "Damn right I want to know."

"Ummm, Daddy said damn." Davey chastised me and I gave him a scolded look.

"Only daddies can say that word. Say again and I'll wash your mouth out with soap." I firmly told him and he nodded.

He frowned. "Yes, Sir."

I nodded and then smiled at him. He grinned right back as Ashley helped him down. I couldn't help but keep right on grinning as he ran into the living room as fast as his little legs would carry him. All my kids knew I loved them, but I was strict with them all. I didn't allow them to disrespect anyone, most of all Ashley and their grandmother. They valued both of the women in their life and for that I was thankful. They didn't curse, they didn't swear, they weren't lazy either. They had chores, their homework always came first and they helped with dinner.

It hadn't always been this way, but as soon as Ashley and I got married and filed for custody of my daughters, it was a must. After Ashley and I married, we had a home built on ten acres of open land. I still wrestled, but now I was making my way into the movies and I was away a lot. I wanted Ashley and my family to be safe and I wanted to come home to them. Not to some motel room or some condo or apartment. I wanted to build a home with Ashley and my kids. So I did. Caitlyn, Chloe, and Chesi each had their own bedroom, but they shared a bathroom. Davey as my only son had to have his own bedroom and bathroom. Kiley and Keely shared a bedroom and a bathroom too. Ashley and I had a huge master suite with a master bathroom with a jacuzzi tub. Since Kiley and Keely's room was first built as a guest bedroom, we had to add to it to make it a little bigger and then had a guest house built on our property. A year later, a stable was built for our house of horses that we now had because of Chesi.

The downstairs was a kitchen, dining room, living room, laundry room, and a foyer. The foyer was closed off so whoever was there couldn't see the main part of the house. Once the door to the foyer was opened, everything was in sight. The kitchen, dining room, and living room were completely open spaces with high ceilings. The laundry room and pantry doors were in the kitchen and also pretty big spaces.

The upstairs were our bedrooms and off limits to anyone but family. Our girls had company once in a while, but it was only after I trusted them that I allowed them upstairs. My daughters didn't like it at first, but I told them that's how it was and I wasn't going to change. It took me forever to find my one true love and I worked hard for what I had. I wasn't about to lose anybody or anything because I allowed myself to overly trust. My girls came around and they had several friends that were eventually allowed upstairs.

"You really need to watch your mouth around Davey. He looks up to you and he's very impressionable."

I finished cleaning up Kiley as Ashley finished cleaning Keely and we placed them on the floor. They immediately made their way over to the living room where their sisters just came in and were setting up the presents.

"I know I do, but sometimes it's hard."

She smiled at me and finished cleaning up the sticky mess of waffles and syrup. "It's okay. I love you just as you are."

I nipped her neck as I pulled her into my arms and she giggled. Damn, six years later and I still love that sweet little sound. I pulled her into the living room and pulled her down between my legs on the over-stuffed black leather sofa. I kissed the side of her neck and she snuggled closer to me.

"What did you say to Caitlyn and Chloe?" I asked again in a whisper. The kids were talking amongst themselves and Caitlyn was giving more hugs and kisses to her younger brother and sisters. She didn't get to see them often so when she did, she smothered them with the love.

She sighed and wiggled against me. My reaction was instant, I was hard as a rock against the cradle of her ass and she giggled again. She was doing it on purpose. I squeezed her tighter to me. "Stop that or I'm going turn you over my knee and spank that sweet ass." I whispered the threat in her ear and she blushed. Six years later and still blushed, damn I loved her.

"I told Caitlyn how absolutely proud we were of her and all that she's accomplishing. I told her that she was growing up to a very beautiful, talented, successful woman and I was proud to be her stepmother."

I turned Ashley in my lap so I could cover her mouth with mine. I kept it sweet and soft as our kids were in the room, but she was absolutely amazing. I pulled back after nipping her bottom lip. "I do love you, Lil Bit. More and more so every day."

She crinkled her nose and smiled. "I love you too."

I nodded and my attention was diverted when Chloe shrieked. We looked over to see a huge box opened in front of her. "What is it, Chloe?" I asked.

She tipped the box so I could see, but I still hadn't a clue. She grinned. "Caitlyn got me everything I need for scrapbooking including several different kinds of scrapbooks. It's perfect and I love it. Thank you so much Caity."

My eldest daughter hugged her little sister and said something to her that I couldn't hear. When Davey was born, Chloe had asked for a camera so she could take lots of pictures of her new little brother. We bought a nice but not too expensive digital camera and she was never without the thing. She loved taking pictures of anything she could and making collages and scrapbooks. Hell, in our family her scrapbooks were legendary and popular as hell. She even had people asking her to help make their scrapbooks or just paid her to do it. She loved that and taking pictures. This year for Christmas, we had finally decided to update her camera; again. This would be her third, but her most expensive.

I pointed towards a medium size box wrapped in red paper with a huge silver bow and grinned. "Open that one next." I told her. Her eyes went wide, but she grabbed the box and ripped through the paper. She shrieked and squealed and pulled out her new Canon camera. It was a three thousand dollar camera but she was worth it. She jumped up and came running towards Ashley and myself. She threw her arms around the both of us and squeezed us tight.

"Thank you so much! I love you both so so so so so much!" Ashley laughed and squeezed her back.

"You're welcome, Sweetie. You're so very worth it."

Within seconds, she had a memory card in the camera and she was snapping away. The other kids were one by one opening presents as Chloe continued to take pictures. They unwrapped clothes, music cds, dvds, books, games, and toys.

"What did you tell Chloe?" I asked again.

"Chloe likes a boy in her History class and she was talking on the phone with him last night when I called to make sure that she had a ride over here."

"What boy?" I asked, not liking this at all. Chloe was too young.

"His name is Adam and he's a senior and at the top of his class. She told me this last night and she wanted to know if she could invite him over tomorrow so you could meet him. She wants Caitlyn to meet him too, that's why she said tomorrow. I asked her if she asked him and she said yes and he said he would."

I shook my head. "Chloe is too young for a boyfriend, especially one who is a senior."

Ashley looked me in the eyes and smiled. "She's seventeen and growing up. She's following in Caitlyn's footsteps with wanting to be a lawyer and then a part time photographer. She's got a good head on her shoulders, she'll be okay. I promise."

Opening my mouth to protest, I was cut off. "Dad, can I open this?" Chesi's soft voice asked and I turned my attention on her. She had her big present from Ashley and myself. This too was wrapped in red paper but with a huge purple bow. I nodded with a smile and she eagerly began tearing off the paper. She squealed with surprised happiness and jumped up to dance around the room. Ashley and I laughed as she came over to us and hugged us both.

"Oh I love it! I love it! I love it!" She squealed again and danced some more. She had wanted one of the new Microsoft Surfaces and that was what we got her. She was old enough to take care of it and she needed it for school. Chesi had been my baby for so long, I still considered her my baby girl. She was still uncertain what she wanted to do after high school, but it was a toss-up between computer technician or a veterinarian. Two completely different majors, but she didn't know which one she wanted.

Keely and Kiley were playing with their new dolls and cradles and Davey was pushing around a giant dump truck. With them satisfied, Caitlyn grabbed two small packages from the mantle above the fireplace and walked over to Ashley and myself.

She handed mine first and smiled. "This is from all of us, Dad. We love you and we hope you know it."

I gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. "I love you too, Sweetie."

I unwrapped my small present with my arms still wrapped around my Lil Bit. Inside was an envelope with my name sprawled in elegant hand writing. I quickly opened the envelope and let out a small sound of surprise. Inside was two airline tickets and a pamphlet of Hawaii. A small piece of paper tucked inside simply said, seven days and six nights in the honey moon suite for two. All expenses paid. Babysitting is on us. Love you, Dad.

"Girls, I don't know what to say." I replied.

Caitlyn smiled. "Dad, I'm twenty-two years old, Chloe is seventeen, and Chesi is fifteen. We're still young, but we're adults and we love Davey, Keely, and Kiley more than anything. Since Ashley had just had Davey when you two got married, you never got a proper honey moon. I hope you'll let us watch Davey, Keely, and Kiley and take this trip. We know how much you love Ashley and how you dote on her and take care of her. Because of your love for her, we won't accept anything less in our relationships in the future. Please say you'll go." She begged with tears in her eyes.

I picked Ashley up and sat her beside me before standing up and pulling my oldest daughter in my arms. "We would be honored to go and even more honored to let you watch your younger brother and sisters." I told her.

"Thanks Dad." She hugged me back before pulling away. "We'll have Grandma nearby too."

I nodded. "Of course, but we trust you immensely."

She beamed. "Thanks Dad."

I sat back down and hauled Ashley back in my arms as Caitlyn handed her a small package. Ashley melted on the spot. "Oh Sweetie, you didn't have to. The honey moon was for me too, right?" She winked at Caitlyn who laughed.

"Yes but this is just for you."

Ashley's eyes filled with tears as she slowly opened the small box. The tears flowed freely when she pulled a platinum charm bracelet from the box. "Let me see it, Lil Bit." I said and she handed it to me. It had eight little charms hanging from it. The first charm was a graduation cap that was engraved with Caitlyn.

"I believe that it was Ashley that helped me graduate from high school and it's definitely Ashley that's helping me get through college." Caitlyn replied when I looked up at her. Ashley is sobbing her heart out.

I picked up the second charm; a camera with the name Chloe engraved on it. "You encourage Chloe to follow her dream of being photographer and her dream to be a lawyer."

The third charm was a horse with Chesi engraved on it. "I think that's pretty self-explained. You talked Dad into getting the stable built because Chesi suddenly discovered she wanted to ride horses. You're always there for us, Ashley. You may not be our birth mother, but you're still our mom and we love you."

Ashley got up and hugged our three oldest girls and cried. While they had their moment, I looked at the other charms. A small train with Davey on it made me smile. The girls did Davey's room in a train motif after he was born. Ashley loved it. The Pilipino Flag with Keely and a Pilipino eagle with Kiley represented our newest additions. Caitlyn, Chloe, and Chesi had been happy as hell when they discovered we were adopting two little girls from the Philippines and they've doted on them since day one. The next charm was a small jet with my name on it and I knew immediately what it signified. The plane that Ashley got me when her dad left her all that money. I think the girls knew she really loved me then and they refused to let her go. Each of those charms had a small birthstone for each of them and I thought this bracelet was beautiful. I picked up the last charm and smiled. It was a small teddy bear with 'My Bautista Family' written on one side and her name and birthstone on the other. It was an expensive and thoughtful bracelet. My girls were the best. They really did love their step-mother and they proved it every day.

"Come on, Dave. We must give Caitlyn her present now."

"Come here, Lil Bit." I demanded and she quickly followed that demand. I slipped the bracelet over her small wrist and tightened the clasp.

She kissed my cheek and smiled. "Thanks. I love it, don't you?"

I nodded and smiled back. "I do, now let's go give Caitlyn her present so I can give you yours."

She nodded eagerly and pulled Caitlyn toward the garage. Caitlyn started to squeal before Ashley even hit the lights. She was in full on scream when the lights turned on and a brand new 2012 candy apple red Ford Mustang convertible took up a spot in the five car garage.

"OH MY GOD! I LOVE IT!" Caitlyn screamed again and threw herself at me and then at Ashley. "You are guys are so the best."

Immediately my two oldest wanted to take a ride and I nodded my approval. Kiley and Keely wanted a ride too but I told them not today and ushered them back in the house. They immediately went back to their doll house. Davey was still playing with his dumb truck. I grinned. My son was the easiest to please. It figures. I grabbed my gift to Ashley and went back to the garage. Ashley was waving good bye to the girls and I pulled her into the house.

I pulled her into my arms as she grabbed an envelope and handed it to me. I grinned and opened it. "Is this what I think it is?" I asked.

She nodded, grinning. "You've been wanting to build a custom chopper for the longest time. This is a kind of like a gift certificate from the Tuttle's. Your chopper is already paid for, you just have to decide what you want now."

I sealed my mouth over hers and plundered and conquered. I had the world's greatest wife and she was all mine. She pulled away from me, breathless and turned on. She looked over at our three babies and grinned. "You like it then?" She asked once turning back to look at me.

"I love it. Thank you." I kissed her again and handed her a small box.

She crinkled her nose and opened it. "Oh my. Dave, it's so beautiful. I love it." A white gold ring with a two carat diamond in the middle which was surrounded by smaller colorful stones sat upon a plush blue velvet covering. I pulled it from the box and slipped it on her finger.

I kissed the tip of her nose and smiled. "You are my everything, Lil Bit. I love each and everything about you and I love you more and more every day. Trust me when I say, you have made me the happiest man on earth these past six years and I hope we have many many years to come."

She smiled and brushed a kiss across my mouth. "You have made me the happiest woman ever. I love you, David Michael Bautista. Then, now, and always."

"Me kisses too!" Kiley screams in the background and I grinned. I pulled slowly away from Ashley and went after my youngest daughter who was squealing and Ashley was laughing in the background. Yea, my life was perfect. I had the greatest family any man could ask for and the most beautiful and the most loving wife any husband could want. Capturing Kiley and throwing her over my head, I knew Ashley had saved me just as I had saved her six years ago.

Please review.. let me know what you think of His Shadow... I hate that's it over.. Again.. THANK YOU for the reviews!