This is it!

A/N: These amazing characters don't belong to me. In a way that's good, cuz Shane Brennan does a better job!

Epilogue

Arlington, Virginia
3 weeks later

Her heeled boots made sharp clicking noises as she walked down the hallway. She ran into Ellen Foster as she rounded the corner.

"Annie, when did you get back?" Ellen asked, enveloping the younger woman in a motherly hug.

"A week ago. Was busy with the latest case," Kate replied. "Dad's awake?"

"Grayson's in there. Goodness knows what they're talking about. He all but shooed me out of the room," Ellen laughed.

"Four decades worth of catching up to do," Kate said. "I hope Dad's not showing him my baby pictures. They're not flattering."

She bid goodbye to the forensic pathologist, and made her way to the last door in the wing. She knocked twice before opening it.

Her father was sitting on the couch almost buried under a pile of photographs. Grayson Callen sat on the floor, holding a few in his hands. They both looked up as the youngest member of the family walked in. She stopped taking in the scene, heart clenching.

"Annie Oakley," her father said. "You're late, young lady."

"Traffic's a nightmare at this time of the day. How are you?" she said, kissing him on the cheek and settling down beside her brother.

"Going on, kiddo. Seen that ruggedly handsome partner of yours lately?" he asked suddenly.

"Saw him couple of hours ago. Why?" She was suddenly suspicious.

"You kids' fighting?"

"Nobody's fighting, Dad. He's busy with another case. He left for Spain an hour ago. Sent his regards, by the way."

"He's good man," her father added, a twinkle in his blue eyes. They were an exact copy of his son.

"Oh god, Dad!"

"I'm just saying," he said, chuckling. Callen laughed at her mortified expression.

Kate stopped the second she got out of the elevator. Her intuition was hot wired directly to paranoia. The building had only six more tenants; all high level personnel from either Pentagon or Capitol Hill. Besides, the ridiculously expensive penthouse suite was mostly a place to live. The other apartment was to the left and was empty.

She pulled out her gun, softly turning the safety off. The front door was open slightly. She sure as hell didn't leave it like that before she'd left for work in the morning.

She pushed open the door with the toe of her boot, gun aimed high.

She heard claws pitter pattering on the wooden floor and Rex trotted into view, tail wagging. Confused, she slightly lowered the gun and crossed the hallway. Reaching the main room, she stopped, baffled.

All the lights were off. The whole place had been lit by candles of every possible shape and size. The small table on the timber deck outside had been set for two. In the middle of her kitchen, stood Sean Winchester, wearing a Kiss-The-Cook apron, holding a frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other.

"What are you doing?" she asked, bewildered.

"Cooking. Why are you aiming your gun at me?" he said, setting the pan down and wiping his hands.

"Aren't you supposed to be on your way to Barcelona?" she said, putting her gun away and peering at the food he'd been preparing.

"I stepped back. Guess I needed to finish some stuff. Danny took the case." He shrugged, looking at the oven.

Kate stood there trying to unscramble it. She hung her coat in the closet, chucked her boots in as well. Turning around she said, "So you're here. Cooking. What's the occasion? Did I miss my birthday or something?"

To her surprise, Sean went round the breakfast island and came to stand directly in front of her. He looked adorable and entirely kissable in that apron and Kate instinctively took a step back.

"No. I came to apologize." He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Sean? What is it? You're starting to freak me out a bit."

"I'm sorry. For the way I've been acting the last few weeks. I've been a complete jerk. I'm sorry I pushed you away. In the hospital I thought we could-" She raised her hands and took his face in her hands. She took a deep breath trying to compose herself.

"Sean. I'm glad I can count on you to have my back. And I should've told you this a long time ago. I'm sorry too. I should've tried to save them. It was all my fault. It was my job to protect-"

He cut her off with a kiss. He pulled back after a few seconds.

"It's not. It has been five years. And I'd like to start over."

She smiled as she reached up for another kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, "I'd like that too."

The End

I was toying around with the idea of a sequel... Hmm or maybe that was the over caffeinated plot bunny on my shoulder with too bright eyes!
I'd love to hear your thoughts... let me know!

And as always, please review!

-Love, Sam.