Chapter 31: Epilogue

Sam POV-

"And here we see the debris of former mayor and billionaire, Vlad Master's, mansion. And while no body has been uncovered, it is unlikely that someone could have survived a collapse such as this. Search teams are working around the clock to discover whether the mayor's body is beneath the rubble. Police and investigators are speculating this as a possible ghost, or even, possibly a terrorist attack, considering the wealth of the mayor. It seems the mayor may also have had some kind of secret operation going on, because several secret sublevel floors were uncovered. But, with the devastation, it is impossible to determine what secret the mayor was hiding. With all your Amity Park news, I'm Carla Schaffer. Back to you Chet," the news reel announced.

It was an old episode of the news, a little over eight months to be exact. But, it was still probably the most exciting thing to have happened to Amity Park (aside from ghost attacks, which barely even counted as news anymore). However, despite the age of the news, nothing had changed, Vlad's body had never been found, they could find nothing about his "secret operation" and they could find nothing to tie anyone to the destruction of the mansion. However, we have finally gotten a new mayor. It took a few months, people kept waiting to see if Vlad would miraculously appear, but he didn't, so we held an election. There was only one candidate, so a week later, he was sworn into office, taking Vlad's place. But by now, dozens of conspiracy theories are in circulation, so much so, that it is unlikely that Vlad will be able to show his face, his human face at least, in public anytime soon.

And he hasn't. Through these months, none of us have seen hide nor hair of Vlad. We suspect that it will be years before we do because it is likely that he is planning something bigger. On one hand, this is great. No attacks, no kidnappings, no sign of Vlad, but on the other hand, it leaves in constant worry about when he will come back. And he will come back, his return is not the question, it's when.

Elizabeth and Grayson suffered no adverse effects from their kidnapping; at least, none that we know of, and they seem to be developing like normal kids (just a little faster). The stiches from Lizzie's head came out shortly after they were put in, but she still has a scar, a permanent reminder about what happened.

Paulina had a girl.

Her name was, as promised, Missy Celine Sanchez, and she was born a little over a week ago. Paulina milked her pregnancy to its extent, and is now milking Missy's birth. I swear, she has posted over 1000 pictures to Instagram and Facebook in the past week, mostly, all of the same exact thing, because Missy didn't move at all between the pictures.

I almost feel sorry for Missy, having to live with Paulina as her mom.

Paulina is still holding to the "Phantom is the father" story. And, unfortunately, it isn't too hard for people to believe. Missy, looks like Paulina. Same nose, mouth, ears, facial structure, she's even as tan as Paulina. But, one thing Missy did get that Paulina doesn't have, is that blonde, nearly white hair that Paulina had obviously been trying for when she slept with Jacob Erik. Another thing is that Missy has eyes between Paulina's blue eyes and Jacob's Caribbean blue-green eyes, making them a bright teal, that you actually might expect if you combined neon green and blue.

As annoying as it is, we're planning on letting Paulina continue to spread the false paternity of Missy, and let the people of Amity Park continue to believe her.

Why?

One, because it takes any and all suspicion away from Danny and I, and two, who are we to know that Paulina isn't carrying Phantom's baby?

If we announce our complete certainty that Missy is not Phantom's baby, then people, even the oblivious people of Amity Park, will begin to wonder how we know this for a fact.

Grayson and Lizzie have already begun to develop their powers.

You know that seen in the animated short after the Incredibles movie, Jack-Jack Attack, when Jack-Jack begins to float through the walls while she is trying to change his diaper? Well, it's hilarious on the screen, but in real life, it's freaking impossible.

It took, me, Danny, Jazz, and Danny's parents to catch a butt-naked Grayson as he floated through the walls, giggling in a high-pitched voice, probably more at our distress then at the fact that he was flying. He's smart that way. I'm just glad he didn't float outside the house, which would have been rather difficult to explain as we chased our floating, naked, but still obviously human, baby down the streets.

Of course, I can't guarantee that that won't happen once they get a little older. We still haven't hit the terrible two's yet.

Overall, I guess I can't really complain. I have two beautiful, smart, talented children, a boyfriend who loves me and has stuck it out despite the pregnancy and despite the fact that we are now raising tow high-strung super-powered babies, a babysitting service (did I mention it's free) that also has access to an intelligent weapons system, just in case, and I have people who actually like me.

Yes, as weird as it sounds, being a mom has made me more popular and well-liked. Obviously, not as popular as Paulina, but still. At school, girls talk to me and ask to see pictures. When we have the babies out around town, people from school stop to see them. And, actually, I have developed a close friendship with Valerie and Jazz (though we still try not to have Valerie around the babies for too long at a time, just in case someone decides to float away).

And, don't tell her I said this or anything, but, since she began hanging out with us, Valerie has begun to get a little closer with Tucker too. Now, I'm not saying anything has happened (yet, at least), but Danny and I am predicting a relationship between these two in the not-too-distant future.

Thinking back on it, nearly everything is different since a little over a year ago. Danny and I don't have the same relationship, I don't live in the same house, I now have superpowers too, I have friends other than Danny and Tucker, I have people in my life who care for me the way parents are supposed to. I technically have a sister, who gives advice whether I want her to or not. Oh yeah, and, I'm a mom to twins.

Sure, looking back on it, there are some things I might have changed or avoided (the confrontation with Vlad being the biggest), but, at the end of the day, Lizzie and Grayson are something that I would not change for the world. Even if I could go back to the night when they were conceived, even if we had somehow known that Hatchwork (working under Vlad) was going to manipulate us, having fallen in love with Lizzie and Grayson and Danny since then, I can't say that I wouldn't have gone through with it.

They have been one major step in Danny and my life.

And our journey is only beginning.

And that's the end. I hope you all liked it.
The one-shot series will be called "Growing up Phantoms" and I should have the first one-shot posted by 7:00 p.m. (I think it's central time) 6/23/13