Hello everyone! Here is the last chapter for the story, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

I know you come a long way, baby

But you don't need that heart of stone, no

You proved that you could do it, do it, baby

With me true love can still be found

Love can still be found

The second time around

Ooh, the second time is so much better, baby

The second time around

And I'll make it better than the first time

"The Second Time Around" Shalamar

Santa Barbara: 2022

"Zuri, do you have your bag?" Juliet asked as she closed the lid to a pink lunch pail.

"Right here!" Zuri skipped over to her.

"You kept your hair in the braids!" Juliet smiled and handed her the pail before gently touching the braided hair.

"I thought it would look good for my fist day in school." Zuri swung her backpack around to place her pail inside.

"First day of school." Shawn looked up from his mug. "It's like yesterday I dropped you off at day care."

"I'm not little anymore daddy." Zuri said with a smile.

Shawn nodded, "Yes you are."

A car horn from outside sounded and Zuri rushed over to give her dad a hug. "I love you daddy."

"Love you," he barely got out before she was over with Juliet.

"I love you, Zuri." Juliet hugged Zuri close.

"I love you, Mama." Zuri leaned away and kissed a spot on Juliet's stomach. "I love you baby sister or brother." Another honk from outside had Zuri running with a yell of goodbye.

"Be careful! Tell grandma hello!" Juliet yelled from the door.

"She will be fine." Shawn stood from his chair and placed his mug in the sink.

"I know I just…hormones I think. They're making me more protective than I need to be." Juliet watched as Maddie's car drove down the street.

"You're only just a few months," Shawn said while he leaned against the counter and eyed her belly.

Juliet placed a hand on her small round stomach and turned to face her husband. "A couple of months and this little bean already has so much control over me."

Only a couple of months after moving into their rented house, Shawn had proposed to Juliet. At the time, there was some confusion about what he was asking, as his sentences still weren't complete. But once the meaning had been deciphered, Juliet had accepted. A year later they bought their own house, got married and officially moved in as the Spencer family down the street from the very house he grew up in. Another year later and Juliet was pregnant.

"You nervous?" Shawn approached her slowly.

Juliet shook her head and took his hands in hers to place them on her stomach. "Soon you'll feel it moving around."

Shawn closed his eyes and stood still—already trying to concentrate on feeling any small movement.

"I'm not far along enough yet for you to feel something. It's going to be tiny Shawn. Smaller than Zuri when you got her." Juliet put her arms around his neck.

"Because it'll be a brand new baby." Shawn kissed her forehead.

"Exactly, and you're going to be there when it's born." Juliet checked her watch as it beeped. "Time to take your pills." She patted Shawn's chest and walked out of the kitchen and down the hall to the bathroom.

"I'm better now…" He began slowly lagging behind her.

"Yes you are, and we are all very proud of you." Juliet reached into the medicine cabinet and pulled out the green pillbox.

"Are all these…important?" he asked after watching her in silence for a few minutes.

Juliet glanced up. "Each and every one of these pills is necessary. You've got heart medication, the one for your asthma, vitamins and…"

Shawn interrupted her with a sigh. "But I don't need all of them."

Juliet met his eyes but said nothing. He was in a good place and she understood why he was frustrated with all the pills. They had an entire regime with morning and nighttime medication that she dosed out and made sure he took. Hell, she was tired of it and she wasn't even taking all of them.

"We can meet with your doctor and see what pills can be taken off. However, until then you take every single one." Juliet handed him that morning's bunch.

"Yes ma'am." Shawn smiled slowly.

Santa Barbara: 2016

"We shouldn't be here, Shawn…" Henry slowly looked around to make they hadn't been seen.

"I just need to see her, Dad." Shawn gazed from their small booth in the corner to the beautiful blonde sitting by herself at the counter. "Make sure she's okay…" Shawn trailed off.

"If we're caught we both go to jail, you longer than I will." Henry folded his arms and glared down at the menu in front of him.

"I didn't ask you to come." Shawn took a small sip from his drink.

"Yeah and what? Get a call from Karen saying you were arrested for stalking Juliet and being back in the city? No thanks," Henry grumbled.

"It's not stalking." Shawn looked away to glare at his father. "I love her dad. Being away from her is killing me."

"Risking your freedom to see her isn't worth it. I'm sorry kid, but it's over. You are never going to be with her again. Accept it, go home, and raise your daughter." Henry slowly reached across the table to grip Shawn's forearm. "It's for the best."

Shawn looked back over at Juliet who was still unaware of their presence. "It's best for her," he said slowly.

"It's best for her and you." Henry placed a twenty-dollar bill on the table and stood slowly. "Now let's go. I'm sure Zuri is missing her father." Shawn followed Henry's example, but took another glance at Juliet before he fixed the hat on his head and left quickly.

Santa Barbara: 2022

"We'll just slowly decrease the dose and soon you'll be off them completely." His doctor smiled and fixed his glasses. "I'm glad you're doing so well, Shawn."

"I am too." Shawn nodded while he buttoned up his shirt.

"Your processing and response time are still a little slow but it's certainly better. All these medications you've been taking…we might see some improvement with that after taking you off a couple."

"Really?" Shawn stopped by the door. "Good. I want to be normal for my family. Thanks doc." He closed the door behind him and made his way over the waiting room where Juliet sat reading a magazine and Zuri next to her.

"How'd it go?" Juliet asked as she stood up with Zuri's hand in hers.

"Good. Really good. I'm getting off a few meds," Shawn told her as they began walking out of the office.

"Which ones?" Juliet opened the car door for Zuri, who jumped in and buckled up.

"Uh…." Shawn stopped and thought. "I can't remember. I think he wrote them down." He reached into his pocket and handed Juliet a small piece of paper. She put one hand on the wheel and examined the paper.

"He took you off the asthma one?" Juliet put the paper in the console and started the car.

"He said my inhaler would be enough—just keep it close." Shawn turned to look at Zuri.

"We always do." Juliet smiled.

Santa Barbara: 2016

After a hard day at work, Juliet decided she was feeling sentimental and went to a diner she hadn't been to in a long time. She had to take a deep breath as she walked inside the air-conditioned room to try and keep all the emotions at bay. This place reminded her too much of Shawn. But that was why she was here, wasn't it?

Juliet was removed from her thoughts by a waitress behind the counter. "Would you like a seat?" she asked.

"Yes." Juliet quickly moved over to the seats in front of the counter and sat down. She ordered a glass of pineapple juice and made a crawly snake from the wrapper. Juliet smiled slowly at the finished result. She remembered all those years ago when she first met Shawn. She had thought Shawn had been some lunatic when he waltzed in and claimed she'd stolen his seat. Who would have known they'd be so involved in each other's lives?

She spent the rest of her time there in silence; lost in all the memories. Every once in a while she'd glance up from her food swearing she could feel eyes on her, but after a look around the diner she couldn't find anything.

"Good to go?" Her waitress came back with the check.

"Yes." Juliet pulled out her wallet and began to pay the bill, when she thought she heard a familiar voice. Juliet turned on her stool and looked out the window. The sight of familiar messy brown hair covered in a cap had her jumping off the stool and running outside.

"Shawn!" she yelled as she stood in front of the diner. The familiar figure seemed to pick up its pace as it retreated from her. Juliet ran down the street until she was able to grab the coat of the person.

"Shawn! What are you…?" The figure turned around and she let the coat drop from her hands. "I am so sorry sir. I thought you were someone else." The man grumbled and gave her a nasty look before he walked away.

"I could have sworn…" Juliet ran a hand through her hair and turned to go back to the diner to explain why she had run out.

Santa Barbara: 2022

"Who is that on the porch?" Zuri leaned forward and pointed out the front window at a figure who was sitting on the porch steps.

"I don't know…" Juliet pulled into the driveway slowly. Shawn exited the car first and paused near the gate.

"Abigail?"

"Shawn!" Abigail jumped up and walked over to him.

"Zuri stay in the car." Juliet instructed as she walked over. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard the two of you had gotten together and got married and your accident…I'm so sorry about that." Abigail looked between the two and played with her hands nervously.

"What are you doing here?" Juliet repeated, and crossed her arms. "Is this about Zuri?"

"Yes it is-" Abigail began but was cut off.

"You can't have her." Shawn's body stiffened.

Abigail shook her head. "I would never take her from you…on purpose. You see…." She reached into her purse and pulled out a letter. "They're questioning the legitimacy of Zuri's adoption."

"What?!" Shawn took the letter from her and opened it.

"There was a mix up at the orphanage in Uganda, and apparently, Zuri was never supposed to be put up. After she was taken to the states her parents agreed to let her stay here until things were better but she was not supposed to be adopted." Abigail explained.

"How the hell does that happen?" Juliet questioned.

"It's very busy over there and everyone was sick. Some paperwork was misfiled and they thought she was eligible. Anyway, they want her back Shawn. Her biological parents want her back. They're coming to the sates to take her to Uganda. It's all in the letter." Abigail motioned to the paper in Shawn's hands.

"They can't just take her. You two adopted her," Juliet said.

"That's why it's being questioned. She's been here her entire life and knows nothing else." Abigail moved a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"What do we do?" Shawn looked at Juliet.

"We get a lawyer. A damn good one. Zuri will be here to see this baby born if it kills me," Juliet replied before they turned to see Zuri staring at them through the car window with a small smile on her lips.

I really hope you guys enjoyed reading this entire story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have decided to continue with a sequel and I'm planning to get the first chapter up within a reasonable amount of time.

I couldn't have done this without my awesome beta orchids117. Who has thankfully agreed to sign on for the sequel!

Have a happy and safe Halloween everyone!