Hello! It took a little longer than I would have liked, but the epilogue is finally here! I had a lot of fun writing this and hopefully you all enjoyed reading it. This chapter includes lyrics from a great song by Rachel Platten called Better Place from Wildfire - and as always I own nothing.

Chapter 6 – Better Place

Miles smiled as he watched Bass pace across the room to check his suit for the 5th, no maybe 6th time since they arrived at the church 30 minutes ago. The look on his brother's face seemed to be a mix of genuine fear mingled with wary hope. He supposed he should put him out of his misery, but it was sort of fun watching him suffer. Miles figured it was good payback for all the times Bass made sure to remind him that he was sleeping with his daughter. "Sit down and take a drink before you lose it."

Letting out a long breath, Bass turned and took a seat next to his best friend, "I… I'm scared. I'm afraid that I'll wake up and this will have all been some dream and I'll be back to being alone; or that she'll change her mind or realize she could do so much better than me…"

Shaking his head, Miles took a swig from the bottle before answering, "Nah, my stubborn, insane daughter seems to think you are her soulmate or some crap like that… she's not letting you go, besides she mentioned the baby today…"

Looking mildly anxious Bass responded, "I'm surprised she said something." Then with a small laugh, "You realize I had to explain to her what was happening?"

Grumbling Miles reacted, "Yeah, she's really happy about this baby; spent an hour telling me how positive she was that it would be the most perfect little boy – blonde curly hair and all. Said it had to be a boy, so when you two had girls you would have someone to help you torture their dates. Not sure I am too thrilled by all this baby talk, but I can remember ever seeing her so happy – it's like… it's like she is actually young, like she should have been…"

Chuckling Bass countered, "Yeah, she's happy. I'm scared to death and desperate to hide it."

Patting his back, Miles stood and nodded as he responded, "It'll be ok; have a little faith, this is a church and all." Miles moved toward the door, "I'm going to go walk my little girl down the aisle. Oh, the priest had me listen to this local singer and I picked a song for her to sing. She's real good, you should listen to the words of the song."

Ten minutes later Bass stood at the alter and listened to the opening strands of the song. "I'll tell the world, I'll sing a song; It's a better place since you came along; Since you came along." Bass nearly cried at the words it was so perfect. Miles was right, both their worlds had become a better place since Charlotte came along. Tuning back into the words Bass grinned, "Everything's alright when you're with me; And I hold my favorite thing; I hold the love that you bring; But it feels like I've opened my eyes again; And the colors are golden and bright again; There's a song in my heart, I feel like I belong; It's a better place since you came along; It's a better place since you came along." Bass gasped at Charlotte's beauty. The music continued to play but he stood transfixed as she walked toward him, her smile broad and lighting up her eyes. And almost an hour later when they kissed for the first time as husband and wife, Bass knew he needed to make sure that song must be the first one they danced to as they celebrated their new life.

Early on Charlotte learned that life in Aspen moves at its own pace and people grow to trust and depend on each other pretty fast – because they need to in order to survive. That first winter they had been snowed in from their December 18th arrival through the first week in April. The pass that would have taken them south was buried in drifts of snow from repeated storms. They had found work in town and hunted to trade for food and a place to stay. When the thaw came, Miles and Rachel continued back to Texas to retrieve their payment, their things and her father. An overprotective Bass kept Charlotte close to their new home in town and Charlotte's limitless patience spent most of her pregnancy being tested. By late summer the doctor had joined the community and everyone seemed quite pleased at the addition. Not long after welcoming a healthy little boy, Charlotte and Bass had become parents to an abandoned baby girl; of whom Bass was particularly protective.

And now, 5 years later, they were coming upon another Snowmass Celebration and their 5th anniversary. Bass sat smiling by the fire as he carved a second car to match the first. "How goes the doll making?" he asked without raising his head from his own project. When grumbling was his sole response, Bass looked up to see Charlotte thrust her efforts at doll making toward him. Taking the scary looking, deformed lumps of fabric he turned it over and had to work not to laugh, "I'm thinking it is good that you are better at making children, than you are at sewing…"

Interrupting Charlotte threatened, "Close your mouth or I can promise that this baby I am pregnant with will be the last one we have."

Looking contrite, Bass leaned up and kissed her cheek, "We have 2 sons and 2 daughters, I would be ok if this was the final baby… as long as I don't have to give up our alone time."

Shaking her head, Charlotte patted his chest and smiled, "Never, I love having sex with you far too much. Now you finish those cars, so you can sew a pair of dolls while I sit here in my rocking chair and nap."

Bass tossed the doll into the basket and stood, before scooping her up and carrying her toward their room. "I'm putting you to bed then I'll deal with finishing up the gifts."

Charlotte snuggled into his shoulder and murmured her consent; allowing Bass to settle her in bed moments later and wrap her in blankets before she pleaded, "Cuddle up with me… please!"

Kissing her forehead, Bass smiled before replying "Let me just check on the kids first before we turn in for the night." Not expecting a response, Bass walked away toward the front of the house intending to check the locks and add a few logs to the fire, when he saw his oldest holding up that hideous scrap doll.

At 5 little Miles was a very kind child and he looked up at his father in confusion, "Dad, you can't really give this to Maggie, she'll know it is ugly; and it will totally scare poor Allie. She's not even two yet, if you let mom give her this she will never sleep."

Ruffling his hair Bass walked past his boy and checked the door before returning to the log pile, "I'm going to fix it before either of your sisters get it. Now shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Danny wanted a cookie and he wouldn't let me sleep unless I got him one." Miles sheepishly offered.

Rolling his eyes, Bass corrected, "I am guessing your brother is asleep and you are the one who is looking to sneak your mother's cookies…"

Bass watched his son hang his head a bit at being caught before reaching for a cookie and handing it to the boy. Between bites Miles responded, "Thanks dad! You know mom might not know how to sew, but she sure can make cookies."

Grabbing one for himself, Bass responded, "You mom's an impressive woman; now I think we should both go to bed before she wakes up and catches us eating the cookies." Smiling as his son hugged him good night, Bass decided this was a better life than he deserved and certainly better than he ever believed he would get.