Epilogue

New Year's eve, 2024.

"Faster, Emmi, faster!" Rain demanded and squaled in delight when Emily quickened her pace running around the house, carrying the girl on her piggyback. For someone who'd grown to be easily over five foot nine tall and quite muscular (despite once upon a time declaring that muscles were for boys), Emily could sure move fast and nimbly. Catnip tried to keep up with the teenager and the girl, his efforts resulting in him having to eventually give up and stop to just pant heavily.

"Hey, calm down, girls!" Shannon ordered, rolling her eyes, having to feel a bit sorry for the old dog as he tried to keep track of his hyper humans.

"Yes, ma'am," Emily and Rain said in unison, as they often did when being told to knock off their shenanigans.

Hunnigan and Helena were getting ready to leave and Emily let Rain down from her back so that the girl could say goodnight to her parents before staying over at her aunt's for the night. Officially, it was Emily's job to babysit, and she'd agreed, quite happily so. She was aware that not a lot of sixteen year olds probably actually liked hanging out with their ten year old cousins, but Emily enjoyed it; doing that gave her an excuse to do childish things she normally wouldn't have gotten away with, like binge-watch cartoons.

"Okay, we're gonna get going or we'll miss the fireworks," Hunnigan then said and leaned down for the usual routine of "hug-kiss-mommy loves you-be good". Rain pretended to squirm a little as if embarrassed to be receiving so much attention and affection, but truthfully she would've missed the hugs and kisses if her parents had one day decided she was too old for it. Helena repeated the same routine with an extra squeeze (as she always did) before saying good night and heading back to the city.

"Happy tenth anniversary," Hunnigan smiled as they sat on the roof deck with a blanket wrapped around them. They weren't the only ones there as every tenant in the building had access to the roof deck, but they'd managed to occupy a relatively private corner, and most of the others were, surprisingly, considerate enough not to intrude.

"Happy tenth anniversary," Helena said and leaned to kiss Hunnigan gently before putting her arm over her shoulders and pulling her close, resting her cheek against the top of Hunnigan's head and sighing happily.

"Who would've thought, huh? All this just because I invaded your personal space under your umbrella," Helena mused and Hunnigan chuckled a little as the fireworks began to go off, coloring and dotting the horizon extending over the city.

"I'm so glad it rained."

End