Here you go my dears. You asked for it, and I am more than happy to provide. Here is the absolute end of this story, as I don't think you can have anything else after an epilogue...

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! to everyone who has commented and supported me throughout this extremely long story and all the nasty fights with my muse. XD We really had it out over this last chapter. She's currenty sitting in a corner with a black eye and bloody nose. I am so going to regret that later, but for now...I REALLY DON'T CARE! lol...

ENJOY!

"Ripcord to base, come in please."

Ripcord this is base.

Buckshot smiled, carefully maneuvering the Ripcord. Charley had done a fine piece of work on his ship, she handled like a dream now! He gazed out of the cockpit window at the red cliffs and reddish orange sand of his home world, beautiful to his eyes.

Home. He was nearly home at last.

"Base this is Buckshot aboard the Ripcord. Request landing clearance and instructions." The pilot stated calmly.

There was a moment of silence, then the dispatcher's voice returned. Ripcord, you're cleared for landing. Please proceed to landing pad two. General Carbine is waiting there to meet you."

That last surprised Buckshot. The General waiting on the landing pad for them? He shrugged. He'd find out soon enough. In the meantime he had a ship to land. "Understood. Proceeding to landing pad two now." He said into the mic.

The instant the ship touched down, Martian mechanics swarmed out from hidden entrances in the stone. The massive landing pad the Ripcord had landed on was designed to look like just another flat layer of stone. If you didn't know what you were looking for it would be very easy to miss.

And that was the entire point.

"Stay put." Buckshot called over his shoulder. "We don't get out until they've gotten us undercover." Crucible and the girls nodded.

A thud sounded outside the ship, quickly followed by a faint grinding sound. The large landing pads were also built to move.

The operators outside quickly guided the landing pad through a large hanger door in the rocky cliff face and over to a docking area. Once the passengers were disembarked, the Ripcord would be carefully removed and stored to one side while the landing pad was returned to its place just inside the doors, ready to roll out in a moment's notice to provide safe landing for the next incoming ship.

Landing pads one and three were stationed about a mile or two away in opposite directions, ensuring that safe landing was easily reachable for the Freedom Fighters ships at all hours of the day.

Ripcord, you are now securely docked. Please disembark. Your ship will be stored and any necessary repairs will be made.

"Roger that." Buckshot looked over his shoulder at his passengers. "Ok, you can get up now."

With Crucible's help Buckshot limped over to the door and opened the hatch, Tiffany holding onto his hand and Angela holding onto his tail. The ramp hissed and slid down, revealing several Freedom Fighter mechanics ready and waiting to board the ship and give her the once over and unload her cargo, though they waited respectfully for her obviously injured pilot and his passengers to get off first.

"Ship's all yours guys." Buckshot said as he stepped off the ramp. "I doubt you'll have to make any repairs, we didn't have any trouble coming home." He stopped and smiled.

A white and butterscotch colored mouse was waiting with a bucket.

The mouse grinned and shrugged. "A bet's a bet. You made it home without us having to send another ship to pick you up, so I owe you a full wash of the Ripcord." His grin faded a little as concern colored his face. "You ok?"

Buckshot smiled. "I've been better." He admitted. "And I'm working my way back to being better." He motioned for the mouse to come closer and gently drew Angela and Tiffany forward. "Quist, I'd like you to meet my daughters." Quist's jaw dropped. "This is Angela, and Tiffany. Girls, this is my friend Quist."

"Hello." They answered in unison.

Quist shook his head, appearing somewhat dazed. "Uh…Hi." He starred at Buckshot. "These are your kids? I thought for sure you had to boys and a girl."

"DADDY!"

Two gray streaks zipped past Quist and the girls to tackle Buckshot, followed swiftly by a somewhat larger brown blur.

Buckshot was torn from Crucible's hold by the sudden onslaught and landed on his rump, three excited children sitting on top of him. He laughed, not really seeming to mind as he hugged, cuddled, and tickled his children in turn.

"You're home, you're finally home!" one of the twins crowed, practically jumping for joy.

"You were gone so long!" his twin brother added.

"We missed you so much Daddy!" The brown furred girl said, hugging her father's neck tight and planting a kiss on his cheek.

He laughed. "Easy fella's, Daddy's a little banged up right now." His sons immediately stopped bouncing up and down on him, though they didn't get off. "I missed you to." He said grinning.

He got himself up on his knees and hugged his children again, before smiling and asking if they were ready to meet their new sisters. Their answer was a series of ecstatic yes's. He drew their attention to Tiffany and Angela.

"Kids, these are your new sisters, Tiffany and Angela. Girls, meet Basilica, Bolt, and Sprocket, your new family."

"Hi!" Tiffany, of course, was only too happy to meet her new siblings, almost immediately getting into a guessing game with Bolt and Sprocket as she tried to tell who was who. Angela on the other hand approached more cautiously, nervous lest she make a mess of things somehow.

She needn't have worried. Basilica was more than happy to take the uneasy girl under her wing, subtly fending off her boisterous brothers so that they didn't overwhelm Angela.

"I see the children are getting along well enough."

The mice looked up to find General Carbine standing there with a pale brown female. The female giggled, covering her mouth with her hands. "And the twin terrors are up to their old tricks again." She added. Regaining some of her composure she called the two miscreants. "Boys, behave. Don't go confusing the poor girl."

"Ok." One agreed.

"We'll have plenty of time to confuse her later!" the other said, sounding almost as if he were finishing his brothers sentence.

"Little scamps." She muttered. She walked past the children to hug Buckshot. "You ok? You look a little the worse for wear."

He smiled, nuzzling his sister's hair. "Hey sis. I'll be ok." He brushed some of his sister's hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Nothing a little time with you and the kids can't cure." He gestured to the girls. "Say hello to your nieces, Angela and Tiffany. Girls, this is your Aunt Umber."

She smiled. "Hello girls. Did you have a good trip?"

"You bet!" Tiffany giggled.

"Crucible even let us braid his hair!" Angela added.

Crucible laid his ears back, embarrassed, blushing beneath his fur. "We were running out of things to keep them occupied." He said, ducking his head under Carbine's amused gaze.

Carbine chuckled. "I wouldn't find it half as amusing if there wasn't still a small braid in your hair just behind you ear." she said, her smile growing wider as she watched a mortified Crucible quickly reached up a hand to hide the small braid under his hair untill he had a chance to take it out.

Umber smiled, scooping Tiffany up in her arms. "Come on kids, let's go get something to eat. We've got lunch waiting back at home. You're welcome to come to." She added, meaning Crucible and Carbine.

Carbine shook her head. "I'm needed elsewhere I'm afraid. But thank you. I'm sure Crucible would be happy to go though."The green pelted Martian smiled and nodded his assent.

Umber shifted Tiffany to her other hip, catching one of the twins with her free hand. "Great! Then let's get a move on."

Buckshot smiled and Crucible helped him limp up the ramp to the docking port entrance.

Tiffany and the boys were happily chattering back and forth, and Basilica seemed to have gained Angela's trust, as the once human girl was walking hand in hand with her and carrying on a quiet conversation.

He looked up and met Crucible's eye. "It's good to be home…"

Listening to the song "I don't wanna know" by Phil Collins, and just as I finish this, he sings the words "It's over, oh yes it's all over.." (stares at the computer in disbeleif) "How the frick did he know I was done?!"

Lol, now I'm going to run and hit that fun little button that says "Complete"...or maybe it says "Finish". I can't remember.

Anyway, I've already started writing my next fanfictions, though I haven't posted anything yet. I've got an X-men one started along with a Batman one. I'm not really happy with the X-men one, and I'm seriously debating starting over from scratch I'm that disatisfied. We'll see.

Until next time...