SIXTEEN YEARS LATER – A/N: Some very different pairings here. Hope nobody minds.

"Do you think we'll get our books signed?" Lucie asked for the third time that afternoon.

"We're moving up the queue, darling. But Mr Knight has to go at five o' clock, he's meeting his brother later."

"I've got to have mine signed. I've got to!" Ryan reminded Zoe of Ethan Hardy suddenly as he wailed.

Lucie and Ryan Walker willed Mr Knight not to go home before their books were signed. Mr Knight was more famous and cleverer than J K Rowling! They loved his adventure series with the magic brothers.

Caleb Knight had already seen Lucie, Ryan and their parents in the queue and had sent Ethan a discreet text to say he'd be late. Ethan quickly texted back to say it made a change for him not to be late and not to worry. Louise would wait for them both, even if she gave her doctor husband and his famous author brother a lecture when they turned up for dinner.

And at last there were Lucie and Ryan at the front of the queue. Lucie let Ryan go first because he was little and could get fretful if he was kept waiting.

"What made you write things, Mr Knight?" asked Ryan.

"Oh we're friends so you should call me Cal. I started making up stories to stop my little brother worrying about things, years ago. And I was once very naughty and told somebody who was being snoopy a big story about a play we were going to do…."

The kids were glowing as their dad, Max, came to take them and their mum home.

Ethan came out of the operating theatre, exhausted but euphoric. Louise would skin him alive for this, but she did know how things were.

He howled with laughter at the message Louise had left him:

"Hey loser, you're late. Your dinner's in your brother."

He wondered again how that stroppy little girl at school who sometimes used to fight his corner, had got under his skin. Now there was nobody else he wanted but Lou, stroppiness included. He did hope she was joking though about his dinner. He was famished. To take his mind of his hunger until the cab he'd just texted arrived, he wondered once more whether the baby that was on the way would be a boy or a girl, and if Baby Hardy would like Snap and Sharpie or if they'd be scared of them. And he couldn't wait for the first reaction from Nana Beauchamp!

Dave wiped away another tear as he sat in the waiting room. He just knew Mr Chiltern would be coming out any moment to tell him that Caractacus would have to die. He'd know the truth if Mr Chiltern told him to put his money away. There was a rumour going round Holby that Mr Chiltern never took payment from a child for an animal he couldn't save. But here was Mr Chiltern coming through the doors with Caractacus's box with a big smile on his face.

"Hello, Dave. Now, Caractacus will have to come back again to have his shell rebuilt when his infection's died down, but if you make sure he's well looked after, he'll be fine. But I do need to ask you something about him."

Dave looked scared.

"I was very concerned about those boys climbing back over the fence and standing on him again, which is why I wanted to ask you something. How would you feel about being able to see Caractacus every day even if he's not living at your house?"

Dave didn't understand so the vet continued:

"As you know, there's an excellent pets' corner at Holby Mixed Infants, where you go. If you let Mr Max look after him, he'll be really safe in his hut and he'll make sure he's warm as toast when he hibernates. So he'll still be yours but I can promise you, no bad boys get past Mr Max!"

Dave wondered if his headmistress would agree to it.

"What will Mrs Walker say though?"

"She just happened to put the idea into my head! Now I shan't take full payment until Caractacus is completely healed but as Holby Mixed Infants is going to have him, they'll be pleased to pay my bill."

Dave, unable to help it, gave Mr Chiltern a huge bear hug.

After Dave had gone skipping off, knowing his tortoise was safe for ever, Ben Chiltern checked his text messages. Mainly from his mum. Now, he wasn't going to get too silly on his stag night, was he? He wouldn't be doing any overtime on his wedding day?

He thought of his mum's reaction after he'd brought his fiancée to his parents' home.

"I don't know why you couldn't marry that nice little redhead, Ben."

"Mum, Robyn came out last year! She'll be bringing Suzy to the wedding, remember?"

"Okay darling. But… you know, these people call themselves gay but do you suppose they're really happy?"

His mum would never change. But it didn't matter. Ben had found real love and was to be married that weekend.

Mr Jeffrey Collier and Ms Jess Harrison were taking advantage of the old stationery cupboard that Miss Freeman and Mrs Beauchamp used to use.

"We should go back in a minute" Jess sighed, but Jeff pulled her back.

"Hey, Mrs and Ms Beauchamp always found time for one more cuddle. And I need to ask you something as well."

"Right."

"Fancy announcing our engagement at Ben's wedding reception?"

"JEFF! Oh… yes please! Yes! But won't Ben mind having his thunder stolen?"

"When did Ben Chiltern ever complain about sharing anything?"

One more furtive kiss and the games teacher and history teacher reluctantly went back to work.

"Noel."

"What?"

"Please tell me you're not wearing that for the reception?"

"Jacob Masters! I paid a fortune for that suit."

"Oh well if you think you look okay in it…"

Noel's face fell and Jacob was contrite.

" I was teasing, stupid! You know I'm just jealous."

"Hey, you'll always be my mate, no matter how many shops I open. All that work in Ms Chao's classes paid off for me eh!"

"And you get the pick of the Holby babes!"

"Jacob, my friend, you will never have any trouble pulling babes. If you want a cougar, I think Zoe's big sister Alison's going to be at that reception!"

"MMmm, wouldn't say no to HER!"

"I miss that stationery cupboard" sighed Connie Beauchamp.

"We should find a little sneaky spot on Saturday. I hear St Winifred's has a nice garden."

"Rita Freeman, you might still be gorgeous but I draw the line at a church garden. There are limits."

"Mmmm. It's good to know the gang's all turned out so well, isn't it?"

"I always knew they would. Even when Cal first came and was a pain in the butt to everybody. I knew he'd make it in the end.

"I'm still surprised Ben didn't choose him as Best Man."

"I think he would have if he'd not been so set on asking Dylan. Ben always looked up to Dylan, Cal totally gets that. Hey, can you imagine Dylan's Best Man speech?"

Rita spluttered then recovered enough to say:

"Nana Beauchamp soon eh?"

"I'm going to get them to call me Nana Connie instead."

"You don't look like a Nana, you sexy bitch."

"Freeman! Control yourself!"

"Never!" and Rita gave one of her delicious giggles.

Taylor Ashby was being interviewed before her first night in Swan Lake. She was donating the takings from her performance to a childrens' charity.

"So tell me again, Taylor, why is this charity so important to you?"

"The truth? I was a complete little bitch when I went to school. I cheated, I sulked, I kicked off. Then one day after a big disappointment, I… I did something that nearly caused the death of a favourite dog. I was so sick with shame afterwards that I just kept thinking, how can I ever pay back for what I've done? It's funny you know, the kids from Holby Infants ignored me for years after that, all except for one boy who wished me a merry Christmas when I was at my lowest. I met him again years afterwards, and he was so sweet, he said he wasn't interested in what I used to be, but what I'd turned out to be. We started dating, and the rest is history."

"Remind the viewers again of your fiance's name."

The smile that spread across Taylor's face was warm and genuine.

"Ben Chiltern. On Saturday I'll be Mrs Taylor Chiltern."

THE END

So, sadly, that is the final Fierce Brave Gang but if you still want to read my Holby AU stories, "Healers and Slayers" will begin soon. I want to thank all my reviewers, especially the lovely Gypsy Abby, for all the support. You're all great.