Author's Note: Ok, this is it... Special thanks to Heather and Nicole, for the many hours and fustration on this story... It's been fun guys... Feedback...LOTS OF IT... now that it's over...

Look for 'The Aftermath' to be posted...soon... the prologue as soon as my beta and me finish tearing it to shreds And another story in June...like this one...longer...not sure how long yet...Meg.

EPILOGUE

Jacqueline lay in bed; sweat pouring from her face, hands clutching anything and everything. Holding onto her right hand was her husband, d'Artagnan. He looked worried. He winced as she squeezed and his hand grew numb. "Sweetheart, I am sorry," he pleaded with her for forgiveness.

She glared up at him, not amused. "That is…what you…said... awwww!" She gasped between pains. "Several months…ago…" She glared again. She remembered all to well his 'apology' for getting her with child the first time. "You find…some other…way…to apologize…or I will…kill you!" she screamed as she finished.

The nurse looked at them. "Time to push, milady."

Jacqueline pushed, and then a tiny wail could be heard. The nurse wiped the infant off as d'Artagnan wiped the sweat off Jacqueline's face. "Here you go Viscomptess, a little lady for you." She handed her the infant. Tears welled up in d'Artagnan's eyes as he looked down as his daughter. She was beautiful, looked just like Jacqueline. "Marquette Jacqueline d'Artagnan that is your father." Jacqueline told her as she handed her over to him.

Fifteen-month-old Edmund Gerard d'Artagnan looked down in wonder at his tiny new sister. He wrinkled his nose and looked at his father. "Keep?" He wanted to know. D'Artagnan nodded at him. Little Edmund was just starting to talk. D'Artagnan had insisted they give their son her brother's name and Jacqueline had agreed if they also used his. They used the same compromise on the baby girl. Jacqueline wanted to use his mother's name and he wanted to use hers. The compromise was Marquette Jacqueline d'Artagnan. She looked amazingly like Jacqueline with the exception of her eyes, which looked like an exact copy of d'Artagnan's mother's. She gurgled at her father lovingly. "See mother?" Little Edmund asked him.

D'Artagnan nodded at the door. "Mother is tired so do not stay long." Little Edmund bounded in the room. Jacqueline wrapped her son in her arms.

"More?" her son asked her.

Jacqueline sighed. "I hope not," she answered him.

"Sleep here?" Jacqueline smiled at him. "All right, climb up." Little Edmund climbed up and snuggled next to his mother. Little Edmund had his father's natural ability to get his way. He also had the annoying habit of thinking he could fight his way out of everything. Captain Duval did not help this at all. For his birthday he had given Little Edmund a miniature rapier, which the boy carried everywhere.

Charles d'Artagnan walked through the doorof his son's cottage looking around. D'Artagnan looked up and smiled. "Hello, father."

Charles d'Artagnan looked around some more. "Where's my granddaughter?"

D'Artagnan held her up so he could see her. "She's hungry again."

Charles d'Artagnan took her. "She has your mother's eyes." D'Artagnan's smiled faded. "I wish she could have been here to see her." Charles looked at him. "She would be proud of you, son. You are a better husband and father than I was."

Gerard entered. "How's my niece?" Charles handed her to him as little Edmund entered. "Fight, grandfather?" Charles laughed as his grandson hit him with the miniature rapier and he pretended to die.

Jacqueline came down the stairs at the sound of her brother's voice. "Sister, you have beautiful children," Gerard told her. Jacqueline sparkled.

"Grandfather, die?" Little Edmund asked.

"No son, he is fine." Jacqueline threw d'Artagnan a look.

Siroc and Ramon stood in the doorway. "Having a celebration without us, eh?" Ramon asked, taking Marquette from Gerard.

"Never," d'Artagnan replied, patting him on the back. "Since you are going to be a father, you need all the practice."

Ramon shot d'Artagnan a look. "Si, mi amigo. Margot is getting far along now."

Siroc hugged his friend and then turned to Ramon. "I want to see my goddaughter; you have had her long enough."

Ramon turned to Jacqueline. "I must catch up with you."

Jacqueline shook her head. "This is it for us." Siroc raised an eyebrow at d'Artagnan who only shrugged.

"Siroc, when are you going to settle down?"

Siroc shrugged. "Soon maybe." Ramon rolled his eyes. "He met this maid from the palace, and she loves his experiments. She's as boring and serious as he is." They laughed.

"Where is she?" They turned to see Duval standing there. Siroc handed her over to him. "How's the pretty baby?" Duval asked her, talking lovingly to her. She gurgled at him.

"She likes you," Ramon told him, laughing.

Duval turned to d'Artagnan. "I should be angry with you. You left and then Ramon got the idea, and now Siroc is leaving." D'Artagnan smirked at him. "We decided to settle down. Maybe you should try it." They all broke out in laughter.

Jacqueline sighed. "It is good to have everyone here like this." Everyone nodded his heads in agreement. It was best when all your friends and family were around.