EPILOGUE

One year later:

Stefano coughed, struggling for his next breath as he lay in the hospital infirmary. The oxygen mask over his face seemed to do little as his lungs slowly but inexorably filled with fluid from his failing heart. It hurt to breath and Stefano felt his will to go on at last leaving him. His whole life he'd relied on his exorable will power to keep on going, to continue fighting to the bitter end and now it seemed like the end was at last here and it was indeed bitter.

The last year alone in his jail cell had given Stefano too much time to think and the memories which at first been like a trickle had become a raging torrent soon enough. Memories of the past, of all of his misdeeds and broken relationships had assaulted Stefano and all he could do was take each body blow one after the other. Stefano didn't believe in regret but that belief had been sorely tested this last year. He had none of the trappings of success to distract him from his inner turmoil and then one day Stefano had woken up and realised he was going to die alone.

He'd never let himself entertain that possibility before but now it was here and he knew that he was never going to leave his utilitarian prison hospital bed. He was utterly alone and no one was going to mourn his passing, there was no one left in his life left to love him or even hate him – no mark to leave behind that he'd ever been there at all. Stefano had been completely abandoned by everyone that wasn't going to miraculously change now just because he happened to be dying. He often thought of Elvis and the loss of that relationship even before his youngest son's death. Stefano would play it over and over in his head and try and work out where he'd gone wrong and why Elvis had turned on him so completely and could never quite figure it out.

All Stefano knew was that at last he understood King Solomon's lament in Ecclesiastes that 'all is vanity'. Now that his life was all but done Stefano realised he had nothing to show for it – no empire, no loving family by his side, no legacy to leave except perhaps that of a cautionary tale. The sweat trickled down his face and soaked the pillow his head was lying on as the pain in his chest intensified and breathing became an impossible task.

"Don't fight ita mya son," said a soft, comforting voice by his ear.

Stefano struggled to focus his bleary gaze on the owner of his voice. He managed a gasp of surprise at seeing the man smiling down at him lovingly.

"Papa," he forced out through dry lips, his voice muffled by his oxygen.

"Hello my little Stefano," said the man, his face creased in tender concern, "Ow I 'ave missed you."

"Papa is it really you?" asked an addled Stefano as he looked up at the father he had always adored with groggy eyes.

"Si, it isa me," he said softly.

"I don't want you to see me like this," said an anguished Stefano, his ashen face twisting in despair.

"It isa alright my Stefano," Santo reassured him quietly, "It isa enough. It isa time for you to rest now my son."

"But I have failed you Papa," said Stefano weakly, clutching at the man's arm and finding only bed sheets, "The Brady's still live and love – they have not been destroyed."

"It isa I who 'ave failed you my Stefano," said Santo sadly, "My 'eartbreak set you ona course ina your life that youa did nota deserve."

"I-I don't understand," said Stefano shakily, blinking up at his father's image blearily.

"What 'appened with my beloved Colleen," said Santo with a shake of his head, "It wasa not up toa you toa set it right. My broken 'eart could nota see that anda I stole youra life when I filled youra head with ideas ofa revenge instead ofa just life. I ama your papa Stefano, I should 'ave taught you 'ow to love, not hate."

"So it was all for nothing?" asked a despairing Stefano, "My whole life meant nothing."

The realisation pressed Stefano back into the bed as the futility of all that he'd tried to do weighed him down. He'd wasted his whole life and now there was no more life to be had, no more second chances.

"You ara wrong my son," said Santo, cupping Stefano's cheek lovingly, "Death, she holds asa many second chances asa does life."

Stefano saw Santo look over his shoulder and followed his gaze. In the corner of the grey prison infirmary stood a young woman, smiling lovingly at the two of them. Colleen was every bit as lovely as the day Stefano remembered first meeting her but now she seemed to glow from within as she looked back at the two of them.

"It isa time fora you toa rest now Stefano," his father told him.

"But I've done so many bad things," Stefano said, panicking a little a starting to cough, "I can't die like this, I can't let this be my legacy. Papa please, don't take me yet."

"It isa not up to me mya son," said Santo simply, "It isa youra time and you must accept that. I ama here, waiting fora you anda we will make our amends together eh?"

Santo slipped his hand into Stefano's and suddenly the dying man could feel the warmth of that touch. He stared at his father wide eyed.

"I'm scared," he said in a small voice.

"Don't be," his father instructed him, "Sono qui con voi il mio bel ragazzo (I am here with you my beautiful boy)."

The heart monitor beside Stefano that had been chiming out an unsteady and erratic beat the whole time began to slow as he stared up at his father's kindly face. Stefano squeezed his father's hand tightly as near overwhelming regret and remorse gave way to a soothing peace. He knew he didn't deserve this kind of grace for all of the things that he'd done in this world but the very definition of grace was being bestowed something that wasn't deserved. Stefano's last thoughts were of his family and all that he'd lost with them as a tear slipped from his eyes.

"May God have mercy on my soul," Stefano gasped with his dying breath and praying that He would as he slipped from this world into the next.

The monitors beside him started to go crazy as Stefano's heart flat lined and he was gone.

oooOOOOooo

"Yes dahling he is fine," said Celeste indulgently as she walked by Theo's bed and saw her grandson tucked up safely and fast asleep, "You do not need to worry. We had a wonderful time together and now he is asleep. You just concentrate on having a lovely evening with Abraham."

Celeste had volunteered to baby sit so that Abe and Lexie could spend the night together at a hotel to celebrate their anniversary. Lexie however was still a little anxious.

"I'm sorry Mom," said Lexie with a sigh, "I still find it hard to leave him you know? I hate the thought of Theo waking up and me not being there. He's had enough of that in his life and I don't want him to have to go through it again."

"Dahling Theo isn't going to wake up so you just have a good time," said Celeste patiently, "I have it all in hand."

"I know you do Mom," said Lexie unevenly, "I guess I'm just still trying to deal with Father's death last week."

"You are sad?" asked Celeste in surprise.

She'd practically danced for joy when she'd heard the news.

"Not exactly," said Lexie, "But it made me sad to think about how much I miss EJ and how Theo isn't growing up with his cousins."

"There is a time and a season for everything Alexandra," said Celeste wisely, "EJ and Sami are in a better place, you know that."

Anyone listening in wouldn't think this conversation was anything other than a sister grieving about her lost brother but they knew differently.

"I know," said Lexie gratefully, "And I'm glad about that, I really am."

"And nothing is forever," said Celeste simply, "Now that the old lion is dead perhaps his cubs can enjoy greater freedom eh?"

"That's what I'm hoping Mom," said Lexie with a sigh.

They'd met up with EJ, Sami, Will and the twins a couple of times in the last year but Celeste knew that both families wanted to spend more time together. With the spectre of Stefano and his revenge gone now forever it looked like it could be more than possible very soon.

"Now go back to dinner," Celeste tutted, "And enjoy being with your husband. Theo and I will be here in the morning when you get home."

"Thanks Mom," said Lexie unevenly, "I love you."

"And I love you too dahling," said Celeste happily, "Have a good time."

They said their goodbyes before Celeste hung up and went down to do some reading before bedtime. After awhile she grew sleepy and took herself off to bed. Her dreams were no longer filled with nightmares of wolves and death and sleep no longer held the fear it once did. Celeste's family was reunited and the evil that had haunted them was vanquished. There were only sweet dreams to be had now. As soon as Celeste's head hit the pillow she slipped into a deep sleep, one where the future was laid open for her.

oooOOOOooo

"JohnE wait for you little sisters!" EJ called out down the beach.

Celeste looked all around herself and found that she was on a beautiful beach somewhere in the world where the sun shone brightly. A slightly older looking EJ and Sami had their arms around each other as they strolled down the long, pristine beach together, a gaggle of children up ahead of them. The tall dark haired teenager looked back over his shoulder and flashed a big grin to them.

"Hurry up slow pokes!" he ordered his little sisters as they tried to keep up with him as he ran along the beach.

"Your legs are too long JohnE," complained Isabel as she finally caught him up.

"Yours are too short," he teased his ten year old sister.

"No they aren't," retorted twelve year old Allegra, leaping to her sister's defence, "They're as long as mine."

"I rest my case," said JohnE with a cheeky grin and earned himself a slap on the arm for that observation.

The children had an odd mixture in their accents – a jumble of English and American plus a vague Italian overtones with even a French lilt to it – speaking to their varied upbringing all over the world.

"Mum Ella is hogging Jellybean."

Now it was fifteen year old Sam doing the complaining. "Me and Jake have been waiting forever for a turn."

They looked further down the beach to see seventeen year old Ella belting down the beach at a full gallop astride the large horse. Celeste couldn't take her eyes off EJ and Sami's gorgeous and rather large family as she watched them play along the shore line.

"Jake and I," Sami corrected him automatically about his use of grammar in regards to his twin brother, "And Ella has another five minutes of her turn so a little patience please."

"Just as well Jellybean likes to run," EJ chuckled as he watched their children squabble over turns on the beautiful horse.

"I think he is getting more than he bargained for with our brood," Sami laughed as she looked over at their six children with a mother's loving eye.

They were all so different and so wonderful and both she and EJ would often wake up and simply marvel over all that had been given to them with such healthy, happy and often times rambunctious children.

"And then some," agreed a voice behind them.

Celeste immediately recognised an adult Will, blonde haired and broad shoulders as he fell into step beside them, his arm around a pretty brunette. The rings on their wedding fingers told her they were married.

"There you two are," EJ smiled, "We thought we'd lost you."

"Josie was having a nap," said Will, smiling over at his wife of almost a year now.

"Is that what we are calling it?" giggled the petite but heavily pregnant woman.

Will grinned and shot her an adoring look as they all walked along the beach front together.

"I remember my naps when I was pregnant with your brothers and sisters," said Sami with a cheeky smile up at EJ, "They weren't very restful but boy were they fun."

"You make it sound like we no longer take naps together my love," said EJ, his brown eyes full of mischief, "And you know that isn't true."

EJ made a great show of stretching, his arms above his head. "In fact I'm feeling a little sleepy right now."

"Aren't you two over all that yet?" asked Will in exasperation.

"How could I be when your mother continues to be the most glorious creature that ever walked God's earth," said EJ, pulling Sami closer to him.

"I warned you that they were probably going to be wildly inappropriate before we came to the island," said Will with a shake of his head, "Bet you're sorry now honey."

"I think it's cute," said Josie with a grin, "And you'd better be lusting after me that way after eighteen years of marriage mister."

"Of course," Will promised her, "Only with us it won't be gross."

"I'm not sure Bump will agree with you," said EJ with a low chuckle.

Celeste watched as he put out a hand and rested it on Josie's rounded stomach, rubbing it lovingly. "And how are mother and child today my dear?"

"Bump is good," said Josie with a grin, rubbing her stomach as well, "I think island agrees with us both."

"Are you really not going to tell us what the sex is of my first grandchild?" Sami groaned as she patted Josie's belly as well, "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"We want it to be a surprise Mom," said Will in exasperation, "You only have to be patient for another six weeks."

"But I have to know what sort of clothes to buy," said Sami with a pout.

"Sweetheart you've already bought a truck load of baby clothes both boys and girls stuff," said EJ indulgently, "I don't think you can play that particular card."

"Oh like you can talk," Sami said, poking him in the ribs, "Who came home with a soccer ball the day before we left for Anam Cara?"

"A soccer ball is unisexual," said EJ unrepentantly, "And a must for any grandchild of mine. I'm determined that at least one child or grandchild of mine will play in the World Cup."

"Is that why you had so many children?" Josie laughed and Celeste was impressed with how completely at ease she was with her in laws.

Clearly EJ and Sami had learnt how to not only love each other but those around them with great warmth and consistency. Celeste smiled to see everyone so happy and content.

"We had so many children because Samantha couldn't keep her hands off me," said EJ with a smirk.

"You know that's not exactly how I remember it," said Sami with an arched eyebrow, a smile playing around her lips, "I seem to recall you were always the one pushing for one more each time."

"I think you're just embarrassed darling because you couldn't bring yourself to let me out of your bed," said EJ teasingly, "I married an insatiable woman."

"Face it, you're both rampant," Will said with a roll of his eyes, "And I have the emotional scars to prove it."

"You weren't that uptight about a little snuggling fifteen minutes ago Jamie," his wife reminded him cheekily.

Before Will could find an answer for that JohnE had run up the beach to them.

"Come and help me find some bigger firewood for the bonfire?" he asked his older brother.

Will looked at Josie who smiled indulgently. "Go, I'm fine honey."

"We'll help too!"

Jake and Sam ran up to join in never wanting to be left out of anything the big boys did. Time with their eldest brother was especially precious now that he no longer lived at home.

"Watch out for snakes and spiders," Sami told them as they all started up the beach to start looking for firewood in the surrounding bush.

"I don't think any self respecting arachnid or reptile would be within a mile of those lot crashing through the underbrush," said EJ with a chuckle.

Suddenly the beach was dark, night having fallen in a moment for Celeste and up ahead of her Sami and EJ's family was gathered around a huge bonfire waiting for it to die down enough so they could roast marshmallows. Celeste could hear all of them laughing and talking, content to just be with one another and it was a heart warming sight.

From the flickering light of bonfire Celeste saw that there was a ring of people standing around the ever expanding family and knew them immediately. It was Marlena and John, Roman, Bo, Hope, Steve, Kayla, Lexie and Abe and all their children, grown almost into adulthood. All of the members of the family including Susan and Edmund Crumb stood behind EJ and Sami's family, smiling lovingly at them and surrounding them with their love. Tears stung Celeste's eyes at the beautiful sight.

"Dey've found dere home," said a voice suddenly in her ear as a blonde woman came to stand beside her, looking at the happy sight with her.

Celeste looked at her wide eyed, thinking she was looking at Sami but not quite. Her hair was a darker blonde and she was a little shorter than the Sami Celeste knew. The woman turned to her and smiled.

"Because dey found dere hearts," she said with a soft smile.

"Anda now everya thing isa 'ow it should be," noted a rich Italian voice in satisfaction as the tall man came to stand on the other side of her.

Celeste didn't need to see that this man was the spitting image of EJ to know who he was. She watched as Santo walked over to Colleen and put his arm around her.

"So everything turns out alright?" said Celeste breathlessly, "EJ and Sami finally get their happy ever after?"

"Dere life won't be witout sadness and trials at times," said Colleen huskily, "But it is dose sadness's dat make da good times even sweeter. Witout dem a life is only half lived because it is only in da hard times do we become da people we were meant ta be. Sami and EJ become who dey were always destined ta be, flaws and all."

"I would never have believed Sami Brady or EJ DiMera could have ever found true love much less know how to keep it," said Celeste in amazement as she thought about the selfish teenager Sami had been and the self obsessed man EJ had been when he'd first come to Salem.

They'd seemed doomed to go through life grabbing at what they wanted but never truly being able to possess it. However it seemed finding each other changed that destiny for them.

"For a long time I thought that all of this was going to end badly for them," Celeste admitted unevenly, thinking of her dark and ominous dreams.

"True love," said Santo, looking down at Colleen adoringly as she smiled up at him, "True love can nota be denied Celeste, only delayed fora time."

Celeste gave a soft smile to see the love and devotion between those two and could see a mirror image of it when she looked at EJ and Sami.

Santo looked over at Celeste before speaking with great certainty. "What isa fated to be will be, noa matter thea obstacles ina the way - always."

Celeste looked over at the family by the bonfire again and watched as Sami snuggled back into EJ's arms as they sat by the fire, him resting his cheek against hers.

"Fated to be," she whispered and for the first time EJ and Sami seemed to be able to see her.

They turned as one to look at Celeste, their faces glowing with happiness and love. As she slept a huge smile came to Celeste's face and as she rolled over a feeling of peace and contentment flooded her being.

"Fated to be," she murmured in her sleep again before being drawn into the most restful of slumbers.

What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning.

The end is where we start from.

T.S. Eliot

(American born English Editor, Playwright, Poet and Critic, 1888-1965)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well guys you made it to the end, congratulations – that is no small feat. I want to thank you for holding on to the bittersweet end and being a part of "Fated". This was the kind of story I'd always hoped for EJami but never got on the actual show but now I kind of feel that in at least one reality they got the story they deserved. I really hope you enjoyed it.

Because I'm a math's nut I thought I'd leave you with some statistics to ponder.

You gentle reader have read just under 1.3 million words in this story. I started to originally post this story on July 16th 2008 and am finishing it on the 6th of March 2011. That is 2 years, 7 months and 19 days for those who are counting. The story has turned out to be 2768 pages long. Now seeing as the average book is around 80 000 words and I wrote 1.3 million words if I had released this story in instalments then that would have been just over 16 books for the story of "Fated" to be told. Take that the Twilight saga! LOL

Thanks for hanging in there with me and hope you'll join me for some new stories I'm penning very soon.

Lou :D