"I can drive when you are ready to leave."

Abby was waiting for her when she walked out of the ambulance bay to the sidewalk. Susan waved as the lights on the car blinked and then climbed into the passenger side of the car.

"I thought you left an hour ago?" she said as she buckled the seatbelt. Abby shrugged as she started the engine and watched traffic before she pulled onto the street.

"I had some shopping to do," Abby said absently. "Its impossible to find cheese anywhere on New Year's Eve."

"You're going to the staff New Year's Eve party then?" Susan asked as she looked out the window.

"Aren't you?" Abby frowned. "I thought you and Scott were planning on…" Susan shook her head and picked at something stuck to the window with her fingernail.

"His girls came home from Hawaii yesterday," she said. "I haven't talked to him."

"Okay…." Abby's frown deepened. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Nothing…." she said.

"Susan," Abby implored. "I am your best friend. Tell me." She glanced from the street to Susan and back while she waited.

"Things were just going too fast, that's all," Susan shrugged. She glanced over at Abby and frowned warningly.

"And don't give me that line about being the one who got married after a weekend in Vegas," she said. "Scott already pointed that one out." Abby suppressed a smile.

"Well, it's true…." she said quietly. Susan rolled her eyes and shook her head. She sighed.

"Everything happens to me too damn fast," she said. "One minute I am single and the next I am married then signing divorce papers then having a baby then raising a teenager and then…." Her voice trailed off. Abby glanced at her again.

"Susan," she said quietly. "None of that has turned out to be bad."

"Chuck died," Susan said flatly as she looked out the window again.

"Well, that was bad," Abby agreed as she nodded and watched the road in front of them. "Yeah, that was really bad."

"Before, there was no Cosmo to consider. Or Susie," Susan went on. "And there are his girls. And the evil ex mother in law…." Abby laughed and shook her head.

"All the makings of a perfect Disney movie," she said. Susan looked over at her and chuckled.

"So all that's missing is…..Prince Charming?" Abby mused.

"I'm no one's Cinderella, Abby," Susan said. Abby grimaced.

"Oh, I always preferred Belle," she said thoughtfully. "No wait….that's me because I like to read and we all know that Luka is a much better Beast." She shrugged.

"Sorry," she said. "You have to be Cinderella because Scott Porter fits the bill as a very handsome Prince Charming." Susan chuckled again. She took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"Nothing changes at midnight," she said softly. "There isn't always a 'happily ever after.'" Abby pulled the car into the driveway and turned off the engine.

"Come to the party," she said after a moment. "Please?" Susan thought carefully and then shook her head.

"No," she said. 'I think I would rather stay home and usher in the New Year with my little guy." Abby nodded and gazed at her sadly.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't like to see you sad." Susan forced a smile and then reached over to hug her.

"Thank you," she said. Abby nodded and they got out of the car. Susan waited as her friend took a shopping bag out of the back seat and they headed up the sidewalk to the porch.

"Beauty and the Beast?" Susan grimaced questionably as they climbed the steps.

"Well, right now its Captain Jack Sparrow and a captive maiden from a seaside town but….." Abby said brightly. Susan held up a hand to stop her.

"Stop!" she laughed. "I don't need to know any more!" Abby laughed and unlocked the front door.

"Happy New Year!" she said as she waved her hand.

"Have fun tonight," Susan said as she opened her own door. Abby nodded.

The television was blaring and her dad was snoring in the recliner when she closed the door behind her. Susan grinned affectionately as she quietly hung her coat in the closet. She switched off the television with the remote from the table and switched on the light. She leaned over and kissed her dad on the forehead and shook his shoulder.

"Dad," she said. "I'm home." Henry snorted and then shook his head as he opened his eyes.

"Oh, hi, honey," he said as he sat up and pushed the foot rest down on the chair.

"Do you want to stay for pizza and maybe watch the ball drop with us?" she asked. He stretched.

"No, I don't think so," he sighed as he stood up. "My grandson kept me outside most of the afternoon and all that fresh air really did this old man in." Susan nodded and pulled his coat from the closet.

"Cosmo," she called. "Come and say good by to Grandpa. He's going home." There was a clatter from upstairs and Cosmo came jumping down with a Lego ship in his hands.

"Bye Grandpa!" he said as he leaned into the man for a hug. Henry patted the little boy on the back and kissed the top of his head.

"I had fun today, buddy," he said and then hugged Susan.

"Now Susie is…" he started to say as he released her.

"I know," Susan nodded. "She has my car. She's working as a designated driver with her Students Against Drunk Driving group tonight."

"Will she be okay, doing that?" Henry asked as Susan followed him out onto the porch.

"She'll be fine," Susan nodded "They have a blast. They just order pizza and watch movies all night. They go out in teams if anyone calls them for a ride home." Henry nodded and waved before climbing into his car.

"Happy New Year!" she called as he pulled out. Henry waved again as he drove away. Susan shivered in the cold evening air and went back inside. Cosmo had set the Lego pirate ship on the coffee table in front of the couch and was playing with the figures from the set. Susan sighed and sat on the couch in front of him.

"Are you happy, Mom?" Cosmo asked out of the blue. Susan studied him for a moment.

"I am exceptionally happy," Susan smiled finally. "I am here with you and not at work so that makes me a happy mom."

"But don't you miss Dr. Porter?" he tipped his head quizzically and made a blasting sound as he flicked one of the pirates off the ship and onto the table. "Because I do." Susan picked up the television guide beside her and flipped through the pages.

"Its only been three days, Cosmo," she said. "We'll see him again some time."

"But wouldn't it be better if he lived here with us all the time?" he asked as he scratched his freckled nose. Susan dropped the booklet down into her lap and looked at him again.

"He has Molly and Casey to look after," she said. "I think it would be kind of crowded here with all of us, don't you?" Cosmo thought for a moment as he put several pirate figures into a little life boat on the ship. He shrugged.

"Things would work out," he said finally. "Susie said that if the grown ups are happy then the kids will be happy so it would work out, I guess."

"Susie said that?" she asked. Cosmo nodded and brushed the thick, straight hair off his face.

"What are we ever going to do when our wise old Susie goes off to college?" Susan shook her head in feigned wonderment.

"Go visit her a lot, I guess," Cosmo sighed. Susan laughed and slipped the shoes off her feet. Cosmo looked up at her and smiled.

"Come here." Susan patted the couch next to her. Cosmo grinned and climbed up beside her. Susan wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close. He scowled happily as she kissed his cheek.

"I am trying decide what we should have for dinner tonight," she sighed. "Are you going to be able to stay awake with me until midnight?" Cosmo nodded and looked up at her.

"Can we have Cameron?" he asked hopefully. Susan frowned.

"Cameron for dinner?" she scowled in distaste. "I am not so sure he would be all that tasty."

"No, Mom," Cosmo sighed and rolled his eyes. "To spend the night!" He laughed and shook his head as Susan screwed her face up in thought.

"I guess so," she said finally. Cosmo bounced happily next to her.

"His phone number is in the address book next to my bed," she said. Cosmo jumped up and hurried up the stairs. Susan watched him go and then sighed heavily. She looked up as the doorbell rang.

"I'm coming," she called as she stood up and headed for the door. She pulled it open without checking the peep hole first and stopped short. Her heart began to pound in her chest. He was standing in the dusk on the porch. There was a dark turtle neck under the plaid shirt he wore tucked into his jeans. He'd gotten a haircut.

"Hi," he said. "I don't know if you remember me but we sat next to one another on our flight to Florida? My name is Scott Porter."

"I didn't mean to go that slow, smart ass," she said softly as she stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind her. His cheek worked a bit and his eyes twinkled as he cleared his throat.

'Well, anyway," he started again. "I think you made sort of an impression on my daughters. They just spent Christmas in Hawaii with their grandparents and made you something while they were there. I was supposed to find you again and…..give this to you." He held out a small white box wrapped with a red ribbon with a big bow on the top. Susan swallowed and took it from him. He watched her as she slowly untied the satin ribbon and took the top off. Tears flooded her eyes as she looked at the contents. She lifted a small star out of the box and studied it. It had been folded and woven from strips of palm leaves.

"There are two of them. One from Casey and one from Molly," he said softly. "For your Christmas tree. Apparently there was some sort of craft class at the resort where they stayed." Susan nodded and put the star back into the box. She replaced the top and then slipped slowly into his arms. Tears dripped down her cheeks as he held her close. Scott was shaking as he took her face in his hands and kissed her.

"I think we need to start this all over," he said softly as their foreheads touched. "Now, you can put your shoes back on we can go to your staff's Christmas slash New Year's party like we planned or we can pack your delightful son up and take him to my house and I can let my housekeeper go home to her husband. He would probably appreciate that." Susan nodded slowly and looked at the box in her hand. She sighed heavily and hugged him again. She wiped the tears off her face as she moved to open the door. She turned back to him.

"Oh, I forgot," she said quickly. "We're inviting Cameron to spend the night." Scott shrugged.

"Ah...Cameron? The kid with the never ending questions?" He frowned a little and then sighed.

"The more the merrier, right?" he said with a wide eyed smile. "We can pick him up on the way." She looked at him and nodded slowly.

"It's a brand new year, babe," he said. "Everything changes at midnight, right?" Susan gasped softly and then a slow smile spread across her face. She glanced over at the second front window and Abby was peeking out of the curtain. She held up her thumb and Susan laughed.

"Oh my god, I can't believe I am saying this," Susan laughed as she hugged Scott again. "I guess I am…..Cinderella!" He laughed and swung her around in the darkening night on the porch of the duplex.

The End