Okay so this really will be the very very last thing i will ever write for this fic. *sniff, sniff* *sobs* i'm so sad. I dont' want to let these characters go!!!!! it's been such a pleasure to write this. Thank you guys all for sticking with me through thick and thing and through all my rambaling about my bad days (
) and reviewing all the chapters. You guys have been awsome. so huge thanx to you all. so with no further ado read on and enjoy!
Epilogue — What the Future Brings
“Awww, don’t you want to get dressed up to look all nice and pretty for grandma, grandpa, uncle Lucas and Auntie Laura?” Anastasia Emeraldo cooed to the crying baby girl in her arms, half dressed In a white puffy, frilly dress. The baby kept on crying, the wail bouncing off the nursery’s wall echoed through the room, giving Stacey a slow coming headache.
“Stace, I don’t think she should wear that.” Antonio said, looking at his wife from his chair beside her.
“None sense, she should look pretty for her family.” Stacey said stubbornly, trying to grab her baby’s hand to get it through the sleeve of the dress.
“Stace! Stop!” Antonio cried, almost prying her hands off the baby’s wrist. He picked the baby up from Stacey’s lap and gently tugged off the bottom half of the dress.
“Hey! That took me 15 minutes to get onto her!” she protested.
“Exactly my point! She doesn’t want to wear it.” he slowly walked around the room, rocking his baby in his arms as the wails of misery ceased.
“There, there, that’s my girl.” he cooed softly, His daughter let out a final sob and stopped crying.
“Ugh! You can take care of our daughter better than I can! So much for those maternal instincts.” Stacey groaned, leaning back onto the back of the chair that she was sitting in. Antonio was quickly by her side and started comforting her.
“Stace,” he handed their daughter back to her. “You have them, you really do,” he said, rubbing her shoulder. “Look at her, she looks just like you, she’s your daughter and she knows it.” Stacey giggled as her daughter gurgled forming a spit bubble between her lips, then it popped, causing the baby to laugh happily. She reached up to grab Stacey’s fingers.
“Am I always this pushy with her?” Stacey asked, sighing, still unsure of her motherly instincts.
“No, usually you’re a wonderful mother, who knows what her baby wants with just a sound.” he knelt down by her, took one of her hand that wasn’t’ supporting the gurgling infant and rubbed it. “You’re just nervous for your parent’s and sister and brother to see her that’s all.”
“What if they think she’s…?”
“Don’t’ finish that. She’s your baby, and she’s beautiful. End of story…. Isn’t it pumpkin?” he said to his daughter, tickling her tummy to make her squeal in delight.
“What if my parent’s don’t like her?” Antonio took the baby again and bounced her on his knees.
“Stace, how can you say that? Just look at her, she’s just the most wonderful thing in the world.” he cried. The baby cooed in happiness from Antonio’s knee. “Anyways, if they don’t like her, I don’t think dressing her up will make any difference.” Stacey sighed, looking down at her hand. Antonio kissed her on her temple.
“They’ll love her. I promise.” Stacey smiled. He said the exact same thing when his parent’s were going to see the baby for the first time.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was right after Stacey gave birth and she was worried that his parent’s would think that the baby isn’t born to royal standards because her mother was an ordinary woman, that Antonio fell in love with out of no where. When she told Antonio her worries, he looked at her as if she was a crazy person. In truth, Antonio’s mother was thrilled at the sight of the newborn princess, and his father gave Antonio a hug and her a kiss on her cheek for congratulations.
It was 3 month ago that their baby girl was born. Stacey must’ve gotten pregnant pretty early on during their 3-month honeymoon because their baby was born exactly 9 month after they were married. The months after they found out that Stacey was pregnant were a frenzy. They had a construction crew knock down part of Stacey and Antonio’s bedroom wall so that it made a doorway into the next room. Which was transferred into a nursery.
Endless shopping trips to the mall with Antonio’s mother for furniture and toys. Neither parents-to-be wanted to know what sex their baby was so there were girls and boys clothes lying around the whole palace. Antonio’s parents threw monthly bashes as Stacey’s stomach steadily grew larger.
Antonio was always there for her despite his busy schedule. He helped her every morning getting over morning sickness, backing down during her mood swings and held her when her hormones went out of control and made her cry. He treated her with such care and love that it was as if she was a delicate glass sculpture that would break if he touched her too hard, and it was during the middle of sleepless nights, wrapped safely in Antonio’s arms that Stacey’s realized how much he truly loved her.
Yet there was always he void of her mother not being with her through her pregnancy. Antonio’s mother was a great substitute but no one can replace Sydney. She was able to get to Italy several times over long weekends thanks to Antonio’s pilots, during which she taught Stacey what she needed to know. All of those visits ended in teary goodbyes and gentle words of love and reassurance from Antonio.
It was during her 8th month of pregnancy when she was sharing a romantic and intimate shower with Antonio that she went into labor. At first she freaked, scared that the baby’s early, but with Antonio there she soon calmed down. They didn’t need to go to the hospital since they made arrangement for the doctor to go to them.
The labor wasn’t as difficult as she thought it would be because her loving husband was there, holding her hand, feeding her ice chips, wiping sweat off her forehead and kissing the tears away. The delivery went without a hitch and Antonio brought to her their crying new baby girl. Stacey felt tears of love and joy well up in her eyes as she held her daughter for the first time. Antonio was in awe.
“She’s so beautiful.” he whispered, his hand resting on Stacey’s
shoulder, looking down at their daughter.
“Ya she is.” Stacey’s voice cracked. Antonio looked up at her and brought her lips to his.
“Just as beautiful as her mother.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“When did they say the plane lands again?” as if right on cue the doorbell rang.
“Right about now?” he stood up, one hand carrying the baby, the other extended so that he can help Stacey up.
“I still think we should’ve picked them up at the airport.” she said stubbornly , following her husband.
“We’ve been over this Hun, the doctor said it’s not good to take her out to places where there’s lots of people, and it’s not like you would leave her for a second. For god’s sake we’ve been eating in her room for the whole time since she’ve been born!” they made their way down stairs, already hearing the greeting of Stacey’s family to Martha the maid.
“Oh right.” Stacey’s strides quickened, eager to see her parents and siblings again. Antonio let her hand go, knowing that he can’t hold her back. Quickly she made her way down to the big front foyer. Standing there at the bottom of their stairs was her parent’s, looking up and grinning at her. Stacey can feel the tears in her eyes.
“Mommy! Daddy!” she flung herself into their arms.
“Hey honey.” Vaughn said kissing her cheek.
“We missed you.” Sydney said patting down her daughter’s hair.
“I missed you guys too! So much!” she finally pulled back and wiped
away her tears.
‘We brought you some surprises.” Sydney said with a smile. Stacey blinked, confused about what it was.
“Geez, just show her already mom!” Laura’s voice filled Stacey’s ears.
“Laura!” Stacey cried and flung herself onto her sister. Laura seemed taken back.
“Wow, the pregnancy thing really got to you huh?” she mumbled, but hugged her sister back anyways.
“Where’s Lucas?” Stacey finally asked, noticing the absence of her brother.
“Outside, waiting with your surprises.”
“Ohh… it’s going to be big isn’t it?” Stacey’s eyes twinkled.
“Just go and see ” her dad gave her a nudge towards the door. Slowly opening the door she peeked outside. Standing on the grand staircase was Irina and Liz.
“Grams! Liz!” Stacey cried and ran to hug them. “OMG! I can’t believe you guys are here!” she cried out. “I thought you had a conference in New York!” she turned to Liz.
“I lied.” she said with a grin, Stacey grinned back.
"Grams.” Stacey hugged Irina again. “I thought you didn’t want to leave Grandpa.” Jack Bristow was growing old, and despite his stubbornness the years of work for the CIA had caught up with him. It had been a few month since he had a minor stroke but the doctors didn’t want him to fly.
“Well he said ‘It’s not everyday that someone live to see their great-grand child. Go and take lots of pictures for me’ So I came.” she smiled. At 80 Irina Derevko have not lost one touch of youth in her voice. Her stature was still tall, her back straight, her eyes still twinkled, but her hair was now a shade a silver.
It’s so awesome to have you guys here” Stacey grinned from ear to ear, looking like an idiot. “Speaking of which you must all be dying to meet her!” Stacey led the way inside. Sitting on the last step of the stair way was Antonio cradling a sleep little baby. He looked up at them as they approached and stood up. Then he handed his sleep daughter to his wife. Everyone gathered around Stacey and let out a big but hushed awww at the sight of the sleeping baby sucking on her thumb.
“She’s adorable.” Laura squealed.
“She’s beautiful honey.” Sydney said, smiling proudly at her daughter.
“She really is.” Irina said, “She’s going to be so beautiful.”
“What’s her name?” Liz asked.
“Elaine Megan Emeraldo.” Antonio answered walking up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“That’s so pretty.” Antonio nodded. Stacey looked around her circle of family and smiled proudly as the new mother. Slowly her eyes landed on Vaughn, how was obviously trying to fight back tears.
“Daddy.” she scolded. She swears, her father was getting more emotional by the day. “Come on! don’t cry! You don’t want your grand daughter’s first memory of you to be your sobbing over her do you?!” carefully she walked over, not to wake the baby and hooked an arm over her father’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry honey, but she reminds me so much of you!” Vaughn blinked back his tears. Sydney wrapped her arms around his waist and looked down at her grand daughter.
“She does doesn’t she?” Syd looked up at Vaughn, he slowly nodded, remembering when he first helded with his first child.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Sydney push!” Vaughn said encouragingly, holding his wife’s hand.
“Vaughn.” she said through gritted teeth. “you’re not giving birth to twins here okay? So F*ck off!” Sydney winced in pain as another strong contraction hits right after the other.
“Okay Sydney, push, I’ve got the head.” the doctor ordered, Sydney pushed.
“What?! You got the head?!” Vaughn exclaimed trying to get a peek of his baby’s head. But something held onto his hand.
“Vaughn.” Sydney said venomously, her death grip on his hand made a couple bones crack.
“Sorry hun.”
“Sydney, I need more.” The doctor said. Sydney pushed again, and finally the baby slipped out her birth canal. The umbilical cord was cut and the baby started wailing.
“12:47” a nurse said indicating the time of birth of Vaughn’s first baby.
“It’s a girl,” the nurse said again. “4 pounds 7 ounces.” Quickly the nurse wiped her off and brought her to the new parents.
“She’s beautiful.” Sydney said as soon as Vaughn brought it into her view. Vaughn was too stunned to speak. He was holding something that they have created out of love, and a moment of lust, and passion and heat. Of course they had a little help from Mother nature but that’s just the least of it.
They made that baby, he and Sydney, someone who was going to grow up to call him dad, someone that he was going to chase boys off of, because he knew she was going to be beautiful.
“Vaughn?” Sydney’s voice suddenly jerked him back into reality. He nodded.
“She’s so wrinkly.” Sydney frowned while the rest of the delivery room broke into laughter.
“Vaughn!” Sydney said sternly. “The first thing you can say about our child is that she’s wrinkly?!” she scolded. Vaughn didn’t have a chance to answer because Sydney cried out it pain.
“Ow!” her brows broke into a frown. Vaughn was reluctant to give his daughter back to the nurse but he did anyways. Yet from that moment on, he knew that his daughter will always have his heart.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Everyone made their way to the living room as Martha brought a tray of tea and biscuits. Stacey scanned the room.
“Okay where’s that twin of mine?” she thinned her eyes suspiciously as she put her daughter down in the crib that was sitting in the middle of the living room beside the couch. Jus then a loud neigh reached her ears. She shot her mother a suspicious look and hurried to the door. Once outside, she saw a silhouette of a rearing horse. Quickly though, the horse's front hoof hit the ground. She snorted.
“Blackie!” Stacey cried out affectionately and ran to the mare and hugged it as if she was hugging a long lost friend. The black mare snorted and nuzzled her hair lovingly. “I missed you” she scratched behind the mare’s ears, the horse shook her head as if in agreement.
“God Stace, she’s wild, can’t you at least tell her to trust me?” Lucas exclaimed handing her the mare’s lead rope.
“I can’t tell her to trust you because she knows that you can’t be trusted.” she stuck out her tongue at her twin brother.
“Oh gee, what a nice way to welcome your bro.” he said sourly.
“I know, aren’t I just the greatest. I can‘t believe you guys brought her all the way across the pacific!” she grinned and threw her arms around
her brother’s shoulders.
“Hey bro.” she said sweetly.
“Hey sis. How’ve you been? How’s my niece?”
“Good and your niece is a pain during the midnight feedings but other than that she have been the perfect angel.”
“Great, I can’t wait to see her.”
“Well, go in, and I’ll be right there once I put my darling here away.” she started to walk towards the stables but Lucas grabbed her wrist.
“No need, your stable boy is on his way… actually speaking of which, he’s right there.” he pointed to the 18 year old young man walking towards the them.
“Oh but I want to put Blackie away.” she pouted.
“Come on Stace, I want to see my niece. Please, just once let the stable boy take Valentine.” he gave her a puppy-face pleading look. She scolded but nodded anyways.
“Hey Victor.” she greeted when he approached, but then launched right into giving him instructions on how to take care of the mare. “Give her the biggest stall in the stable, fine hay, and she likes her water with a tiny bit of sugar, but not too sweet or it’ll rot her teeth, make sure the air-conditioner is turned up so her stall’s nice and cool, then give her two apples. Got that?”
“But Sig. Antonio’s stallion has the biggest stall.” Stacey gave him a ‘so-what’s-your-point- look.
“Si signora.” he took the lead rope and started to walk away.
“Wait,” he turned around to look at Stacey at her voice. “she likes woman over men, so if you don’t want to be killed by Blackie, give it to Rosa. I’ll be there later to check on her.” she instructed, then turned to her horse. “Be good okay sweetie?” the horse snorted. Lucas started to drag her away before she gets carried away. “And remember sugar in the water, but not too much. Fine hay or she’ll be upset and two apples. No more, no less.” She yelled over her shoulder as she was dragged back through the front door, leaving the stable boy chuckling to himself. Though he wouldn’t be laughing if he knew what was in store for him.
“Oh, she’s absolutely adorable!” Stacey hear her sister squeal again as soon as she walked through the front door.
“Oh, she’s got Stacey’s eyes.”
“Oh and look at that smile.” by what everyone was saying, she knew that her daughter must be awake.
“Come on Lu, gotta meet your new niece.” Stacey took Luca’s hand and led him beside the crib. Inside, Elaine was gushing over all the admiration of her cuteness and she blew a loud raspberry. That made Sydney laugh.
“Oh you’re just like your mother aren’t you?” she laughed picking the baby up from the crib.
“Oh no, this is going to be an embarrassing baby story.” Stacey cringed into her hands. Sydney’s eyes twinkled.
“So I brought Stacey to work with me a few month after she was born, to show every one.” she relaxed on the couch with her granddaughter on her lap. “And one of my… boss.” she didn’t want to say too much seeing as Liz didn’t know the family secret. “Who, I won’t lie, I hated, came to see her too.” she chuckled. “So one minute she was being a perfect angel, the next all I can hear is Kendall cursing with a blotch of baby spit right in his eye.” Everyone laughed and baby Elaine squealed in delight, obviously hyped up by all the energy around her. And so the small talks turned to a casual dinner in the garden.
“My parent’s send their regrets that they can’t be here.” Antonio said.
“Oh, none sense, Antonio.” Sydney waved it off.
‘Laur, where’s Alex?” Stacey asked suddenly, finally noticing the absence of her sister’s fiancé.
“Boston, got an internship with some big law firm, Lucas have been grumbling about how luck he was the whole flight here.”
“It’s true, just because the son of the law firm’s owner met Alex at a stupid swimming competition, he got the internship. I mean how stupid is that?!”
“Oh you mean other than having a higher mark than you in all of your subjects and doing lots more of community work? Very stupid.” Sydney teased. Lucas groaned, but Laura continued on.
“Speaking of Alex.” she dug through her purse and pulled out a small envelope. “We’ve got a date.” she smiled.
“That’s so great!” Stacey exclaimed, pulling out the invitation, then frowned a little at the April 7th date. “That’s still almost a year away.”
“Ya, we’re gonna wait till he would have a steady job, then go from there.”
“But you caught the bouquet at me wedding!’ Stacey whined.
“Which means I’m gonna get married first, and the last time I checked no one from your wedding party is getting marred.”
“Humph.” Stacey huffed. Suddenly, Elaine stated crying in Sydney’s arms, disturbing the dinner.
“Aww.. Darling, what’s wrong?” Sydney gently bounced her on her knee, the baby kept on crying.
“You don’t need to be change.” Sydney concluded after feeling the diaper. “Are you hungry honey? I bet you are.”
“Here mom, I got it.” she extended her arm to reach for her daughter. Sydney reluctantly let her back into Stacey’s arms, not wanting to let go of the bundle of cuteness.
“You’re breast feeding right?” Irina suddenly asked.
“Ya, the doctor said I should keep going for a few more month. Why?”
“No reason.” Irina shook her head.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
25 minutes later, everyone was done dinner and helped to put away the dishes while Sydney tried to sneak away to see her daughter and granddaughter. She was about halfway up the stairs when her mother’s voice stopped her.
“Sydney?” Irina questioned.
“Yes?” she turned around to face her mother with a guilty face.
“Aren’t you going to help with the dishes?”
“I.. Uh… was going to check up on Stacey and Elaine.” Irina grinned.
“Wait up.” she shoved the empty dishes that she was carrying into a by passing maid’s hand and rushed up the stairs to join Sydney.
The door of the nursery was ajar and both Irina and Sydney peeked in. Inside Stacey was cradling her baby, sitting in a rocking chair, singing her daughter to sleep, but her face wasn’t towards them so she was oblivious to the two intruders listening to her angelic voice.
“Slumber, my darling, thy mother is near,
Guarding thy dreams from all terror and fear,
Sunlight has pass'd and the twilight has gone,
Slumber, my darling, the night's coming on.
Sweet visions attend thy sleep,
Fondest, dearest to me,
While others their revels keep,”
“I will watch over thee.” Sydney’s sang, accompanying Stacey’s voice. Stacey’s head turned to see her mom and grams, she smiled at them but her voice didn’t stop.
“Slumber, my darling, the birds are at rest,
The wandering dews by the flow'rs are caressed,
Slumber, my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm.”
Then Sydney’s voice took over.
“Slumber, my darling, till morn's blushing ray
Brings to the world the glad tidings of day;
Fill the dark void with thy dreamy delight--
Slumber, thy mother will guard thee tonight,
Thy pillow shall sacred be
From all outward alarms;
Thou, thou are the world to me
In thine innocent charms.
Slumber, my darling, the birds are at rest,
The wandering dews by the flow'rs are caressed,
Slumber, my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm.”
By the last note died in the room, all you can hear is the deep intake of breath by the baby, snoozing soundly.
Stacey stood up and walked over to put her daughter in her crib. All three woman stood over her to watch her sleep.
“So you still remember that song.” Sydney smiled. Slumber My Darling was the only song that would put Stacey to sleep when she was little.
“Of course, how can I forget, you and grams both sang it to me.”
“You sang it to her?” Sydney turned, surprised by the news.
“Oh come one Sydney, it’s not like I was blind and deaf. How’d you think I managed to get her to sleep when you were missing.”
Standing there looking at the newest member to their weird, dysfunctional, but loving family there was only one phrase that can sum up what they were feeling at that moment. Like mother like daughter. Yet the likeness of mother and daughter are passed down through the generations by blood and in their blood are not only the lovable qualities and beauty but also prophecies, lies and deceit. As long as the blood lasts there will always be the same fate waiting for them, a life of power, deception and loss, but as always, awaiting at the end of the tunnel is a bright light of hope and joy, something they call love.
so what do you think???
--mandy
ETA: The song that Stacey and Syd sang is Alison Krauss's 'Slumber my Darling" it's the same song that played in ... the counteragent i think. where Vaughn was in the plastic isolation booth/bed thing.
Mandy, your writing is great. It truly is.