A/N: Here we are—at the end. There's always something bittersweet about coming to the end of a tale that has made you smile, laugh, cry, hope and fall in love along with the characters. At least I hope that's what I did in this story.

I wanted to thank you all again for giving the book a chance. The blurb doesn't speak much about the story so I always credit that leap of faith to the reader, for taking a chance and dedicating the time to read the story. Without your support, the book wouldn't have come this far.

This is the last chapter. Enjoy. Vote. Comment. Share it with friends. =)

***

I filed for a name change the next week.

Why the hell not?

It was my real name after all.

To my own surprise, I found that I had no qualms about it.

Sebastian was right when he said I could never be a regular Cassandra Collins.

I had always been Cassandra Cartwright—I just didn't know it.

We decided to do a name change that took about six weeks or so rather than spend more time and effort correcting every document I've had under the name Collins. It was a little tricky with the two birth certificates but with Jack's influence and all my paperwork, it was expected to go through quickly and quietly with a discreet publication on the newspapers.

But with all the media interest in me, it quickly leaked out and on the heels of my engagement with Sebastian was the rapid-fire spread of the news that I was Jack Cartwright's long-lost daughter.

When the paps managed to catch me one time I was coming out of the hospital after a visit at the Saving Hope project and asked me straight up whether it was true or not, I looked right at them, smiled and said yes. Jack followed that up with his own short press release.

Decade-old articles were dug up and republished with accompanying updates and snapshots of me and my family—some of it with all of us exiting Silver Leaf, one of me and Jack leaving the courthouse with his lawyers, another of me and Vivienne out strolling downtown along with Emma and Lexie for some Christmas shopping, and another of me with both my siblings at a Christmas charity gala Jack held.

People at work regarded me a little bit differently after the news broke out but my friends there merely teased me about it, for which I was grateful. It had already been hard enough dealing with everyone's well wishes while trying to do one's job after Sebastian announced our engagement.

I missed Sebastian sorely—I hadn't spoken to him since he left two weeks ago but it gave me time to straighten out my own life before I merged it with his. Jennison kept me posted on him, regularly reporting that Sebastian was busy working. If it helped him process through his internal struggles, then I wouldn't get in his way.

At the end of the second week, I convinced the twins to fly me to Scarsdale to see Gregory Vice.

Coming to terms with my father got me contemplating about Sebastian's own.

At first, the twins expressed instant disapproval, saying that Sebastian was going to be furious when he finds out considering he almost nearly forbade them to come visit themselves.

I told them I'd go on my own if they could call in ahead of time to alert the staff that I was to be expected but they finally relented and said they'd accompany me themselves if only to make sure I got past the door.

We were only visiting for the weekend and we flew in by regular airlines with Phil tagging along behind me.

It was coming into the holidays and airports were busy and New York was getting some snow so it wasn't until late Saturday that we got there.

Egbert, the butler, assigned us our rooms and had dinner prepared.

On Sunday morning, I woke up early and had a cup of tea while watching the fine, pure white snow dusting the landscape outside. It was during this that the house exploded into a frenzied panic.

The twins were roused and they sat with me around the burning fireplace, waiting helplessly as the staff called the doctors in and made arrangements. The most that Lexie got out of them was something about an aneurysm.

"Do you think he's going to die?" Lexie asked as she wrapped her shawl tighter around her, her pretty face pale and uncertain.

I shrugged. "I don't know, Lex. We'll have to wait and see."

Later in the afternoon, Natalie arrived.

She froze when she saw me with the twins but when I realized that the typical surge of jealousy I felt every time I saw her wasn't really there, I simply gave her a small smile and nodded in acknowledgement.

We sat around and waited for the rest of the day, with Charlie getting busy in the kitchen after he gave the cook the night off and Lexie instructing two of the maids to whip out the rest of the Christmas decorations so the house would stop feeling like a dreary castle.

It was late evening when an exhausted yet still lovely Natalie came down to see us, generously thanking Charlie for a steaming cup of spiced hot chocolate.

She sat down and took a long sip before hungrily gobbling up a couple of beef and potato hand pies that Charlie made for an informal dinner.

"We found a small aneurysm in his brain. We didn't see anything when we we ran an MRI on him when he came out of coma a few weeks ago," she explained after Lexie inquired. "They can usually develop over time and go undetected if a patient exhibits no outward symptoms. The risk is in a rupture resulting in subarachnoid hemorrhage which often leads to stroke. That's what happened with Gregory. The bleeding has stopped but he's now at risk for vasospasm where blood byproducts cause tightening of the arteries. This usually leads to a second stroke—one he may not survive considering his overall health. I've called Dr. Wheeler. He's the neurosurgeon signed on to Gregory's case but he's never really needed to attend to him before. He'll be catching a flight to here tomorrow and he can decide if the surgery can be done here or if we have to move him."

Charlie nodded. "Does Seb know?"

Natalie glanced at me uncertainly before answering. "Yes. I've called him. He's flying out of Tokyo right away. There's not much to do right now but sit and wait."

"Can we visit him?" Lexie asked softly.

"Yes," Natalie said with a sympathetic smile. "I'll be perfectly honest. I don't have high hopes of him coming out of this in good shape. He's barely recovered from all the complications that resulted from his attack. Spend what time you can with him. Make it count."

I reached for Lexie's hand and squeezed it.

The twins both came to see him before they went up to bed.

Early Monday morning, after I called Tamara to tell her of a family emergency that was going to keep in New York for another few days, I had Bradley send me most of my work online so I could get at least get some stuff done.

But after staring at a report absently for over an hour, I shut down my computer and made my way to the library to find a book.

Before I knew it, I found myself standing beside Gregory's bed, observing his withered state with a tight squeeze to my heart.

I lived most of my life without a father and I was beginning to think that I was in a far better state than Sebastian had been all these years—having a father who not only couldn't be there for you but you also hated and had to show constant mercy for.

I sat down on the armchair next to his bed.

"I didn't get introduced to you last time I was here," I stated, unsure of why I was bothering to talk to him when he probably couldn't hear me. "My name's Cassandra and I'm in love with your son Sebastian."

His dry, ashen face showed no sign of consciousness and I relaxed.

"He's not here right now but he's on his way. Might be a few hours," I added conversationally. "Until he gets here, I'll keep you company, if you don't mind. I was just going to read for a little bit."

I cracked open the book of poetry I grabbed from the library and leafed through the pages.

An hour or so passed in silence, a quick check from one of the nurses the only interruption.

Natalie had poked her head in but didn't come in when she saw me.

She merely nodded and closed the door behind her.

I went back to my book but found myself distracted.

I looked up at the old man. "Would you like me to read to you? Sebastian's an avid reader, you know? He's especially passionate about poetry. I never used to read any poetry but he got me hooked into it. There's not much that your son does that I don't get hooked into, just so you know. He's pretty persuasive but I'm thinking that's merely a family trait."

"You know, for all his previous protestations about romantic entanglements, he's a big romantic," I said with a laugh. "I think he really is a romantic at heart but with all the things he went through, he probably had to toughen it up a little bit, you know? It's hard to stay that way when everyone around you is trying to kill each other—no pun intended."

Glancing up at the old man again, I sighed and leafed through a few more pages. "I know, bad joke. Trust me, I don't normally bring up people one's killed in a conversation. With that statement, I'll gracefully move on to a completely different topic."

I scanned the pages before smiling at the old man. "What would you like me to read? Something whimsical and happy? I think the last thing we need here is some dark, depressing poem."

In the next hour or so, I read him some of mine and Sebastian's classical favorites—some by Keats, Christina Georgina Rossetti and the Brownings.

The last one I read was Rossetti's haunting short poem called Requiem.

"When I am dead, my dearest,

Sing no sad songs for me;

Plant though no roses at my head,

Nor shady cypress tree:

Be the green grass above me

With showers and dewdrops wet;

And if thou wilt, remember,

And if thou wilt, forget.

I shall not see the shadows,

I shall not feel the rain;

I shall not hear the nightingale

Sing on, as if in pain:

And dreaming though the twilight

That doth rise nor set,

Haply I may remember,

And haply may forget."

I closed the book and set it aside.

"I don't want to punish or hurt you," I said quietly. "Or make this any worse than it already is. I don't even really know why I'm here."

"Maybe because I want to know how I can love your son better—how I can take his fears away so that he can come home to me."

Sitting back in my chair, I pulled up my legs and curled them under me.

"In some ways, he's still that same boy, you know? He's still six years old, stunned and terrified by the fact that the two people he loved the most in the world were capable of hurting each other and destroying his life. It's no surprise he's got little faith, not just in the world, but most especially in himself."

I took a deep breath, glancing out the window where I could see the snow-covered landscape.

"I love him. I really, really love him, for better or for worse, whether he believes he deserves it or not. I don't know if I'll ever love him enough to erase all the pain you've caused him. But I'll do my best. Not just so you can have your peace but so that the man I love can finally have the happiness that has long evaded him."

I turned back to the old man, grimacing. "I wish I could say he would forgive you someday soon but I don't think it's going to be that easy. He'd suffered for your sins when they weren't his to pay for and I say he's been generous enough in sharing your conscience, if you even had one to start with."

Sighing, I shook my head. "I'm trying my best not to be angry with you. You're partly responsible for why I have Sebastian in my life and for that I'm grateful. I just wish you hadn't broken him in so many places. Maybe then he could still recognize bits and pieces of his heart and soul."

"If you knew your son at all, I tell you, you'd be very proud—for he's nothing like you," I said with a reluctant smile. "He can love and love so much. I wouldn't say he loves selflessly—a part of him will always need a little bit of that love returned, hungry for it as he is. But someday, he's going to understand that and realize that he has nothing to be afraid of."

"You may not love him as much as I do but I hope that you don't resent him this—he's been lonely and unhappy for so long."

I reached out and placed a light, tentative hand over his still one under the sheets. "I hope you find a good, peaceful place when this life is over for you. Maybe you'll see him and your future grandkids. They won't think ill of you—we won't give them any reason to. Maybe you can smile down at them. They'll be amazing kids and you'll be very proud."

I pulled my hand back and touched my belly. "You can't quite meet him yet but you're in the room with your first grandson. Or granddaughter."

I laughed. "I don't actually know yet but whether it be a boy or a girl, our child will be loved very much. So you see, Sebastian can't be that bad if he'd created something so miraculous with me out of love. He'll be a great father, I know that without a doubt."

"Cassandra?"

I looked up, my back straightening at the familiar voice, and found Sebastian standing by the doorway, his face—rough with stubble and gaunt with exhaustion—but etched with a wild mix of emotions.

He looked shocked, pained and happy at the same time.

My heart squeezed at the sight of him after over two weeks apart.

I smiled broadly at him, blinking through the tears that filled my eyes, and beckoned him in.

He slowly walked to my side, sinking on his knees and burying his face on my lap, his hand cupping my belly.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a thick voice, looking up at me with shining green eyes.

I grinned and nodded. "As sure as one can be at almost ten weeks."

His eyes widened. "Ten weeks? When did you find out?"

"When I was at the hospital," I answered, cupping his face. "I've been trying to find the right time to tell you. I was going to that night of the Christmas party but we got into a terrible fight and you left for Tokyo the next day."

Sebastian's face tightened with pain. "I'm so sorry about that night, Cassandra. I know I overreacted and then I lost it. I... I had to leave. I d-didn't want to hurt you. I was so scared I would. I wouldn't let myself come back until I was convinced that I wouldn't hurt you."

A tear formed on the corner of his eye and I quickly dabbed it away.

"I understand why you ran," I told him gently. "But I never once worried that you would actually hurt me. You're not like that, Sebastian, and I can tell you over and over again but at some point you'll have to believe it yourself or you'll just keep running."

"No, I won't ever leave you again," he choked, shaking his head adamantly. "It was a hellish two weeks. You never called or messaged me. I was starting to worry that you've completely walked out on me but I saw your pictures on the news. I saw you wearing my ring. I know you've been talking to Jennison about me. So I clung to the hope that it wasn't over yet."

I grinned and kissed him on the lips. "It'll never be over, darling. I love you and if you'd just simply asked me to marry you, I would've said yes."

A half-smile turned up one corner of his mouth as he glanced down and picked up my left hand.

"Well, since I'm already on my knees, I might as well," he said in a teasing voice.

My cheeks warmed. "You don't have to."

He laughed. "Oh, but I want to do this right once and for all."

I glanced over at the old man. "But your father..."

As if just remembering where we were, Sebastian glanced at his father for a moment before shrugging. "I won't let the past drive me away again from you, Cassandra. If I'm to live my life and stay sane, I'll need to be able to make room for both the past, present and future in my heart."

He returned his gaze to me, his eyes bright. "Here in this room, with the man who had taught me otherwise as our witness, I offer you my heart and soul, and ask that you do me the great honor of becoming my beloved wife whom I shall honor, protect and faithfully love for the rest of my life."

I swallowed at the surge of emotions that shot through me at Sebastian's earnest words.

Holding up my hand that wore his ring, he smiled and pressed a kiss on the back of my fingers.

"Cassandra Cartwright." His gaze briefly flickered with amusement at my real name. "Will you marry me?"

Tears spilled down my cheeks as a shaky laugh bubbled out of me before I nodded and threw my arms around him.

"Yes! Yes, I'll marry you, Sebastian Vice."

***

I woke up later that night, slightly disoriented.

Looking around the dim room, I remembered that we were still in Westerra Hall and that I'd fallen asleep after Sebastian made long, sweet love to me earlier this afternoon.

My stomach rumbled and I reached for the lamp shade to turn it on.

My cellphone on the night stand showed it was past eight in the evening.

I had a quick shower and changed into gray wool tights and an oversized mustard yellow sweater before making my way down to the kitchen.

Dinner should be over by now but I was surprised to find the twins in the dining room, chatting with Marcus, Brenda, Jared, Michelle, Jack, Stellan, Vivienne, Oliver, Max, Emma and Ty who were all still eating.

"Sweetie!"

Jack rose and came up to hug me.

"What's everyone doing here?" I asked with a stunned grin as I came up to the table and hugged and kissed anyone I could in greeting.

"Charlie, grab her a plate," Brenda said, gesturing to her son. "Sebastian said she hasn't eaten yet."

I smiled at her in gratitude as I took a seat between Jack and Vivienne.

I haven't run into Brenda much since Thanksgiving but in the few instances that I have since then, she's been remarkably different. Happier, I should say, which equated to her being nicer. And all that before she and the rest of the Vice family even learned that Jack Cartwright was my father.

"When did all of you get in?" I asked as Lexie offered me a glass of cranberry juice which was the only other beverage I've been drinking since we got here.

Emma handed me the basket of dinner rolls and Jack handed me his clean bread knife and the assortment of herbed butter. Stellan unrolled a spare napkin for me and handed it to me while Marcus offered me a plate of appetizers.

They were all taking care of me so well, tears stung my eyes but I held them back.

"Just about an hour ago," Max answered, grinning devilishly. "Apparently, everyone got the brief, slightly crazed call from Sebastian this morning to come visit with barely any directions. We'd never been here so Stellan called Marcus who called Brenda for more information and she'd offered to come and Jared and Michelle tagged along too. Emma called Vivienne asking if she knew how to get here so we picked her and Ty up as well. Good thing we took Stellan's newest flying toy which had room for everyone."

My eyes widened. "Wow. What crazed call from Sebastian convinced you all to come?"