(hey wow, long time no see. how ya been? so this is kind of a surprise, I guess. hopefully a good one. but yeah, long story short, this little idea came into my head and y'all wanted more, so here's a second epilogue... epilogue part two? and it's kind of long. oh whale. enjoy <3)

EPILOGUE (part two)

-TEN YEARS AFTER GRACE & HARRY'S MARRIAGE-

☯ THIRD PERSON ☯

"I KNEW THIS would happen."

"Grace, it's not that big of a deal..."

She rounded on him, a hand on her hip and the other waving aimlessly in the air as she spoke. "Really? He got in his first fight and he's in fourth grade, Harry."

He ran a hand down his face, trying to stick up for his kid but also seeing his wife's point. "This is Ethan we're talking about. Sweet, shy little Ethan. Maybe he's just taking the fall for it. You know he doesn't like confrontations."

Grace sighed, grabbing her car keys but not yet heading for the door. Harry could see the thoughts racing through her mind as if they were displayed visibly on her forehead. She spoke in a quiet voice. "He looks up to you, Harry."

He knew that was an indirect jab to his UFC career. In his defense--and Grace knew this--he had tried to get out of it a number of times before. First he'd gotten an office job, even got quite high in ranks, but the urge to be physically involved was too overpowering, and he'd dropped it. Then he managed to get certified to be a personal trainer, however, in such a department the client controlled the schedule for the day, and not being in control drove him insane. So he went back to fighting, and to this day he'd still only lost three his whole career.

Grace was supporting, and that was all he could ask for. Her only worries were that Ethan would follow in his footsteps, and she didn't want her son to be involved in such a thing. She didn't like violence as it was, but she couldn't keep her husband under her thumb like she could her child. Only when he was an "adult" could he make the individual decision, but Grace very much hoped he took a different path.

After a long while, Grace added, "Is Meg going to start hitting kids in her class because they took a toy from her?"

Harry gave her a look. "That's not fair, Grace."

Grace huffed. "Maybe it isn't but... Ethan is at the age where he thinks what you do is this incredible thing, and maybe it is in it's own perspective, but you know I don't want him to take that route. And Megan is six now and I can't protect her forever and then..." Her hands fell to her stomach where their third child was developing. They'd only ever planned on two, but neither complained when the pregnancy test came back positive.

Harry stepped closer to her, placing a hand behind her neck and the other on top of hers that clutched her gradually growing belly. "You're an amazing mother," he told her, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Everything will be fine, yeah? I'll even go pick Ethan up to talk to him. Did he get suspended?"

Grace let her forehead rest on his. "No. His clean record saved him there, at least."

"I'll pick Ethan up, and I'll talk to him while we wait for Meg to get out. Go check in on the peanut and calm down," he said. "And make sure you get the pictures from the ultrasound." He got a smile out of her at last.

God, he'd never get tired of seeing that smile.

They both exited the house, which Grace locked behind them, and they shared a sweet kiss before departing in separate vehicles. Hers turned left, his went right, but the comforting thing was they'd meet around the circle soon.

The elementary school halls were quiet, the only sound being Harry's shoes echoing on the tile. He'd been to Ethan's open houses and orientations, but he didn't have a clue where the office was. Grace was always the one to sign them out for appointments and such, and he'd wait in the car. So he was practically going on common sense, figuring it'd obviously be at the front of the school. Only thing is, the school was K-12. Offering every grade made it bigger than two of Grace's and Harry's high school.

With a lot of luck and instinct, he found himself at the main door to the office and sighed in relief. It took him five minutes of mindless wandering, but he made it all the same. The lady at the front desk had wrinkles covering her face, indicating she was much older than she actually was. Her eyes were kind, though, and her smile wide, and she was fairly easy to carry on a conversation with. Before he'd even mentioned the principal's office, she had him telling her the best shop to buy blueberries was, even though he'd no clue.

Managing to get to the point, the benevolent old woman pointed down the hallway. It wasn't hard to find, and Harry could've acted like he knew what he was doing and avoided the blueberry conversation altogether, if he'd only known better.

A few months shy of ten years old, Ethan was average height for his age with hair that desperately needed to be cut. He had to keep flicking his head to keep his bangs from getting in his eyes, which were the shade of his father's, if not a little brighter. Sometimes you could look at a child and tell how sweet or how devious they were, and Ethan was one of those where your heart just melted. An utterly adorable, utterly genuine kid.

He had his head hanging when Harry approached, so Harry nonchalantly sat in the chair next to him and said, "Fights, huh?"

Ethan's head jerked up and his eyes flickered with panic for the briefest of moments, then he relaxed. "I thought Mom was coming," he admitted. "I was trying to get ready for a big speech."

Harry chuckled. "Well, you've got me to deal with instead." He leaned forward on his knees, looking over at his son. "So this fight..."

Before Harry could even finish, Ethan was rampaging. "It wasn't my fault. Or it was, I guess. I only punched him because he was being mean. There's this boy who's not all right upstairs, Peter--" Ethan tapped his head "--and Tommy Durtin thought he was cool teasing him. But then his friends got bored, so Tommy slapped Peter's books out of his hands and took his glasses and threw them on the floor. Peter was crying, Dad, and no one was doing anything, so I told Tommy to knock it off. He pushed me, and I was going to get a teacher, but then he kicked Peter and I just..." Ethan let out a breath, giving a weak shrug. "I punched him. Made his nose bleed and everything."

Harry's heart was swelling. He had come hoping to drill into his head that violence was never the answer--and it wasn't--but Ethan had merely been sticking up for a disabled boy. How could Harry get mad at him for that? If anything, he was bubbling with pride because of how well Grace and he had raised their children. To be kind, excluding the whole punch thing.

He raked a hand through his hair, heaving a sigh. He slid off the chair and crouched in front of Ethan, meeting his gaze. "That was good of you to stick up for Peter," he said. He leaned in a little closer then and glanced around, acting like he was sharing a grand secret. "And between you and me, that Tommy kid had it coming."

Ethan smiled.

Harry pursed his lips. "But fighting isn't good, kiddo. Your heart was in the right place, but teachers and principals don't look at that kind of thing."

Ethan's smile fell. "You fight all the time, Dad," he pointed out, almost sounding disappointed. "And you do it for fun."

Harry flinched, shaking his head a little. "I wouldn't say it's for fun. It's a lot more complicated than that."

"How complicated?"

"Too complicated for me to even understand."

Ethan frowned at this, trying to figure out how that could be possible when the principal's office door opened. Harry stood, naturally straightening, and stuck his hand out to the dark-skinned man with the wispy gray hair.

"Mr. Styles," the principal acknowledged, "thank you for coming. I'd just like a few words and there's some papers you need to sign, then you and Ethan are free to go."

Harry glanced over at Ethan, who was now picking at his fingernails. He turned back to the principal and forced a smile, following him into the office. He took a seat opposite the slightly older man, immediately looking for his title plate because Harry couldn't remember his name for the life of him. Principal Caulfield. He doubted he'd remember it after this visit, anyways.

"Here is just a disciplinary form you need to sign saying you know what's happened and whatnot. Here's a liability form and--"

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Liability?"

Caulfield faltered for a moment, ashamed to admit to himself that the younger parent put him on edge. He was a big time UFC and boxing fan, so of course he'd seen the damage this guy could make. He didn't seem to have anger issues or anything, but Caulfield couldn't be too sure. He definitely didn't want to push his buttons. "Y-yes, sir. Tommy Durtin had a pretty bad injure, so this form just says that you understand if his parents want to contact you or--"

"I'm sorry to interrupt again, but his parents don't really have a need to call me, or my wife for that matter. His nose wasn't broken, was it?"

Caulfield was sweating. "No, no, just bleeding and-and there'll be a bruise."

Harry shrugged. "No medical expenses, no liability." Even as he said this, though, he filled out the form anyways. There was no need to be that difficult parent that blatantly refused to cooperate, but he wasn't afraid to speak his mind. "And if any liability is needed, I suggest you contact Tommy's parents about poor Peter."

"Peter?"

"Peter: the disabled kid my son stood up for," said Harry, his eyebrows raised again. The principal was laughably obvious; he knew exactly who Harry was referring to. "Peter: the boy Tommy harassed until he was on the floor crying. Surely, this is jogging your memory, Principal Caulfield."

Caulfield used the back of his hand to wipe sweat off his forehead, hoping it wasn't clear what he was doing. He tried to make the action seem normal by running a hand over his head. He straightened his tie next, the air seeming to get as thin as his hair. "Ah, yes. Peter Martin. I would love to get him justice, but Peter didn't report he was being bullied."

"You seem certain a handicapped child would be able to tell."

"Mr. Styles," he said slowly, trying to appear as authoritative as he could. He thought for a brief moment he was on a level playing field with the fighter, but Harry gave him no indication that he was even the slightest unnerved. "I appreciate your concern, but as of now we need to make sure Ethan knows that our school does not condone violence."

"I don't condone violence just as I don't condone bullying," argued Harry. "And perhaps you should see to it that your bullying problem is resolved before you give me a lecture on peace." He stood, making Caulfield visibly stiffen, but Harry simply slid the signed forms over to him. "Now, if that is all you needed me for, I'd like to pick up my daughter and take my children home."

Mustering a smile with all his feeble strength, Caulfield gave a curt nod. "Of course."

Harry cocked an eyebrow, almost as a goodbye, then left the office. He ruffled Ethan's hair, signaling him they were clear to leave, but before they did, Harry pulled Meg out of class almost an hour early. He didn't see a point in having any further conversation on the subject with Ethan, and if anything, pulling his daughter out was just in spite of the principal. Immature, maybe, but Harry wanted to be with his kids.

Meg came bounding into the office, her pigtails bouncing on her shoulders as she did so. The backpack hanging off her was nearly as big as she was, however the young girl didn't seem to mind as it hit the back of her ankles with every step. She saw her Daddy and her brother and a smile grew wide on her face. She got a running start towards her father, who instantly picked up on what she was doing. She jumped and he caught her and she wrapped her arms tight around his neck.

"Oh! Did you get me early so we could get food?" the girl beamed, brown eyes sparkling. It was odd how Megan looked more like Grace yet had picked up on Harry's accent, and Ethan looked more like Harry but spoke like his mother. Curious how things seemed to play out themselves. 

"Not exactly, but I guess we could stop for something to eat," Harry said, dramatically, which made Meg giggle.

Harry signed the two of them out, then Ethan led the way to the parking lot. After getting settled in the car, Harry asked where they wanted to go.

"Chick-Fil-A!" Meg exclaimed.

"Subway!" Ethan argued.

And the two went back and forth like that for a long moment until Harry intervened. "Alright, alright, calm down. Meg, we'll get you Chick-Fil-A, and Ethan, we'll get you Subway. Deal?"

"Deal," they both agreed simultaneously.

Meg asked, "Aren't you hungry, Daddy?"

Harry shrugged, pulling to a stoplight before looking in the mirror at his daughter. "Maybe I'll just steal some of your fries when you aren't looking."

The small girl's eyes bulged and she gasped. "Daddy! Stealing is wrong!"

Harry laughed and drove on. Once he had gotten both kids their lunches (and he did get himself a chicken sandwich), they went to the park to enjoy the breezy day. After Grace had finished college, she and Harry moved back to Florida to be closer to Grace's family. Grace didn't want to miss watching her little sister grow up, and Harry would've gone anywhere she wanted to. He still would.

They sat at a picnic table under a large oak. Meg dipped her nuggets in honey mustard, and Ethan took bites from his sandwich too big for his mouth. Before Harry could eat, his phone buzzed on the table and he leaned over to look at it. Grace had texted him with an image attached. A smile tugged on his lips and he felt himself getting excited.

Unlocking his phone and pulling up the message, his eyes nearly popped out of his head at the message she'd sent. She'd sent the ultrasound picture, yes, but it was nothing like he expected it to be. There was not one, but two small dots on the picture. Grace had typed, "Well... there's two peanuts inside me!" It took Harry a long minute to actually let the news sink in.

"Did Mommy text you?" asked Meg. 

"What'd she say?" Ethan chimed in. "She went to see the baby, right?"

Gathering his wits, Harry swallowed. "Yeah," he said, his voice a bit pitched from the shock. "Except... she's looking at the babies."

Ethan's jaw dropped, a piece of lettuce still on his tongue. "There'll be two of them?"

Meg started clapping. "Yay, yay, yay! I hope I get two sisters."

Ethan let his head fall to the table. 

Harry laughed, leaning over to shake his shoulder. "Come on, kiddo. You might get two brothers. Or a brother and a sister... who knows?"

Without lifting his head, Ethan murmured, "God, please be on my side."

Harry was grinning, pulling up his contacts so he could call his wife. He couldn't tell from her message if she was just as excited as he was, and he was desperate to hear what she had to say. She picked up on the third ring, sounding breathless.

"Twins," she said instantly. "Twins. I sure hope they're different genders, or at least fraternal because I'm scared I'll be that mother that forgets who is who."

"This is crazy," said Harry. "To think we only planned on two..."

Grace then sounded worried. "You're not upset, are you? Oh, God. I thought you'd be happy because I know you've always wanted more than two and--"

"What?" Harry was bewildered. "Of course I'm not upset. I was afraid you'd be."

She laughed in relief, then paused. "Wait, so does this mean I can say I'm eating for three now when someone judges me at a buffet?"

"You absolutely can."

Megan tapped Harry's hand, then pointed to the phone. "You've got a little one who wants to talk to you," he said before Meg took the phone from him.

"Mommy! Are they going to be girls?...but I don't want more brothers...okay, I'll be nice..."

Harry turned to Ethan, who was picking at his sandwich and looking slightly distressed. Harry frowned, reaching over to poke his nose. "Hey." Ethan looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

He shrugged, sighing. "More kids," he murmured, almost inaudibly.

Harry caught on instantly. Ethan seemed to be afraid that more kids meant less attention, but that would never happen. Not as long as Harry could help it. "Ethan," he started slowly, "you'll still get your video games for Christmas. Santa won't let you down." He winked teasingly.

Ethan groaned, but didn't say anything. He had found out last year that there was no Santa Claus, and he hadn't come out of his room the entire weekend. Grace had to deliver his meals to his room, and only rarely did either of them get a glimpse of Ethan darting into the bathroom before he locked himself in his room again. He had been so invested into the idea of a jolly man with a white beard, but kids talk a lot at school, apparently, and Ethan put Grace on the spot by asking her. 

Megan elbowed Ethan. "Your turn."

He hesitated before grabbing the phone, saying a quick, "Hey, Mom," before pulling his bottom lip between his teeth.

Harry studied him, a bit worried that Ethan genuinely feared he'd be forgotten about. 

"...fight was something stupid. I'm sorry. Yeah, Dad took care of it... okay... okay...love you, too...." Ethan handed the phone back to his father.

When they'd all finished eating, Harry could still feel the tension circling his son. He stood, giving the table's surface a slap so two pairs of eyes looked up at him. "This is going to be happy times," he said firmly. "We're at a playground, so we're going to play. That, or I could start telling some jokes."

Both of the kids were on their feet, racing to the playground. Megan shouted, "You have to catch us, slowpoke!"

Harry caught Megan first, who then went to play on the swings. He found Ethan cowering in the tunnel slide, and he dragged him out by his feet. He was relieved to hear Ethan's laugh. Before he let him go, he knelt down to Ethan's height and held out his pinky finger. "Another kid--or two in this case--doesn't mean me or your mom will love you any less. I promise."

Ethan stared at him before linking their pinkies. "I believe you."

Harry vowed to himself that he would give each of his children the childhood they deserved; the one he never got the luxury of knowing. 

And Harry was okay with that, because he had a real family now, and he would hold onto them with all his strength and never let go.

(hello again. this was really cute for me and i kinda want to write more, honestly, but that would be a third book and i'm not sure if i'm ready for such a commitment, lol. maybe i'll dabble with it, so just leave your feedback if it'd be something you'd read. no promises, though... i'm not as confident as harry in my promise-keeping skills... love you lots & thank you again for the massive support this series has gotten <3)