Two and a half years later

I think my happy ending began with me, and finding love with myself instead of another, first. I can't deny though, that my happy ending has a name now, and it's Leah...

Leah 'Keaton' Mitchell

"Good morning" she says, nestling into my back, her breath upon my neck as her arm pulls me by the waist into her. My back was pressed to her stomach, the perfect spoon.

"Morning" I say sleepily, my voice a little croaky.

"Want me to get you a coffee" she whispers playfully.

I smile, still with my eyes closed at her mean jab "as you well know I don't drink it now... and the more you tease the more likely it is you will find me ordering it in bulk like an addict with access to a credit card and a dealer"

"I told you I don't care if you drink it, just don't kiss me after" she reminds me, kissing my neck gently.

"I would much prefer to kiss you" I say turning round and shuffling onto my back and then into her arms. My cheek rests on her shoulder as she squeezes me against herself a little tighter. I lean up and place a quick kiss on her lips before snuggling back down into her embrace.

"Although" she says.

I look up to her, eyes blinking open.

"What" I ask curiously.

"I kind of have a little craving to smell it" she confesses, and her lips lift into a smile.

"Are you joking me" I ask. I sit up and look down at her "your craving is coffee" I say eyebrows raised.

She tries not to laugh "I can't control it" she replies in defence of herself.

"But it's not like I want to drink it... I just want to grab a fistful of coffee beans and like... inhale them... earthy ones" she confesses.

I frown. "Babe...that's ... interesting" I reply with surprise.

I lean down and lift her black vintage band t shirt, running my hand over her slowly expanding stomach "hi little one" I whisper placing a kiss on the curved flesh. "Thank you for thinking of me with the coffee craving..." I whisper to the belly "if you could keep on that, perhaps your momma will let me consume it again. Mom could use some of the black stuff in her life, especially once you arrive little love"

Leah's laugh is one of amusement as she runs her hand through my hair. "I think she is already just like her mom" she says lovingly.

I smooth my hand across her bump and kiss it softly before returning my attention to Leah.

"I hope she's just like you Lee ..." i say reaching up and caressing her cheek with my fingers.

"Mom" Jamie shouts cutting through the quiet moment we were having "where are my new sneakers... I have five minutes before Jen picks me up"

I roll my eyes "the teenager is calling... " I say sitting up further "I love how they all assume I know where everything is ... despite it never being anything of mine" I say looking back to Leah's bright blue eyes and pausing to appreciate her loving gaze "I better go and locate them...or she may kill us all in our sleep"

"Go" Leah ushers "before she erupts"

I lean up and kiss her quickly before sliding off of the bed and shuffling out into the hall. Jamesons door is open, her room is absolutely flying. If anyone should come by now they would think it was ransacked. I stand in the doorway and look around as she moves through the chaos, searching under her bed before popping up pink cheeked and flustered from the exertion "mom don't just stand there... help me" she begs annoyed.

Jameson was just shy of sixteen, she was full of teen rebellion and angst, with a boyfriend of six months and a desire to have new clothes and sneakers, like I worked just to provide them for her. Luckily her other mommy was made of money and loved to spoil her when she went to New York, or I'm not sure how I would have survived Jamesons clothing hauls, or her desperate need to stay relevant at the top of the popularity pyramid at school. I honestly hadn't foreseen it, my daughter being the popular kid, the one that sat at the top of the food chain in her year of high school, and even the year above, but Jameson was as I explained before, shiny, and her shine was perhaps even brighter than mine had ever been. She was still a good kid despite the attention, she had a good heart and so I tried not to panic about it all going to her head. All I could do was make sure she had good morals and manners, and hope to god she didn't change too much among her peers.

"Where did you last have them" I ask.

She turns around and sends lasers burning from her teenage rage, eye-rays, straight into mine.

"MOM" she curses.

I bite my lip trying not to smile at her "sorry stupid question... I will check downstairs" I say walking away and down the stairs, taking them quickly and scanning the hallway.

I walk through to the family room and then the kitchen, discovering them on the kitchen table, beside Jamesons cheer uniform and backpack.

"Here" I call.

It's like a heard of elephants storm the stairs as she appears behind me "I think Leah got them ready last night" I explain, pointing to the neatly arranged pile on the table.

Jameson grabs the sneakers and sits down placing them on one by one "I love her mom, and I appreciate the way she never forgets a game day... but her pregnancy memory is absolutely shocking" she says looking back up to me.

I turn to make a cup of warm tea, all coffee long banished. "I know... I'm surprised she even remembers our names at this point" i muse.

Jameson walks over and kisses my cheek, but before she can turn to walk away I grab her hands and bring her in front of me "mom" she groans "I'm going to be late" she adds sulkily.

"Let me just look at my oldest please" I say and I run my hand through her long fair hair and cup her cheek "my beautiful love... with the biggest heart... god I love you" I confess.

She smiles "mom stop" she says taking my hands.

"I can't help it...your little sister arrives in four months and then before I know it you will be leaving me for college. I'm just not ready to gain one daughter and lose the first"

"I don't have college for another two and a half years mom... a tad over dramatic don't you think"

"Listen" I say releasing her "two years are nothing to a mom"

"Gotta go" she says leaving the room hurriedly and I sigh and turn back to the tea I was making.

"Mom do you know where..." Asher begins and I point to the kitchen table.

He smiles broadly "Leah got it ready" I say.

He grabs his school bag from the table and rifles through it "cool she even remembered my cleats" he says inspecting the contents of his bag.

I lift the warm cup of tea to my lips and lean back against the counter. Asher walks over and begins to take out the cereal one by one, checking his preference, usually two cereals mixed together with milk, and a glass of orange juice on the side. Today was no different as he placed them all down on the table and took a seat. My Asher was eleven, a football fanatic. He was doing great, and so tall, he was going to be just like Blake, a six footer with a killer smile.

"Morning mom" Gage says walking in sleepily.

I walk over and ruffle his fair hair "morning my love" I say leaning down to kiss his forehead. My baby, Gage, was now nine and almost too old for my kisses, but until he became Asher and ducked and dived away from them I would kiss him.

"Leah said you have that cool baby scan today in four D, can I come" he asked excitedly.

I nod "we will pick you guys up after school and all go together...Sadie is coming into town for it too with Peter so we will all be there. It's like hiring out a town hall when we do anything as a family" I say, thinking of the private booking I had to make for this little ones reveal. It would be a real family affair, Leah's parents, my parents, Lydia, Mia, Blake, and all of us, god I hoped she would play ball and reveal her little face.

***
Two years earlier

"Where are we" Morgan asked from under her blindfold. I take her arm and help her out of the car.

"Just trust me" I ask.

She leans into me "okay Mitchell...just don't let me trip in these heels" she begs.

It was six months after we had returned to each other that I had made plans to officially ask Morgan, for forever, if she would have me. I knew it from the moment Morgan re-entered my life, that I would never feel okay to leave again, not in any way. It was like being close to her brought me to life, and meeting her kids was the icing on the cake. I loved being with them all, finding my place in their home and having them get to know me better, and I them. Morgan and her children were my forever. I just hoped I was equally a part of theirs.

I had brought Morgan all the way to Tucson for the weekend, and as we arrived at the location, it was dusk. I had organised this private event two months ago now, it perhaps wasn't originally a proposal location but an amazing place to bring her, but now, it was a proposal. I had to marry Morgan, she had to be my wife, or I was sure I would never be happy, not in life nor love. She was made for me, it was a stereotypical thing to say, but it was exactly how I felt, like we were the match, and she was the one, and nothing and nobody else would ever do.

Here we were, Mt, Lemmon sky centre observatory. It was located high above the city in Tucson, on the summit of sky island, and it had two of the largest telescopes in the south west. It was as close as I could get Morgan to the stars.

"Okay" I say holding her waist steady and smiling at her adorable face "you can look now" I say.

She reaches up and pulls the blindfold down until it's around her neck. Her face makes me laugh a little as she looks around with a deep frown.

"Leah why are we on a mountain... I'm wearing heels" she says panicking.

I hold up a finger and open the car door, taking out a white pair of converse and holding them up "I figured these would go with anything you wore" I confess.

She is still so confused, her little furrowed brow is making her far too cute as I lean down and guide her out of her heels, taking her feet one by one and placing them into the converse.

"I love you" she says amused and looking down at me "look at you dressing me as if I am five" she adds playfully.

I smile ear to ear before popping back up and kissing her lips.

I take the heels and throw them back into the car before reaching in and grabbing two winter coats, and two winter hats. I try not to laugh as Morgan looks to me as if I am mad "it's not cold" she says as I return to her. I pull the winter hat over her fair hair.

She looks so confused as I place the warm puffer coat around her shoulders and over the pretty dress she had worn tonight. "It will be, very soon" I inform her.

"Come on Ms Keaton" I say taking her hand "The stars await your audience" I reveal eagerly.

She raises an eyebrow and studies me curiously "are we at an observatory" she asks excitedly.

I nod "indeed we are" I confess, as she squeezes me against herself.

"This is a bucket list moment ... ahh I'm so excited" she says thrilled.

I guide her along the pathway and through the trees to the locked gates.

"Okay we wait for the transport here" i inform her, and before long we hear the little mini bus as it approaches and a young male employee with a warm smile unlocks the gate and then opens the passenger door for us "Leah and Morgan I presume" he asks.

I nod "that's us" I return.

He ushers us inside the van "My name is Leon ... welcome, let's get you up to the sky dome" he assured us "I'm glad you wrapped up it's been getting cold up here in the evening, low twenties with the wind chill"

"I can't believe you organised this" Morgan whispers as Leon starts the van and we move back up to the telescope.

"It's the closest I could get you to the stars" I whisper back.

She takes my cheeks in her hands and guides me to her lips. Morgan was the most beautiful kisser. I wasn't sure if it was her perfectly plump lips or just that she knew how to kiss a girl, but my goodness each one left me a little wanting as she drew away.

"Nobody has ever thought to do this for me" she reveals, and I see tears glisten in her eyes, they don't fall but they are there, evident of how much this meant. "I've not even thought to do it for myself, wished of course, but never dreamed"

"My main aim in life is to make your dreams come true... one ...by ...one" I promise. I lean over and kiss her once more "Are you ready to see it up close" i ask.

She smiles "which" she asks.

I run my thumb under her chin affectionately capturing it lightly before my eyes meet hers "the Andromeda galaxy of course" I whisper, and honestly if a look could make your heart swell it was the one Morgan gave me right this minute.

***
Leon dropped us off at the dome and we were greeted by one of our guides for the night, Dan, he was a graduate astronomer and extremely knowledgeable. He was keen on his chosen subject, so much so as he spoke about the solar system and the stars, his eyes lit up, a little like Morgan's when she took me out of a clear night and tried to teach me a little more.

As Dan began, he gave us the full orientation, the low down on Mt Lemmon and of course the space dome. As he takes us inside Morgan clutches my hand with excitement and apprehension. I've never seen such awe as we entered and she took in the two telescopes, the slit in the roof opened already above us. Dan let us inspect the first telescope. Morgan eagerly took it in her hands and leant in to view. Dan pointes out Jupiter which was visible even though the night sky had not completely fallen into darkness yet.

The next hour as the light fell Dan took us out to view through binoculars, the most obvious and visible of the jewels in the night sky's crown, the Andromeda Galaxy and Orions nebula.

As Morgan looked through her binoculars, Dan gave me a thumbs up and disappeared, leaving Morgan and I on the peak of the mountain, as close to the stars as we could possibly get. The blanket of stars above us was so vast. I had never seen a clearer night sky, it was as if a veil had lifted and suddenly you could see a million more stars behind it, a whole universe at our finger tips.

"Lee you have to see this" Morgan said standing there looking through the binoculars "Andromeda looks insane" she whispers "so beautiful... don't laugh at me but I have tears blurring my eyes" she admits.

I observe her from one knee below her, hand outstretched with a diamond ring. My heart is all I can hear, and my hands are clammy. God, I hoped she would say yes, and I hoped her experience of marriage before me wasn't enough to put her off, because it would have me. I would probably not have even taken the leap with myself that Morgan had. She was so brave. I was so proud of her for taking a chance on me when her entire body said "run".

***
Four months earlier

I had two months with Morgan connecting again as if for the first time, and I went at her pace, afraid to make it too formal, afraid to confess that I really wanted her to be officially my girlfriend, because after Annie, and the trauma of the months spent in therapy I didn't want to scare her. This was it for me though, and I wanted her to know and to feel it. I wanted her to be safe in me, and the knowledge I had her heart safely tucked away, I would protect it with my life.

"Leah Mitchell you are officially immortalised in our schools hall of fame" My old high school coach read out excitedly after a wonderful speech about my career in basketball and my prowess as a teenager with the panthers. The gym was full of honey falls natives, every face a person I knew, and Morgan was front and centre with my family. Hers was the only face I looked for. She clapped with my momma and they exchanged words as I took the stand and held the microphone "thank you Ms Callahan" I say clapping her as she smiles from the left of me.

"I am so honoured to be up on the wall there" I say pointing up to my jersey which was framed and sat between two other hall of fame sports stars. There was a football player who made the NFL, Jason Lament, his had been sat there for twenty or so years and I remembered looking at it as a young athlete and only wishing for his kind of success. The second framed jersey was that of Spencer's father, he had made the Olympics team back in the eighties for track, he ran like the wind, and he was fondly known as everyone is town as "our Kenny" since we had claimed him so fiercely back in the day.

"I just wanted to thank my coach and old team mates here in honey falls. You made it fun. Of course my parents, mostly, for taking time to nurture my basketball skills. I had no idea I was even good at it until later in my school life, but they fell into this new thing with me, even though I had given up sports before, and they let me feel it out without pressure and luckily for me...I fell in love with it..." and I look down to my family and smile, my eyes wondering over each of them until I find Morgan. I linger there for a moment at the pride on her face and I sigh before returning to my speech "I've been thinking about that a lot lately... love... and it's most definitely how I describe basketball. I love it, to my core I love it... and so every day when I go to work, when I train, when I play, I pinch myself because not one day of work ever feels like work. Its like I'm playing my favourite game with my friends... and I'm lucky enough to get paid for it" I look back down to Morgan and smile "And can I just steal this opportunity stood here with a microphone to announce to the world that I am not only signed to Connecticut for one more season, I am also signed to Morgan Keaton..." I say pointing down and smiling wider at her obvious delight and then the shy way she covers her face and hides. George and Laney tap her jovially, and momma pulls her into her embrace and kisses her forehead. Everyone looks back to me as Spencer wolf whistles from the end of the row and Joplin joins her.

"I'm hoping she will sign me forever... but until then I would really like her to be my girlfriend, a little more officially. I want to be removed from the market... what do you say babe?" I ask and I try not to laugh as she peeks out from her hands and then drops them as everyone cheers her on.

"Make her an offer" People start to shout.

I jump down from the stage and walk over to her, hand outstretched "what do you say" I ask.

She takes my hand and stands up "I was planning on doing this a little later on tonight myself but since you beat me to it...Leah Mitchell will you please be my girlfriend" she asks.

I nod as she takes my cheeks and places a kiss on my lips. My hands wind around her waist as it deepens. Her perfume is the most comforting scent upon her neck.

"You better not sign officially until you meet the entire team" Morgan whispers as she breaks away from the kiss. "The kids are back in two weeks ... maybe hold the ink until you meet the heathens... since we come as a package deal an all"

"I would bet good money on me not regretting taking a permanent marker to that dotted line right this second ... but as you wish ... I can't wait to meet them" I say holding her tightly.

She runs her finger tips under my chin and her eyes fall into mine "You may take that back when you see the creepy way they greet people"

"Listen... their mother ghosted me for nine months it couldn't be more ghoulish than that..." I tease.

She lets out a cute laugh "no I suppose I didn't leave you with the best impression either" she reveals.

I shake my head "oh you left an impression alright" I say wiggling my eyebrows, and she rolls her eyes.

"Get a room love birds" Joplin says attempting to wrap her short arms around both of us "and Morgan ... I know you said you forgive me... but I won't ever stop making it up to you" she says squeezing us both.

"You know I don't need you to make it up to me... I just need you to take me with you travelling one day... because I am down for a summer of it next year if you are" Morgan returns.

"Um... no" I say looking to them both and breaking the hug "no" I repeat pointing between them "you will not disappear together travelling whilst I am in season... that's so mean" I say sticking out my lip.

"She knows we would be great friends and she's feeling a tad jealous" Joplin says amused.

Morgan nods "best friends probably" she adds.

I take a deep breath as they begin to laugh "don't be a drama Queen Lee Lee of course we will go when you finish up" Joplin adds.

Spencer slinks in between them both and I look to my favourite three women in the world "I will have finished residency... I could use a trip" she adds eyebrows raised up and wiggling "room for a third wheel" she asks Morgan and Joplin.

They each take an arm "of course... Lee can join us as soon as she can" Morgan teases.

I shake my head "I knew I would regret this introduction... in four days you have taken my place in my friends affections and I'm on the outs for a girls trip which is long overdue by the way"

They all reach forward and grab me playfully "Come on hall of fame queen ... let's go visit Betty and celebrate your prowess with our usuals" Joplin suggests.

We head on out with my family to the Hive, where my party was being held.

"Boys" Betty would greet us and then her eyes would settle on Morgan between us all and her face would change to one I had never even seen before from her. A look of surprise "finally" she announced "you brought a queen to the hive" she says before disappearing.

Joplin looked to us all "Did she just offend anyone else... why am I not a queen..."

Morgan had reminded Betty of someone she knew a very very long time ago... someone on her soft ball team... but that is a story for another time... from another time.

***
Mt Lemmon

Morgan finally notes my silence and takes her eyes from the binoculars, looking around for me, then finally she gazes down, finding me, the binoculars slipping from her fingers as they instead reached up and covered her mouth.

"Morgan" I begin, reaching up for her hand and bringing it to my lips briefly as she observed me a little taken aback, but a look of absolute surprise and joy.

"You are not here to be an audience to the stars, they are here to be an audience to you, to us, to witness our induction into them. Morgan you are it for me, you are everything, and I know it's only six months, but I feel like it's been years in the making, like we have been together a lot longer, perhaps not physically but you haven't left my mind in two years. I know I made a mistake, and that I gave you reason to doubt me once... but you will never and I mean never have to doubt me a second time. I will spend my life devoted to making you feel loved, adored and cherished, and I'm just hoping after everything... that you will have it in your heart to let me"

Morgan has tears running down her cheeks as I lift the ring "Will you let me... Will you be my forever... Andromeda" I ask nervously.

"Is it not already clear Perseus" Morgan finally answers "that I am down for forever with you... and happy to circle the northern star for another millennia"

"A Millenia isn't long enough" I return.

She holds out her hand as I place the ring "I love you so much it actually hurts" she responds.

I stand up and pull her into my arms "I don't want it to hurt... I want it to feel the furthest thing from that... let me love you so much nothing ever hurts you again...please" I beg.

She leans up and captures my cheeks "please" she returns, and I smile and dip my lips to hers.

Our forever ... it began long before this day, but from this moment we went into it hand in hand, confident that it was the rare thing we had both looked for, and within three years we would be living together, married, and have a baby on the way. Our one and only little love herself, and the completion of our family. Our fourth, cementing us all together, and the tie that bound us all. She would, forever, because forever if you hadn't guessed ... it was our thing!

***
Present tense

"Here she is" the technician announced as the family gathered around the rather large screen "little Ms Keaton Mitchell" she observes as the screen is filled with her little face. Her lips are pouting a little, her hand balled up in a fist under her chin.

"Actually" Morgan announced looking to me for confirmation, that we would still be announcing her name as planned.

I nod and look back to the screen "family... meet Hallee" she announces "spelt a little differently to include her mommas name but most certainly named after..."

"Halleys comet" dad interjects.

Morgan's dad who was stood next to him smiles "I was about to say the same..." he says as they both nod to each other. "Our Morgan was always the one to join me on the roof with our old telescope as a kid. She was my little astronomer buddy... and if she hadn't have fallen in love with baseball and ended up a coach I just know she would have found a way to make the world above, her job"

"Yes" I confirm, looking to Morgan and then to our families with a smile "Halleys comet, it returns to earths vicinity once every seventy five years... it's rare, so rare, it makes it possible for each one of us to see it, perhaps twice in our lifetime... it's out there all the time, but not visible, only the lucky will see it on its return"

"Wow" Gage says transfixed by the screen ahead and his little sisters face.

"Like love right" Mia says coming over and taking Morgan's arm.

"The forever kind" Morgan says back with a look of affection.

"I love it" Jameson says standing beside Morgan's mom who is crying at the screen, and Lydia who is the same the other side of her.

"I want a baby" Lydia announces.

"Have one" her mom returns seriously, not breaking her eye contact from the baby moving around in front of us all. "I wouldn't mind another twenty grands" she muses.

"Okay mom, you took it too far... I only want one" Lydia reveals.

"And I only want two max" Blake interjects.

Mia turns around and shoots him a frown "four Blake... I won't take less than four" she informs him.

Momma turns around too "I will take this one on screen, and these three gifts" she says looking to Morgans children "I will love her and them to the ends of this earth and if I shall be blessed with more by any of my girls... I will be just as content"

Morgan's Mom sidles up beside mine "Sadie once you have one it's like a drug... you want more... and more... and more... just wait" she promises.

"Dying to find out" momma says with a beaming smile. "Although these three already make me feel it... the want for more"

"Well this is our last one" I inform them all.

They all look to Morgan and I as she takes my hand, and back to the screen.

My dad can't help but add lovingly "then we won't miss a second of our Hallee... as if she is trailing across the night sky ... not to return for another seventy five years...I'm going to pull up a seat and soak her in"

"Our newest little Lee... Hallee"

*more coming in part two*