Matthias

Epilogue

**Devin's POV**

"Are you ready?" I smiled down at Ben, pushing his almost-too-long hair out of his eyes. 

"Yes." He nodded matter-of-factly.

"I'm not." Matt called from the large kitchen where he was packing up the last lunchbox.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Cayd's shrill voice floated to them from upstairs. Daddy! Cayd took my racer!" Drew's voice came afterwards. 

"I got this one." Matt assured on his way to the boys' rooms. 

I stooped to help Benjamin tie his shoe when the front door flew open and Nyx burst in with an adorable blond perched on his shoulders. "Who's ready for the big day!?" he sang cheerfully. 

"Me!!" Ben jumped up with his hand raised. 

A chorus of "mes" rang out as Matt carried Drew and Cayd under his arms into the room. 

"Jo!" Andrew cried from his dad's side. 

"Daddy, put me down." Cayden giggled, pointing towards the ground. 

"Oh, I don't think so." He replied with a sly smile, easing Drew to the floor and turning Cayd upside down. "You're a bad little boy who keeps stealing racers." As if to prove the point, gravity pulled a red Hot Wheels care from the child's pocket. 

"My racer!" Drew yelled, running to pick it up. 

"Bad little boys can't go to school, Cayd!" Matt growled goofily and threw Cayd over his shoulder.

"No, Daddy I'll be good!" 

"I'm not sure you know how." Matt winked at Jo who laughed over Nyx's head.

"Uncle Adam, help!" Cayd pleaded as Adam entered the house holding Jo's Dora the Explorer backpack. 

"Nice bag!" Matt laughed.

"Oh, shut up." He flipped his brother off and grabbed their daughter from Nyx. "And put him down."

Matt looked down at me with a playful smile. "Hmm.. probably not."

"Please, Daddy." 

"What do you think, Aunt Nicky?" Matt winked at Nyx. 

"Cut that out!" Nyx demanded good-naturedly. 

Matt laughed more and let Cayd down, who ran to me immediately. "We're gonna be late if we don't hurry."

"Come on, guys, before Mommy has a coronary." Nyx mocked. All the boys took this as an invitation to jump on him. Somehow the three of them and Jo managed to climb onto him him and he could still hold them up. He carried them out as they chanted "Aunt Nicky" while he threatened to drop them. 

Adam smiled fondly and I clapped his back, laughing. "Has the adoption cleared yet?" I asked conversationally, stooping to pick up the Batman, Spiderman, and Superman backpacks that were strewn across the living room. 

"Yea, last Wednesday. I can't believe she's really ours." He conceded happily and nervously.

"You'll do fine. Both of you will." I assured. "I'm gonna go get Matt; you go on to the car."

He nodded and walked out the door. I went into the kitchen where he was supposed to be getting the boys' lunchboxes.

"Matt?" I called as I walked into the room. He turned his back quickly and brought his hand to his face. "Matt?" I called again, concerned.

"Yes?" I walked around him quietly to see his face and laughed. "Shut the fuck up!" He pushed me and I laughed harder.

"Dude, no!" I was near hysterics and he did nothing but glare. "Are you crying?!" 

"Stop laughing at me!" He said defensively. 

I tried hard to reign in my laughter, but it was very hard. "Okay! Okay, look, I'm sorry." I grabbed his face and placed a short kiss on his lips. "It's normal to be upset on your kids' first day of school." My composure almost broke, but I handled it well, I think. Nope. I burst into another fit of laughter.

"You're a friggin' jerk." He yelled, but there was the hint of a smile in his tone. He grabbed the lunchboxes and marched out of the kitchen. I followed after with a huge grin. I helped Ben into his booster seat and closed the car door. 

"You guys want us to come over and help you unpack today?" Nyx asked me from across the driveway.

"If you want. We're almost done, though. Won't take long."

"Sounds great! Meet you back here after we drop the kids off." Adam said and got into their car. Matt waved at them and settled into the driver's seat of the car. 

I reached across the console and grabbed his hand, smiling softly at his barely red rimmed eyes. He glowered, but squeezed my hand playfully. "I love you." I sang cheerfully. 

"I love you, too, Daddy!" Ben jumped in, as if he needed to make his father feel better.

"Me too!" Drew and Cayd competed beside him. 

Matt laughed warmly and looked at our boys in the rear view mirror. "I love you, too!" He glanced back at me and kissed my hand. "And you." 

***

After we got back to the house, Nyx was standing on the wrap around perch, holding Adam up piggy-back style. "I can't get over how much I love this house!" Adam called down as Matt and I walked up the sidewalk. 

"I know!" Nyx agreed. "It's so big, and private."

Matt and I had used the money we got from the DeVilles for the kidnapping case for me to go to school and for the down payment on a house big enough for the five of us. I was now almost out of college, and the funds we still got from Regan's parents were enough for us to keep the house. Once I was out of school, I'd start my regular job at the hospital and we'd have plenty money to get by on our own. It would be wonderful. 

Just the thought of having a successful like with Matt and the boys was perfect. My heart swelled at the mere idea and I knew I was about as happy as a person could be. 

____________

Well, that's it. That's the book! xD Thank you all for sticking with me through this book, cause I lose motivation a LOT! Thank you for your comments that made me want to continue cause a lot of the times I didn't. I just love you all and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I liked writing it. Although, I can't say I'm not glad to see it over. 

-Laina R