Epilogue - Harry

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It's April. There's still a chill in the air, but the sun is shining as we descend the steps to sit in the front row, right beside the visitor's dugout. These aren't our usual seats, but it doesn't get much better than this.

"Where's Mommy?" Sophie asks, tugging her hat down lower to fight off the sun.

"She'll be down in a second," I tell her. "She's just hitting the bathroom,"

"She's always just hitting the bathroom lately," she teases. "Little dude's got to stop kicking around in there so much,"

"Yeah," I smile. "Before you know it, he'll be kicking you," I remind her.

"It's okay," she bounces in her seat. "I'm gonna be a great big sister, just like you are a great big brother to Auntie Layla,"

"Aw, isn't she sweet?" Layla chimes in as she walks across the row to settle in next to me. "Nice jersey. Looks like I picked the right size,"

"We match," Sophie says, giggling.

My kid is the only one in this section wearing the visiting team's jersey, but she's cute enough to pull it off without much criticism, even in this city. Hard to tell her she can't wear a Chase Fox jersey, especially when I'm a fan of the guy myself.

"The lines were crazy," Brooklyn says as she sits down. "Hope I don't have to get up until the seventh inning stretch,"

"Good luck with that," I smirk.

There's nothing more beautiful that seeing my pregnant wife in a Phillies jersey bearing our last name. She's wearing my ring. I still can't get over it.

When I lost Lindsey, I never imagined loving anyone again. I never thought I could be so happy, so fulfilled, and so excited for what's to come. I get all of it with Brooklyn, and I think if Lindsey could see Sophie and I now, she'd be smiling.

She came home with me the night of Jack and Autumn's wedding. We spent the weekend making up for lost time, both with Sophie on the weekend, and alone at night in my bedroom. We talked about what we'd missed in each others lives - the job changes, the romantic mishaps, all of it. And when it was time to say goodbye, I knew it wouldn't be for long.

Two weeks later, she was back living with us. Two months later, her home in Concord sold. The pieces fell into place without incident, and I took it as a sign that we deserved it.

I proposed to her in September, and we were married a month later. No sense in waiting when you already have everything you need.

The months since the wedding have flown by so fast, and in another few, we'll finally meet our son. It was a beautiful fall day, with autumn colored leaves on the trees at the park where we were wed. It was small; nothing like Jack and Autumn's wedding. We kept the ceremony to the basics and didn't get too fancy with the reception, either.

I'm kind of over the extravagant stuff; I'm really enjoying just being the me I always wanted to be when I was a kid. A guy who is happy and is surrounded by the people he loves every day.

"There he is," Sophie squeals as Chase walks up to the railing. "Hi, Chase,"

"Hey, Soph. Happy Birthday," he smiles. "Thanks for coming to watch me play today,"

"Sorry my parents are in the other guys' jerseys," she tries to whisper but it comes out loudly and we all smirk.

"She was a Phillies fan since birth, man," I tell him, leaning over to shake his hand. "A few games of catch with you and she drops us just like that," I snap my fingers.

"It's cool. I'm a big fan of the Reid family, no matter who you're all cheering for,"

"Good luck," Layla says, leaning over the railing to kiss him on the cheek before he runs out to the bullpen to warm up before the game.

"Throw a no-hitter for my birthday!" Sophie screams and he throws his thumbs in the air as he jogs away.

"I love you, kid, but I really hope that's not his birthday gift to you," I tell her.

I reach over to hold Brooklyn's hand and take in this beautiful moment. It's hard to believe it all started right here almost 2 years ago, when I decided I wanted a beer at a Phillies/Brewers game.

"I feel like I look crazy," she says, fanning herself. "I'm hot and it's not even hot out,"

"You look beautiful," I smile.

She pulls my hand to her stomach and I feel our little guy kicking.

"Little dude agrees with me,"

I was thrilled to become a father when Sophie was on the way, but I never had the chance to go through these little moments. Sometimes I stare at Brooklyn's cute little stomach and can't help but wish I'd been able to be there while she carried Sophie. It's crazy, I know; I was married to someone else. But Sophie kicked around in Brooklyn's stomach like this, and I missed it.

I can't explain what it's been like since she told me she's pregnant. It happened more quickly than expected, but we're happy beyond belief.

The players take the field and Sophie's on the edge of her seat, waiting for the bottom of the first.

"Things are about to get crazy for both of us," she says. I may have missed the pregnancy part, but Brooklyn missed the entire infant to childhood part. "And for Sophie,"

We've been talking about this for months, but every now and then she brings it up randomly, like she just needs a reminder that everything is going to be okay. Sophie loves her like she's always been here; her memories of Lindsey are only in photographs.

"You're going to be amazing, just like you're amazing with Sophie,"

"I just keep waiting for something to happen. For the other shoe to drop. I don't know,"

"No way," I shake my head. "The doctor says you're doing well. He's healthy. There isn't another shoe, Brook. This family has paid its dues for a lifetime - it's all good from here on out. The universe owes us," I tell her, cracking open an peanut and tossing it into my mouth.

"Yeah. I guess you're right," she smiles.

"You sound so convinced," I tease, handing her a peanut. "I love you, but you've become a worrywart," I smile before popping another peanut in my mouth. "Chill, baby,"

She rolls her eyes and leans her head on my shoulder as the players run out onto the field

"GO CHASE!" Sophie screams with her hands cupped around her mouth. "COMPLETE GAME, NO HITTER!!!"

Brooklyn covers her face and laughs.

"Your daughter is awesome Harry," Layla laughs as she stands up and cheers with Sophie.

I turn to face Brooklyn as she watches Sophie jump up and down. Brooklyn is a lot of things, but my favorite thing about her is the way she loves Sophie.

"Whatcha thinking?" I lean over to ask.

"Just that we're the luckiest people on earth to have been able to keep her," she says. "That she is the center of everything in this family, and that we wouldn't be here today if not for her. And look at her," she smiles. "She lives like nothing happened at all, and I can tell she's going to live that way forever. Fearlessly, and with so much love,"

"We'll make sure of it," I tell her. "Always,"

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A/N: Thank you all so much for reading! If you enjoyed learning about Chase, check out his teenage years in my other book, "All At Once," and prepare for a Layla/Chase book next!

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