Sin6

Chapter Six:

Their kiss started slow but soon the familiar feelings they had tried to deny for so many years came rushing to the surface. Neither noticed the crowd along the shoreline or their own son just feet away. They were lost in their own little world. It was obvious to anyone watching that they were in love, and that it was a love like no other.

Matthew went back over to his parents, who didn’t even notice he was standing there until he spoke up. "Mom when are we eating lunch?"

She stifled a laugh and ruffled her son’s hair. "Oh he is definitely your son, Buchanan."

"I could say the same to you, counselor.”

With all the innocence of a 6 year old, "I thought I was both of yours son..." he scrunched up his face in confusion.

Laughing, "You most definitely are champ”, he looks up at her, their eyes locking, “and you are everything I love about your mother."

She caught the use of the present tense, and a small smile crossed her lips, 'why is he always telling other people first, first his father, now his son’, then finishing his sentence, "And everything I love about your father."

He too caught the use of the present tense, smiling he took her hand, then taking his son's hand he led them to the buffet table that had been set up down below. Matthew looked between his parents as they made their way below deck, 'I knew they loved each other', he thought to himself as he looked up at them again.

Lunch was spent eating and laughing, just like it had always been in the past. Matthew fell asleep on one of the large sofas while Bo and Nora sat together looking out at the water; her head resting on his shoulder. He pulled her closer when he felt her shiver, "Maybe we should go inside."

"No Bo, I'm fine. I want to watch the sun go down while I sit here in your arms."

He just smiled at how much his life has changed in the past few months. He was finally where he wanted to be, and he had no plans on losing what they have found again.

Nora snuggled back into Bo's warm embrace as she watched the sun go below the horizon, smiling at how her life had truly come full circle in the last few years, and she was finally back where she belonged, then as if fate intervened once again, the music drifting through the speakers changed, and "Can I Have This Dance" started playing.

He leaned down to kiss her hair and whispered, "Can I have this dance?"

They stood up swaying gently in each others arms. Bo pulled her close, so close he could feel her heart beating against his. She laid her head against his chest and let the music wash over her. He closed his eyes as he leaned his head against hers; taking in the scent of her hair. The feel of his arms around her brought tears to her eyes, and soon he could feel her body shake as she cried. He pulled slightly out of their embrace so that he was looking into her eyes, "What's wrong, Red?"

"I...I don't deserve you." She looked in eyes briefly then walked across the room.

"Nora, honey, what's this all about?" He followed her to the other side of the deck and took her hands making her face him. "Of course you deserve me." She gave him a yeah right look. "I'm serious, honey. If anyone doesn't deserve it it's me."

"No, Bo it's not your fault you missed out on so much time with Matthew, its not your fault things ended between us, it's mine"

He took a deep breath, he had to get this right, his whole future was riding on the next words out of his mouth , he took her hands in his, "Nora," she remained looking at the floor, he took one hand, raising her chin so he could look in her eyes," look at me, Red, and listen to me," he hesitated, "I have replayed the events surrounding the end of our marriage hundreds of times," she started to pull away, he held her closer. "Nora, our problem was never whether or not we loved each other enough, it was that we loved each other too much," he laughed, "that sounds so impossible, but the fact is, you are my heart, and the only thing I ever wanted for you was for you to be happy, and when Drew died, I didn't think I was the person to make you happy any more, " she started to speak, he silenced her with a look. “And that decision is the one that led to every other decision that was made, by both of us, so if anyone is responsible for me missing the first few years of Matthew's life it's me.”

“Love was definitely never the problem between us I will give you that one, but I was the one that went outside of our marriage, regardless of the reasons why, I’m the one who broke our wedding vows.”

“And you know I’ve forgiven you for that and I’ve found a way past it, honestly honey I have. And so that being said why don’t we agree to this, okay”, he pauses for a moment, “that we were both to blame. That one decision led each of us to make other horrible decisions which in the end destroyed the life we had built and the life we wanted to give our child but,” laying a hand on her face, "we have a second chance, a second chance that neither of us really deserves but for the sake of our son we better hold onto for dear life and never ever let go of what we've been given. So how about we go inside, wake up our son and head home."

"Home” she repeats with a smile, “I like the sound of that.”

6 months later:

He stands at the front of the ship, watching the sun disappear below the horizon, and remembers how the last time he watched this scene and how it brought him to where he was now.

He looks down at their son; dressed in his black tux, his mother's brown eyes sparkling with excitement, "So, you ready to get married, champ?

"I'm ready, are you?"

"I think I’ve been waiting for this day for five years." Matthew looks up at his father in confusion. Bo just laughs, "You'll understand when you're older."

They turned their attention to the door that led to the bridge of the ship when the music began to play. Bo's breath caught in his throat at the sight before him. She winked at her daughter before turning to face the two most important men in her life; her smile crept from her lips to her eyes at the sight before her. As they stood there, the sun was making its final descent into the water, and as this day ended, a new beginning was coming.

They exchanged their vows under the star filled sky, their children, close family, and friends there to witness their promises of forever.

She took the ring from her daughter’s hand and turned to face her once and future husband, “Take this ring as a symbol of my undying love and devotion. With this ring I thee wed.” She slipped the ring on his finger and brought it up to her lips.

He reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek before turning and taking her ring from their son. He turned to face her once again, his beacon in the darkness, “Take this ring as a symbol of my undying love and devotion. With this ring I thee wed.”

They turned to face Andrew, “With the power vested in me by God and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

They share their first kiss as husband and wife as a shooting star blazed across the night sky. Matthew and Rachel looked up at the sky and then back down at each other both knowing their wishes had finally come true. He carried her over the threshold; her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.” So what do you want to do first on our honeymoon, Mrs. Buchanan," he said with a hint of mischief in his eye.

"What do YOU think, Mr. Buchanan?

He takes her lips in his as he gently sets her down, then leaning back to look at her, "Thank you." he whispers.

Still looking at him, a tear lying on his cheek, she reaches out and removes it with her thumb, "I almost forgot I have your wedding present." She takes his hand from her face, placing it on her stomach.

He looked down at their hands and back up at her; the tears welling up in his eyes, "How", she raised her eye brows and smiled, "NOT that how, but I mean with everything that was happening when we tried with Matthew I just never thought that it would happen again."

"Well believe it Buchanan; you're going to be a daddy again."

The Bo Buchanan 'daddy smile' comes to his face, "I am not sure what I did to deserve you, Matthew, and this little one here, but there is nothing that is going to make me let go this time, you" he kisses her nose," are stuck with me, until I take my last breath."

"Is that a promise?"

He shakes his head, "Nope that is a vow!"

Eight months later.....

"Come on Red just one more."

"That's easy for you to say Buchanan; you're not the one in this bed, and I swear to everything holy you are never ever touching me again."

Bo looks over at Dr. Conklin who is just smiling, "They always say that Bo, don't worry."

"Yeah well I mean it."

Just then a newborns cry fill the room, Dr. Conklin places the infant on her mother’s belly as she looks at Bo, whose eyes are also full of tears threatening to fall, "Well, daddy, you have a little girl."

"A girl" he chokes out, as Nora places her hand on the newborn's head; she then looks at Bo who is still staring at the child in wonderment, she takes his hand, and he looks at her, "Hey I thought you weren't touching me ever again?”

She just smiled and looked back down at the little red-haired girl with her father's sparkling blue eyes. "I love you Bo Buchanan."

"And I love you too," he leans in and kisses her, "So what should we name her?"

"I was thinking Sarah Victoria, because without them, I’m not sure either one of us would have made it to today."

She looked up at him and nodded her head, knowing exactly what he meant, "Welcome to the world Sarah Victoria Buchanan."

3 days later...

"Surprise!" yelled the mix of Buchanan's and Hanens as they brought the newest little on into their home.

Asa walked up to Bo, who held Sarah right next to his chest, as he kissed the top of her head, a tear in his eye, he looked at his son, "Well, are you going to let me hold her or what?" He handed the little pink bundle over to Asa, and as she opened her eyes, a hint of a smile played on her lips, knowing for sure that this would be one more Buchanan man she would have wrapped around her finger.

They spent the rest of the evening celebrating their new arrival and as he watched the final guest pull out of the driveway he knew in his heart of hearts that he was a lucky man, but when he turned and walked back through the double doors of their converted barn, and saw the three of them sitting together on the couch he no longer felt lucky....he felt blessed.

THE END!!!!!!