Chapter Text
Seven years later
Jeff wakes up, his back hurts a little, all the sexy activities of the night before have a cost now that he is 50. Gosh he is 50. Today is his birthday.
Ten years ago it was the darkest moment of his entire life, he felt hopeless, now ten years later he is much happier, even though his hair has become more grey and his abs are less defined than ever.
He's older now, but he is finally satisfied. He has a great job, he is the new Denver Community College's dean, he has the most amazing wife, who recently became the youngest boss her forensic lab has ever had and he is the father of two amazing kids: Sebastian, who's almost 7 and Miriam, 5 years old.
He loves them to pieces and though he was scared of having some sort of "crappy dad" gene inherited by William he now knows that he'll do everything for them, with their tiny Disney eyes they have him wrapped around his finger.
He rolls in his bed and he realizes that it's empty, then he hears giggles and muffled sounds coming from the kitchen.
Other ten minutes of silence and peace and then the quiet is disrupted by his children getting on the bed, chanting an "Happy Birthday Daddy" song, jumping and squealing. Behind them comes Annie, with his traditional birthday breakfast.
He eats the delicious pancakes that his family made for him and opens the present that his kids got him: a beautiful framed picture of the four of them, taken by Abed during the summer.
"It's for your new office, just like mum's" says Sebastian.
"That's a very beautiful gift, so I'll watch it and I'll think of you when I miss you. Thank you kids. Now... who's in for a papa bear hug?"
They all roll in the bed hugging each other and laughing. This family is his biggest and most precious gift.
To celebrate his birthday they go to lunch at Nana Doreen's house. As soon as Sebastian came his mother definitely became a precious asset: she is more than happy to spend some time with the kids after school and they can keep working, neither of them feeling trapped.
Once lunch is done they decide to spend the whole afternoon at the park. He plays soccer with Sebastian, who is now definitely faster than him, he helps Miriam to feed the ducks in the pond, they all roll in thre grass and look around to find beautiful flowers for Annie. They have a lot of fun together, he tries to always be there for his children (sometimes a little too hard, he knows he will be one of these embarrassing dad once they are teenagers).
The eventful afternoon at the park proves to be effective in tiring the kids. Once they are tucked in bed after their story it's time for some grown up time.
"We are finally alone to celebrate! How do you feel?"
"Way better than how I felt when I turned 40". She looks at him with her beautiful eyes.
"Don't make me think about that day. I was so scared about losing you."
"Fortunately you didn't lose me, and fortunately I grew a pair of balls and had the courage of not fighting us anymore. I love you". He kisses her and suddenly a memory resurfaces.
"What's wrong babe?"
"Nothing, I was just remembering my season 7 pitch. The night you announced you were leaving for DC we were all pitching eventual season 7. I ran away to the study room and I imagined this future where we were married with a child, but you were profoundly unhappy and you moved away everytime I tried to kiss you. I'm glad that I was wrong."
"You were afraid that you would have held me back, but look at us: both thriving, in our seventh year of a healthy and happy marriage and with the two most incredible children. That's all I've always wanted. I love you."
He his glad about many things, but most of all he is glad that his season seven pitch was terribly wrong about them.
He looks at the pictures hanging on the wall: he and Annie on their wedding day, their little family of three right after Seb's birth, their little family of four right after Miriam's birth, them on a trip to Florence the year before, a photo of their Greendale family and the framed article about their debate victory that he stole from Greendale on his last day.
He never thought he was one to settle down and be all cheesy about all his family little milestones, but here he is, he is a family man, he is 50 and he has never been happier.