It's good to have a stick with a carrot on the end! Or a happy ending on the end, to be less phallic about it. Especially when you're resistant to finishing because then it will be over. You triumphed!

Ha, I'll see your paltry thing and raise you a ridiculously protracted thing. *g* In other words, not paltry at all! You handled the length and pacing perfectly, the way Princess did with 'Memphis,' another fic that developed into a series and ended really satisfyingly (and I think is a different length yet again). It's all about what suits the fic -- which is tricky to gauge when you're writing in the window! -- and this one came out just right. And you finished you finished you finished. Wheeeee! And ::hugs::.