Dan sat back on the sofa holding her close against him doing his best to keep his eyes focused on her chattering and the coloring book open in between them. It was times like this that he was still astounded by how tiny she was. She was so delicate sitting cradled against him, even with his lanky frame.
Her dark hair was pulled up into a high ponytail most likely done by her mother this morning. Katrina had even taken the care to tie the ponytail with bright yellow ribbon; Iris' favorite color. Iris had her mother's eyes; that big pretty hazel Dan had fallen for the second he'd caught sight of them.
Iris favored her mother quite a bit actually. They both had that pale soft skin. They both had a heart-shaped face and a sweet little smile. It was clear that the little girl would grow up to be just as gorgeous as Katrina.
Dan Avidan had never imagined he'd fall for a woman with a child. He'd always assumed dating a single mom would just be too dramatic. There was so much to consider when there were kids involved. It wasn't just about you and your girlfriend, there was a third party to consider, one who was so fragile and needy. Kids were pretty much just along for the ride when it came to one of their parents dating after all. Not to mention you'd probably have to deal with an ex husband and all the fuss and stress that would come along with that kind of situation.
Here Dan was though cuddling a six-year-old girl who along with her mother had come to mean the world to him. He ignored his exhaustion knowing he couldn't give into sleep just yet.
He had been so busy lately with the Grumps and working on writing the next Ninja Sex Party album. He was running on empty most of the time. He was ashamed to admit it but Katrina and Iris had taken a backseat to his career lately.
Dan knew he had to make up for lost time. He had to remind them that they were still the reason he woke up every morning. They needed to be reminded that he would always try his best to put them both first, even if hadn't been doing a great job at that lately.
Despite his fatigue Dan couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his cheeks as little Iris let out an excited gasp pointing down at the coloring book page. "Look Danny, it's a Tric—a Tricear—a Triceratops!"
Dan chuckled nodding his head unable to stop the swell of pride from taking over his heart. He'd been the one to teach her all about dinosaurs. He'd taken her down to the museum to show her the dinosaur bones the year before and she'd been obsessed since then.
Dan had even bought her a little yellow shirt with a Triceratops on it. It was her favorite dinosaur after all. He would be lying though if he'd tried to say he hadn't been tempted to buy her a custom Iris-Saur t-shirt to match with his own Danny-Saur t-shirt.
He had made a big point of sharing all the things he loved with little Iris. It had been his way of trying to bond with her. He wanted to show her all the things he'd loved when he was her age; Lite-Brites and dinosaurs.
He'd sang for her more than once and played her all his favorite records. He had even encouraged her to sing along with him. He had wanted to instill a love of music into her, to pass his passion for music on to her.
He'd made sure to read the Last Unicorn to her more than once and had shown her the movie as well. She had taken to asking him to read the Last Unicorn to her when she was sick and he did it every time without complaint.
He'd even watched football with her. He had taken to trying to teach her about sports and was relieved that she wasn't bored out of her mind by it.
He knew that Iris didn't quite understand every single thing about football not fully, but still she cheered and clapped when he cheered. She would even boo when he was annoyed by a bad play or any team other than the Giants scoring a point.
To this day Dan was still shocked by just how easy it had been for him to bond with Iris. He wasn't afraid to say that he loved her like she was his own. It was a shock for him to admit.
Of course, he did love kids. He doted on his nephews and he was equally as prone to spoil Brian's daughter Audrey. He had never pictured himself being someone's father figure though. He had never imagined himself being someone's stepfather.
Any time he thought about having kids he had always framed it as being something that would happen in the distant future. Even as he grew older he still would claim that he wasn't ready to have kids just yet. He always said having kids could wait, he had to meet the right girl first after all.
It seemed though that for Dan the right girl had come with the right kid.
Dan pressed a kiss to Iris' cheek causing her to giggle as the stubble he'd failed to shave rubbed against her round cheek. He spoke unable to stop himself from purposely tickling her again with his scruff. "What color are you going to color it Shortie?"
Iris giggled the little nickname Dan had deposited on her always making her laugh. "Blue…Teal Blue."
"Ah good choice. That's Danny's favorite color." Dan praised her as he watched her fish out a teal crayon from the massive box of crayons he may or may not have bought her along with an equally massive stack of coloring books and art pads.
Iris nodded her head a smile on her face as she began to neatly color the page. "I'm gonna color it blue and yellow so it'll be both our favorite colors."
"What about Mommy? Are you going to color something her favorite color?" Dan asked trying not to chuckle at how slowly she colored.
She wasn't like most kids her age. She was so serious when it came to coloring. She made sure to move slow and stay in the lines. She was so careful. Iris was so creative and it astounded the crap out of Dan.
The wall at his office back at the Grump Space had been decorated with little framed drawings Iris had given him. He had gone out and bought the frames himself at a local thrift shop. He was so proud of the little drawings. Iris took such great care in creating them and Dan wanted to show them off.
Ross of course teased Dan, trying to decipher what some of the drawings were supposed to be even if he could clearly see it. He would point at the drawings and ask Dan if a dinosaur was a flamingo or if a dog was a lion.
Of course, Dan would always just tell Ross to shut up and not be jealous that he didn't have such awesome art in his own office.
Dan smiled as Iris nodded her head answering him. "I'm gonna color that bird red for Mommy. She likes red. She likes apple red."
Dan continued to watch her color soaking in the little moment. A tall stack of coloring books sat out on the coffee table and Dan found that he wouldn't mind if he had to sit here for hours watching her color a page from each book.
Dan might have taken to spoiling Iris just a tiny bit even if Katrina did scold him for it. Katrina would always point out that spoiling her daughter was cute now but he wouldn't find it so cute when she was a teenager pouting that they had bought her an old clunker of a car instead of a brand-new car.
Dan knew Katrina was right of course, but he couldn't stop himself from buying things for Iris. It wasn't anything expensive of course, just little stuffed animals and lots of art supplies. Iris really liked art and Arin had told Dan it was probably a good idea to support her in her interests early on. She might be able to do something with art once she was an adult if she kept at it.
Arin and Suzy were almost as bad about dropping the art supplies on Iris, Dan was always quick to point this out when Katrina gave him that little look of mild disapproval after he'd come home with yet another coloring book.
Dan grinned as Iris spoke her voice growing even more excited as she pointed at the page beside the one she was currently coloring. She had spotted what she knew was Dan's all-time favorite dinosaur. "Look Danny it's a Steggysaurous."
Dan failed to stop himself from laughing as he corrected her "Stegosaurus Shortie. It's called a Stegosaurus."
"Oh." She replied making Dan feel a little bad for laughing.
She was a sensitive kid almost to the point of being far too sensitive and sobbing at the drop of a hat. Kids at school teased her for it. They called her a crybaby and picked on her until she cried. Dan could remember how pissed off he'd been when Iris had come home crying over the cruel name. He had marched down to the elementary school himself and demanded that something be done about it.
He was shocked at times how protective he felt over the child. He just loved her so much. He hated the idea of some snot-nosed little brat making her cry.
Katrina was pretty overly sensitive as well. So was he though; quick to cry when he felt upset. He guessed that was part of why it had been so easy for them to mesh together as a family of sorts.
He pressed a serious of kisses to her cheeks doing all he could to soothe any hurt feelings. "It's okay Shortie when I was your age I couldn't say S's so I would call it a thegotharuth."
Dan was relieved that this little fact caused Iris to burst out laughing. He couldn't stop himself from laughing along with her.
He teased her purposely rubbing his stubble against her cheeks only causing her to giggle more. "Are you laughing at me Shortie?"
"Nu huh." Iris exclaimed as he continued to tickle her adding his fingers into the mix tickling her ribs.
"Liar liar pants on fire." Dan teased his heart melting as she continued to giggle squirming against him as he tickled her tiny frame and her round cheeks.
…..
Katrina stood in the kitchen a smile forming across her face as she listened to her fiancé interact with her daughter. It was times like this that she was almost overwhelmed with just how much she loved Dan.
Leigh Daniel Avidan had been the last thing in the world Katrina Cassel had been looking for when they'd met at that Halloween party two years before.
Dan was older than her, almost by a decade. He was a little bit immature at times. He wrote songs about boners and spent his days making jokes about dicks on the internet.
Katrina would be lying if she tried to say that his silly songs didn't make her laugh though. The sound of him singing made her breathless no matter what the subject matter was. His perverted jokes made her giggle even if they were immature. He always found a way to make her drop her need to be serious.
Dan may have not been what Katrina was looking for, but he was everything she wanted and more.
She almost felt anxious when she allowed herself to remember that she had almost backed out of going to Arin's and Suzy's Halloween party two years before.
Katrina had befriended Suzy at a pottery class they'd both been taking. Katrina had been surprised by how quick the friendship had formed. She wouldn't have thought Suzy and she would have anything in common but they did; they both loved Disney and cats and art. They both liked the same bands. They both had similar senses of humor.
So, when Suzy had begged Katrina to come to the Halloween party Arin and she were throwing Katrina had given in and attended. It had been a costume party. It hadn't taken place on Halloween night. Halloween had been on a Monday so the party had taken place on the Saturday before. So that had at least eased some of Katrina's guilt over having to hire a babysitter to watch Iris.
Katrina had thrown together a costume rather quickly. She was a single mom working as a receptionist at a dentist's office. It wasn't Katrina's dream career but it paid the bills. She had to provide for her daughter all alone so she had sacrificed any dreams she may have had at one point and had taken a mind-numbing receptionists job.
She had gone to the party dressed as Little Red Riding Hood. It had been an easy costume to put together. She had a little red knee length dress and matching red ballet flats. She had a straw basket and a red hooded cape styled jacket. She had borrowed one of her daughter's stuffed animals to shove into the basket she had carried; a little brown wolf.
Dan had been the one to notice her. Arin had talked him into dressing in a joint costume. They had chosen to go as Mario and Luigi and Dan had regretted wearing the green overalls and the dumb fake mustache the second he'd caught sight of Suzy's pretty friend.
He had noticed Katrina's curves first. He'd be lying if he tried to deny it. She had a nice figure; heavy breasts and nice full hips. The next thing that had caught his sight was her hair. It was a nice shade of fawn brown. She'd braided her long hair to the side and Dan had wanted to run his fingers through the silky locks. Her eyes had sold him on her. They were a pleasant shade of hazel that he could stare at for an eternity.
Dan had been the one to approach her. He had spent the night trying to charm her.
Katrina had been a little annoyed to be honest. He had spent the night following her around like a tall loud shadow constantly trying to talk to her.
Mostly though she had been shocked. Sure, guys hit on her. They stared at her breasts mostly. They always ran the second they found out she had a kid though.
In her opinion her body showed she had a kid. She had stretch marks and her belly wasn't as flat as she would have hoped it would be. Katrina had always described herself as being chubby. People told her she was pretty, but she didn't see it when she looked in the mirror.
As hard as Katrina had tried to brush off Dan's advances and ignore him, he'd gotten to her. He had a nice smile. He seemed so sweet; so genuine in his compliments. He was funny. He was far taller than her and he was actually pretty handsome if Katrina was to be honest.
He had asked to see her again, to take her to dinner. She had expected him to run when she'd given him her answer. "Okay…but I have something to confess before you commit to wanting to ask me out Dan…I can understand if you back out after hearing this…so. uh here it is, I have a daughter…She's four years old. Her name is Iris…. it's just her and me…my ex, her dad ran off when I got pregnant…I don't really date because most guys can't take it…. Like I said I get it if you aren't interested anymore, but you should know that she is part of my life."
Dan felt like an asshole to admit it but he had almost wanted to run after finding out that Katrina had a kid. His fears and doubts had told him to run. His head had insisted that it was too much to take on. Dating her wouldn't work out. He wouldn't be able to take on a kid.
He had ignored his fears though. His heart had screamed at him to go for it. He liked Katrina. She was sexy and sweet. She was downright adorable. He had a feeling she'd be cute even without the cutesy costume. He wanted to spend more time with her. Her having a child didn't change that.
So, Dan had nodded his head speaking from the heart as he gave her his answer. "Okay. I'm okay with that…. I'm surprised, but I have no problem with you having a daughter. I would really like to take you to dinner….and maybe if you'd let me I wouldn't mind spending more time with you. So, I would really like to take you to dinner next weekend…Outback Steakhouse…if that's okay with you."
And with that Katrina had ignored her own doubts and nodded her head accepting his offer.
The dinner date had led to more dates and Dan and she had fallen for each other. Any chance Katrina had given him to back out he'd refused to take. He had reassured her that he didn't mind her having a child.
He had promised her that he understood that Iris would always be number one in Katrina's life. He had promised her that if he and Iris formed a bond that he wouldn't just drop out of Iris' life. He had promised Katrina that even if she and he broke up that he wouldn't just disappear from Iris' life.
If the little girl formed a bond with him he wouldn't disappear.
Katrina had been terrified to let Dan meet her daughter. She had worried that Dan meeting Iris would make the fact that her daughter existed totally 100 percent real to Dan.
Katrina had been afraid Dan would freak out and run the second he'd met her daughter. Katrina knew that if that happened then she wouldn't follow him.
Dan running away would hurt, but Katrina wouldn't choose him over her child. Her mother had been that kind of person; always tossing Katrina aside for every man that showed her any attention. Katrina had spent her childhood at her grandmother's house and her aunt's house while her mother ran off with whichever boyfriend she had found at the time.
Katrina refused to make the mistakes her mother had made.
She had almost wanted to sob the first time Dan had met Iris. He'd been so perfect. He had dropped down onto his knees to be on Iris' level and he'd spoken to her with the sweetest little voice.
Katrina could so clearly remember his words as he held out his hand for Iris to shake. "Hi Iris. I'm Danny. Your mom has told me a lot about you. I really really like your mom a lot and I'd like to spend some time with you…if that's alright with you."
Iris had taken to Dan so quickly. She adored Dan almost right from the start once she'd overcome her shyness. It had stunned Katrina. Dan and Iris had so easily become two peas in a pod.
Dan was so great with Iris. He was so patient and sweet. He played with her and listened to her when she talked about things she was excited about. Dan doted on Iris like she was a little princess.
Dan hadn't run away no matter how stressful things became. He had stayed through being interrupted in getting close to having sex with Katrina by Iris walking into the room. He had stayed through a sobbing sick Iris vomiting on him when she'd caught the flu the year before. He had stayed there through Iris throwing the occasional temper tantrum when she'd refused naps and was feeling cranky. He had woken up and pulled Iris into bed with Katrina and he when she woke from nightmares.
He had stuck around when Katrina was overworked and exhausted balancing parenting and a crappy job. He had stuck around when Katrina was feeling insecure about her post child body. He had stuck around when Katrina let bad experiences with her ex get the best of her causing her to question Dan's love for her.
He had stayed through everything. He'd stayed glued to Katrina and Iris.
When he'd talked Katrina into quitting the job she hated, and letting him take care of Iris and her for as long as she would let him, she had said yes. When he had asked Katrina and Iris to move in with him Katrina had said yes. When he had proposed the Halloween before Katrina had zero doubts about saying yes.
Katrina jumped ever so slightly being pulled from her own thoughts as she felt a pair of gangly arms embrace her wrapping tight around her waist.
She leaned back against Dan's embrace as he nuzzled her neck his voice drowsy. "I'm so happy to be home early for once. I missed my girls. These past few nights you two have been asleep when I get home and I have to leave before you wake up."
"We missed you too baby." Katrina replied as he continued to nuzzle her neck.
He spoke his voice a bit muffled as he began to press kisses to her neck. "I'm sorry I've been so busy lately. I suck. I haven't been home as much as I should."
Katrina frowned placing down the knife she'd been using to chop veggies. She turned to face him her hands reaching up to caress his cheeks. "You don't suck Dan. I don't like that you haven't been home as much as I would like, I understand why though. Iris and I miss you when you're gone but we know you're gone working on your dreams. We might miss you but we're proud as heck of you."
She spoke again her lips sliding along his in a gentle kiss hoping she was doing a decent job at reassuring him. "The only thing that sucks is that I worry about you overworking yourself. You're so exhausted baby and you keep going until you burn out. I want you to take a break soon okay. Just take a week or two to get some rest…no work or as little work as possible okay. Get some real sleep and relax with Iris and me. Take a break."
Dan sighed wanting to argue with her that he didn't have time for a break. He knew that it would be a lie though. Brian would understand if he needed a week or so to himself to recharge. Brian was probably just as burnt out. And Arin wouldn't have a problem with him coming home as soon as he finished up his recordings for the day.
Arin didn't want him to burn out either after all. Dan was pretty sure Arin had barked out the same orders to take a break to Dan time and time again over the years
Dan nodded his head sinking against Katrina's hold ever so slightly as he relented. "Okay Kat. I'll take a break."
Katrina rewarded his agreement with a serious of kisses to his lips. He smiled into the kiss sinking against her more.
He allowed his hands to caress her curves his voice growing husky as he pulled back from the kisses long enough to speak. "I might need that break to show the future Mrs. Avidan just how much I've missed her. I haven't been taking care of my babygirl the way I should."
"How much you missed me or how much Excalibur missed me?" She teased her voice low enough that only he could hear it.
Dan reacted by giving her backside a playful pat. "Oh it missed you so damn much babygirl. Tonight, I'm going to show you just how much every last bit of me missed you."
Katrina chuckled shaking her head ever so slightly. She had a feeling once he got a good meal in him he'd fall asleep the second his head hit his pillows. They might not be able to express how much they'd missed each other until tomorrow night.
She placed her hand on the base of his neck massaging the tension from him causing a low groan to escape his throat. He spoke his eyes growing heavy. "God, Kat babygirl, you're going to be the death of me."
She giggled removing her hand from his neck causing him to let out a small whine. She pressed a gentle all to chaste kiss to his lips as she spoke up. "I have a surprise for you."
He furrowed his brow reluctantly allowing her to pull away from him. She headed over to the pantry fishing out the rectangular box she'd kept hidden in a reusable grocery bag in the corner.
She was almost stunned Dan hadn't taken notice of the brightly wrapped gift. She had managed to find wrapping paper in the exact shade of blue Dan loved.
Dan felt a brief wash of panic hit him as he stared at the wrapped gift. It was clearly in a clothing box. Why would she buy him clothing? Was he supposed to buy her a gift too? Had he forgotten their anniversary? No that wasn't possible they'd met in October and it was March. So, he hadn't fucked up and forgotten to get her a gift. She more than likely wasn't expecting something in return.
Katrina resisted the urge to laugh at the dumbfounded look on Dan's face as he stared down at the box. She spoke nudging his shoulder gently. "Open it."
Dan made quick work of unwrapping the box his mind going in a million different directions. He felt breathless as he opened the box to reveal what was so clearly paperwork.
He spoke his voice a slight squeak as he hoped he wasn't allowing himself to get his hopes up. "Is this what I think it is?"
Katrina nodded her head hoping he wouldn't be upset she'd been keeping this from him. The paperwork had come in a few days before and she'd wanted to surprise him with it. She had just been waiting for the right moment.
"The lawyer sent it a few days ago…. all we have to do is sign it and he'll file it with the courts." Katrina explained studying Dan's wide eyes as he read the paperwork.
He spoke his throat growing tight hoping he wasn't ruining the moment. "Mitch signed the papers?"
Katrina felt her throat tighten up at the mention of her ex, Iris' father. She had been so terrified he would try to fight her when she had her lawyer track him down and request that he sign away his parental rights.
She was relieved he had no issue signing the paperwork. Katrina guessed she shouldn't have been surprised. He'd made zero effort to pay child support. He hadn't been there when Iris had been born. He had dumped Katrina the second she'd found out she was pregnant.
So of course, he'd have zero problem signing away any parental rights he held to Iris.
If Katrina could have avoided ever having to speak to Mitch again she would have gladly done so. Dan and she needed Mitch to sign away his rights if they wanted to proceed with this though.
Dan nodded his head ignoring the desire to be so pissed off that Mitch had signed away his rights as a father so carelessly. This was what they had wanted. They needed him to sign away his rights so he couldn't try to interfere with what they wanted to do.
"So, all we have to do is sign these papers…and, and it'll be official? She'll be…she'll really be mine?" Dan asked feeling slightly dumbfounded.
The lawyer had explained all of this to Katrina and he a million times, but Dan hadn't allowed himself to get his hopes up. He had been too afraid that his plans would fall through and it would break his heart.
"Yeah once it's filed with the courts…I mean if a judge okays it then It'll be official. She'll be yours." Katrina explained her eyes beginning to water.
She hadn't ever dreamed Dan would have asked her to consider letting him adopt Iris. She had almost wanted to ask him to pinch her when he'd first brought up the idea. She had been almost sure she was having a dream.
It had been real though. Dan had really wanted to adopt Iris.
Dan had been afraid when he'd first brought up the idea of letting him adopt Iris with Katrina. He'd been afraid he would scare her off, or that he'd be coming on too strong.
Katrina and he were getting married though. The wedding was a few months away. Miss. Katrina Angelica Cassel would become Mrs. Katrina Angelica Avidan. Iris would still remain Iris Marie Cassel though.
It didn't feel right to Dan. They were officially becoming a family. Iris was part of that family. Iris should be an Avidan too.
Dan loved Iris. He loved her like she was his own flesh and blood. The realization that he loved her had hit him like a bullet to the head. He wanted to be her father. He wanted her to be Iris Avidan.
The idea of being recognized as her father by the legal system had made him so happy.
Katrina had cried when he'd asked for permission to adopt Iris. He had been so afraid he'd said the wrong thing, that he'd made a mistake. Then Katrina had kissed him though. She had kissed him and asked him if he was sure that this was what he wanted.
Once he'd reassured her that he had wanted this more than anything on the planet Katrina had given him her enthusiastic blessing.
They'd gotten a lawyer and paid a fortune to make this happen. It really was happening now. Once this paperwork was filed Dan would legally be considered Iris' father.
Dan and Katrina broke eye contact as a tiny voice sounded out. "What's goin on? Did Danny open his gift?"
Dan nodded his head his voice cracking as he tried not to burst into happy tears at the sight of Iris. She would be officially his; his daughter.
"Yeah Shortie. I did." He replied placing the box containing the paperwork gently on the kitchen counter.
He dropped to his knees signaling for her to come to him.
Dan felt his throat tighten up as he tried to find the best way to have this conversation with the little girl. What if she didn't want him to be her father? What if she didn't want to be Iris Avidan?
He pushed these fears from his mind as he took her tiny hands in his. "You remember on the first day of school how you had to draw that picture?"
"A picture of my family?" Iris asked it being a clear memory for her.
Dan smiled nodding his head his voice still gentle. "Yeah and you got really sad because that boy told you that I wasn't supposed to be in the picture because I wasn't really your family…that I wasn't your Daddy so I wasn't allowed to be in the picture."
Dan could still remember how pissed off he'd been when Iris had come home sobbing showing him her picture saying that he wasn't allowed to be in her family picture. He'd called the school and raised up a fuss until the kid had begrudgingly been forced to apologize to Iris.
Dan had framed the little picture Iris had drawn and put it in his office at the Grump Space. She had drawn herself and Katrina and their spoiled rotten cat Coco. Dan had dropped his jaw when he'd spotted the fourth stick figure. It was a tall stick figure that was more legs than anything. Iris had taken special care to give the stick figure a mess of massive brown curls on top of it's head; she'd captured Dan's jewfro perfectly in stick figure form.
She'd written names above the little stick figures; Me, Mommy, Coco, and Danny. She had to attach a paper explaining who everyone was and telling a few facts about them.
Danny's fact had been that he loved her Mommy and that he told her about the dinosaurs.
Dan had held a sobbing Iris in his arms and done his best to smooth out the crumbled picture. He could remember the words he'd said to her.
He spoke asking Iris to repeat those words. "Remember what I told you when you were so sad?"
"That we're a family. You might not be my real daddy, but you love me. That you love mommy the way a daddy is supposed to. And that you love me the way a daddy loves his kids." Iris replied a small frown crossing her features.
Dan nodded his head a small nervous smile crossing his features. "Yeah, and you remember how a few months ago we talked about how we were going to try to talk to a judge so you could have my last name?"
Iris nodded her head her eyes beginning to water. Dan held back his panic hoping she was crying tears of joy. He wiped her eyes his voice soft and reassuring. "We're going to talk to that judge, and maybe if the judge says it's okay you're going to have my last name….is that okay with you?"
He received his answer in the form of a tight hug from Iris the child clinging onto him. She pulled back her head nodding rapidly as she spoke. "Does that mean you can be my daddy now?"
Dan felt his voice crack as his eyes began to water. "Yes, it does…if that's okay with you."
"It is." Iris insisted as he embraced her again.
She spoke her voice tiny muffled against his chest as she tested the waters. "I love you daddy."
Dan nodded his head his lips pressing to her forehead his voice filled with complete joy. "I love you too Iris."
Katrina quickly joined the pair on the floor her arms wrapping around them. Dan wrapped an arm around her pulling her in on the hug.
He closed his eyes his lips pressing to Katrina's temple.
They were a family now. This was his family.
He may have never expected to be here, but this was where he was supposed to be.