Didn't expect to update so soon but I found this chapter much easier to write than the last one so please let me know what you think of it and thank you for all the reviews so far!

….

"I could half the bathroom and put a dividin' wall up which would make a kitchen. Nothin' much but it would do, right? And I can do all the work myself so it would cost nothin'."

Lavon shrugged his shoulders as he and Wade stood in the middle of the gatehouse staring at the bathroom door. Lavon looked around the small space, how Wade lived in here was beyond him and how Zoe ever stepped foot in here was even further beyond him.

"I guess…" Lavon mumbled.

Wade scoffed "Could you at least pretend to be interested in what I am sayin'."

"Well I'm sorry Wade but this all just seems a little pointless."

"Pointless?"

"Yeah. I mean we all know soon enough you and Zoe are gonna be livin' together so why waste time and money on this?"

"Would you stop. Zoe and I are not-"

"Yes you are. You have been sayin' for the past month now that you aren't but I know you are. It's only a matter of time."

Wade swung around to face him "No we ain't."

"Not now but pretty soon when y'all are puttin' the crib together and pickin' out names and paintin' the nursery- which by the way is currently none existent- you'll realise that you and Zoe are meant to do this together."

"Lavon-" Wade said but was interrupted by Zoe knocking on his open front door, much to Lavon's amusement.

"Hey..." she said as Wade turned around to face her, smiling which soon fell once he saw her stomach. Lavon also noticed it, making Zoe feeling suddenly very self-conscious. Wade moved closer to her, his eyes fixed purely on her lower abdomen.

"Doc, your…."

Zoe placed her hand over her slightly swollen stomach "Oh yeah, kinda happened over night." She reached out and placed his hand on the tiny bump causing leaving him speechless. He let out a little laugh through a beaming smile as Lavon watched on, smiling at the moment but also at the complete denial both were in regarding their relationship. It was only a matter of time he thought to himself.

"So I guess this means you guys are gonna have to start tellin' people huh?" He said as Wade and Zoe broke their stare.

"Yeah I guess so..." Wade said in agreement as he looked back down at Zoe "…Have you told your mom yet?"

Zoe winced "I was planning on the baby telling my mom."

Lavon sniggered "Big Z, you gotta tell her."

"I know I do. I just need some time to figure out how I'm going to tell her."

"Think she'll be mad?" Lavon asked.

Zoe looked up at Wade with an uncertain look "I'm not sure." Wade looked back down at her with a sympathetic look on his face. Lavon rolled his eyes as he made his way to the door.

"You two, I just don't know!" He said flustered as he walked through the door "… I'll see y'all later."

Zoe and Wade looked at each other and smiled as Wade found his hand sitting gently on the small of her back. The material against his fingertips was sensational as he found it very hard to step away from her. She held her curled up hand against his chest but soon stepped away, knowing that they were dangerously close to breaking their agreement.

"So…" Wade said as he cleared his throat "… I gotta go to work but I will see you later. Let me know how it goes with your mom." He left his hand on her bent elbow for a moment before making his way to the door.

"Will do." Zoe said nervously as she watched him leave, breathing heavily.

….

Wade knocked against the heavy brown door "Earl!" he called out, but got no response. He hit against the door again hoping for some sign of activity when he heard noise coming from around the back off the house. He jumped down off the porch and around to the back of the house where he saw the doors of Earl's makeshift workshop wide open and sat in front of him was his father. Wade let out a little sigh of relief as Earl noticed his son standing in front of him.

"Next time when you're out here can you put like a sign on the door or somethin'?" Wade demanded as he entered the workshop.

Earl smiled as he placed the saw on the workbench "Why, you think I was lyin' dead inside?"

"Wouldn't be the first time..." Wade mumbled as he leaned against the doorframe "… what ya makin'?"

"Hen house out back is shot, hinges blew off the door yesterday so makin' a few adjustments."

Wade nodded his head as he examined the work sitting in front of his father "Probably want to replace that wire too, lookin' a little worn."

Earl smiled as he lifted a roll of chicken wire from the ground beside him "One step ahead of ya son." He ripped the old layer of wire off the frame of the house and threw it into a corner as he ordered Wade to stand in front of him. He handed Wade one side of the wire as he unravelled the rest and shaped it around the wooden frame. He ordered Wade to tug at the wire, ensuring it covered the frame completely and was tight enough no hens could escape. Father and son worked together until Earl had hammered 4 nails in each corner respectively and then gave Wade the job of cutting off the remaining bits of wire which he then threw to the ground.

"Looks good…" Wade said to his father proudly "… want me to bring it down and attach it?"

Earl shook his head "Nah, needs a wipe down then Mae was talkin' bout paintin' it or somethin'… so I'll leave it here."

Wade laughed a little "Well alright. Things seem to be goin' good with her."

"They are, slow and steady, almost 5 months sober too and I owe it all to her. How about you and the pretty doctor. Things goin' well?"

Wade smiled "Depends how you define 'well'…" Earl raised his eyebrow as he watched his son step away from him, looking nervous. Wade looked down at his shoes as he sighed, reaching into his back pocket "… Zoe and I, well- she's pregnant." Wade expected to have a feeling of fear and nervousness inside of him once he told his father the news but instead he found himself with the biggest smile on his face. He felt happy and proud to finally tell someone else about his huge news.

"Is that right?" Earl said, looking up at his beaming son. Wade nodded his head as he handed him the ultrasound image that at this stage was starting to become a little crinkled as it had been folded up and reopened so many times. Earl took it from him slowly as his eyes locked with the image.

"This one was from a few weeks ago, can't really see much but we're goin' again on Monday so hopefully we'll see more then…"

Earl was lost for words; he had never heard his son speak so proudly about anything else in his life. He kept trying to find the right words but he couldn't. It just looked so perfect and suddenly it felt like just yesterday he was looking at his wife's first scan, of Wade.

"I don't know what to say… my boy's gonna be a daddy."

Wade smiled as he folded the picture back up and placed it back in his pocket "So now you got one more reason to stay sober… grandpa."

Earl laughed a little as his emotions took hold of him. He sniffed a few times and they stayed at bay but Wade knew it had affected him greatly; he placed his hand on his father's shoulder and shook it firmly. The tender moment between the two lasted for a few minutes until Wade's phone rang out from his front pocket. He pulled it out to see Zoe's name on the screen. He stepped outside of the workshop as Earl, still on a high, began tidying up around him.

"Hey Doc, everythin' okay?"

"My mom is coming to Bluebell!" she screamed down the phone at him in a state of panic.

"What?! Well of course she is. You told her over the phone that I knocked you up and now she's comin' down here to kill me."

Zoe shook her head "I didn't get the chance to tell her. I was about to but then before I knew it she had booked a flight. She gets in tomorrow afternoon."

"How long she stayin' for?"

"Just a night I think. Wade she knows something is up, I can feel it. My mom doesn't just hop on a plane to Alabama to visit me."

"Probably cause you don't just call her to chat." He blurted out, admitting that was the wrong time to bring that up.

Zoe scoffed "Wade, will you please just meet me later on so we can devise a plan or something."

Mixed amongst all the joking and wit, Wade could hear the anxiety in Zoe's voice and the smile on his face fell "Of course I can and hey Zoe, don't worry. Everythin' is gonna be fine."

….

Zoe paced over and back across her bedroom floor as her clasped hands sweat ferociously. Each time she heard the slightest rustle or bang she rushed to the window to expect to see a car pulled up and her mother stepping out. But each time she was denied.

"Doc, ain't you ever heard 'bout the watched pot that never boiled" Wade joked as he sat on the bed after being forced to sit there quietly for the past hour. Zoe shot a look over at him which told him she was in no mood for jokes. She began pacing over and back once again as he watched her.

"You're gonna make yourself sick."

"I've already been sick, this morning." Zoe shot back as they suddenly both heard the tires against the gravel as Zoe went to the window, half hidden by the curtain.

"She's here!" She turned back to face Wade who had stood up "… Okay, okay just keep calm."

"I am calm." He said as he watched Zoe run her fingers through her hair.

"I was talking to myself Wade! Oh she is going to freak out. Wade I can't tell her, we should just revert to the plan where they baby tells her."

Wade watched her freak out and decided the best thing to do was place both his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "Look at me, just relax ok. I am right here." He stroked his knuckles up and down her arms as she slowly calmed down when she heard a knock at the door. She looked at Wade once more who gave her a comforting smile. She peeled herself away and slowly opened the door.

"Mom!" she exclaimed in an almost painful tone as Wade stood behind her. Almost immediately her mother pulled her in for a hug but the minute her eyes fell on Wade she let her grip go.

"Wade, what a nice surprise."

Wade could only smile "Great to see you again Mrs Hart." He ventured closer to them as Zoe kept that anxious smile on her face "Can I get your bags?"

"That's alright. I had the driver leave them in the hall."

Wade nodded his head as he stepped back, Candice noticed his movements "No need to stand so far away, I don't intend on slapping you again."

"Oh you might…" Zoe said to herself as Wade laughed awkwardly "… so mom, not that I'm not delighted to see you… but what are you doing here?"

Candice shut the door behind her as she took notice of Zoe's baggy shirt "Well when you called, I said to myself I have not been to Bluebell in months and had simply no idea what was going on in my daughter's life."

"So you just hopped on the first plane out!" Zoe said awkwardly as she found herself standing closer and closer to Wade.

"That I did. So, tell me. What is going on? It seems a lot has changed since I was last here…" her eyes fell on Wade who was now centimetres away from her daughter "a lot." She emphasised, making Wade feel extremely uncomfortable.

Zoe looked up at Wade "Well mom, I'm actually glad you came because I have something to tell you."

"And what might that be." Candice said suspiciously, still examining Wade with her stares.

Zoe swallowed hard "Well…" she felt her throat tighten and her palms sweaty "… I'm pregnant."

Candice smiled, not the reaction Wade nor Zoe were expecting. There was a minute's silence, Candice gathering her thoughts and Zoe wanting to curl up and cry. Candice breathed in and then looked over at Wade.

"So you mean to tell me that in the space of a year and a half, you have broken my daughter's heart, played house with her cousin and the minute she and Joel split up there you are ready to hurt her all over again and now you're telling me you got her pregnant!"

"Well it didn't happen like that." Wade said trying to defend himself.

"It sure sounds like it." She said angrily.

"Respectfully Mrs Hart-"

"Respect?! You have the nerve to talk to me about respect? Thanks to you I have a daughter about to become a single mother! You don't know a thing about respect."

"Actually." Zoe interjected, who was in full on panic mode at this stage "… that's not true. Wade and I are together."

"What?!" Candice echoed.

"Yeah, what?" Wade mumbled to her as she laughed awkwardly.

"Mom, Wade and I are together and have been together for a while now. This was not some mistake or something we regret. I am in love with him." Zoe locked her hands with his, squeezing it as a plea to play along which Wade duly did. He hooked his arm over her shoulder, kissing her on the top of her head. Candice nearly dropped dead in front of them, she thoroughly believed Wade was out of Zoe's life for good and now that idea of him being in her life forever, sat uneasy with her.

"And you're sure it's his?"

"Mom!" Zoe shrieked as Wade's face dropped. He understood that she was shocked and probably less than happy that Zoe was having a baby with him but she was edging closer and closer to a place she didn't want to go. She could say anything she wanted about him and his past mistakes but when it came to his baby, his child… he was having none of it.

"Mrs Hart I know you are tryin' to take all this in but I think it's best you stop before you say somethin' you can't take back…." He removed his arm from Zoe's shoulder "… I need to get back to the Rammer Jammer but I'll see you later…" He placed a kiss on Zoe's head and made his way to the door "… Mrs Hart." He muttered as he passed her and couldn't have gotten out the door fast enough.

Zoe shook her head as the door slammed, she looked back over at her mom "There was no need for that mom."

"I don't care. Do you or do you not remember the pain that boy put you through? And now you expect him to bring a child into this world with you?"

"Yes mom I remember, but Wade has changed, we both have and we want to do this, we want to raise this child together. I love him and he loves me."

"How do you expect him to provide for you? Where are you going to live because you certainly can't live here for the rest of your lives and-"

"We'll figure it out. I have faith in Wade, I know he can do this with me, that he wants to do this with me so will you please let him off the hook."

Candice shook her head "He will always be the boy who broke your heart to me."

….

Wade deliberately avoided Zoe and the carriage house for the rest of the evening. He was in no mood for yet another hammering from Zoe's mom so once he finished work he headed home with a 6-pack of beer under his arm. To his surprise he found his door slightly ajar, seen as burglaries in Bluebell were as common as snowstorms he knew it could only be one person and to no surprise when he pushed open the door he saw Zoe curled up on the couch.

"Hey Doc." he said quietly as she sat up.

"Hey.." she pushed the blanket off her as he closed the door "… sorry about this but my mom is staying in my house and she presumed I was staying with you cause of that little lie I told and I was going to stay in Lavon's but he's having some poker night with all his college buddies and the cigar smoke and-" she was interrupted with his soft chuckle as he took a seat beside her.

"Doc, it's okay. You are welcome here anytime, you know that."

Zoe let out a sigh of relief "Okay good, cause I've already taken off my heels so I wasn't going anywhere!"

Wade laughed as he looked down at her feet "Yeah how long do you intend on wearin' those?"

"Until it's physically impossible. Then I'll just be a small fat lady."

Wade smiled as he shook his head "Well I won't think you're small or fat."

"Why thank you." Zoe said, replicating his sweet tone.

"Well that's what boyfriends are for…" he said in a cheeky tone as Zoe gasped, hiding her face behind her hands.

"Wade, I am so sorry for that. I panicked and it just came out of my mouth. I really-"

Wade placed his hand on her lap "Zoe it's okay, really."

Zoe sunk into the couch, deciding not to discuss the subject any further "I looked for some blankets in the press where they normally are but couldn't find any so I took this one off your bed, I hope that's okay."

Wade looked back at his bed and then back at her "You're not sleepin' on the couch Doc."

"I'm not kicking you out of your own bed Wade."

"No you're not, but you're also not sleepin' on the couch, come on."

Zoe looked over at the bed, the idea of the two of them in bed together appealed greatly to her but she knew it would have been wrong and would just confuse things between them and they had just seemed to have found their rhythm.

"Wade I don't think that is the best idea…"

"As your boyfriend… I insist, you are not sleepin' on the couch now please stop bein' so stubborn, I am exhausted."

Zoe gave in, not that it took much convincing as she rose from the couch with the blanket in hand. Wade locked the door and dimmed the light before going into the bathroom where Zoe heard the tap run. She spread the blanket across the bed, out of habit she walked over to the right side of the bed, as that was once her side of the bed. She propped the pillow up and pulled back the blanket, slowly slipping in under it. Once her head hit the pillow her body was at ease. It had been a long, stressful day and the idea of bed sounded amazing to her, but the idea of bed with Wade sounded ten times better. A few minutes later Wade emerged from the bathroom, his eyes fell immediately on Zoe in his bed; it felt amazing having her back no matter how hard he tried to play it cool. He peeled off his shirt and slipped off his jeans. Zoe tried not to look but she couldn't help herself. He knew she was looking at him but he didn't show his delight. He flicked the light switch on the wall and suddenly they were in darkness as he joined her in the bed.

There was a minute's silence.

"You better have changed the sheets."

Wade laughed "I actually did."

Zoe smiled and even through the darkness Wade could see her beaming. She turned on her side to face him.

"Feels like forever since you were in this bed…" Wade blurted out, immediately regretting his brutal honesty.

"Hmmm…" Zoe rubbed her hand across her stomach "… feels like 3 months to me." She giggled, causing Wade to laugh a little also.

"3 months and 2 weeks."

"Ah yes…" she said smiling as the mood between them was comfortable and calm. They lay there in silence, both content, both happy.

"Wade I feel awful about earlier with my mom, the stuff she said… it was out of line."

Wade looked down at her "It was all true though. No matter what I do, she will always see me as the guy that hurt you."

Zoe propped herself up, her tone serious "She's my mom but you and this baby are the two most important people in my life and believe me when I say this, I don't see you as the person she sees you as…. And I also know that you are in this 100% with me, so what she thinks doesn't matter, at least not to me."

"Now who's the one makin' all the speeches…" He said softly as Zoe giggled, she knew that was his way of saying thank you.

Zoe, who suddenly was not as tired as she thought and didn't want this night to end, lay back down on the bed, her eyes still fixed on him "I completely forgot to ask how it went with Earl yesterday, how did he react?"

Wade smiled "He was speechless, couldn't have been happier. I think it's really gonna help with keepin' him sober too..."

Zoe was genuinely happy "Wade that's great, at least one this baby's grandparents was happy to hear about it."

Wade's hand darted across and rested on her hip "Hey, Zoe… your mom is happy about this, I promise. It will just take her a bit of time. She'll come around eventually."

"You think?"

Wade brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear "Yeah, only an idiot would wanna miss out on this kids life."

Zoe smiled "Thank you, Wade."

"Anytime Doc... now get some sleep. You have a jam packed day with your mom tomorrow." His hand slowly made its way down her body and onto her swollen stomach. She never flinched, she just lay there as they both took in the moment. Wade gazed at her through the darkness and thought to himself, was he crazy for trying to think this arrangement was what either of them wanted? Was he crazy for actually thinking that he could be around her and their child and want nothing more than to be with them in every way possible? Maybe Lavon was right, maybe they were just delaying the inevitable but there was still that small part of his mind that was gnawing at him, that small part that just wouldn't go away.

….

"There is no convincing you to come back to New York is there?"

Zoe shook her head "The answer is still no, mom. And when Wade comes out here can you please be nice to him?

"I don't approve of a cheater being the father of my grandchild."

"You're one to speak!" Zoe spat back at her, still trying to keep her voice at a whisper.

Candice rolled her eyes, looking around the Rammer Jammer. So far there was no sign of Wade but the bar was busy for lunchtime. Every time a customer walked through the door they glanced at Candice and Zoe. The tables buzzed with conversation about what her mother was doing here and in the Rammer Jammer, fuelling the rumours that her and Wade could be back together.

"Do they know yet?" Candice asked in hushed tones after noticing Dash and Tom examining her daughter's every move.

"No… and will you please be quiet. Bluebellians hear everything!"

"Hard to believe that the last time I was here, I was having dinner with you and Joel."

Zoe kept her eyes on the menu, trying her best not to give in to her mother "Yes mom a lot has changed."

"Are you happy?" Candice asked honestly as Zoe looked up from the menu.

Zoe smiled as her eye caught Wade emerge from the kitchen " I am, I really am."

Wade hesitated from interacting with Zoe and her mom given their encounter yesterday but he knew he couldn't hide in the kitchen forever. He slowly approached the table as Candice looked up at him.

"Wade… what do you recommend?"

Wade looked at Zoe, confused at Candice's almost civil manner "Well uh, the Cesar salad is pretty good I guess."

"We'll take two..." Candice said as she shut the menu and handed it back to Wade. Zoe wasn't going to argue with her mother, she had been ordering for her since she was a child, why change now? "… Wade, will you be joining us for lunch?" Wade's eyes widened as Zoe looked over at her mother, even if the offer came in a dull tone, she still offered and it made her happy to know that her mother was at least pretending to try with Wade.

"Uh… yeah, sure." He handed to order to Wanda as he grabbed them all a glass a water and took a seat beside Zoe. The stares of the town now intensifying on the trio.

"So Wade, how's business?" Candice asked, to break the awkward silence.

"It's goin' good. Can't really complain."

The awkward silence overcame the table once more until Zoe's phone rang. Both Wade and Candice watched her take it out of her bag, Zoe sighed.

"It's Brick…" she answered it as Wade sighed, he knew how these phone calls went "… Yes Brick? I'm at lunch, why?"

There was silence as Zoe listened intently to what Brick was saying "Okay, I'll be right there."

She hung up the call and looked over at Wade "Brick needs me over at the practice, I'm so sorry."

Wade shook his head "No Doc it's okay, you go."

"Yes Zoe, go." Candice said in agreement.

"Mom, I'm sorry-"

Candice shook her head "Don't worry about it, I should be getting back to pack anyway."

She's only been here for a day, Wade thought to himself, what does she need to pack?

"I'll be done in time to bring you to the airport…" she turned to face Wade "… I'll talk to you later."

"Sure thing Doc."

Both watched her leave, taking as long as possible before having to look back at each other. Wade sat himself upright as Candice flattened down her skirt, taking a sip at the glass of water. Neither really sure what to say but neither wanting to be the first to leave the table. It was weighing heavily on Candice's mind that it was important to Zoe that she gave Wade a chance and it was important to Wade that they found some sort of happy medium for the sake of Zoe and the baby.

"I should probably get back to Zoe's-" Candice said as she began to stand up.

"Wait!" Wade blurted out, putting his arm out to stop her. She looked at him in shock before sitting back down.

"Mrs Hart I know that you don't make much of me, you only see me as the guy that broke your daughter's heart and I know that I am probably the last guy on this planet that you want as the father of your grandchild but…" he leaned forward, pausing for a moment as his tone changed "… my mom died when I was 10 and my brother skipped town and as you know my dad is an alcoholic, he's doin' good now but that still doesn't change the fact that for most of my life it was just me. I had to do a lot of things by myself and I made a lot of mistakes, screwin' things up with Zoe bein' the biggest one- I'm not blamin' my bad choices on my upbringing but it would have been nice to have someone there to help me and to guide me when I needed it. So trust me when I say this… my child will never have to go through that. I'll make sure that it never feels unloved or unappreciated and it will never ever feel like it can't do anythin' even if everyone around it is sayin' otherwise…"

"Wade-"

"No let me finish please. I love your daughter. I have loved her for an extremely long time and seein' her with Joel damn near killed me because I knew I had lost the best thing that ever happened to me, and it was all my fault and trust me when I say this… I will fight my hardest to make sure she gets to live the life she and our child deserve."

Candice, completely taken aback by what Wade had just said, found herself a tad emotional. She couldn't help but admire him in that moment, she had said some less than complimentary things to him and saw him only as someone who destroyed her daughter's life but seeing him state his case, proving to her that he had changed, she saw the side of him that Zoe saw.

"The last time I've seen Zoe this happy was when you two were together the first time. Even as a child, her face never lit up the way it does when she is around you… If I'm being honest I was surprised you gave up so easily when she was with Joel."

"She's a very stubborn person."

Candice smiled "Yes, she is…." She shifted around in her seat "… I have no doubt that you're going to be an amazing father but you'll know soon enough, that all a parent wants it to know their child is safe."

"Do you think that? That Zoe's safe?"

Candice smiled "I do."

….

Zoe sighed as she threw the final pillow back on the bed, she didn't think it was possible to feel tired while changing bed sheets but apparently pregnancy made it possible. She smoothed out the duvet as she heard the door open behind her open, she looked over her shoulder to see Wade standing there.

"Hey, you just missed my mom. She wouldn't let me drive her to the airport, her car just left a few minutes ago."

"Yeah I think I heard it..." Wade said quietly as he watched her work, Zoe picked up on his almost inaudible tone "Guess I'll catch her next time."

Zoe looked over at him again, dressed in a tank top and shorts with her hair tied back in a high ponytale she looked, in his eyes anyway, effortlessly beautiful.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Wade smiled at her "Yeah… come here for a second." He held out his hand inviting her in closer "How did the rest of the day go with your mom?"

Zoe shrugged her shoulders "Pretty good, she seemed to really change her tune about us and about you, she even said she was excited about the baby. She even said it has the potential to be extremely good looking."

"That's great Doc…" Wade said, still in that calm and quiet tone. He couldn't help but notice the beaming smile on her face, like the one he had when he told Earl the news. She looked like she was on cloud nine and he was happy about that, all he wanted to do was see her happy.

"So listen…" he cleared his throat "… I've been a real ass these past few weeks."

Zoe raised her eyebrows, Wade had been the furthest thing from an ass these past few weeks which was why she worried about what was to come.

"Since I found out about the baby all I've wanted to do was prove to you that I want this, that I'm excited for this, which I am… you know that I love you, that's never gonna change but I wanted to prove to myself that we could do this together as friends because I didn't want you to think that if we got together it would be just because of the baby… but I can't do that anymore."

"Wade…"

"Zoe I love you and yes one of the reasons I want to be with you is because of our child but there are also a thousand more. I hate thinkin' about the future and not havin' you in it."

"What are you saying exactly?" Zoe asked, having a small idea of what he was getting at but afraid to get her hopes up.

"I'm sayin' I want to do this with you… all in."

"All in…" Zoe whispered to herself, their bodies now touching. She nearly had to pinch herself to make sure this moment was really happening but the longer she waited the more doubt crept into Wade's mind and the more likely he was to start pulling away. She looked up at him, placing her hand on his arm that was now hooked around her back. She gave him a quick smile before pushing herself up onto her tippy toes, bringing her head closer to his. He met her half way and soon enough their lips were touching and the rest just fell into place. Wade couldn't help but smile as he felt her arms wrap around her neck. As he held her he made a promise to himself, a promise that he would love and protect her til the day he died and would fight tooth and nail to give his family a life they could be proud of…

….

There you go! Please let me know what you thought! Thank you.