My heart was racing all the way to the airport and I constantly looked in the rearview mirror switching between looking out for anyone following us and watching Leila hold Sam and reunite with her.

"Are you okay Sam?" I could barely hear my girlfriend's soft voice. She pulled her close and kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tightly.

"Yes. Where are we going?" Sam's voice was still shaky from what had just happened.

"The airport I think." Leila told her. "Right, Sean?" She wanted to know more than where we were going. She wanted to know if we were okay now.

"Yeah, we're going back to Boston." She was looking down at Sam's head and nodded her own. We were so close to the final stretch in our journey. Hopefully by tonight, Leila would be able to sleep safely in her own bed and not have to worry if she would live to see tomorrow. The clock in the car read 6:30 when we finally pulled up to the airport and parked it. I'd call the company that let us borrow the car tomorrow and tell them where it was. I didn't care if they were angry about me not driving it back. I stopped Sam before we could all walk out of the parking lot and bent down in front of her.

"Are you sure you're okay Sam?" I asked her. I took my hand and smoothed her hair just like I had done with Leila countless times before.

"Yes" she nodded her head as she said it. I watched her for a second longer and than accepted that she was okay for now. I pulled her into a tiny hug. We were never close enough before these past few months for me to do that so I could tell she was a little uncomfortable. I stood up after that and pulled Leila in for a hug also. This time the hug I had given was comfortable and familiar. It didn't last long enough, but I had to break away and grab our things. But not before I pulled away I kissed Leila's hair giving me even more comfort and strength to get home. I met her eyes and while they were still exhausted and somewhat glassy, they were warm again like I was sure mine were as well. I grabbed our two bags and two boxes after fighting with Leila on letting me carry them all and led the way into the airport while the two girls followed me closely.

We were lucky enough to have a flight with seats leaving within two hours to Boston. It gave us a little time to find some food and relax after going through check in and security. I myself couldn't wait to be home and go to bed. It felt like it had been years since I had walked into our tiny home and we were so close to it again.

"Are you excited to go home Leila?" I had been holding her hand for a while now and began rubbing her arm with my free hand.

"Yes, of course. I can't wait to be normal again. It's like coming back from an extremely long vacation except having absolutely no fun at all." She had forgotten that this whole experience had actually started when we were on vacation but I didn't bring it up. I would make up the lost vacation with her just like everything else she had lost. It was interesting to think about how I had lost my mom when the divorce happened and than I slowly lost my dad when he neglected me until I left for college, and I leaned on Leila's family for support for as long as I had known her. I envied her family sometimes because of how perfect they seemed and it made me feel even more unworthy of being right for her. Now I at least had parents that were still living. If there was some absolute need to go to one of them for something, I could do that while Leila can never speak to either of her parents again. It re-opened up the fact of how alone the three of us were now.

Leila squeezed my hand as she could see how deep in thought I was about this subject.

"So much is going to be different now." I whispered in her ear so that Sam wouldn't quite hear me. She stiffened a little as if she wasn't thinking about our actual situation and I saw her actually swallow back her tears for her sister's sake. I wondered if she had been able to mourn the loss of her parents yet. My guess was no.

"Yeah, but it makes me think about how grateful I am to still have you next to me." She told me. She was so close to tears and as much as I wanted to pour out my love for her also, I tried to think of a way to change the subject when I heard our flight being called for boarding.

"Come on, we're supposed to board now." Still not letting go of her hand, the three of us got on the plane for the two hour flight home. The seats we had bought weren't supposed to be next to each other but I feared leaving Leila again. I bribed the man who was sitting in the seat next to her to move a few rows down. Sam wanted to sit by the window and we let her without hesitation. I began the countdown to being able to walk into our home and be safe at last.

Sam slept through the entire flight and Leila dozed but never really fell asleep. I couldn't take my eyes off of her and I thought she was beginning to get concerned for my mental state because of the funny way I was staring at her. The fact that she was able to relax enough to close her eyes and take slow, deep breaths while she let my fingers drag up and down her arm giving her goose bumps and making her shiver more than once made me the happiest man in the world.

Those two hours went by so quickly and we rushed off of the plane eager to crash somewhere for once. Poor Sam was so tired and being dragged by Leila and I around the entire airport. She was close to having her first breakdown when Leila made the smart decision of picking her up for the rest of the journey to a taxi. She looked so small in Leila's arms and it reminded me of how she was only seven years old and still a little girl.

The air outside of the airport was chilly in Boston and I was thankful that we were able to grab a taxi quickly.

"8832 Avalon Drive please." The taxi driver waited for us to get settled into the car and took off down the highway. I patted my pocket and thought of how much of a miracle it was that I still had the keys to my own house after everything. I heard Leila laugh a little and I couldn't help but smile when I saw her eyes bright and excited.

"I can't wait. It's been so long!" She looked like a little girl.

"Me too. Only about five more minutes."

Right down to the street we lived on looked exactly the same as always and the anticipation in the cab grew tenfold when we turned onto it. Finally, after so long, the driver stopped the car in front of our house and Leila jumped out with Sam right away while I paid the driver. Only after I was able to pull out all of our belongings could I really see our house for the first time. It was beautiful, like magic, how even though it was so small and really not anyone's idea of a perfect house, it was so perfect at that moment. I felt like Sean Walker again, the man who had just graduated from college and moved in with his serious girlfriend excited about starting a life together.