THE MOMENT NOLA entered the house, she heard Ruby's quick footsteps pattering against the floor and shared a grin with Happy, who was proudly carrying the baby car seat. Henry was fast asleep, wrapped in his green blanket, occasionally cooing in his sleep as if he were dreaming.

"I wanna cuddle the baby", squealed the three-year-old, jumping up and down in front of Happy like a rubber ball, one arm wrapped around Nola's leg. "Can I?"

Happy shook his head with a chuckle, gently ruffling Ruby's curls. "You know your brother has a name, right?"

"Yes daddy, I know that", Ruby giggled, burying her face on Nola's leg, smiling sheepishly. "Can I hold Henry?"

"Hi to you too", Nola said with an amused shake of her head. Apparently, the only thing that mattered these days was the babyᅳ which was perfectly fine. "Sit on the couch, we'll be right there, baby."

Ruby could also be jealous, rejecting her brother, and showing no interest in getting to know him at all, which is why Nola was quite happy that the three-year-old couldn't get enough of Henry since she first saw him in the hospital four days ago.

Besides, the new addition to the family seemed to help the three-year-old forget the events that had happened here five days ago. While the whole thing was still deeply ingrained in Nola's bones, she knew it was over, that Alden could never hurt her family again.

"Come on, I'll come with you", Happy croaked as Bobby came around the corner, gently squeezing his wife's hip. "You okay, little girl?"

Nola seemed to have disappeared into her own little world when she flinched at Happy's hand on her hip. She quickly nodded and forced a smile as she looked into his concerned eyes. "Yeah, it's just a little weird being back here after everything that's happened."

Happy nodded understandingly, rubbing his thumb against her hip, which was covered by a simple black top. "I know, but the memories fade eventually, I promise."

"I hope so, after all, this was supposed to be our forever home", she murmured as she rested her forehead against his chin and sighed softly as his lips planted a kiss against her forehead. "Go with Ruby, I'll be right there."

Happy stepped back a little to look his wife over again. After a nod from her, which reassured him again that she was okay, he headed toward the living room with a soft grunt, gently pushing Ruby ahead of him, the girl full of enthusiasm.

Bobby, as much as he wanted to sit on the couch with his two grandchildren and spend some quality time with them, it was important to him to check in on how his daughter was doing. After all, she was his baby, no matter how old she wasᅳ she was, along with Ginny, his number one priority.

That's why, when Happy headed to the living room with the kids, he pulled her into a tight hug and simply held her for a moment as Nola sank into his arms, holding onto him, her head resting on his shoulder.

"You know I'm always here for you, right?", he murmured against her blonde hair, which was still a little damp from the shower she took in the hospital earlier. "I know what happened still haunts you, but you did the right thing."

"I know, Dad", Nola whispered against the leather of his Kutte, inhaling the scent. Being with Happy for four years now, it became a rather familiar smell that always had a calming effect on her. "But I killed a person..I don't know if I can handle that."

She nuzzled her face deeper into the leather, the weight of her actions still pressing down on her. That had been Happy's concern, that she wouldn't be able to get over it, at least that's what he'd told her yesterday evening when he'd come back to visit her to bring her fresh clothes and spend some time with her and Henry.

The Tacoma Killer knew she wasn't anything like him, someone who had no conscience in such situations, perhaps even had sociopathic traits. No, she was like a wallflower, delicate and full of love, thirsting for peace and harmony. And that's what Happy loved about her; she was the perfect balance for him and brought out the best in him.

But Nola was also a person who wanted justice, who fought for itᅳ and that's why Happy believed, no, he hoped, that this would be a reason for her to accept what she had done. Because killing Alden was justified, and deep down, Nola knew that too.

"Look at me, sweetheart." Bobby gently pushed his daughter back, but held her at arm's length with his hands resting on her shoulders. "Alden would've killed you, who knows if Henry would've survived that. And only God knows what he would've done to Ruby", he remarked seriously, squeezing her shoulders. "You were only protecting your family and yourself, and I'm so proud of you."

Nola swallowed softly, her gaze lowered to her hands, which she nervously kneaded. "I know, Happy, Ginny and mom already told me this and so did the Cops. Apparently, Alden wasn't a stranger to them either before I even met him. I had no idea."

"Wait, what?" With an irritated shake of his head, Bobby's eyes narrowed. "He was already known to the police before you, and nothing was ever done?"

"Well, it was just minor things, but it always involved outbursts of anger", she explained, the bitterness clearly audible in her tone. "It never amounted to more than a fine, although he deserved more. It wasn't until I reported him that he saw a cell from the inside."

A bitter snort escaped his nose, his face flushed with anger. "Jesus, I'd love to kill him again."

"Yeah, Happy was pretty pissed too", Nola said with a nervous laugh before scratching her forehead awkwardly. "But it's over, and that's a good thing. There's still one good thing about the relationship we had", she noted cautiously, to which Bobby frowned questioningly. "Ruby. I wouldn't have Ruby without himᅳ and I couldn't imagine life without my baby."

Bobby's molars ground together, the muscles in his jaw twitching beneath his thick beard; but he had to agree. "That's really the only thing that animal was ever good for."

"Yeah, but still, Happy was and always will be Ruby's dad." Nola took a deep breath, smiling at her father. "Come on, spend some time with your grandkids before Ginny comes over and takes them both."

"Oh, she's definitely gonna do that." Bobby's beer belly heaved with laughter as he loosely wrapped an arm around Nola's shoulders and pulled her with him, simply hoping his daughter was really okay.

ᅳ

AFTER THE FAMILY had eaten together earlier, including Gemma's famous meatloaf, which she had brought over yesterday, Bobby and Ginny had headed home to give the little family some time aloneᅳ and they needed it.

At Ruby's request, she and Henry were allowed to sleep in their parents' bed the first night. Since Nola was afraid of crushing Henry while she slept, she would simply put him in the cot next to their bed before she and Happy went to sleep.

While Happy was still making sure there were enough pillows around the two sleeping kids, Nola headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth. But as she entered the room, her lips began to tremble, every muscle in her body tense.

Apparently not only Ruby still had problems to enter the room, as Happy had told her yesterday, but also she wasn't feeling good stepping foot into the room where it all went down. While Ruby was using the bathroom downstairs at the moment, Nola knew that the sooner she'd jump over her shadow, the easier it was to deal with the trauma.

Everything was as clean as if nothing had ever happened. The tiles gleamed, but the strong smell of chlorine still lingered in the air. She knew that Happy had immediately taken care of cleaning every little crevice after the police investigation was completed.

"Babe, hey."

Nola flinched hard, her breath hitching in her throat as she felt two large hands clamped down on her shoulders. She flailed around in a panic, her breath rapid and uncontrolled, until she realized Happy was standing behind her.

Genuine concern was etched into his hard features as she stared up at him in fear, a look he hadn't seen in agesᅳ the last time was when she had to testify against Alden in court.

"You're okay, little girl, fucker's dead", he grunted reassuringly as he gently cradled her face in his hands, careful not to rush his touches. "You know you had no choice, right?"

He hated seeing the conflict in her eyes, the thousand other negative emotions. Fear, guilt, anger, and disappointment. All because of the bastard. He should've put a bullet in his skull the day he found Nola bruised and battered in the hotel room.

"But it still feels so wrong", she choked out while slumping against Happy, wrapping her arms around his naked torso. "I don't know how to deal with this, Hap, I feel so..dirty."

Yeah, fuck, that was exactly what Happy was afraid of. That the bastard would still mess with her head even after he was dead. And for that, for that alone, he wished he could bring Alden back only to make him suffer again.

"I probably can't imagine how you feel", he said honestly, after all, he was completely different in that regardᅳ cold and calculated, a natural Killer, as stupid as it sounded. "But I know you can do this, baby."

The blonde sniffed a few times, her body shaking in Happy's arms as she tried to see the positive side of the whole thingᅳ they were safe. And while Happy didn't understand how horrible she felt for taking a life, it still felt good to know he was there.

Slowly, she lifted her head, stray tears rolling down her cheeks that didn't stand a chance and were wiped away by Happy's thumbs before they could drip from her chin. "I'm proud of you, little girl, you hear me? You did really good that night, saving you and our kids all on your own."

No matter how macabre that sounded, his words helped her feel better. "I love you, Hap, I really do. And I'm so grateful that you got me out of that hotel room that one night."

"I love you too. And you know I'd do it again", he rasped, his hot breath fanning against her skin as he rubbed his thumbs against her cheekbones. "You, Ruby, and Henryᅳ I wouldn't have had any of that if I'd been a coward and ignored the argument between you and Alden that night."

The lump in her throat grew thick, and a warm feeling spread in her chest. Closing her eyes, she timidly let her fingertips glide over his back, evoking a low hum from him. "And Ruby and I wouldn't have you, the only man who'll ever be Ruby's father, and the only man who'll ever be by my side. And there also would be no Henry without you."

The mere thought that everything could've turned out differently was horrible. A life without Happy, Ruby and Henry was now unimaginable for Nola, a painful thought she immediately repressed. "But luckily, it turned out the way it did."

Happy said nothing; his response was only a low grunt before he closed the distance between their lips and let everything he felt, his gratitude and love for his wife, flow into the kiss, practically devouring her.

And Nola just held onto him like he was her lifeline, letting a soft moan slip as she snuggled her body against his. Even though she'd had a C-section, it was still way too soon for sexᅳ but boy would she enjoy it when she'd feel her man for the first time in weeks inside her again.

ᅳ

AFTER THEY HAD brushed their teeth after their little make-out scene, Happy had quickly taken a shower while Nola was already back in their bedroom. After he was done, slipping back into a fresh pair of boxers and sweatpants, he slipped into bed, a contented expression on his face as he watched his little family.

Nola had already fallen asleep, but she finally seemed relaxed, as if she had found peace, her arm loosely draped around both children. Henry lay between Nola and Ruby, the latter snoring softly. Her tiny hand clasped one of Henry's, which was even tinier; and at the sight the Killer softened instantly.

He still remembered when he had first held Ruby, how small and fragile she had been. And now she was a little whirlwind who carried so much joy in life that it hurt to think that anyone could ever take it away from her.

But that was one thing Happy would never allow anyone; to hurt his little princessᅳ only over his dead body. And the same applied to Henry; no one would hurt him without facing Happy's anger afterwards.

With a small smile, he brushed some blonde strands from Nola's face, planted a kiss on Ruby's hair, and scooped Henry out of the middle and placed him on his chest. The little boy stirred and starting fussing for a moment, but then fell back asleep.

There was no better feeling than holding your own child, simply watching their tiny faces twist in their sleep. And if anyone ever called him soft for that, then so be it because he would never stop showing how proud and soft he was for them.

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