I didn't want to move.

I didn't want to move because when I did, the moment would be ruined.

My eyes flickered to where Cronan slept by my side. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm; the covers that previously surrounded him were now bunched together at the end of the bed. He managed to kick them off at some point during the night, and yet somehow, he still managed to look perfectly at ease.

My arm was draped across his waist while his head was buried in the crook of my neck, a loose, unconscious gesture that made me feel anchored to him. I didn't want to disturb the quiet connection between us, the simple comfort of lying next to him without any of the usual tension or unspoken words hanging in the air.

The room felt warm, bathed in the early morning light creeping through the curtains, and for a moment, I allowed myself to imagine this could be my life. A life where mornings like this were the norm, not the exception.

But it wouldn't last. Not this morning anyway, because today was an important day. Today was adoption day.

"Fen?" I heard Cronan call without moving his head.

"Yes?"

He froze. Quite literally froze as if he hadn't been expecting me to answer. I remained still as he slowly detached himself from my side and stared down at me with...warmth in his eyes.

"Morning," he greeted before dropping to rest beside me again.

"Good morning." I flipped over so I could see his face. I decided not to bring up the fact that he was sleeping there because I didn't want to make him feel awkward or embarrassed. Instead, I focused on the warmth in his gaze, a rare moment of calm between us that I didn't want to spoil.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked, keeping my tone light.

Cronan nodded, his expression softening even more. "Better than I have in a long time." He hesitated as if weighing his next words carefully. "I hope I didn't make things weird... falling asleep here."

"You didn't," I reassured him. "Actually, it was... nice."

He looked at me, surprise flickering in his eyes, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. I didn't regret saying it though, because it was true. Waking up next to him felt natural like it was something I could get used to.

"Today's adoption day," I reminded him, shifting slightly so I could sit up. "The kids are probably already bouncing off the walls."

Cronan let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I bet Lola's been awake for hours."

"She's been counting down the days. You know you're going to have to sit with her, right?" I teased, glancing over at him.

His lips curved into a faint smile. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

I felt the warmth in my chest grow at his words. Despite everything, despite the mess we still had to untangle between us, I knew Cronan cared about the kids as much as I did. That meant more to me than I could ever put into words.

"You ready for today?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied.

"Nervous?"

"A little," I admitted. "But Ambrose has spent so much time preparing this and I trust him."

"Are you...are you going to be okay watching the adoptions take place?" He asked reluctantly.

Letting go had never been an easy thing for me. Letting these children go, knowing I wouldn't be there if something went wrong was a worse feeling.

"I don't know," I said honestly, staring up at the ceiling. "I want them to have a real family, a stable home, but... it's hard. Letting go is harder than I thought it would be."

Cronan shifted beside me, propping himself up on one elbow. His expression was thoughtful, and serious in a way that showed he was actually listening to my words and trying to understand what I was feeling. "You've done everything you could for them, Fen. You gave them a home when no one else would."

"That's what makes it harder," I muttered. "I've been there for them through everything. What if—what if the people adopting them aren't good for them? What if they hurt them, or abandon them like everyone else has?"

Cronan reached out, his hand resting on my shoulder. "Ambrose wouldn't let that happen. You know he's been careful with every adoption. These families are good people."

"I know." I sighed.

"But I can't help worrying."

Cronan's grip tightened slightly, grounding me. "You'll always worry. That's what makes you... you. But you have to trust that this is the best thing for them. They deserve a chance at a normal life."

"I just hope I'm strong enough to watch them walk away."

"You are," Cronan said with quiet certainty. "You've always been stronger than you think."

I turned to him, meeting his gaze. There was no doubt in his eyes

"Thanks, Cronan." I offered him a small smile.

He nodded, his hand lingering a moment longer before he pulled back. "Come on, let's go see what chaos the kids are causing downstairs. Something tells me adoption day has already started without us."

I chuckled, knowing he was probably right. The two of us took a moment to get dressed and CJ emerged from underneath the bed which he decided was a good place to sleep for reasons unknown to me. Brutus was nowhere in sight which meant he was either in Cronan's room or sleeping with Genevieve who was completely enamored by his large size and cuddly personality. She hadn't put him down for the entirety of the time she spent upstairs with Cronan and me. The only reason she let him go was because it was bedtime.

Her excitement was adorable, to say the least. 

After a quick shower and brushing his teeth, Cronan returned. His hair was slightly damp, but that didn't bother me. He took a seat in a chair in the corner of the room while I finished getting dressed in the bathroom.

Once we were both done, I scooped CJ into my arms and the three of us left. The third floor was quiet since nobody lived there, but the second and first floor was absolute chaos. Kids were running about half-dressed with untamed hair, desperately trying to prepare for the day; Ambrose was scrambling to make sure everyone had breakfast; and some teens were pacing around nervously.

CJ squirmed in my arms, clearly unimpressed with the chaos below. I set him down, and he immediately slinked off to find a quieter spot, probably hiding from the madness as only cats could.

Cronan gave me a sideways glance. "Looks like Ambrose could use a hand."

"Yeah, let's help him out," I agreed, watching as Ambrose tried to herd two younger kids who were running circles around the table.

We moved through the fray, dodging a few kids and stepping into the kitchen. Ambrose shot us a grateful look when he saw us coming.

"Thank Goddess you're here," he muttered, handing over a plate of bacon. "It's like trying to wrangle wild animals."

Cronan chuckled, taking the plate and setting it down on the already crowded table. "I don't know how you do this every day, man."

Ambrose sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Lots of patience and practice, and even then, they still run me ragged."

I gave him a sympathetic smile, grabbing a stack of cups and moving to fill them with juice. "You're doing great. Everything looks ready for the day, at least."

"Thanks, Fen." Ambrose paused, glancing at the teens pacing nervously near the window. "But I'm worried about the older ones. They're on edge."

I followed his gaze, understanding his concern. The younger kids didn't fully grasp what adoption day meant, but the teens knew. This was a pivotal moment for them—a chance at a family or another reminder of what they didn't have.

"We'll keep an eye on them," I promised. "Maybe you can talk to them before everything starts."

He nodded. "Talking to them is a good idea."

"Cronan and I will take care of wrangling the little ones. You focus on the teens."

Ambrose nodded, clearly relieved to have some help. "Thanks."

"Of course. That's what we're here for," I assured.

"Mr. Fen, look at me!"

I turned just as Lola rounded the corner in a navy blue dress. It wasn't anything overly fancy, but she looked adorable in it. Abel toddled his way toward me with a matching dark blue shirt on and a proud grin on his face, as if he had just accomplished something monumental. His small hand clutched the hem of his sister's dress, eyes sparkling with joy

"You both look amazing!" I exclaimed and moved so I could crouch down to their level. "Are you excited for today?"

"Yeah!" Lola answered, spinning around in her dress. "Eddy said we'll have a forever home after today if the people like us. Do you think they'll like us, Mr. Fen?"

"I think they'd be crazy not to," I told her gently. "But even if it takes some time, I need you both to know you're amazing kids and anyone would be lucky to have you, okay?"

"Okay!" They both said at the same time.

They found seats to eat their breakfast at, but my eyes still lingered on their small forms. Today was going to be great. I needed today to be great, otherwise, the pit in my stomach would continue to grow and I wasn't sure I could handle that.