The sun had barely crested the horizon when Y/N woke to the sound of her phone buzzing insistently on the nightstand. She groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and reaching for the device. The screen was lit with a message from Jenna Ortega, her ex-partner of almost a decade. A knot tightened in her stomach as she read the words:

Jenna Ortega

I'm home. I'll have my driver drop me off at yours so that I can take Keith for the weekend.

It had been 7 months since Jenna moved to Europe to shoot a new movie and 7 months since Y/N or Keith had last seen her, and the suddenness of the message was like a punch to the gut. She was living the glamorous life of a Hollywood starlet in Europe, while Y/N had remained in their quaint suburban home, raising their six-year-old son. The house was filled with memories of their time together, some joyful, others tinged with pain. The silence of the room was broken only by the distant sound of a bird's song. She took a deep breath and responded with a simple, "Ok".

Keith was already up, his little legs dangling over the side of the bed as he stared at Y/N's phone

. "Is it time for Mommy to come get me?" he asked, his eyes wide with excitement. Y/N nodded, trying to mask the anxiety in her voice. 

"Yes, sweetheart. She'll be here soon."

She knew he'd been looking forward to this weekend for weeks, eager to see the woman who'd been a constant in his life, despite their separation.

Half an hour later the doorbell rang, and Keith shot out of bed like a rocket. 

"Mommy's here!" he yelled, bounding down the stairs.

Y/N took a moment to compose herself, smoothing her hair and wiping the sleep from her eyes before following him. 

Jenna stood on the doorstep, looking as radiant as ever, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders, a warm smile on her lips. But it was the tightness around her eyes, the slightly forced quality of her smile, that betrayed the weight of their history.

"Hi, Keith," she said, crouching down to his level. "I missed you so much. Ready for some fun?"

"Yes!" he squealed, throwing his arms around her neck.

Y/N stepped aside, watching them, her heart in her throat. She felt a strange mix of resentment and relief, knowing that for the next few days, she'd have a break from the constant vigilance of single parenthood. But the thought of Keith with someone else, someone who might not love him as fiercely as she did, was a thorn in her side.

"I don't like Mommy's new friend," Keith whispered in Y/N's ear as they walked to her car. "She's not nice to me."

The words hung in the air, heavy with accusation. Jenna heard her son's words and looked up sharply, a flash of something dark crossing her features before she could hide it. Y/N's grip on Keith's hand tightened. 

"What do you mean, buddy?" she asked gently.

"She's always mean," he said, his voice muffled against his mom's shirt. "She says I'm too loud and that I can't play with Mommy's stuff."

Jenna's eyes narrowed. 

"What new friend?" she asked, her voice tight.

"Your girlfriend," Keith said matter-of-factly.

The tension in the air thickened, and Y/N felt a sudden urge to protect her son from whatever storm was brewing. Also, as much as she tried, she couldn't deny the sinking feeling by the mention of Jenna's new girl. She really did move on. But she held her tongue. This weekend was going to be more complicated than she'd anticipated.

As they drove away, Jenna's eyes remained fixed on the driver's seat next to her, more like on the girl who was driving the vehicle. She did not move on, not even close. Of course she tried, God, she even has a girlfriend now, but her love for Y/N had never waned, not even after all those years. She made a mistake back then, a big one. She cheated and Y/N never forgave her for that. She tried to get her back numerous times, but eventually, she gave up.

Once they arrived at Jenna's house, Keith's excitement was palpable. It was a modern marvel, a stark contrast to their cozy home, filled with sleek lines and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city. But as soon as they stepped inside, the mood shifted.

Jenna's girlfriend, a tall, leggy blonde with a sharp jawline and an even sharper tongue, emerged from the kitchen. Her eyes swept over Keith, and she offered a forced smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Hi, you must be the girlfriend. Elara, right?" Y/N said through gritted teeth, extending a hand. The woman took it, her grip cold and brief.

"And you must be Y/N," Elara said, her voice dripping with disdain. "The woman who couldn't handle the spotlight."

Jenna's jaw clenched, and she stepped between them. "Elara, that's enough." She turned to Y/N, her expression apologetic. "I'll talk to her."

But Y/N had had enough. She bent down to Keith. "Buddy, I need to talk to Mommy for a minute. Will you go play in the backyard?"

Keith nodded, and as he scampered off, followed by an annoyed Elara, Y/N turned her attention to Jenna, her eyes blazing.

"What's going on here?" she demanded. "What kind of person are you bringing into our son's life?"

Jenna's eyes searched hers, filled with a desperation Y/N hadn't seen in years. Completely ignoring the younger girl's question, Jenna sighed. 

"Look, I know I made mistakes," she said, her voice cracking. "But I miss you both so much. I want us to be a family again."

The words hit Y/N like a ton of bricks. For two years, she'd held onto her anger, telling herself that she'd never take Jenna back. But now, faced with the raw vulnerability in her ex's eyes, she felt the walls she'd so carefully constructed begin to crumble. 

"You need to talk to Elara," she said firmly. "If you want to be in Keith's life, she needs to treat him with respect."

Jenna nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. "I will," she promised.

"Good," and with that, Y/N said her goodbye to her son and left.

The weekend passed in a whirlwind of emotion. Jenna was attentive and loving, showering Keith with attention and affection, while Y/N couldn't help but feel the gaping hole in her heart begin to fill. Her stomach churned with a mix of hope and fear. Was it possible that they could be a family again? Or was she just setting herself up for more heartache?

As they were about to leave Jenna's house with Keith, Jenna reached for Y/N's hand. "Thank you for this weekend," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What I said the other day is true, Y/N. I know I don't deserve it, but I've never stopped loving you."

Y/N didn't respond, but she didn't pull away either. Instead, she held on tight, the warmth of Jenna's hand a reminder of all that they'd lost. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, they could find their way back to each other. But first, they had to deal with the woman who had the power to tear them apart once more.

The following week was a blur of texts and calls, with Jenna updating Y/N on her conversation with Elara and her promises to make things right. Y/N listened, her skepticism slowly giving way to a cautious optimism. She saw the effort Jenna was making, not just for Keith, but for them as a family. And she couldn't deny the way her heart fluttered every time she heard Jenna's voice.

One evening, Jenna called.

"I ended it with Elara," she said. "For good. I realized that being with someone who doesn't love him the way we do isn't fair to any of us."

Y/N felt a lump form in her throat. "What are you saying?" she managed to ask.

"I'm saying I want us to be together again," Jenna said, her voice filled with hope. "I know I hurt you, and I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. But I can't imagine my life without you and Keith. I want to come home. Please."

The words hung in the air, a silent plea that seemed to echo through the years of pain and anger. Y/N took a deep breath, her heart racing. 

"Okay," she said, her voice barely audible. "Let's talk about it."

The next day they met at a café, the one they'd frequented in the early days of their relationship. The smell of fresh coffee and the soft murmur of conversation filled the air as they sat across from each other, their eyes locked. Jenna's eyes searched hers, and Y/N could see the love she'd never truly let go of.

"I know this is a lot to ask," Jenna said, her voice trembling. "But I want to try. I've changed, I've grown. And I know you have too. We can be better together."

Y/N took a sip of her coffee, the warmth spreading through her. 

"We'll take it slow," she said finally. "For Keith's sake. And for ours."

Jenna nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I'll do whatever it takes," she promised.

And so, they began the long journey of rebuilding their family. It wasn't easy; there were moments of anger and doubt, of painful memories resurfacing and old wounds reopening. But there were also moments of joy, of rediscovering the love that had brought them together in the first place. They attended therapy sessions, worked on their communication, and slowly learned to trust each other again.

Keith noticed the change as well. He began to talk more about his weekends with Jenna to Y/N, his voice filled with happiness and excitement. And when Jenna showed up at school functions and soccer games by his other mom's side, his eyes would light up in a way they hadn't in years.

One night, as they tucked Keith into bed, he looked up at them with the innocence of a child who'd never known anything but love. "I'm so happy you're back together," he whispered. "I missed our family."

Y/N looked at Jenna, her heart swelling with love and hope. They had a lot of work to do, but they were in it together. And maybe they could make it work.

As they closed the bedroom door and walked down to the living room, Jenna took Y/N's hand. "Thank you," she whispered. "For giving me another chance."

Y/N squeezed her hand, her voice firm. "You better fucking not waste it, Jenna," she said.

"I would never." Jenna smiled and gently pulled Y/N in a meaningful kiss.

It was soft, tentative at first, as if they were both afraid the moment would shatter beneath the weight of their expectations. But as their lips met, a spark of familiar warmth ignited between them, and they melted into each other's arms. Y/N felt her heart racing as Jenna's hands cupped her face, the gentle touch sending a shiver down her spine. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed this, the way Jenna made her feel cherished and whole.

They broke apart, their eyes searching each other's for reassurance, and found it in the tender smiles that graced their lips.

They sat on the couch, holding hands, their conversation flowing like a gentle stream. They talked about their dreams, their fears, and the moments that had brought them to this point. Y/N spoke of her loneliness, the quiet nights that stretched on without the comfort of Jenna's whole, and Jenna shared her regret, the endless nights spent in hotel rooms, wishing she could hold her family close.

The actress took a deep breath and spoke the words that she had been thinking about in the past few years. "I want to marry you," she said, her voice steady. "I want us to be a family, in every sense of the word. I wasted more than enough time fucking around and I was a coward. I want you and Keith. If I have you guys, I have everything. I want to marry you and I want you to make you happy for the rest of my life."

Y/N turned to her, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I want that too," she whispered.

And so, with the promise of forever on their lips, they kissed again, sealing their commitment to each other and to their son. It was the start of a new chapter, one filled with love, growth, and the possibility of a future that was brighter than either of them had ever dared to imagine.