"Is she asleep already?" Noah whispered peeking from Sydney's shoulder to look at the small angel who looks exactly like her mother with the same red hair.

Sydney only smiled looking at her now seven months old baby girl who seemed to be recovering from her allergic attack just fine. "Already?" Sydney whispered back and looked at the clock that was striking four in the morning.

Walking to her cradle she carefully nestled Shannon before leaning to Noah's arm and stared at her peaceful face.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Sydney whispered and Noah smiled,

"Yea,..." Noah said before placing a kiss on Sydney's forehead.

"Come on, everything is fine," Noah held her hand as they both make their way out.

"Yea, it is,...They love her and they will learn and...listen." Sydney blabbered recalling the event about Amber and Nick giving the baby some peanut cake.

"Yea,...maybe we should look into the options..." Noah said as they get into their room.

"What options? I thought we are not going to talk about it. My kids will stay with me...I don't care."

"It's for their sake,..." Noah tried to convince.

"Mr. Miller, I am very tired,..." Sydney said placing her hands on his shoulders before saying. "...We still have two days until this vacation is over. Let these two days be amazing. We can talk about it...never."

"We are still talking about it," Noah said making Sydney hold him close "Are we?"

"This,...is unfair." Noah's voice came out monotonous.

"Oh honey, everything is fair when it comes to my kids,"

"You are being a kid,...you see,..." Noah was cut off when Sydney pulled him down and took his mouth in hers. The sense of being loved by this strongest woman always got him excited. Holding her close he kissed her back with the same passion while lifting her up in the air.

The day was all sunshine. Kids were running after Jack, the pet dog, Noah got them a few days ago and their private island was blasted with their laughter while Noah and Sydney enjoyed the sun on the recliner placed under an umbrella.

"She is so active today," Noah commented holding Shannon a little up while she cooed sucking on her fist.

"Say dada,..dada,.." Noah asked her while she turned to Sydney and jumped "A A,.."

"Yea, come here,..." Sydney got her in her arms and kissed her plump cheek.

"Adopting Jack was your best decision. They are finally out of their video games and not obsessing over the baby anymore."

"With my IQ there would hardly be anything I can't control..."

"Are you sure?" Sydney cut him off with her eyes focused on his mouth.

"Except you,..." This made Sydney smile and she turned to look at her kids before saying,

"This is all I want. They are happy, healthy, and jumping." Sydney said making Noah caress his forehead.

"Yea, I want them happy too. But..."

"But what?" Sydney asked,

"Nothing...I meant to tell you that Maria is back in the state. She will stay for a few months. I think you should know." Noah said making Sydney only nod. Her smile had disappeared.

"...I have my eyes on them apparently...but you know we can't control everything. And, if you see her or them I want you to be prepared." Noah added,

Pressing her lips Sydney looked at Amber hugging Jack and laughing. A smile appeared at her mouth when Noah held her hand.

"I want them smiling and safe too. But the sooner we start preparing them or give them talk it should be better. They...they should know that everyone we meet is not trustworthy. We need to tell Nick...I mean for how long you will keep your hair black? They should learn a lot of things so they could be better...equipped..."

"...and you think sending them to boarding school is the solution?" Sydney asked while Noah cut off,

"...and not telling them about what hunger in the world is..."

"...they are six years old. Nick and Gideon don't deserve listening or watching kids starving or what world hunger is...they will learn..."

"You are homeschooling them," Noah's voice came out low this time but it made Sydney's face worried. Looking at Sydney's head low he held her hand before adding.

"I love them and not finding their thousands of questions and whining will be missed but we need to let them explore,"

"What if?..." Sydney started,

"I will have eyes on them...rest is their life and their fate. They know that they are loved." Noah said making Sydney look at her kids but now with a gloomy face.

"Can't we...delay it a bit more? I don't want them to..." Sydney's voice cracked making Shannon uneasy.

"Oh yea, honey. We will be alone." Sydney told Shannon.

"I am here?" Noah intervened and took his daughter back from Sydney's hold before placing a kiss on her head.

"And, we have Shannon?" Noah said before coming to place a kiss on Sydney's shoulder.

"I...I love it when Nick wants to be a firefighter, Gideon wants to be a delivery boy and Shannon pose in a chef." Sydney added with a dreamy face.

"You...you know it isn't possible. They have huge responsibilities that come with being the kids of the Miller family. They...they need to learn that a lot of people will depend on it if they chose to be anything else in the future." Noah paused to look at Shannon who was flipping for his attention.

"Will they be happy?" Sydney asked,

"Yea, soon they will learn that happiness is not about achieving your every dream. It comes within you. And, it depends a lot on the people who surround you. And, they...have each other. Sydney, I was alone and they are four. I can see them very happy in the future." Noah said making Sydney smile too.

"And, you can retire and be the photographer..." Sydney said making him smile.

"Only if you promise to be my model," Noah said making Sydney blush.

Two years later...

The sky was grey and the air was cold. A huge old building stood tall with a lot of kids with their parents seeing them off. A small girl who seemed too small for a school stood in front of three kids in a black fur coat.

"Oranges are not colored blue,...you are my sister and it is common sense," Amber said before pulling Shannon's cheek while Shannon with her head low had a little pout on her face as she saw her siblings off.

"Don't be hard on you. One day you will know,...but please don't sit on Jack next time." Nick added with a sweet smile.

"He is a dog. Not a bitch. You can't put your colorful ponies on his fur." Gideon said his farewell while Jack was wagging his tail and licking Shannon's cheek making it difficult for her to nod her head or converse to her sister and brothers.

"miss you," Shannon said making kids hug her and give kisses to her before looking at their parents leaning to the car. Shannon saw her siblings going away and soon they entered the building.

She turned her face to her parents to show a big smile on her face before sprinting to her father in her small black shoes.

"Gone..." She tried to tell her parents in excitement.

Sydney smiled before looking at Noah who was hugging Shannon hard. "My princess is perfect. We are going to correct all the drawings Amber destroyed." This made Shannon kiss her father.

"Shannon, do you want to live here with your siblings?" Sydney asked as their car pulled out of the parking.

"No,...my princess will live in her castle!!!" Noah said in excitement and Shannon nodded her head vigorously. Just like Sydney she was used to only talk with her parents and got busy coloring the mountains yellow.

"What do you want to do?" Noah asked turning the car out of the premise.

"Grandpa!!" Shannon said and Sydney looked at Noah.

Sydney's county was only a hundred kilometers away from the school and it wasn't the first time they were going to see Mr. Brown's grave. Visiting the cemetery had become the secret between Shannon and her parents.

It was almost the evening when they arrived in the county now known as Pierre hill. Noah pulled the car in front of the cemetery. Shannon who was excited in the entire ride was asleep now with a flower and drawing she drew for her grandparents.

Noah held the Shannon while Sydney taking that flower and paper walked to her father's grave first. It was her fifth time coming here but the void and regrets were still there.

"Hello, Dad..." She stopped to rub her tear away that had come onto her cheek.

"Shannon made this for you. She...is just like me. I...I know how much I troubled you..." She stopped to graze her hand on the stone before whispering, "Rest well,...I miss you but I am fine, and,...loved. My prince is really good I love him. But..." Her voice cracked before saying, "You know you are my first hero, right?" She broke into sobs when Noah walked to her.

"Mommy,..." Sydney heard Shannon call and rubbing her tears away she stood up to hold her baby.

Shannon tried to get down and Sydney let her give the rose to her Grandpa's grave too.

Sydney used to wonder what her mother would have gone through in her last minutes. Her parents died worrying about her. Was she worth it? But then thinking about her own kids she knows the answer. She knew she wanted nothing for her kids more than being safe but other things were important too. And, equipping them to be able enough to protect themselves was the first.

Noah looked at Sydney and kissed her head. He still regrets not being there when she needed him but some walks we have to take alone. "You are the strongest woman I have ever seen...I am sure they are at rest," She heard him say and pulled away to look in his eyes. "Thank you,"

"For what?" Noah asked,

"For always being patient with me. For..." Sydney trailed off before saying, "...Shannon,"

"Daddy!" Shannon called Noah making him come forward and stick the drawing to the tombstone.

Sydney looked at her husband and daughter and recalled how she never dreamed of the day she is living today. She was hopeless, forgotten but still existed. She was thankful for the day she didn't commit suicide. Because only existing took her to this perfect day she could never imagine coming.

She smiled looking at her daughter who was excited coming here and stared at her parent's grave for one last time before bidding them farewell. Sydney walked away with Noah and Shannon as they both listened to the endless plans she had for the tomorrow.

The End

Please, fight on. And, exist and breathe. It can be hard at times. But mere existence will take you to places and make you wonder and thankful. It has been a very long journey. Thank you so much for showing your support and following me. I would love all of you to try my other story named Billionaire's Wife, Needs and Contract Marriage if you haven't already. 

Hey, I really need your help. I am participating in a fantasy romance competition over booknet app. My story name is Curse of the Dragon.
It will mean a world to me if you can go on booknet app and leave a like. (It's absolutely free giving a like there.)
Also, if you can try that story it will be much greater.