Isabella's POV

Beep... beep... beep... beep...

I slowly started to regain consciousness, the sound of the heart monitor filling the quiet room. My mind felt foggy, my body heavy.

I heard Deckard's voice, soft but full of urgency. "Izzy, can you hear me? Come back to me."

His hand found mine, warm and comforting. "I'm here, Isabella. I love you."

His words reached me through the haze, and my eyes slowly fluttered open. The bright white of the hospital room was blinding at first, but then I saw him—Deckard, standing there in a suit, his face full of concern. Owen was seated beside me, his head resting as if he'd been waiting for me to wake up.

I whispered, "Deck?"

Deckard's eyes softened, and his voice cracked with relief. "I'm here. God, I thought we lost you."

I managed a weak smile and said, "You can't get rid of me that easily." I tried to sit up, but the pain hit me like a wave, sharp and overwhelming. My whole body screamed in protest.

"Izzy, be careful. You're going to rip your stitches," Deckard warned, his voice filled with concern.

I relaxed back against the bed, the pain so intense that I could hardly breathe. Deckard saw it in my eyes—he knew what I was going through, and the guilt in his eyes was palpable.

He took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry, Isabella. I got you into this mess."

I looked up at him, shaking my head gently. "Look at me, Decks. This is not your fault. I love you. Nothing will change that. I love you, and I will always stand by you, no matter what."

Deckard's eyes softened, and he leaned down to kiss my lips. I kissed him back, feeling the warmth and comfort of his touch. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me close, and I smiled, leaning into his embrace.

Owen, who must have woken up, couldn't help but tease us. "Aww, you guys are so cute together."

I smiled, and Deckard shot Owen an annoyed look.

I turned to Owen and said, "Thank you, Owen, for saving my life."

He grinned and stood up. "You did a great job, by the way. I'm glad you're safe."

I smiled back and gave him a hug, feeling immense gratitude toward him.

Deckard, always the protector, gave Owen a pointed look. "Owen, can you get Isabella some food?"

Owen nodded and left the room, and Deckard looked at me with a serious expression. "Owen thinks of you like a sister, though we already have one."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? You have a sister?"

Deckard nodded. "Yep. We have a younger sister named Hattie. We haven't spoken to her in a long time, but I'll tell you all about it later."

I nodded, curious but not wanting to push him.

When Owen returned with food, we ate together. As we ate, Deckard and I told Owen about our family. I shared everything I could about my brother Jakob and the complicated history we had. It felt good to talk, to open up after everything that had happened.

After a while, the conversation slowed, and I started to feel the weight of exhaustion pressing on me. Deckard noticed immediately and gently told me, "Rest, Izzy." He kissed my head softly. "I'll be right here."

I didn't need any more encouragement. The pain and exhaustion were too much, and I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

The Morning After

The next morning, I woke to find Deckard smiling down at me, his eyes full of relief. He kissed me gently and said, "I'm so happy you're okay, and I love you so much."

I smiled at him, my heart swelling with emotion. "I love you, too."

Deckard looked at me, his expression soft. "What?"

I shook my head, a smile tugging at my lips. "I just love you, that's all."

Deckard's face lit up, and he kissed me again, more deeply this time, as if to say everything that words couldn't.

I spent half the day in the hospital, but when the doctor finally gave me the all-clear, I was overjoyed to leave. We went back to Deckard's house, and after packing our bags, we were ready for a quiet, peaceful day ahead.

As I said goodbye to Owen, reminding him to be careful and not get killed, Deckard's phone buzzed. I glanced at him and saw his expression darken as he answered the call. When he walked away, I had a sinking feeling that something wasn't right. The way he looked—annoyed, frustrated—told me someone had called him. I wondered if it was the blonde woman or someone else from our past coming back into the picture. But I remembered Owen had told me that he hadn't seen anyone involved in the firefight when they came after me, so it didn't add up.

The drive to the airport was calm, a peaceful break from the chaos that had surrounded us for so long. We didn't face any issues getting on the flight, and before I knew it, we were flying high above the clouds, heading to Santorini, Greece.

Santorini, Greece

The moment we arrived in Santorini, I felt the weight of the world lift from my shoulders. We walked around the town, smiling and laughing, enjoying the beauty of the place. It was just the two of us, no family, no threats, just pure bliss. Deckard was acting a little strange, though—nervous, which was odd for him. I didn't press him on it, though.

As the evening drew near, Deckard told me to dress up for dinner. I had no idea why, but when I looked in my suitcase, I found a beautiful white dress and black heels. I put it on, and when I stepped out, I saw Deckard's eyes light up.

He walked over to me, his smile wide. "How did I get so lucky?"

I smiled back at him, my heart racing.

The dinner was beautiful—romantic, overlooking the ocean as the sun set in the distance. But I could tell Deckard was still nervous, which only made me more curious. He was quiet throughout the meal, and I could feel the tension in the air.

Finally, after dinner, he took my hand and led me to a quiet spot near the water. He looked at me with such intensity, and I knew something big was coming.

"Isabella," he started, his voice a little shaky. "I have to tell you something."

I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"I used to be a one-man person, but then you came into my life. You showed me love, kindness, and most importantly, you made me fall in love with you. I never thought someone could love me as you do, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I want to have a family with you."

He paused, taking a deep breath before pulling something from his pocket. It was a ring—simple but stunning. "Isabella Maria Toretto, will you marry me?"

My heart skipped a beat, and I could hardly believe what I was hearing. My eyes filled with tears as I whispered, "Yes! 100% yes, I will marry you."

Deckard smiled like I had just given him the world. He picked me up and kissed me passionately, and in that moment, I knew that everything I had been through, all the pain and fear, had led me to this moment, to him.

We spent the rest of the night wrapped in each other's arms, lost in love. I was going to marry the man I loved. And that was all that mattered.

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I've added more depth to Isabella's thoughts and feelings, and expanded Deckard's proposal to give it more emotional weight. What do you think will happen next for them? Let me know your thoughts!

Isabella's Ring