Running from Fate

Epilogue

One year later...

Daemon POV

"Jamie!" I shouted from the kitchen of our house, the little boy currently up in his room playing with his toys.

"Coming," I heard him shout, muffled through the walls. After a few seconds, I hear his little footsteps coming down the stairs, before he appeared before me, a smile on his face. I smiled at him, holding my hand out and he took it.

"What do you want for dinner, little dude?" I asked, walking with him into the living room. It was by far one of my favorite rooms; A large TV was mounted on the wall, the wrap-around couch facing the TV. The couch was a dark grey color, matching the walls, and littered with soft throw pillows and fluffy blankets. Bookshelves sat off to each side of the TV, filled to the brim with kid's books, fictional novels, non-fiction, pack stuff, etc. Matias also had a section at the bottom of one of the bookcases for all his games. 

A large glass door led out onto the porch, which was decorated as much as Jamie and I had been allowed to. Flower pots were in each corner, along with a few on the railings, and there was a flower bed on the outside of the deck as well. A circular glass table was surrounded by six chairs, all padded nicely so we could sit outside and talk for hours. An umbrella was able to be opened above the table too, but it was currently closed because nobody was outside. An outdoor grill was on the opposite side of the deck as the seating area. The steps off the deck leg out to the spacious backyard, a small playset consisting of swings, a slide, and a sandbox, sat off to the side for Jamie, and a trampoline nearby. 

There was a stone slab on the other side of the yard for the firepit, which was currently in the wooden shed that held all their yard stuff, including the collapsable chairs they would place around the fire when they had one. Other than that, there was nothing else in the yard, just open space. 

The yard and living room were my two favorite places to be, the two places where I had made some of the best memories of my life so far. 

Jamie plopped himself on the couch, spreading out with a thoughtful look on his face. I laughed, sitting down next to him, and he immediately moved and curled into my side. I rested my arm around him, grabbing the remote and turning the TV on. 

"Mac and Cheese!" He exclaimed after a second of thought, and I laughed again, ruffling his hair.

"Why did I know you would say that?" I asked him playfully, and he smiled even wider up at me.  I snorted, ruffling his hair again, and then we both turned out attention back to the TV. 

"We'll have Mac n' Cheese, just for you little dude," I said after a few seconds, and Jamie cheered. I rolled my eyes, the smile never leaving my face. "That, and because I know Matias likes it too." 

Jamie shrugged, not really caring as long as he got his cheesy-noodle goodness. 

...

Matias walked through the door right as I put the steaming pot of Mac n' Cheese on the dinner table, and Jamie stopped his chanting of "Mac n' Cheese, Mac n' Cheese," to shout out, "Matty!" 

Matias laughed, dropping his bag on the cubby by the door, kicking his boots off, and walking over to the table. He stopped to give me a kiss on the way, before plopping himself next to our little boy with a smile and a noogie. Jamie giggled as he avoided Matias's hand, and with laughter in his voice, he shouted,

"It's dinn-dinner time! No-Not Noogies!" Matias stopped with a chuckle, before turning to the food I had placed on the table. He grabbed the spoon, scooped a serving, and placed it on Jamie's plate. Jamie squealed happily again, before grabbing his fork and digging right in. I laughed, shook my head, and turned back into the kitchen to grab the vegetables and cornbread. 

When I returned, Matias was still waiting patiently with an empty plate and smiled as I set down the rest of dinner. Jamie was already almost halfway through his food, and I laughed again when he looked up at me with a smile, Mac 'n Cheese still in his mouth.

"Slow down Jamie, you don't need to inhale your food." Jamie closed his mouth and smiled again, swallowing. While Jamie continued to eat his food, slowly this time, Matias and I served ourselves, and I put a serving of vegetables on Jamie's plate. 

We ate in mostly silence, the sounds of our eating and my occasional question about Matias's day the only noise in the room. When we had finished dinner, we placed all our dirty dishes on the sink, and the food on the stove to deal with after we put Jamie to bed. I left the kitchen last, dimming the lights, and made my way into the living room where a movie was already playing, Jamie leaning into Matias's side, a blanket wrapped over both of them. I smiled, the sight filling my heart with so much love, and made my way over, sitting down on the other side of Matias. He gave me a warm smile, before wrapping his arm around me, pulling me closer to his side.

"What are we watching?" I asked, and Matias shrugged. Jamie didn't answer, too busy staring intently at the screen, and I shrugged, placing my head on Matias's shoulder. 

We spent the rest of the night watching the movie, pausing it once for a bathroom break and to make popcorn. After the movie was over, Jamie ran up to get ready for bed, and Matias and I headed for the kitchen to start cleaning up. Jamie came down a few minutes later in his dinosaur pajamas, a smile still on his face, telling us he was ready to go to bed.

Up in Jamie's room, Matias and I both sat on his bed on either side of his, and I held a book while Matias read it. Slowly, about halfway through the book, Jamie fell asleep. I closed the book, looking down at the boy. His mouth was open, slight puffs of air could be heard as he breathed in and out, his hair a curly mess. I gently ran my hand across his head, smoothing out his hair, and running my fingers through his hair.

I looked up, continuing my gently petting of Jamie's hair, to find Matias watching me with a small smile on his face. I met his eyes, and his smile grew as he reached a hand out, and gently placed it on my cheek. I leaned into the touch, closing my eyes briefly as sparks danced across my skin.

"When I thought of my future, this was exactly what I imagined," He said softly, his voice filled with so much love and adoration, his eyes filled with equally as much. I didn't say anything back, just turned my head and placed a kiss on his hand. Quietly, and very carefully, we left Jamie's room, turning the light off and closing the door behind us. 

Back down in the kitchen, we finished cleaning up before heading back up to our room and getting ready for bed. After showering and brushing our teeth, we climbed in bed, and Matias immediately pulled me to his chest, our legs tangling together.

"When I imagined my future, it was never this," I started, my voice quiet. Matias hummed, a hand smoothing out my hair. "I never imagined this amazing life, with you and Jamie and the pack. I never thought I would deserve it. But Goddess Matias," I stopped, feeling the tears start to form in my eyes.

"Goddess, I could not have wished for anything better," I whispered, before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on his lips. He returned it, his hand continuing to pet through my hair, and when I pulled back for hair, I placed my forehead to his.

"I could not have wished for more either," Matias whispered, and I smiled. Even if he couldn't see it, I smiled.

Because he was right. This was a perfect life, the perfect family. This was more than I could have asked for, and if you had asked me over five years ago what I thought my future looked like, I would have told you the exact opposite of what I have now. Now, if you asked me, I would smile and say that my future was with Matias, Jamie, and any other children we may adopt. My future was bright and happy, filled with love and laughter. words could not describe how happy I currently am, how content I am with this life now, unlike how I was back in my teenage years. 

How I had run from fate, and yet, it had still caught up with me.

And Goddess am I glad it did.