fearless

Epilogue

Let It Go- James Bay
Mess is Mine- Vance Joy
10 Years Later
Maddie

Usually, over time, I get tired of the same old things, the same repetitive routine. So, to try to make things better, I freshen everything up a bit—things like the people I hang out with, the clothes that I wear, the way my day goes, or sometimes, even the guy that I'm with. In this case, that's not necessarily true.

It's been a little over ten years since Ty's kidnapping, which means that Ty and I have been together for nearly fifteen years.

I've never gotten tired of him, not even in our worst times, in our arguments, fights. He, along with Hannah and Dylan, have given me a new joy to wake up to every single morning.

I wouldn't trade them for the world. I love them all too much. This is the first thought that crosses my mind when I wake; this chain of thoughts and ideas.

But when I open my eyes, I wake to darkness. I can't see anything, but I feel around on the bed, and my fingers eventually touch Ty's hand. I smile, and soon, his fingers lock against mine. He smirks at me, his eyes still closed, then opens them slowly.

That's when he pulls my body to his and kisses me slowly. I feel him smile against my lips, his cool fingers slipping underneath my shirt and tracing my spine as mine trace his abs. It's in this moment that I appreciate the darkness, as, to me, it adds to the effect, to the mood.

That is all shattered in a matter of seconds when the curtains in front of our large window begin to pull themselves away from the wall. I pull my lips away from Ty's and he squints as he opens his eyes, the sun bright as it shines into our room. "What the..." my voice trails off when I hear Dylan.

"Get a room!" He shouts, giggling. I turn and see Dylan standing in the doorway of our bedroom, the remote that controls the curtains in his hand. Someone's definitely been taking lessons from his uncle Ashton, we can all tell.

"We already have one!" Ty exclaims as he throws his hands in the air. I sigh, kissing him once more before I move to stand, then walk over to where Dylan stands. As I'm about to take the remote from him, he darts out of the room.

"Dylan!" I shout as I run out of the room, Ty laughing from behind me. He races down the stairs, but he can't beat me. I slide down the staircase, on the railing. I beat him down, and catch him when he reaches the bottom. I spin his body around, taking the remote from him in the process.

"Aw, Mom." Dylan says when I stop spinning him, when he sees the remote in my hand.

"You just can't beat your Mom sometimes." Ty says as he walks down the stairs. He high-fives me when he reaches the final stair. I grin at him.

Dylan rolls his eyes, then spins around and walks into the kitchen. It's not until now that I notice Hannah on the couch. She's dressed, her dark brown hair tied into a ponytail, her backpack beside her. I look back at Ty, then pick up my phone from the counter.

8:12.

"Dylan! Hurry up and go get dressed, you're gonna miss the train." I say, then set the phone back down.

Dylan walks in our direction from the kitchen, and Ty ruffles the hairs on his head. "Hurry up, little dude. If you're late, your sister will be late." He tells Dylan, then pats his back.