"Our soulmate is the one who makes
life come to life." — Richard Bach
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Chapter 91
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Maggie

Who in the fuck are these people?

That's what I'd ask every time I saw them. Four or five unfamiliar faces.

But seven I did know, though. My best friends. Their boyfriends. My brother and his boyfriend. Then, my husband.

And shit.

He was the sexiest man I'd ever laid eyes on. No wonder I snatched his ass up. And with the way he was staring at me?

Mhm, he was mine. If he wasn't already, then I'd make sure he was by the end of the night.

The doctors though, as they had practically yelled in my face every single time I woke up. They were about one more 'Do you know where you are?' from me making sure that their creator was asking it to them, next.

And, shit, this light over my head was so bright; part of me thought I was dead.

Wait.

My eyes carefully scanned the room until they landed on Luke, still watching me. My skin tingled under his gaze.

He was hot as shit. Way too hot to be real. Only an angel could look like that.

Oh shit.

I think I'm dead.

"Maggie."

My attention snapped to the doctor who had called my name. He was staring at me curiously.

I blinked back at him. "What?"

"Can you tell me your name?"

I glanced around the room, oddly. "You just said it."

My brother chuckled from his chair by Luke. "Mags." Kimberly, Raven, and Tony watched me with amusement.

"What?" The fuck was wrong with these idiots?

Everyone in the room laughed, except Luke. He hadn't stopped watching me since I woke up.

The doctor stifled a laugh, then nodded at me. "My apologies. Can you tell me who you are?"

I shrugged. Fine. "Maggie Palce."

The doctor paused, his eyebrow raised at his clipboard. Everyone looked to Luke with surprise. Kade and Levi wore arrogant smirks, but Luke ignored them all, keeping his eyes on mine.

"Maggie Norris," the doctor corrected. "It's Maggie Norris—"

I got agitated. "Maybe once upon a time it was, but that was before my husband..." I paused to motion to the sexy son of a bitch in the corner. "Changed it."

He shook his head. "You're not married, Maggie."

Well, who in the fuck made that dumb decision?

His eyes flicked to Luke before he made a note on his paper. "We'll get back to that later. Next question." He raised an eyebrow. "How are you feeling?"

I sighed. This one was tricky.

All I remembered was a black void for the past three weeks, just as the doctors had asked. So, waking up to this room full of bright lights and wide eyes scared the shit out of me. It'd felt like a garden hose was down by my throat, but was actually the tube, which I immediately tried to rip it out, but failed because I couldn't move, couldn't talk. All I could do was stare into my twin brother's wide eyes, resisting the urge to insult him, because technically, I'd be insulting myself.

Then, a man that made my heart trip over itself came barreling into the room with the most prettiest eyes and deepest voice alongside him. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him, and it seemed he couldn't do it, either.

Luke.

At the time, I could barely remember anything else, but I'd never forget him. My mind was foggy from medications, but I remembered him before anything else.

The doctors had spent the first three days slowly downing my dosages in order to help me gain full consciousness, again. It had taken an entire week from the very first time I woke up to get me here.

I had spent the majority of the time asleep, fading in and out of a dreamlike state, and shit were they the best dreams of my life.

Luke and I got married in Paris and built a beautiful house together that bordered the beach and was ours to fall in love with. We would take walks into town with Fang, where Luke and I bought and did the most weirdest shit just to see the other smile or laugh. Afterwards, we'd go home, cook together, make sweet love over any surface we could, then I'd feel my world grow even brighter every single time I looked at him. And as we planned, we tried surrogacy and had a sweet, beautiful baby girl with Luke's hair and my eyes, who was the biggest daddy's girl in the world, and she was ours.

That life was ours.

Then it looped.

Over and over again, we would have the most beautiful wedding, a life, and a child together, and I would have my soulmate as mine.

The doctors waited for the first couple of days to pass before filling me in on what happened. I'd only started to talk two days ago, and the words barely even made full sentences.

I still couldn't move my legs, but I was told that it would take around three weeks to do so. My arms had regained their feeling, and so had the rest of my body, though. The doctor had told about the rest of the injuries, but the medication helped numb the pain for now.

And, fuck. I died. Like three times.

That was honestly the funniest pun in the world to me. What do you call a person who kicked death's ass more than once? Maggie. That's who.

Though, being asleep for so long was like being seated in the darkness with a string of moving photographs in front of me. That, as well as my dreams helped remind me of what would be waiting for me when I woke up.

While reducing my medication, I'd been more delirious than not and confused on what Luke and I were, but all I knew was that I wanted him as mine.

So, I spent the time coming up with smooth pickup lines in order to get him that way. I was either going to fuck him and make him fall in love with me, or I was just going to make him fall in love with me. There was no other option.

Flirting would come first. Butterflies had been fluttering in my stomach ever since I saw him, but I could handle it.

I had planned on going in for the kill the second I saw him. That was until I realized that he was my—

Wait a fucking minute.

I blinked down at the hospital gown on my body in realization. Luke wasn't my husband. My boyfriend, yes, but my husband, not yet.

My cheeks flushed with humiliation. No wonder everyone was staring at me so weird.

The doctor started to ask me another set of questions. I gave the same responses, except the name, which caused everyone in the room to laugh. Bitches.

Then, it was just my friends, my brother, and Luke, who hadn't said another word.

His gaze was cast to the floor, either arm sitting on top of his legs, hands clasped together and shaky, either from that or the bounce of his leg.

I was forced to break contact when I heard footsteps getting closer.

"Mags." It was my brother.

My heart cracked right in half at the sound of his voice. I never thought I'd hear it, again.

We locked eyes; his anger mingled with relief. Guilt swirled in my stomach.

"Are you alright?" he rushed out. He gulped as he ran his eyes over my figure. "Are you..."

I hurried to reassure him, "The meds are definitely working, so—"

"Why in the hell didn't you tell me?" His voice was low, anger simmering. It was only my state that was stopping him from knocking me upside the head. "About our dad? About the attacks and everything else?"

My voice was quiet, "I wanted to protect you, Jax."

"You didn't have to, you fucking idiot," he snapped back. "You...I watched you bleed out, and..." His voice broke, tears welled up. Tony rubbed his back and offered a comforting smile to me. "We missed you so much, Maggie."

Jax sniffled, and I opened my arms for him. Our embrace was a mix of anger and relief, and it probably was the longest and most emotional hug in history.

When he wasn't returning the embrace, he was hissing out curses and threats in my ear. With my injuries, he tried to hold his grip back, so I tightened it for him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into his ear. Tears filled my eyes too. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, Jax."

He sniffled, his insults fading. Tears dripped onto my shoulder. "I'm so glad you're okay," he choked out. "I didn't know what to do without you, Mags. Please don't ever, ever, make me have to wonder, again."

Pain traced my soul as I held him tighter in reassurance. We came into this world together, and couldn't fathom leaving it without each other. No matter what happened, how many fights we had and all else, that didn't change our love for each other.

"I love you," I whispered against him.

"You better, because I love you even more." When I laughed, he smiled against me. "You're getting cussed out when you're better, Mags, I'm not kidding."

I nodded. I couldn't wait for it. Honestly.

I remembered our last moment together, wanting to protect him from watching me die. It was the same for the girls. I didn't want them to carry that memory.

I knew all of them. They would have never forgot the image, and they would have never stopped feeling guilty about something they couldn't have controlled. I would rather die alone than leave any of that behind for them.

And, Luke. I didn't want to leave him scarred with having to watch the life leave me, but I knew he wouldn't have left on his own, despite my demands.

All I could do was keep him to me with a kiss so that that would be his last memory of me. It wasn't much, but I would have done anything to keep the image of my death from his head. The last of my energy going into my heart just to beat for him was the last thing I remembered.

Tony and I hugged and talked for a moment before letting the girls approach. Kimberly was on the edge of tears, nervously fiddling with her sweater. Raven was already crying.

Either sight broke my heart.

"Which one of you wants to go first?" I tried to joke. "Two for one?"

They nodded, moving quickly to hug me gently. They were emotional, and their reactions tugged at my heart.

"We missed you so much," Raven whispered, trembling. Kimberly nodded, sniffling against me shoulder. "We thought we'd never see you again, Maggie."

I felt the same, and it was a nightmare. "And miss beating the both of your asses in karaoke on girls' night? Never."

"Good..." Raven kissed my head. "Now. We need you. Like really need you. Luke's basically been on a blood shedding spree this entire time, and you're the only person who can stop it."

"What?" Over her shoulder, I made eye contact with Luke, who was already staring at me. As soon as we caught eyes, he glanced back down to his hands. "What's been going on?"

"He tried to smack a surgeon for saying your name wrong. Kade and Levi had to drag him out from the hospital a couple of times, and just last week, he beat one of the paparazzi outside of your hospital so bad, they had to get surgery, and that's only one of the two." Kimberly nodded to confirm the story, adding, "Kade and Levi even talked about locking him away in a room for a while."

My chest ached at the thought. Over the recovery, my mind had recovered bits and fragments of that night. I still remembered his tears, his pain and undoing, and my every wish to soothe them from him.

Finally, Kade and Levi approached with gift bags. I smiled at them, and Levi returned it. Kade did so with his eyes. I hadn't even known that was possible until now.

Kade placed a gift bag by my side, and Levi's almost fell from the bed because of its size. Countless gifts, cards and balloons filled the space of my bedroom. There was even a giant teddy bear.

To my side were belladonna lilies, causing my expression to melt. I knew they were from Luke, because he was the only person I liked flowers from.

A warm smile crossed my lips as I glanced between Kade and Levi, saying, "Thank you."

I wasn't just referring to the gifts; I meant everything they did to ensure my survival that night. They, along with Luke, were the reason I had a fighting chance.

Kade nodded and slid the bag closer to me. "There's money in there."

"Kade, we told you to pick an actual gift," Raven corrected, her hand finding mine. "Not to just give money."

"Money is a gift."

Kimberly laughed. "Is it?"

"Gifts are things people like. People like money. Watch." He turned to me. "Do you like money?"

I chuckled softly. "I do."

He gave an amused look to everyone. "See?" Pushing the bag closer to me, he declared, "A gift." This elicited either chuckles or glares from everyone in the room, but he shrugged them off.

Levi smiled down at me. "I got you a bunch of gift cards and jewelry. If you don't like it, the receipts are inside. Don't tell me anything if you return it, though; just do you."

"I appreciate it." I accepted the bag with a grateful smile. "And don't think I forgot about the ice cream pact. Whoever has the cooler scar has to pay, okay?" Levi grinned at me. "I guess I better get my wallet ready." After we shared laughter, he leaned in for a hug.

Kade met my eyes over Levi's shoulder and shook his head, a slightly uncomfortable expression crossing his face. "I'm sorry; I don't hug, but..." He shrugged and offered a fist bump, which I returned with amusement, causing him to fight back laughter. "I'm glad you're alive."

I chuckled. "Thanks."

"Me too, because thank fucking shit you are," Levi whispered for my ears only. "Vaudest has been losing his shit, and I'm not kidding. My nerves are so fucked up, right now." Leaning back, he looked at me with seriousness. "I never thought he could be even more of a snappy, rude ass little maniac than he already is, but without you? Maggie..." He sighed in stress. "Fix him. Please fix him."

Suppressing a chuckle, I patted his back reassuringly. "I've got him."

Though, Luke hadn't addressed me directly this entire time. He could just be trying to be polite and giving everyone else their turn first, but I didn't think that to be true because Luke wasn't polite. Not when it came to getting to me.

The group showered me with more hugs, filling me with love and joy, but my focus was elsewhere. All I wanted was a moment alone with Luke.

Jax was the first to catch on. His gaze shifted between Luke and me before he nodded at me, putting an arm around Tony. "Tony and I are heading to the cafeteria for a quick lunch," he said, kissing my cheek. "We'll be back later, okay?"

I thanked him with a smile. "You better."

Levi got the hint, next. "Raven and I are gonna..." Him and Raven shared a look of awkwardness before he cleared his throat. "The cafeteria. We're going with Jax to the cafeteria." Raven nodded, nearly lighting the room on fire with the blood in her cheeks. "Yep. The cafeteria. They're probably serving slop potatoes and some other nutritious shit. Let's go."

They both rushed out, leaving Kade and Kimberly behind.

Kimberly kissed my head and chuckle. "I guess we're headed to the cafeteria, too." Kade wrapped his arm around her shoulders and met my eyes with seriousness. "We're only leaving so that we can talk with everyone about you and Luke." Kimberly held back her amusement, not correcting it because it was true. "Love you."

Then, it was just Luke and me.

Slowly, I turned toward him. His gaze hadn't left his scarred hands ever since I caught him looking at me.

Seeing him, my heart started to do all sorts of tricks just as it had before. I didn't think it was possible to fall even deeper, but I had learned long ago that there wouldn't ever be a landing with him.

I searched for some guidance in his silence but found none. Just as I settled into my thoughts, he cleared his throat.

"How are you feeling?" His voice rumbled, gently touching my senses.

I warned my heart to calm down. "Fine."

"Does it hurt?" he asked, quietly. I'd never heard his voice so soft before. "Your rib, your stomach, the glass, all of it..." He cleared his throat, again. "Are you okay?"

Nervous tension knotted in my stomach as I shook my head. "I'm okay. It hurts a bit, but not a lot..." My voice wavered briefly before I regained control. "It doesn't feel as bad as it did before."

Luke nodded, brows furrowed, and focused on tracing the scars over his knuckles. Not much emotion showed on his face, except...

"Luke," I called softly.

He heaved a heavy sigh, its exhale trembling. "Yeah?"

I voiced the message our hearts were both screaming, "I missed you."

That night, I recalled little beyond fear. It wasn't the fear of death, but the fear of never seeing Luke again. It was the fear of both of us being forced to part from the one person who made the other feel like one. Of never being able to show and tell him that I loved him, how I loved him, and why I loved him, again.

Throughout it all, that was what made my soul ache the most.

Luke paused, his hands slowly falling to his knees as he rose from the chair. In no time, he stood in front of me.

I remained motionless, except for my eyes, which locked onto his.

The blues of his eyes had lost their luster when I was gone, only now beginning to regain it since my return. The weight of emotion still made his eyes heavy.

As everyone mentioned, he had fallen apart, and I could see it now. Beneath pale eyes lay deepening bags that had formed over the past month. The skin around his eyes had never been so red, and his cheeks bore unmistakable red splotches. His blonde hair was disheveled, a testament to his own restless hands.

His face shifted through a myriad of emotions—relief, love, hurt, fear, anger. I didn't know which one to address first.

I remained silent and waited; the tension in the room spoke volumes.

"I'm..." His Adam's apple bobbed. "I'm glad you're okay. I'm really glad."

I nodded, keeping our gazes close.

"I missed you," he confessed under the same strain. "I missed you so much. More than you could ever know."

I did, because I missed him just as much. Even in my dreams.

"And..." His gulp seemed painful. "Thank you for saving my life. You—"

I shook my head. "I'll never, ever, want thanks for that." I would do it again and again without any regrets.

He nodded, but it was weak. He still hadn't looked at me.

My voice was soft, sensing he wasn't finished. "And?"

"And..." His voice was bumpy as he continued, "And, I'm mad. I'm so fucking mad." The cracks in his words tugged at my insides. "I'm mad that you left in the first place. That you took my fucking heart and all else with you. That you didn't tell me about my dad."

"I'm sorry, Luke." My eyes lowered. "I was trying to protect you."

"You might as well have killed me," he said, tightly. Heat-tipped icicles rang through every single word, "You might as well have fucking killed me, Maggie, because if me not having my other half, my girl, my fucking heart in my life is protecting me, then I never want it." His voice trembled with emotion, "Anything without my everything at my side is nothing to me, and that's what you are to me. And you..." His breath came in a huff. "You tried to make me imagine a life without you in it. A world without my own in it. It drove me fucking crazy not having you, just for a day, a second, and then I watched you..." His tear-filled eyes met mine. "I watched you...felt my world take her last breath against my lips."

My heart ached at the pain etching across his face. I felt it in every fiber of my being, though my response was a soft, "I know."

"You came out of the room," his head shook, anger now evident in his eyes and tone, "You broke out when I had you in there for a reason. Your dad had a gun to your head, and it could have been loaded. You could have been killed then."

"I know." I stretched out a hand to beckon him closer. "And, I'm sorry."

"You were stubborn and you didn't listen," he continued, his frustration growing. Behind his tears, I saw his glare. "You jumped in front of me when you should have stayed still. You were supposed to stay still and out of danger. But you didn't. You took the bullet for me."

"I'm not sorry for that," I said firmly. Never in my life would I be. Not when it came to his life.

Luke shook his head, his nostrils flaring as he glared at the hospital bed. "I watched you..." His head shook again. "I held the love of my life in my arms, and I watched her leave me. You. I watched you leave. You were gone, and I thought you wouldn't come back. I thought..." A tearful sigh escaped him, his head falling. "I'm mad at you, and I won't forgive you."

I opened my hand for him. "You won't?"

He took my hand, his sniffles soft. "I won't." He let me pull him closer, his expression still somber as he stared at the floor. "I'll never forgive you."

Gently, I tugged him down to me by his neck. "Never?" His eyes fell as he croaked, "No. Never."

I kissed the side of his head as I pulled him into me, my words soft, "Come here."

Both his arms encircled me, and they tightened until his warm face rested against my neck.

"You're..." His voice cracked, barely a whisper, "You're sure you're okay?" My chest ached as I replied in a hushed tone, "I'm okay."

"You promise me?" His hand moved up my back, trembling as it rested against the nape of my neck, holding me close. I giggled amidst my tears, softly mumbling, "I promise you."

His sigh was uneven, but amidst it, I sensed the weight of relief. His nod mirrored the sentiment.

"I missed you," he rasped in my ear. "I missed you so much, Maggie."

Tears welled in my eyes, and one escaped down my cheek. Words couldn't convey the depth of my agreement. "I missed you."

His body quivered, and I couldn't tell if it was his or mine. Both seemed equally responsive to the other.

I kissed the side of his head, my words gentle, "Now, forgive me." He shook his head, though he nestled even closer into my neck. I wasn't sure if it was deliberate, but I felt his lips graze my neck before he whispered, "No."

He was as stubborn as ever. I had missed it, and him, so much.

My hand found the back of his neck, his favorite calming spot that could break through his attitude. As I began to trace my fingers through the soft strands, his body relaxed against mine.

Next, I kissed the side of his neck, another favorite spot. "Forgive me." Another kiss, my chuckle soft against him, "Please." His sniffles were barely audible against me, but the weight of his tears tore at my heart. They only eased when he felt my fingers in his hair.

A second passed before I heard him admit in a murmur, "I forgive you."

***

My fingers glided through Luke's hair until they lost themselves. "You're evil, you know that?"

Pausing on playing with my hair, he glanced at me with a perked brow. I met it with a glare. "You let me think you were my husband this entire time."

Luke's grin was infectious, and I cursed myself for matching it. "I couldn't help myself." He shrugged and chuckled. "It sounded so perfect every time I heard you say it, I wanted to hear it again."

Heat rushed to my cheeks, but I managed to tease, "I better see a real nice ring pop or two the second you're on your knees with that type of confidence."

"Trust me, Maggie..." Chuckling, he placed the hairbrush down to come closer to me, an eyebrow dangling. "The day that I ask you to become my wife is the day that you see and get diamonds, and whatever the hell else, baby. Nothing less."

I watched him in awe. My heart hiccuped as he grabbed my hand, electricity trailing from that spot and on up. The feeling was unmatched, and I couldn't understand how I survived so long without it. 

Just as he went to kiss my palm, I noticed something on his neck that made me pause.

I patted at his chest to earn his attention. "You got another tattoo?" He had plenty, but there were barely any on his neck, so a new one was noticeable.

"Mhm." He stretched his neck to show me.

I leaned closer, my chest warming when I saw it.

I had to stop myself from awing the longer I observed it. It was in the spot I kissed him most, on the side of his neck, which was closest to the scars on his throat. It was a heart, but on the right side, the lines of the heart, right in the center, stopped and had a gap, where my initials were inked in.

My hand lifted to graze it. It was beautiful.

"Luke." Tears blurred my vision until I had to wipe one. "I can't believe you did this."

His smile was soft as he swiped away another of my tears. "I got it a week ago." His hand ran over the length of my thigh until he squeezed. "You like it?"

I nodded, "I love it." My fingers traced the design. "Was this a ploy for more neck kisses?"

Luke chuckled, "Hell yeah." His playful grin matched mine. "I gotta make sure the ink dried, Norris. Your kisses are how."

I melted at my last name, the first time I'd heard it from him since waking up, and it sounded perfect.

We had been talking for the past few hours. He had filled me in on a couple of events. Most of them were things that unhinged my jaw.

Apparently, his father was arrested the same day as the attack. Since Luke had drained his, Beatrice's, and Vance's accounts, they were appointed an attorney by the court, who advised them to plead guilty to get a lighter sentence. Their egos made them do the opposite, though, which would only worsen the final verdict. With the evidence Luke had gathered over the years, it was enough to ensure they all spent the rest of their lives behind bars.

I was thrilled for Luke, free from his father and his bullshit. I knew the mental scars still lingered, but that wouldn't deter me from my mission to support him every step of the way. Luke saw the world in my eyes when I was sure the entire universe was in his. I'd never let him forget that.

There was something else that shocked the fuck out of me, too. I thought he was kidding when he first told me, but no. Ledger was Luke's brother.

I still remembered the resemblance between his and Luke's eyes, as well as their attitudes, but not in a million years would I have predicted that it mean something else.

Though, I noticed Luke's growing affection for his little brother, and it warmed my heart. I looked forward to seeing their bond deepen and getting to know Ledger even better.

Luke had gifted me items and cards from his mother, along with drawings from Ledge. Most of them were done in crayon or paint, adorably messy. One even contained a warning to get better soon before Luke cried, again, one in which Luke scowled at. Regardless, I intended to keep all the drawings.

One gift, in particular, had brought tears to my eyes once more. Ledger had made sure to remind Luke to give it to me: a Pop-Tart with a drawing attached of the three of us sitting at a table, a massive pizza in front of us.

Luke told me about the case with my father, too. It was something. I hadn't felt anything but relief in knowing that my father's life and its meaning was thrown away in both life and death.

I said I'd put a bullet in the motherfucker, and I did. Two, actually.

I didn't have a single regret over what I did. If that made me sound psychotic, then so be it.

Those who hadn't experienced that type of torture firsthand couldn't convince me otherwise, nor could they cast negative judgment over my actions. There was no comprehending the overwhelming anger, pain, and suffering that festered within after it unless they'd been forced into that position themselves. My anger had only grown with time, fueled by a desire for revenge. It was an eye for an eye, and after everything that that sick motherfucker did, I was the only person that deserved to be the one to decide how it ended.

I'd seen what happened when I let the law handle it, and if my father had survived and gone back to jail for another decade, the cycle would have only repeated. I ended it in a way that I'd dreamed of all of my life. The life I took from him wasn't nearly enough in exchange for the one he tried to take away from Jax and I.

The monster was gone, and I wasn't. He lost, even in the grave. That was it.

The group visited my room again. We talked for a while, the girls cried, and I joined them.

Then there was Jax. His emotions swung from frustration to affection so quickly. I cherished both, knowing I was here to experience them.

I was here.

No words could express my gratitude for that. I had the opportunity to live, love, and stay with my soulmate, my brother, and friends. Here.

Luke seemed to be realizing it, too. He often watched me silently, his expression overflowing with relief and love every time his eyes met mine.

The others eventually left after numerous arguments. Jax was the most stubborn, but I could tell they all needed rest. He made me promise I'd still be here tomorrow.

As if I had anywhere else to go. Dumbass.

To get him out, though, I promised him, as well as the girls that I would be.

Luke, of course, didn't hear a word when I suggested he could go home for some rest. All I got was an eye roll and murmured curses of argument.

Thinking back over the past month for him though, my heart ached. Apparently, he had been here every single day to visit me. It made sense since I recalled a faint, yet dominant whisper in my head over the time I was unconscious.

My fingers rolled the beads of my new bracelet around as I looked at him. His gaze on me was intense.

"You know," I couldn't help but smile softly, "if your staring problem gets any worse, I might have to call another doctor in here for you."

He blinked out of his trance, a small laugh escaping him, but he didn't break his gaze. "Go ahead, because it's not going anywhere, Norris." He shifted on the couch to reach me, his eyes scanning my entire being before settling on mine with nothing but love. "I just can't believe you're not either."

My heartstrings were strummed by his words, and the longer he stared, the closer they came to breaking free.

A light sigh escaped him, ending in a smile. His hand reached up to cup my jaw, and I leaned into it without hesitation.

"I missed you, Maggie," he confessed, his sigh trembling. "I missed you so fucking much."

My chest tightened with emotion. I had missed him just as much, and even when I couldn't voice it, my heart and brain did it for me.

"I missed you," I whispered, kissing his wrist.

"Nothing in my life made sense without you in it, angel. Nothing." His smile grew, stirring up butterflies in my stomach. "My heart's been acting all crazy and shit, too."

My response was heartfelt, "I don't even think my heart knows how to beat if it's not for you, anymore. You screwed me, Palce." My laugh was soft, and Luke's joined in, saying, "You too, huh, Norris?"

I nodded, and his thumb brushed over my cheek. I hadn't even realized I was crying until I saw tears glistening in his own eyes.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he continued to stroke my jaw. "I thought..." His face clouded with dread, shaking his head. His next words were barely audible, "I thought I lost my home when I lost you, Maggie. My everything was gone, and so was I." A tear escaped, but I caught it before it could fall. His beautiful eyes locked onto mine. "Without you, I couldn't fucking breathe. Couldn't eat or sleep or feel, I couldn't..." His exhale was full of pain. "I couldn't. That's it. Not without you."

"You won't ever have to," I promised, softly. "I meant every word of what I said to you that day. You're every single thing that makes my life even feel like that. You're the half of me that makes the other side make sense, and still having that, even after what your dad made me do, but not being able to tell you myself ripped me in half." A tearful smile grazed my lips. "And, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for making you think differently. Saying those words to you, my boy who's the exact opposite of them, even when your dad made me, fucking tore my soul to shreds. All I wanted was to protect you, to give you your mother, the one parent you've always known, the one chance you always deserved." I sniffled softly. "I couldn't be selfish when it came to you, and I couldn't put me or my life before you, Luke. It was that way when when I jumped in front of you for the bullet, too. You deserve every good thing in this world, and I refused to let you lose the chance to get it."

Luke nodded, tears brimming in the corners of his eyes as he listened. My words found their way through the emotional barrier, and his own joined them as time passed. As painful as the past few weeks had been, it was a relief that we had a chance, another opportunity to get them out to the other.

Honesty tore through my tongue as I whispered, "I'll say it again, though. I'm sorry. You, and every bit of you mean the world to me, and..." My head fell as the weight lifted from my mind. When I raised my eyes, they collided with Luke's. "I missed you so, so fucking much, in everything I did. In me. I missed us, and every single thing there is about you. Those past few weeks we spent apart were the worst of my life. Nothing felt right, because it wasn't right. Nothing is without having you there with me, Luke. And, even when I was dying, I felt something in knowing that I got to see you when I did. That my heart was only fighting so hard just for you, and for a chance to have more time with you. Just looking at you, right now, and falling in love all over again..." My soul rang with the most pleasing, understanding sting possible until I let it out in a sigh.

Luke absorbed my words like oxygen. His throat quivered with each one, and beneath his glistening eyes, emotions overflowed into our intimate space. Love prevailed over all others, genuine and abundant.

Our eyes shared an intense connection, just as the rest of our emotional selves did. I never let my gaze fall, voicing the truth, "I'm here. You're here." Gently, I squeezed his jaw while my other hand ran through his hair. Rolling back my next round of tears seemed pointless as I whispered the final promise to the universe, "We're here. It's you and me. Always."

Something seemed to relax his entire figure, inside and out. My own did the same, writing a silent message right back to him to ensure that we both had a clear understanding of how secure our hearts were with the other.

My emotions were coming at me from every direction. It was the most tangled mess in the world, but I could work out the most intense just for him.

"As much as I wished you would have told me, my dad would have got to my mom before we could have planned something out if he found out about you telling me." Gratitude peeked through the corner of his expression. "I'll thank you for putting me and my life first, because I would have lost my mom if you hadn't..." Gently, he kissed my wrist, chuckling against it, "I mean, you're still in trouble for turning my fucking life and heart upside down without you in it, but not right now."

We both laughed softly, before Luke sighed. "My dad knew that, for the first time I was happy with my life, and that was why he tried to take it. You. The bastard basically dug his own grave by doing it, because he had no idea that I'd drain myself dry before I ever let us go like that without an explanation." When we met eyes, his own softened. "Once I had it, I was pissed at you, but I still understood why you did what you did. You're still getting chewed the hell out when you're feeling better, but it makes my heart all better and shit in knowing why you did it, and that I, you, and us were and are okay."

I swallowed hard, trying to ease the lump in my throat, but the relief still lingered, causing an ache. I nodded faintly, my emotions mirroring Luke's, deepening our connection.

Luke's inhale was shaky. "And, I still can't believe that you're here, that I'm staring back into my girl's eyes and that I didn't lose her. I've never been so happy, but so fucking terrified and relieved at the same time." His glistening eyes locked onto mine, tracing them as if memorizing every detail. His head tilted slightly, a single breath escaping his lips, then, "When I heard you were awake, that I'd get to have you, see you...my heart came back to me in that moment. For the first time in weeks, it did, and so did my everything. You." A hand snaked through his curls, but when he brought it down, it went to mine. "I didn't lose you, and it's the second biggest miracle in the world."

I drew him closer, planting a tender kiss on the side of his head. I anticipated his next words, but I beat him to it, whispering softly, "The first is you."

His return kiss conveyed, "The first is us."

My soul resonated in agreement. Our tearful eyes locked one last time before I pulled him closer, and he melted into me even faster.

The moment our lips met, my heart felt like it stopped, but the next beat assured me it wasn't true. Not when the man who it beat for was right here.

Our kiss started off light. I sensed Luke being afraid of being too rough and hurting me, so I took the lead, nearly causing him to topple from his chair when I yanked him closer. His shirt bunched in my hands from my grip, but I didn't relent until I had him.

Laughter mixed in between the kiss, igniting an undeniable spark. Our lips moved in a tantalizing dance of perfect harmony, charged with the electric tension from our heartfelt conversation. The familiar taste of him left me yearning to prolong the kiss, the sweet, thick string between us tightening with each passing moment.

When we finally pulled back, our hands remained intertwined, providing physical support to combat the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm me.

The world around us seemed hazy. Judging by Luke's dazed expression, the kiss had left him just as foggy.

We wiped away each other's tears, and Luke kissed the last one from my cheek before he looked at me.

Desire simmered in his gaze, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. "I wanna have you in my arms so fucking badly right now, angel." His gaze flicked to the cords attached to my body, worry creasing his brow. "But I don't want to hurt you."

I reached for him, my fingers trailing along his arm as I pulled him closer. "Come here, right now." He moved swiftly, enveloping me in the arms that felt like my sanctuary. They held me with a careful tenderness, but my laughter broke through. "You're not hurting me, Luke."

My heart softened when I felt him bury his face against my neck. "Tighter?" I nodded, hut he barely adjusted. I rolled my eyes, and instead tightened my own arms around him, locking us in an embrace that was both comforting and electric.

We remained locked in that embrace, our bodies pressed together, and the world around us faded into the background. Every touch, every ache, and every piece of longing we had experienced in our time apart was charged with a relief that neither of us could deny.

As I settled into the warmth of his arms, a soft, contented sigh escaped my lips. His scent, a mixture of warmth and spice, enveloped me, and I couldn't help but smile at the familiarity.

"Do you wanna sleep with me?" I whispered in his ear.

"Maggie Norris." Luke jerked back, eyebrows raised to the ceiling, eyes wide with shock. "You know better than..." he blinked. "There's no way you just asked me to—"

I laughed, shaking my head. I had missed his silliness so much. "Not in that way, dingus." I motioned to the bed. "I mean sleep."

My body still ached from my injuries, but they'd improved during my rest, and the medication dulled the worst of the pain. In all honesty though, I didn't care. All I wanted was to be in his arms, again.

He raised an eyebrow, concern evident. "Beautiful, you were shot and all else. Your body's still healing—"

I added a touch of mischief to my grin. "Exactly, I was shot, so that means that you should be taking pity on poor, old injured me, which means that you have to—"

"Oh stop it, you little spoiled brat, I'm getting in." His eye roll made me laugh, causing him to fight back a smile.

Quickly, he discarded of his shoes, powered his phone off, then placed them to the side. I guessed he didn't want a distraction, which I understood because I didn't either.

Slowly, I scooted over to another side of the bed until I knew he would be comfortable, holding back a wince to stop Luke from changing his mind and going to get a doctor.

To the slowest pace, he got into bed with me. Once he was settled in, I hissed, "Shit."

Worry pulsed through his expression as he shot up to get a good look at me. "Fuck. What's wrong? Did I hurt you, baby?"

"No," I teased, grinning up at him. "I'm just wondering if you gave me gray hairs while I waited for your slow ass to get in."

His eyebrows slowly lowered, his scowl instantaneous. "Smartass."

Laughing, I shuffled one of my pillows to offer him one. "Learned it from the best."

I let my body guide how close we could get, and luckily, it allowed me to rest my head on his chest. Luke was gentle, placing his head on top of mine and resting a hand on the back of my head to keep it there.

"I missed it, though," he confessed, softly. My heart echoed the sentiment, but it settled into a calming rhythm as he started to stroke my hair. "And I missed you even more, Norris."

All I knew hearing that was agreement, as well as the peace only he could bring. I smiled as he tucked the blankets around us.

"I missed you." My yawn escaped into his chest as I closed my eyes. "You know, I think you might like me now, Palce." My next confession was as genuine as ever. "And I know for a fact that I love you." Another yawn overtook me, and I nestled even closer into my haven until I couldn't keep my eyes open. "What happened to us?"

His chuckle was a sweet melody in my ears. He held me close, ensuring I felt no pain, and wrapped his arms around me, cocooning me between him and the hospital blanket. There was no place else I'd rather be.

A soft kiss landed on the top of my head, and in the quiet moments between breaths, I heard him whisper, "We fell head over fucking heels for each other, Norris."
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Fun fact: when I first started writing the book, Maggie was ACTUALLY supposed to die! 💀 BUT the more I got to know her and Luke's characters, the more emotionally attached/invested I got in them (no kidding, I love all of my characters like they're my children) and I couldn't do it to myself, you, or Luke lmao.

The next chapter will be the last. 🥺 I'll see you, then!