"Turn around, put it down and see, that this is really the place to be. I'm not you, nor you me, but we're both moving steady." 

Song: Resolution

Artist: Matt Corby

Harry’s POV

Time is a strange thing; sometimes days can feel like years, while other times whole weeks seem to pass in a blink of an eye.  People can change, grow together, and drift apart in a series of moments that run together in a seamless string of events, sometimes without even being aware.  Sometimes it’s easy to pick out a moment and think, ‘That’s it- that’s when it all changed.’ Other times, you find yourself a completely different person without even being aware of the conversion. 

One day, life is the same as ever, and you go about your routine in monotonous actions, then suddenly, your world is turned upside down.  There’s color where before it was only dull grey, light where there were only shadows, and love where there was nothing but hollow gaps.  Things you never noticed or thought about before suddenly seemed more important that the things you valued previously.  You find it impossible to go about doing things without thinking of that person, what they’d think or do, how they’d react.  They become a part of you, intertwined into your very soul so much so that you can almost feel them physically with every breath you take. 

My change was a mixture of both: an abrupt, specific moment I could point to and recognize, and a gradual, slow change I didn’t even realize was happening until it was already done.  Things I never imagined I would think or feel had become a part of my daily life- things that suddenly felt so right and normal that it seemed impossible I’d ever lived without them.  How had I ever been content before, when it had been only me and a string of random girls I didn’t care about?  How had I ever felt alive before that moment when I knew everything had changed?

The truth was, I hadn’t been.  I’d been a shell of a person, going through the motions as I always had because I didn’t know any better.  I didn’t know what it was like to love someone and for that person to love you back.  I didn’t know what I was missing before I felt the satisfaction of holding her to my chest in the middle of the night, her warmth flooding through my body while she slept without a moment’s hesitation.  I didn’t know what it was like to have someone look at you the way she did, her gaze full of love, understanding, acceptance and compassion so strong and pure I couldn’t doubt it for a second. 

I didn’t know what love felt like until Halle.  It was strong, so strong that it nearly knocked me over when it took hold of my life.  The hold she’d had on my heart was stronger than any I’d ever thought possible, and I had no shame in admitting I let her take it.  The love was crippling beautiful, unparalleled in strength and devotion, and more exquisitely captivating than anything I’d ever felt in my entire existence.

It took me two years to do what I’d known I would do for a very long time.  Two years of living together.  Two years of fights, most completely pointless.  Two years of undeniably rare love between two people.  Two years of moments building up to the one I would remember for the rest of my life.

It was a Saturday morning and the sun had peaked through the windows long ago.  Halle was nursing a bit of a hangover from our night out to celebrate graduating university with Maggie and Jay, who had somehow managed to stay together despite it taking them nearly a year to finally become an official couple. 

I stood in the kitchen, preparing a pot of coffee in hopes of easing some of her suffering when she woke up.  It had taken everything in me to slip out of bed and pull her from my arms, but I could tell by how heavily she slept that she wouldn’t be up for a while.  She’d never had a particularly high tolerance for alcohol, and Maggie had insisted on taking shots for ‘old time’s sake,’ as she’d called it.  Poor Halle had never stood a chance.

I jumped slightly when I felt a pair of hands wind around my waist, the palms warm over my bare stomach as my momentary surprise calmed.  Her arms tightened around my torso as I felt her lips press lightly into my shoulder blade like she so often did as she hugged me from behind.  A soft smile tugged at my lips as I felt her lean her forehead against my back while she let out a low grumble.

“Morning, drunkie,” I said lightly.  I poured to cups of coffee and set them on the counter before spinning around in her grasp.  Her arms remained looped around my waist and I draped my arms casually over her shoulders, letting my hands tangle lightly through her snarled hair.  She leaned her head back and squinted up at me, her eyes fighting the bright light that leaked into the kitchen.  Her face was clear of make-up after she’d drunkenly washed it off the night before, and her hair was sticking up oddly on one side from how deeply she’d slept, but she still looked beautiful to me. 

“Hi,” she said quietly.  I could easily hear the hangover in her voice and resisted the urge to chuckle. 

“I made you coffee,” I told her, tipping my head in the direction of the mugs.  “And there’s ibuprofen waiting on the table.”

“Ahh, I love you,” she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them to shoot me an appreciative smile. 

“I love you, Hal.” I ducked forward and pressed a light kiss to her lips before releasing her and turning to grab the mugs of coffee.  I carried them to the table and sat down, where she followed.  She dropped into the chair, wincing slightly as if it hurt her head.  A mug of coffee was slid across the table to her as she accepted it graciously, inhaling deeply before sighing in appreciation. 

“Are you hungry?” I asked.  I’d tried to wait to eat, but my stomach had growled relentlessly as I waited for her to wake, so I’d caved and eaten a piece of toast.

“No, coffee is perfect,” she said before taking a sip.  “Thank you.”

“Sure, sure. I figured you’d need it after last night.  Who knew you were such the interpretive dancer,” I said.  I was unable to hold back the smirk on my face as I imagined the ‘dance’ she’d done with Maggie after three too many shots.  She’d given up on trying to dance with me after bursting into laughter for the third time for some unknown reason, and I’d happily retired to a table with Jay to watch their attempts at dancing alone that had gotten more and more ridiculous by the song.

“Oh god,” she muttered, dropping her forehead to the table.  “I forgot about that.”

“You’re so light on your feet, are you sure you haven’t had training?” I teased, unable to resist.  She groaned and I laughed, finding her embarrassment endearing.

“Shut up, you jerk,” she mumbled into the table, which only made me laugh more.  “I clearly am getting old. Can’t even handle my liquor anymore.”

“Twenty-two is not old, Hal,” I reassured her.  “But yeah, you definitely can’t handle your liquor.”

“Hmmph,” was all she said, her face still buried into her forearm facing the table.  I chuckled once more and leaned back in my chair to watch as she finally sat back up and blew lightly on her coffee. 

“Why aren’t you hungover?” she asked accusingly, narrowing her eyes playfully at me.

“I didn’t drink that much.  I had to watch my drunk girlfriend and make sure she didn’t get into trouble all night,” I said casually, shrugging and grinning at her as I awaited her retaliation.  Sure enough, her hand swatted at my arm and managed to connect lightly with my skin once before I caught it.  Her narrowed expression relaxed as I brought her hand to my lips, kissing the back of it while holding her eye contact. 

“You know I don’t mind,” I reassured her.  Ever since the incident with Ben two years ago, I hadn’t been able to let her out of my sight.  Ben was gone, and any threat that existed because of him was long since ceased, but the fear remained in my heart that someone else, something else, would take her away from me.  There was no way I was ever going to let that happen.

“I know, Harry,” she said, her voice dropping the playfully accusing tone from before.  Her hand that was still clasped in mine squeezed once.  “I love you for that.”

I held her gaze from across the table while my stomach twisted into knots.  The moment seemed more loaded than our few words would reveal, but I could feel it.  It was times like these where I was most reminded of how much she meant to me.  She looked a mess, was playful one moment, and seriously honest the next, and I loved her more than my heart could handle.  This girl sitting right in front of me had captivated me in every possible way, taking hold of my very soul and weaving it together with her own. 

“I’ll be right back,” I told her, kissing the back of her hand once more before placing it on the table and heaving myself out of my chair.  She nodded casually and returned her attention to her coffee as I walked out of the kitchen and moved down the hall.  My heart started to hammer wildly in my chest before I even made it into my room, and I had to shake my hands by my sides to get a grip.  I moved to my dresser and pulled out the top drawer, which was filled with bundles of socks. 

My hands shook slightly as I sifted around, searching for what I’d hidden there months ago.  I was just starting to panic that it was gone when I felt my fingers close around it, the soft velvet of the box smooth along my palm.  I blew out a deep breath as I extracted my hand and closed the drawer.  After a quick glance back at the doorway to make sure it was still empty, I flipped it open. 

Inside, fit right between the grooves, was the ring I’d bought for Halle months ago.  A single square diamond adorned the thin, silver band in a beautiful simplicity that I knew was perfect for her.  She’d never mentioned what she wanted in a ring, because I knew she wasn’t materialistic about things like that, but I wanted it to be perfect for her.  She deserved far more, but I knew she would love it. 

The ring had lived at the back of my sock drawer for so long not because I didn’t know if I wanted to ask her, but because I couldn’t find the right time.  I’d battled internally for so long about how to do it, where to do it, what to say.  I had convinced myself I needed to do something extravagant, something to be envied by others, but it nothing had ever felt right.  It wasn’t until this morning that I’d realized that wasn’t us.  We weren’t overly exuberant or showy, and we weren’t concerned with over-the-top events. 

We were simple- we lived off our love for each other and that was all that mattered.  The moment had never felt right because I’d overthought it.  Right now, while we were both dressed in what we’d slept in and in our house together, was right.  I drew another shaky breath and snapped the box shut, clutching it in my palm and lowering it to my side.

“Okay,” I breathed quietly, speaking to myself to try and calm my nerves that fizzled through my body.  My heart was hammering a thousand miles per hour and my stomach felt twisted into knots, but still it felt right.  I nodded once to myself reassuringly before taking a determined step forward.  My legs somehow managed to carry me out into the hallway, and all too soon I was in the kitchen.  I paused in the doorway, leaning against the frame to observe her.

Her back was to me, and she wore one of my t-shirts over a pair of her own athletic shorts.  I could see her leaning against the table as she quietly drank her coffee, and again I was struck by how madly in love with this girl I really was.  I wanted to see this every morning for the rest of my life- the beautiful girl that had taken over my life, sitting on a stool at my kitchen table, with a ring on her finger.

That thought was all it took to propel me forward.  My feet carried me silently closer, and the box remained hidden in my palm as I clutched it desperately.  She heard me coming and glanced halfway backward, a soft smile on her face as I leaned over her from behind and wrapped my arms around her shoulders.  She didn’t see the box in my grasp as I enveloped her, my forearms folding across her chest lightly as I hugged her. 

“You’re beautiful, Hal,” I said, speaking as thoughts came to my mind.  I’d tried to come up with something to say many times before, but it had all sounded weird, forced.  Now, I said whatever came to mind.  My lips pressed lightly into her jaw as she leaned back into me, letting her body melt into my own.  She hummed quietly at the feeling and let her head rest against my shoulder.

“You’re crazy,” she murmured contently.  “I look awful.”

“You look beautiful,” I reassured her, dropping my lips to press into the side of her neck before resting my chin lightly on her shoulder.  She let out a soft chuckle and shook her head in amusement.  I hoped she couldn’t feel my heart attempting to break through my ribs as my chest pressed into her back.

“I’m so in love with you,” I breathed quietly into her ear, my true emotions leaking into my voice.  She caught the change in my voice and ticked her head to the side slightly in an attempt to see my face.  She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and shot me a questioning look. 

“You know I’m in love with you,” she replied quietly.  Her hands rose to latch onto my forearms that rested over her chest, and I felt her thumb trail lightly over the skin on my arm.  As always, a light spark shot up from where she touched me.  Even now, after nearly three years of being together, our physical connection remained as strong as ever. 

“You’re in love with me?” I asked quietly, kissing her jaw once more.  She let out a soft sigh at the feeling and let her eyes drift closed as she enjoyed the moment.  I could see the plane of her face easily from my position, hugging her tightly from behind while I draped myself over her shoulders.

“Yes, Harry,” she whispered, the volume stolen from her voice as she relaxed even further into me.  My heart thumped heavily in my chest and my breath hitched slightly in my throat.  I was about to make the most important request of my entire life. 

“Then marry me, Hal.”

Her eyes shot open and her head whipped to face me, her widened blue eyes locking onto my own immediately.  I could now feel her heart pounding through her ribs, matching the unsteady rhythm of my own.

“What?” she asked breathlessly, her gaze more intense than I’d seen in a long time.

I pressed one final kiss into her neck before I pulled myself from around her shoulders, dropping to the floor and landing on my knee in front of her.  Her eyes were wide and her lips were parted in shock as she watched me, clearly still struggling to process my words.  Despite my heavily shaking hands, I managed to flick the box open and reveal the ring I’d bought with no one but her in mind. 

“I want to marry you, Hal.  Say you’ll marry me.”

My heart seemed to have moved up to my throat as I waited anxiously for her to answer.  It felt like it was difficult to breathe, and I knew my hands were shaking the box as her gaze dropped down to look at the ring, but it didn’t matter.  Her eyes lingered on it for only a few seconds before they snapped back up to mine, a thousand thoughts clearly racing behind the sparkling blue that told me so much without a single word.  Her lips parted to speak and I felt like I might actually pass out.

“Yes,” she said breathlessly, as if it hadn’t really sunk in.  My heart exploded in my chest and I immediately launched myself off the ground.  Gripping her face between my hands, box, ring, and all, I pressed my lips into hers in a desperate kiss.  I only managed to hold it for a few seconds, however, before I pulled back a few inches.

“Yes?” I repeated, beaming at her with a grin so wide I thought my face might split in two.  Surely the most incredible woman on the planet hadn’t just agreed to marry me, to be mine forever.

“Yes!” she exclaimed a little louder, tears gathering in her eyes now as she recovered from the shock.  She leaned forward and kissed me hard for a few seconds before she had to break it to draw a shuddering breath. “Oh my god, Harry, yes, yes, of course I’ll marry you!”

Hot tears stung at the backs of my eyes that I made no effort to stop as I launched forward again, bringing us both to stand as I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist.  She threw hers around my neck as I hauled her into me, the box still clutched in my hand as I hugged her tightly.  I heard her gasp a few times as she cried happily, and I couldn’t resist pulling back enough so I could kiss her one last time.  Her lips landed on mine, pressing together firmly but not moving thanks to the overflowing emotions we were both feeling.  Fireworks seemed to be exploding in every cell of my body, and I felt as if I would float away into the sky if it weren’t for Hal holding me down. 

I broke the kiss and drew a shaky breath as I locked eyes with her, where tears were leaking out across her cheeks that were pulled wide into a gorgeous smile.  She was so beautiful that it hurt, and I had never loved her more. 

“Here,” I said, sniffing once as I tried to gather myself.  I pulled my arms from around her waist and reopened the box that had snapped shut in my haste to kiss her.  My hand still shook as I pulled the ring from where it at sat snugly, and it glittered beautifully between my thumb and index finger as I held it.  I glanced at her face and watched her as I reached for her left hand.  Her right hand flew up to cover her mouth, and her eyes were wide beneath raised eyebrows. 

Three shaking hands were extended before us: Halle’s left gripped in my own trembling hand as my other slid the ring onto her fourth finger, it’s fit perfect thanks to the information I’d obtained from her mother months ago.  There it sat, the ring that symbolized the promise we’d made long ago- to stay together forever.

“Oh my god,” she whispered, her voice laden with emotion and tears.  Her gaze darted up to meet mine after staring transfixed at her hand, and I felt my heart fly up in my chest once again.  “Is this real?”

I let out a watery laugh, positively giddy with emotion and ridiculously light as I held her gaze.  “This is real, Hal.”

“I love you so much, Harry,” she said quickly before her hands landed on either side of my jaw where she hauled me downward to kiss her.  Her lips landed on mine and my body responded immediately as my arms wound around her waist to haul her tightly into me.  I had no control as I lifted her off the ground, arching my back and hugging her to me while never breaking the kiss.

“I love you, Hal,” I murmured against her lips, breaking the kiss only long enough for the words to get out.  The kiss was hard, passionate, and full of every emotion we’d ever felt in this journey.  “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

I could feel the wetness from her tears against my skin as she continued to let them fall, making no effort to stop them or wipe them away as we kissed.  My grip on her was so tight it was probably borderline painful, but she never protested as she clung to me desperately.  My mind seemed to be in a haze, unable to process that this incredible girl had just agreed to let me marry her. 

This girl, this amazing woman, had agreed to let me be hers forever.  My Halle, forever.

That was the happiest day of my life.

Or so I thought.  That moment, which would forever be cemented in my mind as one of the greatest things ever to happen to me, would only be topped by another about a year later.  There are no words to describe the relentlessly rolling waves of emotion that racked through my body while watching the absolute love of my life, the other half of my soul, walk down the aisle towards me.  There was no doubt in my mind that she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, and I felt it in every bone in my body how incredibly lucky I was to call her mine. 

That day, I’d been a complete nervous wreck.  My lingering fears from years ago had come back to haunt me as I had myself all but convinced she would change her mind and leave.  I waited anxiously for Jay, my best man, to come in and tell me she was gone to find herself someone better, but he never did.  The grim message was never delivered, because she had done no such thing.  Somehow, by the grace of god, she had stayed with me and walked down the aisle to promise to be with me for a lifetime. 

The moment I saw her walking towards me, all of my doubts and fears had been completely eradicated.  She was there, in a stunning white dress that might as well have been a plastic bag for all I noticed, because she was more radiant than anything else could possibly have been. 

The world seemed to dull in comparison to the beaming beacon of light that was coming towards me.  I’ll never forget the smile on her face as she did so: it was too wide, too blissfully happy, and not at all what the picturesque, under control bride should have worn, but it was perfect.  It showed her true emotions, her true ecstatic feelings and it could not have been any more beautiful.  Her eyes that had always revealed so much to me were beaming straight into my own, tears already starting to form as she tried and failed to reign in her happiness. 

It had taken everything in me not to kiss her the moment she arrived next to me, not to beg the priest to hurry up before she changed her mind.  Every ounce of self-control I had went into waiting patiently before saying the fateful promise, and my heart nearly soared out of my chest when she said the words first. 

“I, Halle Tyler, take you, Harry Styles, to be my husband.  I revel in the knowledge that you’ll be my constant friend, my loyal partner, and my one true love.  I promise to love you without reservation, honor and respect you, provide for you, protect you from any harm, comfort you in times of distress, grow with you when times are tough, be honest with you when it’s hard, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.  I promise to never leave your side, and to love you with everything I have until my last breath.”

Never in my life had I heard more beautiful words, each one sending a spark of fire through my veins until eventually I was certain I couldn’t take it any more.  Love so strong flowed through me that I felt I would surely combust before I had the chance to return my vows.  My eyes remained locked on hers as she waited for me to speak, her face positively glowing as she watched me.  It was as if we were the only people in the world when I spoke my promise to her.

“I, Harry Styles, take you, Halle Tyler, to be my wife.  I’m secure in the fact that you’ll be my best of friends, my unyielding partner, and my one true love.  I promise to love you with everything I have, and to never let you doubt it for a second.  I promise to keep you safe, from the world, yourself, and any other threat that may come.  I promise to always be there for you, whether it be to kill a spider in the bathroom or in times of true strife.  I promise to tell you the truth, always, even if it hurts.  I promise to never leave you, to tell you what I’m thinking, and to treat you as you deserve for the rest of my existence.  I promise to love you, to keep you, to have you forever, and I promise you will always have my heart until the end of my days.”

I wasn’t aware of when it started, but at some point tears had started to fall.  I ignored them completely as the priest announced us husband and wife, my body too enraptured with pulling her to me and kissing her, making our promises official forever.  In that moment, kissing Halle at the alter, she became my wife, and I had never been so blissfully exultant.

These memories, these magnificently beautiful memories, were what played through my head on a daily basis.  Not a day had passed over the years that I hadn’t thought of them, hadn’t felt the warmth connected to them, or hadn’t looked back in happy contentment on the moments.  It had been four years since that day she gave herself completely to me, yet I still felt the same giddy happiness in every cell of my body when I thought of it.  Four years later, and it still hadn’t sunk in.

I lay in bed now, the same bed that had become ours in the house that had become ours, and I thought back to those days.  It didn’t seem possible that a love could burn so strong, so intensely for over seven years, and it seemed too good to be true. 

The bed felt odd now- cold and empty as I lay alone.  My arms felt empty, and I could feel the way I felt slightly off balance as I rolled over into nothingness.  Even in the dark, I knew she wasn’t there.  There was no warmth, no steady breathing, no tangling of her limbs with mine.  My heart thumped in my chest at the loss, and I wished desperately she was there in my arms, filling the void I felt both physically and emotionally. 

My body craved hers, craved the heat she provided and the way her breath would tickle across my throat when she slept.  I craved the way she held me in her sleep, her subconscious refusing to let go even in the depths of her dreams.  There was no way to replace the feeling as I lay alone, and no matter of tossing and turning could help sooth the ache.  The fact of the matter was that sleeping without her felt wrong, unnatural.   Cold. 

With a heavy sigh, I rolled to my stomach and pushed myself up, my arms flexing by my sides as I did so.  My body dragged from beneath the covers and my feet landed on the wooden floor with a light creak.  I needed to get out of this bed that didn’t feel the same, because trying to sleep in it alone was pointless.  Dressed in merely a pair of athletic shorts I’d tried to fall asleep in, I let my feet carry me down towards the door. 

The house was quiet as I moved through the dark, each floorboard familiar to me after years of living there.  I could step to avoid the ones that squeaked, and I did so now.  The silence demanded to be heard, and a squeaky floorboard would only serve to offset the quiet balance.  I let out a soft sigh as I ran my hand blearily over my face, wiping away the strange haze that had settled over me thanks to my failed attempts to fall asleep alone.  No matter how many nights this happened, I never succeeded. 

I debated heading to the kitchen for a glass of water before deciding against it.  It wasn’t water that I wanted- it was Halle.  I veered to the left, pushing my way through a door that was cracked open slightly.  I winced as the hinges let out a high-pitched squeal, the sound disturbing the silence that had settled over the house.  My feet carried me through the door into the dark room, the only source of light coming from the tiny nightlight plugged into the wall. 

Hushed breathing hit my ears as I approached closer, the two sets easily distinguishable after hearing the first one for years and years.  My gaze landed on them, just as I suspected I would find, and the empty hole I’d felt moments ago seemed to close instantly.  There, curled into a miniature bed around a sleeping toddler, was my Hal. 

My heart seemed to glow as I watched her, my selfish habits of falling asleep with her keeping me from falling asleep properly.  She’d taken to helping him fall asleep like this over the last few weeks, only to pass out herself beside him in his bed.  I watched as her breath tickled over the fine, dark hairs covering his head, and took in the tiny rise and fall of his chest while he slept.  His eyelids fluttered while he slept, covering the clear blue eyes he’d inherited from his mother. 

The bed was smaller than normal, barely enough to accommodate Halle and our son, but I couldn’t resist the urge to crawl in silently behind her as I’d done on more than one occasion when I’d found her like this.  She didn’t stir as I folded myself around her, winding my arm around he waist and hugging her to me while her arm draped over the sleeping child.  She was exhausted lately from work and taking care of our son, who had suddenly become very finicky about sleeping, so she was sound asleep now. 

The warmth I’d been missing from before came flooding back as I felt her heat, and my heart seemed to speed up still at the feel of her back pressed lightly into my chest.  My head rested over her shoulder, and I watched in silent contentment as air whooshed softly out my son’s mouth.  Without really meaning to, I pressed my lips into the hollow of Halle’s throat; I’d missed her the last few nights as she slept in here, and it felt good to have her so close to me once again. 

She shifted slightly under my touch, and a quiet hum left her throat.  My nose nuzzled lightly against the shell of her ear as I heard the change in her breathing, telling me she’d woken up. 

“Hey, you,” she whispered, her voice slightly scratchy from sleep. 

“Hiiii,” I breathed into her ear, nuzzling my face into her neck before pressing my lips against her skin.  She melted into me as she always did, and her fingers pet lightly through the hair on top of the sleeping boy’s head. 

“Did I fall asleep in here again?” she asked in a hushed tone. 

“Mmhmm,” I confirmed, tightening my arm slightly around her.  “I missed you.”

She let out a quiet chuckle and tipped her head to the side so I could hug her even closer.  “I’m right here, goof.”

“You know I can’t sleep without you,” I murmured.  “Come back to bed, Hal.  Teddy will be fine.”

She was quiet for a few seconds as she watched him with a soft smile on her face, her fingers never ceasing their gentle action.  He remained sound asleep. 

“Come on, baby. I need sleep and I can’t sleep if you’re not there,” I pleaded quietly.  Teddy’s strange sleeping schedule had pulled her from me for the past few weeks as he refused to go to sleep unless she was there.  More often than not, she fell asleep in here and I didn’t have the heart to separate them.  This mean I either slept alone, or cramped into this tiny bed with them, neither of which gave me a very high quality night’s sleep. 

“Okay,” she breathed quietly.  She ducked her head forward and kissed the crown of Teddy’s head softly before pulling back.  I smiled in triumph, knowing Teddy wouldn’t miss her now that he was sound asleep.  I kissed her neck lightly one last time before unfolding myself from the miniature bed.  Once back on my feet, I extended a hand and pulled her up to me.  Her ring glinted off the nightlight in the darkness, the symbol reminding me yet again of that blissful day she promised so many things to me, every single one of which she’d upheld to this day. 

I kept my grip on her hand as I ducked down and tucked the blankets around Teddy to fill the gaps where Halle had slept to make sure he was plenty warm.  Still, after the disturbance of the both of us getting up, he slept soundly.  I leaned down to press my lips lightly to his forehead, kissing him gently goodnight before I straightened up again.  Halle beamed silently at me in the dark, her eyes shining even though she was tired and probably still half asleep.  Without a word, I pulled lightly on her hand to lead her out of the room and down the hall. 

As soon as we were through the door, she sighed happily at the sight of our bed, which looked enormous in comparison to the one she’d slept in the last few nights.  I tugged on her hand and pulled her the rest of the way to the bed before we both climbed in.  Without hesitating, she curled herself into my chest while facing me, both of us lying on our sides.  My arm draped over her hip and I felt her arm land lightly on my ribcage as she snuggled into me.  Her head rested on my bicep as my arm lay out on the bed, and I could feel the soft whisper of her breath as it washed over my skin. 

My lips pressed to her forehead as she sighed contentedly.  I could feel her slipping away already as sleep pulled her under but she managed to murmur a few words to me.

“I hope Teddy outgrows this sleep thing soon,” she said quietly.  Her eyes were closed as I gazed down at her, and her hair had fallen into her face.  Automatically, my hand reached forward to brush it back behind her ear. 

“Me too,” I whispered in response.  Now that she was back in my arms, everything that had felt wrong before had been reversed.  This was how we were supposed to be, and it was the only way that felt right.  “I’ve missed this so much, baby.”

A quiet contentment settled over me as I reveled in the warmth of her body, the familiarity of this position, and the comforting sounds of her breathing as we lay tangled together in bed.  Seven years, a proposal, a wedding, and a child later, I still felt like it was the first night she’d stayed with me for real. 

She yawned once and before pressing her lips into the base of my throat.  “I love you, Harry.”

The simple words never seemed to settle in, never lost their affect no matter how often she said them.  Each time I heard the words, my heart fluttered and I felt a flush creep through my skin.  Each day I fell more and more in love with her, and every single cell I had was devoted to her, and now, our son, Teddy.  Never in a million years did I picture seven years ago that I would end up here, but there were not enough words in the universe to describe how happy I was that I had. 

“I love you, too, Hal.  I love you, too.”

And in that moment, my world was complete- idyllically, serenely, and beautifully whole in every way fathomable. 

"So don't you worry, you'll be my resolution." 

-Thank you, more than you could ever know, thank you.