3 Days

Y/N holds onto Tom's hand. He lays behind her, spooning her. She can feel his chest rise and fall with each of his breaths, they're consistent and continuous. It feels like they'll always be there. They're reliable.

She knew there was irony there. His breaths are reliable, always coming and always present, and yet he had not been. There had been years where he wasn't consistent, unreliable, simply not there. Something about that was almost funny. She was sure he'd be there one moment, and he was gone the next. She was sure she'd never see him again, and yet here he is. Perhaps it's unfair now to think about then, he's changed.

She squeezed his hand, he's real. He's here. She's seen the way he's interacted with their kids. There's no way he can leave them now, not when they're real and alive and people. Not when they know who he is.

His breathing becomes inconsistent and therefore unpredictable. He's awake. Y/N waits a moment as she hears Tom yawn. When he finishes, she flips her body around.

He smiles, genuine sweetness and love there. "Goodmorning, my love." His morning voice is just as she remembered it being years ago, deep and raspy and yet it's somehow better.

"Sit up."

"What?"

"Please."

And so he does as he's told, sitting up while watching her do the same. And then she's in his lap hugging him. The hug is really tight, she's holding on for dear life.

"I hate you. So much." Shes saying this into his shoulder. "You left me and I was so scared and I thought I'd never see you again. But you're here. And I hate you for coming back here. You had no right to show up like you did."

She's still hanging onto him, "You've done so many horrible things and I hate you for them but you came back. You came back and I'm so happy you came back. I know you're leaving again soon but you're coming back and I know you are. And you love our children and you're going to be here for them for as long as you live because you love them." She looks at him, playing her hands on his neck, her thumbs on his cheek.

His fingers are linked together, resting on her back, "And you. I love you, too."

She rests her head against his, "and me." And then she kisses him.

Tom feels as though the world stopped. This is everything he's longed for from the moment he returned that night. Y/N back. To be in the same room, to be near his kids, and most importantly to have been forgiven. He missed this feeling, the way his heart buzzed when she kissed him. The way it felt to have his face touched so softly. He missed the feeling of her shirt and ger lips and her. He missed her.

He thinks that this is it. This is the moment it clicks in that this is the rest of his life. This woman and their current, and possibly future, children. He's certain there's marriage soon and a house in some part of the world after. He's certain they'd spend the rest of their short lives together and then whatever comes after that.

"We should wake the kids up." Y/N whispers.

"What do you want to do today." He opens his eyes and she looks so happy.

"I just want to be together today."

So they watched movies all day. Jin, Namjoon, and Jungkook joined them in the evening. All of them are a family. They love one another, maybe not as much towards Tom, but he'll get there.

ONE DAY

Tom was telling the kids all about America. He talked about how he would be filming a superhero movie and how long it would take. He talked about how they would call every night before bed and how he would be back as soon as he could. When he said he'd be back soon, he couldn't help but look over at Y/N. She was at a counter ordering the four of them drinks. He'd be back for Seren, Euphie, and Y/N. For all of them.

The kids asked about where else he's been. If he'd take them to all of them too. Of course he said yes, he promised them so many adventures. He promised them the world. And he would give them it. They are the most important people to him now. They're essentially an extension of him, a piece that would move on to the future. They'd live their lives one day and he'd watch from afar with their mom. There's absolutely nothing he wouldn't do for them.

"Do we want to drink these on the way to the park?" Y/N asks, holding four drinks in her arms.

"Yes!" The kids yell. She releases the drinks onto the table and the kids take theirs.

The day was spent pushing them swings and catching them as they flew down slides. It was spent with Tom worrying as Euphie attempted the monkey bars. She sat on his shoulders, grabbing each of the colorful bars. He was just tall enough so she wouldn't hit him, but that didn't stop him from worrying.

TODAY

His hands were wrapped around her. "I love you so much. I'll be back in a few months and we'll live the rest of our lives together."

"I believe you." Her hands were wrapped around his neck.

"This is the happiest I've ever been."

They were saying their see you soons now so that they didn't have to do it in public.

"Oh Tom." One of her hands moves to his face to brush a tear away

"I mean it. I love spending everyday with you and our kids. You guys mean everything to me and I dont know how I'm going to go back to being by myself all the time." He has this soft smile on his face.

"You'll just have to count down the days until you come back."

"I'll be counting the seconds."

She laughs, "I don't doubt it."

"Thank you for giving me another chance."

"Thank you for wanting one."

"I never stopped wanting another. I love you. I love you so much. I've loved you for years. I'll love you for years."

She kisses him. "I love you, too, Tom."

On the way to the airport, Y/N, Tom, and the twins stopped for lunch. They didn't eat in silence, the twins were talking up a storm. Y/N and Tom listened with smiles on their faces. This is the moment they would think back on for the months that he's gone.

At the airport, Y/N watches as he hugs the kids separately. He quietly talks to each of them, giving them both their own goodbyes. Though what he says is very similar, they're still different because Seren and Euphie are different. They're each their own person and he loves something different about each of them.

He loves the way Euphie isn't scared of anything. How she isn't afraid of hitting her head on the monkey bars. How she pushes Seren to face his fears with her. He loves the way she makes new friends wherever they are and he loves the way her little hands fit in his.

He loves the way Seren speaks. He loves the way Seren reads aloud and comments on everything he learns. He loves the way Seren will investigate all the bugs in the playground. He loves the way Seren cares about everyone. He loves the way Seren always needs to make sure that Tom and Y/N are one step behind him.

And he loves them.

And then he hugs Y/N. And he loves her.

He tells her he loves everything about her. He tells her he'll call her as soon as he lands and that she better pick up even though it'll be four in the morning. He tells her that their family is all he thinks about.

And then the four of them hug. And four becomes three as they watch Tom go through security. He looks back constantly, wanting to take in every last moment. And then he's at the end. This is it. He looks back, he waves, the kids wave back, and Y/N smiles at him before doing a little wave.

And he's gone.

And then they're walking towards the car. And she's buckling in the kids. And then her phone buzzes.

It's from Tom.

9,165,892 seconds

Hi. This is over now.

So it's been almost a year and a half. You know when fanfiction writers leave and then come back with like the most dramatic shit? Yeah I'm going to do that real quick.

My mom died in January of this year. It took two months from her cancer diagnosis to happen. And before her diagnosis we were fighting a lot. And I have so many regrets. That, along with a million other things, have been keeping me from doing this.

Now I'm 18. And I have been for 12 days. And I'm absolutely devastated. I feel like my life is on a constant downhill spiral.

But

I'm done. I finished this and I really wanted to do that. I've spent 6 years of my life on this plot and I'm so ready to not think about how I haven't finished it.

Thank you for coming along with me on this journey.

Maybe, when I'm ready, we can go on another one together <3

Have an amazing day wherever you are because I love you,

SIDEPHAN