Second Time Around...

✨Chapter 37✨

Before heading out to browse for furniture for Abel's room, Jax and Avery made a crucial stop at the hospital to check on the little one. As they walked hand in hand through the sterile, yet somehow comforting, halls of the hospital, Avery found herself lost in a moment of profound reflection. A soft smile touched her lips as she considered just how wonderfully her life was unfolding.

It felt like a lifetime ago, yet also just yesterday, when she'd decided to move back to Charming. Never in her wildest dreams did she anticipate that she and Jax would seamlessly pick up right where they left off, their connection rekindled with a depth she hadn't dared to imagine. She certainly never thought she'd be experiencing this level of pure, unadulterated happiness. Every beat of her heart felt in sync with the joy that radiated from within her.

Yet, amidst this euphoria, a tiny flicker of apprehension remained. Avery was the first to admit, even to herself, that she was scared. The idea of stepping into the role of parent for a child she hadn't given birth to was daunting. It was a beautiful, overwhelming responsibility, a testament to the love that had brought them all together, but it was a journey she was embarking on with a mix of excitement and a nervous flutter in her stomach. She knew, deep down, that with Jax by her side, and the unconditional love she already felt for Abel, they would navigate this new chapter with grace and unwavering devotion.

Releasing Jax's hand, Avery walked over to Abel's incubator, the soft hum of the machine a stark contrast to the thumping anxiety in her chest. She rested her hand gently on the warm plastic, her fingers tracing the outline of the tiny, vulnerable form within. Her breath hitched as she gazed at him, so small, so fragile, yet radiating an undeniable strength.

"Hey there, buddy," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. A tear escaped and traced a path down her cheek, but it was a tear of profound love and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Jax came up behind her, his presence a comforting anchor in the whirlwind of her emotions. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and rested his chin on her shoulder. Together, they stood there, a silent promise hanging in the air—a promise of unwavering love and a future filled with hope for their little miracle.

"You know that you're going to be a great mom to him, right?" Jax said, his voice a low, comforting murmur that wrapped around Avery like a warm blanket. He sensed the tremor of doubt that ran through her, a barely perceptible shiver in her posture, despite the brave front she often presented. He wanted to chase away every one of those anxieties, to build a fortress of reassurance around her.

"God, I sure as hell hope so," Avery confessed, her voice barely a whisper, thick with a vulnerability she rarely displayed. Her gaze drifted, unfocused, towards the window, as if searching for answers in the distant horizon. "I don't want to do anything that would make his life any harder. He's been through enough already. More than enough for a child his age." The weight of those words, the unspoken trauma of the boy's past, settled heavily between them. She pictured his small, serious face, the way his eyes held an understanding beyond his years, and a fierce, protective ache bloomed in her chest. All she wanted was to erase the shadows that clung to him, to give him a future bathed in light and security.

Jax pulled her closer, his embrace a testament to his unwavering belief in her. "He has," he agreed, his voice resonating with a quiet conviction. "But now that you are going to be by my side, raising him, he will become anything he wants to be. Anything at all." He paused, letting the truth of his words sink in, a promise woven into the fabric of their shared future. "He will have the mother that he deserves, a mother who will love him unconditionally, who will guide him, protect him, and champion his every dream." His hand found the soft expanse of her hair, and he placed a tender kiss on the crown of her head, a silent benediction. "He will grow up knowing that while he had a shitty start in life, a beginning marred by circumstances beyond his control, the person he knows as his mother – you, Avery – is his mother in every way, shape, and form that truly matters. Not by blood, perhaps, but by the boundless love you already hold for him, by the devotion you will pour into his life, and by the undeniable bond that is already forming between you two." He squeezed her shoulder gently. "He will know he is truly home."