Until Death

Part 16: The End

The next few weeks were filled with us all recovering from the men we had lost during the fight. Atlas was hard at work making sure something like this didn't happen again. He had continued to take me on dates and little by little I knew I was falling in love with him.

We first said I love you in June which was five months after our wedding. We had settled into being a real couple and finally it was Christmas and it was already the most memorable one I have ever had. Most of the guys had gone to their family's houses and Carly who was now very pregnant had gone to her parents for the week.

Atlas and I had decorated the house for Christmas. He even went with me to go pick out a Christmas tree.

I had gotten him a watch with our wedding date engraved on it and I was so excited to give it to him. Christmas Eve, we sat in front of the fireplace cuddled up on the couch as we exchanged presents.

"I really hope you like it," I said to him as I handed him the box. He opened it up and smiled widely as he examined the watch. Once he saw our wedding date on the back he kissed me.

"This is amazing, thank you," he said to me, and I smiled at him. He handed me a small box and I opened it up and looked at him confused.

"A key?" I asked him with a smile and he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the garage. He walked over to his car and opened the passenger seat for me.

"Get in," he said and I shook my head at him, but got in anyway. He pulled out of the driveway and he drove the few minute drive to where we had first shot a gun. I looked and there was now a beautiful new house. It was not too big and it was gorgeous.

"What is this?" I asked him with a huge smile on my face.

"It is our new house," he said and I squealed in excitement.

"You got us a house?" I asked and he nodded his head. I took the key and ran to the front of the house. It was absolutely perfect. There was a master bedroom and two spare bedrooms. There was also an office for Atlas and I opened up the door next door and noticed he had designed an office for me.

"I figured maybe you could do online college, I know you had talked about doing graphic design. I got you a computer and a tablet," Atlas said and I walked over and kissed him.

"You are incredible," I said to him, a few tears running down my face and he wiped them and kissed my forehead.

"You are the incredible one, I wanted a place where we could have room for a family once we get to that point," he said and I smiled at him.

"Thank you for everything," I said to him, and he picked me up wrapping my legs around his waist as I let out a little squeal.

"I love you so much," he said as he kissed my neck.

"I love you too," I said and then he kissed me.

I did enroll in those college classes and I graduated with a degree in graphic design, which I was then able to freelance to get some money of my own. Atlas had been so supportive and threw me a graduation party once I was finished.

After two years of being married, we decided to "renew our vows" which we considered a real marriage for us. I was excited to be able to say my vows and be able to feel the excitement of being married to someone you love. A year later I found out I was pregnant and I surprised Atlas with the news on our anniversary and he was so excited.

I had a beautiful baby boy who we named Zander, and he had the entire gang wrapped around his little finger. We had decided to soak in every moment with Zander and on his 11th birthday we found out I was pregnant with a girl. I gave birth and we named her Kiana. Kiana was a clone of me which was only fair because Zander looked exactly like Atlas.

Carly had given birth to a girl and she and Jonah had gotten married a few years later. They had just their daughter Lucy and they were very content. Thomas and Kate had gotten married a few months after my kidnapping and they had three children and had built a house near ours.

Atlas and I had loaded our son and daughter into the back of our SUV. We drove a few minutes away from our house and Atlas parked the car in the dirt. I grabbed our 10-month-old daughter Kiana and I strapped her to my chest, putting little headphones on her head.

This was our first time teaching Zander how to shoot a gun, which had been promised to him a few weeks ago on his 12 birthday. He was super excited and had been talking nonstop about it.

"You need to make sure the safety is on unless you are about to shoot, and never joke around with a gun," Atlas reminded Zander as he set up some targets and Zander nodded his head.

"I know dad, I read the books and listened to your speech already this morning," Zander said and Atlas smiled as he ruffled our son's hair.

Atlas explained the correct way on how to shoot a gun and after a few practice rounds, Zander was already an expert.

"Your genes run strong," I said to him, and he laughed.

"Maybe this will make you worry less about him eventually taking over the gang," Atlas said to me and I smiled at him.

"I don't think I will ever stop worrying about him, but you have managed to keep yourself alive this long," I said to him and he shook his head at me.

"If you keep talking like that, I am going to have to remind you just how alive I am once we get home," he said, winking at me and I smiled at him.

"Mom, shouldn't you practice? What if you need to defend yourself?" Zander said to me, pulling my attention from Atlas.

"I have known how to shoot before you were even a thought," I said, repeating what Atlas's mother had said to him when he was the same age. I looked up at Atlas and he was looking at me with pure adoration in his eyes.

"That is enough practice for today, we can come back tomorrow," Atlas said to Zander and Zander put the safety on the gun and put it back in its case.

We walked to the car and I buckled a sleeping Kiana in her car seat. We drove home and Zander ran next door to go and plan with Kate's kids. Atlas grabbed Kiana and put her on his shoulder. She was still asleep.

He put her in her crib, kissed her on the head, and turned to me. Watching Atlas be a father was like falling in love with him all over again. He was so gentle and he never got upset at our children. He was the perfect father.

Atlas walked over and he kissed me long and slow and I looked up at him after the kiss was done.

"Keep kissing me like that and we are going to add a third child to this family," I joked and he grabbed me and pulled me to our room, and threw me on the bed causing me to giggle. He got on top of me and kissed me again.

"You remembered what my Mom said," he finally said quietly and I kissed him.

"Of course I did, that was the happiest day of your life," I said to him and he shook his head.

"That was the happiest day of my life, the happiest day of my life was the moment I saw you running towards me after Patrick found you. I was so scared I lost you for good and the fact that you wanted to see me made me realize how much I truly loved you," he said, and I smiled at him.

"You mean the world to me Atlas," I said to him and he pushed a strand of hair out of my face.

"Until death do we part baby," he winked at me and I pushed him away jokingly.

"Go close the door husband," I said to him and he ran up to go close the door, he hopped in the bed causing me to laugh as he attacked me with kisses.