[⚠︎] ▼ 𝙵𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚑 𝙱𝚒𝚝𝚎 ▲ Miguel O'Hara x Reader▼ 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝟷/ 𝟸

▸ SIXTEEN ◂

A week had passed, and you had settled into your new life with surprising ease. Your belongings were moved into the house, marking a fresh chapter in your shared life together. Most of your days were spent transforming the house—a once disheveled, chaotic space—into a proper home. The state of the place when you first arrived was disheartening. 

Dust clung to every surface, laundry piled up in forgotten corners, and broken appliances sat neglected. It was clear no woman had lived there in a long time, and you couldn't help but feel saddened that Gabriella had called this place home.

But now, the house had changed. With every scrubbed counter, every repaired appliance, and every piece of furniture rearranged, it began to reflect the warmth and care it always should have had. You were just grateful Gabriella could finally come home to a space that was clean, welcoming, and filled with love.

While Gabriella was at school and Miguel was out chasing anomalies, you poured yourself into the task of fixing up the house. Since you technically did not exist in their world, you had plenty of free time on your hands. Scrubbing every surface until it gleamed, replacing worn-out appliances, folding endless loads of laundry—there was always something to be done despite it being a small home. 

Because of his promise to the others, Miguel would return from long, grueling hours of fighting anomalies, his demeanor often exhausted and droopy. Before rushing off to pick Gabriella up from school and take her to soccer practice, he always made time to shower you with gratitude and affection.

"You're incredible, you know that?" he'd say, pulling you into a quick embrace before darting off again.

By the time they both returned in the evening, they would walk into a house that smelled of a warm, home-cooked meal and was spotless from top to bottom. Dinner was no longer a chaotic affair eaten on the couch in front of a screen late in the night; it was now shared earlier at the dining table, a proper family ritual. Gabriella especially loved the new routine.

Gone were the late-night dinners and disorganized chaos. In their place was a structured schedule: school, soccer practice, dinner, shower, homework, playtime, and finally, bedtime. Gabriella thrived under the new rhythm of life.

Each night, she would find a neat stack of freshly folded and ironed laundry waiting on her bed. While the original Miguel had done his best as a single father, the laundry often meant a pile of wrinkled clothes pulled hastily from the dryer. Gabriella didn't mind back then, but now, having everything neat and ready felt like a luxury she hadn't known she was missing.

You restored order to their home—a sense of balance that had been absent for so long. You didn't blame the original Miguel for the way things had been; raising a child alone was no easy feat.

This life wasn't just for them, though. Growing up, your Uncle Benjamin and Aunt Louise had instilled in you the importance of family routines. Their household was always filled with structure, warmth, and love—something you'd long dreamed of recreating. When you married Miguel, you saw the opportunity to bring that same sense of family into your lives together.

Before this, your life as an agent had been defined by chaos, training, and survival. Luxuries like cooking or homemaking had taken a backseat to the demands of your old job. But now, you have the chance to make up for lost time. You practiced and perfected your cooking, pouring your heart into every meal, determined to give Miguel and Gabriella the stability and love they both deserved.

To Gabriella, you were nothing short of a miracle. You weren't just a stepmother; you were the mother she'd always wished for—the one she had dreamed of but never thought she'd have. You brought joy, structure, and unconditional love into her life.