𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚢 - 𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚔𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚠

The past keeps returning to haunt me.

Deckard's POV

Two years.

Isa and I finally got the hang of this parenting business. We've got two wild toddlers and now a baby girl who's an absolute angel. Never thought I'd say this, but the house feels complete with her in it. Isa and I agreed we wanted one more, and Cassandra Florence Shaw came along to seal the deal. The boys adore her—proper obsessed. Freddy hovers over her like he's the bloody bodyguard, and Harry, well, he's already trying to make her laugh by being a little menace.

I still take missions here and there, but I make it a point to be home for bedtime. Doesn't matter if I've just been halfway across the world breaking bones—I'll be back in time to tuck them in. That was the promise.

The boys... they've changed a lot since those baby days. Freddy's calm, loves the water, and is stubborn when he needs to be. He's Isa all over again. Harry, though—he's trouble. Always has that spark in his eye. Hattie swears he's Owen's mini-me, which is a bloody insult if you ask me. Not funny.

I never thought I'd have kids. Didn't even think I deserved them. But the second I held my first, everything shifted. I swore I'd never be like my old man. No favourites, no golden boy crap. Freddy and Harry are different, sure, but they're mine. I love them the same.

Isa's family... whole different mess. She told me her dad always had Dom up on a pedestal, left Jakob in the shadows, and Isa, Mia—forgotten in the middle. Her mum was the one who made up for it, splitting her time with all the kids. When her mum died, Isa swore she'd do the same—never let our kids feel like they weren't enough. And she's kept that promise.

We had years of peace—well, peace and chaos, considering toddlers. But no fights, no family wars, just us. Best years of my life. Then we decided on one more, and Cass came along. Perfect.

And then—one fucking phone call ruined it.

Flashback

Freddy and Harry were half-asleep inside. Isa and I were out on the porch. Cass was strapped to my chest, fast asleep, warm against me. Then the phone rang. Isa picked it up, listened, hung up, and turned to me.

Her voice was tight. "My beloved twin brother shot down Mr. Nobody's plane. He's got Cipher. Jakob's freed her."

I froze. My hand tightened around Cass, protective. I looked at Isa, then back at the boys inside. "Jakob's a fucking idiot. Sorry, love, I know he's your brother."

She didn't even flinch. "He is an idiot. He just wants to get back at Dom. I understand that... but he called me. Told me to stay out of it. I know Dom won't care, but Mia will."

Peace with Mia hadn't been what she promised. We took Freddy and Harry to meet Jack and Olivia, and tried to make it work. Didn't last. Mia treated Isa and the kids like outsiders. I can take whatever shite people throw my way, but not at Isa, not at my children. They're off-limits.

That visit ended in a fight between Mia and Isa. Harsh words. Haven't spoken since. Brian still sends updates, but Isa... she's done. Some relationships aren't meant to be fixed.

Isa's voice cracked that night. "Are we going to be okay?"

She was barely a few weeks postpartum, still fragile, still healing. I looked her dead in the eye and said, "Darling, we'll always be okay."

Then Mia called, begging Isa to stop Jakob. Isa hung up on her. Didn't even think twice. That was the moment I knew—she'd cut that tie for good.

Now

I'm in the gym, hammering the bag, sweat dripping. Phone buzzes. A picture of my wife flashes up. I can't help but smile. I answer. "Hi, love. Everything alright?"

Her voice lifts me instantly. "Are we still on for our date?"

"Of course we are," I tell her.

"Great. Also... Owen can't watch the kids."

I laugh under my breath. "Good. Last time he watched Freddy and Harry, he bloody taught them how to shoot."

Isa laughed, and honest to God, I wish I could bottle that sound—keep it on tap like whiskey. I'd drink it every night just to hear her again when she's not around.

"Deck, fair point," she said between laughs. "We'll discuss this when you're driving home. Oh—someone's up from her nap. Cassie, Dad's on the phone."

I smiled. "Hi, Poppet."

Cassie's little voice came through, clear as day: "Dad's home."

My chest went tight in the best way. "I'll be home soon, sweetheart."

Then, my bag rattled. Work. I muted the call, turned my head toward the noise. My voice dropped cold. "I'm on the phone with my daughter. If I hear another sound, I'll break every bone in your body. Clear?"

Silence. Good.

I unmuted, softening again. "I love you, Poppet. Bye, darling. I'll see you soon."

Isa's voice came back, warm. "See you soon. Be careful, Deck. C'mon, Princess, let's go get your brothers up. Bye, babe."

The line clicked off. I stood there grinning like a fool for half a second, then turned back to the bag and drove my fist into it hard enough to shake the chains.

Went back to pounding the bag, fists driving harder with each hit. Sweat ran down my neck, muscles burning, but I didn't stop. Couldn't. Not until I pictured Isa's smile and the chaos waiting at home—little Cassie bossing her brothers around, Freddy trying to reason with her, Harry finding new ways to get into trouble. They're bigger now, louder, sharper... just like me.

The bag rattled—not from my fists, but from the muffled crying inside my gear bag.

I sighed, grabbed a bottle of water, and unzipped it.

The bloke inside sucked in air like a man who'd been drowning. "Thank you—please. I'll tell you where the drive is, the plans we stole—I'll tell you everything—"

I crouched, holding his gaze with that cold calm that makes men sweat. "You mean this drive? These plans?" I dangled it in front of his face.

His eyes widened. "But... you already got it."

I leaned closer, voice flat but sharp as a blade. "Yeah. I did. What do you think I've been doing to stay this fit? Chasing three kids around the house is one thing. Breaking idiots like you? That's the real workout."

A knock at the door. Bloody perfect.

I looked down at him, unimpressed. "Don't move. And stop crying. My kids don't cry this much—not even my youngest. You're pathetic."

Then I drove my fist into the bag. Felt the man's ribs shift under the impact, heard the breath tear out of his lungs in a strangled scream.

I left him like that, trembling and broken, and walked to the door.

Han Lue stood there.

I exhaled, slow and controlled. Brilliant. Now I'm going to be late for my date.

Author's Note

The next chapter will be posted tomorrow, and it will be the final one for this story. So yes—Han is alive! What are your thoughts on that Han being alive. Personally I am glad Han and Deckard meet, but i feel like Deckard in hobbs and shaw said he did something really bad about what he did to Han, so i do want see Deckard and Han talk about what happened. what are your thoughts on Han being alive?

Sorry for the lack of updates lately—school had me swamped. But I'm finally finished, so I'll be updating more regularly from here on out.