*Logan's POV*
"Okay," I whispered, placing my hands on Iris's shoulders as I leaned forward and grazed my lips over her ear, "You can open your eyes now."
Upon my permission, I felt Iris shiver from my touch and stiffen in anticipation seconds before opening her eyes.
"Logan," she gasped, hands flying to her widespread lips, "You remember."
I nodded although she couldn't see as I stood behind her. Settling for wrapping my arms around her shoulders, I rested my chin on the top of her head as I pulled her back against my chest. "I told you I remembered everything," I admitted, pressing a kiss to her temple.
Iris reached up and caressed my cheek, staring at the idle train in front of us. I'd just been released from the hospital after having the brain tumor removed. I knew Iris regretted telling me about our past together, but she couldn't possibly understand how much I had appreciated it.
Yes, I had an unstable and rocky life, but that had all changed when a beautiful young woman had knocked the gun out of my hands that night in front of our school. Iris's courage and pure love was all I needed to realize that life does get better. She was all I needed to be happy. I could move on from the past for it made me stronger, and Iris would be with me every step of the way.
I could never thank her enough or show her my gratitude, and for that, I wanted to spend every day for the rest of my life with her.
Placing my hand over Iris's hand on my cheek, I folded my fingers around hers and murmured, "Those days on that train with you were the best I've ever had."
Twisting to face me, she searched my eyes with her own blue watery ones and smiled. "Mine, too," she hiccuped, covering her mouth with a hand when the tears that had been threatening to spill had finally destroyed the dam and freely flowed down her cheeks.
Reaching a hand into the back pocket of my jeans, I bent down on one knee in the yellowing grass of the forest that held an innumerable amount of memories. My grin grew as wide as the blue orbs of Iris's eyes as she slowly processed what I was about to do.
"Iris," I began, holding my arm out to her as I popped open the top of the tiny box in the palm of my hand, "I want to live the rest of my life with you."
Both of Iris's hands flew to her widespread lips and she gasped, forgetting to cry when her magnetic legs were attracted to me, pulling her closer to where I knelt before her.
"Logan," she breathed as her hands shook.
I'd never wanted to ask anything more than I said what I did next.
"Iris, will you marry me? I swear I will never leave you. I love you," I honestly said, nervously awaiting her reply.
I never meant to break that promise, but not every promise was meant to last.
"Of course," she responded, nodding her head as she slid her finger through the engagement ring before throwing her arms around me.
We tumbled to the ground, but I could hardly feel the rocks or branches prodding into my back as Iris fell on top of me. She giggled, shyly blushing as she planted her hands on my chest in an effort to climb off of me.
"Sorry, I got excited," she said, cutely embarrassed.
Wrapping my hands around her wrists, I held her in place, not allowing her to move. She looked surprised for a moment before I gently applied pressure to the back of her head as I brought her face down to mine. She didn't move when my lips skimmed against hers and she visibly held her breath as her silky brown hair cascaded in a curtain around us.
I didn't hesitate when I closed my eyes and crushed my lips to hers. Iris kissed me back with just as much passion as she ran her hands through my hair. With a grunt, I smoothly flipped our positions so Iris was lying beneath me as I leaned forward on bent elbows beside her head.
Kissing the tip of her nose, I huskily muttered, "You're so beautiful." What I didn't say was that she was just as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside. I'd thought it was too corny to say, but looking back, I wished I had said it. I'd say it every day just to make sure she'd heard and believed me.
Iris ran her hands underneath my thin shirt, causing my abs to jump at her touch. I quickly tugged the annoying fabric over my head and planted kisses along Iris's neck as she traced the indentations of the muscles rippling on my stomach.
I couldn't recall a time in my entire life where I'd felt such euphoria and love. What Iris and I couldn't express into words, we showed with our actions that day in the woods. We made love and just like the idle train, I prayed that we could stay this way forever. The train had stopped its journey along the tracks long ago, and I was content with ours pausing here as well.
Despite my wishes, time moved forward. I couldn't complain because our decision to go all the way had produced the most adorable and lovable boy named Heath.
Time would heal every wound is what I had believed, and I had been accurate for the most part. No longer was there a gaping hole in my chest where a heart should have been. Yet, the only wound that not even I saw coming, was incurable. Neither Iris nor time could heal it.
For no one ever expects that despite a successful surgery, a brain tumor would come back.
I would not allow death to come between the love Iris and I shared for each other because love never dies and nothing could ever change that.
I couldn't have asked for a better life. If the suffering I went through in the beginning was to ultimately meet Iris and have Heath, then I'd persevere through it a million times over again.
I never forgot Iris Johnson, and I never stopped loving her.
*********
Hi everyone! Here is a bonus chapter for this story. I'm debating if I should put it before the chapter that announces that Iris and Logan are married or just leave it as a bonus chapter. Anyway, thanks for reading and remember to stay strong because life will always get better!
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Tracking Logan Foster
Teen FictionIRIS JOHNSON never could have guessed that a single walk in the middle of a frigid winter night could change her life forever. She had been on one of her frequent nature walks, admiring the scene and reflecting on her wonderful life, when a gunshot...
