KNOCKOUT

Alternate Ending

Enough of you asked...so here you go. Hope you enjoy and don't hate me too much for the original!!!

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"Will you just unlock the door and let him in already? He's been calling me nonstop." I roll my eyes, pointing Holden toward the speaker so he can unlock the door for Sterling. Sterling has been restless in his own way for the last two weeks, but he allowed Holden and I to have quite a bit of alone time. I'm not sure if being by himself was his way of grieving over our missing baby girl, or if he did something else, but I'm grateful for the separation nonetheless.

Holden nods, walking over to the speaker as I take our sleeping girl to her room. The likelihood of me sleeping on the floor beside her crib is high, but I don't think she'll mind. Once she's completely in her crib, quietly snoring and gripping onto the stuffed elephant Sterling bought her a month ago, I allow myself to walk out of her room.

Sterling is already upstairs, talking quietly with Holden.

"So what happened?" I hear him ask.

As much as I would like to join in on this conversation, it's easier to listen. I have a lot of anger built up right now and talking about the situation won't make me feel any better.

"Do you know who Jack Michaelson is?"

"I've heard you two talk about him, yeah."

Holden sighs, clenching his fists tightly. "They found her in a warehouse with him, as far away as he could get without leaving Manhattan Island."

"Was she hurt?"

"No." Holden shakes his head. "Thank God. Somebody must have helped him, though. She was fed properly and had her nappies changed."

"Can you not say diaper?" Sterling attempts to relieve the harsh tension throughout the apartment. "We get you're British, we don't need your weird words as reminders."

Nobody speaks, but I walk further into the room to let the boys know I'm there. Sterling looks between Holden and I before finally speaking.

"Can I see her?" He asks, looking up to meet my eyes.

I nod. "She's sleeping, but she'll babble in her sleep if you start talking to her."

Sterling walks past me and heads down the hallway without looking back. Even though he's not technically part of our little family, he cares so much about us that I want him to be in the family.

Leaning against the wall, I allow my focus to go to the large hole opposite of me. Holden's punch didn't seem very forceful during our fight, but the hole has become a new window into our bedroom. I can see our clothes scattered all over the floor, the bed surely cold since neither of us has slept in it in quite a while.

"We need to get that fixed," I say, looking over at Holden.

Instead of responding, he leaves the couch and saunters over to me, his hips moving with every step he takes. When he reaches me, Holden puts his palms flat against the wall behind me, hovering just above my head. He leans down, pressing a lingering kiss to my lips.

His lips are a lifeline I never want to be rid of.

"I really am sorry for the comment I made the other day," I whisper. "I didn't mean it."

"We both said things we didn't mean," he shrugs.

"You are her dad, though. You know that right?"