Guarded

||epilogue||

Niall and I have been married for six years now. We have a little boy, James, who just turned three and a little girl on the way. We're thinking of naming her Grace or possibly Faith.

We live in a small house on the outskirts of New York City. Niall and I both have good jobs that bring in enough money for the family.

Marie, Emme, Michaela, Jeremy, Harry, Liam, Zayn, and Louis still live in the same apartment building, but we visit each other often. Elena and Michaela really hit it off at the wedding and Elena moved in with Michaela. Her and Zayn are an official couple now.

My father has apologized for everything he's either said or done, and after about a year or so, I forgave him. He occasionally visits us in New York.

"Mummy?" James walks into Niall's and my room, clutching his stuffed teddy bear.

"James, you should really be in bed," I reply. "But what's bothering you?"

"I had a bad dream," he whines. "It was scary, mum."

"Come here, little lad," Niall chimes in. He pats the space on our bed between us. James climbs up on the bed and cuddles in between us.

"Hey, mummy, daddy?" James says as he settles in.

"Yes, James?" Niall and I say in unison.

"I love you guys."

"We love you, too, James." I stroke his smooth face. He looks so much like Niall. His little brunette hair, his slate blue eyes.

Niall lifts James up and sets him on his lap. I scoot in closer to the two of them and Niall wraps his arm around me, kissing my lips gently. James scrunches up his face. "Ew, mummy and daddy are kissing!"

"Someday you'll be kissing girls, too, James." Niall laughed and tickles our son's small belly, causing him to giggle hysterically.

Here we are. A family. A happy, loving family. The two loves of my life and the third one on the way, sitting in the same bed as me, in the middle of the night.

Everything is perfect.

Sometimes, peoples' hearts are guarded for a reason,

but you can't live your life guarded and alone.

-end-

~

So, Guarded is over. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it :-)

Thank you for reading, ilyasm

comment, vote, and take a donut on your way out :-)

-Anna xo