Chapter 20 Fractured & His #2
For a long time, he'd viewed that day as the worst thing that ever happened to him.
Now he wasn't so sure.
The explosion nearly killed him.
Destroyed months of work.
Left permanent scars.
Changed everything.
Yet without it, he never would've met Finn.
The thought felt strange.
Complicated.
Life rarely made sense.
The mechanic looked down at his hands.
The scars remained.
They always would.
Thin silver reminders crossing skin that once felt ruined.
The sight no longer filled him with anger.
Or grief.
Or fear.
Just acceptance.
His hands weren't perfect.
Neither was he.
That was okay.
The realization took longer to learn than it should have.
A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"You look suspiciously emotional."
The accusation came from directly behind him.
The mechanic immediately sighed.
Of course.
Riot.
The older man appeared carrying two beers.
One immediately landed in Deck's hand.
Uninvited.
As usual.
The mechanic looked over.
Kane smirked.
The sight felt threatening.
"You smiled earlier."
Deck frowned.
The betrayal continued.
"Mind your business."
The answer only made Riot laugh.
The older mechanic leaned against the railing beside him.
Watching the gathering.
For several moments, neither spoke.
The silence felt comfortable.
Earned.
Years ago, neither man would've survived this conversation.
They were too angry then.
Too broken.
Too stubborn.
The realization almost made him laugh.
Almost.
Kane took a drink.
Then looked toward the yard.
Toward Finn.
The doctor's laughter drifted across the property.
Warm.
Bright.
Familiar.
The sight immediately captured Deck's attention.
As always.
Riot noticed.
Unfortunately.
"Still staring."
The mechanic didn't deny it.
There wasn't much point.
The older man laughed softly.
Shaking his head.
Then his expression grew more serious.
Not heavy.
Just honest.
"You okay?"
The question landed differently than it once would've.
Years ago, Deck would've lied.
Immediately.
Automatically.
Now he actually considered it.
The realization felt important.
The mechanic looked across the yard.
At the people.
The home.
The life.
Everything.
Then nodded.
"Yeah."
The answer emerged quietly.
Certain.
Real.
The older mechanic studied him for a second.
Then smiled.
A small smile.
The kind Riot rarely showed.
"Good."
Nothing else needed saying.
The conversation ended naturally.
The way conversations between old friends often did.
A few minutes later, Elias appeared carrying a plate of food.
The doctor immediately handed it to Riot.
A move clearly practiced through experience.
The sight made Deck smirk.
The older man looked offended.
Elias looked amused.
Some things never changed.
The realization felt comforting.
Because family wasn't always blood.
Sometimes it was choice.
Sometimes it was people stubborn enough to stay.
The thought lingered as the afternoon continued.
Eventually someone started a game involving horseshoes.
Tyler cheated.
Repeatedly.
Rebecca accused everyone else of cheating too.
Chaos followed.
The usual.
Deck watched all of it.
Content.
Relaxed.
At peace.
The feeling still felt unfamiliar.
Not unwelcome.
Just unfamiliar.
As the sun slowly began sinking toward the horizon, movement near the porch caught his attention.
Finn.
The doctor crossed the yard carrying two drinks.
The sight immediately improved an already good day.
A dangerous trend.
One he had absolutely no intention of correcting.
The doctor stopped beside him.
Offering one of the drinks.
Deck accepted it.
Their fingers brushed briefly.
The simple contact grounded him instantly.
Home.
The thought appeared automatically now.
Not the farmhouse.
Not the garage.
Finn.
The realization remained astonishing.
The doctor leaned against the railing beside him.
Comfortable.
Close.
Neither spoke initially.
Words weren't necessary.
Not anymore.
Eventually Finn looked up.
Blue eyes reflecting golden evening light.
Beautiful.
The mechanic felt his chest tighten.
As always.
"What?"
The doctor smiled.
Apparently he'd been staring.
Again.
A recurring problem.
Finn laughed softly.
Then leaned closer.
Resting against him.
The simple trust behind the gesture nearly broke something inside his chest.
Because for so long he'd believed he wasn't worthy of trust.
Or love.
Or happiness.
The realization felt distant now.
Like remembering someone else's life.
The doctor tilted his head slightly.
Looking up at him.
The familiar warmth in those blue eyes remained breathtaking.
Even now.
Especially now.
"You disappeared."
The observation sounded gentle.
Affectionate.
The mechanic looked toward the sunset.
Thinking.
Reflecting.
Remembering.
The explosion.
The recovery.
The pain.
The fear.
The heartbreak.
The warehouse.
The love.
Everything.
The entire journey compressed into one impossible year.
The realization settled quietly inside him.
Then finally, he smiled.
A real smile.
The kind that once felt impossible.
"I was just thinking."
Finn waited.
Patiently.
The way he always did.
The mechanic looked down at his scarred hands one final time.
Then toward the people filling the yard.
The family he'd found.
The life he'd built.
The future waiting ahead.
And finally toward the man who refused to give up on him.
The man who loved him through every ugly part.
Every broken part.
Every frightened part.
The truth felt simple now.
Beautifully simple.
"I thought I was broken."
The confession emerged softly.
The doctor squeezed his hand.
The contact said everything.
The mechanic smiled again.
Then shook his head.
Because now he knew better.
The scars remained.
The memories remained.
The grief remained.
But broken?
No.
Not anymore.
Maybe never.
The realization settled into place like the final piece of something long unfinished.
As laughter echoed across the yard and evening sunlight painted the farmhouse gold, Declan Harlan finally understood the truth.
He had survived.
He had healed.
He had been loved.
And surrounded by Finn, Riot, Elias, and the family he'd built for himself, he realized he was never broken beyond repair.
Just waiting for the right people to help put him back together.
And for the first time in his life, the future didn't feel frightening.
It felt like home.
· ? THE END ? ·