Epilogue
Ryan
We’ve been in this house for a year now—an entire year. Yet, it feels like just yesterday we were moving in, still finding our way, still adjusting. Widlow was taken care of eight months ago, followed by Maverick three months later. The house is quiet now, save for the distant hum of wind outside—a wind that signals a storm on the horizon. But inside these walls, there is only warmth. Only my Little Bird.
Aviana is here, with me, and that’s all that matters. She’s settled into this life by my side, her smile unwavering, her presence a constant source of calm. Every day, I watch her, in awe of how far she’s come. She’s the light of this house, the one thing that makes everything else make sense.
A year has passed, and things are different now. She’s part of my world, part of my family. My parents came to visit for the first time since we moved in, and I could see the joy in their faces when they saw her. They’d always liked Avi, even before everything happened. They missed her. My mom, especially, was relieved to have her back in the fold. She always saw something in Avi—something bright, something pure—and seeing her here, with me, feels like the family is finally whole again.
But there’s something different in their eyes now, a weight they carry. It’s been months since they got the official letter, the one confirming what they already feared—Liam was legally declared dead after being missing for so many years. They don’t talk about it much, but I see the grief lingering beneath their smiles. My dad tries to stay composed, but my mom’s hands shake when she reaches for mine. Losing him once was hard enough. Losing him all over again, on paper, made it real in a way that time never could.
They don’t fully understand our relationship, though. They don’t see it the way I do, but they’re trying. I respect that. They’re cautious, uncertain. They love Avi, but they’re still learning to accept everything that’s come with us. But they’ll come around. I know they will. As long as Avi and I are happy, they’ll get used to it. They always do.
Claire and Hannah have been a huge part of Avi’s healing. Even though she’s moved in with me, they’re still right there, cheering her on from the sidelines. They meet up every other weekend at their favorite coffee shop downtown. I’ve seen the way Avi lights up after those visits, the way her laughter carries through the house when she tells me about their latest adventures or inside jokes. They’re proud of her—proud of how far she’s come—and I’m grateful they’ve stood by her. They’re the kind of friends who don’t just stick around for the good times but hold you up when you can’t stand on your own. I owe them more than I can ever put into words.
Sometimes, Avi comes home with stories about how they laughed until their sides hurt, reminiscing about the chaos they’ve survived. Other times, she talks about the quiet moments they share, the kind of silence that speaks louder than words. They don’t judge her for choosing me, for the complicated history we share. They see the change in both of us, the way we’re trying, healing, and moving forward. That’s all they ever wanted for her—to find peace, to find herself.
Life isn’t perfect. The past still lingers in the shadows, but it doesn’t control us anymore. I have Aviana, and she has me. We have a home. And for the first time in my life, I believe we both deserve it all.
The house is silent as I slip under the covers beside her. The soft rustle of the sheets is the only sound in the stillness. Avi’s body is warm next to mine, her presence the anchor I never knew I needed. I close my eyes, trying to let the rhythm of her breathing lull me to sleep, but the tension in my chest remains .
The storm outside may have passed, but something still lingers. I feel it deep in my gut, a sense that something isn’t quite right. I try to shake it off, but sleep doesn’t come.
And then, it does.
But it’s not peaceful.
I wake in the dark, my heart pounding, my breath shallow, as if I’ve been running for miles. The room is still, the only sound is the pounding of my pulse in my ears. But something feels off.
I roll over, panic rising when I don’t see her. When I don’t feel her warmth beside me.
Little Bird.
My throat tightens, a cold sweat breaking out as I scramble to sit up, reaching for her side of the bed. It’s empty. She’s gone. She’s not here.
My mind races, flashes of her being taken from me—dragged away by someone, anyone. I hear her voice, her cries for help, but they’re distant, muffled, fading. I jump out of bed, frantic, searching the room, the house.
“Avi?” My voice is hoarse, raw, as I call her name. But there’s no answer. The house is silent—too silent.
I’m breathing hard now, every instinct pushing me to find her. I have to. I have to.
Then, I feel her hands on my arms—gentle at first, then firmer as she pulls me back. “Ryan… Ryan, hey, open your eyes,” her voice is soft but insistent, like a lifeline in the storm of my mind.
I blink, trying to focus, my heart still racing, my body trembling. I feel like I’m suffocating. I meet her gaze, and I see the concern in her eyes—the fear.
“Avi?” I manage to croak, barely a whisper. “You’re here… you’re here.”
She nods, brushing her thumb over my knuckles, grounding me. “I’m here. You’re okay.”
I can’t breathe, my chest tight and heavy. It feels like I’ve been running, chasing her, and now that I’ve found her, I don’t know how to stop the panic.
“Shh, it’s okay,” she murmurs, moving her hand to my face, her fingers cool against my feverish skin. “It was just a nightmare, Ryan. You’re safe. We’re both safe.”
I close my eyes, pressing my forehead to hers, letting her warmth soak into me. Her steady voice is the calm after the storm, cutting through the chaos in my mind.
“I don’t want to lose you, Avi,” I whisper, the words slipping out before I can stop them. “I can’t… I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t,” she promises, her voice soft against my ear. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here.”
Her words sink into me, slowly. My breathing begins to slow, the tremors lessening as she wraps her arms around me, pulling me back into her warmth.
I pull her closer, needing to be sure she’s real. The nightmare still lingers in my mind, but with her here, holding me, it starts to fade.
“I’m here, Ryan,” she whispers again, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re not alone. You’ve saved me so many times. I’m here to save you.”
I let out a sharp breath, shaking my head. “That’s not what I did.”
She touches my face, her fingers tracing the line of my jaw, “You taught me survival. You taught me true love.”
I swallow hard, my hands tightening around her waist. “You don’t have to say that just because you feel safe now. Just because you think you owe me something.”
Her expression darkens, and she shifts, sitting up beside me, her movements slow but deliberate. She lifts my hands, placing them over her chest, over her heart.
“Feel that?” she whispers. “That’s not obligation. That’s me choosing you.”
My breath catches.
She leans in, her lips brushing mine in the lightest of touches. “I never had a choice before. But I do now. And I choose you. ”
I pull her to me, kissing her fiercely, desperately, as if I could make this moment last forever. She holds me just as fiercely, her hands threading through my hair, her body pressing against mine like she was always meant to be here.
When we pull away, I feel her warmth radiating in every inch of my skin, my heart beating wildly in my chest. I stare at her, overwhelmed with emotions I’ve kept buried for so long. Maybe, just maybe, I can have this. Maybe I deserve her too.
She shifts beside me, her fingers brushing over my cheek, grounding me in the moment.
“What are you thinking about?” she asks softly, her voice full of concern.
I smile, my heart swelling as the words I’ve kept hidden finally slip out. “I was thinking about how happy you make me,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “I’ve felt this way since the moment I first saw you. It’s like everything in my life led me to you.” I swallow hard, the weight of my feelings almost too much to bear. “And now, here with you, I don’t want this moment to ever end. I want it to last forever.”
I take a deep breath, feeling a surge of courage. Lying next to her, I reach for her hand, my fingers trembling slightly as I hold it in mine. “I know I don’t have all the answers,” I whisper, “but I know one thing—I’ve never wanted anything more than I want this with you.” I pause, searching her eyes, my heart pounding in my chest. “Will you marry me?”
Avi’s eyes widen, her lip caught between her teeth. “Are you serious?”
I nod, my voice steady. “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”
Avi reaches up and pulls me down on top of her. “Yes!” she breathes, kissing me with more emotion than before.
I kiss her deeply in return, feeling her body melt into mine. Her hands are in my hair, her body pressed to mine like we were always meant to be this way.
“You are mine, Little Bird. I am never letting you go.” I slip my hand under her long shirt down the waistband of her panties. “Fuck, you’re so wet,” I growled.
Avi moaned in response, and I knew I had to have her. I moved so I was able to pull down my pants and freed my dick, feeling it twitch with anticipation.
I positioned myself at her entrance and looked into her eyes. “Are you ready for me, Little Bird?” I asked.
Avi nodded, and I slowly pushed myself inside her. She was so tight, so perfect.
I started to move inside her with a rhythm unlike before. I was starting to feel her pussy clench around my dick.
“Come for me, baby girl.” As much as I wanted to take it slow, I could feel myself getting closer and closer to the edge, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer.
“I’m going to come,” I groaned as I felt her pussy tighten around my cock.
Avi wrapped her legs around me and pulled me deeper inside her. “Come inside me,” she moaned. “I want to feel you fill me up.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer. I thrust inside her one last time and exploded, filling her with my seed.
I collapsed on top of her, panting and sweating. “I love you,” I whispered in her ear.
Avi wrapped her arms around me and kissed me deeply. “I love you too,” she said.
We lay there for a while, basking in the afterglow. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have found someone like Avi, someone who loved me for who I was, despite my flaws.
As I drifted off to sleep, I whispered one last thing in Avi’s ear. “Thank you for choosing me,” I said. “I promise I will never let you down.”
Avi smiled and kissed me softly. “I know you won’t,” she said. “I trust you with my life.”
And with that, we fell asleep in each other’s arms, the quiet comfort of knowing we had found something real, something worth fighting for.