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Taylor

“Taylor, family meeting in the common room!”

My head snaps up from my computer, and I see Reagan peeking her head into The Heart.

Glancing at the time, I rise and shut my laptop. “Sorry. Andi needed my assistance with a mission and I lost track of time.”

When I reach Reagan, she loops her arm through mine and together we head towards the common room.

“How's the shoulder?”

“Not as bad as yesterday, but not as good as I wish it were.”

Reagan stops in her tracks to give me a knowing look. “I’m sorry. But hey, you got a cute girl to keep you occupied while you take a few weeks off.”

I chuckle. “A break? Me? You should know better.”

The humor fades from Reagan’s face, and in its place is a tinge of sadness. “I’m thrilled for you, Tay. If you would have asked me three years ago if this is where we would be, I would have thought you were crazy. You are truly an inspiration for all of us survivors, and I hope you know you deserve every ounce of happiness that comes your way.”

“Reagan! We aren’t supposed to make ourselves cry,” I say, pulling her into my arms. “We are supposed to be the ones making others cry!”

“I know. I just had to tell you. We are bad about giving ourselves grace and allowing ourselves a chance at happiness, so I wanted to remind you.”

“Thank you for being the constant I needed. And just so you know—” I pull back so I can look her straight in the face as I say my next words, “Your time will come. It may not be where you’re looking, but I can promise you, the best love is always found in places where you never think to search.”

Her brows furrow as she tries to find the hidden meaning behind my words.

Sorry Rae, that is for you to find out all on your own.

I spin her around and point her toward the common room.

The second we step inside, I freeze.

Tucker stands off to the side as Boone kneels in front of Rayne with Aries at her back.

I can’t hear what they are saying, but Boone is smiling and Tucker is clutching his heart. Suddenly, Raynie is practically jumping into Boone’s arms, leading me to believe that maybe Rayne is remembering just a little about the men that once loved her so dearly.

It has only been twenty-four hours since Rayne came back into Aries’ life and I can already tell this girl is going to be just the thing this team needs. She has spent most of her time sleeping or having moments where she completely breaks down. The weight of the last few years is more trauma than any little girl should ever go through, so I can only assume she is emotionally exhausted. Indy, Aries, and I have been doing our best to cheer her up by playing in the game room and giving her just about anything she asks for. And judging by the looks of everyone that has been meeting her in small increments to not overstimulate her, she already has them wrapped around her tiny little finger.

When we woke up this morning, Ari mentioned that Rayne said she had a dream about him. I think it was more of a memory, since Ari said it was an exact depiction of a day she spent at the park with him right before she disappeared. But if a small burst of memories alongside the new ones we will build is the way we worm our way into her little heart, I will take any we can get.

Boone’s gaze locks with mine over Rayne’s shoulder and he smiles. Ari, not missing a thing, glances over his shoulder and lights up when he sees me. His long, jean covered legs closing the distance between us in seconds.

“Sorry Rae. She’s mine,” Ari says, untangling my arm from Reagan’s and threading his fingers through mine.

Together we make our way to a set of stools at the bar and Ari lifts me up onto the bar top. My eyes roll and I give him a pointed look. “You know I’m not broken and can do things like sit on a chair on my own?”

He places a kiss on my cheek. “I know. Doesn’t mean you have to, though.”

Not giving me a chance to respond, he spins around, just as Rayne runs full speed at him and jumps into his arms.

“Hi Taylor!” Rayne exclaims, wrapping her arms around my waist as Ari places her on the bar next to me.

“Hi Raynie. Are you having a good day?”

“The best! I love this place!”

Ari and I share a look and I hug Raynie to my side.

Turning his attention to the waiting team, Ari leans against my knees and I rest my hand against his side.

“Alright ladies and gents. Sorry it took me so long to bring you all in for a debriefing. As you can see, I’ve been preoccupied.”

“Yeah! By the cutest Mini-Ari ever!” Tucker calls out. Boone bumps his hip against Tucker’s and whispers something in his ear. Whatever Boone says elicits a devious grin from Tuck.

“Thanks, Tuck, for bringing our attention to why we are all here. As you can see, we have a new family member.” Angling his body so everyone has a clear view of Rayne, he leans forward and whispers so that only she and I can hear, “Want to say hi sweetheart?”

Rayne looks up at me with hesitation in her eyes, and I give her a reassuring nod.

“Hi team.” Her voice is small, but when she gives them all a tiny wave, a collective awe echoes throughout the room.

“Good job. You did great.” I give her a high five and wait for Ari to continue.

“I want to thank you all for your help yesterday. I know some of you have a few bumps and bruises, and I’m sorry for that. Please know that I wouldn’t have asked you to all go on a mission this dangerous, with little to no heads up, if it wasn’t for the utmost importance.”

Indy steps forward and Rayne grins.

“Prez. I think I speak for all of us when I say that you have nothing to apologize for. You would have done the same for any one of us. So respectfully, F off with that unneeded apology.”

Zoro chuckles and pulls his husband back to his side. “F off?”

Indy throws his hands in the air. “There is a little one here now! I can’t say fuck!”

The entire room erupts in laughter, Ari included.

I love this family.

As the laughter dies down, Ari claps his hands together. “Thank you for that, Indy. Well, I don’t have much more to say now that Indy forbid me from saying the rest of my speech. Thank you all again. Team Savior and Blackbird will take over our mission load for the next week, so we can have a break. I’m going to go hang out with my girls. If ya need me, don’t.”

He starts turning to face Rayne and me, but pauses. “Oh, I forgot. Zoro has been instructed to charge my card for anyone who comes to him for their next tattoo session. You can all thank Taylor. Something about tattoo therapy or whatever.”

The team erupts, but Boone quickly silences them. Stepping forward, he taps his heart; the team following his gesture.

Movement catches my eye and my attention moves to Rayne, who is mimicking the rest of the room.

Tears well in my eyes and that's when I notice the entire room has fallen silent. Glancing around, I see there isn’t a single dry eye in the house, Ari’s included.

Ari’s arm snakes around my waist, his hand brushing against Rayne’s back. Her dark eyes stare up at us with a smile before turning back to Boone and the rest of the team.

Slowly and as one, we all say the slogan that changed my life forever.

I have changed so much in the years since I stepped foot inside Braveheart and it's because of this family and the man next to me that I finally feel free.

Together, Ari and I dismantled the chains that tethered us to the ground and used every ounce of strength, determination, and resilience to prevail us into the next chapter of our lives.

One that I know will be full of laughter and happiness, along with the satisfaction of watching Rayne Mackenzie Clark grow into a woman, I can only hope is just like her father.

“One heart, one purpose, one destiny. For the brave and the fallen.”