The sun bathed the dusty streets of Santa Fe in golden warmth, the kind of light that promised peace after a storm. Jack leaned against the porch rail of your little adobe house, the brim of his hat tilted low over his eyes. You watched him from the kitchen window, your hands resting on the swell of your belly. He was still the same Jack Kelly—the same sharp grin, the same steady presence—but the lines etched on his face told stories of battles fought and won.

You smiled softly to yourself. It had been years since the chaos in Manhattan, years since you'd run from the grip of your father and into Jack's arms. Now, here you were, far from the clutches of Snyder, living a life you never thought you'd have.

Jack turned, catching your gaze, and that familiar twinkle lit his eyes. "Hey, sweetheart," he called, stepping inside. "How's my girl? Both of 'em?"

"Both of us are fine," you replied, laughing as he bent down to press a kiss to your cheek and then another to your belly. "But if this one keeps kicking like this, I might have to teach them a lesson before they're even born."

Jack chuckled, his hand resting gently on your stomach. "That's my kid, all right. Already got a fight in 'em."

The two of you settled onto the worn couch, the comfort of home wrapping around you like a warm blanket. Jack's arm draped over your shoulders, and you leaned into him, your head resting against his chest.

"You remember that night in the alley?" you asked softly, your voice tinged with nostalgia.

Jack stilled for a moment, his gaze distant. "The night Snyder almost tore us apart?"

You nodded.

"Yeah," he said, his voice low. "How could I forget?"

You closed your eyes, the memory flooding back. The fear, the anger, the overwhelming weight of your father's control—it all felt so distant now, yet so vivid in your mind. "I was so scared, Jack. I thought I'd never see you again."

Jack tightened his hold on you, his voice steady. "I was scared too, Y/N. Not of Snyder—never of him. But of losin' you. I woulda done anything to keep us together."

You smiled, your hand finding his. "And you did. You fought for me, even when I couldn't fight for myself. You gave me the courage to stand up to him."

Jack shook his head, a bittersweet smile on his lips. "You had that courage all along, sweetheart. You just needed a reason to use it. And I'm real glad that reason was us."

Silence settled over the room, the kind of silence that was full, not empty. You traced circles on Jack's hand, your thoughts drifting to your father. "Do you think he ever thinks about me? About us?"

Jack's jaw tightened, but his voice was calm when he spoke. "Maybe. But it don't matter, Y/N. He don't get a say in our life no more. We built somethin' here, somethin' he could never take away."

You nodded, your heart swelling with gratitude and love. "I used to think I'd always be his prisoner. But you showed me what freedom could look like, Jack. You gave me a home."

Jack turned to you, his eyes soft and full of affection. "We gave each other a home, Y/N. And now we're buildin' it bigger, with this little one comin' along." He rested his hand on your belly again, his smile widening. "They're gonna have the kinda life we never dreamed of back in Manhattan."

Tears pricked at your eyes, but they were tears of joy. "I love you, Jack Kelly."

"I love you too, Mrs. Kelly," he replied, his grin as wide and unshakable as the desert sky.

The two of you sat there, wrapped in each other's arms, the past fading into the background as the future stretched out before you. Whatever challenges lay ahead, you knew one thing for certain: you'd face them together, just as you always had.

The End.