Because he always was.

Every part of him.

The good and the bad, the happy and the sad.

Mine.

Just like I was his.

Nina died weeks after I left the hospital three years ago. Drug overdose, back on the farm she lived on in Alabama. Her husband by her side. I was there to pick up the pieces of Dean’s broken heart. To see him finally break, finally admit that he cared. That he loved her and wanted nothing but to be her son. That his heart was never going to be the same again.

Lev means a heart in Hebrew. Lev is also going to be the name of our son.

I count my blessings. Every single day.

I count them when I kiss Knight good night, when I watch Dean from the window trying to turn on the sprinklers, kicking blades of grass before remembering that the sprinklers are automatic, and when Millie and I do brunches and watch the kids play and fight and shout.

“You know what I just realized?” Dean leans down, and now he is kissing my lips and I get all dizzy, knowing that we can’t take it any farther. Not just because of the pregnancy. Knight has been known to burst into our room and negotiate his bedtime. He is getting pretty good at it. By six, he will start giving his dad a run for his money as far as trading goes.

“What?” I smile.

“Baby LeBlanc is having a baby. And it’s mine. I fucking love you. Love your face.” He kisses my nose. “Your tits.” He kisses my nipple through my tank top, biting it softly. “The kid you’re making for us.” He kisses my belly and mouths into it, “And you, too, buddy.”

“The fucking spectacular sex that we have—I’m saving all my sperm for our reunion, so be warned, I might knock you up again in no time.” He kisses between my legs. “And down to your feet, that I worship every day.” He kisses my toes.

I take a deep breath. I don’t need my inhaler. I have him.

“And I figured out one more thing.” He raises his body back up and boxes me underneath him. His arms are flexed, his bulging muscles are making it hard for me to concentrate on what he is saying, and suddenly, the room just got a little too hot for my liking.

“What?” I whisper as our lips brush together.

“Jacob got his fucking Rachel. And she gave him a baby. They will live happily-ever-after. Grow old together. It’s in the Bible, Baby LeBlanc. You can’t dispute it.”

“I love you.” I laugh.

“I love you,” he says back.

“I love you’s!” Knight bolts into the room, throwing the door open, jumping onto the bed between us, hugging my belly.

“We love you.” Dean puts his hand on my stomach, and now we all touch Lev.

And what does Lev do? What HotHoles do. Ruin.

“God, oh,” I moan.

“Yes, baby, I’m a god, but our son is here. This will have to wait.”

“No, Dean. My water just broke.”

“Oh,” we all say in unison. “God.”

And I now have my happily-ever-after. At least in this moment.

Now is forever, at least for me.

For I am not a wilting Rose, I’m in full bloom.

Thanks to him.

THE END