Chapter 144: Leo

The morning sun filters through the windows, casting a golden glow across the living room. It's another day, but it feels like the first real day we've had to breathe in what seems like forever. The air is still, peaceful, and for once, there's no sense of urgency pushing us out the door. We're here, we're safe, and we have each other. It's more than enough.

I lean against the doorframe, watching the others as they sit scattered around the room. Danny is on the floor, sitting with his back against the couch, his eyes tired but alert. Nate is in the armchair, his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze fixed on the floor. Riley paces slowly by the window, his eyes scanning the street beyond the glass, always on edge.

Sofia isn't here. She's upstairs with Ethan, taking the time to rest. It feels strange, the house without her presence in the room, but it also gives us a chance to talk—really talk—about how far we've come since we met her.

I clear my throat, stepping further into the room, and all eyes turn to me. I give them a small smile, running a hand through my hair as I take a seat on the arm of the couch. "We should probably talk about everything," I say, my voice quiet. "Since we found Sofia... since all of this started."

Nate looks up, his gaze steady, his voice softening. "It's hard to believe it's been almost two years," he says. "It feels like yesterday when we found her. She was so scared, but there was something about her... she was strong, even then."

Danny nods, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I remember the first time she looked at us like she trusted us," he says, his voice filled with warmth. "It was like... like she finally let herself believe we could keep her safe. And I knew right then that we'd do whatever it took to protect her."

Riley stops pacing, turning to face us, his expression softening. "I didn't think I'd ever meet someone like her," he admits, his voice quiet. "Someone who could make all of this—everything we do—feel like it actually mattered. Like we had a purpose beyond just surviving."

A heavy silence settles over the room, but it's not the kind of silence that weighs you down. It's a shared understanding, a realization of just how much Sofia has changed our lives. She's given us something we never thought we'd have—a family.

Nate leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his eyes filled with emotion. "She made us better," he says, his voice tight. "Before her, it was just about getting by. But now... it's about more than that. It's about her, and Ethan, and the life we're building together."

Danny looks up, his eyes meeting mine, a softness there that I don't often see. "I never thought I'd have this," he says. "A real family. People I love, people who love me back. She gave us that. She gave us everything."

I nod, my heart swelling with emotion, my chest tightening as I think of Sofia—how she walked into our lives and turned everything upside down, how she made us see the world differently. "We were lost before her," I say, my voice steady. "We were just going through the motions, doing what we had to do. But with her... it all means something now. It all matters."

Riley moves to stand by the couch, his gaze distant, his voice filled with conviction. "I used to think we were too far gone," he says. "That we'd never find anything worth holding onto. But then Sofia came along, and she showed us that we could have more. That we could be more."

Nate nods, his eyes glistening as he looks up at me, then at Danny and Riley. "She saved us," he says simply. "In more ways than one."

Danny reaches up, rubbing a hand over his face, his voice breaking slightly. "And now we have Ethan. Our little boy. I look at him, and I see all the good we fought for. I see a future—something worth protecting, something worth fighting for."

I feel a warmth spread through me, a sense of unity, of purpose. We're in this together. We've always been in this together. And as long as we have each other, I know we'll find a way to protect Sofia and Ethan. No matter what it takes.

"We're lucky," I say, my voice filled with conviction. "Lucky to have her. Lucky to have each other. We'll get through whatever comes next, because we have something worth fighting for. Something worth protecting."

Nate opens his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Together," he repeats, the word a promise.

Riley reaches out, resting a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. "We'll keep them safe," he says, his voice steady. "All of us."

Danny nods, his eyes meeting mine, and I can see the same determination reflected there. "For them," he says. "For our family."

And as we sit there, the morning sun streaming in through the windows, the warmth of our resolve surrounding us, I know that no matter what comes next, we'll face it together. Because we have something worth fighting for. Something worth protecting. And we're not going to let anything take that away from us.