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Rosie Dunne was finally, truly, completely happy. She hadn't realized how much she longed for Alex - constantly. Of course, she knew that she missed him more than she thought possible, from the moment he boarded the plane to Boston until he showed up in her hotel lobby. But now that she had him all to herself, she realized that she longed for him in a new way. She never wanted to leave his side, even for the shortest period of time.
But she did let him go, albeit begrudgingly. All the way to his new apartment, that is. He found a place ten minutes away from the cottage that she and Katie had found, though he was there more often than not. It didn't take long for Katie to warm up to Alex, and it took an even shorter amount of time for Alex to realize just how much he adored Katie. Rosie always saw him look at her as if she hung the moon; as if she was his daughter. It was quickly apparent that Katie felt the same, and she asked Rosie if she could call him dad four months into their new relationship.
Alex sobbed like a baby when Rosie told him, and quickly turned to not being able to stop smiling like an idiot. Eventually Rosie kissed the smile right off of his face, but it returned as soon as she pulled away.
-
Three months later, Alex moved in with the pair. It felt natural for the three to be together both day and night. They were a family, after all. Toby was just as happy about the new arrangements. Katie never wanted to pass the football around, but her dad had enthusiastically jumped on the opportunity. It became a Sunday afternoon tradition to watch the boys play while Katie and Rosie ate whatever cookies or cakes that Alex had thrown together that morning.
-
A month later, Alex popped the question. Rosie thought that she would expect it when the time came, but as always, Alex had a way with surprises. He had claimed that Ruby called while Rosie was still sleeping, saying that one of the rooms had a leak in the wall. Arriving at the hotel, Rosie was saddened to find out that it was the exact room that she and Alex had spent his first night back in. She went to the wall that the leak was supposed to be in, and climbed on top of the bed to get a closer look.
"Huh. It doesn't look like there's a leak anywhere. Are you sure that Ruby has the right room?" Rosie sat back on the bed and twisted around, expecting to find Alex looking at the other wall. Instead, she found him crouched on one knee beside the edge of the bed, holding a small velvet box. Inside, Rosie could see a thin band holding a small diamond. Simple and perfect. She tackled him to the ground before he could get the words out.
The wedding was small and amazing. Ruby and Phil got slightly more than tipsy at the reception, but that was as far as the trouble went. Rosie was completely, one-hundred percent, totally positive that nothing could have compared to that day. But there would be many days that tied in the near future.
-
Not long after Rosie and Alex were finally married, he popped another question.
"Rosie, darling, can we talk?" Alex was seated on the bed watching Rosie comb through her hair. She set her comb down and walked to the bed. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed the slight worry in her eyes, but Alex wasn't just anyone. "No, it's alright, love. I'm the one that should be nervous," he told her.
She sat down next to him and pulled the sheet over her legs. "Yeah, alright. What's wrong?" She set her hand on top of his and laid her head on his shoulder.
She felt him take a deep breath before he began. "Okay, obviously you know that I love Katie. No, I adore her. And I'm not one of those wankers that think that just because I'm not her dad, that I'm not her Dad, you know?" Rosie nodded from underneath his chin. "It's just that.. I never got to experience that with you. I mean, I didn't even know about her until months after she was born."
Rosie could feel the guilt setting in once more, and went to move her head from underneath Alex's to apologize again.
"No, don't apologize. I didn't mean to make you feel guilty, I just meant that I didn't get to be there for you like I should have been. I'm sorry, love, I didn't mean to upset you." He kissed the tear forming in the corner of her eye away. "What I'm saying is.. I want to have a baby. I want us to have a baby. Katie would be such a perfect big sister, Rosie! Just imagine it," he exclaimed, the excitement taking over.
Rosie grinned and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, fine you big idiot," she giggled, and tackled him onto his back.
-
Rosie looked a mess. Her hair was stuck to her forehead and her eyes were wild. Alex thought she looked fantastic.
"Jesus, I forgot how awful that was," she said, sounding annoyed but filled with adoration. Alex was seated beside her on the tiny hospital bed, holding their newest addition.
Alex had silent tears streaming down his face as he held the small bundle to his chest. Rosie wiped them off with the pad of her thumb and kissed his shoulder. "He's amazing, Rosie. You're amazing, James." His voice was barely above a whisper, yet Rosie could make it out perfectly.
Her lip quivered as she looked at her husband and her son. Her eyes flickered over to Katie and Toby, asleep in the chair across the room, and her tears began to flow, as well.
No, her life wasn't perfect. If it was, her dad would be in the waiting room next to her mother, and her happy ending with Alex would have happened the first time around. But it was working out, and they had made up on lost time quite well in her opinion.
Alex couldn't agree more.