It had been three moths. Three long excruciating months for Jackson. He had found her. He had done that ages ago, but he was yet to approach her. Ironically, he found solace in observing her. Her smile had gotten brighter, a visible load taken off her. Her hair, had gotten shorter than he remembered with a lighter tinge to her usual dark hair, her bangs swept to the side. But something else had visibly changed and that was the fact she had grown in size. His wife was pregnant and the first time he saw her bump, he cried.

Tears of Joy.

He sipped his coffee, watching as she walked over to her apartment, his footsteps following hers. He could see the way people interacted with her and he knew how easy it was for her to hide from her reality. The people here didn't know her. They didn't know her story. It was a clean slate for her to reinvent herself, and she looked good on it.

He followed her to her door, and when her keys dropped he heard her curse lightly. A smile being brought to his face as he walked up to her, bending down to her feet to pick them up for her. "Thank you." He heard her angelic voice, and his eyes closed in serenity. And as he moved up irene froze. Their eyes meeting after three months. Hers widened, her voice leaving her as she looked up at him in disbelief. She gulped. Looking down to his hand, she grabbed the keys and made a quick attempt to hide behind her self confinement and yet fate seemed to have something else in store for her. "That's no way to greet your husband Irene." He said as she couldn't help but avoid his gaze. He forced his way in gently, closing the door behind him as she took steps backwards, her foot tangling with the carpet as she flew backwards with a strangled scream. His hand ghosted her back pushing her into him and steadying her. "Careful." He gently reprimanded, his hand on her stomach. They didn't say anything. She didn't think she could, and he...he was just glad to have her back in his embrace. He moved slightly, his hand still on her stomach in a  protective manner. She looks down and her heart quenched in pain. She yearned for this. Her irrationality hadn't gotten her far, nor had it erased him from her mind, her heart or soul and now here he was standing in front of her, looking as handsome as always whilst holding his hand against her stomach. Something she had wanted. She wanted him, but the minute she turned her back she couldn't bring herself to go back home. She avoided his gaze pushing his hand away as she moved to the kitchen, trying to busy herself. "Seriously Irene..." he spoke, with no response. He let out a sigh, heading towards her, his eyes holding his hurt and anger as he directed that to her. She fought against his embrace, but found herself wrapping her arms around him moments later. She blamed the hormones and snuck a look up at him, and her own face recoiled in face of his pain. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "Why did you leave?" He questioned back softly. She looked down to her stomach. "It wasn't fair to ask you to hold my hand through this Jackson. How would it be fair for you to bring up a child, to go through all the emotional torment when you have no idea if it's yours." He looked at her in disbelief. "Irene." "No Jackson. You don't deserve that burden. I didn't want to burden you anymore. Ever since all of that happened, you have practically put your life on hold, you've given so much up to be with me, and I didn't want you to have to go through this." "And who asked you to decide for me irene? We could have talked about it, found a solution to it. Even if this baby isn't mine I would have loved it because it's a part of you, part of the woman I'm in love with. I understand your fears, and I know how scared you are, but you did not have to go through it alone. Fine you shut me out, but you also shut out everybody else around you. Wendy, Seulgi,Joy, Yeri, Mark, Bam, Jinyoung, Yugyeom, JB, Youngjae, my family, everything burnt down as soon as you left. The void you created in all of our lives is not fair. If you couldn't confide with me, why didn't you speak to one of them. Your sisters have barley survived with out you." "Do you think it was easy for me Jackson? I did what I thought was best for you-" "Yeah without telling me. Who were you to decide that alone Irene? We were supposed to be a team. We were supposed to go through everything together but instead of communicating like we promised you ran. You left me." He said his voice cracking as he turned to look else where. "I'm sorry." She whispered. He looked up at her. "No more running." He said firmly. "I've told you once before and I'll tell you again. Every single battle you enter I will hold this hand, forcefully if I have to but you won't go through it alone. Not now not ever." "I'm sorry." She repeated and before she could utter the apology again, his lips met hers.

Hours passed with Jackson bringing in his luggage and Irene cooking them dinner. And finally when they decided to call it a night, Irene turned to change, her form gracing his sights as she reentered the room. She cursed herself, forgetting that she slept in his t shirt every night. Something that ultimately flooded her sense with melancholy every time she was alone. She fiddled with the hem of it as she shuffled against the covers. "You look good in my clothes." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her. "I knew I was missing a shirt." He joked, but he could feel her tense against him. "Irene..." he called. She turned into his embrace, facing him. "Do you forgive me?" She asked. "Irene." "Jack please..." "I was hurt Irene. You left me, and I think I had always predicted that it would happen eventually but I couldn't work out what I had done wrong and that scared me more. The divorce papers arrived and I could see the tears stains and it hurt, I knew that it wasn't what you wanted but I couldn't work out why you would just get up and leave. We were fine...perfect even. It hurt more when the girls said that they had no idea what was going on. It was like you shut everyone out and we had no way of getting to you. I forgive you Babygirl, as much as my heart hurt, I don't care, I just want to be with you and that's it. I just want to love you and that's it. I forgive you so we can welcome our future together, so that we can open the next chapter no matter how hard or difficult it becomes." He said, his hand ghosting to her stomach. "Nothing could make me hate you. You taught me how to love again. You filled me with this fire to love unconditionally and I'm not losing that. Even if god himself decides he wants to take it, I won't let him. Because your mine, and I'm yours, in every single life." He finished kissing her lips. "Now get to sleep. Stop keeping my baby awake." Irene's eyes watered at the words, and her eyes closed, finally obtaining the peace her heart had desired.

The following morning Irene woke up to the nauseating feeling. She pushed herself out of his embrace apologising for awakening his deep slumber as she ran for the bathroom. She heard footsteps and felt her hair being swept out of her way. Small circles being rubbed on her back until she finished. She passed him a smile as they moved to freshen up before starting their day. "Come home." He said whilst chewing his food. Irene's eyes widened. "Please..." he breathed softly. And she knew. She knew it was time. She needed to be reunited with her family. If they accepted her.

Two days later they arrived home, and everything had been arranged the way it was when she left. Jackson brought in her bags as she walked in further, her eyes setting to the picture of them on their wedding day that her mother-in-law had gifted them. She smiled softly and her eyes watered again. She felt his hands wrap around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder as he looked with her. "Are you crying?" He asked with a chuckle. "It's the hormones." She justified cutely. He laughed kissing her lips. "This house felt empty without you." He said as she turned in his arms. Their eyes meeting as Jackson quickly brushed it aside. "Get ready, everyone is coming in a couple of hours. Will you be okay?" She nodded. It had been delayed for long enough.

Hours past and finally the doorbell rang. Irene moved her calloused palms against her dress, whilst looking to Jackson with an uneasy look. He smiled at her in reassuring manner. And when the door opening she saw their entire family. She stood up as Jackson greeted them all and when their eyes met, she could feel the tears. She looked down as her in laws rushed to embrace her followed by the boys who hugged the life out of her, grateful that their sister was home. She smiled chatting to them but she had noticed the girls hanging back. She moved forward. And she stretched out her arms. The girls hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry." She said. The girls broke down together and Jackson couldn't help but smile. Their family had become whole again. Jackson smiled up at them as he moved to wrap his arms around her looking to his family. "We are pregnant." He said. Silence rang out before chaos ensued. Irene hung back with the girls. "That's why you left?" Asked Yeri. "I didn't know if it was his. I still don't. But at the time I didn't want him to be burdened by the responsibility of being a father to a child that may not be his. I realise I shouldn't have made that decision myself, and I'm sorry. Even if I couldn't confide in him. I should have spoken to you. You're my sisters. My family, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for abandoning you all." She said and again they huddled into a group, the boys soon joining as they hugged the living shit out of Irene who smiled. She was home. And she was happy.

The door bell rang and she looked to Jackson, he smiled at her softly as he opened the door, revealing her father. Everyone stood in silence. And she could see him look nervously as Jackson greeted him. When her father caught sight of her. He stepped forward, his steps faltering as Irene looked at him. "Joohyun..." he called out. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He begun. Irene crossed the rest of the distance her arms wrapping around her father as he hugged her back. "It's okay dad. We can talk about it later." She whispered, hugging him tighter, her tears slipping as she looked over to her husband who watched the scene with his arms crossed over his chest. 'Thank you.' She mouthed to him. And he smiled to her. Irene closed her eyes, another relationship had been restored.

Months had gone past and her family along side his had been doting on her like crazy. They cooked for her, the boys came to help Jackson with the nursery and the girls came to shop with her along side her mother-in-law. It was a sight, but after all the pain and all the battles the two had fought alone and together, their happy ending was only a mile away.

TBC

Authors note:
Hey guys. One more to go. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what your thoughts are in the comment section below. Lots of love. Stay safe x