Neptune ↠ Sebastian Stan [✓]

THIRTY SIX

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He was trying to stop the shakiness of his hands, trying to just take the picture he was asked, but something always happened. His thumb got in the way, cut someone off, didnt have the right lighting, and millions of reasons to which he just nodded away and keep trying. It was his baby graduation, he would do whatever he was asked to keep that smile on her face.

She looked like an angel, just precious. Standing next to her boyfriend and friend, caps and gowns with cords, all with a pin of their selected colleges. Elizabeth was standing next to him, cheering them up as they threw their hats to the air and Sebastian got it on what his daughter called a boomerang. After trying for so long, he had finally done it, receiving cheers from everyone while her daughter laughed in the arms of her boyfriend.

He saw her mother's smile on her, and the shining light on her eyes when she would look at him, he knew that that was it. It was like a younger version of him and his ex wife and he could see how happily in love they were, so he welcomed him in.

She was still young, and had much to learn, but her high school graduation was a mile stone. And with his girlfriend by his side, he realized that he had it all. He has the whole world right there with him, and he could let himself be happy. He had learned to love again, he had become the father he always wanted, and he was able to move forward with his life. And this, right here, was all he ever wanted.

"You okay baby?" Elizabeth asked once she realized the man had been a little too quite.

"Yeah, I just," he sighed before looking at her and seeing the same adoration he saw on his daughters eyes in the women standing in front of him. "I'm happy."

"I would sure hope so," she chuckled and kissed his cheek. "Be proud, love, this is an accomplishment for you both."

"You too, doll."

"I joined this wagon two years ago, don't give me much credit," Elizabeth said shaking her head. "You raised a beautiful and smart girl Sebastian. And I know you don't hear it often much, but you are our hero."

Sebastian looked down at the girl again, smiling before softly kissing her until he was interrupted by his daughter.

"Come on dad, time for family picture!" Luz called for him.

He walked with Elizabeth towards the group, giving the phone to one of his daughters friend, before the millions of pictures began. First it was Elizabeth, Sebastian, Luz, and her boyfriend Nicolas. Later the boyfriend joined the friends to make the family just be the three of them. But soon Elizabeth left too and it was just Father and daughter for a couple of pictures.

"Baby, pass me the picture," Luz said as Nicolas nodded and started walking towards them.

Sebastian hasn't noticed at first, but soon he saw Alondra's face in a beautiful marked big picture that was now in her daughters hand.

"Elizabeth said she wouldn't be uncomfortable at all, but I really wanted to have mom with us today," Luz said looking at her father. "I hope that's okay."

Sebastian was trying hard to not let the tears become water falls as he quickly looked at Elizabeth, who just nodded happily, and then at his daughter.

"Of course it's okay Luz," he said before kissing the top of her head.

"Good, I just wanted mom with us today. Uncle Aaron and Chris thought it was a beautiful idea."

"Remind me to thank them later," he smiled before they posed for the picture, both holding part of the marked photograph of his ex wife.

It melted his heart, how even when Alondra was gone, she never truly was. She was right there with them, always, in everything they did. But for his daughter to love her mother the way she did, to love him still after the mistakes and learning they had done together, to love Elizabeth, and be the radiant ray of sunshine she was, it made it all worth it.

No matter what,
he knew she would be proud of him,
for everything.

His life was complete.

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