Happily Ever After // Jaden Hossler

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6 months later....

"Okay guys we gotta hurry or we'll be late." Nick said, running around in a panic trying to grab everything we needed.
"I've got the bags!" Avani yelled.

Today was the day.
Jaden and Bryce were being released today.
They both were denied bond and had to await trial in jail. Yesterday, they were found not guilty at their trial.
This last 10 months has been infuriating. I spent the first two or three months in a deep dark hole of
self pity. I blamed myself because frankly if it weren't for me they wouldn't be in there. The last time I got to hug either of them was the day they were carried out in handcuffs. It was hard on everyone. At first, Jaden refused to let
me visit but eventually I think he missed me enough that he finally put me back on his visitor's list. He told me he didn't want me seeing him like that because he was afraid I would want to leave him. When in reality, I still love him more and more everyday and nothing could change that. I ended up relocating here in Texas for the time being so I could be here to visit as much as I could. I don't understand how either of them don't hate me after all this. It just wasn't fair to them.
When I tried to tell the police what actually happened, no one would listen to me. I've come to learn that the man who assaulted me was a prominent businessman here in Texas so he was popular. Everyone here saw us as crazy kids who came here looking for a fight. I haven't even been able to go to the grocery store without getting stared at or yelled at so I haven't left my apartment much. Of course, things got harder and harder as my belly grew. Yeah, I'm pregnant. I found out a couple weeks after this whole ordeal started. It's frankly been the only thing keeping me going. Avani and Nick came down a month ago to be here for me and to be here for he trial. All of the boys came for the trial, but had to go back to California to for a mandatory meeting today. My doctors have kept a close look at my baby and it's growing healthy. A perfectly healthy baby. I decided to not find out the gender in hopes that Jaden would come home before it was born and we could find out together. When I told Jaden, he was ecstatic. But when reality set in, he was devastated. The thought of him possibly not being here to raise our child shattered my heart. And not being able to hug my husband as he cried through the glass wall was heart wrenching. All our friends put in every penny we had to get the best legal team we could find and it finally paid off. They were coming home. We could all finally go back to California, where we belonged.

Nick parked the car and I sighed, taking in a deep breath and gathering myself. Avani turned around from the passenger seat, grabbing my hand.
"You've got this." She smiled kindly. "This is the moment you've been waiting for Y/N."
I smiled in return, holding back tears.
We walked up to the gate and waited, standing in silence.
We heard a buzz, and the gate slowly opened.
My face lit up when I saw two familiar faces walking towards me.
They both looked tired. Bryce now had facial hair. His arms were a lot more toned, and his face emotionless. Jaden's blonde hair had grown out, now leaving his natural brown hair. He looked like he had been working out a lot. I hadn't had much time to study his face before as I was just focused on talking to him the short amount of time I was allowed.
Time seemed like it had completely stopped. He ran to me, engulfing me in the tightest hug imaginable. It hurt, but it felt so good. We stood there for minutes, not talking and not moving. He eventually released me, grabbing my face and kissing me. He backed away, putting his hands on my growing belly and breaking down in tears. He leaned down on one knee, kissing my stomach and looking up at me. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too baby." I wiped a tear away. "But you're here now and that's all that matters."
He got up, smiling, and walked over to Avani and Nick to hug them. I looked over at Bryce who was standing off to the side looking off into space. I walked over and hugged him. He squeezed me as tight as Jaden did.
"Bryce I will never ever be able to make this up to you and I'm so sorry."
"Y/N don't ever apologize to me. I would do it all over again if that meant protecting family." He formed a small smile. "It's just going to take some time for me to get back to normal, things were really hard for us in there."
"Take all the time you need, we'll all be here for you guys." I smiled. "Besides, you now have a god child to look after."
"Wait, really?" His face lit up.
"Bryce thats a no-brainer. You've done more for me than I could ever imagine. Our kid is going to be so lucky to have you as a god father."