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Ophelia knew that the last Ten years had been some of the best of her life, sure things hadn't always been easy. Rebuilding her life after the accident had been one of the toughest things she ever had to do. Having your original career end at the age of twenty-five. However, it was through the accident that she and Hunter finally had to confront their feelings. The whole fake marriage thing had been how Hunter had gotten into the hospital to see her, to mumble apologies that never truly felt like they sat right. The air was heavy in the wake of it. That was the age of twenty-three, It had taken them till the age of Twenty-Five to address how they felt. to finally get their sh*t together and admit what everyone else always knew, to admit the love that had blossomed between them was very real and very true.Now every relationship had its ups and downs, that was part of a healthy relationship, part of a natural way of life, no couple was safe from a few heated exchanges now and then. And well Hunter and Ophelia, had issues both together and separately that they had to work through. Therapy had worked wonders, Ophelia's addiction to pain pills was addressed and she'd been sober from those for eight years now, it had taken a lot for her to get clean. As was the alcohol addiction and dependency that Hunter had. They were both addicts, they would always be addicts. But they were clean, they were living a healthy life, and they were doing good. This was the kind of life that Ophelia never thought would happen to her.Hunter's family had always been her family too, from when they met at the age of five, Hunter and Ophelia had been close, the best of friends, and well, when Ophelia's family issues started she found a haven within the walls of Hunter's home. She found love she found support, she found a home. They took her to competitions when her parents couldn't give her somewhere to send her mail as she strove to break away from her birth parents. She vowed even then, that she would never be the kind of mother that hers was, she wouldn't sell her child to the highest bidder. She was going to be the best mother And so far Hunter had told her she was the best. That was something else, after her addiction and abuse she never thought she'd be able to have children, but, she and Hunter, well they had their miracle little girl. She was only a few months old but they were a family.Their home was small but it was filled with memories and photos of their many, many years as partners on the ice. Photos spanning over three decades, Their meddles were safe and stored away now, the photo that took pride of place was the one of their wedding day, a small intimate affair, Ophelia's red hair sat in loose waves, her makeup -subtle in a gown that flattered her figure. Hunter's father had walked her down the aisle to him, a way of saying she'd always been family, that they accepted her and her flaws, much like they loved their son despite his. Families weren't always blood, sometimes, they were just the ones who picked you back up when you fell.Next to their wedding photo, was the newest photo of them, as a four, Ophelia was settled into Hunter's side, he was cradling their little girl Lorelai, and across Ophelai's lap was their golden retriever their first baby Chance, he had been a great help, getting them both out the house during times when anxiety was high, sat with them as a grounding presence when the world felt like it was crumbling in on itself. Grounding presence and mischief maker he had truly prepared them for life as a parent, handling a pup who was always active helped a lot. It also helped them heal, and mend the gashes of their relationship.Getting used to sleepless nights was one thing but dealing with trying to function and still manage their lives outside the house was proving almost too much of an ask right now. They'd spent the day doing photos for their family, making sure they had ones of when Lorelai was little not wanting to miss out on any milestones. Ophelia was running on empty, she knew Hunter was too but they wouldn't trade this life for another, they had chosen this, chosen each other. To the outside world, they may look like just another normal couple. But the outside world had no idea how much had gone into them being together. How much they had to work past to be able to love each other like they deserved.Standing at the sink Ophelia felt Hunter's arms wrap around her from behind, a soft kiss pressed to her cheek as he swayed with her, in the background the radio was playing softly. This just felt right. She leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek in return, and settled into the momentum of the sway, a soft sigh passing her lips as she dried her hands off after doing the dishes, shaking her head slightly "You know I almost gave up on us ever being a thing." They often talked about how lucky they were to find their way back to each other, but it was more than that. Ophelia had always thought that she was just a friend. And well, she had given up ever thinking they'd move past the whole saying I love you so casually. Because they did as friends say. Hunter shook his head and chuckled "Oh so I'm lucky we're even here with this life huh?" The song on the radio shifted to playing all about you, A song they both loved, because they now often danced around the kitchen together, no longer dancing on the ice, their movements were as in time as they ever were. A perfect partnership. Hunter wrapped his arms around Ophelia and brought her close, singing along to the song, and well Ophelia's heart could have burst at that moment. If you'd told Fifteen-year-old Ophelia who was terrified of love that she'd fall in love with her best friend and have a family with him, she would have thought you were joking. But here they were, madly in love married, and with a family neither of them thought possible."I love you Hunter Michael West, I always will love you, my perfect partner on and off the ice," Ophelia spoke softly, her one hand resting on his heart, the other stroking the hair at the nape of his neck, he'd grown it out since they had their daughter and she loved this length on him, He was really turning into being the perfect Girl Dad."I love you more Ophelia Grace West" Hunter pressed a soft kiss to her lips and then brought her hand up to his and kissed her knuckles close to where her wedding ring sat, still not able to believe she'd said yes, and then I do to marry. "I will love you for all of time, you were always the one I didn't see until it was almost too late, I will always protect you, and keep you safe as you need. You....our family, this life, it's better than anything I could ever have dreamed of. YOU gave me a reason to pick up the broken parts, and slowly fix them. You deserve the world."Life in the future might not always be bright but the is one thing that is for certain, Ophelia and Hunter's love and connection only grow stronger, and they build a family that is full of love and support. They learn to deal with the demons that are always after them and they channel their passions into helping each other when the storms strike. No one not even them truly understands the depths of their love, but the is one thing they do know, that their love was destined to be, and that fate and the stars aligned so that their love could be sealed.
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