Captured Hearts

Epilogue- The End!

Dean

After many happy years together I can say Caris had truly captured my heart. I never knew I was worthy of love but she taught me everyone was worthy of love and she may have captured my heart but she gave my heart the fuel it needed in life. It's thanks to her that I now have a family.

We moved back to England when TJ was nine and Alexandra was five. We have been here now for three years.I never got a normal teenage life. I had to focus more on learning to cage fight or run a business than I could on having a class crush. I didn't have the luxury of worrying if my clothes were in style or if I was repeating them. I had to worry about whether the bloke across the street knew who my dad was and if I would live to see another day.

My kids would grow up away from crime, while I never lie to them about our family I also don't want it to consume their lives.

TJ, or Timmy as we all call him now loves photography and art. I want him to enjoy this time in his life. He has made amazing friends. Ned and Darcy and I know he will miss them when they leave for University and he leaves for Italy. My Father and I have a deal that after he's 18 he will train, like I had too. Only I don't want that to be his life at 12 like it was for me every summer.

Sandy prefers being called Alex, she is a tomboy who loves sports and demands that she wants to learn to fight like daddy. Only she will always be my princess, I agreed she could start Karate. She has grown into the most beautiful little girl, she has Caris' big brown eyes but my Tan skin and Dark hair. She is cheeky but headstrong like her mama too.

I watch through the window as TJ takes pictures of some butterflies while his little sister chases them away. I can see TJ growing more annoyed with her but instead of shouting at her he shakes his head and then pulls her by the hand and tells her to be quiet. He hands her his new Camera that he got for his birthday and she looks through the lense then back at Timmy, she claps her hands in joy.

Timmy is such a gentle soul, I know what we will ask of him is too much. I worry about the day he leaves us and if I will be pushing him to his death! I know he's not like other lads his age, I keep thinking he's only twelve, but I have seen how Ned looks at Caris, sure my wifes still hot but that boy needs to keep his eyes to himself.

Timmy doesn't look at girls the way I used to, or how most boys do. I worry what will happen when my father realizes. Will he accept that the next head of the family, the next Don, may not bring a girl to dinner but a boy. I worry because my father is not one to be the most accepting. I know he loves Timmy but that's not always enough.

Still I will love my boy no matter what all of this means. He may be a late bloomer, but if he just doesn't like girls, whatever that means it won't mean losing me. I love him no matter who he loves, but also he has to be the one to tell me. I will let him tell me when he is ready.

He runs inside and pulls me close "Papa, tell Alex to stop scaring the butterflies" he pleads. Just then his sister runs in and jumps on Timmy's back "Alex" he drools but when she says "Timmy, please can we play dragons and princesses" he gives in and pretends to be a dragon running around with a princess on his back.

Caris comes down with her hair wrapped up still wet and I pull her close and let my hands cup her still tight bottom. "I love you" I tell her, she lays her head on my chest and says "I love you".

We saved each other from a past we buried deep inside ourselves. We captured each other's hearts and now we have a happy and complete family.