You wake up to the sound of laughter echoing through the kitchen. Sunlight spills across the walls of the cozy home, and the scent of pancakes fills the air. You glance over to see Henry, about ten years old now, flipping a pancake with a grin that mirrors both you and Emma.

“Careful, Henry!” Emma calls from the stove, her hands busy with another batch. “Don’t want the pancakes to end up on the floor again.”

You chuckle, walking over to take a sip of coffee, feeling the warmth of the house—and the family—settle around you. In this world, it’s not just Emma or Henry or you. It’s the three of you. You’re not just a friend or an ally; you’re Henry’s other parent. The thought still makes your chest tighten in a way that’s both thrilling and terrifying.

Emma looks up, catching your eye. There’s a softness there that wasn’t always so easy to find in her—an ease, a trust. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she says, a small smile tugging at her lips.

You shrug, trying to play it cool, though your heart pounds anyway. “You’d probably still manage… but the house might be slightly more chaotic.”

Henry snorts, sending a pancake flying just a little too far. You both duck, laughing as Emma sighs, pretending to be annoyed. “Honestly,” she mutters, “you two are impossible.”