Maddy left after our blowup. She decided to move in with Connor and figure herself out there. The house is so much quieter without her heavy boots on the step, her loud voice that always seemed to echo throughout the house.

I can't keep up the same routine with her. I can't keep bailing her out when she doesn't want to be saved by me. Maybe Westlyn is right. Maybe the only person that can save Maddy is herself.

Laney, Peyton, and I are at the park a couple blocks away from home. I watch from a bench a few feet away as Laney pushes P on a swing as she giggles. It's weird how the part of my life that seemed so stable can crumble while the part that was always rocky can suddenly seem so solid.

I don't know if this will last. If Laney will get bored with Peyton and move on but for her sake I hope she stays. After dealing with Maddy I realize that maybe Laney needed to save herself too and she did that while she was away from us. Maybe Laney is finally ready to be who I always thought she could be.

Laney motions for me to come over to the swings, Peyton's face lights up when I walk towards her. That is something I will never get sick of.

"What's up?" I say taking Peyton out of the baby swing and tossing her gently into the air just to hear her laugh.

"She was calling for you, like always." Laney rolls her eyes playfully and I grin. It's been easy this last week finding our balance. Almost too easy.

"When are you going to get Westlyn?" She asks as we walk towards the slide.

"She is meeting us here so she can see Peyton before we go. Are you sure you're good watching her? We can take her."

Laney sighs dramatically a sound that is so familiar to me, "we will be fine. You can text me a million times and I can send you pictures. You crazy over-protective dad." She then goes closer to Peyton and says, "Don't worry baby I'll be the cool parent."

P laughs like she understands what is going on.

"Yeah right."

I see West making her way towards us and like always the sight of her makes me lose my train of thoughts.

"You really like her, don't you?" Laney asks.

"Too much."

"It's never too much, Finn. I'll meet you guys back at your house in like a half hour?"

"Yeah that's good."

Laney is gone by the time Westlyn walks up to us. We've had a good week together. A few dates with Peyton and without. It is like we are starting from the beginning, working our way backwards, even though we know it's ending soon.

Westlyn kisses me quick before taking Peyton from my arms. She kisses her cheek making her giggle.

"I missed you," she says to Peyton and spins her around.

"What about me?" I laugh.

"Maybe a little."

I laugh and wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her close. The three of us together feels almost too perfect and that is again how I know it is going to end.

Nothing is ever perfect for very long. We find things and lose things and hope that we can find our way back.

***

Westlyn and I are laying in the grass in my front yard after our quick dinner date. I don't like being gone too long when we don't have Peyton with us and West understands that.

"I want to stay together while I'm gone," West says suddenly and her grip on my hand tightens.

"West, I want you to have the best time you can. I don't want you worrying about Peyton and I."

"No matter what I'll be worrying about you guys. I don't want anyone else. I don't need anyone else to have a good time over there. That isn't what this whole trip is about."

I hate seeing West so upset. I say, "I know. It's about you figuring out what you want and I don't think you can do that if half of you is still stuck here."

Westlyn sits up, her green eyes wet with unshed tears. I sit up too and face her, cup her cheek in my hand and kiss her gently, "I love you," I say.

"I love you too so why am I even doing this?"

"West."

"Finn." She repeats.

"We'll be fine."

She shakes her head, "I want you to promise me you'll still be here when I get back. That you'll still want me when I get back."

"I promise," I say because it is so easy to promise her that. I didn't even think I wanted anything like this after Laney and then West stumbled into my life.

A tear escapes and slides down her cheek before I can wipe it away. I know if I ask her to stay she will. I know she is waiting for me to beg her to stay with Peyton and I. I just can't do that to her. I can't change her plans because we happened to find something between us.

We finally head inside and lay wrapped up in each other. Almost as if we are afraid to let each other go.

And maybe we are.