Gordon wasn’t cut out for this. He stared at the porch, at the door. Three steps and he could be there. One button to press.

This was a mistake. He should have gone with Levi’s plan, just sneak in, grab Robert, get out. How did he think this was a good idea?

But he had to try.

“I’m not going to run away this time.”

He'd always admired Levi and his dedication to his family, but he had never thought that was something he could do for himself. Gordon always knew himself to be weaker. More cowardly. More selfish. Levi was someone unreal. Even before he came back in time as a warrior hero from the future, he’d been the sort of absolutely dedicated husband and father that Gordon knew he could never be.

But that perception had been wrong. That had been a shallow outside view. Getting to know Levi, the real Levi, the man on the inside, over these past weeks, proved something he’d never been willing to admit before.

There wasn't actually anything special about Levi Morrison.

If he could do it, Gordon could do it. If Levi could keep his family together during the end of the world, Gordon had no excuse not to at least try and make things right.

He could be too late. She could have moved on, found someone else. He might have hurt her so deeply that she could never forgive him. If that were the case… he could survive. Probably.

He did not want to do this. As desperately as he wanted to put his broken little family back together, as much as he wanted to believe his dreams of the three of them surviving together should be attainable... actually trying would risk everything. He'd lose his imagined perfect future one way or another.

His whole body felt tight and overwarm.

Gordon braced himself for the coming storm, then took the steps two at a time and stabbed the doorbell like he was trying to skewer a gremlin.

No turning back.

Nancy had been on the move constantly since 6am, one thing after another. With barely a chance to sit down before sunset, she almost ignored the doorbell when it rang. Robert had finally fallen asleep, giving her a few hours of peace, and she very much wanted to do nothing but lose herself in someone else's drama and fall asleep herself.

The four-tone ring echoed again through the house.

Okay, okay. Coming. Nancy paused the episode and pulled the lever to shift the recliner back into upright position. One last sip of reheated tea, then she set aside her mug and got to her feet. She flicked on the porch light as she opened the door, a warm golden glow illuminating—

"Hey Nancy."

The man on her doorstep was intimately familiar, and somehow alien at the same time. Gordon’s dark hair was a bit more untidy than usual, in contrast to the white t-shirt and jeans that looked brand new. In fact, she could still see the tag on the pants.

For a long moment, she could only stare.

"You,” she finally said.

"Yeah, me." He raised one hand in a feeble wave. His expression held an odd combination of familiar uncertainty and new confidence. And… had he gotten taller? He certainly seemed to fill out his shirt a bit more than she remembered.

No, don’t be distracted.

"What are you doing here?"

"I... the world is about to end, and I couldn't—”

“I swear, if you’re trying to convert me or something…” She nearly shut the door in his face then and there. She’d heard too much about the end of the world already. All those fearmongers on the news, weird cults popping up everywhere. But something in his expression stayed her hand.

“The way we left things—” he continued, “and Robert..."

"You mean the way you left."

“I've made mistakes, yes, and I hurt you.” He seemed to deflate, what little pride he’d been holding on to trickling away. "I'm sorry for what I did. The things I said. It wasn’t— I thought I couldn't– that I had to be... but..."

“I accept your apology, overdue though it may be. If that’s all—”

"No, please.” He reached out, as though to hold the door open, then dropped his hand.

She leaned against the doorframe, waiting. If she’d known it would take this long, she’d have brought her tea.

“I…” he started, then cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Why did you come back, Gordon? If you have something to say, say it already. If not—”

“I don't want it to stay this way. I wasn't the man I should have been, and I ran away rather than face myself." It came out in a pained rush, like he knew it was something he had to say but could hardly bear to speak aloud. “I didn’t like who the situation forced me to become, and I wasn’t— to find a way to deal with it.”

Nancy took a slow breath, conflicting emotions tearing through her. Mostly pain, but hope stubbornly aroused silly, romantical notions that she’d never quite been able to fully crush. Even when circumstances proved them impossible time and again. "What are you trying to say?"

"I want to be part of your life again. Robert's life. I don't want to abandon you. If you'll still have me."

“You already abandoned us once. What guarantee do I have that you won't run away again when I need you most?” Her voice was breaking, anger insufficient to fully control her emotion. “Do you have any idea how hard this year has been? How long I've had to fight just to stay here? You've already broken our hearts once, and now you want me to let you back in? Just like that?"

"My heart's never stopped breaking either." Gordon’s voice was faint, and she'd swear the light glinted off tears as he met her eyes. "You'll always be part of my soul, even if we never speak again. I may have lost sight of why I loved you in all the... everything that happened, but these past months have showed me very clearly what really matters to me. Robert, and you. All the rest is just a distraction.”

Nancy blinked back tears of her own, her heart beating too fast. She couldn’t form words, wasn’t sure if she wanted to yell and throw him out, or collapse sobbing into his arms.

“I should never have left," he said more strongly, "but since I did, at least I'm glad I was able to figure out who I really want to be."

"And who is that?"

"Husband and father. Fighter and guardian. I can't promise provider, since... things are about to get crazy, but I can promise to do my best. The world is about to end. I don't want to leave you alone to face it. I know we've had our problems, I know… I know I haven't been the man or the father I should be. I’m sorry for what I’ve done to hurt you. I’m sorry for what I’ve failed to do. I can’t promise to be perfect but… if you’ll have me, I want… I want to be part of your life again."

Nancy no longer held any fanciful illusions about who he ‘could be’ or ‘should be’, had long since given up on him adhering to the future she’d once imagined. Life had a way of highlighting the worst in someone over time.

Did she really want to open herself to that risk again? The potential for that much pain? She’d finally gotten to where she could almost handle everything on her own. It was hard, it was chaos, and there were days she wanted nothing more than to roll over and never move again, but she was making it work.

Did she dare allow herself to trust someone else again? The same person, no less?

She laughed hollowly and rubbed the bridge of her nose with one knuckle. “Can’t believe I’m actually considering this. You tore a hole in my life that I’ve been struggling to patch up ever since, and you want me to rely on you again? When the world is already in the process of going crazy.”

“All the more reason for us to stand united.” Gordon stood straighter, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Wait, sword? Since when—? “I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but I’m done being resigned to the whims of fate. I’m not who I was a year ago. I needed to see what was worth fighting for, and now I have. This time, I’ll do better. Fight harder.”

Nancy shook her head, his sincerity slipping into the cracks between cynicism and resignation to reach her buried, lonely core. “You always were a loyal one. And right now…" Her voice trembled and cracked. "Right now I could really use someone willing to fight for us. I’m doing everything I can, but—”

Gordon took a step forward, tentative, half raising his arms.

Nancy gave in, allowing herself to step out to him. In the golden pool of light, on her porch in her slippers, she met him halfway. She stepped into his hug and grabbed him tight, almost desperate. “I missed you.”

“I’m here,” he murmured, with that soft tone that carried so much of his love. “And I’m not going to run away this time.”

“I believe you.” Nancy leaned her head into his chest and let the anger and grief all pour out, the buried spark of hope surging to life as warmth seeped into her.

The way he held her, they still fit together perfectly.

"So..." he asked soft, tentative, "Is that a ‘yes’?”

“Separation canceled.” She tried to smile, one hand dropping to snatch the tag off his jeans. "What would you do without me?"

"Not very well, as it turns out." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I get overly work-focused and emotionally clingy."

"That's not normal?"

He laughed. "Fair."

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“When you said you needed space, I wasn’t—” She took a shuddering breath, looked up to meet his eyes. “You’re not the only one who made mistakes. What I said, and did… it was deliberate. I was trying to hurt you. I knew it was wrong. I didn’t know what else to do, but it didn’t help anything.” She resolutely ignored the tears tracking down her cheeks, maintaining eye contact. “I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you. I forgave you a long time ago, if I’m honest. I always knew I deserved it—”

“You didn’t.”

“I did. Or, at least, I needed it.” He gently brushed back her hair with one hand, thumb wiping away the tears, however briefly. “I never stopped loving you. Only hid from it, denied it. I tried so hard to let go, but… well… here we are.”

“I’m not sure if I should be flattered or concerned.” She hiccupped a laugh, then looked away. “We’re letting the bugs in.”

“Then close the door.”

“You don’t want to come in?”

“In a minute.” He pulled away, a concerning glint in his eye.

“What is it.”

“There’s a few new members of the family you need to meet.”