A New Chapter

Part 1

The sun had barely risen over the small town of Jackson, casting a warm glow over the quiet streets. Abby, still adjusting to the peaceful life after the chaos of her past, woke up to the sound of Ellie's gentle snores beside her. She smiled, her eyes lingering on the lines of Ellie's face, soft and serene in sleep. It had been a year since they'd moved to Jackson, leaving the ruins of Seattle and the painful memories behind. For Abby, it had been a chance to start anew, to heal and find some semblance of peace. And Ellie had been her rock, her partner in every sense of the word. As she lay there, Abby's mind began to wander to the conversations they'd been having lately. Ellie had made it clear that she wasn't ready for kids, not yet, maybe not ever. But for Abby, the desire for a family of their own had grown stronger with each passing day. She'd always imagined a life with Ellie, one that included laughter, adventures, and little ones running around their feet. Abby gently brushed a strand of hair out of Ellie's face, her touch light, not wanting to wake her. But Ellie stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "Morning," Ellie whispered, her voice husky from sleep. Abby smiled, her heart swelling with love. "Morning." They lay there for a moment, wrapped in each other's arms, enjoying the quiet of the morning. Then Ellie shifted, her expression turning serious. "Hey, can we talk about something?" Abby asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Ellie nodded, her brow furrowing slightly. "What's up?" Abby took a deep breath, her heart racing. "I've been thinking a lot about having kids." Ellie's expression softened, but Abby could see the hesitation in her eyes. "We've talked about this, Abby. I'm not sure I'm ready." Abby nodded, understanding. She knew Ellie's past, the trauma she'd endured, and she respected her boundaries. But she couldn't help feeling a pang of disappointment. This was a conversation they'd had before, but it was one she couldn't seem to let go of. "I know you're not sure," Abby said, her voice gentle. "But I wanted to talk to you about it again. I know it's not something you can just decide on a whim, but...I don't know, I just feel like it could be something beautiful for us. A chance to build a family, to create something new and good." Ellie sighed, her eyes searching Abby's face. "I want that too, Abby. I really do. But I need time. Can you give me that?" Abby nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. She knew Ellie wasn't saying no, not entirely. She was just saying not now. And Abby could live with that, for now. As they lay there, wrapped in each other's arms, Abby couldn't help but wonder what the future held for them. Would Ellie come around to the idea of having kids? Only time would tell. The sun continued its ascent, casting a warm glow over their little corner of the world. And Abby knew that for now, she was exactly where she was meant to be – with Ellie, in this quiet town, building a life together, no matter what the future held.