Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kate has been better. It's qualifying in a miserably wet Spa, and she does her best to keep her eyes fixed on the monitors to distract her mind from the cramps in her belly. It's that time of the month–oh well, what you gonna do. So, she grits her teeth and tells herself the only thing that matters is what's happening on track.

"Kate, are you okay?" Hugh asks her over the pouring rain pounding the canvas around the pit wall.

Kate tears her eyes away from the monitors. "Yes, why?"

Hugh shrugs. "No reason."

The splitting headache begins towards the end of qualifying as the track is beginning to dry up and the sun to shine, giving off a thick, musty smell of summer flowers and moist greenery. She keeps her eyes on the monitors through it, but the numbers swim in and out of her vision.

"Mmm?" she asks Kaspar to repeat whatever he said to her.

He's lightly touching the swollen joints of her fingers. "What happened to your hands, dear?"

"It's just stress," she says, eyes still on the monitors, trying to quell the nausea that's rising. She doesn't mistake it for excitement. It turns out she's right because once quali is over she can barely keep from retching. It catches her off guard, and she puts her hand over her mouth to stop it. The unfortunate thing is that she still has her headset on.

"What was that?" asks Joshua over the radio.

"Kate is unwell," Rico replies to Joshua while Kaspar and Hugh support Kate through another round of retching.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she tries to reassure them, only to nearly fall over when they let go of her for a moment.

"Kate," says Hugh, "something's wrong. You need to check it out."

She wipes her mouth on a paper towel miraculously produced by Kaspar. "Sonny will be here in the evening. If I'm still not well, I promise I'll tell him to drive me to the hospital."

"Well," says Kaspar, "if it's Sonny you want, we can get him on the phone, but something's very strange here."

"I'm fine," Kate tries to put up a brave front, "it's just a bad migraine, that's all."

Hugh looks at Kaspar. Rico is silently watching the conversation play out from the sidelines. Kaspar nods to Hugh. "Get Ruben over here."

The final battle for whether or not Kate will have to go to the hospital is fought in the motor home. Kate is lying on the couch in the back of the lounge area–admittedly doing a very bad job of convincing the team she's not in need of medical attention. The cramps in her abdomen and the headache seem to be going head to head in a race for which is going to overpower her first.

"Kate!" Ruben enters the lounge, Joshua hot on his heels.

Kate tries to sit up, and she manages–with the caveat that she's seeing double. She has no idea how Sonny can not only function but drive competitively like this.

"I'm fine," she says, feeling a faint throb start somewhere along the upper right side of her stomach.

Ruben shakes his head. "No, you're not. You look like you got run over on track. I'm driving you to the hospital."

"I'm fine," she insists, doing her best to maintain eye contact with how her vision blurs in and out of focus. "Really. I'll give it a few hours. If I'm still feeling off by the evening, I'll have Sonny take me to the hospital. I promise."

"What exactly are you feeling?" asks Ruben. "Please, don't bother lying."

Kate lets her eyes drift towards the ceiling. "Pain in my abdomen, headache, nausea."

"Sudden-onset arthritis?" adds Joshua to her list of symptoms, pointing at her hands.

Kate looks down at both her hands, which seem to inflate by the second. She raises her head again to meet Joshua's eye. "That's just stress," she says, aware of how weak her case sounds.

Joshua looks at her as if she just told him his car has five wheels. "More stress than being in the car? Since when are you so anxious?"

"Maybe I'm just tired."

"Then, a doctor will solve it for us at the hospital," says Ruben in a tone that brooks no argument.

"If it's nothing, you'll probably be out of there by the time Sonny arrives," says Jodie to make Kate feel better.

Kate thinks about it, every member of the team looking at her as if she's just announced a new upgrade package. "Fine," she says, "let's get it over with."

While Kate is getting checked out by the doctors at the hospital, Ruben and Joshua sit in the waiting room. Jodie, who also came with them, has been chosen by Kate to be with her.

"Did you call Sonny?" Joshua asks Ruben.

"Not yet. I'm waiting to hear the verdict from the doctors."

Joshua nods. Then, he cracks a joke to lighten the mood. "I bet it'll take him until tomorrow to get here in that van." He grins.

Ruben rolls his eyes. "Oh, hush!"

Just then, Jodie rounds the corner to the waiting room, looking haunted and like she's been crying. Both men get up.

"Jodie?" asks Joshua, nearing his pit crew member. "What's wrong?"

Jodie wipes a tear from the corner of her eye.

"How's Kate?" asks Ruben, visibly worried.

Jodie takes a deep breath and looks at them both. "She's not very well at the moment, but the doctors are confident they can get it under control with the right treatment. She has preeclampsia."

"What is that?" asks Joshua.

Jodie takes another deep breath. "It's a potentially life-threatening condition that affects pregnant women."

"But Kate is not..." starts Ruben. Something seems to hit him, and he sits back down on the couch. "No," he gasps, running a hand over his mouth.

"Kate is not just pregnant," says Jodie. "She's in labor."

Joshua lets out a whistle.

Ruben nearly pulls out his own hair. "Sonny, what have you done this time?"

Sonny has just rented a car when he sees his phone light up with Ruben's caller ID. He puts the phone on speaker as he steers the car out of the rent-a-car service parking lot.

"Ruben, hey, what's up?"

He hears Ruben take a steadying breath in and then exhale on the other end. "A lot," he says. "A lot is up."

Sonny's mind immediately goes to qualifying from earlier in the day. He imagines disqualification or a crash. "What happened in quali?"

"Quali was fine. This is about Kate."

Sonny feels his heart sink and his mouth go dry. "Kate?"

"Yes. She's in the hospital."

"Why? We talked last night. She was fine."

"Where are you right now?"

"Driving."

"I'll give you instructions for how to get to the hospital. Kate is not in immediate danger, but she would like you to be with her."

"Tell her I'll be there."

Darkness has fallen and it's started raining again when Sonny pulls up at the hospital parking lot. He finds Ruben waiting for him outside the front entrance.

"Hey, man," Sonny greets his longtime friend, "what's happening? Why is Kate here?"

Ruben guides them to a quiet corner with a bench. The lobby of the hospital is dimly lit and sleek. Shiny tiles reflect the light from the ceiling. Outside, it's softly drizzling, making the lights of passing cars look hazy and dull around the edges. It makes Sonny feel like he's being squished between two worlds.

"What's happening with Kate?"

"She's in labor."

"What!?" Sonny runs a hand through his hair and then takes his head in his hands. "Who's the father?"

Ruben laughs–an edge to the sound. "You are, dumbass."

"Kate told you this?"

"I asked her if it was someone from the team and whether I should worry about that. She told me he's not anymore and that she shouldn't drink tequila in Vegas. By the way, the doctors have run their calculations, and Vegas tracks."

Sonny takes in a breath and then exhales slowly. "I can't be a father, Ruben."

"Why not? Plenty of people do it."

"You and I both know I'm not like everyone else. I'll make a mess of this."

Ruben's voice is calm, but his expression is absolutely menacing. "Don't you dare walk away, or I'll have the team break your legs."

"The whole team is here?"

"Not all of them. Mostly they come and go. Jodie, Joshua, and I have been here the whole time."

Sonny runs a hand over his mouth and stands up on wobbly legs. Ruben stands up too, signaling the end of his pep talk.

"I'll better go say hello," says Sonny.

Ruben claps him on the shoulder. "That's what I want to hear. Kate and you have got this, okay?"

Sonny lets out a breath slowly and steadyingly. "Okay."

Kate seems to be hooked to more machinery than the entire technical wing of Apex contains. Jodie is with her when Sonny and Ruben appear in the doorway. Ruben and Jodie excuse themselves, and it's just Sonny with Kate.

He takes a seat by her bed. "How are you feeling?" he asks her.

Kate reaches out her hand for his, and he gives it to her. He notices both her hands look puffed up. "I'm so much better now that you're here," rasps Kate, holding onto his arm with both of hers.

Sonny brushes the loose hair framing her face away from her forehead. "Are you in pain?"

Kate gives a weak, dreamy smile. "Not so much anymore. They gave me magnesium for preeclampsia, and I got an epidural for contractions."

"Are your medications working okay?"

She gives another dreamy smile. Her eyes look unfocused. "Uh-huh. They just make me foggy."

Sonny kisses her forehead. "It will pass."

"Will Kate be okay?" asks Joshua, distracting Jodie and Ruben from watching the hallway leading to Kate's room.

Ruben soon finds himself being stared at expectantly by not one but two sets of eyes. "She has to be," he says. "Otherwise..." He trails off.

"Sonny," says Kate, his lips still on her forehead.

"Mmm." He brushes the hair away from her face again and takes it in both his hands. Kate is clutching at his arms as though he might disappear.

"Did Ruben tell you about the complications?"

"What complications?"

"I already mentioned preeclampsia. It makes my blood pressure go abnormally up. It's dangerous. It can kill. If..."

Sonny stops her with two kisses on her lips. "Not if," he says, looking into her eyes while cupping her face, "you will pull through. Both of you." He nods, and Kate nods back.

Two hours later, Sonny enters the waiting room, where about fifteen people from the team are waiting. Everyone either stands up or sits up a little straighter when they see him. Sonny nods in greeting.

Ruben buttons up his suit, a nervous tick. "So?"

"The doctors are preparing Kate for a C-section. They're not satisfied with how little her blood pressure has dropped. Hopefully, this should do the trick."

"You're staying with Kate, right?" asks Jodie.

Sonny smiles. "I actually have to go get suited for the operation in a while."

"Old man," says Joshua, making a ‘come here’ gesture with his index finger, "a word?"

He leads Sonny off to the side of the hallway, far enough from the others so that they're not in hearing range but close enough so that everyone will watch the exchange. Sonny follows and is surprised when JP claps him on the back and leans towards him conversationally. Sonny can't believe he may be about to hear words of encouragement from JP.

"You hurt Kate or your kid, I run you over, okay?" says JP with a more forceful clap on Sonny's back this time. "Now go be with them. They need you."

For the operation, the nurses give Sonny a cap to wear on his head and scrubs. Once he's dressed, he performs the same lucky ritual as before races. He shuffles the deck of cards he always has on him and puts a card in his pocket without looking. This should do the trick for Kate and the baby.

Sonny holds Kate's hand the entire time. Kate herself has her luscious hair in a cap and is smiling.

"What are you thinking?" Kate asks him as the surgeons work.

"Ah, nothing."

"Come on, I know that look. You have something to share."

He chuckles. "Okay. I'm thinking about my father. And I'm also thinking about the kind of father I'll make."

"I can help you," says Kate. "We're doing this together, right?"

Sonny gives her hand a squeeze and smiles down at her. "Yes, we're doing this."

The screech of their baby is loud enough to make Sonny jump into place. Kate is laughing and crying, their hands still joined.

"Congratulations," says the doctor, "you have a daughter."

Sonny presses a kiss to Kate's lips, and she responds. "Go be with our daughter, Sonny," she whispers.

Once Kate is moved to recovery, Sonny goes to tell the team the good news. He finds them slouching and slumping on each other, sleeping or at least on their way to the land of happy zs. Ruben is holding a cup of coffee and JP is still there despite having a race tomorrow. Sonny takes off the cap and runs a hand through his hair.

"Well?" prompts Ruben.

Sonny takes a deep breath–of relief. "It all went well. It's a girl, and Kate's blood pressure is dropping. They're not yet out of the woods, but they're stable, and they're gaining strength."

Ruben gets up, straightening the jacket of his suit as he does so. He claps Sonny on the shoulder. "Congratulations. All the best to you, Kate, and your girl."

The waiting room erupts in cheers.

Later, when the rest of the team have gone back to their accommodations to sleep and prepare for tomorrow's race, Sonny takes Ruben to the nursery to show him his daughter. (His daughter!)

"Kate says she has my nose," says Sonny as they're looking through the glass.

"So she's going to be a looker," comments Ruben.

Sonny laughs. "She has her mother's face shape and mouth. I've never seen anything more beautiful."

"And Kate?"

"We're both just happy that the danger seems to have passed."

"And how are you, Sonny?"

"Honestly? I feel like I'm flying, and I don't even know why."

They look at the little girl bunch up her fists and yawn.

"There's a reason I brought you here," says Sonny.

"I would imagine so."

"Kate and I have decided on her name, and we want you to be the first to know."

"What's the beautiful lady's name, then?"

"Ruby, after you."

Ruben looks at the sleeping little baby through the glass again. Then, he turns to Sonny, smiling. "It's a good name, I say."

Sonny smiles back, and they pat each other's shoulder.

The next morning, it's visiting time with Ruby for Kate and Sonny. The nurses have brought the newborn in Kate's room for feeding and skin to skin contact. Kate goes first for skin to skin right after feeding. She's sitting up in bed, her long hair knotted and matted, but Sonny thinks she's hardly ever looked more beautiful. She's gently running a hand over Ruby's back, Ruby's hospital blanket covering them. Sonny is tracing his index finger along the side of Ruby's cheek, content to watch his daughter sleep. Neither Kate nor Sonny are talking, but they smile at each other from time to time. Once or twice, Ruby coos in her sleep, but all it takes for her is a rub along her back from Kate, and she's back to peacefully dozing. Sonny cups the back of Ruby's head in his palm. He's surprised with how easily he's able to do that.

"She's so small," he says.

Kate hums in agreement. "The doctors say she's perfectly normal, though."

He presses a kiss to Ruby's nose and then Kate's nose. Kate laughs softly so as not to wake Ruby. "I don't recall you holding her yesterday," she says.

"I didn't," confirms Sonny. "The nurses tried to give her to me in the operating theater, but I told them to bring her to you instead."

"You can hold her. She'll be fine, I promise." Kate is looking into his eyes as she says that.

Sonny nods. "I plan on holding her–in a while."

Kate nods back. "Okay."

They both look out of the window. The summer sky is grey and sprinkling down water.

Sonny chuckles. "We were supposed to be at the race, only Ruby had other plans."

Kate giggles, stroking the back of the little head. "Too much action for her. She much preferred meeting us."

They inch closer, the tips of their noses barely apart. Then, Sonny touches his lips to hers, and Kate bites down on his bottom lip. They break apart when there's a wet sniffle from Kate's chest. Ruby's blue eyes are open and she's looking up at Sonny. Kate is watching them watch each other with a smile on her lips.

"Alright, young lady," says Sonny, reaching out his arms to lift Ruby. "Let's get acquainted, shall we?"

Kate's soft voice stops him mid-motion. "You need to take off your shirt first."

Sonny grins. Kate rolls her eyes.

He does take off his shirt, draping it on the back of the chair next to Kate's bed. Next, Kate passes him Ruby. Finally, Sonny pulls the little blanket over them. Sure, his back and neck are protesting after sleeping on the flat couch in Kate's room, but he again has that newfound feeling of flying without being in a car.

"There you go," says Kate.

Ruby is still looking up at Sonny with doe eyes. Sonny holds her a little closer, and Ruby squirms against his bare chest, trying to get a feel for the unfamiliar surface that is her father's skin. Finally, she settles. After a moment of hesitation, Sonny softly presses his lips to the top of the fuzz-covered little head. "From now on, you'll be my reason why." When he raises his eyes to look at Kate, her eyes are shining with tears.

Chapter Text

Sonny is in no way prepared for the scene outside the hospital when Kate and Ruby get discharged. They exit the hospital with Ruby in her car seat that the team bought them. Sonny is holding the car seat with one hand and holding onto Kate's hand with his other hand. As they approach the sliding doors of the exit, they see the reporters lined up outside.

"What's happening?" asks Kate.

"Maybe they're waiting for someone famous? It's a top hospital. It probably attracts that type of clientele."

"Yeah, that makes sense."

Except the way the reporters perk up as soon as they see them through the glass doesn't make sense. Once they step outside, they're immediately assaulted with a tirade of questions, microphones raised and cameras flashing.

"Congratulations! Does this mean you're done racing?"

"Ms McKenna, are you leaving Apex?"

"How did you manage to keep it a secret?"

"When are you getting married?"

Sonny shoves through the reporters, mindful of both Ruby and Kate. He notices Kate trying to make herself small by pressing against his side. "No comment," he says. "This is a private matter."

It does nothing to discourage the reporters; if anything, it only fuels their thirst for any kind of response.

"Mr Hayes, do you think this relationship can survive?"

"Ms McKenna, did you tell Mr Hayes from the start?"

The commotion makes Ruby fuss in her car seat. "No comment," repeats Sonny, louder this time.

Traipsing through the crowd, they manage to reach Sonny's rental.

"What happened to the van?" asks a reporter as Sonny straps Ruby's seat in. Kate opens the passenger door and slides in hurriedly, eager to escape the journalists and their intrusive questions. Sonny pointedly raises his hand in greeting and gets behind the wheel as the journalists realize their chances at getting a juicy comment are slipping away. Sonny steps on the accelerator, and the group of journalists fade into distant dots.

"What happened to the van?" asks Kate. They are driving down the highway at a comfortable speed, the reporters long left behind.

Sonny checks how Ruby is doing in the rearview mirror. She is peacefully dozing, the quiet hum and steady motion of the car seeming to have lulled her into sleep. He chuckles. "There weren't any vans available at the rent-a-car service." After a pause for humorous effect, he asks: "Can you believe it?"

Kate chuckles softly, and Sonny smiles, pleased with making her laugh.

"How long until you start missing the van?" asks Kate on a slightly more serious note.

"I was thinking I'll stay with you and Ruby for a while, so we're going to need a more practical car."

"It turned out okay, hm?"

Sonny isn't sure if they're merely talking about rentals anymore. "Yeah, it did."

The team has rented them a house outside a small town twenty minutes from the hospital. They have also done some basic shopping for the baby. Once the family of three are inside, Sonny notices a large bouquet of pink roses on the dining table. He nears and notices there's a card tucked in the flowers in Ruben's handwriting. Sorry about the press. The PR team had no idea. I can help get them off your back if they persist. If you need to vent, you have my number. -Ruben.

Kate has gone in the bedroom to put Ruby down in her bassinet. By the time Sonny has finished reading Ruben's card, Kate has returned.

"Hey," she says, touching his back, "what's up?"

Sonny leaves the card back among the flowers. "Ruben says he didn't know about the press."

Kate huffs. "Gossip chasers."

"Talk about the evolution of the sport," Sonny agrees with her comment. He then puts his arms around her, signaling a change of subject. "So, what are our plans for today?"

"I'm going to rest."

"Okay, I'll whip up some food and, after we've eaten, I'll join you."

Kate smiles. "Sounds like a plan."

After lunch, all three of them are in bed. Ruby, fed and burped, is in the crook of Kate's arm while Kate herself is in Sonny's arms. Sonny takes Ruby's little hand between his index finger and thumb, and Ruby reacts by gripping his index finger in her little fist. Sonny kisses her forehead.

"I'm afraid I'll hate her," he tells Kate, eyes fixed on sleeping Ruby.

"Why?" asks Kate, ever the good listener.

"Because I can't..."–Sonny sucks in a breath, his eyes focusing on Kate–"I can't come to terms with having this be the end."

"The end of what?" asks Kate softly.

Sonny smiles kindly. "You know. Being in the car, feeling like I'm flying."

"Then, don't have this be the end," says Kate, brushing the back of her free hand over his cheek. "Ruby and I are patient, and we'll be here."

Sonny nods and kisses Kate's hand. "Thank you."

~*~

In the end, Sonny allows himself two glorious weeks with Kate and Ruby in the little house in Belgium and two more in Kate's quiet corner of England. By then, he is starting to get the itch for speed and adrenaline. Underneath that, there is rising guilt and self-loathing. Why aren't Kate and Ruby enough? Why can't they be?

He tries to push those questions from his mind as he prepares for the next race. This time, his participation gets slightly more attention, which earns him a few reporters hounding him for comment on whether he's retiring. The truth is he doesn't know. Later, lying on his bed in the van, he videocalls Kate.

"I want to show you something," she says. It's Ruby smiling. That night, Sonny sleeps without nightmares but with a persistent, longing ache. He's missing so much already. Will he be able to catch up?

~*~

"Sonny," breathes Kate, opening the door to her house in England. It's late in the summer, a cool breeze blowing through the night. "I didn't expect you."

"I didn't expect me, either," he says. "May I come in?"

Kate opens the door wider. "Of course."

He unhooks his duffel bag from his shoulder and lets it fall to the floor with a thud in the center of the living room. "Could I see Ruby?"

Kate smiles. "Of course." Kate takes him by the hand. "I'll take you to her."

As if sensing her father's presence in the house, Ruby has her blue eyes open when Kate stops in front of her bassinet inside the bedroom.

"Look who's here, Ruby," she says in a high-pitched, happy voice. "Daddy's here!"

Sonny reaches inside the bassinet to pick up Ruby. "Remember dad, sweetheart? I was away at the races for a while, but now I'm back. Oh, you're heavier than I remember." He lifts her all the way up, placing her securely in the crook of his arm. He kisses the top of her head. "How do you feel about reconnecting?"

"You can sit in the rocking chair by the window," offers Kate.

Sonny boops his nose to Ruby's. "How about we rock in the rocking chair for a while?"

Ruby reaches her hand out, fingers splayed, to touch his nose. She coos.

"Yeah," says Sonny, "I knew you'd say that."

Kate laughs, watching them. She perches on the bed as Sonny sits in the rocking chair with Ruby in his arms. He starts rocking them softly, getting coos and gurgles from Ruby. He boops her belly with his nose and her fingers splay again to touch his face. She lacks coordination in her movements, but there's something sweet in her seeking to establish a connection and explore. Sonny starts kissing her all over, and there it is–a smile from Ruby.

"She's missed you," says Kate, a smile playing on her lips.

Sonny looks down at Ruby, lightly tickling her chin. "I know," he says. "I've missed her, too."

The bedroom is dark, save for the faint blue glow of Sonny’s phone screen. He's sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at a digitized photo—grainy, scanned from an old print. In the photo, his father is grinning beside a beat-up kart, pride in his eyes. Sonny had woken in a sweat, the remnants of a dream clinging to him like fog. In it, he was thirteen again, standing at the edge of a racetrack, waiting for a man who would never come back. He swipes to the next photo. His father holding him on his shoulders, both of them laughing. The image blurs slightly as Sonny’s thumb trembles.

He hasn’t thought about those days in years. Racing had always been the escape, the distraction, the thrill. But now, with his daughter asleep in her bassinet by Kate's side, the past begins to feel less like a shadow and more like a mirror. He rises quietly, padding on the cool floor towards Ruby's bassinet by the window. Before reaching in, he notices the moonlight casting soft silver across the tiny form curled within, and it gives him pause. He stands over the bassinet, careful not to wake Ruby. Her breath is steady, her fingers twitching in dreams he can’t enter.

“I’m not leaving you,” he whispers, voice barely audible. “Not for the next race. Not for the next thrill. I’m here. For however long this lasts… I’m here.”

Ruby stirs slightly, her lips parting in sleep. Sonny reaches in and gently touches her hand. It's warm, impossibly small, and yet it holds the gravity of everything he's ever needed.

"Sonny?" Kate turns on the bed, searching for him. She turns again, and their eyes meet in the dark. "Come to bed," she rasps. She sits up, brushing a matted strand of hair behind her ear. "Is Ruby okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. I was just talking to her."

"About what?"

Sonny returns to his side of the bed, wrapping his arms around Kate. "I keep thinking about my dad. He was gone before I could really know him. I don’t want that for Ruby."

Kate’s expression softens. "The past doesn't always repeat itself, Sonny."

"I know. But I’ve spent so long chasing things—speed, adrenaline, the next race somewhere. I thought that was who I was. But tonight… I realized I don’t want to be a ghost in her memories."

Kate reaches out, her fingers brushing his. "You don’t have to be."

He looks at her, eyes searching. "I want to be here. With Ruby. With you. I don’t know what that looks like yet, but I want to figure it out."

Kate studies him for a moment, as if weighing the sincerity in his voice. Then she smiles—just a little, just enough. "You’re already figuring it out," she says.

Sonny exhales, the tension in his shoulders easing. He glances at the bassinet, then back at Kate. "Do you think we could be more than co-parents?"

Kate doesn’t answer right away. She leans her head on his shoulder, her voice quiet. "I think we already are."

They stay silent for a few moments, letting the words sink in. Sonny presses a kiss to Kate's temple. She closes her eyes, nuzzling his neck.

"Do you remember Belgium?" says Sonny. "You, me, and Ruby in the little house."

"Sure," says Kate, her eyes now open, head on Sonny's shoulder.

Sonny tilts his head slightly downwards to catch Kate's eye in the dark. "I could watch you all day with Ruby, and I still can. How do you do it?"

"You learn. You fall apart. You rebuild. It's a learning process, and you're already building your relationship with her. After you've done everything, you just need to give it time."

Sonny nods. "Speaking of rebuilding," he says after a pause, "tomorrow I'm calling Ruben."

"Ruben?" He can hear it in Kate's voice that she is thrown off by the sudden mention of APXGP's owner.

Sonny covers her hand with his. "Yes. To accept his offer for the position of Apex's chief strategist."

Kate's voice quivers. "W-What?"

Sonny looks into her eyes. "I want to be with you and Ruby. I don't want to miss a moment. Not when I know how fragile this life really is."

Kate kisses him. "Then, I promise Ruby and I are in for the long ride with you."

Sonny takes her hands in his, and they remain staring into each other's eyes for a long moment, smiles tugging at the corners of their lips.

While the countryside murmurs in its sleep, Sonny, Kate, and Ruby are beginning something new. Not a race. Not a finish line. Just the long, winding road of a life shared.

THE END