"So you're wanting the whole grey hair, on the front porch swing, watching great grandkids, sort of deal?" By the time he got to her side, her smile reached her eyes. The gloom and doom that had been hiding behind them vanished, as her fingers slipped between his. And she took note of new calluses and roughened old.
Shepard knew he was rebuilding dreams that had been burned down before she ever came to the island. The new house. The nice yard. The whole rest of the house she hadn't explored yet... If she let herself she could see little towheaded, and ginger children making games of just coming down the stairs. And a sense of peace settled over her, as she rest her head against his shoulder. "I think, after the door, we should have the party here. Get the bones of this house used to noise and laughter."