The prison had been decorated for Thanksgiving, though Matt didn’t exactly feel like giving just thanks. He felt like falling to his knees and praising whatever was up beyond the clouds, because by some magic of the fates, his daughter, his beautiful little Kennedy had been found curled up in his arms on the morning of Thanksgiving Day.

He’d woken up when he’d heard the bars of his cell rattling like crazy and people talking in hushed whispers, and thinking it was the guards, he looked to turn over and ignore them- until he felt the weight in his arm. He’d opened his eyes and spotted Jimmy, Brian, Zacky and a girl he didn’t know standing outside of the cell, staring at him and there, down in his arms, was his little girl. He felt like singing, he really did. That was after he’d almost throttled his best friends after they’d explained what had happened.

But Jimmy had made up for it by announcing that the four of them were staying for the prison Thanksgiving dinner that they held. Everyone’s families would come and visit the inmates for one day where they’d get to actually have human contact aside from the other people around them. With a threat to slit his throat if he lost her again, Matt had let Jimmy take Kennedy home so she could change, and he’d promise to bring Alex Tuck as well so his new friend would have his son with him.

Speaking of Tuck, there was a knock on the open door of his cell and Matt looked up from staring at the picture Kennedy had given him to spot Tuck standing in the doorway of his cell, pine needles from the Christmas trees outside stuck in his long hair. What Matt hadn’t exactly gotten around to telling his friends because he’d been too busy hissing curses at them, was that he and Tuck had gotten a lot better acquainted.

In fact- the two had taken to sneaking into each other’s cells at night and talking about life in general. He didn’t know how he felt, but he knew that Tuck was the only other person who knew how he really felt inside, and to him that was all that mattered.

“I saw Jimmy outside. Kennedy’s dressed up as angel- you must be so proud” Tuck said as Matt smiled, standing up and hugged his new friend, smelling the perfect scent of winter on his cheeks. They were cold- and Matt could only guess that his friend had been helping the others haul trees into the cafeteria and decorate them.

“Prouder than you’d ever know. But I have an early present for you. Jimmy’s bringing Alex with him- you get to see your son today” Matt said, watching Tuck’s face light up happily as the words filed in his brain and in front of everyone, he grabbed Matt’s face in his cold hands and pulled him into a bear hug, almost choking the life out of him.
“If I said I love you would you freak out on me?” he asked softly when he pulled away, ignoring the stares some of the guards gave them and Matt, laughing. He was anxious to see his family, to let the other man see his son again.

“Come on. They’re waiting for us”

Matt and Tuck walked into the cafeteria and were greeted by a loud rush of sound coming from the happy families that sat all around the room. Scanning the crowd, he nudged Tuck when he spotted his friends, Kennedy attempting to put a green paper hat on Brian’s bouncy hair while Jimmy took a photograph on his phone. The girl he didn’t know was back again, but he could only guess that his friend had finally taken his advice and found a new girl to move onto now that Gabby had disappeared from his life.

“Daddy!” the two children cried simultaneously as they clambered down from their chairs, running across the cafeteria and into the arms of their fathers, who held them tightly in their arms, both wearing similar looks of happiness on their faces. It was almost over- soon they’d be able to spend every day and every holiday with their children. They’d be able to make them happy like they always planned to.

“I’m an angel Daddy! I tried to get Ichy to be Rudolph but Uncle Zacky said he might eat his nose” Kennedy said as she held tightly onto Matt’s neck as he walked over to his friends, trying to hug all of them with a girl in one arm. It was easier said than done, but he felt a lot better after he’d finally embraced all his friends after so long.

“Now, I appear to know all of you but the lovely lady who’s sat next to Jimmy” Matt said, smiling over at the girl sat next to Jimmy, who blushed profusely at his comment. Jimmy smacked his head and then wrapped his arm around her shoulder, kissing her tinted red cheek.
“Mattie, this is Ellen, my girlfriend. She…she’s Gabby’s little sister. We’re moving on together, just like you told me to” Jimmy explained and Matt couldn’t complain, not for one second. He saw just how happy Jimmy was when he looked over at Ellen and smiled back, a little hurt in his heart that he didn’t have a love like that anymore.

“Mr Alex’s Daddy?” Kennedy asked, planting herself firmly on her father’s lap and turning to stare at Tuck, who smiled at her and caught Matt’s eye before he replied.
“Yes Miss Matt’s daughter?”
“What’s your real name? Cause Alex won’t tell me”
“My name’s Matt, Kennedy”

“That’s my Daddy’s name too!” Kennedy cried excitedly as she turned around to point upwards at Matt, who nodded and smiled, picking up the paper hat that his daughter had set aside for him.
“Oh Lord this could get complicated…” Zacky mumbled as Brian nudged him and rested his head against his fiancé’s shoulder, closing his eyes.

“So you really want one of these then?” Zacky said to Brian, who opened his eyes again and stared over at the two fathers and their children, before nodding slowly.
“Of course I do”

“Well…we have an appointment at an adoption agency tomorrow. When you’re ready- we can get a baby” Zacky replied and the other man sat up, staring at him with amazement. How had he managed to work so fast? Brian smiled and pressed his lips against his fiancé’s, feeling a warmth spread through his boy as he thought of the child they would soon have, whenever he said the word go.
"Then we go. I'm ready if you are"

Matt glanced around at the table as Tuck began to talk to Kennedy and the rest of the table. Ellen was holding Jimmy’s hand underneath the bench they were sat on, Zacky had his arm around Brian’s shoulder as he relaxed against his chair. They were all so very much in love- when did he get that beautiful moment? She’d run off so long ago, his beautiful wife. He didn’t blame her for running- but time changed people. Maybe she was different now.

Suddenly, someone coughed from behind them and everyone turned to look up, every jaw but the children’s and Tuck’s dropping when they saw just who had interrupted their little conversation.
Matt’s wife- the spitting image of their daughter.

“Lexi? Is that you?”