1 Alfred and his cozy home

A man walked up to the doorstep of a small house, trying to open the door with a key, his hand was shaking so much he couldn't get the key in.

Suddenly the door swung open.

"Daddy you're home!"

A young Alfred entered the house, feeling all the pent up stress vanish for a moment when he heard his adorable daughter mutter those words.

"I'm home Emma!"

He picked her up and held her up to his breast with just his left arm. After which he walked with her to the main room.

His wife Madeleine was just setting the table when his son came storming down the stairs.

"Dad!"

"Yo Jack!"

Laughing loudly he grabbed his son up and held him up to his chest.

"You're getting bigger and bigger! I almost can't hold you anymore!"

Jack struggled to free himself, and after doing so he said:

"I want to grow a lot more, I want to reach daddy's height!"

With a big smile he put Madeleine down and walked to his wife and grabbed hold of her waist, hugging her from behind while she was putting the final touch on the dinner.

She turned around and kissed Alfred on the cheek, and said:

"Welcome home Honey!"

Alfred was grinning while Madeleine put her apron away.

"Let's eat dinner!"

Alfred, his wife and the children sat down around the wooden table, the atmosphere was lively.

"Daddy, what did you do today?"

Everyone at the table looked at him.

"Patrol"

He said it with a small voice, as his mood visibly worsened.

The kids didn't notice but Madeleine did, she frowned, worried about her husband.

"What did you say dad?"

"I was defending the city from evil monsters!"

"Wow"

Both his son and daughter gasped at the thought of their father being this amazing.

Alfred smiled a bit when he saw this, "Just a little longer" he thought.

"A little more time."

…

"Help me" Gurgled one of his comrades, his mouth filled with blood.

A tear streamed down Alfred's face as he saw his colleagues laying around heavily injured, he reminisced back to the time when he was living a quiet but happy life, and how these events had come to happen.

Alfred looked up at the sky, ignoring the dying soldier.

A wife, two children, a career and a small but cozy home.

That was all he needed.