More Loss- RIP Mr. Socks

In the Spring of 2009, a little tabby cat with white feet wondered into our yard, and our lives. Since he was wearing a collar at the time, I assumed he had a home, and would not stay with us for long. I realized I was wrong after a month with him refusing to leave. Then, one day, he showed up without his collar. I was already attached to him, but I still gave it a week or two before I began to try to win him over. When those weeks passed, and he was still missing his collar, I figured he was no longer owned, and free for me to befriend-and befriend I did. He was a little nervous of me at first, but not afraid, like a feral cat. I believe he was abandoned, and luckily found us quickly, never having to aquire the wildness feral cats need to survive on the streets. We named him Socks, because of his white feet, and took him into our flock. As I began to pet him more, and become his friend, I noticed little quirks that endeared him to me even more. His poor little tail was crooked, as if it had been broken, and rehealed on it's own. His left ear was crooked from having been scratched to hard, and too often (don't worry, we treated him for earmites, and the scratching stopped). He had a fearless energy, that unfortunately lead to several bouts of crankiness in my outdoor cat world- but he was ours, and I loved him. We began letting him indoors overnight during the cold months of winter. He did fine, and even enjoyed being inside. He spent many a prime time, sitting in my lap, me petting him as I watched TV, and was always ready to go outside each morning to resume his energetic antics. Recently, as the outdoor temperatures became more moderate and warm, he began to crave being outside at night again. I really wanted him to spend the nights inside, but he wasn't happy doing so, and when he tried to engage the other cats to play, they didn't like it. Abby and Morty would sometimes bully him if he got too hyper. Reluctantly, I began to let him in and out as he wanted. Sadly, this eventually lead to his loss. Thursday night, around bed time, he wanted outside so bad, I let him. That was the last time I saw him alive. Kim, my walking partner, and I found him laying lifeless in a neighbor's yard. I'll spare you the details, but we believe he was hit by a car sometime in the overnight hours.
Now I can only sat here, with a heavy heart, missing him. Wishing I can rewind the hands of time, and not let him outside. Please, God, give me peace. I feel you took him from me too soon...