Ashton's PoV:

The kids left the room after I shooed them out the door with the dogs, Michael, Luke, and Calum coming in to see what this was all about.

"Where did you get that?" Carters voice came out thin and shaky.

"We took it out of the trash after you ripped it up and pieced it back together. We know Carter, we read it." Ari replied as she stood there with her arms crossed.

Carter sat down on the arm of the sofa, her shoulders dropped and face fallen.

"You know about Cadwell." She whispered and in that moment I was confused and I saw the confusion on Ari and Jason's faces as well.

"Cadwell?" I asked before I could even stop myself.

"How much do you know?" Carter then asked Ari, ignoring my question.

"Wait? Carter, what the hell are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about?" Carter suddenly looked taken aback.

"I'm talking about how you lied about your parents life insurance policy. It's in your name, we read it! See!" She pulled out the letter and passed it to Carter. "To C. Chase."

"Cadwell Chase..." I spoke aloud and Carter nervously glanced at me. "It's Cadwell Chase not Carter Chase."

"Who's Cadwell?" Jason asked Carter and as she glanced around everyone I could see this wall she had built around her mind from ever dealing with this crumbling down around her.

She was no longer in a position where she could hide. She couldn't get angry, because she knew she had been hiding something. She couldn't get upset with us because it wasn't our fault she had hidden whoever this Cadwell person was from us.

But she was upset because she now had to face whatever she had been putting away for so long. She didn't want to admit to something, and she knew what it was, but we apparently didn't.

I thought she was just denying the fact that her parents had died and that's why she hadn't taken out their policy, because it would mean they were really dead if she did, but now I didn't know what to think.

She wasn't lying when she said that the account wasn't in her name. It was in Cadwells name. But who was he? And why hadn't her parents put their life insurance policy in Carters name?

It was silent on Carters side of the room, and Ari looked like she was shaking.

"Who is Cadwell, Carter?" She asked one more time.

Carter sucked in a sharp breath, looking like it pained her before she opened her mouth.

"He's my brother." She spoke so quietly I almost didn't hear her and shock hit me so hard I almost fell back.

What?

Everyone else seemed as confused as me.

"Brother?" Ari questioned. "Your brother is Ender. You have another brother?"

"He's older." I spoke and Carter looked at me in shock.

"You knew?" She asked.

"No. I'm putting this together in my head as I speak. He has to be an older brother. Your parents didn't wait 17 years to have a kid, they had one before you and then you came along later. I'm right, aren't I?"

She slowly nodded.

"Why are you hiding the fact that you have a brother?" Jason asked.

"You don't understand." Carter shook her head. "Please, I can't talk about this."

"No. It's time for you to face this. It's been years, Car. No more lies. Fess up." Ari threw back at her.

After a few moments she reached up to wipe some tears away and take a shaky breath.

"He left. When I was two. He didn't want to work the family business and thought my parents would be angry so he ran away. But my parents didn't care if he ran the business or not, that's what hurt them the most. He didn't call except for on my birthday and after a few years he just stopped calling all together. And when my...when my parents died I reached out."

There was a sharp pain in my chest at this, like the knife had twisted.

"For a month I called him and he never answered the phone. He could've taken care of me and Ender, and his name was on the policy that's why I couldn't take it out but he..."

"But he what...?"

"He didn't answer because..."

I didn't know if I could stand hearing this, whatever she was about to say.

"You haven't told this to anyone before, have you?" I interrupted her.

"Only Ari's mom knows." She said and Ari looked shocked. "...because she took me to his funeral."

And at this point I was fairly certain I had stopped breathing.

"He's dead?" Ari whispered brokenly, tears falling off her cheek.

"When he found out my parents...our parents...died he-"

"No." I spoke and she looked towards me. "Please tell me your not going to say what I think you're going to say."

"Oh my God." Ari choked out a cry when she realized what Carter was going to say.

Her brother had killed himself.

I don't know what came over me, sadness, shock, pain, all of the above, but it hit me hard and I couldn't stop myself from doubling over and sobbing.

I didn't want to believe that this was true, I didn't want this to be true, because if it was then I don't understand how Carter was this strong of a person to hold this in for so long.

My heart was broken for her.

I felt a hand come to rest on my damp cheek and one come around the back of my neck. Then I felt her forehead press into mine.

"How are you so strong?" I cried.

"Because I have you." She replied, the cries evident in her voice as she hugged my neck. My arms went around her back as I pulled her to me.

She was shaking in my arms and even though I wanted to hold her and comfort her and take away all of her pain, I could feel myself losing the strength I needed to do just that.

"Can I just have a minute, please? I need to- I just need a minute." I said before letting her go and standing up and walking back to the back room, closing the door behind me.

The air had been too heavy in that front room, and I couldn't breathe.

This revelation had changed everything...or had it?

It showed me that Carter was capable of keeping secrets like that from me, and everyone, and that she had emotionally detached herself from her brother and put all of his love into Ender.

She was so much more strong than I had known.

I sat on the sofa, my head in my hands as I just tried to breathe and come to terms with what I now knew.

When I heard the door slide open I didn't have to look up to know it was her.

The door closed back and then I felt her sit down next to me.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" I asked her before she even had a chance to say anything.

"I don't know." She answered honestly and my shoulders dropped but she placed her hands on my back. "Ashton its not that I don't trust you because I know that's what you're thinking...but I didn't know how to tell you something that I could barely admit to myself." Her voice was a whisper. "Are you mad at me?"

"I'm just, sad. For you, for Ender, for your parents...this just...it isn't fair to you."

"Ashton." She tugged lightly on my arms so I would look at her.

"For years I was a mess because I had parents who had died, a brother who had killed himself and I had to deal with that all by myself. But then you came along and you changed all of that! You didn't leave me to deal with all of it alone, you've helped heal me without even knowing it, okay? Don't feel guilty. It's my fault for not telling you, and I should have but I didn't know how to."

I sat there for a moment, just looking at her.

When we had first met she was so broken on the inside, so shy and scared, but now she had changed. She was strong through and through and had this new confidence that excited me. She really was incredible.

I opened my arms and she knew what to do without me even saying a word and moved into them, hugging me.

I leaned back against the side of the couch, nestling my face into the crook of her neck.

"Do you know anything about him?" I asked her.

"Yeah." She breathed. "He was a professor at Oxford. He taught world literature."

"So that's where you get your intelligence from." I half smiled.

"Well, looking back on it I realise that I just wanted to prove to myself that I could be as smart as him. That my parents would be as proud of me as they were of him."

I genuinely smiled.

"What else do you know?"

"He wasn't married and had no kids, but according the the memoirs his colleagues wrote, he was a sweet guy."

"I bet he was sweet just like you." I brushed my nose against her temple. "Do you remember him at all. I mean I know you were only two...but..."

"Yeah, I remember his graduation at high school kind of, and I remember his eyes. I found some family videos and he would always be holding me, and he called me Halle-kinz, which made me laugh. He seemed like a nice brother, but then he left, so I guess I wasn't enough to make him stay."

I frowned at her words and squeezed her tighter to me.

"You know i'll never leave you right?" I spoke.

"I know that. That's why I love you so much." She hugged my arms.

"I'm so sorry, Car." I sighed.

"I know. I'm sorry too. I think he would've been a good brother, and a good uncle to Gracie."

I smiled at this.

"By the sounds of it I think he would've been too. I just wish he hadn't have left so soon, I would've liked to meet him."

"Me too." She leaned her head back on my chest.

I closed my eyes and inhaled her sweet scent before trying to let my muscles relax.

There was a knock on the door and I opened my eyes.

"Come in." I said and the door slid open to reveal Jason.

He stepped inside and closed the door before coming to sit on the floor beside us.

"I know that ambushing you was wrong, because we thought it was just you denying your parents death, but we had no idea and we are so sorry. Ari is falling apart out there, and Car, I know you and I know her, she feels awful about this. She feels so guilty for making you relive it." He said, looking up at Carter with sad eyes.

"I'm not mad at her Jase, that's not it." Carter sighed. "It's just that no one wants their dirty laundry out for the world to see. I just wish she would've come to me privately."

"Well every previous time she tried to talk to you about it you would stop talking to her for a month. She thought if Ashton was there when she did it that he would help calm you down."

"Well she wasn't wrong." I commented and could feel Carter roll her eyes.

"I'll go talk to her." Carter sighed and moved out of my arms before walking into the front room.

"So." Jason said after a moment. "That was pretty surprising, huh."

"Yeah." I breathed.

"Just imagine, keeping a secret like that for almost 7 years..." He shook his head but a smile came to my lips.

"She's so stubborn." I chuckled. "But, God I love her."

"She loves you too."

There were a few more moments of silence.

"Can I ask you a question?" I blurted out. "What is it like? You know, now that you're married. Has it changed anything?"

"You know, at first it didn't feel any different, but then I realized that it was just the same as when we were engaged, now we're just legally bound to each other, but for some reason, the fact that I get to see her sign my last name as hers on forms and checks and change her drivers license and address makes it so real. She's mine forever and it really feels that way."

I nodded.

"Do you think i'll make a good husband to her?"

"I think you already do." Jason smiled.

At that moment we were interrupted by the sound of both women crying in the front room.

Luke then appeared at the door looking at us with wide eyes.

"They're uh- they're uh crying." He pointed behind him.

"That's our cue." I groaned, moving to sit up so we could walk to the front room to find Ari and Carter hugging each other as they both cried.

I went to sit behind Carter and put my hand on her back as Jason did the same and we slowly turned them around, each bringing our girl into our arms.

Jason and I gave each other an understanding nod as we each tried to calm our woman down.

"Shh." I patted Carters back like I did with Gracie, smiling at how they both reacted the same way and settled down.

Both her and Ari were just drying their tears when the door burst open and Ender and Gracie came running in with the dogs, wet from the rain.

"Oh my goodness." Carter quickly pulled herself together. "You two are soaking wet, come on."

She stood up and led both kids back to the bathroom.

"Well." Jason looked at me.

"You guys can stay, i'll reimburse you for a hotel. Come back tomorrow and we can go over things."

He nodded.

"Come on, Ari." He pulled her up and she turned to hug me before letting Jason take her away.

"That was intense." Michael broke the silence.

"No one says a word to anyone, especially not Ender." I said before walking back to Carter who was putting both kids in a hot shower.

"How long have you been playing in the rain?" She asked them with her arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't know." Ender said and she shook her head.

"Let's just hope you both don't get sick." She sighed.

"Hey." I said and she turned around to look at me and I nodded for her to follow me.

She stepped out of the bathroom and followed me into the back room.

"What?" She asked.

"So, Ender-"

"Is to never know about any of this." Her voice suddenly become dark and firm, her expression hardening. "I mean it. He will never know about him."

"Okay." I nodded and she squeezed her eyes shut for a second like she was in pain before going back to the bathroom.

I sighed and decided to go to the front of the bus and grab a soda because I needed something to calm myself down.

After a few minutes Gracie ran out to me wrapped her pink towel and asked me to help her get ready for bed.

Once she was dry and in pajamas with her hair brushed and braided I took her back out to the living room where she sat in my lap as I watched the television. It was late, I knew that, but my mind was still racing with thoughts.

"Hey, its bed time." Carter came out from the bed area and I stood with Gracie, carrying her back there before reading her a story and putting her to bed.

Once she was asleep Carter and I silently changed into our night clothes before turning out the light and getting into our bunk.

"Are we going to talk anymore about this?" I whispered.

"No." She replied just as quietly before turning into me and closing her eyes.

I let out a sigh before dropping my arm around her waist and nuzzling my face into her neck.

Sleep hit me hard due to the stress of this evening, and apparently stress meant nightmares because what felt like a few grueling hours later I awoke from a scene in my head of Robert Ramone pointing a gun at me.

I know Carter had told me to wake her if I had another nightmare, but I couldn't as I looked at her sleeping face, and instead detached myself from her like I did every other time and climbed over her to get out of the bed and walk into the front room.

I grabbed a water bottle and then sat down on the sofa, taking a deep breath.

Today had gone nothing like how I had expected it to.

I wanted to know more about Cadwell but I knew with the kids around I would get nothing out of Carter.

Ender would never know he had an older brother because Carter didn't want him to, and that hurt me because I wanted him to know his family.

The slide of the door made me look up to see Carter standing there.

"I thought you were going to tell me if you had another nightmare." She spoke softly.

"I didn't want to wake you." I said and she nodded before stepping out and closing the door.

She walked over and sat next to me.

"What was it about?" She asked.

"Oh you know, just Robert Ramone trying to shoot me."

"Ah." She nodded, tucking her feet under her as she leaned into me. "Look, i'm sorry for getting so cold earlier it's just that i've worked so hard to give Ender the happiest life he can have despite losing our parents, and knowing he had a brother will destroy him."

"No, I understand why you're doing it, it's just sad that he will never know the rest of his family."

"I just won't tell him. I refuse. That's where I draw the line."

"I won't say a word." I said and she nodded.

"Thank you."

It was quiet for a few moments before she leaned more into me.

"He liked music like my Dad." She said and I smiled knowing she was trying to give me what I wanted. "I think you and him would have gotten along well."

"Yeah?" I chuckled.

"And he liked Star Wars, he was kind of a major nerd. His room had like wall paper and collectibles and bedding that was all Star Wars."

This made me laugh.

"But I wish I would've been able to see him one last time." She sighed.

"Didn't you see him at the funeral?"

"It was closed casket." She said. "All they had were photos."

I nodded.

"I wonder what life would've been like if he had come home and raised me and Ender, helped take care of us, but I can't. He wasn't meant to and he knew that, but he just chose the wrong way to handle it. I'm still angry at him for leaving, and I will be for a long time, but he's still my brother and I love him."

"I know." I spoke with my lips pressed to her temple and she turned to give me a kiss.

"I love you." She whispered.

"And I love you."

We shared a kiss in the dark, and for some reason, I felt a sense of approval from Cadwell, and sent him a silent message in my head that I would protect his family for the rest of my life.

"We should go to sleep." I said after a few minutes and she nodded.

The two of us went back to bed, trying not to trip over Bear who was laying in front of our bed.

The sound of a door closing made my eyes open and my head lift up.

It was bright outside the curtain and I let out a grown before looking at my watch.

I blinked a few times before making sure what I was seeing was true. It was 2:00 in the afternoon.

"Shit. Shit, Car wake up!" I said to the girl curled up next to me.

She let out a whine.

"What's wrong?"

"It's 2:00!"

"What?"

"It's 2:00 in the afternoon!"

Her eyes opened at this and she grabbed my arm to look at my watch before gasping.

We both fumbled out of bed and dashed to the bathroom, brushing our teeth.

"Soundcheck already started." I said and she nodded.

"Go, Ashton, you need to go!" She said and I rushed to change clothes, throwing on jeans and a tee shirt.

I yanked on my shoes before running into the main room.

"Dad!" "Daddy!"

Ender and Gracie were sitting there in the living room.

"Hey, I gotta go!" I waved before running out and across the pavement over to the stage.

They let me in and I jogged through the halls until I reached the stage and walked on, grabbing a mic from the sound guy.

The fans cheered as I walked on stage and the boys turned around to look at me.

I waved before sitting next to Calum.

"Look who's awake." Michael smirked.

"I am so sorry."

"Nah, you two looked all peaceful in there suffocating each other." Luke commented and I rolled my eyes. "What, you two sleep on top of each other."

"You should've woke us up. I'm surprised my four year old didn't."

"I told her not to." Calum shrugged.

As I then switched over to listening to questions the fans asked.

I tried to cover up a yawn and blink my sleepiness away but I needed coffee.

I was about to go get some when I heard awes and turned around to see Gracie walking towards me with a coffee cup in her hands.

She smiled proudly as she carried it to me.

"Whatcha got there Gray?" I asked her.

"Mommy make you coffee." She smiled as she came up to me. "And she say I can bring it to Daddy."

"Oh, thank you." I took the cup from her and took a sip. "Mmm. That's good."

Gracie giggled.

"You know, I always know when your Mommy makes coffee because she makes the best coffee in the world." I told her.

"Really?" She asked.

"Mhmm." I nodded and took another sip.

"I try?"

"You want to try coffee?" I laughed and she nodded with a big smile.

"Okay. You might not like it though."

She shrugged and reached for the cup and blew on the hot drink before taking a sip.

I watched her in amusement as she took a sip and then smiled.

"I like it."

"You do?!" I laughed.

"I have another?"

"We can share mine, okay? Come here."

She came and sat down on my lap and I took a big sip of my drink before Gracie took the mug from me and took a sip as well, smiling up at me.

"You cute little thing."

As soundcheck progressed my stomach growled making Gracie laugh but then a few minutes later the fans screamed again and I looked to see Carter walking out with a plate of food and and another coffee cup in her hands.

She smiled, her hair now curled and her make up applied as she kept it simple in jean shorts and a tee shirt.

She came up to me with a plate of pancakes, bacon, and eggs, and I took it gratefully.

"Thank you, baby." I grinned.

"Of course, figured you'd be starving. You always wake up hungry."

"You know me so well." I laughed.

"Eh." She shrugged and then sent me a wink.

She leaned in to kiss my cheek.

"Ari and Jason are here."

"Okay." I turned back and gave her a kiss on the lips making the fans cheer.

Then Gracie took my mug and took a sip of my coffee.

"Are you drinking coffee?" Carter asked her and Gracie nodded up at her. "Silly girl."

"Mommy, I didn't get cuddles when I wake up." Gracie then pouted.

"Then let's cuddle." She smiled and sat down on the ground as she took Gracie into her arms.

"Have you already eaten?" I asked Carter as Michael answered a question.

"Yeah." She smiled at me before returning to stroking Gracie's back. "Do you want to go shopping with me and aunt Ari later?"

"Yes!" Gracie grinned.

"Maybe we can find you some pretty new dresses."

"Pink dresses." Gracie told her and Carter nodded.

"Yes, pink dresses."

"Daddy, I get pink dresses." Gracie looked up at me.

I gave her a smile as I continued eating my breakfast and when we had to play I handed my dishes to Carter and went back to my drums.

After soundcheck I went back to the bus and to my surprise I found Harry sitting next to Carter on the sofa, Gracie perched in his lap.

"Daddy! I go to London with Mommy and Uncle Harry!" Gracie grinned and ran over to me, a tiara on her head. And as I looked at it I noticed that it wasn't one of her plastic ones we had bought her at the toy store, it was a real tiara with silver and diamonds.

"What?" I asked her, looking up at Carter.

"Harry got an extra invitation to the BRIT awards so Gracie could go with us." Carter smiled as Gracie jumped up and down holding my hands.

Harry gave me a smug smile, Carter was genuinely and obliviously smiling at me and Gracie while I was there frozen, looking at the man who I knew was determined to take away everything I loved.

Because he loved it too.

--

So this was pretty emotional and i've had this planned since the beginning of the story, Carter has some secrets of her own.

This won't be the end of Cadwell, by far, there's more to his story.

Also, there's the small (haha not) factor of Harry.

Thoughts on that?

More to come!

Much love xx-m