~Several years later~

"Goodness, it's warm today." I take my sun hat off and wipe the sweat from my brow.
"PAAAAPAAA!!!!"
"Hm?" I sit back on my heels and glance down the hill to see Asher, running up as fast as he can. I smile and then stand, dusting the dirt off of my legs.
"Hello!" The daycare teacher waves as she walks up the hill behind him, surrounded by a few more children. I wave back at her as I start down the hill to meet up with them.
"I hope he wasn't too much trouble."
The teacher chuckles softly, "Oh no, of course not. He was a perfect angel."
"Thank you for watching him." I watch as he races around with his friends.
"It's no problem, but I do have a question." She says.
"Yes?" I ask.
"Are you going to put him in public school? He's getting up to the starting age." She said.
"Um, I'm not sure yet, but I will definitely keep it in mind." I reply.
"If you ever need any suggestions or more information about the school, just let me know. He can also stay over and join Alissa as she starts next year too." She said, "He is such a bright boy."
"I'll have to discuss it with his father." I replied, "Thank you again for watching him."
"It's no problem at all. See you tomorrow." She smiles.
"Oh, actually we can't make it tomorrow." I shake my head, "But we will see you Sunday."
"Oh, alright, Sunday it is." She looks down to the other children, "Come on children, time to go home."
"Come on Asher, let's start dinner!" I call him.
"But I don't wanna yet! I'm having so much fun!" He tumbles around the tall grass.
"I'm making stew tonight." I smile as he jumps up, "My favorite!" He hurries over as fast as his little legs will carry him before he rushes past me, "Last one home is a rotten egg!"
I turn back to the teacher and wave goodbye to her before I turn to catch up to my son. He's already making his way through the town as I make it to the open gate. He turns around and grins, "I win!" He dances around the fountain in the middle of our town.
It had taken a few years to build but we had our own town. Houses for everyone. It was surrounded by enormous walls to keep us protected at night. London had managed to clear our names but people still hold grudges. Some would try to come in the middle of the night to get their revenge. But most of the public accepted us with open arms. Our town sat between the mountain range and the city that we helped rebuild from the ground up.
I slow my pace and stop at a nearby table. The freshly grown food caught my attention.
"Good afternoon Ethan, can I interest you in any vegetables?" Jack looks up from his newspaper. After dealing with painful machines that poked and prodded us, it was agreed that the town would be electronic free.
"Hm, I'm not sure, everything looks so good." I tap my chin.
"I just pulled it from the garden this morning." Jack smiles as he sets the papers to the side.
"Papa, Papa!" Asher grabs my hand, tugging it, "We're supposed to be racing!"
"I know Darling, but I'm trying to figure out what to add for dinner." I gesture to the table.
"Aw, I hate vegetables." He crosses his arms over his chest in a huff.
Jack chuckles and then leans over, "But they are good for you. Make you grow big and strong like your father."
"Like Dad??" Asher looks up at Jack with wide eyes. Asher absolutely idolized Tyler, wanting to be just as strong as him.
"Oh absolutely," Jack leans forward and drops his voice to a whisper, "How do you think he got so tall??"
Asher is still for a second before he jumps up and grabs an armful of vegetables, "Let's take these!" And he races off.
"Ah-! Asher, wait! And there he goes." I sigh, digging into my pocket.
"Ah, ah, don't worry about it." Jack waves me off.
"Are you sure?? That was like half the table." I raise a brow.
"It's alright, I don't have to go buy any seeds yet." Jack smiles, "Consider it a thank you for tomorrow."
"If you are-"
"Papa come on! I'm starving!" Asher yells and I sigh again, "I'll see you later Jack, tell Mark I said hi."
"Absolutely!" Jack grins and then picks up his newspaper again, leaning back in his rocking chair. I turn away and start down the path again. Asher stands at the fountain, waiting for me to catch up, "Why are you so slow!" He whines.
"I'm not as young as you." I ruffle his hair as he joins me and we make our way around the fountain. It's a short distance until we make it to the front porch. I open the door and Asher races through, setting all the food down on the coffee table as he is still too short to reach the countertop. He turns to face me, "When is Dad coming home??"
"It might be some time tomorrow," I pick up the vegetables and carry them over to the sink. Asher pushes over a dinning room chair and stands on the seat so he can reach, "Can I help finish the stew?"
I plug the sink and fill it with water, "Can you wash the vegetables for me?" They still had some dirt on them.
"Yes!" He scoots over to be in front of the sink, grabs a cucumber, and sticks it into the water, beginning to wash.
I take the carrots that I already prepped and begin to cut them up on the cutting board, "So did you have fun at daycare today?"
"Yes! Alissa and her friends taught me a new game called Wall Ball. You throw a ball at the wall and it bounces back. If you catch it you throw it but if you miss, you have to touch the wall before someone tags you out! It was so fun! I was so fast!" Asher grins as he sets the washed cucumber in the other half of the sink and grabs a new vegetable to wash.
"Did you learn anything new in class?" I scrape the carrots into the large pot sitting on the stove.
"Just more numbers. It's kind of boring, I'd rather be outside." He says.
"What do you think about joining Alissa in public school next year?" I grab the cucumber.
He shrugs, "I dunno."
His eyes stare out the window before they light up, "Ooh, Papa, can I go out back with Bandit!"
I glanced out the back window to see the dog that seemed to have adopted us, "I thought you wanted to help me with dinner?"
"Oh yeah," He deflates a little and then goes back to mopily washing the vegetables. I roll my eyes and then chuckle, "Alright, alright, you can go play with Bandit, but stay where you can be seen."
"Yes!" He leaps off the chair, "Thanks Papa!" He races out of the house through the backdoor where I hear him call out for the dog.
"What I wouldn't give for just a little bit of that energy." I place the dining chair back where it goes before turning back to the stew.

"Asher! Dinnertime!" I call out the backdoor.
"Aw, already??" He whines.
"You've been playing for at least an hour. You need to eat." I tell him.
"Can Bandit come??" He asks.
"Bandit has his own food at Uncle Felix's." I remind him.
"Okaay." He sighs before hugging the dog, "I'll see you tomorrow!" Then he races inside.
"Don't forget to wash up." I remind him as I close the back door.
"Ugh, do I have to?" He groans.
"Only if you want dirt to be your seasoning for your food." I shrug as I walk over to the counter and set down a couple of bowls. I take the ladle out of the pot, filling the bowls.
"Okay! Done!" He exclaims and I turn to see that he had just smeared the dirt onto his face after the condensation on his water glass turned the dirt to mud.
I grab a rag and wet it, "I think you missed a spot." I move over and wipe his face.
"Aw, Papa," He whines, trying to get out of my grasp, "Why do we have to be so clean all the time???"
"Because it's important to have good hygiene."
"Why?"
"So you don't get sick." I stepped back to see that he was mostly clean. I take the rag back to the sink and then bring our dinner over to the table. I set his bowl down in front of him, "Be careful it's hot."
He stares at it for a few seconds.
"What's up kiddo? Why do you look upset? It's your favorite." I take a seat across from him. His eyes dart to the empty chair next to him and my heart sinks a little. I scoot over next to him, "I know you miss your father, but he is doing important work out there."
"It's not more important than us, is it?" He asks in a soft voice. My heart cracks, "No, no, of course not Sweetie. You are your father's pride and joy." I reach over and stroke his cheek gently, "He's out there so you can grow up without fear."
"Without fear?" He looks at me with confusion.
I set my spoon down, "It's a lot to explain, Asher, but not everyone likes us."
"What do you mean?" He asks, "We didn't do anything to them."
"Well, no Dear, you didn't." I try to choose my words carefully, "But things happened when you were still an infant and a lot of people got hurt. Hurt in ways that they believe anger is the only way to fix their pain."
"Would it fix their pain?" He asks.
"No, this is the type of pain that cannot be fixed by anger. It blinds them." I answer, "And some people don't understand this. They believe that what they are doing is justified. It's why your father is gone. He is protecting us from these people. It's why Uncle Felix and Uncle Mark are gone as well. They are trying to reach those that are hurt. They are trying to show them that they don't have to hold this anger."
"Have you ever been that angry?" He asks.
I nod slowly, "Yes, and it has taken me many years to break through that cycle. It's something we all go through eventually."
He frowns a bit and then he stirs his stew, "Is that why Uncle Felix is always staring off into the distance?"
"In a way, yes." I nod, "Uncle Felix is still battling through that cycle. Sometimes it takes others longer to move past it."
"Is there anyway we can help him??" He looks up at me with his innocent eyes. I smile softly, "Just love him as much as you can. Hug him tightly. Sometimes that's all someone needs."
He nods his head as he takes in my words before he starts to eat his dinner. I stir my own food for a minute before I begin to eat.

"You promise to wake me up if Dad shows up?" Asher asks as I tuck him into bed.
"I promise, I will wake you up. Now go to sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow."
"Can you read me a bedtime story?" He asks, shuffling his rabbit closer to his side as he gets comfortable under the covers.
"Which story do you want to hear tonight?" I lean back in the little chair and reach over to his bookshelf.
"Can you read the one about the little men?" He asks.
I have to think for a second before I pull out "You mean Snow White?"
"Yes, I really like this book!" He grins and then gets comfortable again.
"Okay, okay," I shift on the tiny plastic chair, "Once upon a time..."
I closed the book after he had finally fallen asleep and placed it back on the shelf. I lean forward and kiss his forehead lightly, "Sleep well." I have to fight a couple of seconds to stand before I hobble out of his bedroom, flicking off his light. I close his door and then start down the hallway, back to the dinning room to clean up the mess we left. The board game pieces were scattered all over the table. What a messy little kid. I fold the board and place it back in its box. Putting the pieces back in their spots before I close it and place it back on the shelf. I make my way over and push in the chairs, picking up the empty bowls and taking them to the sink to be washed.
I glance out the window at the darkening sky. The little stars are twinkling.
Wherever you are my Love, I pray that you are safe.
I mull over the conversation we had at dinner and I sigh softly. An anger they are blinded by. An anger that turns their hearts to ice. An anger that burns. I lean against the sink, letting out a soft breath. An anger that digs deep into your soul. Flashes of my father make their way into my mind and I scoff before going back to cleaning the dishes. I still can't believe that man. I can't believe I was trying to defend our family from that woman when it was his fault the whole time. Who the hell sells out their family to the government? All for what? A bunch of money? A hotter wife?? What a fucking idiot. And then he goes around playing the guilt card. 'I want to help you son but I can't' What a bitch.
"I think it's clean."
"What?" I look down at the bowl in my hands and then grumpily set it to the side, "Oh shut up-" A jolt goes up my spine, "Tyler?"
He chuckles at me, "Thinking a bit too deeply." He steps forward until my back is pressed against his front and I'm trapped between him and the sink.
"Maybe."
He rests his head down on my shoulder, taking in a deep breath, "I've missed you."
I lean my head to the side, close to his face, "I've missed you too."
He moves his head, kissing my neck, his hand wandering down my side; careful to touch any sensitive skin.
"Ty~" I bite my lip, keeping myself quiet. Asher's right in the other room.
His hand dances dangerously closer to my waistline. I lean back against his chest, groaning softly. I wanted nothing more than to be touched by him. His teeth nip faintly at my neck, "I've missed you~"
Before I can utter anything, he steps away from me. I'm confused for only a second before I hear it. Fast footsteps that bang against the wooden floor. In two seconds flat, Asher rounds the hallway corner, "DADDY!!!" He makes a mad dash for Tyler.
"Haha! There's my little warrior!" Tyler bends down to pick up Asher before flinging him up into the air; catching the giggling boy. Tyler tosses him a couple of times before he slings him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"So, what have you been up to?" Tyler asks.
"I've been doing a lot! We played a new game today!! Ooh! And Papa lost at the board game!" Asher giggled and then stuck his tongue at me.
I cross my arms and jut my hip out to the side, "You're supposed to be in bed young man."
"But Dad's home! Can't I stay up just a little bit??" He whines.
Tyler turns to look at me, "Yeah, Dad's home, can't he stay up just a little bit??"
I was appalled by Tyler's words, "Ugh, fine. But only for an hour. Asher is still a growing boy and needs his proper sleep."
Tyler puts Asher down, "Alright soldier, the commanding officer has allowed you one extra hour. What do you want to do?"
"Uh- ooh! I know! I have new paints!" Asher takes Tyler's hand and leads him down the hallway. I shake my head at Tyler's childlike behavior and turn back to the dishes. I can't believe him.
You chose him.
No, no, you're right.
I hum softly as I finish cleaning the kitchen. I step outside on the front porch and take a seat on the porch swing. There was a cool breeze from the south and I yawn.

~Dream/Memory~
"Papa! Papa! Look what I found!" Asher giggles as he holds up a tiny snail. I turn my head from the picnic blanket I was unrolling, "Make sure you put him back when you're done. That's his habitat. And don't wander too far."
"Yes Papa!" He smiles and wanders around the creek, looking for other little critters. I set the basket down on the blanket and opened it to check and make sure that our food hadn't spilt on the way here. "Looks good. Hm, where did I put those napkins??" I dig through the basket and then I hear something that makes my heart stop and a chill wash over my body. I freeze my movements.
"Get up nice and slow, and don't try anything funny or else the kid gets it." A gruff voice growls.
"Papa-!" Asher screams. The panic in his voice makes my heart twist. I put my hands up and very carefully stand up.
"Good, now turn around."
I turn slowly. Now the man's pistol is directly in my face. He looks terrible. His hair was greasy as it stuck out under his hat. His face was dirty. What is he, a fucking cowboy?
"What do you want?" I ask.
"What do I want?" The man repeats my question before he shakes the gun in my face, "What the fuck do you think I want?"
There's a second, younger man, he is holding Asher up, there's a gun drawn to his head. His eyes are widen with fear and I could see his body shake from here.
"...I have no idea." I shrug.
"No idea? Are you fucking stupid?" The man shouts, he drawn his fist back and clocks me in the face with the side of his gun. The force makes me stumble back and I can feel the skin on my cheek split open.
"PAAAAPAAA!!!" Asher screeches.
"Would you shut that kid up?" The first man barks to the second. The second man looks uncomfortable but does as he is told. Just a rough hit to the back of Asher's head with the butt of the gun knocks him out cold. I glare at both, trying to figure out the best course of action.
"Don't bother figuring out which one of us to kill first. I came prepared for that. We are not the one men here." The first man chuckles as he gestures to the woods. I scan the horizon and only then do I notice the glint of a scope. Fuck. They're prepared. How am I supposed to get us out of this?? One wrong move and they could kill Asher.
I snarl at them but don't move.
"You're probably wondering why?" The first man starts to circle me. "Why are you being ambushed? Well, why don't I just tell you?" His foot hits the back of my knee and it buckles. I hit the ground and he makes his way back in front of me, "You probably don't recognize me."
"Recognize?" I question.
He steps closer and removes his hat as if that was supposed to jog my memory, "You murdered my daughter back in the city." He growls lowly.
I frown but I can't recall anything from the destruction of the city.
"I'm sorry that happened to you, but as we explained to the public-"
He backhands me, "I don't care what lies you fed the public!"
My head jerks to the side and then I look back at him. I was itching to tear him apart.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you yet. I want to draw out this pain for as long as possible. I want you to suffer like I did." He turns to the second man, "Bring the kid here."
"But you said-"
"I don't give a shit what I said. Bring him here!"
The second guy takes slow steps. He looks super uncomfortable and he is visibly sweating. He holds Asher out to the man.
"Hold him still." He whips out his knife.
"You said you weren't going to kill him!" The second man jerks him back.
"I'm not!" The first man reaches out for Asher, "Now hold him still!"
~End~

"Babe?"
I jolt at the touch on my shoulder and look up to see Tyler. I glanced around to see that I was still on the porch swing.
"I must've fallen asleep." I rub my eyes.
My head aches. Tyler sits down next to me and pulls me against his body, "Were you having a nightmare? Your heart's racing."
I lay down, resting my head on his lap, "I-I...probably...I can't remember. Is Asher asleep?" I change the subject as quickly as possible. I never told Tyler what happened that day. I explained his scar away by saying that he had catch himself on something sharp. I had requested Bob to remove those memories from Asher because the boy couldn't sleep for several weeks after that. Bob couldn't remove them but he could block them for a time.
He chuckles, "Poor thing couldn't keep his eyes open for more than ten minutes. I mean which kind of worked out for me because I really didn't want to try finger painting. I'm sure it's fun, but the lack of vision definitely makes it a lot harder."
"I think he just doesn't remember in the moment that you can't see." I state.
"It's fine, I don't hold it against him." He replies and, with his arm, he pulls me up onto his lap. He rolls to the left and lays us back down on the swing, "Are you certain you're alright? Your heart is still beating erratic."
"Yeah, yeah, just..." I don't know what to tell him. I bury my face into his chest. It felt like the air was being pressed out of my lungs by the weight of the guilt.
"Love?"
"Hm?"
"Something is bothering you. You're going quiet again." He sits us both up, "Please tell me what's wrong."
And let you know just how horrible of a parent I am? That Asher was injured and could've been killed??
His thumb rubs over the small scar on my cheek and I pull away from his touch. I feel disgusting. Unworthy. I shift away from him and curl in the corner of the swing.
"Don't shut me out." He goes to follow me.
"...are we terrible parents?"
"Of course not, why would you think that??"
I bury my face against my arms. I close my eyes but all I can see is flashes of that day in my mind. He could have died because of me.
"Love please,"
"...o-on the second week you were gone, I took Asher to a little creek for a picnic." I swallow, my chest starts to tighten. "We got jumped by some people-..." I can't get anymore words out.
"I know."
"What?" I look up at him.
"Bob told me once I returned. He explained that you most likely weren't going to tell me. He said that you were in such a state of panic."
"B-bob told you?" I asked.
"He did. Well, more or less I pried it out of him. You seemed so distant back then. I was worried that something happened between us and I didn't know about it. He told me that you would tell me in your own time and I kept it to myself."
"I should've-"
"No, don't think that. There's nothing that you could have chose to do differently." His hand touches me and I shiver, "I'm a bad parent, I'm a bad partner."
"No, you are not." He pulls me until I am resting on his lap, "You only did what you thought necessary. If you thought keeping this information from me was important then it was."
I lean against him.
It's quiet for a few seconds before Tyler opens his mouth, "You don't have to worry about those people anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"I took care of it personally." His arm tightens around me.
"You killed them?"
"I made sure that they won't ever think of returning here."
He didn't outright answer my question. His steady heartbeat makes me feel a little better. I close my eyes briefly, "The daycare teacher wants to know if we are letting him join public school next year."
"Should we?" He asks.
"Mm, I dunno," I yawn, "I know he's super smart for his age. And that he would be going into class with Alissa."
"It would be a great experience. If he doesn't like it, it wouldn't hurt him to remove him at such a young age compared to later in life." He said.
"That sounds like a good plan." I nod my head, "How long are you staying?"
"I'll be around for a while. London said that she has started a wing of the NWO that is supposed to start taking over my patrol. Leaving me more time to spend with you guys." He answers, "I still have a few routes but I won't have to leave and be gone for weeks at a time."
I push myself back, "Wait, are you serious??"
"Absolutely, it took so long because we had to recruit people and run background checks, making sure that they weren't connected to the destroyed city or the fallout of the government." He nodded his head, "I requested it after Asher started to run around on his feet. I was afraid that I was going to miss all of his important milestones."
"That's amazing news!" I lean up and capture his lips in my excitement. He kisses me back, groaning softly into the kiss. I pull back and lay back down, snuggling between his side and the back of the swing, "I love you."
"I love you too." He replies softly.
"Is it alright if I try to get some more rest? Today seemed to be extra tiring."
"That's fine, Love, sleep well."

"Try to be quiet, Papa needs all the rest he can get." I hear a mumble nearby.
"Ok-!" I hear Asher yelp before he stops himself and lowers his voice, "Yes Daddy."
I recognize Tyler's deep chuckle, "What do you want for breakfast?" before I hear both of them walk down the hallway.
"Can we have ice cream!" Asher squeals.
I roll my eyes. Children don't know the meaning of quiet. I flip over in bed and bury my face into the pillows, breathing in Tyler's earthy scent that was left on his side of the bed.
After laying in bed for a couple more minutes, I get up and wander over to the dresser. As much as I want to do absolutely nothing all day, I can't. Jack is super pumped for today. They're finally getting married! Official. I pick out some fresh clothes and then head to the shower.
I stand under the hot water and begin to massage the shampoo into my hair. What is this marriage thing that keeps repeating in your mind?
Marriage is something that two humans do to be together in the eyes of the law. It's kind of complicated.
Marriage? Hm. Songbirds don't marry. We make a special gift and present it to our partner.
Are you together for life?
Oh absolutely. Songbirds choose one life partner.
What happens if something goes wrong and you don't want to be with your partner?
Something goes wrong? Like what?
Like what you humans do to one another? Songbirds are fairly peaceful to one another.
So Felix will never find someone else?
Oh, no. Maria was his one and only.
I rinse the shampoo out of my hair.
I jump when I hear the door slam open, "Papa!!!!"
"I'm in the shower Babydoll," I called back.
"Oh," the bathroom door swings open, "Uncle Felix is at the door!"
"I'll be out in just a second." I reply.
"Okay," I hear his feet against the floor and then he hollers, "Papa's in the shower!"
I chuckle softly and try to hurry.

I enter the living room, drying my hair with my towel. Felix is standing near the window, staring out of it.
"Papa!" Asher pads over and hugs my leg, "Can I have ice cream!"
"Not for breakfast." I chuckle, ruffling his hair.
"Is it alright if we talk?"
I turn to Felix, "Sure, is something wrong?"
He glances down at Asher and I pat Asher's head, "Why don't you go find your father? Uncle Felix wants to have an adult conversation."
"Okay!" He smiles before hurrying over to Felix and giving his legs a tight hug, "Love you Uncle!" And then dashes out of the room, "Daddy!!"
I turn back to Felix, "What's on your mind?"
He sighs out of his nose and then rubs the back of his neck, like he's pretty tired. I walk over to him and touch his shoulder, "Felix?"
He looks up from the floor, "I just wanted to check on you."
"Only to check on me? Are you having some thoughts again?" I gesture to the couch. He moves over and takes a seat. I sit down next to him.
He leans over and I pull him into a hug, "It'll be alright." I hum softly. The tune of the Lullaby came so easy to me.
"I'm getting so tired." He whispers, "I know I need to stay for the kids but..." He trails off.
"After the wedding, why don't we go sit by the creek and relax for a while? Get some fresher air." I suggest. I learned over the years that the best thing to do for him during this time was to just sit with him in silence. He closes his eyes and we sit for a few minutes.
I try to regulate his emotions with my own so he isn't trapped in the headspace.
There is a thunderous sound of pounding footsteps before the front door slams open again.
"GRANDPA!"
"PAPA!"
Asher leads the charge of Felix's grandchildren. They race over and then dog piles us on the couch, which tips backwards from the unexpected weight! We all yell out in surprise.
Tyler's heavy footsteps hurry from the other room and he peeks his head in, "Are you alright??"
"Tyler, help! We're on the ground!"
He hurries over, "Hang on." He grabs the back of the couch and flips it upright with no problem.
"What is going on here??" I look at Asher with bewilderment.
"You said last night that Uncle Felix needs a lot of love, so I thought what better way than a group hug?" He explains himself.
"Asher...that's not-"
I paused in my sentence as Felix's shoulders started to bounce a bit and I was afraid the stress made him cry. His head flings back and he lets out a howling laugh. I smile. It had been weeks since Felix so much as cracked a smile. He pulls all three into a tight hug, "I definitely needed that."
"Grandpa, can we go pick flowers?" Maristela asks in a soft voice. Her twin brother, Orion, sits next to her, they are both the splitting image of their mother with the sprinkles of their father. Their hair is bright blonde just like Felix.
"Aunt Jackie asked if we could find some." She glances at her brother. He was born a mute and nodded his head vigorously to agree.
"Can I join you?" Asher asks them.
"As long as you stay close to the wall, make sure that an adult can see you." Felix says.
"Asher, don't wander about, we have to get dressed in a few hours." I remind him.
He nods "Yes Papa." Before jumping off the couch, "Come on guys! Let's go!" And just as fast as the chaos arrived, it left. Felix chuckles a bit, "Did you really tell him that?"
"I was trying to answer his questions. And-"
"I'm not mad." Felix smiles softly, he wipes a couple of tears from his eyes. "It's sort of adorable that they are trying to help in their own way."
"Are you going to be alright for today?" I ask.
"I think I can manage. But I would still like to go to the creek later." He stands, tussling his hair, "It's going to be a crazy day."
"Oh! What time is it??" I glance around to the clock, "I'm supposed to meet Jack!"
"I'll go see if Hailey needs any help with finishing up the dress." He stretches his arms out.
"Are you certain you'll be alright?" I was worried.
"I'll let you know if I start to feel bad again." He nods his head and then heads to the front door.
"I'm going to round the kids into the bath, no doubt they're all filthy." Tyler says as he follows Felix to the door.
"Don't forget you have to help Mark." I remind him.
"Ah right," and then he heads out.

"Jack, you feeling alright?" I tilt my head.
"Yes, why?"
"Because I'm pretty sure shoes don't go in the cabinet."
"Huh?" He glances at his hands and then sighs loudly, dropping the shoes back to the floor, "I swear I'm losing my mind."
"I don't think I have ever seen you so nervous before." I walk over to him, "Why don't you take a few deep breaths and relax?"
"Of course I'm nervous! We are actually doing this! I'm finally getting married after over a decade!" He wrings his hands together before he nibbles on his thumb. I grab his hands and pull them away from his mouth, "Deep breath in,"
We take a breath.
"And out."
We breathe out.
"Okay, so what still needs to be done?" I ask him.
"Well I haven't seen the dress..."
"Felix has gone to check on it. The children are gathering your flowers. It's Tyler's job to keep Mark from sticking his nose into the surprise."
"Uh..." He frowns a bit, "I don't think there is- what about the cake!"
"I'm pretty sure that Molly and Mandi were in charge of the food." I remind him.
"Right, right."
"Rose went to set up the decorations with Bob and Wade. They have your idea of everything planned out."
"I guess there is nothing left to do." Jack shrugs his shoulders.
There's a knock on the door and I go over and open it. It's Hailey and Felix.
I welcome them in and close the door behind them.
"I hope this is exactly what you wanted." Hailey smiles as she holds out the dress, "Rose and I worked extremely hard on it."
Jack takes it from her, "I'll go try it on." He excused himself to the other room.
"Wow, my hands hurt just looking at that. It must've taken you guys forever to make that." I turn to Hailey.
"Rose did the majority of it as I was taken care of the twins." Hailey smiles, she looks like she's glowing and very proud.
"Still, the skill is amazing." I have to compliment, "I don't think I could have the patience for it."
"Okay! I'm coming out!" Jack calls from the room.
"Ready when you are." Felix replies. We turn to the door and wait. It opens slowly and Jack timidly steps out.
"Woah, it's gorgeous!"
"It's stunning!"
The dress was a floral lace, women's halter top. It was sleeveless for the summer and showed off his back, tying together down at the bottom; near his waist.
"Is it what you wanted?" Hailey asks him.
He steps in a slow circle, "It's like a dream come true." He sounds breathless.
"Aha! Perfect!" Hailey squeals.
"We're almost done here. Just a few more touches and we can get everything started." Bob informs us.
Jack bites his thumb again, the nerves coming back full force, "Is this a bad idea?"
"No, of course not." Felix walks over to him, "This is probably one of the best decisions you could make."
"Is there anything we can do that would help calm your nerves?" Hailey asks him, "Maybe some water?"
Jack shakes his hands a bit, "Do you think Mark will be surprised??"
"I think it will be very surprising." I nod my head.
"What is Tyler even supposed to tell him?? Wouldn't he get suspicious wearing a tuxedo??" Jack asks.
"I have no clue what Tyler is going to tell Mark." I shrug my shoulders, "But he can keep a secret so I'm sure he'll come up with something."
"AUNT JACKIE!" the squeals of the children come from outside before they rush inside the house. They are all covered in dirt from head to toe, holding out bunches of wild flowers they picked.
"We got your flowers!" Asher grins.
"Wow! Is that your dress! It's so bootiful!" Maristela says as she moves to get a closer look.
"It's beautiful, Sweetheart." Hailey corrects her.
"You guys picked these for me?" Jack bends down to take the flowers from all three, "They're lovely."
"Momma said that you really liked daffy-i-dills." Maristela smiles shyly.
"I love daffodils."
"You guys look like you wrestled a pig." Felix snorts, "Come on you three, you all need a bath."
"Another one??" Asher whines.
"You can't go to a wedding covered in dirt." I chuckle.
"But why?"
"Because we don't want to get dirt on Aunt Jackie's white dress." 
"Oh." Asher looks at the dress then down at himself, "Okay."
"I guess we'll have to meet you there." I usher Asher out the door.
Felix picks up the twins, "I'll tackle this."

"Why do I have to wear this stuffy outfit Papa??" Asher tugs at the collar. I brush the lint off the back of his little suit, "Because it's what you wear to weddings."
"But Aunt Jackie wasn't wearing it." He said.
"That's because Uncle Mark is supposed to wear the suit. Aunt Jackie requested to wear the dress. And remember if you run into Uncle Mark, don't say anything. It's supposed to be a surprise that Aunt Jackie has been working on it for a long time and would be really disappointed if it was spoiled." I explain and take a step back. Actually your mother was the one who started this surprise. If only she was here to see just how much you've grown. How smart you are. How beautiful you are. I hope I'm raising you how she would raise you. I hope you carry her heart.
There's a tug on my shirt and I blink a bit, coming back to reality, "Yes Asher?"
"You look sad Papa." He looks up at me.
"I was just thinking." I sigh softly, "I'll tell you when you're older. Now, let us go join the others, okay?"
"Okay!" He grins.
"And remember, we have to stay clean." I remind him and his grin falters, "Okay."
I chuckle before I take his hand and we make our way out of the house and down the main path.
We meet up with Felix and the twins.
"You look absolutely stunning." I smile at the twins. They grin back at me but go to speak with Asher; the three padding ahead of us.
"Hm, it's been a long time since I've tied a tie." Felix struggles a bit with the tie around his neck.
"Would you like some help?" I ask.
"Hang on, I think I got it." He frowns as it comes out all lopsided. I giggle and he nudges me with his shoulder, "Don't laugh at me."
"It's funny." I smile.
He makes a mocking sound and then rolls his eyes, "It was not this complicated when I was younger."
"Did you go to a lot of weddings as a child?" I ask.
"No, but my family went to a lot of fancy restaurants. The suit and tie was normal wear. I felt like I was wearing it more than street clothes." He struggles to unite the knot.
I pause and grab his shoulder, turning him so I can help. I untie it and then begin to retie.
"Where did you learn to tie?"
"Hm? Oh, my stepmother used to make me wear these ridiculous outfits as a young child. They all consisted of some kind of tie or ascot." I tilt my head and then smile, "There."
"Thanks." He smiles and we continue our way down the path and out of our gated community. The children raced off to join their friends as we made our way to the large oak trees. They were decorated in fairy lights and daisy chains. Tables were set up on the left side and chairs down the middle.
At the base of the largest tree was an arch that was decorated with lilac fabric. Those in dresses wore either lilac or a sort of lightish blush color. Others wore matching ties.
"Wow, sure is stunning." Felix says, he sounds breathless like I felt.
It was such a sight.
Jack sits in a chair as Mandi is fixing his hair. She has some bobbing pins in her mouth as she brushes his hair back out of his face. Orion wanders over to Jack and holds up another flower that he picked.
"Is that for me?" Jack asks, smiling softly. Orion nods his head and then taps the top of his head. Jack takes a second before he understands, "Oh, you want it in my hair?"
Orion nods his head vigorously.
"You know what, that is a grand idea." He smiles.
"I'll see what I can do with it." Mandi replies, kind of muffled so she doesn't drop her bobbing pins.
Bob, Rose, and Wade make their way over.
"What do you think?" Bob gestures to the decorations.
"I think it came together really well." Felix's nods.
"I thought you didn't get dressed up." I raise a brow at their tuxes.
"Look, there is a difference between a fancy party and a family wedding." Bob crosses his arms.
I snort, "You are full of surprises."
"I try." He chuckles.
"Think we are about ready?" Wade asks.
"I think so." Rose replies, "Think the dress works?"
"Dude, it is one of the most beautiful hand made dresses I have ever seen." I look back at the dress Jack is wearing, "How do you have the patience???"
"I like to work with my hands." Rose grins proudly.
"Maybe you should have been a seamstress." Bob nudges Rose's shoulder. The group chuckles at this joke.
"Okay! We're ready! Everyone in their places!" Molly claps her hands.
"Welp, time to get going." Wade turns and we all split off. Rose, Wade and Bob head to the front by the tree to stand as groomsmen. Felix takes the bridesmaids position along with Hailey, Molly, and Mandi.
I followed Jack to a different tree to make sure he was hidden from sight, grabbing the veil and his bouquet, along the way.
"I'm so excited!" Jack grins from ear to ear. I smile, "It's very exciting. Here, stay still so I can get this attached." I hand him the flowers and then start to attach the veil to his head. I smooth it down to make sure there are no wrinkles.
"Do you see him yet?" Jack asks, he starts to teeter a little on the balls of his feet. I peek out from behind the tree, "Not yet, but who knows where Tyler took him."

It was roughly a few minutes wait before the two finally arrived. They're chattering about something but I can't make out what they are saying. I peek out and watch as they make their way down the aisle. Mark does pause and look around. He has a confused look on his face and turns to Tyler, whose back is all I could see. Tyler just shrugs and says something that seems to be just enough of an answer that Mark doesn't seem to suspect anything. I think.
"Okay, take a deep breath." I turned back to Jack, who looked like he might pass out. He nibbles his lip and then takes a deep breath, "Okay, all I have to do is walk when the music plays."
"Right, and I'll be right behind you." I remind him.
"Right right." He peeks just barely out from behind the tree. We see Mark standing nearby the arch. He's talking to Wade. Tyler must've told him the wedding was for someone else. The children hop down the aisle, dropping the little flower petals everywhere. Some in one place than the others.
Once they are in place, the wedding march starts to play.
"Okay, that's your cue." I take Jack's elbow and lead him out behind the tree.
We make it to the aisle and there everyone stands up and turns to watch Jack down the aisle. Mark is pushed up in his place under the arch and is giving everyone confused looks before he turns to look down the aisle.
The look of confusion turns to a look of utter shock. His mouth literally drops open.
Jack takes his place across from Mark and turns to hand me the bouquet of flowers before turning back to Mark, "Surprise."
Mark stammers for any words, looking rather flustered, "Y-you planned this?"
"...well, I had some help." Jack replies softly. Mark glances around before he looks back at Jack, still having trouble finding words.
"You don't like it?"
"No, no, I mean yes!" Mark stammers, "It's beautiful! I'm just very surprised."
More like shell shocked. I clear my throat loudly and tilt my head at Jack's back. Mark catching my meaning, nods his head, "And you look absolutely stunning! Where'd you find such a dress??"
"It was handmade for me." Jack gives a little twirl so Mark can see the whole dress. The priest that was standing closer to the trunk of the tree clears his throat softly, "Are you two ready?"
"Oh, yes, sorry Father." Jack turns to the priest. Mark nods his head in agreement.
"Okay," The priest turns to the crowd, "You may be seated."
The crowd takes a seat.
I get a tap on my shoulder and Hailey pushes a little stool at me. I nod a thanks and take a seat. Thank goodness, I can't stand for this whole ceremony.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the coming together of two souls-"
"Four." I interrupt.
"Huh?" He asks.
"Four souls." I answer.
He gives me a look of confusion before he clears his throat, "...the coming together of four souls. Before we get to the vows may I ask you all to bow your head in prayer."
We bow our heads.
"Lord we gather here today to bring together this lovely couple..."
Mm, I didn't know we were going to be praying. I wonder if that's just the priest thing?
This is an interesting gathering. All humans do this for marriage?
Some people make it even bigger and crazier. It's quite an event.
It is lovely.
"...and now, your vows." The priest says.
I take the folded paper out of my pocket and lean forward to hand it to Jack. His hand shakes a little.
"Take a deep breath." I whisper.
He nods his head before turning around to face Mark again. He takes a shaky breath before he starts to read off the paper, "I never imagined the day I met you that it would lead to this moment. Standing here before you, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and love. From the laughter we've shared to the tears we've wiped away, every moment has been a treasure. Today, I promise to continue cherishing and honoring you, to support and uplift you, to be your partner in all of life's adventures. With you, I have found my home, my heart, and my forever. I vow to love you unconditionally, today and always."
Mark smiles softly, taking Jack's hands in his. He seems to be confident in himself as he also takes a breath, "As I stand here, surrounded by our loved ones, I am filled with an indescribable joy knowing that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. You are my rock, my confidante, and my greatest adventure. For over a decade, you have been by my side through every triumph and trial, and I am endlessly grateful for your unwavering love and support. Today, I vow to be your constant companion, your faithful partner, and your biggest cheerleader. I promise to cherish you, respect you, and honor you for all the days of my life. With you, I have found my truest happiness, and I eagerly anticipate the journey ahead, hand in hand, as we continue to build our future together."
Damn, he's quick on his feet!
"And now the rings." The priest looks at us. Tyler steps forward and hands the ring to Mark, who takes it from him.
I pat my pockets, "Uh?"
"...Ethan?" Jack asks softly.
"Hang on," I pat through my other pockets. Did I actually forget the ring!
"Ah, here it is!" Felix steps forward, "It was in my pocket." He hands the ring to Jack. Oh thank God. Wait? How did Felix get it?? I thought I had it. Felix gives me a wink as he hurries back to his spot. Oh that-! Cheeky asshole swiped it from my pocket!
Jack turns back to Mark.
They follow the priests' instructions to place the rings on the third finger on their left hand.
"I now pronounce you husband and husband, may kiss your bride." The priest smiles. The crowd begins to cheer loudly as the two lean in for a sweet kiss.
"Let's get this party started!" Jack turns away from Mark.

"I can't believe you stole the ring from me!" I smack Felix once we step over to the table for food, "I bet you even know how to tie a tie."
He laughs, "Sorry, I had to have a little bit of fun."
"I actually thought I left it behind." I shake my head as he just continues to chuckle at me, "Look, it all worked out in the end."
"Yeah but you made me look like I was being forgetful." I complain.
"It's not that big of a deal little brother." He wraps his arm around my shoulders, "All that matters is that they got their ring."
"You know what?"
"What?"
I smashed my piece of cake in his face, "There, now we're even."
He gasps loudly as he wipes the cake out of his eyes, "You did not just do that."
I smirk, "I did."
He frowns at me before he picks up his slice. My smirk fades, "No, wait-"
"It's only fair." He tries to grab me. I jerk back and stumble slightly, "Felix, let's think about this!"
"I did." He chunks it.
I duck.
A startled yelp comes from behind us and everyone stops to see the cake had smashed into the side of Mark's face. He looks absolutely shocked.
Ah shit.
Jack bursts out laughing.
Mark gets a look on his face before he smashes Jack's face into his cake slice, laughing just as loudly.
"FOOD FIGHT!!" someone yells and now we're all dodging cake slices being flung in every direction.

"Sorry about the cake fight." I mutter.
"I'm not." Felix replies and I elbow him.
Jack is still chuckling, holding his sides, "I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life!"
"Definitely a great memory." Mark rakes his finger through Jack's hair, taking some of the icing out and tastes it, "Mm."
Tyler walks over, he's carrying Asher, who is absolutely covered in cake. The little boy is passed out.
"I think it's time to get the little ones to bed." Tyler smiles, "And congratulations to you two."
"Oh thanks." They reply to him.
"How did you manage to avoid the cake??" I look at Tyler. He's completely clean. He smiles at me but doesn't say anything.
"Yeah, the twins are exhausted." Hailey joins us, "I'm going to take them back to bed."
"Thank you all for celebrating with us." Jack has to give us each a hug.
"You're welcome."
"It was a lot of fun!"
"The best wedding I have ever been to." I take Asher from Tyler as we bid everyone goodnight and head back to the house.
"...should we give him a bath?" Tyler asks.
"Eh, it's just cake." I shrug and lay him down in his bed, "It can be washed out tomorrow."
"Sounds good."
We shuffle out of Asher's bedroom and I make my way to the bathroom, wetting a rag, and begin to try and get the dried icing out of my hair.
"But really, how did you not get an ounce of cake on you??"
"I stayed by the tree."
"That's cheating."
"Cheating?? I just didn't want to participate."
"That's not fair." I whine, "The rest of us are completely covered."
"Yeah, but now you have to spend time cleaning it off of you." He replies, "And I don't."
"Yeah that's true." I found a patch of icing on my clothes that was just big enough that it hadn't dried completely yet. I smirk and turn to Tyler, "Can I have a kiss?"
He's quiet for a second before he moves forward to give me a kiss. I smile and then before he can kiss me, I smear the icing on his face.
"Ah-! Love?"
I snorted, "Yes Baby?"
"Did you just-?"
"It's only fair." I grin.
"Fair my ass." He mutters before he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me against him. I squeak but then melt into the soft kiss.
"I love you."
"I love you too." I wipe the rag over his face to clean off the icing. My smile fades just slightly as I take in the scars across his face. My fingers shake.
Tyler's hand clasps over mine, holding it against his face, "Love, stay in the present." His words battle against my mind slipping back into the past. Back to the fight. Back to the pain.
"...I'm trying..."
"Remember that it was not your fault. No matter what you think. I don't hold it against you. You are my everything."
I let out a soft breath.
"Without you I would never know the meaning of true love. I would never know the meaning of being a father. I would never have something to fight for each and every day." He continues, "I love you deeper and deeper each passing second. And I will continue to love you until my heart stops beating."
I blush at his sweet words, "Oh hush you-"
"I'm serious. I will love forever and always." He interrupts me.
"I know you're serious." I kiss his lips "And I will love you forever and always."
He takes my hand and then he bends down onto one knee, "I know this is kind of cheesy to do but, would you do me the honor of marrying me?"
I'm at an absolute loss for words, "A-ah-?
"I'm completely serious. I thought about this long and hard. And nothing would make me happier." He continues.
"Y-you want to marry me? But I'm a mess!" I stammer.
"You're heaven." He smiles.
I can't hold back my excitement any longer and give him a tight hug, "Yes!" I kiss him again and again, "Yes, I will marry you!"