Don't stand unmoving outside the door of a crying baby whose only desire is to touch you. Go to your baby. Go to your baby a million times. Demonstrate that people can be trusted, that the environment can be trusted, that we live in a benign universe.
-Peggy O'Mara

Nothing that I'm willing to say to Nonnie would stop her from coming so I agreed and eventually she choose to ride with Asher- -the nice guy- -instead of Lincoln and little Hayden. 

Apparently, the way the golden boy shrinks in on himself and smiles sweetly makes anyone feel safe around him.

After helping Eliza get her bike from the back of the truck, since she's taking me to my work, I'm instructed to drive and cut in front of Asher's truck -only so the wolf girl could salute and wink at her boyfriend.

Once we make it to King Elliott Mechanic's and get my bike, we race home.

I won -much to Eliza's annoyance.

Then, finally, when the kids get here I make them lunch before getting them all set up for the water balloon fight -Aunt Jessamine actually picks up Emery and Bailey right as I put them down for a nap.

Seems like Cellie called in backup early.

"Thatch," That's all Violet calls me. "I'm inviting Mace, AP and Jay over to do this with us, is that okay?"

"Oh um..." At this moment I really, really want to say no. "Yeah, of course. Elle, um, Eliza invited Celeste, the one who's taking the kids tomorrow anyway, over since her boyfriend, oh uh, that's Elle's, Eliza's brother, is gone camping for the weekend with his friends. It uh, it -it wouldn't be fair."

She narrows her eyes at me, Are you sure?"

"Yeah." I nod, not meeting her brown eyes, the eyes I've learned how not to like looking at. "Are you okay with all this?"

"I'm the one who asked to come." Violet says, sounding incredulous and a little snappy, making me sigh. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Shrugging, my entire demeanor seems to diminish. Finally, I work up the courage to ask her what I've been wanting to since she said she's coming. 

Something I'm afraid to hear the answer to, or see the reaction of. 

"Can I -can I be myself? Here, I mean, this is my home, my, my safe spot. And um, and they're my family. You said you don't...like me, at all. You don't like my personality, or, or the way -the way I speak. The words I use. Or, or I guess the way -you don't like me." This, I can say confidently. "So can I, I mean, I'm asking -can I be myself without annoying you, just here. When um, when you leave and um, our schedule is back to normal I won't be anymore, and um, I'll do everything you told me to like usual."

"I don't-"

Overreacting because I think she's going to say no and having a little panic set dead in my chest, I straighten up and accidentally interrupt her. "I didn't mean to, to make you mad or anything and um, that was a dumb question. I'm sorry, and um, sorry." Turing away I quickly go to leave, only to have Violet grab onto my arm.

"It's okay!" Violet says, sounding a little rushed. "You can be yourself. I was going to say I don't care, since they're your family and all. So yeah, whatever."

"Wait," At hearing this I have a hard time holding back my grin. "Seriously? Even in front of your friends?"

"I'm serious, it's whatever."

This time I don't hold back my grin. It's like I'm unlocking myself from a trap in my mind, almost like I'm becoming a entirely different person. A lighter person.

Finally -I can be myself.

It's like I can breathe again.

Eliza comes up behind us and leans against the door frame of the living room Violet stopped me in. "Everything okay, A?"

"Perfectly fine, Elle." I reply, looking over to her. "You should get ready to swim, Squirt because if you don't get wet that way I'm going to soak you by winning this war."

"Oh is that so? Get ready to have your ass kicked, A', because I'm going to be the winner." Eliza declares, smirking. "And I'm going to push you in before you even get one solid little hit in."

"Brave words coming from a midget." Teasing my cousin, makes her growl at him and step forward in a way that would be threatening if I was anyone who wasn't there to help change her diapers. "See! You small people are getting braver and braver with every tiny step forward."

"Why you-"

Asher steps up behind her, and kisses under her ear to calm her down. "He teasing you, Munchkin?"

"No." Elle huffs, glaring at a grinning Atticus. "He's being an ass."

"What'd you do to him?" Her boyfriend asks, the one time she didn't start it too. "What'd she do to you?"

"Oh, despicable things really." I lie without missing a beat. "You and Link find the bathroom okay? The kids are all ready and Mickey is showing Angel and Hayden how to tie the water balloons. Squirt here thought it was time to assault someone instead of getting ready herself, so she might need you to help with that."

"But I didn't-"

"It's okay." The nice guy smiles. "Let's go change Blue, yeah?"

"But I didn't do anything!"

"Sure." He easily agrees, but obviously doesn't believe her -which is way funnier to me than it should be. "Liza, let's just change."

Walking away, Eliza flips me off making me wink at her before stepping into the small hallway that leads to my bedroom. I change quickly, leaving my shirt on -I'll admit I'm a little scared for new people to see my scars.

I knew something must have happened the second Eliza stormed out of my back door and makes a b-line directly to her boyfriend. Taken aback, I glance at Link but the redhead just shrugs.

"How long until Lest is here?" Mickey asks. "Wasn't she already close for a interview or something?"

"Yeah!" Rosangel, who I know loves her big sister more than anything, chirps in excitement. "Is she close Atti?"

"She should be here any second, you little creatures ready to win this battle? We have to beat Elle and Link, no doubt about it." Lincoln snorts, having Hayden and Eliza on his team he has pretty good odds. The small six year old huffs, crossing their arms, making me grin. "And Hayden, he's the one we have to look out for. Ain't that right, buddy?"

"Yeah!" Hayden, happy at being included, nods excitedly. "I have, I have ninja skills and, and everything. I'll sneak up behind you, sneak attack you and win!"

"You definitely will, bud." I high five him, remembering to let my little cousin do just that and get the 'drop' on me.

Asher was asked by Macy to be on her and Violet's team and was too nice to say no.

The guy is too nice.

"Atticus!" The wild, suddenly appearing angel girl shouts at the top of her lungs, alarming everyone as she runs out of my back door and straight to me.

I barely have any time to prepare to catch her, but laugh as we both collide. Since I'm as old as the twins, she's told me she sees me like her awesome but protective big brother while also being the cool douche-bag cousin type.

Which makes sense to me, as Celeste is like my adorably crazy little sister.

Her crazy shows more than her adorableness though, when she jumps right on me, making me stumble back as I catch her hot pink bikini clad self.

When did she have time to change?

"I missed you oh my god, I missed you! I have news, and I know you've been stressed but I want to tell you all about what you've missed when I've been at college. And I'm ready to win this thing, also did you bake because the house smelled like cookies and I'm also so ready to eat them if that's the case. Oh! And also, are you worried about your bike being out and getting knocked over when people run aorund throwing water ballons? Because I can totally see that happening." Celeste says in one breath.

"Woah, Cellie." I laugh, and it's completely genuine. "One thing at a time, you know I can't understand you when you talk that fast. I caught news, cookies and something about my bike."

Celeste, taking another breath, explains slower this time and with a laugh I answer everything, and how my bike is in the garage but the midget's isn't and that's the bike she saw.

"How'd the interview go?" I ask, keeping Celeste tucked in my side since she's still bouncing in excitement as we watch the kids, and Link, tie the water balloons. "Did you behave the entire time, or go a little berserk at the end?"

"I behaved!" The angel girl chirps, poking me in the stomach with a giggle. "Why are you still fully clothed? You hate wearing wet shirts."

"Says the one who sprayed me with the hose at the family reunion." I grunt, grinning a second later. "I think...I should return the favor."

"No!" Celeste squeals, squirming in my arms. "Atti come on we can -ahmp!"

Without even attempting to let my cousin talk her way out of it, I throw her over my shoulder and walk slowly over to the pool -just enough time for Eliza to playfully cat call me, happy at my course of action.

Just as I drop Celeste in the water, I'm pushed.

But I turn as I'm pushed, and catch Eliza's wrist in a tight grip as I let myself fall -only to bring her with me.

All three of us surface at the same time, both of them gasping at the cold water while I merely tilt my head back and let out a laugh. 

Celeste splashes me for payback, so I grab her leg and yank her towards me to tickle her, but before I could Eliza presses down on my shoulders and dunks both of us under the water.

Ugh.

Wet shirts.

Climbing out of the pool I shake off like a dog, making Celeste squeal and try to stumble away from me.

"Hey Thatch," I hear Avery say, making my glance at him. "How many water balloons does everyone get?"

My mere glance changes to a glare as I catch the way his eyes stay on my cousin's body, and move to block her from his sight.

"Ask Link." I reply, not all too happy at the moment.

Celeste giggles, breaking the tension to slap my stomach making me bow over. "Your shirts all wet."

"Wow," I drawl, managing to put the amount of sarcasm in one word that the Devil would have. "Who would have thought that after I, and my shirt mind you, went diving into a pool of water would-" I cut myself off pretending to gasp. "-come out wet!"

"Not Xander," The not-so angel girl replies in good humor. "He's dumb."

"So am I." Eliza reminds us, grinning, only for her boyfriend to shake his head and tell her exact opposite but Link nods, confirming her words. "See, Weasley agrees with me."

"That's because he loves to hate you."

"You love to love me." Elle winks, insinuating something that causes Asher to flush all over again.

Gag.

Due to Celeste poking me again, I lean over her and ruffles my hair -making water splash over her. She squeaks, and quickly dashes behind the confused and slightly annoyed Lincoln. "I hate it when you do that!"

"Then don't mess with me and I won't mess with you."

"That's not how this works!" Celeste exclaims, green eyes making it obvious that despite her words, she's happy. "I poked you, you can't just get me all wet for that."

At this opportunity, I smirk. "That's what she said."

"Atti!"

"What? That's funny and you know it."

"It's not funny."

"Yes it is."

Both of us pause, staring at each other before yelling "Is it funny?" to Elle, making her sigh and lock her blue eyes onto Celeste's.

"Nah," Eliza says but I give a light cough, making her do a one eighty on her decision. "It's hilarious."

I can't help it, I laugh -I know that the Wolf girl only sided with me out of pure spite to the Hilton's and to me, that's funnier than any joke. 

"Thanks Elle."

"Anytime A'."

Huffing, Celeste pouts up at me. "I hate you. And I'm glad we share no blood."

"I wouldn't want to share blood with you," I shrug, smirk hiding behind a small grin. "I'd be crazy, shorter and my dad would have another thing to rub in Aunt Em's face."

This, unfortunately for Celeste, clearly isn't the react she wanted only making the angel girl get more frustrated. "Would you quit being that smug self of yours, get out of that wet shirt so you don't start complaining and finish filling up the water guns with them so we can get on with this war so I can kick you butt?"

"Cellie," I deadpan. "We're on the same team."

"I mean..." Celeste smirks, eyeing me playfully up and down. "That's never stopped me before and you're not much of a threat."

I snort- -knowing I'm barely an inch shorter than Asher and the same size as him, bigger than Lincoln, just as good as a fighter as Eliza and more prepared to handle actual threats than anyone else here and in all honesty, pretty scary when I feel the need to be- -and rolls my eyes, before glancing down at myself. "Not threatening, right."

She doesn't protest further, seeing as I'm complying with one of her requests and quickly shed my shirt only to toss it right on Mickey.

The younger boy yelps, as Rosangel giggles, probably happy that her brother was messed with so she takes off towards me. "Atti, Atti, up!" Without hesitation I pick her up, resting her on a hip. "Thank you!"

Rolling her eyes, Celeste shoves me lightly in the side. "I forgot how good you are with tiny humans."

"Tiny humans?" I question, looking down to Rose causing a smile to break out over my features. "Right, tiny humans."

The war quickly starts.

Violet and Macy, distracted, quickly get soaked, losing against every team besides Jason and Avery, who are suddenly a little afraid to actually fight against anyone -though Asher stays much drier than them, getting the only hits their team has on anyone else. Lincoln's team would be winning, if not for the way I oh-so stealthily slip behind people and soak them. 

In fact, the only person that has got me with a water balloon or gun of any sorts is Hayden.

During this, I almost forget the way Violet hates me, as I'm overwhelmed by how happy my family makes me, even during times of stress.

That is until Celeste reveals she's leaving with the kids today, and that's why she came, because her parents- -mostly Uncle Calum- -wants to have everyone together for one day and spend time with his entire family, while Jessamine wants to just sleep -I know she's having a really stressful time at work, being called back from vacation early. Very loud kids that fight all the time, even if she loves them to pieces, can get annoying.

It's then, when Eliza and the two friends are changing and the group is behind me in the living room and am I frozen after saying goodbye at the door, that I realize just how unsafe I feel around them.

How suffocated they make me feel.

Back to holding my breath, I think, sighing as I rest my forehead against the door frame in mental defeat. It isn't supposed to be like this.