In which Isabell and Tom have two kids together, but aren't together.

Lil backstory: Isabell and Tom had twins when they were 18, at the start of Tom's career. They separated when they were 26 at the peak of Tom's stardom. The twins are 12 when shit starts to hit the fan. (Isa and Tom are 30)

"You can't keep doing this! It's not fair to them!" | "Neither is you expecting me to put my career on hold!" | "What about my career!?" | "You don't have one!"

"Tom... again?"

"I know... I'm sorry, I can take them on Monday,"

"No, you can't. They're at school and the doctors in the afternoon. They wanted to go to the cinema with you,"

"Can't I take them out for the day?"

"Absolutely not. You need to put your kids first,"

"I can't help a work event this weekend, Is."

"No, but you can not go for lunch this one single weekend, Tom. I don't ask a lot, neither do they,"

"Look, I can't do this weekend. I can do during the week, or next weekend instead."

"You better stick to that. I'm telling them, and then you have to explain when you back out again on Friday night," Isabell hung up the phone without waiting for a reply. That was usually how hers and Tom's phone calls were... especially these days. Isa and Tom had welcomed their beautiful twins when they were 18. A bit young, but Isa wouldn't change it for a single thing. Tom had only just been cast as Spider-Man when she found out she was pregnant, giving birth prematurely at 34 weeks. They'd been in the NICU for the remaining 6 weeks until both babies were deemed healthy enough to go home. Isa had been told to stay in as well, seeing as she'd torn a little when she birthed her daughter, Maia. Maia had been sideways, so the nurses had to practically twist her inside Isa's uterus. They'd decided that their son, Alex, was safer to be done via c-section.

Maia and Alex, aside from a few complications, grew up to be relatively healthy. Maia had mild Aspergers, but that was it. She couldn't ever really get social cues and situations, which made Isa's and Tom's split far more complicated and harder than it needed to be. Another side effect? She could never understand why Tom only had them some weekends. She was told every weekend, and term breaks. It just worked better.

Isa lived closer to their school and worked a typical 9-5 job at her local bath bomb place. Maia would usually go to Niki's after school, or round to her friends while Alex did football or basketball. Isa would then grab them on the way home and have dinner with them both.

Isa wanted to move into movie directing, but she couldn't while Tom was off acting. She didn't think it would be fair for Tom to be in Atlanta filming, and for her to be in LA directing, while Maia and Alex stayed with Niki or Isa's parents.

~

"So..." Alex asked in the kitchen one day. Isa raised her eyebrows, hiding a smirk behind her steaming cup of tea. The microwave read 07:58, which meant she had just over an hour to get them dressed (hair brushed in Maia's case) and off to the front gate by 8:45. "Sooo?" Isa prompted. "I heard you and dad last night," Alex spoke. Isa hummed. "Yeah... and?" She asked. Alex took a sip of his lukewarm tea. "I'm guessing we aren't going this weekend," It was more of a statement than a question. Isa sighed and frowned. "Doesn't look like it, buddy. Sorry,"

"We aren't at dad's this weekend?" Maia's frantic voice shouted from the hall. Isa closed her eyes with a deep sigh. "Al, go get your shoes on and brush your teeth please." Alex put his cup down and brushed past Maia, who was now playing with the zip at the top of her dress. "Am I with dad this weekend?" Isa shook her head. "No sweetheart... he's at work." Maia stamped her foot. "That's not fair! He's always working!" Isa knew Maia was going to meltdown if she didn't try to placate the situation. "I know sweetheart, but you've still got me! And, we'll go visit your cousins on the beach if you want instead?" She asked. Maia shook her head, stamping her feet. "NO! I WANT TO SEE DAD!" Isa pointed a stern finger. "Maia Wilson-Holland. We do not stamp our feet." Maia stopped stamping but continued mooding. Isa pulled out her phone. "Look, I'll ring him quickly, so you can talk before school. How's that sound?" Maia sighed deeply and began playing with her dress again. "Ok," She replied quietly.

All things considered, that wasn't even a meltdown. Maia had performed far worse.

Isa scrolled down to Tom's contact and rang him. "Pick up, pick up, pick up," She muttered. While waiting, she picked up the brush and some of Maia's hair bobbles. Her 12-year-old sat on the floor in front, waiting. Maia struggled with putting her hair in ponytails and braiding, another effect of being sideways at birth. So, on the weekends and evenings, Isa would let Maia practise on her own hair, and Isa would do Maia's on school mornings.

Isa began to brush her thick brown hair. "Yeah?" Tom's sleepy husky voice answered. "Hey Tom, Maia needs to speak with you," Isabell hoped the desperate tone on "needs" was enough to start his brains up. She put the phone on speaker before handing it to her daughter.

"Daddy?" Maia asked. "Hey princess, how are you?" Tom answered. Isa began braiding her daughter's hair while she talked away. "Sad," Maia answered back.

"And why is my princess sad?" Isabell rolled her eyes. "I want to see you on Saturday," Maia replied. "I know sweetheart, I'm sorry. Daddy's gotta work, but I can take you the next weekend," Alex had arrived in the room as well at this point, no doubt ready to hand his dad a piece of his mind. Alex was the spitting image of Tom, but by God, did he have Isabell's personality. If Maia wasn't so self-conscious, Isa had no doubt she'd have her temper as well. "Is it actually gonna be this weekend though dad?" Isa turned to glare at her nearly teenage son. "Alex Wilson-Holland!" She scolded. "What do you mean, bud?" Tom asked through the phone. "It's always "I'm working" or "Next weekend bud" but it never actually is!" Isa wanted to step in: but he was right. Even when they were together, contrary to what Tom always said, he always put his job first. Aside from the gender scan and the birth, he'd been working throughout Isa's pregnancy.

"I'm sorry bud, I am... but I've got a break coming soon, and I'll be back in London for a few months. Maybe you guys can stay with me and Z?" Maia frantically shook her head. Isa pulled her in for a hug. Maia didn't like that Tom was with another lady, even if she was lovely. Isa had met Z on multiple occasions and were on good terms with each other. Z didn't treat her kids as Tom's "other" kids, she treated them as her own as well, while staying in the step-mother role. If Isa wasn't so busy looking after the twins and making sure the bills were paid, she'd have met someone else by now.

"Yeah, when it happens I'll believe it," Alex snapped. Isa glared. "What mum!? I'm only telling the truth!" She sighed, her glare not relenting. Alex backed down with an irritated sigh. "I'm off. Zack's meeting me and we're walking to school today," Then he turned to the phone, "Or did you forget I'm actually at school dad?" Then walked out. Isa patted Maia's shoulder before following him out. "Uh, sir... what the hell was that?" She snapped. "I'm done, he always lets me down!" Isa knew Alex wouldn't be calm enough to reason with until this evening, so she sighed deeply. "Fine, text me when you get to school? And are you at homework tonight or football?" She asked, grabbing his coat.

"Football and Zack's mum said she'll bring me back," Isa nodded and kissed him on the head. "Be safe, and text me when you finish. Pasta for dinner!" She called as he waved out the door.

Isa made her way back into the front room where Maia breezed past with a "bye mum! I'm at Sarah's after school!" Isa barely shouted "Text me when you get there and pasta for tea!" before the door shut. She frowned, walking to the phone. "Tom?" She asked. "They're pissed," He replied. "Yep, can you blame them though?" She asked, sitting down. Isa only had about 20 minutes before she had to leave as well. "No... but it's not my fault," Tom argued. Isabell scoffed. "You can't keep doing this! It's not fair to them," Tom made a sound of disagreement. "Neither is you expecting me to put my career on hold!" Isabell's anger rushed. "What about my career!?" She yelled down the phone. "You don't have one!" Tom snapped back. Isabell's eyes widened. "I'm so sorry Isa, I-" He began. Isa's fury reached a new level. "I would if you weren't so fucking selfish!" She seethed.

She hung up the phone and screamed.

Part two??