𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐭𝐰𝐨 ─── unwanted visitors

New York, 16th September 2008

ℑt was disconcerting to say the least, waking up with her husband not by her side, especially when she'd gone to be with him there the night before. Cai was doing his best to try and be of use, resting his head on her stomach and cuddling closer, but it wasn't the same as Luke. 

She didn't like it.

"Morning," Ellie looked up, watching the two older men in her house with narrowed eyes, still unsure of what to make of them. Hermes was nursing a cup of coffee, his entire form hunched over as he thought, whilst Apollo cooked breakfast with a grin.

"Hi, Arabella," Apollo placed a smoothie and a plate of food in front of the woman, who watched it suspiciously. "How did you sleep? Was everything alright? Did anything happen with the babies?"

"You're hounding her with questions again." Hermes pointed out, as Apollo grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry."

"I'm good." Ellie nodded, taking a sip of the smoothie, that worked to sooth all the worry and fear in her stomach. As her anxiety calmed, the babies did too, not moving around as much in her stomach. "Have you heard anything about the boys?"

"They're imprisoned under false charges," Hermes replied, downing the coffee before he started to talk once more. "Hopefully, they'll be out by this afternoon, should everything be processed correctly."

"I'm just not even sure how this happened," Ellie ran a hand down her face, before demolishing the plate of food that was in front of her. "We've never been on the police radar's before, apart from that one time we almost burnt a building down, so what happened now?"

"How did you almost burn down a building?" Apollo chuckled, placing more food onto her plate. "You, Darling, are a lot of fun."

"Thanks?" Ellie continued to eat the food on her plate, looking at Hermes with a raised eyebrow.

"We know just as much as you do," Hermes replied. "I just got a text from Luke asking me to come to the house because the police were there."

"He said you guys weren't close." Ellie stated. "In fact, I'm pretty sure Luke's told me that he'd happily spit on your grave before, and that you disowned him."

Hermes winced. He did deserve that.

"We might not be close, but he's still my son, and if he needs me, then I will be there to help him. And, for the record, I have not disowned Luke, as much as I know he wants me to." Hermes replied, before a knock sounded at the door. "Were you expecting anyone today?"

"No, not at all," Ellie replied, as Hermes and Apollo tensed up. "Could it be the boys back early?"

"Unlikely," Apollo replied. The knocks sounded again, more frantic this time. "You should probably go and answer that."

Ellie nodded, placing a hand on her stomach, as she walked to the door and unlocked it. Opening it, her eyes widened at the sight of her mother, father and sister. 

"Oh, Bella, we were so worried," Her mother wrapped her arms around the girl, who immediately tried to take a step backwards and protect Beans. "We heard about the police last night and wanted to make sure that you, and our grandchildren, weren't hurt."

"What?" Ellie managed to escape her grip, as Cai stood guard in front of her. She didn't know what to make of this? Was this her mom actually caring, or not?

"This is what happens when you marry a guy you've only known for a year," Her dad huffed, shaking his head. "He turns out to be a murderer and a thief. You never truly know people."

"How?" Ellie's head was spinning as she tried to work everything out, a headache forming quickly. "I haven't told anyone about the police. How did you know?"

"That nice detective called to tell us what had happened. He thought you would need some support." Her mother smiled, before she set some bags down as if they were moving in. Ellie's breathing started to pick up. "So, what are you having? Are they getting traditional family names?"

"I really want to be the godmother." Ellie turned her glare on her sister, everything feeling overwhelmed almost immediately. The babies in her stomach turned, and Ellie tried her best to settle the nerves. "I think you should let me be the godmother."

"No," Ellie replied, trying not to stutter on the word. She knew she should have told her mother she wanted them out of her lives at the graduation. Why did she have to be so weak willed?

"Your sister should really be the godmother of the children." Dot smiled sympathetically, before moving on. "Are they going to be taking the family name all things considered?"

"When are they due?"

"What are the genders?"

"That's enough." It was Hermes who stopped their questions when Ellie's mouth failed to form words. He stood in front of her, levelling a glare at the family. "You are overwhelming her. She is pregnant, and in distress from a very stressful situation that happened last night. Do not come now and try to take advantage of that distress to force your own ideas and thoughts upon her."

"Who are you to tell me what to do? This is my daughter, and my grandchildren." Hermes towered over her father by a good few inches, making it easier to glare down at the man.

"She is my daughter-in law, and they are also my grandchildren. As far as I'm concerned, you are no longer her parents. You disowned her." Hermes spat. "Now, I am doing what my son would want by telling you to leave the property."

"You're Luke's father?"

"Yes, I am." Hermes stood tall, his eyes narrowed and Ellie could see where Luke got his glare from. Apollo was standing in the shadows to the right of her, his hand on her shoulder to try and get the woman to step back.

"You've done well, let us take it from here." Apollo whispered, squeezing her shoulders. All of the tension left her body, and Ellie felt like she wanted to collapse, or possibly cry. They would help her deal with her parents. She didn't have to do this alone. "Leave. Now."

 "And you are?"

"Luke's uncle." Apollo grinned in an annoying sort of manner.

"Luke is a murderer! And a thief!" Her mother cried, reaching for Ellie once more. "I will not let my daughter or my grandchildren near that man. How can we trust that he will not harm her?"

"My son was arrested on false charges," Hermes replied, crossing his arms in annoyance. "He's done none of those things."

"What? How could he even afford this house? He's nothing more than a poor, runaway boy with a mentally incapacitated mother," Her father growled, and it seemed that time froze. Apollo had gone pale, looking between Hermes and her family quickly. Ellie's temper began to flare, but one kick from Beans told her to calm down. 

"I own the internet and I make sure that my children have enough to live and be sufficient on their own, thank you very much. Luke is a CEO at a private security firm, he's done very well with his life." Hermes hissed, as Ellie and Apollo watched on. "The fact that you know about Luke's life is starting to make me question a couple of things, like why the detective would call you."

"What's so wrong about that?" They all looked indignant. "We came to help our daughter."

"You hired a private investigator, didn't you?" Hermes nodded.

"No!" Ellie's heart began to break, staring at her parents.

"That was rhetorical. I already knew that answer." Hermes spat, shaking his head. "You got my son, his best friend and a 15 year old boy arrested under false charges and then ran the risk of forcing Ellie to go into labour early from the stress just because you didn't like Ellie leaving your grips on her and starting her own life. I, and I think that Ellie, my son and the other residents of this house will agree, don't want to ever see you on this property again. Leave, before I call the cops for invasion of privacy, harassment and trespassing."

"You can't do this! Bella!" Her mother turned to look at the girl, who's lips began to tremble, tears welling in her eyes. "Bella! Please, I'm your mother!"

"I-" She looked between them all, stepping backwards again. Finally, she turned to Hermes. "I want them gone."

Hermes nodded, turning to stare down at her family.

"You heard her. Leave." He growled. Her family watched her, betrayal clear in their eyes. Ellie stared back at them, before the doors closed, and she turned away. "Arabella, you alright?"

"Yeah." Ellie choked out. "I'm alright."

Hermes and Apollo shared a glance behind her, unsure of what to do. Apollo placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently as she brushed her tears away.

"I'm alright." She nodded.

"Why haven't you filed a restraining order?" Ellie shrugged, chewing on her lips as Cai came to curl up next to her. 

"I can't." She sighed. "I just can't." 

Apollo appeared once more, holding a bowl of ice cream for the girl to eat, sitting cross legged on the floor beside her.

"I don't have the strength to do that."

"I think you're incredibly resilient," Apollo smiled softly at her, patting her knee. "To continue to deal with them, and push them away every time. Though, my doctors orders would be to avoid that stressor. We don't really want you going into labour early, especially not with twins."

∘☽༓☾∘

Hiya,

Hermes woke up that morning and decided to only speak facts, Ellie's awful family turned up and ARGH I want to yeet them into the sun, Apollo and Ellie watching it all go down is funny, and no Luke, Ethan or Alabaster this chapter (cause they're all still in prison).

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx