The Kids Reactions

I grabbed Alex’s hand and headed towards the door. Alex wiggled his hand free and wrapped his arm around my waist. I was sure it was for my benefit, but I’d like to think that Alex was in a very touchy feely mood now that I was alive.

Though had I really been dead.

Alex groaned, “Yes, you were dead. No pulse, no breathing. Nothing – dead as a fucking door nail.”

I grinned, “Door nails aren’t exactly ever a live so I have no idea how that saying came to be.”

Alex rolled his eyes but he pulled me closer to his side. “I missed your need to fill the void.”

“It’s not a need. I can’t help it.” I whined.

The others laughed, which made me turn around and glare at Ant and Ryan who were happily following us. Ant looked bad, Alex wasn’t much better. And they weren’t exactly looking at each other either. I was going to have to fix that.

“No you aren’t.” They said at the same time, and then growled which made Ryan laugh.

“They’ve been like this for the last two days.” Ryan added with humor in his voice. It was good someone was enjoying themselves.

We took the elevator, though Ant could have shadow walked. “Actually.” Alex interrupted, “Ant can’t. Well he could walk up to a safe level but there is no shadow walking in or out of the compound anymore. Not unless you want to have a fricasseed vampire on your hands.”

“I’d prefer to keep my vampires alive, they smell bad when you fry them.” I grinned at Alex.

I pressed myself against Alex as we went up. Ryan and Ant stood in front of us and chatted, I heard the murmur of their voices but no one else entered the lift until after we’d exited. It was like someone said you can’t press the button. Alex whispered, “It’s express when they want it to be.” I guess that makes sense.

The doors pulled open on the top floor and as soon as it did I heard a squeal and heard the pattern of small feet heading out direction. Ant, Ryan and Alex had the foresight to step out of the way before I had three kids piling on top of me inside the elevator.

Ryan was clutching the back of two of their shirts, Drake and Cass dangled from his hands like trophy fish and Alex pulled Hunter from me so I could scramble off the elevator before the panic set in. That was the last thing I needed. Being shot at and burned alive didn’t scare me more than a fucking elevator how fucking epic was that.

As soon as I had crawled over the threshold the three kids were back on top of me and I held them tight to me. I heard my brothers walking across the floor and I looked up to see the three boys staring down at our small pile. I waved the best I could with a smile. Rider kicked my shoulder. “You’re a bastard.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” I begged but it wasn’t real.

Rider smirked and nodded, “You owe me dinner. And a movie. Just me and you.”

I nodded, “You’ll have to wait till Alex will let me out of his sight though.”

Rider looked at Alex and smiled, “I think I can wait. But you owe me. Can we move this someplace more comfortable?”

I stood up with the three little ones hanging off of me. “I think we can manage that.” I didn’t carry the kids to our room, but to another large room with a king size bed. The kids all noticed but no one said anything. Alex followed us into the room with a smirk on his face. I want alone time too. I thought and Alex just nodded with that smirk.

I had no idea what time it was other than it was dark. Ant stood inside the room while the rest of curled up together on the bed. Alex sighed, “Ant, you’re family too. You can join us if you want.”

I raised my eyebrows in shock. I hadn’t expected that. Alex gave me a mental nudge told me to leave it – he’d tell me later. So that’s what I did I just curled up with Alex and let Ant do what Ant did. But he stood there standing guard. “Seriously, Ant.”

“I know, man. But until Vin gets here I’m standing guard.”

“What difference does it make if you are sitting or laying on the bed in terms of reacting? Anything that’s gotten this far is going to be formidable what makes you think you standing in the door is going to stop it.”

Ant growled at Alex’s assessment. “I’m fine. Thank you.” His voice softened, “I will join you when Vin gets here. He was running errands for us while we let you have your family reunion.”

Cass giggled, “Yay!” She snuggled up against my back and I froze out of habit. She jerked away expecting something different. She lifted the t-shirt and there was a gasp all around.

“Holy fuck!” Rider said. “I mean…. No, I mean holy fuck! Sorry. How?”

I shrugged. “Magic?” I said with a hint of sarcasm as well as truth. I had no idea how the scars healed the way they had, how I didn’t look like Deadpool was beyond me. If everything Ryan told me was true then I had no idea how I came out of the fire unscathed.

Ant sighed, “And the fourth, he shall rise from the ash Ascended.”

“What?” I asked.

“A line from the prophecy of the Ascendant. Ryan could repeat it to you. He believes.” Ant let out a long breath, “I believe now.”

Alex agreed, “I think we all do. We just need to make him see it. Talk some sense into him. Make him see that all this destiny bullshit isn’t about what’s written it’s a warning so he can affect it.”

Ant nodded his agreement. “That’s a talk I’ll let you have with him. I don’t know if I could be convincing enough. Or sit him down with Ryan.”

“Or both.” Alex said. “But right now, ” the door opened and Vin stepped inside, “we all need to just be a family.”

Alex wrapped one arm around Quinn and the other around me. Ant joined us on the other side with the older boys and Cass breaking up their little uncomfortable looks. She hugged Ant and Rider curled around her and everyone was happy – everyone touching someone that mattered but most of all just a family.