Yellow

twelve

Carter, as part of his morning routine, liked to check on the boys before he went to work. Artemis decided to go with him instead of go back to sleep, and would probably end up cuddling one of the others instead.

The first room he and Artemis went to was Travis' who they found still awake and playing Call Of Duty like his life depended on it.

"Trav have you slept yet?" Carter asked, Travis paused the game and looked at Carter with a frown.

"What do you mean?"

"Its seven AM love." Carter replied. Travis frowned.

"Oh, yeah I think I'm going to bed then."

"Alright love." Carter crossed the room to hug the boy and kissed his forehead gently. "I'm going to work, I'll be back soon."

"You better be, you said you were taking three weeks off." Travis sighed as he shut off his pc.

"I know love. Get some sleep, I'll be back this afternoon." Carter left Travis to sleep and crossed the hall to Riley's room.

Riley was asleep, curled up with his favourite plushie in his arms. It was a blue and white whale about the length of his torso.

"He's adorable." Artemis sighed from beside Carter who nodded in agreement. You would think that Riley would be maybe sixteen, but he was twenty one years old with a degree in environmental science. He was smarter than most people gave him credit for and although he often acted younger than he was, was actually very mature.

There was no real point to checking Artemis' room, but Carter did anyway. Partly out of habit, partly just incase one of the others had snuck in to his bed.

They hadn't.

On the other side of the corridor were the rest of the rooms. Alexis' was first, and he and Kit were curled up together in his bed, legs tangled together, as close together as humanly possible. Both were sleeping peacefully.

"Awe." Artemis gushed, he couldn't help it. He loved them so much.

"Come, lets leave them to sleep." Carter closed the door behind him and moved to Tye's room. Opening the door as quietly as he could to avoid waking the boy.

Not that it would have mattered, the boy was already awake, sat at his desk quietly strumming on his ukulele. Tye looked up at him when the door opened. He looked exhausted.

"Sorry Love, I thought you were asleep." Carter apologised softly. Tye shrugged.

"Its okay."

"Love have you slept?"

"A bit."

Carter sat down on Tye's bed. "Did you have a bad dream?" He got a nod in answer to his question. "You could have come upstairs, or gone to the others."

"I didn't want to bother you." Tye replied, his eyes trained on his ukulele.

"You're never a bother love." Carter said, he stood up to go and hug the boy, Tye moving to hug him at once. "Why don't you get some more sleep?"

"Will you stay?" Tye whispered into his chest, Carter felt his heart break, how he wished he could.

"I can't love, I'm sorry I have to pop into work for a couple of hours." Carter kissed his head.

"You will come back right?" The fear in Tye's voice unnerved him and he found himself cursing Annette for not being able to handle whatever was going on.

"Of course I will."

"I'll stay with you Tye." Artemis said, venturing into the room from his position in the doorway. Tye pulled away from Carter, staring at him.

"You will?"

"Can I have cuddles?"

"Um... yeah I think so." Tye nodded after a bit of thought.

"Then yes I'll stay." Artemis grinned. Tye smiled back shyly.

"Alright loves, I'd better go, you get some sleep okay?" Carter said as Artemis led Tye over to his bed.

"Bye." Tye waved, he seemed extremely sad that Carter was going. Carter closed the door as Artemis brought the youngest into his arms.

Carter went to Noah's room next, and found the boy sat up on his phone. He smiled at him as he entered. "Hello love, I'm popping into work for a couple of hours."

Noah frowned, putting down his phone. "But I want cuddles!" He pouted demandingly.

"I'm sorry love." Carter sighed. "Tye and Artemis are next door, go and cuddle with them." He suggested. Noah brightened at once and raced out of the room, stopping only to give Carter a peck on the lips.

"Hello cuties." Carter heard him throwing open the door.

"Hi Noah." Tye replied sleepily.

"Can I join cuddles?" Noah asked, he must have received the answer he wanted, because he gave a whoop and vaulted onto Tye's bed, the springs creaking under the sudden force.

Carter laughed to himself as he walked downstairs. His boys were safe and they were happy, and although he was annoyed to be leaving them, he knew he would be back with them as soon as he had sorted out whatever it was that was going on.

^^^
When Carter reached his office, Annette was already waiting for him nervously.

"What's going on?" He asked with a frown, she shifted her weight awkwardly.

"The board of directors want to meet with you today." She told him. "And... you have a visitor."

"Who?" Carter sighed, he didn't want to deal with the board that day.

"He wouldn't give a name sir."

"Alright, send him in." Carter nodded. Best get it over with.

A fairly tall brunette man entered the room, he had his hands in his pockets and was wearing a navy suit. There was something about his suit that seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it. "Mr Matthews." He held out his hand and Carter took it, the mans grip was rather tight, unsettlingly so.

"Pleasure to meet you Mr..."

"Crawford, Tanner Crawford." Tanner smiled, but something about it seemed off.

"And what can I do you?" Carter asked, he didn't want to spend longer at work then he had to.

"I want employment." Tanner replied. "My CV will tell you my qualifications." He passed Carter a file.

He certainly was impressive. Carter flipped through it, trying not to seem impressed. "And what position was it you wanted?"

"Your assistant. I have a good mind for figures and I'm incredibly organised." He replied. Carter inwardly sighed. He wasn't the biggest fan of this guy, he seemed over confident, but he did need an assistant, and this guy was the best person he'd interviewed.

"Alright, but you have one chance, and if you blow it that's it. I don't have people who mess up on my team." Carter warned. Tanner smiled.

"Noted."