Strawberries and Cigarettes ~ {h.s au}

chapter twenty six

Luke held his pinky finger and his thumb up to the side of his face as he mouthed the word 'Lottie'  to her, realizing that the boy had overheard their brother telling Lottie about social services taking Cole away.

"It's okay buddy," she soothed, trying to not only calm her brother, but herself in the process. "You're gonna be okay, we're gonna be okay."

"Promise me that they won't take me," he begged, looking up at Marley with wide eyes.

She looked back up at Luke, who was standing there with tears in his eyes that were threatening to fall, his lip quivering as he tried to hold it in. She was at a complete loss for words. Her baby brother, the person she and Luke had done everything to protect, was going to be taken away from them and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

She wasn't stupid, she knew that it was only a matter of time before everything she had worked so hard for to keep would be taking away in a matter of seconds. The house she had spent hours trying to save, getting job after job to keep all the necessities they needed, none of that mattered. She had done everything she could for the two people in her room with her, and now she couldn't help but feel as though she had failed them.

She failed at the one thing she had promised herself everyday she would do... to protect the two people she cared for most in the world.

"I'm so sorry Cole," she said, finally allowing the tears to fall as she whispered. "I can't promise you that."

"No, no, no -" he small boy sobbed, shaking his head as he leaned back into the arms of his sister that were tightly wrapped around him.

"But I can promise you this," she said as she shook her head lightly, letting go of the boy in her lap to wipe her tears quickly, holding his face in her hands as she used the pads of her thumbs to wipe his chubby cheeks. "No matter what happens, Luke and I will always be there for you."

Luke took a step forward, his words coming out with a crack due to fighting back the urge to cry, "Hell yes, we stick together little man, we're Becks."

Marley gave her brother a small smile as she grabbed Cole's smaller hand in her. "Really?" He asked, wiping the remainder of his tears as he sniffled a little.

"C'mon you've got to know that by now buddy," she said, nudging his shoulder as she tried to lighten the mood. "Do you honestly think Luke and I would let anything happen to you?"

"No," he said, his voice small as he looked down at his lap, mumbling words that either her or Luke could hear.

"What was that, bud?" Luke asked, his voice gentle as he sat on the bed next to his siblings.

Cole let out a shaky breath, looking between the two as he sighed, trying his hardest to put on a brave face as he spoke, "I'm scared."

"It's okay to be scared every now and again Cole," Marley said genuinely, following Cole's gaze as he looked over at Luke, who simply nodded to show the young boy it was true. "Do you want to know a secret?"

Cole quickly turned his head back to his sister, his tear filled eyes blinking as a tear slowly down his cheek. He nodded slowly, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand like she would always do for him when he was sad.

"We get scared too."

"Really?" Cole asked, his voice so small as he sniffled lightly, rubbing his pudgy hands over his cheeks.

She simply nodded, pulling her brother onto her lap as she cradled him. Usually Cole would groan and complain, telling Marley that he wasn't a baby anymore while fidgeting in her grip as he fought to get out of it. But today, he curled his body into hers as he played with her hair, sniffling as he did so. She smiled at the gesture, her motherly instincts copying his actions as she ran her fingers through his blonde hair.