Aspen Falls

ACE -- January 3rd

"Stop fidgeting." Beau slid his hand down my arm, over all the scars and wrapped his fingers around mine. "Those don't define you babe."

"I'm not fidgeting. I'm freaking out." We'd made it into the restaurant and were walking down some hallway. This was a new place, even for Beau to take me to.

"Well then...you're really gonna hate what's bout to happen." He looked down at me smirking, before leading me into the back toward the closed off room.

"What the fuck did you do Beau?" I pinched his arm.

It didn't even phase him. "It's just a birthday dinner ACE. Promise."

That's a big fucking lie if I've ever heard one.

As soon as we made it into the room, I wanted to rip my arm off my own body and burn it. This was way more than just our parents and the brothers. The birthday dinner was everyone.

Like ev-ery-ONE.

I yanked my scarred arm free of Beau's grip and bent it behind my back. "Beau what the fuck?" I tried keeping my voice at a whisper. "I can't....there's too many...."

Beau turned and stood in front of me, running his hands up and down my arms, blocking everybody out of my sight. "Please don't pass out. Senior would shoot me." I tried to regulate my breathing. "I can't kill anybody if Senior shoots me."

"Beau...."

"Just breathe and focus on everyone else. Baby...it's okay." He put his finger under my chin and brought it up so I looked him in the eyes. He leaned forward and kissed me, earning groans from all over the room. My brothers. "Just dinner." He smiled with his forehead resting on mine. "Breathe and go get loved on. Happy birthday ACE."

Immediately after he stepped away, I was pummeled almost to the floor. "Happy birthday Carls!!!" I couldn't breathe this time because my lungs were being crushed and I had nostrils full of curls.

"Leah Belle." I squeezed her right back. "God I've missed you."

"You gotta let her breathe Love." Chris laughed from behind his girl and tried to reign her in. "Sorry...she swung some mighty fine threats to everybody here that if she didn't get the first hug then it'd be something short of a blood bath." Having pushed Leah to the side, Chris picked me up and squeezed too. "Happy birthday Little Sis."

"I didn't threaten anything about a damn bloodbath. You fuckers get to see her every damn day...whenever you want...I haven't seen her in six months." Leah was grumbling.

"Love you Bub." As soon as my feet touched the floor, I was in the air again. I was quickly realizing that this was how the night was going to play out. Me being passed around to everybody that had slowly become my family.

After all the hugs and squeals and kisses were passed out, everybody settled in. Jason and Wyatt kept whining about how their stomachs were eating themselves. Trenton and Tate kept sneaking off to god only knew where and would come back munching things. All I could do was laugh. These giant manboys were hopeless. Bottomless fucking pits.

I felt Beau's arm land across my lap and my chair pulled closer to him. Leaning down to my ear, he whispered, "You doing okay?"

"I'm okay. You shouldn't have done any of this but thank you." I sniffed and tried to subtly wipe a stray tear from my face. I couldn't help it...I was overwhelmed to say the least. The happy and the sad were clashing loudly in my heart. Too loud.

My whole family was in this room with me. Laughing, chatting, acting like children...Casey even txt and said that he would try and skype later when I wasn't in chaos. I loved it, but the more I sat here and watched all the love in his room...my heart would ache some more because Archer was still gone.

"I love you." That was all Beau said in response to me somewhat scolding him.

"I love you right back."

"It's okay if you turn the Archer brain off for a little while. It doesn't mean that you love him any less." Hunter leaned in from my other side. How he knew that's what I was fighting with, I had no idea but he was my oldest brother. He'd never lie to me. "Just breathe and enjoy. He's here with all of us and watching anyhow Little Ell." He squeezed my knee.