Sunshine

6. the devil doesn't bargain

Spencer's eyes widened as a grin took over her face. "You were such an instigating little shit Big Brother!" Her finger poked out at Kayce as she took a longer second swig from the flask in her hand. The whiskey burned her throat as it went down, the amber liquid aggressively warm from sitting in Kayce's pocket all day.

"Don't let those two get to rough housing, Monica," John hollered from across the camp as he handed off his horse. "We won't see the end of that fight until the morning."

Spencer smiled at her father's words, even as her mind began to drift. "Monica, go on a walk with me?"

The question seemed to surprise both Kayce and Monica, and it made sense. Whatever had fluttered over Spencer's face usually constituted a conversation and a late night at the bar with her twin; but this was something Kayce wasn't quite equipped for. Monica nodded, standing from her seat and making Kayce swear to watch the kids as the pair wandered a little ways from camp.

"Is everything alright Spencer?" Monica asked as they stepped into a little clearing after minutes of silence.

"I-" She wasn't sure where to start, or even why she had felt the need to drag them away from camp. Spencer bowed her head, letting her auburn hair cover her face before she continued. "It's stupid honestly, Rip and I had a little bit of an argument the other day and- well I don't really know who else to go to."

Spencer turned away from her sister-in-law, a blush of embarrassment running across her cheeks.

"And you didn't want to talk to Kayce?" Realization poured over Monica's features. "Oh, oh. Okay, uhm, well what do you want to know? Or ask? Or do you want me to just ramble at you and tell you all the reasons not to-"

Monica cut herself off, holding back laughter as Spencer ran her hands through her hair. She reached her hand out to the redhead, pulling them to the ground, sitting with just enough of a view to see Tate and Charlotte playing in the creek with Kayce. "It's not an easy decision, I'll tell you that much. Sure your brother and I never really planned on Tate, but there's always a choice. Every morning you wake up and you choose to take care of that life in front of you. And Spencer? You and Rip have taken care of Tate better than I think Kayce and I have at times. You have dropped everything for the boy, and you have done more than I could ever thank you for in the name of protecting him. And Rip looks at you like you hung the stars, there's no question about that. He would do anything for you, and would love every minute of having a family with you. Plus, he already puts up with your crazy ass mood swings, I think it would be hilarious to see him try and keep up when you're pregnant."

Spencer laughed, the sound cracking and morphing into a sob. She felt Monica pull her in, and the tears just fell harder. A hand soothed over her back, whispers of encouragement from Monica followed after. The sisters sat for a while, watching the kids run around, their screams of joy faded to silence with the setting of the sun.

Footsteps sounded from their side, Kayce being the culprit of the noise. He didn't speak for a moment, Spencer assumed he was talking silently to Monica who still held them together.

"Spence," Kayce spoke cautiously, "We got a problem."

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"What the fuck happened?" Spencer asked as she rushed to see Ryan, Teeter, and Colby all beat to shit. She turned to Rip and Lloyd, her worry deepening into anger. "I thought you had the auction handled!"

Rip stepped forward, taking the brunt of his fiance's glare. "We did Darling, this happened after."

"Tell me everything."