An Escape || A Lander AU

🍬𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 8🍬

Zander didn't have to go to work, he had taken quite a while of paid leave. Luckily he has a lovely sympathetic boss who had been through a messy divorce herself.

Currently he was in the kitchen, washing dishes, everyone else had long since headed to bed.

Was what he thought until he heard the soft pitter patter of a child's feet, something he'd grown very used to hearing. He assumed it was Winter due to how soft the walking was, but as he turned round to congratulate her on how far she managed to walk without tripping, he was very surprised to see Summer instead.

"Summer baby..? What are you doing up.. it's late.." Zander said with a soft look on his face as he dried his hands and crouched down so he was eye level.

"I.. I wanted to talk to you papa.. I cant sleep because of it.." She asked, in a softer voice than Zander had ever heard from her, making him nervous.

"Yeah..? What's the matter Princess..?" Zander asked gently. Wondering if she was having nightmares.

"I wanted to ask.." She started, Zander nodded encouragingly.

"..Do you love me papa..-?" She asked, her eyes welling with tears.

Zander was taken aback, he immediately began to stammer, wondering where this had come from.

"What-!? Of course I do-!"

"Are you sure papa..?"

Zander just sighed. "What's brought this on, flower..?" He asked as he gently pat her head.

"I keep trying to make you happy.. but you always seem so sad.." She pouted, her tears now spilling over.

Zander just sighed. "Oh petal.. You do make me happy sweetie.." Zander spoke gently as he moved his hands to cup her cheeks as he gently wiped her tears with his thumb.

"But.. you're never happy papa.. how can I be happy if you're not happy.."

"Oh honey.. of course I'm happy.."

"I don't think you are papa.."

"What makes you say all this flower..?"

She looked down before she began to bawl, making Zander panic as he tried to console her.

"Because-!" She stuttered. "I heard you and daddy yelling at eachother!! And now since daddy has been gone you keep being alone papa!" She cried.

Zander froze. He hadn't realised she had heard any of it. "Oh love.. Don't you worry about it alright..? Just know that papa loves you loads.. ok..?"

"So why can't I make papa happy..?" She asked, her lip trembling.

"Baby you and Winter make me so happy.. you both are the most important thing of my life..." he tried to sooth her, he then heard footsteps, as he then saw Luke, who now had his own room, poke his head around the corner of the kitchen, a look of concern evident on his face.

Zander looked up at him, sharing the same worried glance as he shook his head, hinting at him to keep quiet for the time being. Luke only nodded.

"But what if we're not-! You're not even my real papa.."

"Huh-!? Baby-! What are you talking about-!?" Zander asked, shocked, seeing Luke to also be taken aback.

"Daddy said to you that Winwin and I are adopted.. I asked Jacob from school what it meant and he said that.. he said that it means we're not your babies.."

"Oh sweetheart.. it's not like that at all honey.. I don't think Jacob understands fully what adopted means.."

"Then what does adopted mean..?" She said, tears in her eyes.

"Mmm.. It means that daddy and I had the choice between what children we wanted to take home.. you and your sister were the ones we loved, so that's why we took you guys home.."

"But papa.. daddy doesn't love me.."

Zander stayed silent. He knew she was right, her daddy didn't love her. "Oh baby.. it's okay, I love you enough for both of us.." Zander gave her a small sad smile as he kissed her forehead. "Come on petal, let's get you back to bed.. it's late.. Or do you want to sleep in with me tonight..?"

"I wanna sleep with you.. can I bring Winwin..?" She asked as she wiped her tears. "Of course you can.. how about you go and get her the now then head to papas room, okay..? I'll be up there in a moment.." Zander spoke and she nodded as she slowly walked off. Zander rose to his feet before groaning and burying his head in his hands.

"Zander..? Are you alright..?" He heard Luke ask. Zander only shook his head. "No-.. I need to better myself.. she thought I didn't even love her.." he said, clearly upset with the idea of him not showing his daughters enough love.

"Zander... I think you show her plenty of love.. there's just a lot going on right now- Like you know, she's probably wondering why Andrew hasn't returned home yet.. she's probably feeling scared.. and especially since she overheard everything Andrew said on that night-.. I don't think there's much you can do.. I mean you do always try to have a smile for them right..? But children are more observant than most people think- they can tell that it's not the case." Luke sighed.

Zander only nodded glumly as he looked down. "I just- I feel like I failed her and her sister... I don't know what's going on- but they've both been so sad lately.. Like Winter has been very insecure about her blindness recently, and now Summer, the most optimistic little girl alive is just suddenly so beat down.."

Luke's concerned expression only seemed to grow. "Winters been feeling insecure about that..?"

Zander nodded. "I mean-! They're only four.. their birthdays are next week and I haven't even heard a peep out of them about it.. they're young kids- they're supposed to be over the moon and annoying me to death because they won't shut up about their birthday- but they just haven't mentioned it.."

"Mm.. tell you what, I haven't been able to sleep tonight anyways.. so why don't you and the girls go to sleep and I'll try look over some of my old notes from college-.. I think both of them might uh..."

"They might what..-?" Zander asked nervously.

"I think both of them might be experiencing some kind of.. depression..? I'm not sure but I'll look into it.."

Zander looked shocked before he started to freak out. "Depression-!? But they're only four-!? Nonono- they can't be fucking depressed-!?" - "Hey- Hey! Calm down Zander, it's ok. It's not a definite, it's just a hypothesis as of now. Even if they are, we shouldn't freak out.. I mean they go through a lot.. We can only be supportive and try to help them.."

"Fuckkkkkkk- I should've listened to my mum.." Zander groaned. Luke raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "Listened to your mum-?" "She told me that if Andrew was going to be negligent, I should just put them back up for adoption, especially considering they were too young to remember me anyways., but I kept them.. and now look what happened-!" "Hey hey hey... the girls love you a lot..  I'm sure it's just a rough patch.. you're giving them the best you can.."

"They deserve better than this Luke.." - "I know I know.. It's okay Zander, they're waiting for you in your room, okay..? Just try to get some sleep.." Luke suggested gently, Zander looked like he wanted to protest, but ended up muttering a goodnight as he left the room.