I Don't Cower

Age

POV: Demi

"What in the hell were you thinking?" I yelled at Matt who was asleep.

"Huh, what? Is it dinner time?" Matt sat up slowly.

"What in the hell were you thinking? Bring alcohol into my house and better yet giving some to my Ashley!" Oh I was so pissed.

"Shhh, no yelling." Matt covered his ears as he swung his legs to face me.

"Don't tell me not to yell when you give alcohol to my Ashley who is one, underage, and two, she lives under my roof. I used to be addicted to that shit, and you bring it into my house?" I slammed the door behind me.

"Shhh, I'm sorry." Matt tried to soothe me, but his hands were still over his ears.

"Oh, you're going to be sorry. If you bring alcohol under my roof again, you are sleeping in the shed outback for two months." I growled at him.

His face went white and he hesitantly nodded in understanding.

I walked out of his room and slammed the door shut behind me.

"Ashley, wake up kiddo." I rubbed Ashley's arm gently.

She groaned and rolled over, facing away from me, and letting her hair fall everywhere.

I brushed some of her hair out of her face as I sat in the bed beside her. "Wake up Miss Hungover."

"Why?" Ashley spoke into her pillow.

"One, because I said so, and two, you need to get some nutrients in you."

"Greasy food?" Ashley perked up a little. "It's the best hungover remedy."

"No, that's a myth and it only makes things worse. You're going to eat a healthy breakfast. I let you sleep in, so work with me." I watched as she rolled over and analyzed me. "What?"

"You're pretty." She giggled.

"You're beautiful. Now let's get some food in you." I stood up from the bed, but she burst into tears. What in the hell? "What's wrong Ashley?" I did my best to hide my panic.

"No leave me." She had tears streaming down her face as she sat up against the headboard.

"Let's go get breakfast." I nodded my head towards the doorway.

"No leave me." She cried.

"Who am I talking to?" I realized what was going on. I've noticed a pattern. Each headspace is their own thing, but they all have an attitude, separation anxiety, age recession to some extent, and anxiety.

Ashley giggled.

"Baby Ashley?" I smirked. Bitchy Ashley age recesses. Cute.

Ashley frowned and gave me a glare.

Definitely Baby Ashley.

"Hungry." Ashley growled. Well, she tried to growl, but her pup side is definitely not showing since her 'growl' sounded like a cute whine.

"I understand that, so lets go eat." I motioned gestured towards the door again.

She rolled out of the bed, but hit the floor hard.

"Shit," I muttered to myself as I ran to her.

She started bawling so I pulled her to my chest.

"You're okay baby. I'm here. You're okay." I cooed to her as I rocked her back and forth.

"Hand." Ashley lifted up her hand in front of my face and there was already a bruise forming on it.

"I'll fix it, okay? Just come with me." I stood up, but she didn't. "Can Baby Ashley walk?" I looked down at her as she held her hand close to her.

She shook her head 'no' and backed up against the wall.

"Come here Ashley. I'll carry you." I bent down to her level and opened my arms for her to come to.

"I too fat." Ashley mumbled as she hiccuped. Damn, that must've hurt like a bitch.

"You are not fat Ashley. Come here." I gave her my pleading eyes which usually work, but they didn't. "Ashley, come here." I gave her my look that usually makes her do what I say, but this time she just tucked her head into her knees.

I took a deep breath before scooting towards her. Her whole figure tensed up when I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to my chest. "I too fat." Ashley mumbled into my neck.

To prove to her she isn't fat, I lifted her up and tossed her a little in the air which made her giggle. It takes a lot to be shorter than me, and somehow she is. She's like, five foot I think.

Ashley kissed my cheek and I smiled. "Tank you."

"You're welcome baby. Let's go get food." I kissed her forehead and walked out of her room, down the stairs, and into the kitchen.

"What happened to her hand?" One of my guys, Chip, asked me as he fixed a cabinet that one of them broke off of the hinges.

"She rolled out of bed in little headspace and she landed on it. I don't know how bad it is, but  what I do know is that she is hungry, and when she is hungry she is cranky. She is the definition of hangry." I ran my fingers through my slightly messy hair after I put her down on the counter.

"I'm a part time nurse at the trauma hospital. I can take care of it." Chip gave me a reassuring smile after he clicked the cabinet hinge back into place.

"She is very skittish with strangers, so don't take offense to it." I warned him as he walked passed me to go get the first aid kid out of the closet.

"Hope you don't mind. I upgraded our first aid kit to something more useful than bitch-stickers and gauze." Chip smiled at me as he walked back into the kitchen with a big ass tackle box.

"What is in there?" I raised a brow as he opened it up. All of it's contents were organized neatly on the shelves that extended when the box opened.

"Basic trauma necessities. Stitches, cleaning stuff, scalpels, bandages, you name it. It's in here." Chip started to take out bandages, a bottle that was labeled 'lidocaine', and a needle.

Ashley panicked when she saw the needle.

"It's okay sweetheart. I won't hurt. I promise." Chip pulled out a lolly pop out of the box and gave it to Ashley after quickly unwrapping it.

Ashley looked over at me to ask if it was okay, and I nodded.

"In ten seconds your hand won't hurt anymore. Okay kiddo?" Chip asked Ashley as she nervously sat on the counter.

She nodded and reached out for my hand.

I took her hand in mine and I had to hide my wince when she held my hand so tightly I thought it was going to lose circulation.

"Hey Ashley, see that clock over there?" Chip looked over his shoulder.

She nodded.

"Can you look at it and tell me what time it is?" Chip quickly picked up the needle with the medication in it as he waited for her to begin to speak. Smart.

"Early." Ashley shrugged.

"Thank you," Chip pulled it off with a smile. She didn't even feel it. Well done.

"It isn't broken from what I can feel, but the bone is most definitely bruised. I would wrap it, but I don't want it to get stiff. Have her take basic pain killers as prescribed for her weight and then go from there. If it gets worse let me know." Chip gave me a smile before leaving the house.

"My hand better?" Ashley asked from behind me from the couch.

"Almost Ash." I smiled at her as I walked over to her side on the couch.

"I need cuddle." Ashley curled into my side as soon as I sat down.

I chuckled before pulling a blanket over us and laying on my side to get comfortable. She just went with whatever I did, because in the end she'd be curled up next to me.