Single Parent-trip \\ Cashton

Epilogue

There were pastel coloured balloons around the living room, with some streamers going from one side to another. There was some confetti on the wooden floor and even some was stuck in the soft, unpatterned beige rug beneath the coffee table, which was filled with glasses, empty or filled, and bowls with snacks.

Wrapping paper was thrown around by the giggling children that were running around, chasing one another to tag them. Adults kept scolding them and telling them to take it into the backyard, but it was cold out and the kids rather stayed close to their parents. Especially in Aiden's case.

It was his dad's birthday after all and his little sister hadn't been long enough in his life to become seen as annoying. Not that he could ever imagine that, but his friends kept promising it would come. After all, they had a younger sibling of their own. But Aiden loved his little sister so far, because she made his parents happy and that was one of the most important things to him. Even now, being seven, nearly eight, and definitely beginning to rebel a little.

"Aiden, slow down. We can't have you hurt yourself or anyone else." Calum's mother –Joy- scolded the boy, making him stop and pout up at the woman. Despite him being slightly rebellious, his grandma always got to him. Calum always joked and called it the gift of a woman, but they all knew it was because he just had a hard time telling the boy no.

"Fine." The boy whined softly, slumping his shoulders and finally deciding to join his dads on the couch. Ashton was leaning against Calum lightly, a hand on the younger's thigh and face directed towards Luke, talking happily to the blond. Calum was bottle-feeding the newest addition to their family, their one and a half month old daughter; Mavis Rose.

Calum and Ashton had been ecstatic when Michael and Luke had proposed for them to do it their way, which meant the DNA-mixing and getting a child of your own. Calum had been slightly hesitant, considering he already had Aiden, but he wanted Ashton happy and he knew Ashton missed his daughter. So in the hopes to get a daughter, Calum agreed and the process began. It was long and dreadful, but eventually they had their beautiful daughter, naming them after both Ashton's deceased daughter and Calum's deceased ex.

They weren't even two months in yet, but things were going smoothly so far. Both had been a parent to a baby before –Calum not with a baby this young, but still- and fell into a schedule of taking care of their daughter easily. Aiden even helped out, with small things and making silly faces at the adorable little baby. They were truly one happy family.

"Is she gonna sleep?" The boy asked quietly, watching curiously how his dad fed the small human. Calum looked down at him and smiled softly, nodding. "After this."

"Can I hold her?" Aiden then questioned, once again curiosity seeping into his words. It was all new to him too and so far, he was more excited than anything else. Besides, she was his family. His real sister, even if they didn't share both parents. Aiden still saw Ashton as his dad, despite that they weren't related by blood. Their connection was still strong.

"Once I finish her feeding you can, yeah?" Calum was still smiling, happy to see his son so happy about a sibling. He hadn't ever really considered it, another child. He figured the boy was content with just his dad and he himself was more than content with Aiden. But then in came Ashton and suddenly he was introduced to the desire for a little baby of their own.

Aiden nodded softly, sitting beside his dad patiently as he kept watching. Calum finished up the feeding, letting the small baby burp and making sure she was okay, before carefully handing her over to Aiden. He helped the boy out with holding the baby properly, smiling fondly as Aiden picked up on it quickly, smiling down at the little girl.

The shutter of a camera took both Ashton and Calum's attention, the curly haired male blushing lightly when spotting his mum with a camera, a little away from them. She had clearly snapped a family picture, which everyone had to admit, was the right moment to do so. Calum simply smiled at the idea, pressing a sweet kiss to the other's cheek. "Love you."

Ashton smiled widely at the whispered words, turning his head to press a kiss to Calum's lips instead, both their eyes twinkling as they took the other's in. "Love you too."

"I have a last present!" An excited voice suddenly sounded over the chatter in the room, before the girl it belonged to quickly made her way to Calum. She held up her own present for the man, it being wrapped nicely –probably because one of her dads did that- and not too big. Her green eyes were shining from excitement, taking Calum in.

A soft chuckle left Calum at that, but he let go of Ashton and after glancing at Aiden, to make sure he was still okay with his baby sister, he took the present. "Thank you Aries."

The girl simply smiled widely, before bouncing to her blond dad and climbing onto his lap. Luke let out a playful 'oomph' as he wrapped his arms around her, smiling anyway and watching Calum. The dark haired male held up the present, taking it in for a moment, before he carefully started peeling at the wrapping paper.

The present was squared, a cube, and it was slightly heavy, but not too. Calum's curiosity peaked, especially as the wrapping paper revealed a plain white box, with no hint to what was inside. He opened the box though, a fond smile overtaking his face as he saw what was inside.

It was a snowglobe, though instead of the moving flakes being like white snow, it looked like sand. And as he took in the picture that was in the middle, one he had taken of Aiden and Aries back on their holiday, with the sandcastle, he knew it was sand indeed. A cute little sandglobe, to remember how they all got together.

"This is beautiful." Calum whispered, taking it in once more, before looking at the girl with a big smile. "Thank you, Aries."

The girl giggled softly. "No problem uncle Cal."

Calum took the globe in again, feeling all the memories come back to him. All the thoughts and events, along with all the feelings. The ones for Ashton the most, tears nearly in his eyes as he looked at the curly haired man next to him. He was already looking, smiling at him like he knew exactly what Calum was thinking of. As if he was sharing those thoughts.

"I got so lucky." Calum mumbled, leaning over and kissing Ashton then, ignoring the soft, yet playful 'ew' he got from his son. The two adults smiled into their kiss, pulling back and cuddling close, Ashton's arms wrapped around Calum to keep him close.

Calum remembers wondering what it would be like to be held in Ashton's strong arms, wanting to feel it. He couldn't believe he had found that answer and that the same question was answered over and over since they got together, and especially after they got back together.

Being wrapped in Ashton's strong arms felt like love, sweet and pure love. It felt soft, whenever Ashton held him like he could break. It felt safe, whenever Ashton held him in the harder times, the sadder times. It felt calming, whenever Ashton held him while they relaxed at night, watching a movie or just being together.

But most of all, being wrapping Ashton's arms, with his own around his kids, it felt like home.

Home was with the four of them, together.

Home was wherever his family was.