Five years ago.
The wails of a young infant travel through the DeLuca home successfully waking up the head of the household, Alexander.
"Is she awake." Miriam yawned tiresomely, having been up already hours prior to tend to the eight-month year old baby girl Charlie.
"Rest your eyes sweetheart, I'll get her." Alexander murmured placing a kiss too his wife's temple before moving to get up.
The man groaned slightly as he removed the thick blankets off of his heated body, the crisp morning air harshly colliding against his toned abdomen.
He found himself in Charlie's nursery in mere seconds as it sat right next to his and his wives' room.
There the baby laid in her cot, tears streaming down her young face and loud cries coming from her mouth.
"Merry Christmas to you too Baby girl, I see you've decided that papa doesn't need his sleep this morning." Alexander murmured walking over to the upset baby, getting nothing but a sniffle and hiccup in return.
Charlie looked up to Alexander with her big brown doe eyes, coming to the realisation she was no longer alone and in the presence of her known father whom she desperately craved snuggles with.
Reaching down Alexander carefully placed one of his large hands under Charlie's head, using the other to support her little body as he cradled her against his bare chest.
Snuggles achieved, goal complete.
"This isn't a nice way to start Christmas, those tears are too precious to waste my love." The man brought the baby into his arms rocking her gently.
Charlie's sniffles quietened down turning into mere breaths as she brought her chubby fingers up to grab the back of his hair in comfort pulling it a little making Alexander chuckle.
"What are you doing with papa's hair? He needs that otherwise your mama will flee." Alexander cooed down to the little girl in distress receiving a cluster of sniffly giggles in return.
If only he had known the irony of his words.
"Don't laugh at me Charlie." Alexander demanded sternly only encouraging more giggles from the baby girl.
"I've created a little savage. I should hire you at my company, have you fire the employees who miss behave. Put them in their place. You want to come work with papa?" Alexander cooed in a baby voice, reserved especially for Charlie as he rocked her in his arms.
"Ya!" The baby's words came out babbled and mushed up as her arms flailed up in the air with excitement. She didn't understand what was being said to her but none the less it still made her excited.
Charlie loved when her father interacted with her, especially as he regularly found himself busy with work.
Alexander was about to humour the baby with a reply before a foul smell suddenly became known to his senses.
Charlie smiled cheekily.
"I know you can't control it, but that timing seemed very suspicious to me my love." Alexander lifted the baby up slightly bringing her onesie covered body close to his nose in order to confirm where the smell was coming from.
"Is this my Christmas present?"
"Ya!" Charlie wriggled with joy, offering a wide gummy smile that showed off her one little tooth.
"Can I return it by any chance?"
"Nu!"
"Look at you using your words this morning, you're on a roll principessa." Alexander spoke as he walked over to the babies changing table, gently laying her little body down.
"Fucking hell."
Nothing could have prepared Alexander for what was in that diaper.
"How can someone so small create such a disgusting mess." Alexander muttered to himself giving Charlie a playful glare as she wiggled around happily.
"Don't you dare squirm Charlie." He used his teasingly stern voice as he cleaned up the baby before successfully putting her into a new diaper.
"You're my little wiggle worm, huh?" The man leant down blowing a large raspberry onto her baby belly making the child squeal and squirm with giggles, her cheeks now flushed with red.
"Alright alright Shh," Alexander laughed at the baby's ticklish reaction finding it completely adorable, "Your Mumma is asleep and I'd like to keep it that way little miss."
Charlie of course giggled in response to the unknown words being aimed at her, blowing out a raspberry and kicking out her chubby little legs as Alexander did up her Winnie the Pooh onesie, squealing particularly loud when he leant down to pick her up again.
"Don't take that tone with me young lady." Alexander chuckled lifting the now clean baby back into his arms as he made his way over to the door.
Alexander held the baby girl out in front of him smiling fondly as she babbled out baby talk to no one in particular.
"Shall we go find your big brothers so papa can go back to your mama and sleep in peace? Shall we do that darling." Alexander cooed, rocking the baby a little as they left the room.
"Don't take it personally my love but sometimes you can be quite the cock block." He mumbled chuckling when Charlie cooed in reply.
"I'm so glad you understand Charlie, my clever girl."
The one-sided conversation was suddenly interrupted by the opening and then slamming of a door.
There Oscar was revealed sneaking in through the front door, his hair slightly dishevelled, Alexander smirked at his son's irresponsible antics.
The apple didn't fall far from the tree.
"Morning Oscar."
Oscar practically jumped out of his skin as his father called his name, successfully banging his head on the door.
Charlie giggled loudly at his pained facial expressions making him playfully narrow his eyes.
"You look like shit." Alexander commented walking towards his son.
"I feel like it too, Merry Christmas by the way pa."
"Merry Christmas son, since you've decided to grace us with your presence you get the first gift, her names Charlie and she's seems to be allergic to letting people sleep." Alexander carefully passed the baby into Oscars arms.
"Seriously dad? I need to shower." Oscar whined as he shifted a squirming Charlie slightly so she could reach his ear, holding it absentmindedly.
"Hey! She needs a wash too, kill two birds with one stone." Alexander winked before turning round back to his room.
"Yada" Charlie babbled patting Oscars cheek with her chubby hand to which Oscar playfully pretended to bite.
"Oscar Bubba, my name is Oscar." He sighed walking towards his room with the baby as she continued to pat his cheeks.
"Can you say Oscar?"
"Yada!"
"Osca-"
"Yada!"
Present time.
"Oscar!" Charlie squealed with laughter as he picked her up off of her chair and held her upside down.
"Time to open presents little mouse." The elder brother grinned down at the toddler, his face appearing upside down in her eyes.
"Oscar, I swear to god if you drop her again." Leo grumbled following closely behind, just in case one of the two clumsiest DeLuca siblings decided to take a tumble.
"Calm your shit Leo, look she's fine."
"Yeah bubby, please calm your-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Leo gave Charlie a stern look making her sheepishly nod in compliance straight away.
Once in the living area Oscar chucked Charlie's little body down into the cushioned sofa, before rushing over to the Christmas tree to grab a gift bag.
"We've each gotten you something special, I'm afraid there won't be loads to open today as we couldn't pack it all." Leo explained taking a seat next to his energised little sister, smiling softly when she jumped into his arms.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Charlie squealed into Leo's chest, excitement practically radiating off of her.
"Don't thank us yet, you haven't opened anything." Atlas chuckled from where he sat on the love seat.
"I will love it anyway." The toddler mumbled shyly.
"Right enough of the sappy shit," Oscar intervened, "this is your present from me and August." He placed the large bag in-front of Charlie encouraging her to open it.
Charlie looked inside and her eyes crinkled fondly.
"You got Paul a family?" The five-year-old mumbled in awe as she carefully took out the four stuffed animals in the bag, each one as precious as the next.
Charlie fondly placed out each stuffy Infront of her not wanting to scare any of them, "hey guys!" She whispered to the zebra, rhino, lion and turtle.
"Paul come meet your new family." She reached over to get Paul introducing him to the new animals making sure they all felt comfortable with one another.
"Thank you so much." Charlie shyly smiled up at her third eldest brother and his boyfriend, embracing them both in a big hug.
Oscar placed a loud kiss onto her forehead before hooking his finger under her chin and raising her head a little, so they made eye contact.
"Baby, this was also meant to show you that like us families come in all shapes and sizes but that will never change the love we have for one another." He explained cupping her chubby cheek.
"And to think you wanted to sappy shit to stop." Damien snorted in amusement, secretly touched by Oscars family reference.
Though he would never admit that of course.
"Well thank you," Charlie showed her gratitude once again giving both August and Oscars a kiss on the cheek, "I will take very good care of them, and name them and feed them and clean up after them and-"
"Right enough of the mushy shit, my turn." Atlas announced standing up to grab his gift before coaxing Charlie to come sit over with him.
"C'mere you little monkey." He muttered, lifting her up onto his lap.
"Now I'm kind of shit at this, the only gifts I'm used to giving is the gift of my mysel-"
"Atlas." Leo quickly interrupted, giving him a deathly stare as if to tell him to shut up.
"Right sorry, off topic. Any way open it, and if you don't like it that's fine. I'll return it or give you the cash or something." He nervously ranted off.
"It's fine Atty I'm sure it will be amazing." She did her best to reassure her brother before starting to unwrap the gift.
Tearing the paper of Charlie's eyes soon became exposed to a beautiful wooden box, with little roses engraved on each side.
"Open it." Atlas encouraged the curious toddler to do so, revealing a beautiful selection of paints and brushes.
"I know you like to paint my nails and you seem to be really fucking good, so I thought maybe you'd want to try on a canvas slightly bigger." He mumbled.
Charlie's eyes where mesmerised by the beautiful colours as she ran her little fingers over each tube of paint making a mental note of the different shades.
"This is so cool Atty." the five-year-old snuggled into his embrace as she pointed out her favourite shades.
Atlas sighed in both pride and relief, placing a hard kiss to her forehead.
"Well good because I lied about still having the receipt."
After a couple of minutes of discussing the paintings she would create Damien called the toddler over to open his gift.
"I feel like I need to explain a bit before you open these." Damien brought fairly heavy box up and placed it in the middle of the two as Charlie sat down next to him.
"I understand that you've been feeling a little disconnected to me over the last week, and I can't blame you." Damien looked directly into the little one's brown eyes.
"I shouldn't of just upped and left like that and I can promise it won't happen in the same way again, however I would be lying if I said I'm gonna be around all the time. You see big brother tends to be quite busy Charlie, normally making bad decisions or messing up." He took a playful tone at the end causing Charlie to let out a little giggle.
"But these, these will keep us connected." Damien then encouraged Charlie to open the wrapped box revealing a pair of walkie talkies.
"Do you know what these are princess?"
"S'a talkie talkie!" Charlie gasped making her brothers and August laugh a little in amusement at the mispronunciation.
"That's right bub, I had my friend work on these. He put a SIM card in, not that you know what that means. But whenever you need me or want to talk all you have to do is call in on your walkie talkie and I will answer mine wherever I am, I promise."
"I also got you a couple of dresses because I didn't know if you'd like these or wa-" Damien's thoughts were interrupted by a little hand being placed over his mouth barely covering it.
"They're awesome Damien! I feel like a proper grown up." Charlie gushed.
"Yeah well don't get to excited," Damien removed her little hand and ruffled her hair, "you can only talk to boring old me on these." He chuckled taking the walkie talkies out of the box and showing her how they worked and what to press.
After a few more minutes it was then Leo's turn.
"Right bean," Leo started to explain as he lifted the little girl up into his lap, "my gift for you is waiting at home, I can however show you a picture. I can promise it will be worth the wait."
Taking out his phone Leo went straight to his camera role.
"It's a Bengal kitten, my assistant had a friend whose cat recently had kittens and living in New York he didn't have the space the keep them all so I thought you might like one." He gave Charlie the phone so that she could hold it herself.
"You have been such a good girl and have proven to me that you will be responsible for this little creature. I thought she would be nice for you to have in the apartment as well, you can keep her company." Leo explained as Charlie's eyes analysed the adorable picture in glee.
"There will finally be a girl in the house!" Charlie practically squealed with happiness.
"Well, way to make our gifts look like shit." Oscar muttered playfully receiving a "Shh" from August who thought the scene in front of him was absolutely adorable.
"She's so beautiful." Charlie gasped placing her little finger on the phone as if she was trying to stroke the little animal.
"I love her Bubby." Charlie looked up to her big brother, her eyes clouded with love and gratitude.
"You do?" Leo grinned, a little amusement laced in his tone as Charlie became absolutely captivated with the picture, "I'm really glad baby."
"Does she have a name?" Charlie's questioned, not being able to take her big brown eyes off of the picture.
"No, that's for you to choose bean."
"I think we should call her Nova." Charlie giggled down to the picture; she couldn't wait to hold the little thing.
"Why nova?" Damien's voiced out in curiosity, expecting his little sister to name it "cheese" or "chocolate" or something food related.
"Cause mummy used to talk about these things called dupernovas, where a star would explode if it ate to much or had too much love but she said that was impossible to happen to me because a person can never have too much love." Charlie informed, of course the actual name was 'supernova' and science was slightly off her brothers were extremely impressed behind her thought process.
"I think that's a really good idea bug." Leo smiled placing a kiss to her temple before receiving a text from his phone.
"Ah that reminds me, I have another gift bean and it should be calling any second now." Leo spoke, jinxing his words as his phone began to ring.
"Go answer it baby." He gave Charlie his phone, who took it and skipped into the corridor answering.
"Well Leo won that." Damien breathed out once Charlie had left the room, giving him an impressed nod.
"It wasn't a competition." Leo casually rolled his eyes and took a sip of his coffee, "but yes, yes I did." He couldn't help but mumble smugly.
•
Charlie stood in corridor placing the large iPhone up to her ear in anticipation, craving to know who she was about to talk to.
"Fairy?"
"Mason?" Charlie gasped, squealing a little in excitement, "I haven't spoken to you in years!"
"We saw each other last week." Masons infectious giggles came through from the other side of the line influencing Charlie to giggle herself.
"I missed you very much though." He spoke his tone nothing but sincere making Charlie blush.
"How come your callin me?" Charlie suddenly asked going a little shy, feeling very faltered by his previous statement.
Mason once again laughed from the other side of the phone but this time in amusement, "Because silly fairy it's Christmas and I wanted to see how you were doing. Apparently, it's something adults do, they check in with each other."
"Ah, well that makes sense." Charlie spoke to herself nodding a little, "I missed you too by the way."
"Well that's good, it would have broken my heart if you didn't."
"Your bein d'amatic Masey." Charlie giggled hearing Mason playfully gasp.
"Didn't you hear that; it was the sound of my heart breaking."
"Uh oh, you should definitely get a plaster for that." Charlie quickly informed.
The two went on chatting their little hearts out making sure to go into detail on the gifts they had received.
Mason of course didn't sound too thrilled when he heard about Paul and his new gang of stuffys.
"So, when will you be back?" Mason questioned, trying to hide the hopefulness in his voice but failing miserably.
"Leo said we were coming home tomorrow so we can see each other soon." Charlie informed muchto Masons relief.
"And then we can go back to colouring at school."
"And seeing Mia!" Charlie added, getting excited as she mentioned their other best friend.
"And seeing Mia." Mason repeated with a giggle.
"Mason, come help set the table sweetheart." Charlie recognised the voice of Rosemary through the line after another five minutes of chatting.
"I have to go fairy." The young boy informed regretfully, "I will make sure I see you soon though."
Charlie pouted a little but of course understood, "Bye bye Masey, tell Rosemary Merry Christmas from me."
"Same for your brothers, bye bye little fairy." Mason concluded before ending the call.
Charlie smiled down at the phone feeling overwhelmed with comfort and joy, it had truly been one of the best days of her life.
Looking back at the now blank phone screen Charlie spotted a strange reflection bouncing off of it. Turning around she faced her youngest older brother; she could tell that he was bothered by sometime as he bit the inside of his cheek in discomfort.
"Are you spying one me?"
"No."
"Then why were you listening to my private phone call Atty?" The little girl sassily remarked.
"Oh shush, you're five you don't get privacy." Atlas rolled his eyes, walking towards his sister.
"So, are you gonna tell me?"
"Tell you what?" Charlie cocked her head in confusion.
"Tell me what he said?" Atlas questioned impatiently.
"Sorry but S'a secret Atlas."
"You don't get to have secrets." Atlas rolled his eyes slightly. "What did he say?" He continued to pester his tone taking Charlie of guard as he become sterner.
"I don't really remember Atty." Charlie mumbled walking past him but stopping as he grabbed her hand.
"How can you not remember? It happened like a minute ago, I know kids are slow, but you should be able to remember something that happened literal seconds ago." Atlas jabbed at the little girl making her frown a little.
"You're not bein' very nice." Charlie tried to move past him again but was stopped.
Atlas sighed loudly before picking up the child and taking her into his room much to Charlie's surprise.
"I am being nice; I'm trying to protect you." He placed the little one down on the bed.
"From what? Your being silly Atlas, Mason is my best friend and he's super nice. He once gave me his cookie at school because I dropped mine." Charlie justified not understanding why Atlas was getting so upset.
"It's not Mason that's the problem, I just don't want you getting close to some stinky little shit and then losing him when he decides that girls are gross or some crap like that. Do you really want to lose another person?" Atlas snapped losing all logic as his anger took over, forgetting that he was talking to a mere five-year-old.
An awkward silence went by as Atlas brought his hand up to his temple, a vicious ache suddenly clouding up in his head.
It was only when he heard a little sniffle that he knew he had overstepped the mark.
"That was really m-mean Atlas." Charlie mumbled sadly. She had shifted her body so her back was now facing him on the bed, bringing her knees up and burying her head in-between them.
It was then that Atlas had realised he had been deflecting his feeling about his own loss with Isla onto to his baby sister and that was unfair.
Someone who like himself understood the pain of loss, and like himself was far too young to be holding on to that permanent pain.
Atlas stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do next. He didn't want to make anything worst, but the teenager also felt he owed Charlie some kind of an explanation for his shitty attitude.
"I know it was." The brother spoke in regret, sitting down on the bed next to girl. He placed his large hand on the small of her back in an attempt to comfort her.
"Then why d-did you say it?" Charlie turned her head around slightly, revealing the tears that brimmed under her big doe eyes.
Atlas hated that she was once again crying because of him.
"I guess...well I guess it's because I'm sick of losing people too, and I took that out of you." He spoke slowly as if he was only figuring it out for himself too. "I'm sorry monkey I really am. You have to know that deep down it comes from a place of protection." Atlas took her little hand into his and played with her tiny fingers as he explained.
"Is this because of Mumma?"
"No baby, not this time. I will always miss her, of course I will but this is about someone else, someone who I grew up with and met at a similar age to you and Mason. I guess that's what blew me off." Atlas's voice wasn't particularly sad, it had come to a more neutral tone as he opened up.
"The girl in the picture?" Charlie suddenly asked, the faint memory popping up in her head of the picture of Atlas and a beautiful girl. Charlie then remembered how mad he had gotten when she dropped it.
"Ding ding ding." Atlas tried to bring some humour into the bleak conversation but failed miserably.
"Who was she Atty?" Charlie questioned crawling into his lap and looking up at her broken big brother, she was not used to seeing him so vulnerable.
"Her name," Atlas started but interrupted himself with a chocked out cough as his throat became scratchy, "her name was Isla, and I was absolutely shit faced in love with her." Atlas recalled; his tone laced with fondness as he reminisced the memories.
"Where did she go?" Charlie asked her big brother in confusion. Charlie hadn't met any of Atlas's friends before. Unlike their other two shared brothers Atlas liked to keep his family and outside life separate.
"She's dead."
"Oh."
"Sorry." Atlas apologised, "that probably wasn't the answer you were expecting nor wanted."
Charlie didn't answer his unnecessary apology, but instead reached up to plant a soft kiss onto his cheek.
"You see Islas family wasn't like ours, though they held the formal exterior that we lack, they're home held no love on the inside and it all became too much for her no matter how much I loved her." Atlas chocked out.
He wasn't going to go into the details of Islas passing, Charlie wasn't old enough to hear that yet and Atlas wasn't ready.
Atlas knew that Charlie was smarter than most kids her age, but she was still learning things. Atlas could recognise that the more she learnt the more tainted she would become, so if he could do anything to soften that process then by god he would.
"You can cry y'know? I do it all the time, sometimes even in secret." Charlie suddenly whispered catching her brother a little of guard.
Placing his hands under her armpits, Atlas lifted the toddler up so that they were now face to face. Both vulnerable to one another and their emotions.
"Next time you cry in secret you come find me. Well do it together." He placed his hand on her rosy cheek stroking the soft skin under her eye with the pad of his thumb.
Deal?" Atlas placed his little finger out to which Charlie linked with hers, "Deal."
Wrapping her little arms around Atlas's neck, Charlie brought him into a hug where they remained peacefully for a couple of minutes.
"You never fail to amaze me with how good your heart is, even if you are a cheeky little shit half the time." Atlas teased as they pulled away pinching her cheek.
Charlie gasped pushing his hand away, "Bad Atty you said a No No word!" She exclaimed suddenly shrieking when she was hoisted up into the air.
The solemn mood had quickly turned playful.
"Oh no, not a no no word. We can't have your young innocent little ears hearing no no words." Atlas cooed in fake concern throwing his little sister onto the bed and pulling pillow after pillow on top of her tiny body until she was covered.
Charlie's little giggles along with Atlas's chuckles filled the entire bedroom, "can you hear anything now monkey?"
"Yeah your silly voice."
"More pillows then." Atlas noted to himself before finally letting a worn-out Charlie go.
He smiled fondly as she let out a loud yawn, someone needed a nap.
"You sleepy already?" Atlas picked up the duvet cover and gently laid it over Charlie's tiny body.
"M'not tired." Charlie protested weakly, "I just need a little sleep."
"Sleep as much as you want monkey, we'll wake you when it's lunch." Atlas leant down to place a kiss onto Charlie's forehead.
"Thank you for listening." He whispered against her temple before grabbing Leo's phone and turning the light off letting Charlie sleep.
•
"Charlieee" A faint voice sang making Charlie grumble and roll over in bed.
"Miss DeLuca you need to wake up." Charlie identified the teasing voice as Damien's as she buried herself under the blankets more.
"Cute baby." He mumbled snapping a picture that was likely to end up his new Lock Screen.
"It's almost lunch little one, you need to wake up." Damien chuckled before grabbing the blanket and pulling it off of her little form.
Charlie's eyes suddenly snapped open as the cold hit her body, narrowing her eyes at her annoying brother.
"Don't give me that look." He laughed at her dishevelled state only influencing her annoyance more.
"Aw moody doesn't suit you babe, I know you want to smile." Damien grinned knowingly provoking the grouchy toddler.
"Stop it Damien, you're not bein' very nice." The little one exclaimed accidentally letting out a yawn in the middle of her pronunciation.
Damien thought it was the cutest thing in the world.
"Aww I'm sorry little grouch but it's almost lunch, 'you wanna quick cuddle with big brother?" Damien cooed condescendingly making Charlie even grouchy.
"M'gonna fight you in a second." Charlie pouted; her bed headed hair all over the place.
"You try anything, and I'll tickle you, how about that princess?" Damien crossed his arms dramatically in order to match her sassy attitude.
"Then I'll kick you in the eyeball." Charlie shot back.
She had not come to play.
"Yeah? Can you even reach?"
"Nope, but I can reach here." And with that Charlie gave him a kick to the balls grabbing his phone for a little added on revenge and then making a run for it.
"Fuck." Damien gasped grouching down slightly and rolling into a ball.
"I could reach your eyeball now but m'feeling nice today since it's a Christmas." Charlie giggled removing herself from the crime scene.
"You're gonna regret that little one, as soon I can physically stand, I'm gonna get you." Damien groaned painfully watching the little weasel run away.
"Get well soon Damien." Charlie called as she ran away, the sounds of her little footprints getting quieter and quieter.
Running into the kitchen Charlie dropped Damien's phone in a random plant pot before she hid herself behind the counter, making sure to muffle her giggles by placing her hand over her mouth.
Fortunately, the kitchen was empty as Leo had decided that they would order in for Christmas dinner, none of them actually knowing how to properly cook it.
Footsteps suddenly entered the room making Charlie squeal in anticipation.
"Charlie?" August's kind voice called out much to the toddler's relief.
"Hiya!" Charlie popped up with a big smile, rushing over to give him a little cuddle.
"What are you doing in here Bubba? I thought you were taking a nap." The man ran his hands soothingly through her hair.
"I was but I was woken up by a big butthead!"
"Oh baby, you know it hurts my feeling when you call me that." Charlie let out an ear-piercing squeal as she scooped up from behind into the arms of Damien.
"Do I even want to know what you two are up to." August shook his head in amusement before putting on the kettle on the side of the kitchen counter.
Charlie went to plead for help but failed as Damien covered her mouth with his hand, just like she had done previously when opening her present.
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about, we're just gonna have a cuddle." Damien said through a clenched smile, struggling to hide his groan of disgust when Charlie licked his Palm.
Damien swiftly exited the kitchen with the monkey trapped in his arms before entering the now abandoned living room.
Flipping Charlie in his arms, he held her upside down making her laughter appear.
"Drop the phone munchkin." Damien shook Charlie by her ankles a little making her shriek.
"I don't have it." Charlie giggled loudly at his angry face.
"Then tell me where you've hidden it." He sang teasingly.
"I don't know what you mean." Charlie giggled smugly making Damien smirk.
"Okay well do it the hard way then ya little criminal." Damien sat down on the sofa trapping Charlie against his chest.
Charlie looked around desperately for help before noticing her new stuffies sitting on the sofa along with the OG Paul.
"Guys! Help me, come save me from this big meany." Charlie squirmed is despair as she looked to Paul and his new family of stuffed animals catching Damien's attention too making him smirk deviously.
"I think we should tell Paul's new family all about you Charlie, starting off with your ridiculous ticklishness. You see, weird stuffed animals; if you do this," Damien said as he began to attack her tummy with vicious tickles making Charlie squeal, "then trouble here will be under your control."
"Isn't that right princess!" Damien cheered sarcastically as he went to blow a raspberry on her rosy cheek.
"Where's my phone?"
"I forgot." Charlie lied through giggles; she was feeling particularly stubborn today not wanting Damien to win this one.
"Tell me where my phone is and the tickles may stop, though who knows? I'm not really feeling like being merciful right now considering a certain someone decided to physically attack me earlier."
"D-Damien s-stop." Charlie giggled hysterically.
"Sorry are you saying something? I can't hear you baby, speak up." He grinned down at the little one, finding her giggles to be extremely adorable.
"I hid it in the flowerpot in the kitchen!" The toddler squealed out taking a breath in relief when he stopped bus attack.
Damien looked down at his little sister with a cheeky grin of amusement, it never got old seeing her giggle her heart out.
"You're cute you know that? Shame you're a cheeky little brat too." He concluded, gently throwing the toddler off of his lap and onto the sofa, going to get his phone.
"Grinch!" Charlie called out weakly to her brother before turning to Paul and his gang, "I need to teach you guys self-defence."
•
It was now after lunch and each and every person sitting at the table was stuffed, Paul included.
They had ordered a precooked Christmas dinner from a fancy hotel down the road and they really went all out. Every imaginable side was included along with a turkey the size of Charlie herself.
"Oh god it feels like I've swallowed a rock." Oscar groaned out giving Charlie a weird look when she suddenly jumped up.
"What's up baby?" Leo questioned the five-year-old as she began to wiggle out of her raised seat.
"Gimme a minute I have to get something if that's okay?" Charlie didn't leave room for an answer as she ran out of the room.
"She's cute, weird but cute." Oscar shook his head fondly.
"We leave tomorrow at 11 by the way, Charlie has school on Monday, and I want to be back by New Year's." Leo told everyone at the table checking his phone for the times.
"Shot gun not taking her to school by the way." Atlas quickly raised his hand before pouring himself some more wine.
"No one will have to take her; I got her a nanny."
"What?" Oscar voiced out as the table suddenly went silent.
"Well this explains the guilt kitten." Atlas mumbled to no one in particular ducking when Leo threw at napkin at him.
"And you didn't think you'd tell us any of this." Oscar raised his voice a little, not particularly pleased with Leo's decision.
"I'm telling you now." Leo shrugged.
"Marcus recommend her, her names Lucy. She's 24 and has all her checks and recently graduated with a childcare degree."
"Well at least we know she won't kidnap her or sell her." Atlas interjected once again trying to ease the tension with humour.
"Well I think this is bullshit." Damien grumbled out unpleasantly.
"You lost your right to an opinion when you pissed of the other week." Leo smiled sarcastically.
"Well fuck you very much."
"Right back at you Damien." Leo shot back.
"Presents!" A grinning Charlie ran in with her arms filled with circular little gifts, cutting the tension significantly.
"You didn't have to do that babe." Oscar was the first to answer, coaxing his little sister over so he could give her a kiss on the cheek.
"S'okay, I made them, so it didn't cost anything."
"Hey, don't say that," he playfully pinched her nose, "it cost your time which is what makes them so special."
Charlie shyly blushed as she handed out each little gift to her brothers and August before settling back into her chair.
"You can open them now." She whispered nervously.
Not knowing what to expect they all unwrapped their gifts, each man smiling fondly at their present.
"This is amazing Charlie, thank you so much." August gushed.
"You made this baby?" Leo held up the Little Rock, watching as Charlie's nodded her curly head.
"I love it bean, I'll put it in my office." He wanted to coo as Charlie continuously blushed.
"He's right, this is amazing kid, thank you." Damien shot her a wink after fondly looking over the little decorated rock.
Lastly Charlie looked to Atlas who opened his arms for her to which she ran into.
"Thank you clever girl." He mumbled into her hair.
Charlie looked over at the table in gratitude, surrounded by her favourite people unknown to what was about to come.
A/N
One million reads...I am once again left in awe but your amazing support.
You guys have enabled me to share this story with you and pursue a passion that just a couple of years ago I didn't even know I had.
I will forever be so grateful for you...you guys are all always so patient and supportive with me whether that's with getting covid or having exams; you always wait for me and continue to support me.
I love you all so so much,
Thank you
Lots of love xxx