Later on…
Wrecker sighed for the thousandth time as he looked at his phone, Rose was currently at work and he was bored. Crosshair was in the living room watching the kids with Tech and Echo while Fives and Hunter were at the Police Station. Jesse had announced that he and Kix were leaving still and the others were just processing the information.
"Tris, you okay?"
Looking up from his phone, Crosshair only half nodded. His head was on fire and his twin could see it. Tech sighed, from his spot in Echo's arms, the older man on watch as the three of them knew it wasn't the end. Trouble would always find them, it was in their blood.
“Mama, up!” Naomi’s shout had Crosshair almost rolling his eyes as he lifted his toddler into his lap. Thankfully her twin was asleep in the foldable cot beside his sleeping baby sister. Casey was now three months old and Colton found her the most precious thing. The twins were 14 months old now and still causing headaches for their parents or more importantly their mother who wasn’t looking too good.
“Tris, why don’t you go and lie down” Tech suggested only for his twin to point at the hyperactive toddler who should really be lying down for a nap. Echo sighed, he moved to get a soothing drink for the youngster when Naomi pulled on the necklace around Crosshairs neck, almost choking him.
“Naomi, no”
“But, lolly”
“No”
“Mama”
“You can continue to whine like your papa but the answer is still no”
Naomi only glared at him, Crosshair raised an eyebrow not entirely impressed as a loud knock at the door had Echo on alert. The older man headed for the door just as Wrecker came down the stairs, he had a crying Amber following him. The little girl had a nightmare and wanted comfort in the form of a silver-haired man.
The intense knocking was frustrating as Echo opened the door only to gasp at who was on the other side, “You going to let me in, or let me freeze to death? I have a message to pass on from Rex”.
“Hardcase?”
“That’s my name, don’t wear it out” Hardcase grinned as he and Echo shared a smile but that faltered when Amber suddenly pointed at the man and screamed, breaking the man’s cover. Echo gasped in shock only for a gunshot to go off and Echo stumbled backwards gripping his chest while Wrecker dived for cover pulling the man down. Amber scrambled for the other room where Crosshair and Tech were, the twins equipped themselves. Omega and Hera woke from their nap on the sofa with instructions from Tech to hide and ring for help. The two did, grabbing the twins while Crosshair passed Casey to Tech just as a machine gun lit up the room and several bullets echoed around the room.
Wrecker grunted in pain as he was knocked to the floor. Darkness covered the room as the lights in the house went out and Tech found himself shoved to the floor, the man rolled holding Casey tightly to his chest.
“Target: Tristan Grayson. Death: 19:27” Hardcase reported as he shot the body of who he thought was Tristan Grayson but was instead another, Hardcase grinned rolling the body over only to gasp as amber eyes stared back at him.
“It’s been too long, Case”
“Cody?!”
Hardcase’s shock had Echo looking up through blurred vision just as a smash of glass alerted Wrecker to the fact the window had been broken through two bodies going through it. Hardcase took off in a run but grabbed Amber who had been hiding but not well. He picked the small girl up and sprinted with Cody hot on his heels. The former commander wasn’t backing down as he turned on an old communicator device as he heard sirens in the distance.
“Father!” Hunter was in shock hearing Omega’s scared tone, he listened to her describing that there was a gunman in the house and that the others were hurt and on top of that Amber had been kidnapped but they had been saved by a mysterious man. Fives only drifted the car into the drive as the two sprinted into their house only to find such a sight. Tech was covering Casey’s small body while Crosshair was performing life saving surgery on Echo, with Wrecker passing over tools. Omega and Hera were under a table with the twins, Naomi with her curious eyes looking at everything while Colton slept through it all.
“Tris, what do you need?” Hunter questioned just as an ambulance crew turned up, not just any. Nope it was the Elite Squad. Even Kix and Jesse had arrived with Rex, Obi-wan and Ahsoka, the latter having joined the police force.
“Check the kids” Crosshair gasped out ignoring his on fire head, which Jesse noticed the sweat coming off their son.
Rex and Obi-wan were having a look for any evidence, if they could find anything when the two were shocked by a familiar voice coming over the radios.
“Obi, I know you can hear me. But, I need help. Acher cliffs, hurry up! I can’t hold on much longer”
Rex and Obi-wan shared a ‘look’ that voice wasn’t just anybody’s, nope that was Codys…
Almost everyone looked at each other with mixed expressions, wondering what to do when another message came over the radio waves…
“Please hurry, Amber is bleeding, someone answer the fucking radio…stay awake sweetie, I swear on my own father’s grave that I will make sure the bastard is dead once I get you some help…Amber, keep them eyes open…come on, there we go…fancy speaking to your parents…known Rex is on his way…”
A violent cough came over the radio that they could all tell it was from Cody, the commander coughing violently even more as Amber’s sweet innocent voice came over the radio.
“Daddy? Mummy! We need help! Uncle Cody, can’t hold on much longer. The mean man stabbed Cody and now we are hanging above the seas, please…come get us…uncle Cody, stay awake,...Cody! Mummy! Daddy! Please help….no! Uncle Cody keep your head up…Kobi!”
Amber’s cries continued as Rex and Obi-wan dived for their cars and tracked the location with the help of a certain Ryker brother who hacked through the satellites, Obi-wan didn’t even scold him as they knew they only had minutes as it sounded like their loved ones were trapped on a low cliff’s edge.
“Daddy? Mummy? Papa? Please help, Kobi….stay awake…Cody…what about…Cody? DADDY HELP! CODY GONE!”
Rex basically dived out of his car as did Obi-wan on the passenger side as they sprinted for the location. The two took notice of crumbling rocks and what looked like a grappling hook. Rex made sure to secure it so he could look over the edge and that’s when he spotted something. He wished he didn’t.
There on a ledge below the two was Amber, his brave baby girl held tightly to a hand of what was clearly an unconscious Hardcase, the man who had caused all of this was being saved by his daughter who thought everyone could be saved while Cody was nowhere in sight which only worried the captain some more, his childhood best-friend was gone. He tried not to think about it as he abseiled down to the cliff and managed to secure the corrupted cop and his daughter who clung to him. Sirens from above alerted him to the backup, Obi-wan appeared helping Amber over the edge while Jesse and Fives helped Rex with the unconscious Hardcase.
“Where’s Cody?” Amber coughed out as she felt arms wrap tightly around her, Rex only pulled her close whispering words to her as he reassured her they were looking for him.
Obi-wan was taking the case personally despite others telling him to sit back and let them handle it but he held tightly to his radio waiting for something. He knew Cody had taken Kix’s spot for one reason only and that was to protect his family plus go after the organisation aiming to bring down others who had left any military background. After a good eight hours of searching, the police and special forces had no choice but to pull back and end the search, well all but one did. Obi-wan continued through the dead of the night searching for his lover, he searched high and low ignoring everyone’s advice especially when they told him to get rest.
It was about 04:30 in the morning when Obi-wan found himself sitting on the beach overlooking the sea, the sun was rising in the distance bringing light into the unknown kingdom of reality, the older man sighed removing his necklace which held Cody’s rings, he cried silently hiding his head in his knees.
“Oh Cody, I’m so sorry…what I would do to have you back in my arms, safe even from…”
“It’s a good thing, I’m still alive, isn’t it?”
Obi-wan could only gasp as he twisted around in shock only to see his lover leaning against the rock wall, the younger man of the two looked exhausted both mentally and physically. Scrambling to his feet Obi-wan moved swiftly over to Cody, catching his numb body as it fell forward out of exhaustion.
“Thanks” Cody grunted out as Obi-wan only pulled him close.
“I’m sorry Kote, I’m so sorry…”
Tears of pain slipped down Obi-wan’s face, the older man pulling his younger husband closer to his chest.
“It’s fine, just…”
“I love you Kote…”
“I know, love you too, just get me to a hospital…before I die of secondary drowning” Cody gasped out, coughing violently into his arm before he threw up the gunk on his chest. Obi-wan gasped, he wasted no time in scooping his slimmer smaller partner into his arms and ran for his car. It wasn’t long until the sirens were on and the two were blasting down the highway with Cody breathing deeply into the oxygen mask provided out of the glove box. Obi-wan could only smile to himself as he held tightly to Cody’s hand all the way until the hospital staff took the man he loved away on the bed to help him get better.
A week later…
“FUCKING LEAVE ME ALONE!”
The sound of doors slamming had Wrecker shaking his head, he really needed to move out of the house. Rose sighed, rolling her eyes while massaging her lover’s shoulders, the bigger man grinned at her, kissing her softly. A soft set of footsteps had the two looking up to see Amber, the little girl had been suffering with nightmares lately and she had been referred to a talking therapist who had been looking after her.
“Uncle Wrecker?”
“Yes, little one” Wrecker turned to his niece who lifted her arms to hide in his lap.
“There’s a monster in my bed and papa won’t help” Amber cried, Wrecker only sighed. He knew one thing Fives and Hunter had been arguing with each other over Crosshair, the younger man had been majorly sick lately and had been looking after the kids, he had run himself into the ground and had been napping around the house. It didn’t help that Kix and Jesse had left last night and Cody was out of hospital but in recovery so he wasn’t an option.
“Would you like big old me to have a look while auntie Rose goes to tell the bickering idiots off?” Wrecker questioned, Amber could only smile softly and nod. Rose grinned, kissing her hairline and Wrecker before she headed off to the part of the house where Hunter and Fives were arguing.
“God help me” Rose whispered, she typed on her phone only to smile at her father’s post on their new house, they had a house by the seaside. She took notice of Thorn’s comment on the bottom that made her grin. She barely entered the room to see the two in a fist fight, she gasped out-loud wondering what to do.
Elsewhere…
Wrecker grinned to himself, the official monster hunter should be his title. His eyes found the small girl who had been adopted into the family, Amber was fast asleep in her bed beside a sleeping Omega, the two girls curled up around each other. It looked like Omega took on the big sister role perfectly. Deciding to leave the girls to sleep, Wrecker headed down the quiet corridor to check on his baby brother. He smiled to himself when he entered the bedroom of the three lovers only to stop, the bed was empty but the portable cot had the sleeping twins and Casey in. He smiled at them, tucking their blanket around them tightly.
Wrecker was about to leave when he spotted the ensuite light being on, his curiosity spiked and thank the universe it did as he opened the bathroom door only to gasp. Crosshair was unconscious on the floor of the bathroom, he was tucked beside the toilet and he was pale white, his pale blue lips had Wrecker fallen to his knees and pulling the man close to his chest. Checking over his brother, Wrecker gasped as Crosshairs head lolled to the side and his breathing was too shallow.
Something caught his eye, Wrecker’s eyes widened, he reached for the green walkie-talkie that Crosshair shared with his twin, he took notice of the small note and green pill in his brother's hand. His eyes scoured over the note and he sighed.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t good enough, I didn’t mean to break your hearts. Tell the kids I love them, I can’t do this anymore. The pain is just…I can’t leave you like this…I’m…”
Pressing on the button to communicate with the other man or more in particular the most protective twin he knew.
“Come in Tech, please”
“Wre-cker? Is everything alright?”
“No, I need you to come over to the house pronto. I think Cross…tried to commit suicide…”
Wrecker didn’t even manage to finish as he heard the slam of a door on the other side and shuffling. Not even five minutes later found Wrecker hearing the bathroom door jolt open and Tech had appeared, the ex-engineer part-time medical expert took one look and sighed.
“I don’t think he tried on purpose, I just think the argument that must have happened with Hunter and Fives spooked him”
“I agree, Echo is currently sorting the two out. It turned into a fist fight, your Rose really has a good voice, we heard the arguing from across the street. We were originally on the porch while speaking to Thorn on the phone when you contacted me” Tech explained, Wrecker could only nod as he manoeuvred Crosshair into the bath, Tech had filled the tub up and got his brother undressed. The two moved the unconscious man to help relax his body and potentially wake him up.
A good thirty minutes had passed by the time two guilty looking lovers entered the living room where Tech sat with his sleeping brother in his lap who had been checked over by Thorn. The man had come in his medical car as soon as he heard the news. He and Gregor were leaving in a few days to follow Gregor’s dream job so it was lucky the two were in the area. Thankfully Tech and Thorn had become best buddies over certain things such as technology.
Fives and Hunter were still feeling deep regret as the main focus in the room was their lover, Crosshair was sound asleep tucked under Tech’s chin, the young man was barely awake during his medical exam from Thorn who was on the phone with a particular pissed off older brother who would be around in the morning. Yes, Cody had been informed and he was not happy. Neither was Jesse who demanded that Tech rang in the morning to speak to Kix.
“So, what now?” Fives turned to Hunter who sighed, running a hand down his face.
“You be there for him, don’t just expect him to look after the kids twenty-four-seven. For god's sake, he’s fighting cancer for what may be the hundredth time and he needs your support in every way you can and…” Echo was interrupted by Crosshair waking up and vomiting straight into a bucket that had been shoved under his nose by Thorn; the doctor had noticed the discomfort on the ex-marksman’s face.
A small whimper escaped Crosshairs vocal cords as Tech ran a hand up and down his twin’s back, they were all aware that the young man in front of them all was experiencing different types of pain and ones that were indescribable.
“I think for now, Tris comes over to mine while you two get your heads out of your arses and think about what you really want. Echo, please grab Crosshairs shoes, I have his meds” Tech exclaimed while he stood up. He knew one thing, Crosshair was going to have to walk but then Wrecker did one better. He scooped up his baby brother and gestured for them to lead the way, the young man in his arms didn’t even protest as he snuggled in and allowed sleep to take over his vision.
Hours later…
Hunter sighed drinking what felt like his fifth cup of coffee of the night, ever since the news had come around that his husband tried to kill himself, Hunter just couldn’t sleep with him not being under the same roof. Fives was the same except that he couldn’t dream and instead fell into a restless sleep, the two had taken the night to talk and hold each other close while making silent promises to never get into an argument about their lover. Instead, they would just speak to him and never leave him out again, not after everything that Crosshair had done for them.
Looking at his watch it read 11:30, so when the doorbell went and Fives answered, he never expected for Fives to be punched in the face, the man stumbled crying out in pain. Hunter moved to find out what was going on only to receive the same treatment from none other than a furious parental figure.
“You did what! Do you know how furious I am?!”
“Kix?” Wrecker’s shocked voice turned attention to the giant who had just witnessed a pissed off medic punch both Fives and Hunter in the face and wear a look of motherhood in his features. Jesse was standing smugly behind his husband, when Kix had heard the news, he had jumped on the first flight and came back using Jesse’s money to the best, they had arrived quite quickly with special forces. Or in other words, Dusty picked them up in his jet.
“I know, we screwed up,” Hunter sighed, watching the kids run around the back garden while the younger ones sat in the playpen in the living room.
“Screwed up? You didn’t just screw up! There could have been another funeral and not the one that was meant to be! No my child could have been in that coffin and all you can say is you screwed up! So, do me a favour and…” Kix cut himself off to capture a breath as he coughed violently only to grimace at the blood in his hand. Jesse only wiped it and pulled him close.
“Tell me, what our son means to you now” Jesse finished for his lover, Kix only tucked his head into Jesse’s neck for a few minutes before he turned and gave the most intimidating glare possible as he crossed his arms looking furious at the two.
Fives and Hunter shared a gulp and a look, the two knew if they didn’t come up with something good. Something would come their way especially if Kix had anything to say about it they would be digging their own graves only to be buried alive afterwards.
Silence filled the room for quite some time, Fives and Hunter had just admitted words of truth and love about their lover and the parents of the said lover were thinking about the outcome. A door opened to the side of the room and in came a form of a young teenager, she wore a determined look, her multi coloured hair stood out. Heading straight for the two, she handed two pieces of paper over which Fives and Hunter took with confusion.
On the papers it said, “Get ready, wear your suits and meet at The Meadows for 14:00. I’m not marrying myself so get a move on morons”.
“Is this real? He still wants to marry even after last night?” Fives turned to Hera who only nodded, she then ran out of the house and back across the street under the careful gaze of Echo who watched from his doorway.
“If what you said was true to both me and Kix, now I know you are true for our son so don’t let me down and he has always wanted to be with you both so don’t let him down. Wrecker, you got this?” Jesse turned to the bigger man who nodded, Wrecker moved aside showing Omega and Amber who held a few hair accessories.
“We are, we will see you there. They will not be late. Rose and Thorn are on kid watch, they all will be ready. Crosshair has the twins, so we only have Casey to get sorted” Wrecker explained, “Girls see to your parents” Kix ordered, Omega and Amber could only grin moving to direct the two up the stairs and into their rooms where their suits hung.
My Apologies for the Delay in this chapter! I've had a bit of a bother with the book in general - I almost lost my saved book! Thankfully managed to recover it.
I want to say a big thank you for the support/reads on this book!
Your comments are always welcome. I will try to get the final chapters up within the next two weeks but I can't promise anything! :)