When y/n complained of being bored, she didn't expect John to pack a picnic and take her and their children to the beach. He had taken the day off work and surprised his family with this day trip.
"Are we nearly there yet?" Their five year old daughter asked for the one hundredth time. John and y/n had four children. The eldest was a boy, Johnny, he was 16 years old. Then came their next son, Benjamin. He was 9. Their five year old daughter, Emily, and finally their 18 month old son, Edward.
"Not yet Em. Five more minutes," John replied.
Once they got to the beach, Johnny and Benjamin began to play football with there dad, who was getting worn out from all the running. Emily started to build a sandcastle whilst y/n sat on a blanket, feeding her 18 month old son pieces of apple.
"Johnny look!" Em shouted to her eldest brother, showing off the first part of her castle
"That's brilliant Em. Why don't we go and get a flag to put on it from that beach shop?"
"Can we mummy?" She asked, running towards her mother. As discreetly as possible, y/n moved Edward so that he wouldn't get sand in his eyes
"I don't see why not. Hold Johnny's hand the entire way and don't be long. Johnny, this is your last warning, stop using your sister to get girls. If I find out you've been-"
"I got it mum. I won't use her to get girls. Trust me, I really don't need her help anyway," he replied with a smug smirk on his face as Benjamin snorted at his brothers statement.
Johnny and Emily left and the youngest, edward began walking towards his father and brother
"You wanna play football?" John asked, picking up his son who replied with a giggle as his hands stretched for the football
"You've got to use your feet Eddie. Otherwise I get to throw the ball in your face," Benjamin said
"Woah. Don't be nasty"
"What? That's what Johnny does to me. Those are the rules," he told his mother who sighed and ran her hands through Benjamin's hair.
Edward began walking towards the ocean but John quickly lifted him up
"I don't think so buddy," he said.
Just then, their other two children came back. The kids were playing football whilst y/n and John were sat on the blanket, his arm over her shoulder
"You're so beautiful," he said quietly, kissing her cheek
"What did you do?" Y/n asked, sceptical of his behaviour
"What? Can't I just compliment my wife for no reason at all?"
"You can, but you don't. So come on, what was it?"
"I told Tommy I would go away next week. Business." Y/n sighed, running her fingers through his hair and leaning her head on his shoulder
"It's OK. I'm not angry. Just, make it up to me tonight," she smirked, looking into his eyes as he grinned
"Oh ill make sure I do. Come here," their lips connected and when they pulled apart, they sat contently watching their kids. Suddenly, y/n sat up straighter
"Johnny, wheres Edward?" She yelled. The eldest looked around and shrugged, saying,
"He was here a minute ago."
Both y/n and John shot up from their place on the blanket and ran towards their kids, looking for their son. Y/n looked along the beach, hoping to see a toddling little boy in the sand, but the beach was empty
"He can't have gone far, mum," johnny told her, rubbing her arm as bile rose up in her throat
"Maybe he left the beach. I'll go check if the shop keepers have seen him," Benjamin began to leave but John pulled him back
"No. You stay here and look after your sister and mother. Johnny, me and you will go and check the town"
"John," y/n whispered as he came towards her
"Don't worry. He's probably just sat begging for chips off some nice old ladies. You know what he's like"
"No John. He kept....he kept trying to go in the water," she said in realisation. Both parents had wide eyes of fear as they ran into the water, looking for their son as their kids cried on the beach
John pulled his wife back as he noticed her struggling. Kicking and screaming, he dragged her off the beach
"Nooo. Noooo," she sobbed, over and over again, vomit on her dress as Johnny held his mother.
Several hours later, y/n and John were sat on the beach, wrapped in towels as police and volunteers gathered along the beach. Everybody in town was looking for the little boy.
"Tommy is coming to take the kids home," John said, his voice cracking as tears soaked his cheeks.
"What were we doing?" Y/n whispered in shock
"What do you mean?"
"Im his mother. I let my 18 month old son wonder around the beach as we were kissing. Why wasn't I watching him? He's a baby. I knew it was dangerous but I still did it." There were no more tears, her eyes had dried up as a swollen red mess.
John held her face in his hands firmly, as he promised her,
"It is not your fault. Its not. We thought he was safe. It was a mistake. Parents make mistakes"
"A mistake is dropping the kids off at school late. Not letting a baby walk into the ocean all on his fucking own!" She snapped at him, suddenly regretting it as she leant into his arms, her entire body shaking
"They're found him!" A voice suddenly yelled. Both John and y/n ran to the source, equally terrified of what they may find. They found their son. But that didn't mean he was alive. Y/n kept picturing his dead body, washed up on the shore. It made her sick, yet there was still a small ounce of hope.
When John and y/n got to there son, he was smiling up at a police officer
"Seems he was taken by a woman who recently lost her child. Found near the train station," the man explained but y/n didn't care. There wasn't a speckle of revenge in her body. Only relief. Tears overflowed as she hugged her son to her body, John's arms wrapped around the both of them.
Her hands, still shaking, stroked his thick blonde hair as she kissed his head, smiling through the salty tears that stung on her cheek
"Mamas so sorry. I'm so sorry," she repeated over and over again, unable to forgive herself
That night, she was sat up in bed with John, breast feeding Edward. He was slowly being weened off it, as they were feeding him more solid foods now. But he still wouldn't sleep without being breastfed
"I've never been as scared as I was today," John admitted as his hand held his sons
"Me neither. We are so fucking lucky to have him here with us"
There was a knock on the door and their other three children came in, the youngest two crying as they held Johnny's hand
"They kept having nightmares," he told his parents as benjamin and Emily ran to their father
"It's alright. Edward is safe and sound. No point worrying about what might have happened," john told them as Emily climbed in between him and y/n.
"You staying there tonight sweetheart?" She asked
"I think so," Emily replied
"What about you, mate?" John asked his middle son
"I'm gonna stay with Johnny tonight"
"Alright. Well be a good boy. Don't stay up too late." Johnny and Benjamin kissed their mother, father, brother and sister goodnight before they left
"I love you all so much. You children, and your daddy, you're my world," y/n whispered to Emily as she giggled
"But I'm your favourite aren't I? Because I'm the only girl." Y/n and John just laughed before shaking their heads
"We don't have favourites"
"Ye. We hate you all equally," John said as y/n clipped his ear
"Daddy!" Emily laughed as John promised he was joking. That night, y/n fell asleep with Edward ontop of her chest, the boy refusing to leave his mother after almost being taken from her.