Sometime Much Later
"Do we really have to go ?" Ashton asks as he comes into our room.
"Go where bud ?" I ask as he climbs into bed and places himself on my lap.
"Away from you and Daddy." He says with a pout.
"Oh baby, sadly yes you do. But you guys have to be strong and wait for me and Daddy to come back to you." I say softly. I start to rub his back.
"But I'm gonna miss you. It's no fun there. It's boring and the people are mean. They force me to eat nasty vegables. When I get booboos it stays a booboo. No one takes care of it like you Mommy." Ashton says with tears rolling down his eyes. "I only see Avan and Aiden once a week. I don't want to not see Aaron. I want our family to stay together. Please Mommy don't take us back. Please they hurt us there. Please." Ashton cries into me. I just rub his back and hug him as he clings onto my shirt and wipes his tears on me.
"We'll work something out, okay Bub?" I say and he nods.
"Can you wait here for me while I go call Daddy outside ?" I ask gently and Ashton nods. He rolls off of me and cuddles with one of Henry's pillows. I stand up and grab my phone. I head out to the balcony and call Henry. He picks up immediately.
"What's wrong?" He asks.
"How'd you know something was wrong ?" I ask him.
"You called my cell not the office phone. You usually notify me when you're going to call my cell and you didn't so something is wrong." He replies.
"Ashton just came to me crying about how he didn't want to go back."
"He's been the most emotional about this all, do you think something's up?" Henry interjects.
"Yes I do. He told me they don't even stay together, he said they only see each other once a week there. He said no one takes care of their bruises and then he started begging not to go back because they hurt them there." I rush out. I turn to look at Ashton to see him crying but fast asleep.
" Like hell my kids are going back there." Henry seethes.
"Calm down tiger, I think we should see what's up first and ask the boys about it. I know Ashton wanted to tell me more but he got scared. When you get home let's talk to them about it." I say.
"Sounds like a great idea. I'm on my way now." Henry says.
"Henry sit your ass down." I tell him and I hear him kiss his teeth. " You cannot leave work."
"Oh yes I fucking can. I told this job my family comes first and if my son is scared of something then I'm gonna make sure I take care of it. Be home in 15. See you Babe." Henry spews and hangs up. Oh boy, he sounds pissed. Ugh I gotta deal with an angry Henry and sad kids. This is not cool.
My phone ringing pulls me out of my thoughts. I answer it.
"Hello ?" I ask.
"Char, quick question. Is it wrong to not give back our kids ?" Chloe asks me. I laugh.
"Chlo you know better, I expect this from Jasper but not from you." I say and I hear her sigh.
"You know we're nearing the end of this project and for some strange reason the kids have been really sad. I thought because they'd miss us but I think there is something bigger at play. " Chloe rushes out. Well her maternal instincts kicked in very quick.
"Chlo, if something is going on we can't give the kids back but we also can't keep them. We're too young to have kids in the real world." I say letting my doubts come out.
"Char, we've had them for 5 and a half months now. We've dealt with work, taking them on vacations, teaching them and caring for them like our own. There's no way we're too young otherwise we wouldn't have been able to care for them." Chloe says in a softer voice.
"Are you crying Chlo?" I ask.
"Mhm" She hums out.
"Aw honey, it's okay. Talk to Jackson and when you finished bring the family over for a big sleepover. I'll set you guys up right now." I tell her and she just hums out another " mhm". I hear a sniffle.
"Okay, thank you." She squeaks out and then the phone hangs up. I walk back inside and look at the sleeping Ashton.
"Oh Bud, what are you hiding ?" I say to myself really as I stroke his head.
"Charlotte !" I hear Henry yell. Oh boy
I immediately get up and close my bedroom door behind myself. I go downstairs to find Henry in the kitchen.
"Hen, I'm scared." I admit to him. He looks at me and opens his arms. I run right into them and he swallows me up in a hug.
"Why baby ?" He asks me.
"I just - what if it's bad ? What if we still have to give up the kids ? What can we do ? Nothing. We can't keep the kids, that's against the law. I don't want them there if they're being maltreated but there's nothing we can do." I pour out. He rubs my back.
"Even if there's nothing we can do, Captain Man and KD always figure out something." He says soothingly.
"But you're not ?" I say not finishing my question. I pull my head from his chest to look up at him.
"I've been talking to Ray about my progress. He's willing to let me come back as a sidekick for 2 years and then start training me to take over in about 5 years." Henry says. I smile.
"My baby's going to be everyone's superhero. You were mine long before KD, you know that right ?" I say and he nods. " I invited Jasper's clan over for a sleepover. We have to make preparations. Chlo called earlier and she ran into the same problem. She's gonna talk to Jackson and see if she can get him to open up." I add.
"Alright, why don't you go lay down and I'll handle everything ?" Henry suggests and I nod. He kisses my forehead.
"I'll be up in a bit." He assures me and then I pull away from his grasp. I go upstairs and get in bed. Soon as I lay down it's lights out.
" CHARLOTTE THEY CAN'T GO BACK !" Henry roars waking me up. I shoot up but fall back down when I feel lightheaded. I rub my forehead and open my eyes slowly. I find an angry Henry in the doorway. I examine him before speaking. His jaw is clenched, his eyes blazed with anger, nostrils flared, and a vein stuck out in his neck. This boy is livid.
"Hen what's up?" I ask shakily.
"Our kids are not going back there." He harshly speaks through his teeth. I raise an eyebrow at him. He visibly relaxes after taking a few quick deep breaths.
"They're maltreating them. It's not all the kids, just the ones whose parents willingly gave them up." He fumes. Before I can ask he's already answering. " They get fed once a day, don't go outside to play with the other kids, they don't get provided clothes or anything more than sheets to sleep with. They stay in the basement cells while the other kids stay in rooms with windows and furniture. I thought that could be fixed with a quick talking but they conduct tests on the kids, they see how long they go without eating or sleeping, how long they can study without crashing, they test their physical limits and strengths. If the kids fail the tests they get zapped with a laser. It doesn't leave a mark but the pain makes it feel like a hole ripped straight through them. Our kids are not going back there." He explains thoroughly. I'll be damned.
" You damn right our kids are not going back there. Hell, no kid should have to go there if that's how they treat orphans. " I lash out. I rub my face and sigh.
" My boys were going through that, what if this project is what saved them ? What if they were on the brink of dying ?" I cry. Tears fall down my face without me noticing, how did I not see my eyes getting blurry ? Henry rushes over to me and wipes my tears. He kisses my forehead and looks me in the eye.
"Hey Char, don't think like that. They're here and we're not letting them go back okay ?" He reminds me. I just nod my head. The same head that keeps picturing my kids being tortured to death.
" Oh god they would have started on baby Aaron !" I cry again. " He'll be one soon, they can't go back. " I croak. My cheeks are yet again wet and warm. How am I crying and not noticing it ?
" Baby please, stop thinking of it. Come, let's go," Henry stands up and pulls me up with him. " The boys are watching a movie and you need to spend time with them. It'll help you." Henry places an arm over me as we walk, he also rubs my arm which I focus on to block out my mind's images.
"Hen, you were just fuming mad. Where'd that anger go?" I inquire once we're down the steps. He stops walking and kisses my nose.
"It's still here but what good am I to try and comfort you while angry ?" He questions. I smile and we keep walking. We reach the living room to see our boys munching away on popcorn while Aaron holding the now cheese tray with cheese all over his mouth and fingers. There are no crumbs in sight.
" I'll go get more nachos." Henry says lightly as he just turns to the kitchen. I pick up Aaron and place him on my lap.
"Mmmm" Aaron sounds out and I know it's his way of trying to call me.
"Yes baby, I'm here. How ever did you get cheese all over you?" I wonder aloud and he just laughs.
"Mommy!" Avan shushes me as I find him with a finger on his lips.
"Sorry, okay, right." I whisper sheepishly and just watch - What the fuck are we watching?
"Mommyyyyy!" Avan whines.
"Oops sorry Avy, I'll be totally quiet now." I say and he gives me the stink eye. This niglet.
Yeah, these kids are mine now.
Henry comes back in with a new nacho tray. He winks at me then sits down by Aiden. Aiden immediately fills him in, I can tell by the way his eyes flash in recognition. Damn, I should have sat next to that son. I mentally roll my eyes. Aiden slightly cuddles into Henry who rubs his head for a bit.
Correction, these kids are ours now.