*Y/n = your/name (just incase you didn't know) P.S for this you live in England*
"Common guys" you say to two out of your three-two year olds as you try to strap the third in "no Maddie don't put that in your mouth- Jason stop it you're going to wake up Chloe! Maddie just put it down!"
Even with your persistent nagging your son wouldn't stop poking his sisters cheek with his stubby finger and your daughter proceeded to put an empty sea shell into her mouth. Chloe started to stir awake and her eye lids fluttered open to show her emerald eyes, the sudden rude awakening caused her to burst into tears which were soon followed by her two siblings joining in.
"Look Y/N I've got it" Ed said as he picked up Chloe and rocked her as she cried. The first to stop crying was Maddie so you strapped her in as well as her brother. You, Ed and the triplets got back to the car after a short 10 minute walk from the beach. The kids were all strapped in, Chloe was once again asleep after Ed serenaded her while they were walking, the other two were having a conversation with each other in gurgles and some random words.
You sigh as you sat down in the drivers seat, the door next to you closed "you're a great mum, I hope you know that y/n"
You smiled, the best you could, you were exhausted. "Thanks bro, but you know I'm only doing okay cause you're here. If you hadn't been here while the kids were growing up I don't think I could've coped"
"Hey I love helping you out, he was a dick to leave you but always know ill be here" Ed gave you a quick side hug and a peck on the cheek before you started the hour journey home.
By the time you got there it was six thirty, the kids bed time was in half an hour so you quickly planned out everything in your head.
"Okay so first, food. That'll only take 10 minutes so then I can change them, put them in their pyjamas - wait I put Jacobs PJs in the wash this morning, they won't be dry yet.."
You got out the car to go unlock the front door, moving the bin bags to the front of the drive way too.
"Oh and crap tonight they were supposed to have a bath. I'll just do the tomorrow morning, oh shit wait I've got the doctors in the morning.. Get up earlier and bathe them, yeah that's what I'll d-"
"Y/n" your whole body freezes. That voice, it was one you well recognised. The many memories of him saying your name ran through your head; sentences including "will you go out with me" "I love you" "move in with me" "marry me" and more.
Your first, and only, love stood there a few feet away from you, his hair was cut short but still fluffy like how it used to be. He was wearing one of his typical ripped vests and black jeans, red bandana holding his fringe out if his face.
"What do you want?" Your brother said bitterly as he came up behind you. Your brother wasn't too fond of Ashton while you were going out, and since he left you were pretty sure Ed would declare war on him if he had the chance.
"Y/n, Can we talk?" Ashton asked, his voice full of hope and relief.
"About what?" Your brother announced. "How you left my sister because she was pregnant, 'cause your career was what you wanted to focus on? How she was left on the street and her own parents couldn't afford to look after her and her new family? How you were engaged and planning the wedding yet your career suddenly became a dilema when she told you she was pregnant? How you're a fucking idiot if you think y/n will ever forgive you?" Ed listed of to Ash in a violent tone. Ash took a big gulp, Adams apple bobbing up and down as he took in your brothers words.
"Ed" You breathed, "Can you take Chole inside and put her to bed? I'll help in a sec" your brother looked from you to Ashton a few times before getting Chloe from the car and going inside.
"So what do you want Ashton?"
"Is that our daughter?" He mumbled, ignoring your question. His mouth slightly open as his looked over to where your brother had gone with her,
"Chloe is one of my daughters, yes" you replied, heading towards the car.
"One of them, we have twins?" He asked, a small smile on his lips.
"No" you said bluntly. Opening the door to get Maddie out, her head was resting on her brothers, both peacefully asleep. You picked her up gently and placed her head on your shoulder.
"Wait, what?" Ashton looked confused, was triplets really that hard to understand? As you turned around to look back at him you could see his smile, a genuine proud smile. He was staring at the small toddler sleeping in your arms like she was the most precious thing in the world, and to you she was.
"She's gorgeous" he breathed. Slowly making his way closer to you he studied her closely, like he was taking in every detail. "Wait, you said not twins.. No..?"
His gaze left Maddie and went to behind your shoulder, his eyebrows raised and smile grew as his eyes locked on the mini Ash asleep in the back. His slightly curly hair covering one of his eyes, smiling while asleep and making his tiny dimples show, you also regretted dressing him up in a tiny white vest and black shorts because it made him look even more like Ashton.
"Triplets" Ashton sighed, "y/n, can I.. Can I hold him?" He looked you deep in the eyes, his almost brimmed with tears.
"His name is Jason.. And.. yes, but, please try to not wake him up, okay?" You sighed. You continued inside and put Maddie to bed which left ash alone with Jason.
"Hey lil guy" Ashton cooed, "I'm your daddy" His long fingers shook as he fiddled with the lock on Jason's seat belt, he made sure to protect his head as he stepped out of the car. Holding his newly found baby boy was foreign to Ash, he wasn't sure if he would hurt the little guy if he held him too tight but he sure as hell didn't want to drop him.
As Ashton found a comfortable position to put Jason in he started to fidget, his chubby fingers reached out and Ash moved his hand to catch it. Jason's tiny hand wrapped itself easily around his huge finger, Ashton's breath caught in the back of his throat.
"You're so tiny, a tiny little me" Jason wasn't used to his accent, being in England meant you didn't regularly hear an Aussie accent, his eyes blinked open slightly. They were big, brown and beautiful, making Ash lost for words. Seeing a complete stranger holding him obviously made Jason uncomfortable as he began to cry, Ashton suddenly panicked and the first thing to come into his head was to sing.
"I remember the day you told me you were leaving.. I remember the make-up running down your face.. And the dreams you left behind you didn't need them, just like every single wish we ever made.." It was the most beautiful version of Amnesia you'd ever heard, the way Ashton's voice sounded so deep but relaxing and soft made your heart melt.
"I wish that I could wake up with Amnesia, and forget about the stupid little things. Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you, or the memories I never can escape" Jason had stopped crying as soon as he started singing, his eyes were wide and mouth slightly hung open watching in awe as this complete stranger silenced him with the power of his voice.
"Ashton" he looked up to where you were lent against the door fame, arms crossed over your chest.
"It's time for you to go" you stated, holding out your hands so he could pass you Jason, but Ashton shook his head and held the boy closer.
"No, no, I deserve to spend time with my son, a son I never knew existed! Y/n you can expect me to just walk away now after I've just discovered this miracle!"
"Yes" You spat. "Yes I do ashton and do you know why?" You quickly reached for your son, hugging him tightly as you fought the urge to scream at Ash,
"Because you did it before."
You could see the change in Ashton's posture, it was a mix of emotions: realisation, anger, pity, offence, hurt.. "Y/n that's not fair.." He mumbled,
"You think this isn't fair ashton?!" You quietly yelled. "Try looking at things from my point of view. I come home from the doctors with the best news in the world, that I was pregnant. Getting into our shared home to give you the good news. You telling me that 'I can't be having kids because my career is more important' and 'if you're keeping the baby then we're over', taking the engagement ring that meant so much for us as if it were nothing. Me going back to my parents for support but they don't have enough money for themselves let alone me and the triplets. Begging my own brother to let me stay with him, having to get two jobs while pregnant just so I could actually buy things for the babies. I spent seven fucking hours in labor Ashton, alone! No one could get there so I had to go through that by myself, then spending another 30 hours with my cousin and brother by my side because you weren't fùcking there!"
You took a deep breath "I'm sorry if you think this is unfair, me trying to protect my kids from having a father that left us and could at any point do it again, but my kids deserve a great life and if that means they're father-less then so be it."
You wiped under your eyes, you hadn't realised you'd been crying until you felt Jason attempting to wipe away the tears. You kissed his forehead and hugged him tighter.
Ashton looked like he himself was about to cry, his finger and thumb were pressed against his eyes, head hanging off his shoulders and back slumped.
"I'm such a dick" his voiced cracked, "I'm so sorry y/n"
"Well it's a bit too late to be sorry Ashton, nearly four years too late" you stated, turning on your heels to get to your front door. "Goodbye Ashton, I hope you have a good life."
"Wait!" He called, you placed Jason on the floor and told him to find Ed. You opened the door again,
"I want to be a part of our children's lives, I don't want them to grow up without a dad - I know what it's like and its hell. Please y/n, our children deserve to know who their daddy is" He pleaded, Ashton moved so his was right in front of you, over the four years he had grown and inch or two and towered over you like before. He still smelt the same as your remembered, his lips and eyes looked picture perfect to how they did before you used to kiss.
"They deserve a father you're right" Ashton smiled and tried to get closer but you held out your hand to stop him, "But a father who both I and they can trust. Not a guy who takes a heart, mind, body and soul, and makes every part of someone believe they are the best thing and the only thing they need. Not someone who gets up and leaves because it's not what he wants, not someone who is selfish and unreliable, or two faced and contradictory. Not you."
"They're my kids y/n, I was the man who got you pregnant and all you can say is they're not my children. What happened to the forgiving and loving y/n I knew before?" A tear ran down Ashton's cheek, but your eyes were trained on the floor to notice.
"She's still here, I've not changed. Apart from the fact that I don't love you anymore. You ruined me, abandoned me, left me, and you think that a simple 'I'm sorry' is going to fix the past three and a bit years? We were engaged Ashton, the wedding was being planned - we were moving forward in our relationship and the news of having children scared you away"
"I don't know what you want me to say y/n. Our kids need a father, you said so yourself. You know me, you know the old me but not the new me. Please just give me a chance to be in my children's lives, please"
You shook your head and your anger rose, you stepped silently back into your house before starting to close the door.
"They're not your kids. They're not our kids. They're my kids, Ashton. You made that decision a long time ago and I'm sticking with it."