This is Home | | | What is Home SEQUEL

Chapter Twenty-Nine

As the countdown ticked closer to midnight more people began to gather around each other. I was sandwiched between Pierce, Reece and Harlow, our parents, Casey and Levi, the twins, and most importantly Ryatt and Ryder. Well, most importantly Ryatt.

Pierce held Ryder, who somehow was fast sleep through all the noise and I held Ryatt. The little girl who power napped and begged Casey to wake her up to see Mama Charlee and Pierce for ball drop. She bounced in my arms and dancing along to the music playing through the speakers surrounding the back yard.

Pierce rocked Ryder slowly. He looked so attractive when he held kids. There was something so absolutely breathtaking about that fatherly side of him. The kids pealed back all his harsh layers and made him into a giant teddy bear.

"Pierce you want me to take Ryder?" Levi said from over my shoulder.

"No, it's okay I've got him." Pierce smiled as he looked back at his sister's husband.

"You sure you don't want to hold your beautiful girlfriend and dance with her and Ryatt?" Levi raised his brows at Pierce.

"If you insist, take him." Pierce laughed handing over Ryder to Levi.

I felt Pierce's hands wrap around the cheeks of my butt the moment Ryder was out of his arms. It caused me to jump and break out in laughter.

"What is funny?" Ryatt asked as she stopped her rapid arm movements from her dancing.

"Pierce is just being silly Ry." I shook my head as I smiled at Pierce.

"Oh." Ryatt joined my laugh for a second before reaching her arms back up in the air to dancing.

"Your one wild dancer Ry." Pierce said as he ruffled the curls into Ryatt's head.

"Hey!" She wildly ran her hands down her hair trying to fix the mess she thought Pierce had created.

"Ryatt stop." I laughed moving my head back from her flailing arms. "He didn't mess up your hair I promise."

"Okay." Ryatt smiled and got distracted by the music all over again.

Before we knew it the countdown from 10 seconds started. I felt this anticipation building as everyone began counting. It wasn't a feeling I had ever really felt before. But it was a feeling I seemingly enjoyed to feel.

...5

...4

...3

...2

...1

"Happy New Year." Everyone screamed all at once.

I felt Pierce pull my arm causing me to look away from everything going on around me. His lips pushed into mine. Of course, Pierce had to be cliché.

"Eww." Ryatt pushed at our faces breaking the kiss.

Pierce and I could only shake our heads at her reaction. It was typical and expected.

"Well happy New Year baby girl." Pierce said quietly in my ear, planting a soft kiss to my cheek in the process.

"Happy New Year." I said back just as quiet with a smile on my face.

Slowly the crowd of the party dispersed. It was nice to not be on top of each other anymore. Even if the temperature was a bit cooler, I definitely couldn't tell. There were too many bodies, huddling together to even notice the cold.

"Everyone ready to head home for the night?" My parents called out to our group.

Everyone was ready. It had been a long day, and my hand had started to throb from whacking Ally in the face. I knew that this pain was definitely going to teach me a lesson. I didn't like the feeling the fight gave me afterwards. The pain was definitely adding to that awful feeling.

"I guess this is where we part ways for the night." Pierce said pulling me into his chest.

I buried my head into him. I didn't want Pierce to go. I never wanted him to go. I needed to learn to be independent from him though. I guess that was a goal of mine for this new year. I had to be able to survive on my own, because at the end of the day we can only rely on ourselves.

"Can you come over for a little?" I looked up at Pierce innocently.

"I won't have a ride home Charlee. I'm sorry." He sighed running his hands through my hair.

"Oh." Sadness ran through that single word, more than it had ever before.

"I'll FaceTime you when I get home and we can fall asleep on the phone okay baby girl?" Pierce cupped my face, pulling my attention to be fully on him.

"Really?" My face lit up.

"Of course. I need you." Pierce smiled at me before giving me one last kiss and walking away.