Death Is Easy, Life Is Hard

28~ All Of Us

7 miles
6 miles
5 miles
4 miles
3 miles
2 miles
1 mile

I see the outline of the building through the darkness and my speed gets faster before I stop the car directly in front of the building.

I take the key out and open the door, not bothering to shut it, before running inside the building.

I go up to the second floor, last door on the left, and knock three times. Also a code we use.

He knocks back 4 times, and I finish it with two more. The door opens to reveal a older looking version of the Dalton I used to know.

"Dalton" I say before hugging him

He reciprocates it before pulling away.

"Where's my brother?" He asks

"He's on his way, they should be here soon. But where are they?" I ask

He steps aside and I see my twins playing something on a tablet.

"Don't get mad at me for letting them on the tablet, just watch" Dal tells me before I can yell at him

"Mama" Hayley says before tapping a picture that looks to be of me

"Papa" Hunter then says, tapping a picture of Ethan

"They may not remember you, but they do know you" Dalton tells me

"You made that?" I ask and he nods

"About a month and a half ago, when they started trying to talk" He says

"How do they already know how to talk?" I ask

"They couldn't cry to express themselves to we had to learn new ways to communicate without causing any disruptions. They also know sign language" He responds

"Uncle Dalton?" Hunter says getting our attention

"Yes bub?" He answers

"Mama?" Hayley asks when she looks at me

"Hi my baby girl" I say to her, kneeling in front of the both of them

I pick her up and she snuggles her head into my chest. I then look over to see Hunter trying to steadily walk over to us. I lean over and pick him up as well, and he puts his head in the crook of my neck.

I hold them tightly to my chest, savoring the moment as long as it will last.

"Brother" I hear from behind me

I carefully stand up and turn around to see all of them there. Hunter turns his head enough to see them and looks at Ethan.

"Papa" He says, making grabbing hands at him

A smile makes its way onto Ethan's face as he grabs him and holds him tightly before wrapping his free arm around me and Hayley. I take my free arm and wrap it around his shoulder before leaning into him.

This, my family. This is what I've wanted, needed, for the past year. This is how I will be okay.

~

"The twins are with Dal and Juli, but are you sure you guys want to do this?" Sage asks me and Isa

"Doesn't matter what we want" Isa says as we step out of the car

"Kol should be in the living room. We'll get him and then get your guys' stuff" Ethan says, walking beside me as we go into the mansion

"We'll meet back up with Dal and Juli at the airstrip" I add as the door closes

"We just have to do one simple thing" Isa mumbles sarcastically

We keep walking until we get to the living room and stop by the doorframe when we get there. Kol notices us and walks over to the other side of Isa. They have a short conversation in Greek before she grabs my hand and we walk to our rooms.