Strong For Too Long Trilogy ✔️

18. Returning Home

CHAPTER 18: Returning Home

I stare at the building, "At least it's not your headquarters, that place was-well, let's face it...it looked like it was rebuilt from that of an asylum." I mention as Aaron parks the car and chuckles as he steps out, our bags in the back.

"I don't know how you come up with this stuff." He says to me, stepping towards my door, opening it as I remove my seat belt and he helps me slide out, at least I thought until he got Tobias and Thirteen to grab our bags while he holds me bridal style. Staring up at me in those cognac brown eyes. I smile at his charm, leaning down and covering my lips over his. His lips twitch up as he kisses me back, just as it starts raining. I giggle and look up, pulling away from him and laughing at it while he shakes his hair out before I slide down to my heels. He grabs my hand as we all run towards the building.

I run a hand through my curls as we step inside.

I smile when I see Grayson smirking as he stands in a suit, "Well, don't you look soaked. No hug?" He asks me.

Aaron steps around me, strutting straight up to him and gives him a right hook. A sharp, harsh slam of it too.

BANG!

I raise both eyebrows as Grayson groans on the ground, "Fuck, I already got one of those, dude."

Aaron rolls out his hand, "Fern, I'm guessing. Then you know exactly what that was for." He spits at him.

I place my hands on my hips, Aaron looks to me, "I never promised I wouldn't punch him, love." He had the audacity to say to me, right before I glance over his shoulder, and there they stood. Suits and all. Fern's beige eyes penetrating mine in an indecipherable way, while it was Pierce who strutted straight toward me and wrapped his arms around me.

Picking me up, he sighs in relief, "You're alright." He whispers to me. I close my eyes and slide my arms around him.

"Papa." I called out, running through the forest, mind on the game of cat and mouse. Before I scream in shocked happiness when I'm twirled up into the air and turned to face him. Caramel grey eyes stared into my green ones as he held me up, holding me against his hip.

"It's late, young lady."

"But, I wanna see the fireflies." I lingered my fingers out to the direction I noticed one. The mansion hidden behind the obscuring trees behind him. He sighed, he held me close as he moved through the branches.

"You had your parents worried." He said down to me.

I dropped my head on his shoulder, "I didn't mean to. I snuck out the back like I saw Alexander do." I giggled as he tucked me in close to him, holding me in a warm, caring way. I couldn't describe it, my childhood was protected and yet so secretive. I knew that as a mere five year old being held up by my Godfather, where nothing got pass him, not even sneaking into the woods outside the mansion. Our house. Our home. Our lives.

He walked us through the trees, "Next time, call for me. I don't like you going out alone, alright. It's dangerous. Être en sécurité, c'est ne pas se perdre. Être protégé, c'est ne pas courir à moins d'y être invité. Pour l'instant, tu n'as pas besoin de courir, mon enfant." He said down to me, heart racing in worry.

(To be safe is to not get lost. To be protected is to not run unless told to. Right now, you do not need to run, my child.)

I nodded to him, "I'm sorry, Papa. I wanted to see the fireflies."

He lowered me slowly to the ground, but kept me close in between his legs, "There. There they are, little one." He whispered to me, my entire body stilled the moment I saw them. There were thousands of them fluttering in that mesmerising way. Making someone believe in faeries just by seeing the glowing lights. He held me with warmth exerting from him, surrounding me protectively. My ringlets were curled aside, he turned me in closer to him.