Darkest Shadows

31) Can You Hold Me?

"Can you hold me?"

♡

2992

Ambrose has never seen Athrhea so frantic in the years he had known her, she was always calm and collected, she was level-headed, and was the mom of the Highrise. Today that was not the case. It seemed fine, she was making lunch for the Highrise, Gemini was out with Jay, Adam, and Zero, Maezie was with Ascelin and the Montana and Bellezza babies, Jax was doing laundry and Ambrose was in the shower, everyone else wasn't home, including Tarver. It was a normal day, well, it was until Ambrose got out of the shower and felt the tension in the house, coming specifically from Rhea. He went downstairs to check and by that time Jax was rushing past him and heading to Sybella's room.

He watches Rhea ease Tarver down onto a stool and his face contort in pain, from the pain he has from sitting Ambrose knows exactly what happened. "Can I do something to help?" he asks a frazzled Rhea who has Tarver's head clutched to her chest. "Is Gemini coming?"

She nods briefly and closes her eyes. "It's okay Cariño, I am right here baby."

She turns her eyes up to Ambrose and he can see the devastation in her eyes. "Go get a few things and I'll stay with him. I won't leave him alone, he's safe with me, I promise."

Ambrose puts a hand on her shoulder, and she reluctantly lets go of her son with a kiss on his head and a promise to be back quickly, his arm replaces Rhea's in holding him off the stool as much as possible while keeping him steady. "When I met Athrhea she was known as Flame and she didn't talk, it was kind of freaky, but Gemini fell in love with her immediately, anyone with eyes could see it but your mom. I think she purposely tried not to see it because if she did it meant she would have to deal with feelings and emotions, everything which she hates. She was cold, someone who wanted to always fight, and was an addict, she had a lot of issues, but your dad always saw the best in her and was determined to show her the good in her. She is a good person, there was a time when I didn't think your mom and dad would make it, I knew they were in love with each other, but I didn't think that was going to be enough for them with her issues. Their bond really started when your dad brought your mom breakfast in her room and he would eat with her, more likely he'd stare at her until she figured out that he wanted food and she'd give it to him, he'd get greedy and steal some of her berries when the juice would drip down she'd lick it up. Her favorite thing seemed to be licking his face because it freaked him out and got him to smile, Gemini and I have been friends for more than twenty years and I have never seen my best friend happier than when he is with your mom. She's the coolest person I know, and she has a hard time showing her emotions and feelings sometimes but don't ever doubt for a second that she doesn't love you, she and your dad love you more than anything in this world, you are the first sign of their love, you are your dad's Catalyst, you know. Despite how bad things are or how worse they'll get your parents will always love you and be here for you, no one in the world has better parents than you and Sybella have, I wish Jax, and I were as great of parents as yours are. Nothing will ever take that away from you, this isn't your fault, and they will not love you any less than they do now, you are their baby boy and nothing will change that. We're all for you, okay? And don't let my daughter convince you to die your hair pink or purple, your mom will kill me."

The faintest smile pops up on Tarver's face as Rhea comes back over and takes her son back in her arms, she looks at him with a weak smile. "Thank you," she mouths.

"I'll help Jax with Sybella."

As he is making his way upstairs he can hear Sybella's cries, she may be eight years old, but she is still the baby and doesn't like being separated from her family. "Mommy!" she shouts as Ambrose opens the door, she manages to slip past Ambrose who grabs her at the last second and carries her into the room screaming and crying. "I want Mommy!"