Darkness Returns | Darkness #2

7.

*DOUBLE UPDATE-READ 6 FIRST*

"So-so I can stay here tonight?"

Sebastian is trembling on the couch. I've given him a blanket, which is wrapped around him, and I had to make him hot chocolate milk. Daisy is cleaning his wound and will let him choose a band Aid later. I'm making up a new bed, we'll place it on the other side of Camilla's and Aiden's room. They each have their own side of the room then.

"No. You can stay here every night. Aiden is your brother now," Daisy gently explains him. His eyes show his fear when he cringes into the couch. He even ducks away behind his blanket. "I-I don't thank m-my dad will like that."

His dad. The fucker who beat up his own son because he felt like it.

"You don't have to ask him. We already did," Daisy says, finishing with the cleaning up and walking away to get the band Aid he chose. It's one of a TV show Aiden really loves too. 

I finish making the bed too and show it to him. He shyly smiles, slowly crawling in it. I help him adjusting the blankets and the one stuffed cat he brought. "Do you like it?"

He nods, blushing. "Y-yes. Thank you." And then he gives me a hug. It surprises me, seeing he's scared of everything and certainly of men, but I hug him back. It's the least I can do to erase the bad memories of his father.

A door slams open downstairs and I hear wrestling. The door shuts again and Easton and Dominic surely just have gotten home. Daisy runs the room back in with the band Aid. One look on her panicked face and I'm leaving, ready to get in between my brothers.

Dominic is infuriated. He keeps on punching Easton, who takes it. He'd do anything right now to stop Dominic from going to our family right now. I see it by the way he's gripping Dom's shirt tightly and with slight anxiety written on his face.

"Why did you do that?" Dominic yells. I'm startled at the sight of tears running down his cheeks. "Fuck you!" Another fist on Easton's cheek. "I hate you so, so much! Just so you fucking know!"

And that's where he breaks. One hand is still holding the collar of Easton's shirt, but he falls apart. He's trembling, crying and screaming to go. 

I am finally able to part them. Easton took some good punches, with his cheekbones looking badly bruised and Dominic's knuckles bleeding. None of them seem to care in this moment, though.

Daisy is upstairs with the kids and can't comfort Dominic right now. I suppose we'll have to do it. 

Dom is clinging to me while he breaks and falls on the floor, gasping for air. I sink on my knees along with him, letting him cry. Easton rests a hand on his back. 

"Please. You don't understand," Dominic cries, trembling even harder. "I need her back. I-I need—please."

I nod, understanding his feelings completely even if he thinks I don't. "I know, I know. But it's not safe. Dominic, listen to me. Dominic. Listen to me."

His desperate cries calm down a little. He looks up at my face, gasping for air. I nod, glad he has it in him to actually listen. "I know you want her back. She's your baby. But think about the consequences of going to our uncle for a second, okay?"

He sobs, his trembling hand covering his face for a bit. "I don't care," he cries, "I don't fucking care."

I shake his shoulder. "Yes, you do. First of all, you'd not only bring yourself, but all of us in danger. Daisy. Aiden. Easton and me. Maybe even Camilla too. She's not there, okay? He doesn't even know about her. He's too dumb to have her. Am I right?"

He cries again, but I see the gears in his head starting to work. Okay, he's returning a little. "You have to breathe with me here. This situation is horrible, I know it is. None of us deserves it, and we're all heartbroken, but you have to think before doing stuff, okay? Promise me."

He wipes his tears away and nods, even if his heartbreak is worse than ours and even if he can't think right now. "O-okay. I promise."

I nod. I slowly let go of his arms, wanting to give him his much-needed space. It's been so long since I've seen Dominic break down and it can't quite get in my head. He's normally so strong, he wouldn't break down. But he changed, with Daisy and with the kids, and he's brave for showing his emotions. 

We sit on the kitchen floor, the three of us, while he catches his breath. I know he's a little embarrassed, but he needs us right now too. Which is why we are here for him. 

"What-what if we never get her back?" He looks in my eyes, and the sorrow he's drowning in almost pulls me under too. "What if I never see her again? The last thing I told her was a lie, Asher. A lie to get her away."

I squeeze his shoulder. "Don't think like that. We will get her back. Healthy and laughing like the happy kid she is. She'll probably ask where his pink unicorn doll is."

He laughs wetly and wipes his stained tears away. He pulls out said unicorn from his pocket. "I had it with me, just in case."

I nod, encouraging him. "Keep it with you. For when you get her back. Not if, when."

His grip around it tightens. I look at Easton, who is wincing at his face. Dominic follows my gaze and winces, too. "Shit. Sorry."

Easton shakes his head. "Nah, man. It's fine. Rather this than you dead."

I stand up to accompany him to the kitchen and help him. Dominic gets up too, looking guilty. "I-I'll go to Daisy. I wasn't too nice to her when I left in my rage."

I nod, telling him to do exactly that. Except that Daisy is just walking down the stairs with Seb on her arm and Aiden close to her leg. "Christ, Asher, he's hyperactive as fuck with that chocolate milk—oh, sweetheart, come here," she frowns and pulls Dominic in for a hug.

Dominic doesn't return the hug and stares at Seb, who is put down and giggling with Aiden. "You-you . . . you replaced her?"

Oh shit. Now this again.

But Daisy shakes her head, grabbing Dom's hand in between her own. "Come on, Dominic. I'm her mother. Why would I replace my own daughter? This has nothing to do with Camilla, and if you thought for a second, you'd know it."

Dom blinks at Seb for another few seconds before deciding his wife is right. With relief, I turn to Easton and start wiping some water on his wounds. Dominic's rings clearly did some damage.

While we hear Dominic apologizing to Daisy for whatever he said earlier, I help Easton through his injuries. When I'm done, the mood has lifted just a little. "You want a matching band Aid with Seb?" I tease.

Easton pouts and nods, feeling Sebastian hug his leg. Aiden is hugging the other. "I need a Sponge-bob band Aid on my boohoo too."

I roll my eyes but listen, if only to get a laugh out of the kids. Dominic and Daisy walk in just when I'm done patching up. Daisy tsks her tongue at Dominic like he's a little child and the man blushes in regret. "I'm sorry."

Easton shrugs. "At least I now know not to flatten your tires and drag you back the house against your will." Aiden starts whining with protest when his daddy doesn't understand his hint on picking him up fast enough. I sigh and help him on Easton's lap.

Seb frowns in silent displeasure but doesn't dare to say anything. I know better, though, and pick him up to my chest. He hugs me back with a shy smile. 

I already know this kid is going to love me more than his other new dads.