Our Angel

Chapter 2 Monsters

Addie fell asleep pretty much the second they got in the car. Adien found her couldn't stop himself from glancing in the rear-view mirror over and over again.

"You keep doing that and you're going to crash." Hudson said from the passenger seat next to him. 

"Sorry." Adien mumbled.

"She's fine back there. Asher's next to her."

Adien glanced in the mirror again and snorted. "Yeah, fast asleep."

Hudson laughed quietly all three of their brothers had fallen asleep by now.

"How are we gonna do this?" Adien asked worry leaking into his voice. "We have no idea how to raise a girl."

"We've raised our brothers." Hudson said, "Don't forget Asher and Jesse were only eleven when dad left."

Adien sighed, "I'm not so sure we're doing a great job of that so far."

Hudson grew quiet. It had been a hard five years. Jesse was constantly getting into trouble, and Asher was drifting farther and farther away. He was constantly quiet, and never talked to anyone but Jesse anymore. Jordan hid behind his jokes and was struggling in school. Adien and Hudson were struggling to keep their family together as it was. They didn't know how they were supposed to take care of a little girl too.

"At least we don't have any problems with money." Hudson said.

Adien laughed. "True you're the hardest worker at the hospital."

Hudson scoffed, "That's nothing compared to you. Mister genius over there. You know good and well your invention is the only reason we weren't doomed when Dad left."
Adien didn't respond, not quite sure what to say.

A few minutes later they pulled into the driveway. They had a fairly large house, in a more fashionable style. It was gray with accents of teal.

Hudson woke the boys up and they started groggily getting out of the car. Jesse unbuckled Addies carseat. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck waiting for him to pick her up. Her stuffed horse was still clutched tightly in her hand.

"Um...a little help." Jesse said. "She won't let go, and her cast is scratching me."

"Just pick her up dude." Jordan said grabbing her backpack.

"You pick her up!" 

"Shhhh!" Adien said, "She's still sleeping."

He tried to grab Addie away from Jesse, but her grip was like iron, she wouldn't let go.

"Just pick her up Jesse, let's bring her inside."

Groaning quietly Jesse picked her up gingerly as if her was going to break her. The boys made their way inside.

"Uh oh." Asher said suddenly. "Where is she gonna sleep?"

The boys all stopped. They hadn't thought about that. All the bedrooms were filled, and Jesse and Asher already shared a one. 

"She can have my room." Jordan said, "I can share with someone."

"Me." Hudson volunteered. "Adien's room is a health hazard for anyone but him."

He wasn't wrong the majority of Adien's room was covered in bits and pieces of machines he was currently working on or fixing for the nearby hospital.

"Just tell me where we're putting her tonight." Jesse demanded. "My arms are getting tired and she's drooling on me."

"Let me go get my pajamas and a blanket out of my room. I'll campout on the floor tonight." Jordan said running upstairs.

"Come on." Adien motioned for Jesse to follow him. They climbed up to the second floor to Jordan's room and laid her down on the bed. Adien gently spread a blanket on her, he left the door open just a crack as they walked out.

All the boys got ready for bed then met up in Hudson's room. Hudson and Adien sat on the bed, Asher and Jesse flopped on the beanbag and Jordan sat on the desk chair. For a moment no one said anything. Just waiting for someone to break the ice.

"I know this is gonna be a big change." Adien started.

Jesse snorted from the beanbag and Hudson glared at him.

"But she's family. We need to make it work for her. Adn we're going to need help. Me, Hudson, and Jordan still have to work. So especially during the summer we're going to need help from you two. "

The two on the beanbag nodded grudgingly. 

The boys talked for almost another hour. Going over all the things they would have to change and help with. Adien only stopped when he noticed that Jesse, Asher, and Jordan had all fallen asleep.

Hudson nudged him and Adien followed him outside of the room.

"We both have tomorrow off, right?" 

Adien nodded. "Saturday and Sunday too, hopefully we can help everybody adjust."

"I asked Hannah to come over tomorrow." Hudson announced, "I was hoping having a girl in the house would help. It might put Jesse in a better mood to."

Adien nodded. Hannah was Jesse's best friend. She was around all the time.
"I was thinking maybe we could help Addie decorate her room. That might make her feel more at home." 

Hudson nodded. "Don't stay up to late tonight, ok?"

Adien nodded glancing at his watch. It was nearly one am. He made his way back to his room and looked at his bed distastefully. Sleep led to nightmares. Way too many of them. He picked up a screwdriver instead and began working on one of the machines the hospital had sent him. It was supposed to be fixed by Sunday. He fell into a familiar routine, working and thinking. He spent most of his nights this way. Avoiding sleep as long as he could. He didn't stop until nearly two thirty when he heard crying. He stood abruptly and walked to Jordan's room. Addie was sitting up on the bed clutching her horse and sobbing.

"Addie?" He asked opening the door slowly.

He sat next to her on the bed, and she dove into his lap crying onto his shoulder. He gingerly put his arms around her.

"What's wrong Angel?" He whispered.

"I-I had a scary dream."

"Shh. Shh. Its ok. It was just a dream."

"But the monsters were coming to get me, and mommy. I escaped but they got mommy." She cried harder.

Adien's heart broke. "You're safe Addie I promise."

She sniffed, "Will you stay do the monsters don't get me."

Adien swallowed his throat suddenly dry. He thrashed in his sleep, it wouldn't be safe for him to stay with her, but a look at her tearstained face and he knew he couldn't leave. He would just stay awake. 

He laid on the bed next to her. She snuggled up next to him, and he pulled a blanket over both of them. She was asleep almost instantly. Adien laid there simply watching the girl next to him. Her pink cast clutched closely to her side. Scratches all along her face. She had been through so much. Then again all of his sibling had. It seemed to be the fate of the Conners. He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her on the forehead. He would just have to make sure this Conners, had a happier life. Without realizing it he fell soundly asleep. When he woke around ten the next morning, he realized for the first-time in years he had slept without a single nightmare. Addie, who had asked him to protect her from her monsters, had somehow managed to keep away his.

The picture is the closest I could find to what I picture Adien as. Once again, the picture is not mine, I found it on Pinterest.