A year ago the Austin-Wickham family went on a trip to the mountains.
"Come on, Mom! I wanna go explore!" Bethany whined, stomping her foot unpleased. "Be patient, Dear!" Shannon instructed, unamused at her daughter's attitude.
Bethany responded with a huff and ran to her sibling. "Hailey, can you take me exploring?" she asked, holding Hailey's hands and swinging them back and forth. "Betty, I'm a little tired. How about you ask Zander?" Hailey suggested. Bethany frowned. "He doesn't like walking!" she said, pouting. "You know me well, don't you?" Zander remarked, taking a sip of a juice box they had packed.
"Please, Haileyy!! Pleaseee?" Bethany pleaded, widening her pupils. "Fine, I'll take you walking," Hailey relented. Bethany celebrated almost immediately. "IF... you can convince Zander to come too!" Hailey added, pointing towards her younger brother. "And... it'll never happen!" Zander confidently said, causing Bethany to frown. "Come on, Zanderrr. Don't you love me?" Bethany begged. "I do, which is why I am not going to take you EXploRing," Zander emphasized. "You suck!" Bethany exclaimed. "You'll understand one day," Zander said playfully.
Bethany rubbed her chin, then grinned. "Hey, Zander!" she said, approaching him and whispering something in his ear. Zander's eyes widened. "Alright! We're going to explore!" Zander shouted, standing up. "WHAT?" Hailey groaned in disbelief. Bethany clapped her hands, cackling with joy. "Let me tell Mom first!" Zander said, approaching the cabin.
After getting a thumbs up from Shannon, they set off on the trail. "God, I can't believe you'd actually agree to this," Hailey muttered. "Why? It's healthy for the kid, and you're irritated, so it's a win for me!" Zander replied, earning an eye roll from Hailey.
The fresh scent of pine trees filled the air. Despite the tiring car trip, Hailey began to enjoy the walk. "Hailey, Zander, look! A ladybug!" Bethany crouched near a bush. "Ooh, where? So I can throw it at your brother's face!" Hailey joked, crouching beside her. Zander glared.
"Can we take it back to the cabin?" Bethany asked. "No! Absolutely not!" Zander said quickly. "As much as I'd love to annoy Zander, it's not right for the ladybug," Hailey responded. "Aw, okay!" Bethany sighed, and they continued walking.
"A butterfly!" Bethany shouted, running after it. "Bethany, stop running!" Hailey shouted, but Bethany tripped over a fallen branch, landing face-first in the dirt. She winced in pain. Zander and Hailey swiftly ran to her. Bethany tried to stand but felt a sharp sting in her knee. She sat back down, sobbing. Zander picked her up, and they headed back to the cabin.
Michael and Shannon noticed them immediately. "Baby, are you okay?" Shannon asked, standing up. "She tripped on a branch," Hailey explained. "Get her wound cleaned. I'll grab bandages from the car," Shannon instructed. Zander nodded, carrying Bethany to a nearby water source. "Zander! I don't want to wash it, it hurts!" Bethany sobbed, kicking slightly.
"Come on, kid. Don't you want it to get better?" Zander persuaded. "NO! I'd rather not walk if I'm going to fall and get hurt!" Bethany huffed. "Betty..." Zander sighed, setting her down. "Things happen, and you'll always get hurt." "Then I don't want things to happen!" Bethany pouted. "If you don't face small things, bigger challenges will be harder," Zander said. "Do you want to be a coward?" "Maybe I do if it means not getting hurt!" Bethany spat.
"Betty, don't you like exploring?" Zander asked. "I do," she sniffled. "And ladybugs and butterflies?" "I do!" Bethany confirmed. "If you're a coward, you won't get to do or see what you love." Zander brushed her hair back. "I'll ask you one more time.." He said. "Do you want to be a coward?" After a moment, Bethany shook her head. "Then let's wash your knee and get better, okay?" Bethany nodded.
With her knee washed, they returned to the campfire. Bethany's wound was bandaged. Despite her knee not hurting as much, Bethany still stayed seated. Hailey was sipping from a juice box. Michael and Shannon were cooking dinner. Zander sat beside Bethany, reading a book. Bethany took in the scenery, then smiled at her brother.
She stood up, although struggling a little. Once she was finally stood, she went and walked towards the bush to find a ladybug. She crouched, whispering, "Are you the same ladybug or are you her friend?" She asked to the lonely ladybug, "Can you do me a favor?" She asked. "If you see my brother, tell him I said thank you!" She waved at the ladybug and ran back to the campfire, ready for new adventures.
A/N it's been a long while since I've made a fanfic about them with no ships, so I have you all enjoyed it <3
YOU ARE READING
The music freaks oneshots (Austin-wickham family)
Romancethis is a oneshot for the austin-wickham family. (it could be ships including zander and hailey (ex. lander,jailey). also I don't allow ships including shanon or micheal with somebody else. (knowing that shanon and michael are cannonically married))...
