A Family (x reader)

Parker Struggles

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You've been staying at a house for a few days, to sleep in beds and scavenge the area. Ethan and Virgil are planning to go on a run. They need you to come along, since you know what medical stuff that should be prioritised when scavenging.

"How's Parker?" Ethan asks you.

You frown worriedly at Parker. "Not good. He's freaking out, I don't know about this Ethan."

"He can't be dependent on just the two of us." He says. "If he won't do anything to connect with them. He needs a push. And we'll be back in a few hours top. He'll be fine."

"You're right."

As you're getting ready to leave, Parker gets hysterical, thinking you're leaving him. You keep trying to tell him you're not. But you can't lie to him by promising you'll survive. Annie has to hold him back from trying to go after you when you leave. It hurts to watch but he has to be able to be without you and Ethan sometimes.

Getting to the mall was no trouble, just a few zombies in your way. But the gunshots have pulled someone's attention to you without your knowledge.

Inside the mall, Virgil goes one way, you and Ethan go another way. While you go into the pharmacy, Ethan checks out the stores on either side of it.

Then suddenly you hear a gunshot and you wince. Ethan comes running in to check on you. He then goes to check on Virgil but tells you to hide. Hearing voices, he moves stealthily closer to see what's up.

He hears two voices whispering to each other. "There's two more, let's go."

Ethan finds you and tells you what's going on. He saw Virgil laying dead on the floor and the guys are looking for you.

(I want to write more to this, just haven't come up with what yet. I just wanted to fill this in as its own chapter, since I mentioned it in the story in a few chapters after this. They get taken by the two guy's or maybe there's more, take them somewhere, and they escape a day later, but then has to travel for a while to get back. So two days pass.)

You finally get back to the house after two days. Running inside the house the others turn to you in shock, having thought you died.

"Where's Parker?" You immediately ask.

They look at you and Ethan sadly, then glance at the closet door. You frown and go over to it. Opening it, you get on your knees and look at the shivering child cradling himself in a fetal position.

"Parker?" You say, but get no response.

Ethan looks over you and at him, frowning in concern at his state. When you try to reach for him he screams and recoils, you flinch away from him and look at him with wide eyes.

"Parker, it's me. Yn." You try to talk to him. Glancing up at Ethan you share an uneasy look. You both turn to Annie and the others.

"He hasn't eaten since you left. Just screams when any of us get close. When the closet door was open, he ran in and slammed it shut. He's been there ever since, which is two days. I don't think he has slept at all." Annie tells you. You put a hand over your mouth and your eyes start to get wet.

You turn to Parker. "Oh, baby.. It's Yn and Ethan. We're back. I'm so sorry."

Ethan facepalms in worry as he sits down as well. The others leave to give you space.

"Hey, bud. Can you hear me?" He asks Parker but doesn't get a response either.

You cry softly, feeling awful for leaving. "I'm so sorry, baby. Please come back to us."

Parker sniffles and starts to move his head to the voice. He stares at you and Ethan with wide red and wet eyes. You open your arms and wait for him to come to you. He just stares for a long time, but you don't falter and hold your arms open for him. With a sob he crawls over and into your arms. Ethan hugs you both, caressing his head in comfort.

"I'm sorry, bud. I'm sorry we're late."

Talking with Annie about what has happened with him since you left, you realise Parker has severe anxiety and panic attacks. You and Ethan agree that being not just alone but without either you or him, is not something you can push on him, it was going to take time.

You feed Parker and he falls asleep in your arms. You carry him up to the bed and lay down with him, soothing him in his sleep. Even in his sleep, he is clutching to you unconsciously. Later, Ethan comes in to go to sleep too and looks at you. You give him a sad and tired smile. He sits down beside you.

"I'm sorry, I should've listened to you. You didn't think it was a good idea. I was pushing it."

"It's okay. I didn't fight you on it. We both decided to go."

You both just sit in silence and stare at Parker. Then you turn to Ethan and reach for him. He gets into his usual position and wraps his arm around you. He hesitates on pulling you in so you don't make a move to get closer. Soon you fall asleep from exhaustion. Eventually he can't handle the tiny gap and pulls you in, you snuggle into him in your sleep, leaning your head on his chest.

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