𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

𝘳 𝘦 𝘷 𝘦 𝘯 𝘨 𝘦

ARIELLA WAS STARTLED awake by the soft cries of her babygirl, that echoed through the room. Her delicate wails grow louder, causing Ariella, who was still groggy from sleep, to rise from the bed and make her way to the bassinet that resides in the corner of the room.

"I can get her." JJ mumbles, half asleep.

"I got her." Ariella chuckles, sleepily. She scoops the baby up, cradling her close and whispering soothing words. "Hey, my lovely girl."

When that didn't work, Ari rocked her back and forth, trying to calm the baby, but in response, Cora Lynn wails louder. It was as if nothing could soothe her at the moment.

JJ sits up on the bed, leaning against the headboard. He watches as Ariella attempts to quiet her down, but her attempts all unsuccessful. He hated hearing the sound of his daughter's cries. JJ calls out to her, holding his arms out. "Let me get her, beautiful."

"You want to go to daddy, babygirl?" Ariella whispers, kissing her daughter's nose.

Making her way over to JJ, Ari gently hands the baby over and almost instantly, the Cora's cries soften, and the baby nestles into her father's arms, her tiny fingers clutching around his chin.

JJ smirks teasingly, seeing Ariella's jaw dropped. "I guess she's already a daddy's girl."

"I don't blame her." Ariella says, kissing JJ's cheek. "I'm going to go get her bottle. Don't fall asleep on me."

"We won't." JJ replies, though they both knew he couldn't promise anything. He looks down at his little girl, who gazed up at him, staring at him like he was the center of her universe.

The sight made Ariella's heart melt. She smiles, watching the tender scene unfold. Her heart swelled with love for both of them. She was never going to get tired of her little family.

After freshening up, Ariella made her way into the kitchen, putting her daughter's bottle to warm up. As she waited, there was a loud knock on the front door. She momentarily freezes. She had no idea who could be behind that door. Noah and Isabella were gone for work and Wheezie was still asleep.

Carefully making her way towards the door, a voice spoke from the other side. "JJ? Ari? It's me."

Ariella didn't waste anymore time, she unlocks the door and her eyes widen. "Bird! You're okay!"

"I-I am, Ella." John B stutters out as he embraces the girl into a tight hug. "B-But Dad's not."

"Huh?" Ariella pulls back, her eyes going over John B's stressed features. "What happened? What's wrong, JB?"

"H-He's gone absolutely insane." John B moves past her and starts pacing around the kitchen. "I don't even know who he is anymore. He's killing people and—."

"What?" Ariella exclaims, rushing towards John B. Stepping in front of him, she places her hands on his arms to stop him from pacing. "John B, I need you to take a beat, alright? Sit down and breathe."

John B does as told, sitting down and leaning against the counter, head in his hands. He flutters his eyes close, trying to collect his thoughts. The man he was with was not his father. He couldn't be. That wasn't the person he remembered at all.

His father was so detached, in a way. He held no care for him or the rest of them at all. No matter how much he claimed he did. Big John was always lost in thought, his mind somewhere far away.

John B didn't realize any of this until he started replaying the day's events in his mind, that he began to sense something amiss. There was something different. His father's presence, though physically the same, had felt distant, as if part of him was still lost in whatever had caused him to changed.