A Family

The real boss

  When you, Molly, Bandit and Jake come back, you help finish setting up the camp. Eventually, Carlos and the others come back. Mitch tells Ethan what repairs need to be done on the vehicles. Ethan suggests who from the team can help him out with that job.

...

  Later, when it's time to eat, you go to serve the team some dinner after they've worked with Ethan on getting the camp set up. Mia helps you and Molly hand out each of them their rations.

  "Thank you, Mia." Edward says when she gets to him and then she sits down on the gap between him and Jake.

  You take a seat beside Edward on his other side, Parker climbing up on your lap immediately.

  "Now, we wanna hear some stories, don't we?" You say since Ethan is on watch for his shift.

  Mia nods excitedly and looks at them expectingly. They smile and Jake immediately start to enthusiastically tell an embarrassing story about his brother. The stories are from when Jake was a kid. Ethan was an adult at that point, but he still had stories. Edward add a few from when Ethan was a kid. Even one Jake hadn't heard before.

...

  The coyotes aren't going where they wanted to according to their plan. Carlos go over to Ethan who's standing ready with the team.

  "We need to bait them out after all." Carlos tells him.

  They look at each other. Gabriel scoffs. "I'm not getting eaten for some fuel." He says even though no one asked him directly to be bait.

  Ethan chuckles. "You don't need to worry about that. Hey, Jason!" He gets Jason's attention from a distance where the rest of the group is standing ready, and he looks at them. "We need bait."

  Jason's excitement shows on his face expression immediately, even from afar. He stands up from his spot with the others and goes to be bait. When he's close enough to get the coyotes attention, he starts to sing loudly. He has a great voice, it isn't something he does as a passion before the apocalypse, he just enjoys it. After the apocalypse he rarely got to sing when they're out travelling, to not attract unwanted attention by predators. He's also a fast runner, so when they need human bait in some way, he always volunteers.

  Ethan leans over to Bullet. "Guess what his B name would be if he was on the team."

  "Bait."

  The two just chuckles low. It's kind of dumb, but they just find it so funny for some reason.

  The coyotes are soon aware of Jason's presence and start to sneak out. When they run to attack, Jason takes off running in the direction for the trap.

(Don't have more written for this yet, sorry.)

...

"Bullet, you and your team help Mitch with the vehicles. He needs them lifted to get below." Ethan tells him the next morning when he gives the group their jobs for the day too.

After giving orders his team to go to Mitch in the meantime, Bullet goes to Ethan.

"Hey, Boss." He says and Ethan turns to him. "I just wanted to say that the team.. I mean, you don't need to call it my team. It's yours. The only reason I took over was because we thought you were dead."

Ethan smiles and shake his head, then puts his hand on your shoulder.

"Ryan." He rarely uses Bullet's real name but felt like it now. "I always wanted you to take over my team. That's what I prepared them for."

He frowns. "Your team? I thought you always meant you were helping me get ready for the chance of leading my own team someday."

Ethan nods. "Yeah, that's if you were ready before I was ready to let go of the team to do something else or if I got a promotion. But I always hoped you'd want to take over for me. Why do you think I put Bandit with you all the time?"

He shrugs. "Because we work well together. And he's good."

"Yes, he is. But especially with you. I was also preparing you both for the current roles you have. I knew you'd choose him as your second. Or, well, I mean, I might've influenced that decision by always partnering you." He chuckles. "I knew the two of you could lead my team together. And seeing you two work as partners and grow together, prepared the team for it too. I told my superiors that if I died, that's what I wanted, for them to give you my team. And I've already seen you prove what I already knew. I'm proud of you."

"Wow.. Thank you, Ethan." He gives him a hug in gratitude. "But still, the team is always yours. If you need us, I'll surrender us to your command with no hesitation. I'll follow you anywhere, brother. I know they will too."

Ethan smiles. "I appreciate that."

"And I don't need to tell you that you always have spot on the team."

Ethan chuckles. "Thanks, but I have a family to focus on."

"Yeah, you do." Bullet says with a smile, then he chuckles. "Who's the real boss in your family, huh?"

Ethan scoffs. "Oh, I'm the boss. Definitely me."

Bullet raise an eyebrow. Just then, you walked out from the caravan and looked for your husband. You see him in the distance.

"Husband, go get water from the well!" You shout and wave with the bucket.

Ethan immediately moves to you. "Yes, wife!"

Bullet bursts out laughing and Ethan sends him a quick glare. But then can't help but smile as he goes to you.

You hand him the bucket and he takes it to the back to fill it with water from the well. Ethan takes the water bucket inside the caravan. He puts it on the table and you thank him.

Ethan looks out the window and at Bullet outside, who's standing by Bandit. They're discussing something, before Bullet then gives orders to the team on what to do to help Mitch with getting the vehicles lifted and they all go to what told. He smiles softly at his team working so harmoniously like always. Maybe even more so than before.

You wrap your arm around his torso and glance at what he's looking at. "Do you miss leading them?"

He shakes his head. "I'm too busy bossing you and the kids around."

You scoff. "Oh, are you now?"

He laughs and hug you closer. "Just kidding. You know you got me at your beck and call, baby."

"Mhm." You hum with a smirk with a satisfied nod and he chuckles before leaning in to kiss you.

"Daddy." Parker appears in the doorway with his teddy and a book.

"Hey, bud." Ethan leans down and pick him up. "You ready for bed?"

Parker yawns and he chuckles.

"I'll take that as a yes."

You walk to them and give your son a kiss good night. "Good night, baby. I love you."

"Love you, Mommy." Parker says and lean into his dad as Ethan walks him out of the kitchen and to their bedroom.

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