It Started With Hello

Chapter 20- A Band's Christmas

Lincoln-

"Guys be quiet, I don't want to wake her." I tell the others in the van with us. We're on the way to my parents place where all our families will meet up with us and then we'll celebrate and separate until New Years Eve. "She didn't get much sleep last night."

"Farley's still missing, that's why." Matt says. "He's only gone missing one other time, and that was before our parents..." He trails off looking down to the camera around his neck.

"What happened to your parents?" I ask him, "Arabella won't tell me anything."

"I don't know." He answers. "I got a phone call from the agency our parents book cruises and flights from and from what I could make out of their German, the cruise ship was lost at sea, no one knows where it is, it never washed up on a coast. None of the riders were ever found. Not knowing anything, and having to break it to Bella was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, besides living so far from her."

"Why do you guys live so far apart?"

"I lost my scholarship to the Photography college in Switzerland, it was just outside the city where we lived. They didn't think my grades were up to par with the new recruits the were bringing in, so they gave them my scholarship. I couldn't afford to stay on, so I applied for full ride scholarships to every photography school imaginable. And Phoenix was the only place that offered me the full ride, the others offered partial scholarships, but I really needed the full ride, especially with Arabella going to college soon. I have a job, but it wouldn't be enough to put myself through school."

"Mama." Arabella's head jerks against my shoulder startling me, "Papa. Mama! Papa!"

Matt quickly unbuckles and flies over to her seat sitting in the empty seat on her other side. "Bella. Arabella." He speaks softly to her, "Wake up sweetheart." She keeps jerking around, He undoes her seat belt and pulls her into him, "Bells you gotta wake up. You're dreaming. Wake up."

"Mama! Papa!" She cries. Matt's grip on her tightens.

"Bella." His voice is louder and firm, "Wake up." He shakes her. She begins crying her eyes wide open but you can tell she's still sleeping. "Mama and papa aren't coming back, wake up." He orders her. She blinks and collapses into tears against her brother who wraps his arms around her soothing her. "Shh." He hushes her. "Bella its okay, we're going to be fine." He doesn't seem surprised that she was hysterical just a few moments ago. "We're going to be just fine."

"Mama." She whimpers to herself. "Papa." She cuddles into her brother hiding from everyone.

He continues to console her and strokes her hair and she falls back to sleep curled up next to her brother. "Shh, you're okay.We're going to be just fine."

"We're here." Henrick says from the drivers seat. "Is Bella okay?" He asks as we all get out.

Matt picks her up and carries her to my door.

"Mum, Dad." I call into my house, "Rosie! Jace! Macy!"

"Lin Lin!" My baby sister, who's only 3 toddles to me a huge grin on her face. "Macy, where's mam and dad?"

"Wosie!" She cries out. Rosie, my twin, younger twin sister races to the front door. "Wook!" She points to me.

"Lincoln!" Rosie throws herself at me and hugs me.

"Rosalyn." I hug her back, "Where's Jace?" I ask her.

"With his girlfriend like always."

"Hey, unfair assumption!" Jace objects, he's 20 college freshman. He's home for the holidays like I am. "And it's fiance not girlfriend."