Dark Side - Sequel to Asylum » AI // au

-23-

It's already the 20th of December which means Christmas is in 5 days. I've been super busy trying to get things ready for the holidays. Christmas is supposed to be a family holiday and that's hard when my whole family is dead.

Christmas is usually just me, Michael and Calum. It's ok with us because we are our own little family and it's always fun. We buy gifts for each other and exchange them, like most people do. We always try to make Christmas feel like Christmas.

"Hey Heather can you come out here for a second? I need to talk to you and Michael," Calum yells to me from the living room.

"Yeah one second," I say as I put the next batch of cookies in the over.

"How are the cookies coming along?" Michael asks as I enter the living room.

"Good! The first batch should be cooled by now so you can have one when Calum's done talking to us," I tell him smiling.

"So I've been talking to a lot of people recently, about a lot of things," he takes a breathe, "I've been talking to Mrs. V and the board at Briarville. I've been visiting Layla weekly and she's gotten a lot better, she's starting to trust me again. They told me she could be released soon, but there are some circumstances."

"Like what?" I ask.

"Well I would become her legal guardian, which is totally ok with me. But that means she would be living with me, and there's no way there is enough room here. So that brings me to my next point, I need to move out."

"You don't have enough money for an apartment of you're own, Cal," Michael tells him.

"I know I realize that. I've thought about that, too. I've been working extra and I talked to my boss. I told him the situation and he said he would help me make it work. If he had to give me extra hours or even a slight increase in pay, he would. I really need to do this. For myself and for Layla. She needs to be out of that asylum and she needs someone to be here for her," he says.

I sigh, "what is she going to do when you're working?"

"I'll be signing her up for school starting the beginning of the year, actually. Briarville is helping with all of that. They do it for all the kids I guess," he shrugs.

"How come I didn't know you have been visiting her?"

"I wasn't allowed to tell you because then it might affect her sessions. I have no clue why, but that's what they said. Luke knew."

"So do you have an apartment picked out?" Michael asks.

"Uh yeah it's actually not an apartment. It's a small house. I know it seems crazy, but it's really nice and just perfect. I put an offer down already. Mali said she would help me until I can pay it fully. Did i mention she's coming for Christmas?"

"That's great! I can't wait to meet her," I smile.

"Mali is so hot," Michael blurts.

Calum gives him a glare, "don't hit on her."

"Alright sorry man," Michael laughs.

"I'm really happy for you, Calum. You're really bringing you're life together. I'm going to miss you so much but I'm so happy for you," I smile as I give him a hug.

"Thanks Heather. It means a lot coming from you. And you won't miss me that much because I'll probably come over here a lot," he laughs and so do I. The buzzer on the oven goes off signaling the cookies were done.

I go into the kitchen to take them out and place them next to the others. I put another batch in before I go to leave the kitchen. As I leave the kitchen I accidentally knock off an old cookbook I had taken out to find the cookie recipe. As the book falls on the floor a picture falls from the pages. I leave down and pick it up.

It was of me, my mom and dad making cookies. I flip the picture over to see my moms beautiful handwriting. Christmas cookies! 1956.

1956. The year before my dad died.

As I look at the picture, tears start to come to the front of my eyes. Even though I was so young, I remember everything about that day. It was the best.

My mom had just woken me up and told me she found a new recipe for Christmas cookies. I was so excited because Christmas was my favorite holiday and I loved cookies. She said we would be spending the whole day baking, as a family. Family. She always talked about family so much. It's ironic how she said family was so important yet here I am, sitting on the kitchen floor with no family.

When we were making the cookies I remember my dad lifting me above his head and pretending to dump me in with the mix. Looking back at it now, it was silly, but I was 6 then and I thought it was the scariest thing.

That day was my favorite day. I talked about it for days after, I remember. We were together as a family and I was so happy.

"Heather? Oh my god are you ok?" I hear someone say, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look up through my tear filled lashes to see Ashton with Calum and Michael standing behind him.

"Uh yeah. Yeah I'm fine," I lie wiping my tears and standing up.

"Heather, babe, you can tell us if you're not ok. It's ok not to be ok," Ashton says.

"I'm fine. I promise," I fake a smile and try to put the picture back in the book, but Ashton grabbed it before I could close the book. When did he even get here anyways?

"Christmas cookies 1956," he read, "this is you with your mom and dad?"

I nod my head and he sighs.

"Can you guys give us a minute, please?" He asks Calum and Michael.

"Oh yeah of course," Michael says and Calum follows him down the hall.

"Heather you don't have to be ok. You understand? If you're sad. Be sad. If you're happy. Be happy. If you're mad. Be mad. It's ok to feel things, you don't have to be happy all the time. Ok?" He tells me looking straight into my eyes.

"Okay," I say as I begin to cry again.

He wraps his arms around me in a hug, "tell me what's wrong."

"I don't have anyone. I'm all alone! Everyone in my family is dead. You and Michael have family. Heck even Calum still has family. I'm all alone and it's almost Christmas."

"Baby you're not alone. Ok? You're not alone. You have me and Michael and Calum and Luke. We all love you and we are your family. Just because we're not blood doesn't mean we can't be family. I love you and I will always be here for you. You know that, right?" He brushes my hair away from my face and I nod.

"I know you're going to get sad and that's ok. I get sad too. Just tell me when you're sad and I can just hold you and you can cry."

"You're the best Ashton, you really are," I say as I press my lips to his. He then pulls away and embraces me in another hug. A few seconds later I feel 2 more pairs of arms wrap around me.

"We're your family Heather," Calum says.

"We'll always be here for you because that's what family does," Michael says and I smile as we continue our group hug.

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Happy new year ! Hope 2016 is great for everybody