Merge // malum

☆ 14 March

When Emilia's eyes shot open, all she wanted was for them to just close again. Screaming and arguing filled the hotel room as everyone tried to get ready in the cramped room. Evangeline was standing in the doorway of the bathroom with her knees bent and her hands on her stomach, screaming at ember to leave so she could use the toilet. But, as she does best, Ember continued doing her make up, covering up nasty bruises and telling Evangeline she was almost done.

Ashton was ignoring the two, trying to get ready for work without falling to his knees. He continuously reached for his wedding band to spin it around on his finger to calm down, but it wasn't there anymore. It had always been a symbol of his and Luke's love, their love that was supposed to be strong enough when it came down to things like this.

Ashton knew he was wrong.

He was so focused on the fact that his sixteen year old daughter was having a complete mental breakdown in his arms that he didn't pay attention to the fact that his step son, or rather lack of now, had walked ten minutes, in the rain, to the hospital because he felt suicidal. So yeah, Ashton was wrong. He knew why Ember was so upset, and he realizes that it would hurt for your boyfriend to sleep with your almost step brother, but the way she handled it is what Ashton can't stand by. It was wrong to call Michael such a vulgar name and it was wrong to throw glass at Luke's head.

Ashton loves his daughter, but he will not throw Luke away for her. He just can't. He loves Luke too much to do that. And Michael, he promised Michael he would be there for him and his baby.

The hazel eyed man sighed heavily, fixing his tie wrong instead of Luke doing it for him. His eyes were drooping heavily, laced with sleep and dry tears. Emilia and Evangeline both knew their dad looked absolutely miserable, but Ember thought he looked happier than he's been for the past two years. Ember was used to the dull, haunted smile that her father forced rather than the genuine smile that always graced his lips when Luke was around. Ember thought her fathers pain was his happiness, and that was fucked up.

"Emby I gotta go potty" Evangeline whined, tears threatening to fill her eyes as she bounced on her heels and held her stomach. Ember rolled her eyes, waving he four year old off.

"I'm almost done" The sixteen year old said.

"Emby please" Evangeline cried, tears cascading down her flushed cheeks. Ashton growled under his breath, walking to the bathroom, wrapping his arms around embers waist and carrying her out of the bathroom.

"What the fuck! Let me go!" Ember yelled. Ashton placed the girl on the bed and gave her stern look.

"Your sister has a stomach ache and she's been asking for the past twenty minutes to use the bathroom. You can finish your make up in five minutes when she is done. And if you curse like that at me again I'll ground you for two months. Are we clear?" Ashton spoke firmly, staring into the girls eyes. Ashton has zero patience left for the girl, he let her grow up getting away with nearly everything, and now that he knows when and when not to be firm, he's working on getting her in line. Embers
eyes widened as she stared up at her dad, he's never spoken to her like that, with such authority and anger.

"Whatever" Ember rolled her eyes. Ashton gripped the girls chin, making her face him but not tight enough to hurt her.

"Are. We. Clear?" Ashton asked again, staring at the girl expectantly.

"Yes" Ember said, no heat behind her words.

"Thank you. Finish getting ready so we can go, I don't want you being late for school" Ashton mumbled.

Emilia smiled softly at her dad as she rolled out of her bed. She quickly grabbed a maroon skirt and black shirt before heading to the bathroom. She opened the door whilst putting her hand over her eyes.

"Lia, get out" Evangeline whined.

"Don't worry. M'not looking. I just need to change, is that okay?" Emilia asked with an innocent smile.

"Yeah that's okay" Evangeline said. Emilia stepped into the shower and closed the curtain, sighing as she started removing her clothes.

"Lia. Where's Lukey? He always takes me to school cause daddy works" Evangeline asked. Emilia's eyes widened, her mouth going dry because she didn't know what to say.

"Um- uh- he- look, Evangeline, Luke isn't going to be taking you to school today" Emilia said.

"Why not?" Evangeline yelled as she pulled her pants back up after cleaning herself. Emilia stepped out of the shower, and frowned as she closed the toilet seat and sat down on the lid.

"Lukey and daddy are a little bit mad at each right now, so Lukey can't take you to school today"
Emilia explained. Evangeline frowned, crossing her small arms over her chest as she stomped out of the bathroom. Emilia sighed, running her fingers through her hair before placing her head in her hands.

"What's wrong with you?" Emilia looked up at Ember who had entered the bathroom to finish her make up. Emilia glared at her twin, getting up from the toilet.

"Nothing" She hissed as she grabbed her brush and started running it through her hair.

"What's your problem?" Ember scoffed. Emilia threw her hair in a pony tail before turning to her sister. Her face was still covered in bruises, no matter how much make up she put on. It hurt Emilia to see her twin sister look so hurt but she knew she deserved everything Lola gave to her.

"You're my problem. You're my problem because you made dad break it off with Luke. Do you actually think dad is happier without Luke? Cause I can promise you he's not. Luke tried so hard to make us comfortable and feel welcomed with the fact that he would be marrying dad. He made us breakfast every morning, he gave us each our own rooms, he always helped Evangeline with her homework, and you pushed him away. Why couldn't you just accept that he was in our lives?" Emilia quietly said, trying to keep the conversation between her and her sister.

"That asshat was ruining our lives. Dad wasn't happy! You just can't tell when he's miserable like I can, I'm the oldest and I can tell better than you can. Luke was trying to take over our family and replace mum, he didn't care about us" Ember stubbornly said. Emilia furrowed her eyebrows in anger and confusion.

"What mum? The mum that liked pain meds more than her own daughters? You and I didn't know our mum, as far as I know we never had a mum. Even if we did Luke wasn't trying to replace her, Luke was trying to be the second parent we never got. And thanks to you we never will. Evangeline won't ever have a mum figure because you had to have things your way. Not everyone thinks like you do Ember, everyone except you loved Luke, especially dad. This break up isn't permanent, Luke will be back because he loves dad, and dad loves him so don't get used to being alone again. I'm tired of dad being alone, if they get back together and you ruin it again I will never forgive you" Emilia seethed, giving ember a serious expression before leaving the bathroom. As Emilia turned the corner she ran into something solid, gasping as she looked up at her father. He was leaning against that wall right outside of the bathroom, the look on his face telling Emilia that he heard everything she had said

"You're right. Luke not being here isn't permanent. I'm going to work on that I promise. I didn't know you felt that way" Ashton said. Emilia shrugged, looking down at her feet.

"Luke really cared about us. I don't want you to lose him because of this" Emilia said. Ashton smiled softly at his daughter, opening his arms. Emilia pressed her cheek against her dads chest as he hugged her and she hugged him.

"I'm gonna get him back, I promise"