The One Who Healed My Scars

Facing My Fears, My Mom

*Ashton's P.O.V.*

I gently set Conner down in his bed and let him sleep for a little while longer. This also gave me a chance to get Hayden prepared for bed. After I bathed Hayden I got him into his pajamas and sat in his rocking chair. As I rocked back and forth I held Hayden close. I began to sing nursery rhymes softly into his ear until his eyes fluttered shut. When I was sure he was asleep I gently settled him into his crib and pulled silky blankets over his tiny body. I smiled starring at his chest slowly rise and fall, as he slept peacefully. I can't wait to have children, I thought to myself as I flicked his night light on and the light off. I walked down the hall and into Conner's room.

I played with his hair and softly whispered his name until he woke up. "Hey buddy, how about we get you in the bath and then you can go back to sleep deal?" He lazily shook his head yes and rubbed his eyes. I carried him towards the bathtub and set him down so he could undress and I could start his bath. "Do you want bubbles?" I asked holding up a bottle of bubbles. "Yeah!" He exclaimed a little more awake now. I picked him up and set him in the bath and handed him some bath toys. I started to hear Brooklyn and her mother yelling at each other from down stairs and shut the door so that Conner didn't have to hear,  but it didn't help. He looked over at me with sadness in his eyes, a frown on his lips and covered his ears with his hands. I removed his hands from his ears and spoke. "You don't have to listen to that anymore Conner. How about we make music? Do you like to sing?" He shook his head yes. "Sing a song, I'll be your drummer." He smiled and started singing a random song. I began to tap a beat on the bathtub and he began to giggle. "Better?" I asked. He smiled and nodded. "Good."

I began to wash his hair when he spoke. "Ashton?" "Yes?" I responded after rinsing his hair out. "You're not leaving, are you?" He asked playing with his hands. "What do you mean buddy?" "I mean, you're not going to leave like my dad. Are you?" My heart literally hurt. "Look at me Conner." I demanded. He looked up at me and made eye contact. He was crying. I whipped his eyes and continued. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? I love you, your brother, and your sister way too much to even think about leaving. Don't ever worry about me leaving, understand?" He shook his head yes. "I love you too." He smiled. I smiled and kissed his forehead. I finished bathing him and got him into his pajamas. I tucked him in and told him good night. He fell asleep almost instantly. I went down stairs to check on Brooklyn.

*Brooklyn's P.O.V.*

Okay, time to face your fears. Time to face your fears, time to face your mom. She's just your mom. I thought to myself, trying to give myself a boast of confidence. "Hello? Where have you been?" My mother said in a demanding tone. "Where have you been!?" I yelled throwing my hands in the air. "You're never home! I'm always watching your children. I love my brothers and I love taking care of them but they need their mother in their life." She gave me a shocked look. Probably because I stood up to her. "If you haven't noticed I'm an adult. I can do whatever I want." She argued. "You're just going to let these boys grow up without a mother? Well I guess I can see why. I mean, how are you supposed to raise a child when you're not even grown up yourself?" I was about to walk up stairs to see if Ashton was okay when I was violently pulled back. "What do you know about being grown up? You're sixteen!" she yelled squeezing my wrist hard. "Yeah I am sixteen. That's the sad part! I'm, more grown up than you and I'm only sixteen!" "Don't talk to me like that! I am your mother!" She yelled squeezing my wrist even harder. "No, you're not a mother. You're never around. Have you even held Hayden?" She loosened her grip a bit and stayed silent. "Exactly. It's pathetic that you think you're anywhere near a mother." At that point she brought her hand to my face and slapped me hard. I grabbed my face and winced in pain. I looked over at the stairs to see Ashton. He ran over to me and grabbed my hand, gently pulling me to my room.

"Pack some things. I'll be right back." He kissed my forehead and whipped some tears I let fall. I packed a few things as he instructed, while crying hysterically. Ashton came back a few minutes later, as he promised, holding both Conner and Hayden. He put jackets on both of them and had bags packed for the two of them. "Here, go put Hayden and Conner in the car." He said setting Conner down to his feet and Hayden into my arms. Conner immediately latched onto my free hand. "I'll meet you down there, I'm going to grab all of the bags and meet you down there okay?" I shook my head yes, still crying. Conner latched onto my leg and started crying. "Don't cry sissy." He sobbed into my pants. I crouched down to his level. I tried my best to stop crying. "Baby, I'll stop crying. Please, we have to be quiet. Can you be strong for me baby?" I asked wipping his tears and a few of my own. "Yeah." He whispered. I didn't want my mom to know we were leaving, so she couldn't stop us. We walked quietly down the stairs and out the door.

I strapped Hayden in, then Conner, then got into the passenger seat of Ashton's car. I waited like he told me to and soon enough the door opened, revealing Ashton's face. He carried all of our stuff and put it in the trunk. Once he got in the car he drove off. "I'm sorry." I said. "Don't be sorry for something that wasn't your fault." He said in a calm voice. He brushed his hair out of his face and enlaced our fingers. I leaned over and kissed his cheek.

I turned around to check on Conner and Hayden to see them both asleep. "Ashton, I just want you to know how thankful I am to have you in my life." Ashton pulled over to the side of the road to look at me. "I'm thankful everyday of my life that you walked into that chemistry class." He let go of my hand. I'm not going to lie, I got a little disappointed. Until, he moved the hand to my cheek and started to gently stroke my cheek with his thumb. "Ever since that day, I've wanted to do this." He spoke again. "Do what-" My sentence was cut off by Ashton's lips gently pressing against mine. He kept his hand on my cheek and I put my arms around his neck. We pulled apart and placed our foreheads together. Ashton smiled at me and drove off. As we drove I thought to myself about the event that had just occurred. I don't think I would want to give my first kiss to anyone else.

**Ashton in thepicture!! :)**