Haunted

Human - UNEDITED

Disclaimer: This chapter has not been edited from the original as posted on JBFF. There will be mistakes, typos, continuity problems and other issues.

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Brent tucked Colin's tiny shirt in before he put this jacket on and looked him over one last time before he moved him from the changing table to the floor. Colin held his hand up for Brent to take it not even looking, like he just knew his dad would be there.

"Dada, go," Colin said.

"Okay, let's go," Brent had to smile and helped Colin walk to the stairs. He still had to carry him up, but Colin was barely patient enough to wait for his feet to hit the ground again to start walking when they'd reached the second floor.

"Chloe, hold still please," Maddox was saying when he and Colin found Dax and the girls in the bathroom. "This one curl just doesn't look right."

"It looks beautiful," Brent said. Maddox didn't even look at him.

"No, it's not working," Maddox insisted.

"Daddy, it's hot," Chloe pouted.

"I'm sorry baby, we're almost done," Maddox said. "I just need to fix this one curl."

"Dada, can you please tie my bow?" Hannah handed him a black ribbon.

"I said I would do it, Hannah, just one more minute," Maddox said before Brent could answer.

"I can do it," Brent said.

"I'll do it, everyone just be patient," Maddox's voice got a little louder.

"Hannah, did you make your bed?" Brent asked.

"Yes," Hannah nodded, looking down at her nails. She smoothed her dress down though Brent couldn't see a single wrinkle.

"Daddy, please be done," Chloe begged.

"I just want to fix this one curl," Maddox said.

"Babe, it looks great, let it go," Brent tried to step in.

"No, it's-" Maddox started to argue and looked up at him. "That's not the shirt I laid out for you."

"What's wrong with this shirt?" Brent raised his eyebrows.

"I put a shirt on our bed for you to wear, go change," Maddox said. Brent almost laughed but the look on Maddox's face stopped him. Never once had Maddox ever given him an order like that but he was obviously having a bad morning.

"Let's make a deal," Brent grinned. "You stop fussing with Chloe's hair because it looks perfect the way it is and I'll go put on the shirt you picked out for me."

"Fine," Maddox slammed the curling iron down on the bathroom counter and all three kids startled. "We're just going to be on camera in front of the entire world, but if you all want to look awful, fine."

"Watch the kids, I'm going to change," Brent said, walking away before he lost his patience.

It was the day of Cole's funeral so Brent had expected Maddox to be difficult. But he'd thought it would be like the day of Jessica's funeral when Maddox had been so upset he couldn't get out of bed. Brent had planned all kinds of ways to make sure the kids were ready while he talked Maddox into going.

Instead Maddox was avoiding his grief. Brent sighed when he saw the shirt lying on their bed. Maddox never picked out his clothes, why start now? It made him feel like a child.

They made it to the church without Maddox finding anything else to get upset about. The service was private and fairly small. Not even the whole Bieber family was there, just Justin, Clara, and Emily, who was only there to help Brent and Maddox with the kids.