BE STILL ( andrew bazzi )

ii.

"hello?"

"andrew?"

andrew furrowed his eyebrows, the man noticing how familiar the voice on the other end sounded. "yes? may i ask who this is?"

"it's austin."

"austin? why're you calling me? how'd you even get my number?" andrew asked, not noticing how rude his words sounded until after they left his lips. "i didn't mea—"

"no, it's fine. i get it. my sisters crazy, i deserve the iffy vibes, but you know i'm not allison." austin explained. "i'm just calling to make sure rosalia is still doing okay."

"uh, are you sure you're not asking for her?" andrew questioned, clenching his jaw slightly. "you know, the one who decided to take her own child and put her into harms way? the one that almost killed her own child for her own petty reason? no, rosalias not doing okay. she's traumatized because one of the two people who are supposed to love her unconditionally decided to go on some crazy rampage and almost killed her."

"andrew, how long have you known me?" austin paused, waiting for andrews answer but continued when he didn't receive one. "all those years you were with allison, how many times did you see us actually be siblings? we hated each other and still do." a laugh was heard through the phone. "but despite that, rosalia is my niece and i do care about her wellbeing. my sisters batshit crazy, always has been. she was just really good at hiding it when she wanted to, but andrew, i'm not my sister. i'm asking because i care and i want to know. because rosalia is my family too."

"i never wanted to be your mother. you were a mistake, that's why i left. i never loved you, rosalia."

"you don't mean that, mama." rosalia sobbed, feeling her heart race as the car sped up immensely.

"you were a mistake. you were never worth my lov—"

rosalia let out a scream, her body jumping up as she was pulled from her dream. she let out a sob as she pushed herself up and against her bed frame. the child pulled her legs to her chest, letting the tears fall freely.

katherine looked at rosalia with worried eyes, running out of the room to get someone when she bumped into zions tall frame. "katherine, what happened?"

"she had a nightmare, i think. she—" katherine shook her head, following behind the boy as he made his way into rosalia's bedroom.

"rose.." zion mumbled, sitting down on the edge of the child's bed. "come here."

rosalia quickly shook her head, pulling out of the grip zion had on her shoulder. "i want my daddy. z, please go get him."

zion nodded, going down the hall to where his sister and andrew slept. he knocked on the door, a few moments going past before adeline opened the door. "caleb?"

"rose needs andrew." zion said sadly, watching andrew come up behind the woman. "she had a nightmare."

rosalia's sobs echoed in adeline's and andrew's ears, the two getting a gut feeling that they knew what the nightmare was about. they hated seeing rosalia like this and knew that if they could take the pain the child was going through and put it on themselves, they would. "rose, baby. come here."

rosalia shook her head, flinching at the woman's touch as well. "i want my dad."

adeline's heart broke at the words, the woman quickly nodding and backing away. she stood next to her brother, feeling katherine come up beside her as well. the three watched andrew take his daughter into his arms, the man whispering in her ear. the two rocked back and forth, rosalias sobs still echoing through the room.

adeline felt her own tears build, the woman letting out a breathe. "i'll be back." she mumbled, leaving the room.

zion watched with worried eyes as his sister left the room, feeling katherine move closer to him. "come on, let's give them some space."

katherine nodded, following behind the dread-head. the child watched zion peek into brandons room, the boy making sure his best friend was still asleep. zion looked at the nervous child, sending her a reassuring smile before the two made their way into zions bedroom.

"finding nemo or the little mermaid?" zion questioned, looking through the movies sitting on his bookshelf. "rose always makes me watch the little mermaid." katherine smiled at the playful eye roll zion sent her.

"the little mermaid." katherine nodded, messing with the sparkly pillow resting on the boys bed. "is this rose's?"

"nah, it's mine actually. brandon got it for me as a joke, but jokes on him because i love that shi— i mean, pillow." katherine let out a soft giggle as zion handed her a throw blanket to cover up with. "i don't like making my bed so i use these instead. you can sleep in here tonight if you want, andrew usually stays with rose for the rest of the night after this happens."

katherine sent the boy a sad look. "it happens a lot?"

"sometimes. you shouldn't worry though. rose is the strongest kid i've ever met. you're lucky to have her, but she's lucky to have you too."

katherine grinned at his words, getting under the blanket and snuggling into the bed. zion sent the child another reassuring smile before he made his own pallet on the floor next to his bed.

rosalia laid her head against her father's chest, listening to his constant heartbeat. she found comfort in the sound and the feeling of her father's hand pushing her curls behind her ear.

"i've said it once, princess, and i'll always say it. you're the best thing to happen to me and always will be. i'll forever be a constant in a world of temporaries. my love for you is unconditional. i'm so sorry you had to go through that and if i could go back and change it, i would. you're my favorite human in the entire world. you are a part of me, princess." andrew said softly to the child, feeling rosalia's grip tighten around his arm tighten.

"thank you for not leaving me, daddy." rosalia mumbled back. "i love you."

"never, rose." andrew closed his eyes tightly, kissing his daughters forehead. "i love you more."

AUTHORS NOTE .

towards the end, i used a line from the first book 😗 i love rosalia w my whole heart like that my little baby. i couldn't decide if i wanted it to be adeline she confided in or andrew, but went with him so i could go back to the basics of the book. yes, it's a love story between adeline and andrew but rosalias and andrews relationship overlays everything else.

hope there's not any errors in this bc i'm too lazy to reread it and edit it ! 😗