My Half Brother - A Ross Lynch/R5 Fanfic

Chapter 24 - Carter Turns 4

Chapter 25

Ashley-

"MOMMY! DADDY! WAKE UP! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!" Both Ross and I get woken up by Carter jumping on the bed, hollering his words.

"Okay, okay," I yawn, sitting up. "I'm up." I get out of bed, and Carter runs out, but a hand pulls me back.

"Stay a little longer," Ross groans. "We can't. I'm sorry, I'd love to, but we do have a four year-old running a muck downstairs." I walk to the closet, grabbing a shirt, jeans, undergarments, and walk to the bathroom.

After I change, I brush my teeth, fix my hair, and walk out to find Ross has fallen asleep again. I laugh a little, sitting on his side of the bed, pulling the sheets off making him mumble something that was incoherent.

"Ash," Ross opens his eyes, meeting mine. "Come cuddle." I smile slightly. "No, we can't. But you know I'd love to. Just c'mon downstairs once you're ready."

I walk out of the room, and downstairs and into the living room to see Carter already picking out gifts to open.

"Not yet," I tell him, sitting with him on the couch just as Ross comes down only in a pair of grey sweats. "We have to until everyone else gets here."

"Aw, but Mommy," he pouts. I chuckle. "Fine. But can I ask you and Daddy a question?" Ross sits beside me, and I nod. "Why do I only have one grandma and one grandpa? Where are your Mommy and Daddy, Mommy?"

I look down, staying quiet. "They're not here anymore," Ross answers for me, rubbing my back softly. "Why?" There's a silence. "Because they're in a better place now. It's called heaven."

"Where's that? Up there?" Carter points to the ceiling, making me chuckle lightly at his child antics. "You could say that."

Just then the doorbell rings and Carter jumps up to answer it and I'm about to get up but Ross pulls me back gently.

"You alright?" He pulls me onto his lap his arms tightly around me. I nod. "Okay." He kisses my temple, and we walk together to the front entrance, greeting everyone.

~~~

After a long party that went on for at least eight hours, Ross and I clean everything up, which takes about an hour. We finally collapse on the couch, exhausted, and I lean against him, knowing he won't mind.

I feel my eyelids droop, and then arms picking me up. I move in closer to Ross' chest, just as he lays me down on our bed, and I feel him follow suit not long after.

"Goodnight babygirl, I love you." He kisses my hair, and I fall asleep.

~~~

"Daddy, how did my little brother or sister get in Mommy's tummy?" I hear Carter as Ross and stop walking into the room, hiding behind the wall, trying not to chuckle. "Well, uh, they just did." I hear Ross answer and I walk in, sitting next to him.

"But how?" Carter repeats. "Did you put them there, Daddy?"

I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Did you like your gifts?" Ross tries to change the subject, and thankfully it works. "Yeah! Thanks for the guitar, Daddy! I'm gonna be like you soon on a big stage!" Ross smiles. "Yeah. Soon."

"Can you teach me?"

"Sure, let's go down to the music room." Ross takes Carter's hand walking out of the living room, leaving me to a silence.

Ross-

"Okay, bud, first I'm going to teach you finger numberings," I start and I watch Carter study his hand like it's a new thing on his body. I couldn't help but chuckle. "So let's count. Your pointer finger is one, your middle finger is two, and your ring finger is three, and what's the last one?"

"My pinkie is four! Like me!" Carter giggles, making me smile. "Yeah, good job!"

I teach Carter how to play for about an hour, maybe less, because he just wouldn't focus. Well he is four. He also started to fall asleep with his mini guitar on his lap, making me take it from it's place, setting it on my stand, mine leaning against the couch. I pick Carter up into my arms gently, walking him up to bed, tucking him in for his nap. I close his door softly, then walk down the hall to where Ashley is sitting on our bed, with what looks like a scrapbook in her lap.

"Hey," I greet softly. She looks up and smiles at me. "Hi. C'mere, I want you to see this." She beckons me to sit next to her against the headboard. I sit next to her, and see there's pictures us from when we were young.

"Remember that?" Ash asks, and I nod, smiling. I point at another one where she's covered in paint while I laugh my butt off at her. "This one's the best!" I start to laugh at the memory.

"You weren't being very nice then," she pouts.

"But you love me," I grin.

"And that I certainly do."