Another Life With You || sequel to IWCT

Ten

"Hey, Punk Princess, I feel like I haven't seen you in days." Calum wraps his arms around Nika from behind as he catches up to her at the elevator.

"That's because you haven't." She sasses, giving him a snarky look as she pushes out of his hold, stepping into the elevator as soon as it opens, hitting the button for their floor as everyone else follows.

"What did you do to piss her off so badly?" Luke half laughs, shifting the one year old in his arms. Matthew fast asleep, and drooling slightly, on his dad's shoulder.

"Just be glad you have a boy. She's got moody down already." Calum sighs, earning himself another glare from Nika.

"I'm sleeping in uncle Ash's room again." She announced as the elevator door opens.

"Shocker." Calum mumbles out with a sigh.

"Actually, Nika, I think it's time you get back where you belong." KayKay steps in, "You should be sleeping in the suite booked for you and your dad. You've thrown your fit long enough."

"I thought you were on my side?" Nika stomps her foot slightly, the Cliffords and Hemmings passing the small tantrum happening in the middle of the hallway to go to their rooms.

"I'm not taking sides here, Nika, and you and your dad have to fix this. You're not the boss." KayKay shakes her head.

"Go pack up, Punk Princess. You're moving back in with your dad tonight." Ashton adds, "Cal, can we talk while she does?"

"Does nobody support me in my feelings?" Nika calls out exasperatedly.

"Nika, we understand your concerns, but you're eight. You don't understand things fully. Come on, I'll help you get your things out of our room." KayKay offers a hand, Nika taking it reluctantly.

"Your room, now." Ashton points down the hall towards the door. Reluctantly Calum turns and heads that way, not sure he's ready for the lecture he's about to get.

"So instead of listening to all our warnings you decided to not just ignore what your best friends were saying but you decided to lie to us about it?" Ashton asks as the door closing echo's through the room.

"I'm a grown ass man, Ash. I'm allowed to date who I want." He snaps back instantly.

"Yes you can. But why hide it and why be so hostile about it?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I imagine all of you tearing me to shreds when I tried to discuss it with you after our first date? Was that a bad dream? Did I miss the part where all of you gave me your love and support in the choice I was making?"

"I— okay that's fair. But still, Calum. Secrets were not the right way to go about this."

"I wasn't comfortable bringing her up or bringing her around, you guys saw to that. So I made it work for me. I didn't want to be fighting with everyone the whole trip. So I told her we would be better off stating secret for a while."

"Look, Cal, I get it okay. Obviously there is something between you and Skye that is different. Heaven knows Kay and I had our own share of shit before we figured things out. But if you're going to do this, do it right. Come clean to everyone. Don't let it be a secret, because that is just going to add to the problems. And figure it the fuck out with Nika. She, as your daughter, deserves that respect. I get it different than she does obviously. I'm an adult, I've felt intense emotional connections. But I need you to be extra careful. And I need you to get your daughter the hell out of my room."

"I'll come clean. I was going to after the promo trip anyway. I just didn't want to fight the whole time we are out here. And she's terrified you guys would convince me to ditch her while we are here, so it didn't seem like a good idea to tell you while we are."