When circumstances change, lives change.
Is there a way back to how things were before..?
***
Calum Hood Fanfiction
Book 2 of 3 in the IWCT series
Rated M for language and sexual content
Written Summer-Early Fall 2020
Edited December 2021-January...
"Ah man, I gotta drive clear to Moab with you?" Calum smirks, getting the attention of the man waiting in baggage claim with his name on a sign.
"Fuck off, man, it's been years!" Derek laughs, pulling Cal into a tight hug.
"It really has, how have you been, man?"
"So good. And you?"
"Not so good, but a whole lot better since Skye came back into my life."
"She's been doing better since then too. At least it seems like it when we talk." Derek smiles.
"You're my ride to the wedding? Why are you coming so late? Aren't you part of the family at this point?"
"I had a business trip this week, I flew in about an hour ago. Skye asked if I'd stick around to give you a ride too. My wife and son are already at my parents house in Moab."
"You've got a kid?" Cal grins, falling in step with Derek as they head out of the airport.
"Ya, little Kyler. He's almost eight months."
"Skye told me you got married but I didn't know about the baby. Congrats, man."
"Thanks. He's the best."
"Ya, that first year with your little one is the best. You don't get it until you are experiencing it for yourself."
"I get it now for sure. Ky is my whole world. How's your girl? Nika, right?"
"She's so good. She's eight now, which is insane, but she's still just the greatest little girl. She's already in Moab with Skye too. They flew in on Monday to spent the week with her brothers getting everything finalized but I had work, new album next week means even the two days I've got this weekend are pushing it."
"I'm glad you made it, Calum, it's been forever since we've got to hang out. And I know you are building so many points with Skye by making it happen."
"I'm not trying to build points, I want to be here for her, and to celebrate with Asher. I like him too."
"I know, I'm just saying, bonus is your making your girl fall more and more in love with you."
"I know." Calum smiles, biting the inside of his lip to keep from grinning like an idiot.
The drive to Moab from Salt Lake takes a few hours, but Calum doesn't mind, Derek and he had become pretty good friends after he and Skye first got together, and getting the chance to catch up with him now was something he was enjoying. Derek had kind of disappeared along with Skye when she left, and up until seeing him in the airport baggage claim Calum hadn't realized that he also missed his friendship with Derek as a side effect of the break up.
By the time they pull up outside the two neighboring homes where Skye and Derek grew up Calum is feeling very relaxed, and ready for a great weekend with Skye and her family.
"DAD!" Nika comes running out of the wrong house, jumping into her dad's arms as he steps from the vehicle.
"Hi, punk princess, what are you up to?"
"Skye went out with Liza and her friends tonight to celebrate, and Bryce and Asher are out with friends to celebrate so I've been hanging out with Hannah, and baby Kyler. Oh my goodness, dad! He is so cute! You have to see this baby."
"Told you he was cute." Derek laughs, waiting for Calum to grab his bag before shutting the trunk of the car.
"I never doubted you." Cal rolls his eyes slightly.
"We need a new baby in LA, Matthew is not a baby anymore." Nika sighs, hanging off her dads arm as he pulls his bag out of the trunk.
"You talk to uncle Ash about that one, princess. He's the best bet." Calum chuckles, mentally making a note that he should ask Ash how that's going, hoping the answer is well.
"Ash and KayKay would have a cute baby!" Nika's eyes go wide with excitement. "I am definitely going to tell them they should have a baby. That their baby would be soooo cute."
"Aright, Nika, you do that." Calum laughs, finding the key to Skye's childhood home hidden in the same place it was three years ago.
"You're breaking into the house?" Nika giggles.
"Not breaking in when you've been invited." Calum shrugs, flipping the lights on to see the house has been updated some on the inside, new flooring and some updated furniture and decor.
"I can show you to our room." Nika grins excitedly. Not wanting to break her excited spirits, Calum motions for her to lead the way even though he knows where the bedroom is.
"Did Skye tell you when they would be back?" Calum asks as he sets the bag on the queen size bed, stopping as he sees a photo placed on the window beside Skye's preferred side of the bed.
Reaching over he picks up the frame, smiling as his thumb brushes over the picture in it. He'd taken it the first or second time Skye had taken him and Nika camping. They were in a small wooded area and Skye had taken Nika out to walk through the trees, the little girl was fascinated by the big trees. Calum had gone looking for them after a few minutes and found Skye bent down hugging Nika to her in a little meadow of wild flowers. He couldn't help but snap a photo of the two of them before wandering over to see what they were up to. Turns out Nika had tripped over a rock and needed a little comfort and a kiss on her knee.
"I don't remember that exact memory, but I remember that picture, it was your favorite for a long time." Nika plops herself in front of him on the bed.
"It was. I still love it. I haven't seen it in years though." Calum grins, carefully prying the frame open to pull the photograph out, Nika catching a small folded piece of paper that falls out of the back with it.
"What's that?" Calum asks, laying the photo down to scan it into his phones camera roll.
"Nika Joy Hood, fall 2020, Aspen grove, Utah. I miss you, Nika Joy, I hope someday you can forgive me." Nika smiles as she reads the small writing on the scrap of paper.
"I told you she loves you and always has." Calum smiles, setting the photo back in place before taking the paper back from Nika and putting it back as well.
"She got her wish, I forgave her." Nika grins suddenly.
"And we are all so glad for that aren't we?" Calum sits beside her throwing his arm over her shoulders.
"Very." Nika nods.
"Why don't we get ready for bed and we can watch a movie until Skye gets home."
"I like that plan." Nika jumps up again, grabbing her pajamas out of the closet and hurrying out of the room towards the bathroom.
Smiling as he glances around the rest of the room Calum glances back down at his phone, deciding he wants to share the amazing photo he just rediscovered.
CalumHood
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CalumHood: an old favorite I rediscovered tonight. My two favorite people in the entire world.
