The Soldier's Girl

Chapter 5: Careless Behavior

Hunter's P.O.V.

Maggie was all clean but Fate and I still sat in Maggie's room playing tea party, which was one game I didn't like. Serenity and Nick continued to argue, a couple times the house shook and Fate had to go down to calm them down. "Is Nick always like that?" I asked Fate and she nodded.

"He just doesn't want Serenity to lose focus. If she loses focus, he thinks, she'll get hurt. I personally think that if someone takes everything so seriously then you'll get tired, that's when someone will get hurt. All work and no play..." She stopped and tried to think of the saying. "Keeps the doctor away." She shrugged and I laughed.

"It's all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. And an apple a day keeps the doctor away." I shook my head and Fate seemed frustrated.

"You humans and your sayings. They're so confusing." Suddenly, a door slammed shut and Serenity screamed. I rushed downstairs and she sat on the floor. I sat next to her and Serenity leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Please don't scream, you scared me." I said and kissed the top of her head while she chuckled at me. Fate carried Maggie in the kitchen and Maggie squirmed until she was placed on the floor. Maggie walked over until she sat next to Serenity and laid her head on Ren's lap.

"I'll go talk to him, Serenity Paige." Fate said before she disappeared. Silence filled the room and I thought it was gonna stay like this for a while.

"Let's go play laser tag." Serenity said before getting up and she smiled at me.

"Alright but I need to change first." I said as I pointed to my still semi-covered flour clothes. She laughed and I noticed that she was still semi-covered too. She still looked hot in her too small, Smurfs t-shirt and mini, black shorts. Her hair had streaks of flour in it and I loved how she laughed.

"Here's the game plan, you go change and I'll clean up. We'll meet each other at Vinni's Laser Tag in an hour. Sound good?" She said and Maggie jumped up and down in excitement. "Maggie, do you know what Laser Tag is?" Serenity asked and Mags shook her head before running into the other room. Serenity's laughed filled the room and I couldn't stop myself from wrapping my arms around her tiny waist.

"I'll see you in an hour." I said kissing her forehead before letting her go reluctantly, grabbing my keys, and heading towards my truck. Before I pulled out of her driveway, I saw Maggie and Serenity outside. Maggie was waving vigorously at me and Ren was shaking her head trying to get Mags inside. I waved back and Maggie smiled triumphantly before marching inside. Serenity threw her hands up in frustration before walking back into her white, two story house. I smiled and as I drive I thought of how much I wanted Serenity and Maggie in my life. I lost Serenity once, I wasn't gonna let it happen again.

Serenity's P.O.V.

I got out of the shower and wiped the fog off the bathroom mirror. I felt emotionally drained and Nick definitely wasn't helping. Then there's Hunter, I had gotten too close already and a part of me was terrified. But, I knew that no matter what Fate wouldn't let me ignore him. He was supposed to save me, ugh note the sarcasm there. I wrapped the dark red, plushy towel around my body and walked into my bed room to see Fate standing near my dresser. Now, I should freak out, I mean there is another woman in my room while I'm naked but Fate does this all the time. I don't think she knows anything about boundaries. "What do you want, Fate?" I asked walking towards my closet, I pulled out my old, faded blue jeans, a black tank top, and my black Converse.

"We need to talk about Hunter and Nicolas." She said holding my mother's locket in her hand, she looked at it like it was the strangest thing she had ever seen. My mother gave it to me before she died, it was gold heart that reached below my breasts and in script the words 'Love Glows Brightest in the Dark' was written across the back of it. I hardly ever wore it, there were too many painful memories there. I took it out of her hands and hung it back on the mirror connected to my dresser.

"I don't think we need to talk about anything. I can handle Hunter and my crazy, over-protective uncle." I said going back into my small bathroom and slipping into my favorite black, lace bra and panties before pulling on the rest of my clothes. I threw my hair into a high pony tail before walking out again and Fate held my mother's locket in her pale hands again. "Can you please just put that back and not touch it ever again." I huffed with a clipped tone. Fate set it where it used to be and sat on my bed.

"I have already informed Nicolas that Hunter is necessary." She said with little to no interest in her voice. "However, I do believe Nicolas was right about you getting too attached to that young man."

"I am not attach to Hunter." I lied through my teeth. She shook her head before standing.

"I don't know what's more frightening. That you denied it or that you actually believe that." With that she vanished from my room and I kicked the side of my bed in frustration. I ran downstairs and Maggie was in the living room playing with some old toys I found in my old room. I forgot how ungirly I really was, I used to cut off all my Barbie Doll's heads.

"You ready to go, Maggie?" I asked as I grabbed my purse and keys. She ran to the door and I smiled at how cute she was. About twenty minutes later, we pulled up to Vinni's to see Hunter standing by the door.

"Hi, Hunter!" Maggie squealed as she leapt into his arms.

"Hi, Maggie." He replied hugging her tight. He set his eyes on me and smiled before setting Maggie down. "Hello, to you too, Serenity. I was beginning to think you weren't gonna show." He smiled at me and I politely smiled back.

"I always keep my word, Hunter. Ready to get your butt kicked." I teased and he chuckled at me.

"You wish," he challenged and thirty minutes later we walked out, with my head held high.

"Told you I'd kick your butt." I stuck out my tongue at him like I was five.

"The only reason you won was because of Maggie." He retorted and Maggie and I high fived.

"Howdy, Hunter. And oh my goodness is that really Serenity Magomery?" The high pitched voice of Jaime Coal screeched as she walked over to us. Her blonde hair was cut to her shoulders, she wore a navy dress that was skin tight, and her high heels clicked across the pavement like a clock.

"What do you want, Jaime?" Hunter asked seeming exhausted.

"Nothing, I saw you two over here and wanted to say hi." She cheered and Maggie glared at her.

"Well, you said hi. Bye, Jaime." I said grabbing Maggie's hand, "We're gonna go to Benjy's Ice Cream Parlor." I turned and headed towards my favorite place in West Creek.

"Mama Serenity, why does that lady sound like a mouse?" Maggie asked and I busted out laughing. I kissed her forehead and picked her up off the ground to carry her.

"You get extra ice cream today, Mags." I replied and she grinned from ear to ear.