Escaping you
Everette
A year later
"Kids, kids, stop running in the house." I say to the four lovely children running around my house.
Stomping around my house.
"But Daddy!" Eva whines and I laugh at her.
"Don't whine." Atlas sighs from the doorway and I smile at her.
"Hi." I say and she walks from the doorway over to me, pressing a kiss to my lips before looking at the mess in the house.
I mean, Athena, her friends Riley and Carson, plus Eva, equals mess.
"Don't worry about it, I'll clean it." I say at her panicked face and she opens and closes her mouth a few times before sitting on the couch beside me and nodding.
"How was work?" I ask her and she yawns
"Tiring." I chuckle and Eva lunges onto my lap.
"Hey pretty girl." Atlas says to her and Eva smiles up at her.
"Mom!" Athena yells and comes tumbling down the stairs, Carson and Riley dragging behind her.
"Hi babies." She says and they all look at her.
Carson and Riley spend so much time here we basically see them as our own kids at this point. But having 3 twelve year old kids and a 6 year old in your house all at once, it's a lot of work. So much work.
The kids all pile onto the couch, begging for us to watch a movie with them and we agree, obviously.
We do this every week.
Riley is here atleast twice a week, and Carson is here pretty much everyday, so once a week we just like all sit and watch a movie. It tires the kids out and then they pass out, which is good because although I love my girls and their friends more than anything, me and Atlas need some time to ourselves.
Just some.
By the time the movie ends, Eva's asleep laying across Atlas, Riley is passed out as well, Athena and Carson are still up talking to each other.
"He likes her." Atlas whispers, gesturing to Carson and Athena.
"I know. I don't like it." I whisper back and she laughs.
We watch them together for a while later until Athena gets tired and says goodnight to me and Atlas, waving Carson goodnight.
Okay, actually I hate it.
I love their friendship, it's very cute, and also very innocent seeing as they're 12 and have been friends since they were 8, but it deeply pains me to see her growing up so quickly.
She's my little girl, I mean she's amazing and incredible and went through entirely too much whenever she was still really little, I don't like that she's growing up.
Atlas goes to shower, leaving me sitting in the living room alone with Carson.
He's looking down at the floor, seeming upset about something.
I tilt my head and scoot closer to him in the couch.
"What's up with you little man?" I ask and he shakes his head
"It's nothing Mr Sinclaire. Thank you." He says and I smile sadly.
He's such a sweet kid though.
"Carson, you know me and Atlas are here for you if you need anything right? Even if it's just to talk." I say and he hangs his head even further.
"I can't." He whispers and I feel so bad for him. He's hurting. He's just a kid and for some reason, he's hurting a lot.
"What is it?" I ask him softly
"I just miss my mom, I wish my dad was better." He whispers and leans over beside me.
Carson's mom died whenever he was only like two or something, and for a while, even after me and Atlas knew him, his dad was very responsible and an amazing dad.
I don't doubt that he is now, but sometimes Carson makes me wonder about it.
He's called me and Atlas before super late at night because he was scared and alone in his house, and he lives about 5 minutes up the street so we'd go get him, it's just concerning his dad left him alone, I just don't want this kid to be going through something where he could end up hurt or in danger.
"I know buddy." I whisper, wrapping an arm around him.
"You love Athena and Eva right?" He asks me and I look down at his face. His hair is tangled on his head, his freckles present.
"More than anything in the world." I say and he nods
"I just don't think anyone loves me like that, like more than anything in the world." He admits and I could cry for this kid.
No child deserves to feel like they aren't loved. Ever.
"Carson I'm gonna say something to you and just don't forget it okay?"
I don't give him time to answer before continuing
"No matter whats going on, you can always call me or Atlas. We will always care about you kiddo and we love you like our own, you will never be alone and you will always have us to love you no matter what happens." I say and he smiles.
I ruffle his hair before he climbs on the couch and I start to walk up the stairs, turning the light off for him behind me.
I groan as I lay down on my bed, Atlas scrunching her hair in a towel as she exits the bathroom.
"Hi beautiful." I say like I haven't seen her today, even though I have, but I will never get tired of seeing her face or reminding her how much I adore her.
I'm inspired by her.
She laughs and finishes her hair before lying beside me on her stomach and interlocking our fingers.
"Do you ever worry about Carson?" I ask suddenly and she raises her head
"Worry about him how?"
"Like I don't know, like he's being abused or neglected or something." I cringe as I say it and Atlas runs her hands through my hair.
"Oh Ev." She sighs and I close my eyes, enjoying the feeling of her hands in my hair.
"I worry some too, but his dad isn't your dad, baby. You have to trust Carson, that he'd tell us if somethings wrong."
I know she's right, and I know there's no proof or even genuine reason to think Carson's being hurt, so we couldn't do anything about it anyways, I just want to know the kid is safe.
"I love you so much" I whisper and kiss her, more passionately than we're able to do in front of the kids without being harassed with screaming.
"I love you." She says breathlessly as she pulls away and lays her head on my chest.
"You're the best thing that ever happened to me." I say staring up at the ceiling
"Why do you think that?"
"Why? Because you gave me all this. You gave me something to fight for, more than just one thing you gave me a life I was proud of living, you gave me a family."
"You made me not dread waking up every morning." I finish and she smiles in the darkness, I can barely tell but I know it's there.
"You're the best thing that happened to me too, Ev. But give yourself some credit where it's due, I may have helped but you're here all on your own Everette, you did this, not me."
"Well I mean you definitely had a part in the kids-" I smirk and she hits me on the arm gently
"That's not what I meant. I just mean you finally being happy, being able to have a family, you did that all on your own. And I couldn't be more proud of you for that." She says and I kiss her again on her head.
I twirl the wedding ring on her finger, my mind drifting off to unconscious in every passing minute.
"Goodnight my love." Atlas whispers and I warp my arms around her waist.
"Goodnight Atlas."
——
A/N: okay so I said there wouldn't be another bonus chapter but I lied. I was really missing Ev and atlas so I made another one.
Also the Ev dad vibes in this>>>>
Um anyways, Carson and Athena do have a book. It's a spin off to this one but can be read as a stand alone and it's called
"The way she left" By me, obviously.
You should go check it out if you wanna or if u want to understand Carson's backstory more.
Okay, bye guys. Ly all.