NOTE: I don't own Cheaper by the Dozen. I don't own the song Only One by Yellowcard either. However, I do own this story. I hope you like. Please review.
Prologue:
The alarm clock beeped. Tom Baker slowly fell out of bed, and carefully turned it off. He looked around at his surroundings. It was still dark outside, the sky a dark gray. He turned and stared at his still-sleeping wife, Kate. He bent down and kissed her lightly on the cheek, blinking back his tears as he thought of what he was going to do.
Broken this fragile thing now
And I can't, I can't pick up the pieces
And I've thrown my words all around
But I can't, I can't give you a reason
Moving stealthily, he picked up his suitcase that he had packed the night before, hidden under his bed. Walking silently out of the room, with as little noise as possible, he stepped into the hallway, carefully stepping down the stairs, only the shadows on the walls as witnesses. At the bottom, he paused, and then looked back up.
I feel so broken up (so broken up)
And I give up (I give up)
I just want to tell you so you know
"I love you guys," he whispered. "It's just that… you're not enough anymore. It's too much for me to take. I love you Kate."
12 kids. It was too many for him. He had to get away for awhile, but he was afraid. He thought he might as well leave. Forever.
Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you
You are my only one
I let go, there's just no one that gets me like you do
You are my only, my only one
He loved Kate. There was no doubt about that. It just seemed that now… there was someone better for him. Trying to ignore the pounding in his heart, he continued down the hallway, pausing to take an envelope out and place it on a small table in front of the door. They wouldn't miss it there.
Made my mistakes, let you down
And I can't, I can't hold on for too long
Ran my whole life in the ground
And I can't, I can't get up when you're gone
He needed something else. And he knew he was wrong. He couldn't just leave them. But he felt like he had to. He started forward to the door, and then paused. He couldn't do this. It was just so wrong.
And something's breaking up (breaking up)
I feel like giving up (like giving up)
I won't walk out until you know
Stubbornly, he shook these thoughts from mind. He didn't love Kate as much anymore. He'd found someone else.
But yet how could he walk out on his family? The ones he'd lived for that long?
He loved her.
"Stop denying it Tom," he whispered. But he had to get away. He had to.
Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you
You are my only one
I let go, there's just no one who gets me like you do
You are my only, my only one
Living with that many people was too hard for him. There was no freedom. It was a cage. And he needed to escape. Soon. Before it was too much for him.
He'd been tied down too long.
Here I go so dishonestly
Leave a note for you my only one
And I know you can see right through me
So let me go and you will find someone
Finally deciding, he picked up his suitcase and opened the door. Walking out, he closed it lightly. There was a waiting taxi.
"Take me to the airport," he told the cab driver.
"Will do sir," the cab driver answered.
Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you
You are my only one
I let go, there's just no one, no one like you
You are my only, my only one
My only one
My only one
My only one
You are my only, my only one
Tom looked back at his house. He thought of his kids, his family, his wife. His life. But it was over now. He had to escape.
Looking up into the window, he saw Kate. His only one.
So?