Ally Carter looked like a mess, she knew that.
Her eyes were red and swollen, he hair was messy, her jeans and shirt held the 'slept in' creases that probably weren't uncommon for a sunday morning. But this wasn't just a normal sunday morning. Her hands were shaking as she pressed the doorbell.
'It's okay, Aunty Ally.' her four year old nephew, Tyson said and he held her hand a little bit tighter and smiled up at her. It took everything she had to force a smile back at him and not to start sobbing like a crazy person. But she knew that would only scare Ty, and heaven better know that he had been through enough.
His redy blond curls sat messily at the nape of his neck, Ally thought idley about how much he needed a haircut.
The door opened and a middle aged blond woman smiled down at them 'Ally! And Tyson, this is a lovely suprise. Come on in.' April Margera held the door open wide, hugging Ally and kissing Tyson's messy head as she ushered them into the kitchen. She putting the kettle on and setting Tyson up with a coloring book and a juice box at the table.
Ally stood next to April at the counter, wondering how to start this conversation, but before she got the chance to open her mouth, April turned to her, handing over a much needed coffee 'Just wait here for a second honey, I'll get Phil down here to play with Tyson and we can chat.' She patted her arm softly and headed up the stairs.
Ally watched Tyson over her steaming mug. He was coloring so contently, she had to wonder if he would understood what was going on, how does a four year old handle these things?
When April and Phil came back downstairs, she hugged Phil tightly. 'Phil. It's so good to see you. You look fantastic!' and he did, Phil had slimmed down a fair bit in the year since she had seen him at her fathers funeral.
'It's good to see you too' he pulled her into another hug.
'Get off the poor girl, Phil' April swatted his hand playfully.
Ally bend down next to Tyson 'Ty, honey? I'm just going to talk to April the lounge room. Phil will be here with you okay?'
'Okay Aunty Ally!' he smiled at her brightly, showing his missing front tooth and then smiled over at Phil 'I'm doing a race car, Phil!'
Phil took the seat next to him and smiled 'It's a great race car too!'
April lead the way into the lounge and they sat down. 'Alright hon, tell me what's wrong?'
Ally's eye's filled with tears 'I'm so sorry, I didn't know where else to go. It's just...' she took a deep breath and April stoked her arm.
'It's okay sweetie, you know we're always here for you girls'
And it was true. Ally and Amy Carter had grown up four houses down from the Margera's since as long as she could remember. Ally had been the youngest, Amy was a year older than her but they looked so alike, they both had jet black hair and bright blue eyes. Most people thought they were twins. Bam was two years older than her, but whenever Amy, who was so smart she was pretty much a child genuis, got on her nerves, he was always around.
The girls mother had died when Ally was two, their father George, a doctor, was often away or late home so the girls had grown up eating, playing and sleeping at April and Phil's house probably more than their own, right up until they had moved to NYC when Ally was 11. But every summer they spent a week with the Margera's. When Tyson was born six years later and Amy got her nursing degree, Ally used to come down here with him a few times a year to give her sister rest.
Thinking of Amy, she took a deep breath.
'It's Amy. I was baby sitting Tyson yesterday morning when a police officer turned up, he said there was a car accident and..' April eye's were filled with tears and she was slowly shaking her head 'He said there was nothing they could do, she was already gone when the abulance arrived. I didn't know what to do. But last night.. I just wanted to be here with you guys. So I packed a bag and we flew in this morning..'
April held her close as they both cried. A few minutes later, Ally took a deep breath 'There's something else you need to know...' and with that breath, she told the secret that had been burning her for years.
-II-
The next few hours were a blur. April wouldn't hear of Ally renting a hotel room, she set up a spare room for her then took Tyson to the park so she could het some rest.
Thankful for the break, Ally took a long hot shower, letting the tears flow until she didn't have any left in her.
Sitting on the bed, in fresh skinny jeans and a hoodie, Ally pulled her wet hair into a ponytail and sighed, relived to have some pressure removed from her, even if it was just for a few minutes. Could it really have been only twenty four hours since she'd opened the door to the officer, holding his hat in his hands, his uniform wet from the pouring rain?
She wasn't even 21 yet. She had no idea how to tell Tyson his mom was never coming home. She had no idea how to be responsible for a child. But she knew she had to.
She walked down stairs and sat on the sofa in the lounge, where Tyson was playing race cars happily with Phil.
Phil looked at her with red eyes and gave her a water smile as he heaved himself from the floor. 'I'm gonna go get a drink, Ty. I'll be right back.' He patter Ally on the shoulder as he passed.
'Ty, can you come and sit with me for a second honey?' she patted the sofa next to her.
He climbed up and looked at her, worry clear in his bright blue eyes 'Where's mommy, Aunty Ally?' He paused 'I really missed Phil and April. And I'll be real happy if we get to see Uncle Jess and Ava and Uncle Bam. But if we're not there when mommy comes home, she'll be real worried.'
Ally took a deep breath and cuddled him to her chest, trying to gather her thoughts. 'Tyson, do you remember when Grandad went to heaven last year?' she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
'Yeah, mommy said the angels needed him because heaven needed more doctors and he couldn't come back to visit us and we would see him again, but not for a really long time until we went to heaven'
She smiled down at him 'Well honey, last night the angels came and got your mommy. She couldn't say goodbye, but she wanted me to tell you she loves you so, so much' her voice broke and tears started rolling down her cheeks.
Tyson ran his hands over her face, he frowed, his fourhead dimpling with the concentration as he studied her 'You're really sad, aren't you Ally?' She nodded.
A few tears started to roll down his face, but he smiled 'It's okay. Heaven needed more mommies and mine is the best one.' The tears started coming faster 'But I want her to come home soon Aunty Ally. Can you call her and tell her she has to come back?'
Ally shook her head, sobbing harder. 'Mommy can't come home, Tyson'
She felt a hand move to her back, rubbing slowly. 'Do you want me to take him?' April asked. She nodded and handed to crying little boy over to her. Phil came in with a glass of water and she laid down on the couch, eventually falling into an uneasy sleep.
She woke up the next morning, feeling significantltly better, though a little sore from sleeping on the couch. Tyson was shaking her. 'Aunty Ally, Uncle Jess brought Ava over. Get up.' Normally, the idea of seeing Ava would have him bouncing off the walls, she was his best friend. But today, he just stood by Ally's couch.
'Alright Ty, come on' she got up, stretching, then took his hand and led him into the kitchen.
'Go play with Ava' she encouraged, but he held on to her hand fimrly. 'Come on Ty, I need to talk to Uncle Jess. I'll be right here where you can see me.'
It took a few minutes, but he finally left her. She looked at Jess, who was standing at the kitchen counter, he stepped towards her and opened his arms. 'Mom told me what happened.. I'm so sorry, is there anything I can do?
Ally shook her head, but fell into his embrace, squeezing him hard. Trying to show how much she loved him just because he was here.
A few minutes later, Ape was settling the kids with plates of pancakes, Phil was reading the morning paper and she and Jess were sitting with coffee at the counter. Jess was watching her, eyes full of worry. 'Have you, I mean, is there any.. plans?' he said it quietly.
Ally shook her head and bit into a pancake 'I don't think so. I guess she thought she would have years before she even had to think about it..' she sighed 'I should get back to New York. But every time I think of going back there and sorting through her apartment.. taking Tyson there to see his mom really isn't home waiting for him..' her eye's filled with tears again and Jess sighed, putting an arm around her shoulder. 'I just don't think I can handle it, Jesse. But there isn't anybody else.'
Jess started to say something, but was cut off by Ava squealing. She leaped up from the table, Tyson following close behind. Ally watched in amazement as they raced to the door behind her. She turned in time to see them both climbing into Bam's waiting arms.
'Hey gorgeous, hey little man!' he cuddled them both for a minute and then put them down. 'Go play guys, Bam has to talk to Aunty Ally' Ava raced back to her pancakes, but Tyson stood behind Bam, watching him as Ally stood up and raced into his arms, he held her tightly. 'It's going to be okay, Ally Pie. No matter what.' he murmered into her hair, letting her go and leading her back to the counter and sitting down next to her.
A few seconds later Tyson climbed onto Bam's knee and whispered something in his ear. She watched his eye's fill with tears, but he smiled when he patted the boy's head. 'I promse, little man.'
Ty surveyed Bam for a few more seconds then nodded and headed back to Ava and his pancake.
Ape and Phil made sure they were settled, then took the last two seats at the counter.
April looked at Ally 'I didn't tell them everything, hon. That's up to you, if you want to.'
Ally took a deep breath and met Jess, Phil and lastly, Bam's eyes. Knowing it would hit him the hardest.
'Ryan..' she took a deep breath. 'Ryan is Ty's dad.'
Three hours later, Ryan was sitting alone in the pirate bar.
Bam had called him and asked him to come over, saying he had some news.
He pulled a beer out of the fridge and took a long sip. Then he heard the door slam upstairs.
Bam walked down, followed by Ally. God, she looked so much like her sister it made is heart hurt. He loved Amy Carter. A few years ago, he thought she loved him too. They dated for a few months when she had interned at the hospital here, but suddenly she left one day and he had only seen her once since. He took another long sip and smiled at Ally.
'Ally, how are you? How's Tyson and Amy?' He had met Amy's son, Tyson once, at their father's funeral. It hurt him so much to see that kid. To know someone had touched Amy the way he had..
Ally's eye's went all watery and she looked helpless at Bam as he handed her a bottle of water. Bam looked at Ryan and opened his mouth, then closed it again. Like he was trying to think about what to say.
'Man, I've got some bad news..' he started, pausing to take a deep breath 'Amy was in an accident on her way to work the other day.. there was nothing they could do..'
Ryan looked at Bam, then at Ally. His eye's begged them to tell him this was all a sick joke. He looked around the room, maybe hoping to find camera's or Amy jumping from nowhere.
Ally took a deep breath.
'There's something else Ry..'
He stared at her, what could possibly follow that? How could any news be significant after Amy was gone?
'Tyson.. Tyson is your son' she said it in a rush. It took Ryan a few seconds to even realize that she was speaking english. 'Well, Tyson is your son.. if you want him to be. He's yours, but Amy didn't want to pressure you. When she found out she was pregnant, she took off. Thinking you would just leave her anyway and it would be easier. But Ryan, I think you have a right to chose.' she looked at Bam, who squeezed her hand. 'He's in your life if you want him to be.'
'Bam.. really?'
Bam nodded and moved around the table to hug him. Ryan hugged him back, hard. Crying into his shoulder. Then he turned fr the door, he stumbled outside and vomited, waiting until his stomach was so empty it hurt and slid down the wall.
Ally came and sat down next to him. They stared out into the back yard for hours, crying silently together. Ryan could hear Bam inside, talking to people on the phone, breaking the news, organising things.
Eventually, Ally sighed. 'I love you.' she murmered, laying her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. 'She loved you too, you know.' she paused, thinking about her next few words 'And he looks so much like you. he has her curls though, and our eyes. But his simle is all Ryan Dunn.' she smiled wistfully, her love for him was clear in the tender way she spoke.
Ryan sat there, listening to her discribe the ulimate proof of his and Amy's love. A child, his child.
He knew Ally would take Tyson and keep living in New York, just as Amy had if he wanted her to.
'Can.. Can I see him Ally?' he asked. 'Can I see Tyson?'
She opened her eyes and nodded.