Todo Para La Familia

by Creative Dummy

A look into the lives of the Cruz Family, events that attempt to explain why they are the way they are and do the things they do. :Companion piece to Life, Love and Denim:

Title: Todo Para La Familia

Disclaimer: We (Life's Crash Test Dummy & Creatively Licensed B) own nothing. Well, actually, we do own all the unfamiliar characters mentioned here especially our at times loved at times hated AJ.

Spoiler: Up to chapter 22 of Life, Love and Denim (the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants MIOBI-style story). If you haven't read it, you might want to check that out for this to make sense.

Note: Sorry! This came way later than expected, but here it is! Enjoy!

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…

Todo Para La Familia

…

Not everything in the Cruz family history is complete misery. There were times when things had been near perfect.

At one time, Alex Cruz had everything a man could ever hope for. He was a prime example that the American Dream is a possibility. Alex Cruz, a big name in the sports world, married to a beautiful, successful woman in the entertainment business and had three perfect children. He had a house the size of a castle and a staff to wait on him hand and foot as if he really was a king. Greatest of all, he was inexplicably happy.

There's a picture that he forever keeps in his wallet. The perfect picture from back when film had to be physically developed and printed, a time where his wife was still in love with him and his children were too young to differentiate between fact and fiction, where they saw their father as a superhero rather than the human being he is.

The picture had been taken on a perfect day in late spring. There wasn't a cloud in the clear blue sky and the temperature was cool with a light breeze ruffling Ronnie's dark hair like the world's natural photo shoot. Looking at the way Ronnie Cruz sat on that picnic blanket, cradling a little pink bundle in her arms, Alex couldn't stop himself from pressing his thumb against the little button and snapping a picture.

"Honestly, Alex, I don't know why you fuss with that thing," Ronnie scolds. She keeps her eyes on the baby in her arms, only glancing up at her husband with playfully accusing eyes. It always makes him smile, seeing the way she acts like she doesn't know she's the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Nonsense. We're capturing memories to show Kaylie when she gets older," Alex says, scooting closer to his wife. His eyes turn down to the sleeping infant, taking in how his daughter is perfect in every way possible from her rosebud mouth to her tussle of dark hair. Alex runs his index finger against the baby's soft, little fingers, his heart filling with joy when she curls her fingers around his in response.

Ronnie smiles gently. "She'll know that she comes from a very loving family."

Alex looks back at his wife and smiles. "Si."

Ronnie touches his cheek and Alex is ready to lean in and kiss her when Ronnie gets distracted by something and turns away. Her lips turn down in a frown and her eyes fill with concern. Seeing her like this, Alex decided then and there that he never wants to see her look like this ever again, that he'll devote his life to saving them from moments like this.

"What's wrong?"

"Alex, he's at it again."

Following her line of sight, Alex sees their second born son, just entering the "terrible two" stage. Alexander Cruz Junior "AJ" with his adorably round face, large ears and dark, buzzed hair sits in the sandbox not too far away from where his parents are lounging. His tiny fists are filled with sand and he stares at it only for a second before bringing it to his mouth and licking his palm.

"Aye! Dejar de hacer algo!" Alex shouts on instinct. He heard it enough when he himself was a child, banging spoons against the pots and pans on the floor of his childhood home in Barcelona. "AJ! Stop that!"

Upon hearing his name, the toddler looks around, a sand mustache on his upper lip. He smiles with a mixture of drool and sand all down his chin, waving his little sand-crusted hand at his parents.

"Leo!" Alex shouts, looking around for his oldest son.

Sprawled out on his tummy, hidden behind his mother, a five-year-old Leo looks up from the picture book in front of him. He looks like an older version of the boy a fair distance away with the exception that Alex sees more of his own father in his older son, especially with that nose.

"Lee, go get your brother," Alex says.

"Why?" Leo asks curiously. He's at that stage where every statement is a question. Who? What? Where? When? How? Why? Leo has an insatiable curiosity and a need for answers that surprisingly enough doesn't lead to mischief. On the other hand, AJ embodies mischief and he doesn't even know it.

"Because I'm your father and I said so," Alex replies. It nearly kills him how much he reminded himself of his dad just then, but in English.

"Alex," Ronnie says, warningly, placing her hand on her husband's arm. "Leo, sweetie, AJ is eating sand again. Can you please go get him and bring him here?"

"Why?" Leo says again.

Before Alex can say anything more and sound even angrier, Ronnie calmly says, "Because you're his big brother and that's what family does. We take care of each other."

Without anymore arguing, Leo just gives his mother an, "okay," and stands from the blanket, running over to where little AJ looks ready to throw a handful of sand at another toddler not too far away. Luckily, Leo gets to him before that can happen, kneeling in front of his little brother and dusting the sand off his little hands.

"We lucked out with that one," Ronnie says, watching as AJ starts to cry and kick his feet, but Leo just slides his hands beneath his brother's arms, hauling him over. "Now AJ, I don't know sometimes…"

"Figures the one we name after your father is the child genius and the one we name after me is the problem child," Alex jokes. Ronnie slaps his arm. He leans down to take another look at his only daughter. "What about you, huh? Are you going to give your pa any trouble?"

"She's perfect," Ronnie says softly. "They all are."

They spent the rest of the afternoon as a family in that park. At one point Alex asked a woman nearby if she could snap a picture of them, the five of them, sitting there beneath the shade of a tree on that picnic blanket.

Now Alex keeps that photo with him everywhere he goes as a reminder that he really was happy and those people did exist at one point. Looking at the present, that fact becomes harder and harder to believe.

…

AJ Cruz has always been called a bad seed and not even he can deny that. If anything he's come to embrace his standings as the Cruz Family Black Sheep. He embraces it and owns it. He may be impulsive and swears too much and only does nice things for the wrong reasons, but never let it be said that AJ Cruz doesn't care about his family.

At fourteen, a freshman in high school, AJ already has a permanent seat in detention. He walks around with a smirk meant for someone higher up on the high school food chain, someone with more to their name than the shadows of his mother, father, brother and even Olympic-destined kid sister. Then with his brother being a junior on the rise, apart of student government and loved by all the teachers and faculty, a lot is expected of him and AJ just takes those expectations and throws it all back in their faces.

"Hey, Cruz," a deep, snarling voice calls out to him. AJ crumples his latest Algebra test (marked with an angry, red F) and tosses it carelessly into his locker before shutting the door.

Looking up, AJ sees one of the guys from the football team leaning back against the wall of lockers. At least, AJ suspects he's on the football team from the letterman jacket he's wearing. Even with his father being a big name in the Major League, AJ has never understood the world's fascination with sports. Now, seeing how many different forged notes "from your dad" you can use to get out of gym, that is a sport. Sometimes even an art.

Narrowing his eyes a little, AJ looks at the older teen with confusion. "Who are you?"

Though he might not know this guy personally, AJ knows people, especially this type of people. He knows exactly how to hit the guy and hit him hard—through his ego.

As expected, he gives AJ a look that says, who are you to talk to me like that, fresh meat? but instead of saying anything, he seems to control an outburst and awkwardly clear his throat. AJ is mildly impressed. "Colin," he introduces himself. "I'm in your brother's grade."

"You're the guy who used to go out with that chick before Leo started boning her." Colin is clearly upset and it makes AJ oddly giddy. Another two of his favorite real sports are being rude and pissing people off. "Look, man, how you lost a girl to a loser like Leo is your problem. I can't help you there if that's what you're fishing for."

"Nah man, it's cool," Colin says tightly. Obviously, it is not cool. "No hard feelings between me and your brother. If he wants my sloppy seconds then, hey, he can have at it. I just saw you in the hall and I thought you should know I came across something pretty interesting when I was doing some light reading the other night."

"Wow, you know what books are?" AJ says sarcastically. "Astonishing."

"Not a book," Colin says, missing the fact that he should be offended. "Maxim."

"No," AJ says with mock surprise. "I thought you'd be reading Forbes or some shit."

It's obvious Colin doesn't know what Forbes is and it makes AJ laugh. As amusing as he finds this, AJ usually goes to tear down bigger fish, guys who understand they're being made fun of in the least. Ian, not so much. "Why are you talking to me again?"

"I just thought you should know what a fox your mom is," he replies. Out comes a smirk of his own, one that doesn't quite fit his face, but it sure does match the lecherous look in his eyes. "I mean damn. You don't know how lucky you are. Most dudes' moms look like, well, moms, but yours is something else. Talk about MILF of the year."

AJ goes rigid at the mention of his mother and this just doesn't feel fun anymore. His eyes darken and for once he feels like an actual ninth grader being bullied by an upperclassman. It only makes him angrier when Colin reaches into his backpack and pulls out the magazine.

It has Maxim printed in bold, capital letters but that's not what the eye goes to first when there's Ronnie Cruz, practically naked, with her bronze, oiled down skin and dark hair blowing back by artificial wind. Her breast are huge, one wrong move away from completely falling out of what's supposed to be a bikini and a jeweled belly button ring hanging from her navel. It isn't recent, but from his mother's glory days of being the It Girl of the 80s.

"Look at mommy, kid. Is she asking for it or what?"

The sickest thing about this is Colin's right. That look on her face, eyes gazing lustily into the camera, lips slightly parted, she does look like she's asking for it. AJ thinks his mom looks like a whore.

Drunk on power, Colin doesn't seem to pay any attention to the way AJ's face has morphed with unadulterated rage. Still, Colin insists on going on, "Seriously, if just the cover looks like this, can you imagine what the inside is like? A whole centerfold spread? I tell you, man, if your sister grows up to look anything like your mom, I might have to tap that—"

And AJ punches him.

AJ Cruz is the definition of all talk, no action, but this right here is too much. He's never punched another person in his life other than while bickering with Leo. Colin stumbles backwards from the impact, letting the magazine fall to the floor as he clutches his face. Fists still clenched and ready for more, AJ shouts, "My sister is eleven, you perverted fuck!"

Of course, that's what sets him off. Exposing Ronnie's MILF status lit the fire, but it wouldn't have stayed lit for long. His mom has a past. It's something he's also come to embrace, but mentioning Kaylie, little innocent Kaylie Cruz, now that's crossing some messed up lines.

People are starting to stare and so is Colin, his face colored with disbelief. Despite the adrenalin he feels pumping in his ears, the impact of that punch finally reaches AJ. "Ouch. Shit," the ninth grader curses, relaxing his hand and shaking it out. "That was not fun."

Suddenly, Colin, more pissed that a freshman took a shot at him than actually getting hit, charges over and shoves AJ against the lockers. Ian is easily twice AJ's size and a lot more muscular. The football player starts beating on him, shot for shot, which AJ just takes with squinting eyes and a locked jaw. He struggles, but fails to free himself. Fuck. Isn't David supposed to win against Goliath?

Right when AJ mentally prepares himself for another blow to his gut, Colin is suddenly pulled off of him. AJ is about to shout "hallelujah!" but then sees Leo. Personality-wise, Leo is about as intimidating as a rock, but at least he matches Colin in size. Also Leo is so unafraid. AJ is reckless while Leo is vigilant, but just as confident.

"You," Leo says, snapping his fingers at his little brother. All the while his gaze remains on set on Colin as if he has some superpower to freeze people with just a glance. "What's going on?"

"Leo, he started it," AJ says. He's so preoccupied with his throbbing face and his anger and his humiliation to realize how childish he sounds. For the life of him, AJ can't remember what it was like to be a child. For so long he's been like an adult trapped in a younger body.

"Just showing Cruz junior here how slut runs in his family," Colin boldly replies. "Have fun with my ex, man. I bet your family will love her. A match made in slut heaven."

"If you have a problem with me, take it up with me. Leave my family out of it."

"Lee, he called mom a MILF and said he wants to tap Kales," AJ says with such disgust. He steps forward and if Leo wasn't standing between them, he'd probably try to initiate another fight. "Kaylie, Leo. That sick fucking pervert—"

And without warning, Leo swings his arm and punches Colin in the face. The sound of knuckles cracking against flesh makes AJ's swollen eyes widen. Colin doubles over and this time he whines softly, near tears. Leo pulls on AJ's sleeve, cuing the getaway. He grabs the magazine, folds it and shoves it into his jacket as they go. There's shouting behind them, assumingly a teacher, but the Cruz brothers are already out the front and getting into Leo's car.

This is always how AJ thought it should be. Him and his cool older brother, kicking ass and cutting the rest of the school day like badass Cruz boys. When they're zooming out of the parking lot, AJ tosses the magazine onto the dashboard and Leo winces when he sees it.

"So that's what he used to bait you?" Leo doesn't sound angry or anything. His voice is flat and his eyes are on the road. Neither knows where they're going, but they're headed there fast.

"No, Leo, he made fun of my shirt so I thought I'd crack him in the face," AJ replies. "You know that we're fucked, right? Getting into a fight and then just up and leaving school? Tomorrow is going to suck."

Looking over at him, Leo smiles. "Then we should make the most of today."

Leo's idea of making the most of it consists of going to get the best fish tacos in town, which happens to come out of a rickety truck near the park they always went to as kids. It being the middle of a weekday, there's no one around so they hang out for a bit, sit on the swings with their shoes in the sand, eating off makeshift foil plates.

Leo swings back and forth, kicking off the ground each time, spending him further back and then faster forward. AJ had always been jealous of how Leo could always out-swing everyone like it was so easy, like it came so naturally to him. Of all his achievements, of all the things Leo is amazing at, AJ always envied his title of King of the Swing.

AJ pulls a lighter out of his pocket, burning the pages of Maxim, starting with the cover. He watches it burn, glowing white and orange as the paper turns black, breaking off as pieces of ash then carried away by the wind.

"You know, it's messed up that we have to clean up after her. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Aren't parents supposed to clean up after the kids?" AJ asks. He licks the tangy remnants of salsa from his lips and tosses the burning magazine down to the sand. He has issues with his parents. That's more than obvious. Sometimes AJ wishes he could control it better, another thing Leo Cruz has apparently mastered.

"We don't get to pick and choose who we're related to, Aje," Leo replies. "All we can do is own it."

…

They just talk. That's all it is or, well, that's what it starts out as.

With the strap of her bag caught in the crook of her arm, Ronnie rushes in through the front doors of the Rock, cursing in her head. Auburn curls bounce around her face, brushing against her sharp cheekbones as her heels thunder against the floor. She's late. She isn't the best at this time management thing, especially with Alex gone all the time, leaving her to balance three children and her unbreakable fixation of anything related to music.

When Kaylie was born, the deal had been that she step down, that she take time off from her career. With Leo and AJ she had managed to balance a career as a producer and a mother fairly well, but with a third child it only seemed right that she take some time away from herself and focus on her family.

That's when the crack in their marriage started, she thinks. When she found out she was pregnant for the third time and Alex suggested (more like demanded) she take time away from the music business. She had then called him out on not making his own sacrifices for the family. That's when the fighting started and though they always made up within the hour, the crack started and it only got bigger from then on.

"Ronnie?" Marty calls to her in the empty gym. Eyeing her confusedly, Marty walks down the steps from his office, slow and unsure in his movement. He meets her halfway where Ronnie pauses to take a breath and hikes the strap of her bag further up her arm.

"I'm so sorry. I got stuck helping an old friend with last minute things for an album that's dropping in three days. I know I'm late as always, but I'm here now," she says all in one breath. Her brows furrow when she looks around and finds that they're the only two there. "Where's Kaylie?"

"She left hours ago with Kim and the girls," he explains. "Something about a sleepover?"

When the realization dawns on her, Ronnie feels like she might collapse. Her legs start to wobble and a migraine starts to build behind her eyes. She had no idea where her own daughter is.

"Ronnie, you don't look so good," Marty says. It's almost like he can read her mind because he reaches out for her arm to steady her. He gently leads her toward a nearby bench and Ronnie sits out, resting her elbows against her thighs and holding her face rest in her hands. "Is everything okay?"

"Nothing is okay," she says with a helpless little laugh.

Marty scratches the back of his head and his eyebrows shoot up and it makes Ronnie laugh a second time, a little louder. He looks so boyish when he does that. He looks so young. It's hard to believe that they're the same age. She already has three children, one about to graduate from high school, one at-risk and another on her way to be an elite gymnast. All Marty has is his career, albeit a successful one. She can't help, but wonder who lives the better life.

"Anything you want to talk about?"

Everything. She has so much to talk about, things she hasn't been able to tell anyone else. Alex has been gone for months now. He calls every night, but between lecturing AJ about getting into trouble, lecturing Leo for not looking out for AJ and telling Kaylie a bedtime story, there's little time for them to talk about feelings and such especially when he has a game the next day. It tends to get lonely.

But she isn't lonely now. Ronnie has this kind, generous man sitting beside her on a bench in an empty gym. She can feel the heat radiating from where his arm is almost touching hers. He looks at her like he actually cares about what's on her mind, like he wants to get in her head. Ronnie can't remember the last time Alex asked her if there was anything she wanted to talk about and was genuinely interested.

"It's nice here this late at night. It's quiet," Ronnie says in a blatant attempt to avoid his question. She closes her eyes for a moment and takes in the combination of Marty's presence and the silence of the Rock.

"Yeah," Marty agrees. "It's a great place to just sit and think."

"Does it make me a bad mom that sometimes I miss my career?"

Marty tilts his chin downward and scratches at the same spot on the back of his head. "No. At least, I don't think so. Now, forgetting to pick your daughter up on a daily basis. That's something else entirely…"

Ronnie catches the light, teasing tone to his voice and on instinct, she grins and playfully slaps his arm. She watches a grin unfold across his lips and she allows herself to admire it for only a second before she comes to regret the last ten.

Arm-slapping? Really, Ronnie? That's for giddy teenage girls. She's a grown woman, a mother and even worse, a married woman. Although sometimes it is nice to tease a bit and sometimes she pretends in her head that she isn't any of those three things. It's always just pretending, though, so who is it even hurting?

"In all seriousness though, no," Marty says again. "I think you do what you can and it's a really noble thing that you put your kids before everything else. I don't know if I'd ever have that strength. On the other hand, if you're too focused on other people and don't take care of yourself then you're probably going to lose your mind."

Ronnie laughs. She likes that he makes her laugh.

Before either of them can say any more, Ronnie's cell phone rings and she starts digging through her bag. Looking at the screen of her phone, she announces, "It's my son. I have to take this." She stands and he matches her movement. "Thanks for everything, Marty. I probably overstayed my welcome anyways."

"Never," he says. "It's always a pleasure talking to you. If you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me."

Ronnie looks at him while her phone continues to ring and for a little while there she considers letting it go to voicemail.

"We could get coffee," Marty suggests.

Ronnie smiles softly. "I am a big fan of coffee."

"Okay."

"Okay."

Heading for the door, Ronnie answers the call. In her ear, Leo complains about AJ somehow getting a ferret from a sketchy transfer student from Broomfield and how they lost it in the mansion, but Ronnie is in too good of a mood to immediately let it bring her down. She looks over her shoulder to see Marty wave and she waves back before walking out.

They end up meeting in a coffee shop once a week, talking over her tea (because it's good for the throat and a habit) and his black coffee (because all he needs is the caffeine, his own habit). They talk and they laugh and they even sometimes flirt, but she's sure it won't turn into anything. It can't. She's a mother and a wife and not a whore. Or at least, that's what she tells herself.

Somehow the coffee shop turns into a motel. Tea and coffee get taken out of the equation and sex and sneaking around substituted in.

Ronnie knows it's cheating and it's wrong. Of this she's sure, but is it so wrong to feel young and alive and wanted? He makes her feel beautiful and he tells her she is. He listens to her, really listens and reminds her to never let go of her dreams.

That's why she keeps meeting Marty at the Rock, at the coffee shop, at the motel. She'll never apologize for wanting someone who makes her feel like she matters.

…

Kaylie doesn't question gymnastics.

She's been in a gym five days a week since she was five-years-old. At first it was something that she did just because Payson and the other girls did it. It was fun to tumble around and chalk up and buy cute leotards. She doesn't know when it become more, when it became a passion, but somehow it does and she can't imagine leaving a chance at the Olympics for something as mediocre as high school.

Thirteen-year-old Kaylie Cruz sits among thousands of people in a giant auditorium. It's Leo's high school graduation and though there are names being called and diplomas being handed out there is the low hum of chatter in the area. Her father has his video camera out, recording every second and her mother sits beside him, doing something on her phone.

They had looked so proud when Leo stood up at the podium and delivered his carefully crafted valedictorian speech full of pop culture references between inspirational motivation and it's enough to kept the audience entertained. There had been tears in Ronnie's eyes and a broad grin on Alex's face. He's missing a press conference and his manager had had a hissy fit, but he showed up for his oldest son's graduation. He said he wouldn't miss this for the world.

On the other hand, AJ is missing.

Sometimes Kaylie feels like AJ solely exists to make her and Leo look good. They can make the most idiotic mistakes, but it still can't compare to what AJ puts their parents through on a daily basis. One of Ronnie's friends, a psychologist to the stars, had said AJ acts out to get attention and this behavior spawned from his resentment for the way Alex is never home. Kaylie doesn't know what to think especially when it comes to AJ.

Nearly fifteen minutes after Kaylie starts wondering where he is, AJ shuffles down the aisle. With a sigh he falls into the empty seat beside his sister, looking less bored and with a big smile on his face.

"Where've you been?" Kaylie asks, hoping to quell her own boredom. They're only on letter E and the graduating class is gigantic. This is going to take a while.

"Somewhere a lot more exciting than this, that's for sure," AJ says. "Jeez, it's like a fucking funeral." He gets a few sideway looks from the people around them, maybe for his language or maybe the content of the statement. "I told Leo he should have gone commando under that robe. Nothing lightens a mood like a little nudity, especially from class president-slash-valedictorian-slash-model citizen."

"Seriously though, where were you?"

"Kales, you don't want to know."

"Try me."

"Fine. Just remember you asked. See that girl over there?" AJ nods three rows down where a girl keeps sneaking glances at him. She definitely is his type. Blonde. Skinny. Trying to look innocent and failing miserably.

"Let me guess," Kaylie says. "You got her number?"

"Even better," AJ says. "We were in the men's bathroom and she was on her knees—"

"Okay, right, that was stupid of me to ask," Kaylie says. The expression she makes is one of absolute terror. "Do me a favor. If I ever try to make you tell me about your disgusting habits again, stop me. I don't want to hear any of that ever. Eww. Keep me out."

AJ chuckles and sits back in his seat. "Sure thing."

…

AJ finding out about the affair is an unsuspected surprise.

He's on his way out for the night like every Friday night, maybe a Boozer party or a bonfire by the creek. He's extra careful not to be seen. The last thing he wants is for Kaylie to notice him sneaking out and want to tag along. She's asked before, saying she's curious and bored. AJ always refuses because he's seen the way some of the guys around town and even his friends eye her out from time to time and he doesn't like it. The last thing he needs when he's up to no good is to have to keep an eye out for his baby sister.

Tiptoeing down the hall, AJ hears strained voices arguing from within the study.

"Mom, you can't be serious. Does dad know? Is that why he's never around?"

"Kaylie, you know it's baseball season and of course your father doesn't know."

"How long?" Kaylie asks. Her voice rising. "How long have you been cheating on dad with Marty?"

"What the fuck?" AJ nearly shouts, shoving the study door and walking right inside. Forget about sneaking out or even the party he was headed to. All that is quickly wiped from his mind as he barges into the room.

A part of him desperately wants to find them with scripts in their hands, rehearsing for Kaylie's drama class or whatever. He wants to think they both knew he was sneaking out and wanted to trick him and punish him for it. Instead, AJ finds his sister sitting on one of the leather chairs, looking like she's ready to cry. Then there's Ronnie. She had been pacing back and forth, but suddenly stops to stare at her son, eyes wide and alarmed.

"AJ," Ronnie says slowly. "You…you're home…"

"Did I just hear you right?" AJ angrily exclaims.

"AJ," Ronnie says again, softer this time. She holds her hands out towards him as if that alone is going to calm him down. He doesn't think there's a single thing in the universe that can cure his racing thoughts and the seemingly involuntary way he keeps clenching and unclenching his hands.

"It's true," Kaylie says. She sniffles, staring down at her lap, clearly upset. "I saw them."

"Saw them?" AJ repeats, urging her further. He sounds like he's yelling at Kaylie when he doesn't mean to. He just needs answers and neither of the girls is jumping to volunteer information.

"Kissing at the Rock," Kaylie says, sounding as if it brings her physical pain to get the words out. AJ doesn't blame her. Just the thought makes him feel physically ill. Picturing it in his head is even worse.

"Jesus Christ, mom," he mutters. Really, for him, it's surprising he hasn't said anything worse sooner. "This is a joke, right? You two are just trying to get back at me for something stupid I did. Mom, you'd never cheat on dad, right? Tell me you wouldn't."

He sounds so childlike when he asks her to tell him what he wants to hear. His eyes plead for her to talk to him, but when she doesn't reassure him right away, AJ realizes he's begging for lies and that makes him angry.

"AJ, just sit down and we'll calmly talk about this," Ronnie says soothingly. She reaches forward to take him by the arm, but AJ just steps away and raises his hand. Ronnie flinches like he's some wild animal poised to strike. A moment later, she recomposes herself and stands tall, ordering, "AJ. Sit. Down."

"How did this happen? Was it like a one time thing?" AJ continues to question, firmly standing where he is. "Did he…did he force himself on you because if he did I swear to God I will—"

"No. Marty wouldn't do anything like that," Ronnie says. She looks so soft as she says his name. The warmth in her voice and even her eyes makes the room suddenly so cold. When AJ looks back on the few times he's remembers seeing his parents together, he doesn't recall her even looking at Alex that way, not even talking about him.

"So how long has this been going on then?" AJ asks. Ronnie doesn't answer, but just looks at her fingers laced in front of her. "That long, huh? Frick. Why would you even consider doing something so stupid?"

There's a lamp on the far side of the room and all AJ sees in his head is it shattering by his hands. He has to stare at the lamp to distract himself from the whining sound Kaylie starts to make as sh cries and his sudden urge to slap his mom across the face. He wouldn't lay a hand on her, he's sure, but that doesn't mean the impulse isn't there at the front of his mind.

"AJ, I don't want to hear any more from you until you hear what I have to say. Don't you talk to me like I'm the child here!" Ronnie shouts, finally finding her voice. "Don't you think I know that it was stupid? I knew even before any of it got this far. I make mistakes too. I'm not perfect."

"See. You aren't giving me answers. Quit with the sympathy card because it won't work with me," AJ says bluntly. "Why? That's what I want to know. Why would you ruin everything for everyone? Why would you do that to dad?"

"AJ, we need to face the facts, son. Things were ruined long before I even started seeing Marty. Your father ruined things by trapping me here! He's always gone and I don't have anyone else!" Ronnie screams, straining her precious vocal chords and not giving a damn. "Is it such a crime to be lonely?"

"Well then, buy a fucking dog." AJ feels his control slipping like it so often does and he threads his fingers through his messy dark hair, scowling. In a much more calm, nearly stoic voice, AJ turns to his sister and says, "Kales, call Payson and ask her if you can spend the night. Pack a bag and go wait for me downstairs. I'll be there in a second."

"Why?" Ronnie asks frantically. "That's hardly necessary—"

"Because we need to get away from you!" AJ yells. "You and all these fucking lies in fucking picture frames on the fucking walls. Don't even try. You'll say how you're sorry and you're going to tell dad yourself and get Kaylie to keep it from him. No. Until you tell dad the truth this place isn't home anymore. It's toxic and Kaylie doesn't need that."

With her eyes on the ground, Kaylie makes a beeline for the door under her brother's instruction. She doesn't know if AJ is being genuine or if he's just using her as a weapon to hurt Ronnie, but he does have a point. It's best if she isn't here for this and there's no better place to take shelter than the Keeler home.

"I'm going to tell your father. I will," Ronnie insists once Kaylie completely disappears from the room.

"Good," AJ says. "Once you do we'll be back."

"AJ, don't leave," Ronnie says, sounding even more childlike than he had moments ago. In truth, she didn't have much of a childhood either, swept up by fame at an early age and then getting married and pregnant before she could even legally drink. AJ feels sympathy tug at his heartstrings and so he invokes his omnipresent rage to kill it.

Before walking out, AJ knocks over that lamp and he gets a sick sense of accomplishment when it breaks against the floor. Not even sparing her a last look, he heads down the stairs and Kaylie is already waiting with a pink duffle bag. AJ grabs his keys and nods for Kaylie to head out the front door and to his car. Before slamming the door after him, AJ stops, steps back into the house and grabs a baseball bat from the umbrella holder near the coat rack. Then they're gone.

This feels a lot like that time Colin Hart tried to start something with the Cruz boys except Leo isn't here to spring for the tacos or shed some of his wisdom. Now it's AJ behind the wheel of the speeding car and it's fragile, gentle Kaylie sitting at his side, blankly staring into the darkness. Still, Ronnie Cruz is the topic at hand and the common thread.

"So this is how it's going down. We're going to talk about this right now, right here. No secrets. No lies. Don't try to cover up for her. Be straight with me, iight?" AJ says and Kaylie nods slowly. He flexes his fingers against the wheel before he asks, "Now what happened exactly? Don't leave out a single thing, Kay."

"I was hanging out around the gym. It's quiet and I needed some time to think about some things. Apparently Marty thought I already left with the Keelers or someone and I was right about to call mom to come pick me up when…I saw them in his office, talking and kissing and…"

"And he was ready to fuck her on his desk," AJ finishes because he knows Kaylie can't. She winces sharply and AJ casts her an apologetic look, for his language, but Kaylie doesn't seem to notice. Everything is too dark. "Then what?"

"I barged in there, demanding to know what's going on and she's been trying to talk around it ever since," Kaylie says. "So how long do you think they've been doing this?"

"Can't be sure, but by that look on her face, could be months. Hell, could be years even," AJ says. He doesn't know if he's just being bitter and thinking the worst of her, but it is true. There was something in her eyes that he can't seem to forget and won't ever forgive.

"This sucks," Kaylie says, pouting.

"No kidding," he murmurs in agreement. "Kales, you gotta toughen up, huh? Things are gonna get ugly, especially when dad comes home and you can't let it affect you too much. I mean, of course, it's going to affect you, but you can't let it fuck you up. She's pissed at dad. She hooked up with Marty. She didn't have to, but she chose to. It isn't your fault or mine or Leo's. It's her."

She's toxic, he thinks to himself. AJ knows that's too far too soon so things start to get quiet.

"I don't blame you for being upset," Kaylie says. "Believe me, I am beyond pissed off and confused and a little in denial right now but you have to admit she has a point."

"What? That she's lonely? Give me a break." AJ scoffs. "She can start a fucking book club or some shit. Why do you commit yourself to something or someone if you're just going to sabotage it? That's why I don't do relationships. She built it up and tore it down so there's no one to blame, but her."

"She's our mom, AJ," Kaylie argues.

"No, Kaylie, she's not," he says. "She's Ronnie now."

When silence settles in the car it's tense, but neither is willing to address it. Kaylie still has her allegiance to her mother and that much is to be expected. AJ is so quick to blame their mom and so easily tears down that already brittle attachment because his resentment towards his mother has been festering for so long. It started with her flirting with one of his teachers at a parent-teacher meeting when he was twelve, more and more in between and now this is just the final straw.

"Where are you going?" Kaylie asks, looking about confusedly. "Payson doesn't live over here."

"No, but Marty does."

Kaylie would protest, but she knows there's no reasoning with AJ when he's like this. She just sits there and watches the way he pulls up in front of Marty's apartment complex. He asks which is Marty's car and Kaylie points to an old beige rust bucket parked next to the curb. She doesn't get out of the car and he doesn't pressure her to.

Lifting the bat over his head, AJ slams it down against the windshield. He swings over and over again even when the sound of breaking glass is drowned out by the blaring car alarm. The car lights flash is a frantic fashion and bits and pieces of glass are scattered all around. He doesn't stop even with the rising likelihood of getting into trouble.

Then suddenly, Marty appears behind him, catching the bat in his hand and ripping it away from AJ. Kaylie's breath catches in her throat and she pops the door, ready to go diffuse the bomb ready to explode, but then when the alarm is turned off, Kaylie hears AJ's words. The anger and the honesty in his voice leave her frozen in her seat.

"You! I fucking expected it from Ronnie, but you. You're supposed to be helping Kaylie, guiding her. You're her coach! Fucking her mom isn't apart of the job description. Man, Kaylie trusted you and I trusted you to take care of her. I knew it was only a matter of time before Ronnie screwed everything up, but I never thought you'd be the one to help her do that. I used to have so much respect for you, dude, now you need to stay the fuck away from my family or else next time it'll be your face instead of your windshield…"

It was then that Kaylie realized AJ might have had a messed up way of showing it, but he cared.

Out of guilt, Marty says he won't press charges for the car. Out of shame, he gives the Rock his two-week notice the very next day and sets up an interview with Denver Elite.

…

Ronnie makes good on her word and she tells Alex when he comes home to visit on the weekend. As much as he doesn't want to, AJ makes good on his word and him and Kaylie move back in. It only seems to make things worse when the two teens get caught in between their now warring parents. They fall asleep to the sound of fighting and wake up to the deadly silence and picture frames knocked off the walls, fallen and cold on the floor.

Kaylie really does spend too much of her time at the top of the steps, listening to them argue.

"Hey. What are you still doing awake? You don't need to be listening to this," AJ scolds. He's in an old t-shirt and baggy pajama pants. He doesn't go out anymore. He doesn't like the idea of Kaylie home alone with either of them, even if he won't admit that's the reason why. "Go to bed, Kales. They're just yelling at each other for the same shit over and over again."

"It's getting worse, AJ," Kaylie says fearfully.

"Yeah, well, things usually gotta get worse before they can get better," he says. He holds a hand out to her and Kaylie takes it, letting him pull her to her feet. "C'mon. Your room. Now."

Just as they start down the hallway, Ronnie screams, "That's it! I've had it! I'm leaving!"

Both her and AJ freeze and trade wide-eyed looks. In a matter of seconds, they both dash over to the banister, leaning over and straining their ears to hear. Of all the fights they've witnessed, of all the things repeated over and over again, Ronnie saying that is definitely a new one.

"Leaving?" Alex scowls. "And where do you think you're going?"

"I need to get away from here!" Ronnie shouts. It's obvious that she's crying, her voice thick and hoarse. "Kaylie won't talk to me. She can't even look at me. AJ doesn't respect me. He never did. My own children are shunning me and all we ever do is fight. We aren't getting any closer to resolving anything, Alex."

"Well, whose fault is that, huh?"

"Mine, Alex! Is that what you want to hear? God, I can't be here. I can't deal with this."

They hear footsteps thundering up the stairs and AJ quickly grabs Kaylie's arm, ushering her to the closest room that happens to be hers. Once inside, they close the door after them, but not enough for it to be fully shut. Then the two teens crouch down with their ears close to the crack in the door, both not even bothering to breathe.

"Where do you think you're going?" Alex says again and they all know how he hates repeating himself. Their voices get louder as they get closer and the footsteps nearly shake the entire house. "Back to him."

The pain in his voice is overwhelming. Kaylie has to clasp her hand over her mouth to keep from making a sound.

"To California," she corrects. "I need to get away."

"Ronnie, listen to me," Alex says, sounding noticeably calmer. "You can't just up and leave."

"You do it all the time," she shoots back.

"Because I've got a career."

"And I had a career too before you came along," Ronnie sneers.

"Jesus. Now you're going to bring that up again? You're acting like a child."

"And you're being an insensitive jackass."

"Stop packing."

"Don't touch my things! Don't touch me!"

"What about the kids?" Alex asks. "Ronnie, you can't just drop a bomb on them and up and leave town after. I'm contracted. I have to get back to work or it could mean my ass. I don't have the time to deal with this right now. Ronnie, think of your children. Kaylie is fourteen. AJ is seventeen. Not even legal. We're supposed to just leave them here, alone and unsupervised?"

"Well, it looks like you're stuck, doesn't it?" Ronnie says. "Now you have to choose. Family or your precious ball game."

"Punish me all you want, but not the kids."

"I need to do what's best for me and that's getting away for a little while to think about things. I can't be there to help them through things if I don't work through them on my own first," she argues. "They…they'll understand."

"Like hell," Alex says. "They'll see this for what it is. Their mother abandoning them."

"And by the sound of it their father soon after," Ronnie says coldly.

AJ pushes the door and it loudly slams shut, letting their parents know that they've had an audience the entire time. Kaylie's legs give up and she falls to sit back against the closed door, too tired of crying to cry anymore. She just stares up at AJ who presses his face into the cold back of the door before curling his hand into a fist and slamming his knuckles against it. The door shakes and he gets ready to punch it again when Kaylie grabs his wrist.

"Stop," she says firmly. With one sharp tug, AJ falls to sit beside her, their backs pressed to the door. There are no muffled voices from the other side, but if they are talking, it probably isn't anything Kaylie and AJ want to hear anyways.

"We did the right thing, right? By forcing her to tell him the truth?" AJ asks. His voice is rough and nearly cracks. It's one of the few times Kaylie has ever heard her brother so unsure of himself. "It's better that he knows, right?"

Kaylie nods her head. "The truth hurts, but it's always better than lies."

And true to her word, Ronnie leaves the next morning. Two weeks later, Alex leaves too, on the road for a doubleheader.

It's just AJ and Kaylie left in the house with the twice-a-week visits from the maids to keep things tidy and the once-a-week visits from the grocery guy. Still, the Cruz castle feels even emptier and colder than it had been before. By now Kaylie and AJ are tired of trying to figure out whom to blame. Both of their parents are gone.

Kaylie sits out on the balcony and looks out over Boulder. It's a quiet night, not much action, not that their neighborhood is very eventful. She wants her thoughts to slow down, hoping the fresh air would help. She hears whistling growing closer and doesn't even have to look to know it's her brother. Who else would it be?

"Hey," he says gently. "Brought you something."

AJ hoists himself up to sit on the edge of the balcony with two wineglasses and a dark bottle. He pours one to the brim and the other only halfway. Looking out over the neighborhood, AJ takes the nearly overflowing one and pushes the other towards Kaylie.

"What's this?" Kaylie asks, crinkling her nose in distaste.

"Really, Kales," AJ laughs. "Drink."

"I'm fourteen."

"And I'm seventeen. Just drink. Fuck it. We aren't driving anywhere. Trust me. It'll soften the blow of abandonment," AJ says. He takes a sip of the red wine and runs his tongue across his lips.

Still eyeing him suspiciously, Kaylie tentatively takes the glass and tips her head back, taking a gulp. After forcing it down her throat, she crinkles her nose even more, in deeper distaste.

"Slow your roll there, newbie. Did you never drink with Abuelo before? Oh, wait, you didn't. Well, if he were here he'd tell you wine is meant to be enjoyed…but in Spanish. It's sophisticated and shit. Anyways, I texted Leo and told him about Ronnie's little tantrum. He booked a flight for first thing tomorrow morning. Cleaning up after yet another one of Ronnie Cruz's messes. I know I suck at this damage control thing, but Lee will know what to do."

"I'm quitting gymnastics," Kaylie says suddenly.

"That's cool."

"That's cool? I just told you I'm giving up on my dream…or what used to be my dream."

"And I'm not going to stop you." AJ shrugs. "Look, if you want to do something then do it. If you're convinced it's what's best for you then go for it. Remember that. And not to pound wine. Beer. Faster you drink it, the less it taste like shit, but the faster you get drunk. Hards get you there even faster."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because we're Spaniards," he reminds her. "Drinking's in our blood. Cheers."

AJ clinks his glass against hers before swirling it around in his glass and taking another sip. It goes silent between them, but when a sob breaks the air, AJ nearly spills his wine all over him. He sees the way Kaylie shakes with each devastating wave of shallow breaths and uncontrollable whimpers. Not knowing what else to do, AJ chugs the rest of his glass, breaking his own rules. How is he supposed to take care of his sister if he can't take care of himself?

"Shit. Kay, don't cry." He scoots closer and throw his arm around her shoulders. "It won't be that horrible, not having parents. It isn't like we'll run out of money and I'm sure dad will pop in when he can. We'll make it fun. You and me. I'll be Peter Pan and you'll be one of those boys who wear animal furs and idolize him."

"One of the lost boys?" she says weakly.

"Yeah, but a girl, you know, unless you want to be a boy," AJ says, winking at her, trying to make her laugh. "We can make this work. And Leo will be around for a bit to keep it from turning into Lord of the Flies or something. How does that sound? Not too bad, right?"

With her face against his chest, Kaylie mutters, "I love you, Aje."

His arm tight around her, he whispers, "Yeah, love you too, sis."

…

It turns out that Kaylie must take after their mom more than their dad's side of the family because she is the sloppiest drunk in the history of sloppy drunks. She isn't even one of the girls who laughs uncontrollably or thinks she's a stripper, but she's a clinger who insists on having conversations and goes around terrorizing people. AJ isn't exactly proud, but he is entertained. Leo on the other hand has a bitch fest about it.

"So how are you feeling?"

"I feel like you're trying to psychoanalyze me."

Kaylie moves her eyes from the ceiling in her room and over to Leo sitting in a chair by her bed. There's a pounding behind her eyes and she can't remember very much from the night before. Leo looks pissed, but he then motions to the glass of water and the aspirin on the side table.

"Just trying to see how you're doing," he says earnestly. "I mean, aside from the fact that you're probably severely dehydrated and painfully hungover…"

"I feel like I'm never drinking with AJ again," Kaylie groans.

"Are you saying it because you know it's what I want to hear or because you mean it?"

"I mean it. I'm pretty sure I made a fool out of myself last night and I can't even remember it. Not fun," Kaylie murmurs. Leo nods to the glass of water and she takes the nonverbal command, taking small sips.

"And how are you dealing with everything else?"

"I'm dealing just fine. You know, aside from thinking alcohol is the answer, which was stupid because I feel even worse now. I'm over everything, the separation, being abandoned. It's whatever," Kaylie says, caught between a lie and the truth. "I think AJ is taking it worse. He can't even tell what he's doing isn't right."

Leo's face confirms what Kaylie has been thinking for weeks now. She's right. Even Leo is worried about AJ. "Don't you worry about him, alright? I'll take care of it."

"You weren't here, Leo. You didn't see it all happen. I still can't believe she did what she did, but I can't believe AJ called her a slut and a bad mom to her face. He made her cry. He's so disrespectful sometimes and I don't think he has ever gone a day without swearing or drinking."

"Kaylie, he's AJ. What do you expect?" Leo laughs. "He has issues expressing himself."

"Why are you defending him?"

"I'm not. It's just easier if you accept him for being the way he is. You know that. Sometimes I think someone dropped him on the head when he was a kid," Leo says and it makes Kaylie giggle. "No, I'm serious. It's like there's damage to his frontal lobes. It would explain his lack of judgment and why his impulse is greater than the average person. Like he can't control it."

"Everyone has a choice in how they act."

"Not if it really is brain damage," Leo says, wagging his finger at her.

Kaylie rolls her eyes and it hurts. "I seriously doubt that."

"Well, you never know." Leo smiles, picking up a plastic donkey from Kaylie's desk and wondering why she even has a plastic donkey. "So how are you feeling about this whole high school thing? I talked to dad and we worked it all out. Tomorrow you and me are going to go down to the school and get you enrolled and pick up your schedule. Are you excited or what?"

She halfheartedly shrugs her shoulders.

"At least you'll have Emily and Lauren, right?" AJ says encouragingly, putting the plastic donkey down right where he found it. "And the faculty loved me and hate AJ so you probably can't do any worse than that."

"Was it easy for you?" Kaylie wonders aloud. "Giving up gymnastics?"

"Well, the scholarship definitely helped, but I was never really serious about it anyways," Leo says. Kaylie doesn't quite believe it, remembering when she was young and would go to see Leo compete. She remembers idolizing him, his power and his passion. She likes to think he always knew it without her having to say it.

"But I was serious about it," Kaylie says. "At least I could have been."

"You can still go back," Leo says. He can see it on her face, the way she mentally toys with the idea even if she won't say it aloud. "There's nothing stopping you. From what I heard, Marty high-tailed it to Denver. You could have a fresh start without going anywhere. Stay on the path and see where it goes."

"No, I can't," she says resolutely. "I can't even remotely go near the Rock. I…I can't."

"It's okay," Leo says. "I get it."

Nothing is okay and she doesn't think he understands, not really, but there's something about hearing it that makes everything a little more bearable.

…

Alex really does his best.

Sometimes he feels like baseball is all he has. Everything else is at arm's length, but baseball is always right there. When he's up to bat beneath the intense lights of the stadium, gripping the bat in his hands, carefully watching the pitcher, he blocks out all else. He doesn't think of the possibility that Kaylie might need him or AJ might need him to get him out of whatever trouble AJ is causing this week. He doesn't think about his wife. Just the game. It's all a game. None of it's real and that's what he loves most.

He goes home as often as he can. Every time he has some off time, he goes home for a visit. He sits with Kaylie and listens to all the stories she has about high school. She's so different from his little girl, his little athlete that was going straight to the Olympics. Now she talks about her friends and her teachers and cheerleading. It's a change, but it's neither good nor bad.

AJ is the one that worries him. Alexander Cruz Junior, the one always getting slammed by teachers and who doesn't apply himself in school, whose room is littered with empty bottles of liquor and half-empty boxes of condoms. Alex tries to tell himself that he's just being a teenage boy and this is a phase, but if that's true then AJ's been stuck in this rotten phase since he was two and he's only been spiraling faster and faster out of control.

On the saddest of days he spends away from Boulder, when the game is over and he has nothing left to distract him from reality, Alex pulls out that old picture in his wallet and he wonders when it all went wrong because even after all this time, he still doesn't know.

Things start to look up once baseball season ends in mid-November.

Alex moves back into the house and starts to pull things together. He strictly enforces curfews and rules and gets AJ to clean out his room and clean up his act. He also makes it a rule that they all eat dinner together every night at seven o'clock sharp. He gets involved with their academic lives, going to open house and meeting teachers. He smiles proudly when they gush about Kaylie being a wonderful student and cringes when they talk about AJ and his less than spectacular grades and attitude.

For Christmas, Leo flies home and they all spend the holidays at a ski resort. Kaylie pulls AJ aside and tells him that all she wants for Christmas is for him to not start any drama in the family and just let them enjoy this and it surprises everyone when he's agreeable and even-tempered the entire time. It's the first time in a long time that they start to feel like a family.

Alex talks to Ronnie every two weeks and she says she's working through her issues with a professional and Alex tells her that they're fine without her. He's certain she starts crying towards the end of every conversation, but he also figures that the truth will do her good.

…

Before Alex leaves for spring training in February, Kaylie plans a big dinner to introduce her dad to her boyfriend of four months, Carter Anderson. She's always had a sort of obsessive need for perfection. Whether that neurotic quality came from being a gymnast for most of her life or if it's just apart of who Kaylie is isn't clear, but it seems to come out when she starts preparing for this dinner.

"Why are you trying so hard?" AJ asks irritably. He's been watching Kaylie go over the menu with the hired chef, revising it about three times. The only reason he hadn't lost interest and walked away hours ago was the awesome taste-testers the chef provided. Kaylie wanted his opinion and AJ doesn't turn down free gourmet food.

"Because," Kaylie says like it's an answer in itself.

"Because you're trying to distract dad from Carter's loserness and his big hair by stuffing him with his favorite foods," AJ answers. He digs a spoon into the crème brulee, smiling as he takes a bite. Total orgasm in his mouth.

"Shut up," Kaylie says, smacking her brother. "Carter isn't a loser. I really like him and I'm sure dad's going to really like. I just want this meal to be perfect before dad goes off for spring training."

AJ frowns when he sees the way Kaylie's face saddens at the mention of Alex having to return to work. These last few months really have been a big improvement. Alex manned up. He took control of a bad situation and AJ didn't have to carry the world on his shoulders like he had been expecting. He definitely respects his dad an awful lot more now, having gone through all of this. The same thing can't be said for Ronnie, who doesn't even call anymore.

"Well then, this crème brulee is a must," AJ says. "Dad will love it. Book it, lost boy."

Though she rolls her eyes, Kaylie's face brightens. "I was thinking the same thing."

"Cool. Now, you're bringing Carter. Leo is bringing that Michelle chick he's apparently 'in love with.' I wasn't aware this was a couples-only dinner," AJ says, dipping into the dessert. "You know I don't give a rat's ass if I'm the odd man out, but it isn't too late for me to find someone to bring. Whatcha think?"

Kaylie checks his face to see if he's serious before she bursts with laughter. "Who would you even consider bringing?"

AJ smirks, licking his lips. "Santana Lopez."

Kaylie drops her spoon and it makes a loud clamor when it hits the plate in front of her. Her expression is one of utter horror and that's the exact reaction AJ had set out to illicit.

"What?" AJ says, trying to play innocent.

Disgust darkens Kaylie's face as she pushes the dessert over to him, apparently losing her appetite. "Santana Lopez? Hate to break it to you, Aje, but something tells me she wouldn't be up for a dinner date with the family."

"Dude, Kales, trust me. That hoe can eat and just expects you to pick up the bill. Sure I've got deep pockets, but damn—"

"AJ…"

"C'mon, Carter isn't much to look at, no offense, and Michelle's personality makes her the ugliest hot chick I know," he explains. "I invite Santana Lopez and I'm sure dad will appreciate it. Chick is perfect eye candy. Secondly, she's Latina."

"She's also a whore," Kaylie says bluntly.

"Just like mom. Whoa, three for three," AJ says. Now it's his turn to look disgusted. "Meh. You're right. Hooking up with her would be too weird. That's way too Freudian even for me. So if I don't bring any trashy embarrassing girls to your fairytale dinner do I get two desserts?"

"Deal," Kaylie agrees. "And you better be nice to Carter."

"Aww, Kay, when am I not nice to the troll doll?"

AJ opens his mouth to inhale another spoonful of his creamy dessert when Kaylie grabs his chin and forces him to look at her.

"I mean it," she says lowly. "Things are going really great right now with everything and everyone and I just want it to be perfect, okay? Carter's going to be nervous and I know there's no talking Leo and dad out of ganging up on him and doing their overprotective thing. I also know you don't really care, but you'll try to make things harder on him for fun. I'm asking you not to. Please Peter?"

He finds it amusing that she calls Peter, treasuring that moment of brother-sister bonding they had on the balcony, but he's also a little offended that she thinks he doesn't care. Even before Kaylie and Carter started dating, when it was just rumor that they'd been trading shy looks across the gym, AJ was sure to corner the guy and intimidate the crap out of him, just daring him to disrespect Kaylie and see what happens.

"You know I don't like him much," AJ grumbles. He really doesn't. Carter is one of those cocky kids who had popularity thrust upon him even though he doesn't have much to show for it except being the youngest starter on the basketball team. He isn't very smart or very interesting and not very faithful either. Bottom line: he isn't good enough for Kaylie.

"But you're doing it for me," Kaylie persists. "Please?"

"Fine. For you," AJ sighs like restraining himself from starting trouble is so taxing. "Frodo has nothing to worry about. I won't do anything to make him any more stressed out then he's already going to be."

"Thank you," Kaylie says, letting go of his face. "I'll make sure you get extra cheese in your soup too."

"Score," AJ says, finishing off his crème brulee.

And AJ does even better than not stressing out Carter. He gets Carter to relax. Right before dinner, while Kaylie runs around, making sure everything is perfect and Alex goes to pick up Leo and his girlfriend from the airport, AJ convinces Carter to get high while they're "upstairs playing video games." A known pothead, Carter doesn't object and the poor guy is so nervous he doesn't even notice that AJ isn't actually inhaling when they pass it back and forth and Carter hogs it most of the time anyways.

During dinner, Carter is a paranoid, red-eyed mess and Alex isn't stupid. Before they even get to the entrée portion of the dinner, Carter just can't hold it together and Alex tosses the stoner out on his ass. AJ smirks to himself, watching everything play out. That night he gets to eat three desserts instead of just two.

…

Once Alex leaves for spring training and Leo goes back to school things go downhill again.

For one, Kaylie hates AJ. Carter rats on him, blaming AJ for "forcing him get high" and is near tears when he apologizes to Kaylie and says he won't touch marijuana again. AJ's reply, "What a punk ass bitch," and it doesn't impress Kaylie who takes sides with her boyfriend and gives AJ the silent treatment. Annoyed with her, AJ flirts with Lauren Tanner just because he knows it'll piss off Kaylie. Plus, he knows the spunky blonde has a thing for Carter and so it makes him feel a little less douchey when he uses her.

He fails almost every one of his classes and ends up getting a letter in the mail saying he has to repeat senior year if he wants a diploma. AJ tears up the letter like the physical act of making it disappear means he won't have to deal with it and the next time Alex visits, he's pissed.

"Dad, I'm serious. That jackass is cheating on Kaylie and I can prove it," AJ rambles. "If anyone ever thought Kaylie Cruz was perfect they might wanna reconsider after seeing her taste in guys."

Usually hating the boyfriend is a favorite topic between the father and son, especially with how much both Kaylie and Leo still like Carter, but something is different. As AJ plops down onto one of the leather seats in the study, Alex leans back against the edge of his desk, looking so solemn. AJ thinks back over what trouble he's gotten into lately, knowing he's about to get ripped a new one.

"Pops, what's wrong?"

"I called you in here because I wanted to talk to you about something I've been thinking of for a while now, ever since I got a call from your principal," Alex says calmly. Now AJ knows he's fucked. "Skipping class? Starting fights? Disrespecting your teachers? What do you think you're doing, AJ?"

"Dad, you don't understand. That place sucks. They want me to respect 'em? The hell am I supposed to do that when they don't have respect for me? Just because I'm not afraid to say what I think and because I drive a car that costs more than their mortgage, they think they can judge me. Yo, forget that."

"So you could use a change of scenery?"

"Definitely," AJ says. "Wait…what?"

Alex sighs and runs his hand over his hairless head. "You better make use of your summer, Aje. I pulled a few strings and got you into a boarding school out east."

"No."

"AJ, it's for the best," Alex says, leaning down closer towards him. "You need guidance and supervision and you aren't getting that here. I can't be here for you like I wish I could so I'm sending you somewhere where I know you'll get the attention you need. You do want to graduate, don't you?"

"Who gives a fuck what I need," AJ says angrily.

"I don't appreciate your language or your tone—"

"This isn't about you or me or even Ronnie!" AJ shouts. "This is about Kaylie."

"Tell me. How is this about your sister?"

"She needs me!" AJ shouts.

"According to Leo, you two haven't been talking for the last month now."

"Yeah, sure, we've been having issues, but that doesn't mean I don't care," AJ argues. "Ronnie left her. You left her. Leo tries to split his time between his life and us, but it isn't working. He shouldn't have to play dad. Now you're trying to send me away? I'm all she has left. Don't you fucking get that?"

"Don't use your sister as an excuse."

"You think that's what I'm doing? Jesus Christ, dad," he curses. "I'm a fuck up. I've always been a fuck up. I can deal with that. I've accepted it. She's the one with the potential and I keep an eye out for her even when she's annoying as fuck. I need to be here for Kaylie because it seems no one else will."

"AJ, you're not a fuck up," Alex assures him. "You could be great if you wanted to."

"But I don't want to," he says. "I could care less."

Alex shakes his head, squinting with disbelief. "You don't mean that."

"I'm not good at anything. Not sports. Not school. What I'm good at is taking care of Kaylie without her even knowing it. She's doing good in school. She's well-adjusted for everything we've put her through. She's got friends. Cheerleading. She's not slutting around. She's a good kid thanks in part to me. I'm doing a better job at taking care of her than you ever did and now you want to take that away from her?"

"I appreciate everything you've done for your sister and for this family, but that's no way to live your life," Alex says. "It'll be one year, AJ. One year and you can come home. Maybe it'll be good for you, give you a new perspective."

"And Kaylie's just going to live here all alone until November just for you to leave her again in February?" AJ demands to know. "That isn't healthy. That isn't good parenting."

"No. You're right," Alex says. He looks away for a moment and AJ can't help, but feel like he's right about to drop something big on him. "Your mother's coming back."

Shit. He was right. Hiroshima all over again.

AJ scowls. "Yeah, and what makes you think that's a good thing?"

"You need to give her a chance."

"Like you're giving her a chance?" AJ retorts. "Last I checked you got all your t's crossed and i's dotted on those divorce papers. Come on, dad. You know you gave up on her just like I have."

"You're right. But Kaylie needs her mom, Aje. As you know, I'm not your mother's biggest fan, but it really does seem like she's pulled it together and she wants another chance. She went away and fixed herself. Maybe it's time you did too."

"What is there to fix?" AJ asks. "I'm me. I'm not going to apologize for that."

"Fine. You know what? I'm done trying to convince you," Alex says irritably. "You're always complaining about me not parenting. Well, I am now. I'm your father. What I say goes. If you ever want to see a penny of your trust fund then you'll go to that school in Connecticut and you'll make the most of it. You're smart and you care. It's just a matter of finding something that suits you. Don't worry about Kaylie. I'll sit her down and I'll tell her it's my fault, that I'm sending you away."

"Don't," AJ objects. He stares at the nearby lamp, itching to break it against the wall, but he restrains himself. "You tell her about this and she's going to blame you and she's going to hate you. I can tells you now that Ronnie's going to crash and burn again and it may be long-distance, but Kaylie's going to need one parent she can trust. I'll tell her I'm leaving because I want to be better or whatever."

"See," Alex says. He smiles then, tinged with pride, and AJ swears his dad has never looked at him like that until right now. "That's what I'm talking about. You have the potential, Aje. You're going to be fine."

Alex starts to go on and on about potential and hard work in what's supposed to be some inspirational speech, but AJ already tunes him out. All AJ knows is he's going to make the most of this last summer before getting shipped off and he's going to start with every blonde in town.

…

Leo has been taking care of AJ since before he can remember. This is different, though. When he gets that frantic phone call towards the end of the summer, saying he's in trouble and needing help, Leo comes running.

Everything feels a little backwards considering most people go home for the holidays under the pretences that they'll get to relax. Leo feels more like school is his vacation and during his off time he goes back to sort through the drama in Boulder. He has to consistently work to keep his crumbling family from completely falling apart. It's so much for one person, but seeing as no one else wants the job, he has to pick up the slack.

"Fuck," Leo curses. He can usually control himself, but with this situation, fuck just seems appropriate.

"What am I supposed to do?" AJ asks, pacing back and forth. It's something Leo has seen their mother do so many times, but he doesn't say anything. Pointing out that shared trait will only send his little brother further over the edge. "She says it's mine."

"How can she be so sure? Shauna Donovan isn't the most trustworthy girl. Didn't she cheat on her boyfriend with you?"

AJ suddenly stops his pacing and glares at Leo. They're out in their backyard, taking some time to talk while Kaylie is inside with her little friends, hogging the flat screen and watching girly movies. What they're talking about is too private of a topic to have inside the house and so they came out here.

"Don't you even fucking suggest I'm Marty," AJ spits.

"Aje, that wasn't what I was—"

"Well, it was implied! I made sure she was broken up with DiLaurentis before we hooked up. I always make sure a girl is single when we hook up. But, no, don't believe me, your own brother. You go ahead and listen to whatever Carter and those other pussies say about me at the Pizza Shack."

"I'm sorry," Leo says, frowning when he realizes the scars AJ still carries from the affair.

"You should be," AJ snaps. "I may be a slut, but I'm not a homewrecker."

"And I believe that," Leo nods, "Now, you're sure this girl wasn't with anyone else? I mean, you could be stressing out over some other guy's problem. Now, we can get a paternity test done and that'll—"

"Paternity tests can take forever and I'm shipping off soon," AJ reminds him. "Plus, it wouldn't matter who the father is if…if she just gets it taken care of. Plus, if it's some other guy's, he probably won't have the money to help her out and I do so I thought I would, you know, help out."

Leo doesn't quite understand. Why would he want to help this girl?

"Do you have feelings for Shauna Donovan?" Leo asks dumbly.

AJ laughs. "Lee, dude, I don't know anything about this chick other than she's a fucking amazing kisser and there's something really hot about those pink streaks in her hair."

"Then why do you want to help her?"

He shrugs his shoulders and kicks at the grass, replying, "Dunno. Feels right."

"You know what we're talking about, right?" Leo walks forward so the space between them doesn't seem so vast. "It's abortion, AJ."

"It's what she wants, Leo," his brother says, sounding so much more quiet and almost helpless. "She went off about a woman's right to choose and blah, blah, blah. She was top of our class, got a scholarship to some school in California. She's getting out of Boulder, man. Shauna told me she already made the appointment. All she needs is the money and that's where I come in. And, fuck, Leo, I don't know what I'm doing. You need to help me."

"Hey, it's okay," Leo says soothingly. "I've got your back, bro. We'll sort this out."

Leo moves his hand to the nape of AJ's neck and pulls him tight in a hug, comfortingly patting his back. It surprises him when AJ actually gets him hug him. Leo doesn't think they've hugged since they were children. When they'd fight, Ronnie wouldn't let them out of time out until they apologized to each other and hugged to make it official.

Suddenly a loud ringing breaks the silence and the brother's quickly pull apart. They look to the door and find Lauren Tanner standing there, cursing her ringing cell phone as she pulls it out of the back pocket of her shorts.

"Hey, guys!" Lauren says nervously, pretending she wasn't totally eavesdropping. "I, um, Kaylie send me out here to ask if you know where the microwave popcorn is."

"How much did you hear?" AJ asks frantically.

"Nothing," Lauren replies, an obvious lie.

"Lauren," Leo says in that tone of voice that could coax a confession out of anyone.

"Okay…all of it…"

"Shit. I'm so beyond fucked," AJ curses. He starts to pace back and forth again, not even realizing he's doing it. "Now that the loudmouth Royal wannabe knows, it is going to be all over Boulder by morning. Fuck my life."

"Um, hello, when someone has dirt on you it's probably best not to insult them and I don't appreciate you talking about me like I'm not standing right here, asshole," the blonde snaps. AJ glares at her and Lauren glares right back.

"No, wait, this can be a good thing," Leo says, the gears turning in his head.

"How?" AJ and Lauren ask in unison.

"Don't worry," Leo says like he always does. "I got a plan."

Leo did have a plan and everything went smoothly. They got Shauna Donovan the money and she disappeared from their lives. Honestly, if it hadn't been for Leo everything would have fallen apart for sure. AJ's begging probably wouldn't have been enough to keep Lauren quiet, but her admiration and respect for Leo was. They decided to keep it from everyone, Kaylie included.

Kaylie wouldn't have understood. She would have jumped up on her pro-life soapbox and made things harder than they had to be. AJ, Leo and Lauren saw the situation for an objective position and they took care of it quietly. It's how they do things and Kaylie would have complicated that. It wasn't personal. It's just what needed to be done.

Every time AJ sees Kaylie after that, he contemplates telling her, but always ends up chickening out. Then at the end of the summer, he packs up his things and he leaves her just like the rest.

…

At first Kaylie thinks life without AJ will be easier, but turns out it's just lonelier.

Even when they were pissed at each other and only communicated through slamming doors, his presence was always a comfort to her. At one point he almost seemed like her mischievous guardian angel, but then she started dating Carter and he started doing whatever he was doing with Lauren and then the summer tore them apart.

AJ became so secretive, almost like he was pushing her away on purpose. Then out of the blue he wants to go away to some prep school to try to be a better person? What's with that? A part of Kaylie was convinced he was just tired of always having to deal with her and just wanted away. She doesn't blame him. If it weren't for her friends, she would have insisted they leave Boulder a long time ago.

Ronnie tries, maybe even tries too hard. She always asks how Kaylie is doing and how the girls are doing and wants to go shopping or to get pedicures when Kaylie has homework to get done. Another thing Kaylie doesn't quite enjoy is how there are always strangers around—Ronnie's "entourage" as she calls them. It's weird, but Kaylie gets used to it after a while.

For months it's almost like Ronnie is her best friend. They talk and do fun things and even fiddle around with music. She still doesn't feel like she has a real mom, but at least it's something compared to just a little while back when she had nothing.

With Ronnie staying with her, Alex starts to come around less and less until he stops visiting all together. With less family problems to worry about, Leo starts focusing more on school and so he hardly visits too. At least Alex and Leo phone home once in a while. With AJ, it's like he disappeared off the face of the planet. It's almost like that family who spent winter break skiing, Kaylie and the guys, is gone. Now it's just Kaylie and Ronnie until it isn't even that anymore.

When Carter cheats on her, it leaves Kaylie in shambles. It brings up old issues with the affair and it makes her sympathize with her dad so much more. There are clear differences between the two situations, but Kaylie still knows what it's like to think you love someone and think they love you just to have them choose someone else. After that, she starts to push Ronnie away and after a while, Ronnie accepts that.

Ronnie starts to really get back into music, taking trips back and forth to LA to meet with new artists and other executives. Every time she takes a business trip and comes back, she'll bring Kaylie presents like that just makes everything magically better. In the beginning it works, but as time goes by, gifts stop being enough. By then, Kaylie stops expecting things and just goes on to live her life. Her friends become her family and she grows to be okay with that.

"So any idea what you want to do for the summer?" Ronnie asks one night over dinner.

"Nope," Kaylie says. "Payson is really excited about this gymnastics camp in Texas and Emily got a letter from her dad, asking her to visit him in California. I figure I'll just hang out with Lo and everyone around here."

"Oh."

It's amazing how much judgment can be packed into one syllable.

Kaylie narrows her eyes a bit. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, sweetie. I didn't mean anything by that," Ronnie replies, picking at her salad. "It's just that Lauren doesn't have the best reputation around town…"

"Mom, you've known Lauren forever. She's one of my best friends," Kaylie says defensively. "People around town just talk because they're jealous."

"Kaylie, like I said, I didn't mean anything by it," her mother repeats. "Well, I have a fabulous idea! What about Barcelona for the summer? It could be fun. Go visit your grandparents. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to see you."

"Wow. Yeah, that sounds incredible," Kaylie says eagerly.

"You think?" Ronnie says, looking just as excited.

"When do we leave?"

"Oh, sweetie," Ronnie murmurs in that way that prepares Kaylie for disappointment. "There's just so much for me to do with the label. I can't even think of taking a vacation, let alone leaving the country, but I've already spoken to your abuela and she said they'd be ecstatic to have you stay with them for the summer. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Let me get this straight," Kaylie says exasperatedly. "You're shipping me off to grandma's?"

"Kaylie, you make it sound so dismal," Ronnie scolds. "Your grandparents live in one of the most culturally rich cities in the world. It'll be fantastic. You'll love it."

"That's not my problem with it. You just want to get rid of me so you can go off with your friends in LA, huh?"

"Kaylie…"

"Unbelievable! No! I'm not going!"

Kaylie doesn't even excuse herself before she drops her fork loudly against the plate and storms off to her room.

"You'll thank me at the end of the summer!" Ronnie shouts to the ceiling.

She's answered with the slam of a door.

…

There isn't shit to do in Palm Springs with a baby so AJ spends his time getting to know his kid. For the first day, Shauna almost doesn't let him hold Amelia. Even when AJ turns on the Cruz charm and that doesn't work, he goes for something his family isn't quite known for, something that comes from him—honesty. He's honest with Shauna and it seems to be paying off.

It's a shock even to him when Shauna lets AJ stay in her house and even watch Amelia while she's out. He feeds her and changes her like Shauna taught him. Most of the day is spent with Amelia propped up against his chest as they watch TV and take pictures of the two of them with his phone. The Breakfast Club comes on TV and he leaves it on because Molly Ringwald was hot in her prime. It makes him think of Lauren and so he texts her, but she must be busy in Orange County because she doesn't reply.

Shauna doesn't get home till late when AJ already has Amelia bathed, changed and sleeping soundly in her crib. AJ sits and watches as Amelia's chest rises and falls with each breath she takes, fascinated and enamored. She looks like such a Cruz with that dark hair and her little mouth that pokes out just right. He wants to think she takes after him a hell of a lot more than her mother, but then again, he suspects Shauna isn't a real blonde.

AJ wiggles his hand through the bars of the crib, but before he can touch her, his arm is yanked back. Shauna gives him a look only a real mother could (Ronnie should take notes) and it makes AJ grin in return. She doesn't even let him get up before she starts dragging him out of the room and once they're outside, she closes the door a bit after them.

"Don't touch her while she's sleeping or she will wake up, scream her head off, and not sleep for the next three days," Shauna scolds him. The scary thing is she's serious.

"And whose fault is that? Don't lie to me. You shot up heroin while you were pregnant with her, didn't you?"

Shauna kicks him hard in the shin. Sitting there on the floor, AJ clutches his leg as she walks back into her room and shuts the door. He stares after Shauna, thinking about how different she is from the girl he remembers. Then again, he didn't really know her back then. She used to be one of those dull, plastic scarf chicks boys wore just to show all the other dudes what type of girl they could score with. It was a status game and girls like Shauna didn't mind being treated like livestock as long as they were popular. He doesn't know what he was thinking when they hooked up, but the pink streaks might have had something to do with it.

But she doesn't have those pink streaks anymore, not even one. When she walks back into the living room, she isn't even wearing makeup, which is funny because he remembers her face being caked with it. Her hair is collected in a messy bun piled atop her head and she's wearing a thin tank top and plaid boxer shorts, which, honestly, is somehow even hotter.

"Are you just going to sit there on the floor or are you going to eat these Oreos with me?" she asks from the kitchen.

"Golden or original?" AJ asks, getting up and going over to her.

"What do you think? Golden Oreos are weak."

"Wow, we have the same taste in junk food."

With how often he's in the kitchen making Amelia bottles (and cooking for Shauna), AJ knows his way around the cupboards fairly well. He knows which door to swing open and grabs two cups before going to the refrigerator for the milk.

"To be fair, we never actually tried to get to know each other in high school," Shauna says, sitting on a tall stool at the breakfast bar.

After pouring them both glasses of milk, AJ sits next to her. Every time Shauna doesn't throw him a suspicious sideward glance, AJ counts it as a baby step toward thawing her icy exterior around him. Sometimes he teases her before he can think better of it and has to hold his breath, not knowing how she'll react. AJ silently revels in the tiny wins and reaches for an Oreo.

"So how did you end up down here?" he asks when he realizes he still doesn't know. The first night they barely spoke to each other. The next day was a crash course in childcare and she worked all day today. But they have spent enough time around each other that he thinks he can ask without her biting his head off. Hopefully.

Shauna shrugs, twirling an Oreo through crumb speckled milk. "Parents kicked me out when I told them I was pregnant." AJ's eyes drop to the gold cross around her neck. He can tell the scars run deep even when she tries to act like they're invisible. "My grandma was the only one who'd take me in. She passed away when Amelia was barely a month old."

"Fuck, I'm sorry."

"It's cool. She was sick for a long time and at least she got to meet Amelia." Shauna reaches for her little cross necklace and twists it between her fingers. "When my parents flew down here to read her will, my mom had the nerve to assume grandma left the house to me to spite her. Amelia has a bitch for a grandma."

"Make that two." AJ smiles as he watches Shauna submerge the cookies whole into the milk. He's never understood why on earth people twist them apart and eat the cream first. Dunking is his preferred method of eating Oreos too. Being naked doesn't hurt either.

"I didn't mean to blindside your mom like that," Shauna says. "It's just…I wear a skimpy outfit and serve trays of hot wings to horny grab-ass guys. They were threatening to shut off the electricity. I was in LA for a weekend and I…I was desperate."

"It's cool," AJ assures her, licking bits of Oreos from his lips. "I just wish I could've been there to see the look on Ronnie's face when you told her. She look like she was gonna shit a brick or what?"

"Yup. Right there in front of everyone." Shauna smiles at the memory. She has nice, straight teeth. AJ wonders if Amelia will too. Hopefully. Wearing braces in middle school was not fun for him. "I've never seen someone so tan turn so pale. Well, other than the time I named you—what does Isa call you?"

"El padre de mi bebé. Translation: baby daddy. It's funny." AJ never knew it was a title he would wear and proudly. "Right, at that Boozer house party. I remember."

He remembers leaning against the side of someone's house and one of his buddies nudged him when Shauna made a beeline for him, equal parts determination and reluctance in every step. He remembers walking toward her, assuming she was craving a repeat performance. He smirked and met her halfway across the front lawn.

"Back for seconds?"

"I'm pregnant. It's yours."

So frank and direct. And now he knows that's just Shauna. Before he could even process what she just told him, her hand stung across his face and she cussed him out with hot, angry my life is over tears in her eyes.

"Damn," AJ mutters. "Can you believe that's how we used to live? Going from one boozer party to the next?"

"I'd rather not remember."

After he's eaten half the stack of Oreos and downed every last drop of milk, AJ starts to play with the baby monitor on the counter. As he twists the knob and makes the volume louder, Shauna watches him with cat-like eyes.

"You're good with her, you know," Shauna says quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Probably because you have the mental age of an infant."

AJ chuckles, putting the monitor back down. "Listen, I want you to know that you don't have to worry. I want to be here and support both of you."

Shauna stares at him for as long as she can stand before taking their empty glasses to the sink. From over her shoulder, she asks, "Are you trying to move in and play happy family? I hope you know that isn't happening. You can't camp out on the couch forever."

AJ wants to ask her why not. Shouldn't they at least try to make things work between them for Amelia's sake? Then again, he can see how it'd be too much to ask. Being in Palm Springs for a few days doesn't change the fact that they're practically strangers. Asking for commitment between strangers, particularly strangers with commitment issues, is asking for trouble.

"No, I didn't mean it like that," AJ says. "I want to be a parent. I want her growing up knowing her dad. I wanna help teach her how to walk and talk and how not to fall in love with douche bag guys."

"That last one is a little out of your control," Shauna says. AJ refuses to believe that and seeing it on his face, Shauna's amused. "Are you sure this isn't just New Puppy Syndrome? You can't just decide you want to be in her life and disappear three months from now. It isn't even a money issue. I don't want her getting use to you just for you to freak out and want nothing to do with us."

"Won't happen. I'm big on family."

"I really don't want to trust you."

Leaning in closer, AJ plasters on a sweet smile. "But you do."

"God help me, I'm starting to." Shauna moves into the living room and AJ grins with triumph. "I want to start a college fund for her."

"I'm sure once I come around to telling my dad that I'm serious about supporting Amelia, the first thing he'll want to do is set up a trust fund for her. She'll be set for life. Oh, and we're so changing her last name. Amelia Grace Donovan-Cruz."

"We'll see about that one."

AJ raises his brows in question. "We'll see? Nah, that don't work for me."

Shauna gives him a devious smile. "Tell you what. We'll play Mario Karts. Three laps. Winner decides."

"You're on."

When AJ joins her in the small living room in front of the small TV, he's even more psyched when Shauna pulls out an old-school N64. As she sets up the game, AJ plops down onto the couch and grabs a controller. It brings back memories of playing video games with Leo when they were kids. It was the one thing AJ could beat his older brother at. Mario Karts is a true sport.

The old, simple graphics onscreen make him giddy and while he's deciding on which character to be, his phone buzzes against couch. Already with her character locked down—Toad—Shauna laughs aloud when she sees the name on the screen.

"Lauren Tanner, huh? What is she, like, fifteen? Isn't that, like, asking to go to jail?" Shauna asks, half-teasing and half-serious. "If you pass on your perv gene to Amelia you are dead."

"I think Lauren's sixteen now. And no, we just hang out sometimes."

AJ chooses to race as Yoshi. When the screen changes and the game asks player one to pick a coarse, Shauna just continues to stare at him. "Hold up. If I let you take my daughter—"

"Our daughter—"

"On trips to Colorado," she continues, ignoring his interruption, "does that mean Lauren Tanner is going to be around her? I don't know how I feel about that."

"Why not?"

"Why not? She thought so highly of herself and she was a freshman, the literal bottom of the pyramid. I saw her trip a girl who then twisted her ankle and got booted off the squad. God, I bet she thinks she owns Taft now, doesn't she? Why don't you hang out with people your own age?"

"It's more fun being a kid." AJ reaches over to her controller and randomly chooses a course, hoping to end this conversation, but as soon as the screen changes, Shauna hits pause.

"Yeah, well, when I leave you unsupervised with my daughter I expect you to be thinking like a dad, not a kid. And what does Lauren Tanner think of you doing all of this?"

"I'm not dating her. Like I said, we just hang out sometimes."

Shauna arches an eyebrow. "Like how me and you hung out?"

"Once, but it was a long time ago." AJ doesn't even think to lie to her. He hasn't since arriving in Palm Springs and doesn't intent to start anytime soon. "Look, Shawnee, now worries, huh? If you do let me take Amelia home she'd probably spend most of her time with my brother and sister and maybe my dad. Keep her in the family. Sounds perfect to me. You?"

"I guess." Shauna relaxes, turning her attention back to the screen. "And I'd want you to tell everyone you see, even strangers in the grocery store. I want everyone in that piece of shit town, especially my parents, to know that she's our daughter and she's fucking perfect and they can all go to hell."

Damn.

He can feel the anger and resentment rolling off of her and can't bring himself to find it a turn-off. He's always had a thing for outspoken blondes.

"That's another thing we have in common," AJ says, with his fingers poised against the buttons and the joystick of a green N64 controller. "Foul Mouth Syndrome."

"I try not to swear in front of her. Isa calls me out on it all the time. But, I mean, it seems pretty useless. Look at who her parents are."

"No kidding."

Both of their eyes are on the TV screen, watching their characters zoom through Mario's fantastical world.

"Hey Shawnee, you ever miss who you used to be?"

"The young, stupid psycho ex-girlfriend type? No. Shit is harder now, but Amelia makes me want to be better and I wouldn't take it back. Not for anything. Not even for Jason."

"But you miss the pink highlights, don't you?"

"Oh, desperately."

One and a half laps in, they pause the game (luckily because Shauna was kicking his ass) when Amelia starts to stir and fuss. Shauna goes to get her and hands Amelia over to AJ, telling him she's going to bed. In the morning, if he wants, he can walk away from all this, no hard feelings, but if he survives the night watch then they'll file a petition to have her name changed.

Amelia sits propped up against AJ's chest as he plays Mario Karts. There's no way in hell Shauna is going to beat him if they decide to play again. AJ can't resist smiling when he notices Amelia staring up at him.

She feels so tiny, curled up against him and AJ is so amazed by every little thing she does. There's nothing he wants more than for her to grow up and not be him. It'd be more than cool if Amelia takes after her mom—strong, independent, takes no prisoners. Whatever happens, he wants to help her through it the way Ronnie and Alex barely did for him.

Despite the fussiness, the crying and the endless supply of spit-up, when he's exhausted yet Amelia refuses to sleep, AJ is still as in love with her as he was the moment he first saw her. His dad was right. AJ needed to find something that suits him and now, watching Amelia finally sound asleep, he thinks he has.

…

Every time Amelia is in Boulder, they have what is now known as the Cruz Family Weekend.

At that same park the kids grew up going to, Amelia Grace Donovan-Cruz sits upright in the sandbox. Her wavy brown hair is down to her shoulders and pulled half-up with a pink ribbon. Kaylie is kneeling next to her, helping her play with her toys and cooing down at her niece who giggles in return. Leo and AJ are on the swings, competing to see who can get the highest as if they're children again.

Alex Cruz sits out on a picnic blanket beneath the shade of a tall tree, looking out at his children and his granddaughter. They have all gone through hell back, fought demons that plagued their family and even individual ones on their own. Still, they're able to come back together and seeing them now, Alex feels content for the first time in a long time.

"Yo pops!" AJ shouts, walking over to him. "Leo is a fucking ass. He pushed me off the fucking swing!"

"AJ, for God's sake, your language," Alex scolds. Even he knows it's useless, but he has to at least try.

"Aww, what? Are you going to make daddy kiss it and make it all better?" Leo teases. AJ shoves him hard and the oldest Cruz brother just laughs and sits beside his father on the picnic blanket, stealing a beer from the cooler. "So it doesn't look like mom's showing."

"Good," AJ says. He sits down on the edge of the blanket and fixes his sunglasses over the bridge of his nose. "You know, to tell you the truth, I think it's really fucked up that we're all just trying to play happy family here when we so obviously aren't."

After taking a long sip from his can of beer, Leo clasps his hand on his brother's shoulder, shaking him a bit. "Happy or not, like it or not, we are a family, Aje."

"Your brother speaks the truth," Alex says, clinking his own aluminum beer can against that of his oldest son's. "Just look at Kaylie and Amelia. They're so happy. Look at you two. Stable. The least we could do is celebrate that, no?"

"I'll drink to that," Leo agrees. "How's the baby mamma, Aje?"

"Working," he replies. "I think the real secret to a happy family is having one parent who works and the other can entertain the kid all day. Shawnee's great, saving up to go to school. I really could have knocked up worse." AJ reaches for the cooler, but Leo pulls it away from him, fishes inside and tosses AJ a juice box. "Leo, you're such a dick, man."

"Hey, save the compliments," Alex says. "Kaylie's new boyfriend is going to be here soon."

"As long as he doesn't show up high like the one with the afro then I like him already," Alex adds.

They share a laugh at the thought of Carter Anderson and that first meet-and-greet.

"I've been thinking," AJ says between slurps of apple juice. "I want to get a tattoo. Todo Para La Familia."

Leo looks confused and Alex just grins.

Everything for the family.

...

---

Author's note: Again, sorry this took a while to post. We really do hope it helped to flesh out the characters and provide more background info. It's fun making this universe even bigger and bigger than we originally intended. Anyways, did everyone like it? Review.