Hamish woke up later than he should have, he could tell. Before he even opened his eyes, he wondered why the heck Byerly hadn't barged in and beat him yet. But then he woke up a bit more… and felt what he was laying on, and felt a foot touching his, and felt light hitting his face slightly.

Hamish's eyes flashed open, wanting to make sure this wasn't a dream. It wasn't a dream! Hamish was sitting upright in seconds, breathing hard and a smile stretching across his face. This was all real. Jack was real. This bed was real! He slept on a bed! The sunlight (actual sunlight!) was streaming through the blinds of Jack's window, hitting his face.

Jack groaned next to him, rolling around on his bed. Hamish's smile fell. He slowly slipped out of the bed, and crept to the door. With one last look behind his shoulder, Hamish slipped out of Jack's room. He couldn't risk Jack waking up. He knew by now that people were better when they slept enough.

Padding down the hallway, Hamish found himself in the living room. It wasn't all that bright, but he could still find his way around. He glanced at the T.V's clock, and in neon lights, it told him it was 6:03. Wow, he really was sleeping in. Hamish let out a content sigh as his shoulders sagged. No chores to be done, oh no, not anymore. There was this new sense of freedom that wrapped its arms around Hamish, this feeling of no responsibilities, the feeling of complete relaxation.

Hamish wrapped his own arms around his chest, his fingers clutching at his ribs. Silently, he started to walk around Jack's home. It was sort of small, unlike anything he was used to at the Byerly's. The kitchen was quaint, and it had just enough of everything to get things done.

That was the thing that was ebbing at Hamish's mind. Astrid and her mother had always asked for more out of him, wanted more out of everything, wanted more of everything they couldn't have. These people… Jack's family… they took what the needed, what was just enough, and made the most of it. They turned a minus into a plus.

Hamish smiled a bit at that. But then he heard something, and his smile faded. His body tensed up, his eyes filling with fear.

"Jack?" A feminine voice asked. A figured came walking down the hall, and it was Jack's mother. Hamish relaxed. "Oh, Hamish, it's only you. I thought Jack was sleep-eating again."

"Sleep eating, ma'am?" Hamish asked timidly. Jack's mother only laughed.

"Call me Lucy, sweetheart. Everyone does." She said. "And oh, that's a very long story. I'm sure I'll find time to tell it to you later. Now, would you like some breakfast?"

"Yes, please," Hamish responded. With that, Lucy bustled into the kitchen, placing a hand lightly on Hamish's shoulder as she passed him. She pulled out a black pan practically out of nowhere, and set it on the stove. Then she got out some butter and a carton of eggs.

"I could help you with-" Hamish started, but Lucy shot him a look.

"I'm fine dear, let me cook." Sh And cook she did. In a couple minutes, Lucy was handing him a plate filled with eggs, and he took it gratefully. He sat down on the table and ate the eggs, almost scarfing them down but he controlled himself. Lucy joined him, a plate of eggs in her hand as well.

"Why are you up so early, Hamish?" She asked before she took a bite.

"I think I woke up out of habit." Hamish replied. "I usually wake up at four thirty, but I must have slept in a bit today,"

"Well, if you wake up at that time every day, I would sleep in too!" Lucy said, laughing a little. Hamish smiled.

"Good morning, everyone," Jack said, a bit groggily. He was already dressed in a pair of black jeans and a dark blue ionic tee shirt.

"Morning, sweetie," Lucy said. Hamish didn't say anything, but he flashed Jack a miniature smile (it secretly made Jack's heart melt, but he didn't let it show).

"Mom…" Jack groaned, sitting at the table and resting his head on his arms. "I don't wanna go to school…"

"Jack, you know better," Lucy said, scooping up Hamish's and her dishes and placing them in the sink. "I'm not letting you skip today. Your education is important." As she was giving a mini-lecture to her son, Hamish slipped silently out of his seat and to the sink, starting to wash the dishes without Lucy noticing.

"I know, Mom," Jack said, rolling his eyes. "I just think that missing one day wouldn't hurt-"

"You would be behind on homework, let alone be lost when you actually go back," Lucy said.

"Mom, I have one hundred and fifteen percent in every single one of my classes…" Jack said. What? Just because he was hot and popular doesn't mean he slacked off in school! "Missing a day wouldn't change the world."

"I don't care, Jack," Lucy huffed. "You're going to school."

"Well, it was worth a shot…" Jack muttered, letting his head fall back onto his arms. Lucy turned around, and saw Hamish doing the dishes.

"Ack, sweetie, I was going to do those," Lucy said, placing a hand lightly on Hamish's shoulder. He winced slightly, but didn't stop cleaning.

"It is fine," Hamish said. "I got them." Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Alright dear," She said lightly. "Jack, it's time to go. Hamish, honey? Will it be alright if I left you here for a couple minutes? I need to drop Jack off at school."

"Oh, yes, that will be fine," Hamish said, finishing up with the dishes and drying his hands lightly with a towel.

"Great. You don't have to worry about a thing. Emma should still be asleep, and if she wakes up, you can leave her in there until I come back. A little crying never hurt anyone." Lucy said kindly. Jack got up, and slung his backpack on his shoulder.

"Bye, Hamish," He said. "I'll see you when I get back, okay?" Jack flashed Hamish a warm smile.

"Okay, bye," Hamish said.

Lucy and Jack went out of the house, and soon, Hamish heard the sound of a car engine purring. Then the car pulled away and drove down the street. Hamish was alone in the house again, and he let out a sigh. He looked around for a bit, feeling absolutely stuffed, before gingerly sitting on the antique-looking couch. For how uncomfortable and stiff it looked, it was actually kind of comfortable…

And then Emma started crying. Hamish's eyes grew wide, and he was tense.

Please don't let her be up… please don't let her be up…

Emma cried again, and Hamish sighed. The sound was already hurting his ears, and it was pulling at his heart. He padded over to the room silently, and pushed the door open. Emma was standing in her crib, tears sliding down her face, her intricate brown eyes fixed on Hamish. She was about to cry again, when Hamish walked over to her.

"Shhh…" Hamish said, trying to calm her. "You are okay, Emma…" He touched her head softly, and she latched onto his fingers. "There we go…" Hamish said, smiling a little. Emma smiled back at him. Hamish wiped her tears from her cheeks. "A-all better…" Hamish said, the little girl still holding onto his finger tightly.

"Lucy!" A deep man's voice called. "Lucy, I'm home!"

"She is out at the moment!" Hamish replied, thinking that it wasn't the best idea to call out to someone at the last minute.

"Who's there?" The man asked. Hamish's eyes grew wide and he was shaking all over.

"I am coming," Hamish said. He pulled his finger lightly, but Emma held on. "Emma… please let me go…" He muttered, prying the girl's chubby fingers off his own finger. She started to cry. "I will be right back…" He said, walking out of the room. Emma's crying got progressively louder with each step. He slipped out of the room and walked into the living room.

The man was tall, with tossled brown hair and deep blue eyes. He looked at the man, hoping that he didn't see him shaking.

"Who are you?" The man asked, lifting one of his eyebrows expectantly.

"H-hamish, sir." He replied. "I am a friend of Jack's…"

"Friend of Jack's, huh?" The man said, noticing that Hamish was wearing an old pair of Jack pajamas… and that they hung off him loosely. Hamish nodded, swallowing loudly. He was sure the man could hear his heart beating.

"Well, nice to meet you, Hamish," The man said, sticking out his hand for Hamish to take. The boy did so, his hand nearly breaking in the man's strong grip. "I'm John, Jack's father."

"Nice to meet you too, sir…" Hamish said, letting go of John's hand.

Emma was still crying in the background.

"Emma…" John groaned. "I'll be right back. She needs to be changed…" With that, John walked out of the room.

Hamish sighed, and placed himself on the couch once more. John seemed like a nice man. Hamish was nowhere near tired, but he felt emotionally drained, and it wasn't even noon yet.

John walked into the room, Emma on his hip. The little girl had her hair tied up neatly in a pony-tail and she was laughing lightly. As soon as she saw Hamish, she stuck her hands out, wiggling her fingers at him.

"She wants you," John said with a little laugh, which sounded strange in his deep voice. Hamish smiled a little, and took Emma out of John's hands, placing her on his lap. She instantly leaned over and wrapped her little arms around his neck in a hug.

"Good morning to you, too…" Hamish said. Emma giggled, and slide off his lap to run around.

"She likes you already," John said, looking a bit oddly at Hamish. "So… why aren't you at school?"

"I do not go to school," Hamish said, looking at his bare toes. John just nodded.

"Okay," John replied. The front door opened quickly.

"Hamish, sweetie, I'm-" Lucy was saying as she stepped in. "John! Hi, babe…" She said, smacking a quick kiss on John's lips.

"Hey, Lucy," John said with a smile. Emma ran over and quickly gave her mother a hug. Lucy hefted the little girl into her arms, and blue a raspberry on her cheek. "Our little girl found herself a boyfriend," John said, jerking his head towards Hamish. He colored, and looked back down on the floor.

"Oh, really now?" Lucy asked, putting Emma on the floor. The girl ran over to Hamish. She placed her pudgy hands on his knees.

"Please, please, please, please… please!" Emma chanted. Hamish looked at her parents quickly, before pulling the little girl onto his lap a second time, holding her around the middle. Emma poked his nose, and then almost jabbed her thumb into his eye, and gave a lock of his reddish hair a tug.

"Emma, be nice…" Lucy scolded nicely.

"It is alright…" Hamish said with a light smile. The tug didn't even hurt.


Hours passed, and Hamish found himself in a quiet house. Lucy was laying Emma down for her afternoon nap, and John was out doing an odd job for his boss. Hamish was in Jack's room, looking at the few books that were in the shelf.

There was a single knock on the door, and Lucy stepped in a moment later.

"Hi, Hamish," She said. Hamish smiled at her.

"Hello," Hamish said. He couldn't bring himself to call her 'Lucy.' He just couldn't. It felt disrespectful somehow.

"Would you like anything for lunch, dearie?" Lucy asked.

"I think I am okay at the moment," Hamish said lightly, shutting the book he was holding and placing it gingerly on the shelf.

"Well, I'm glad to see someone taking care of those books," Lucy said with a light laugh. She stepped closer to him, and turned his head to look at her. Then she placed a hand lightly on his cheek.

"Ma'am…?" Hamish asked, a little fearfully. Lucy was staring into his eyes

"Sorry," Lucy was, withdrawing her hand away from his face. "You… you remind me of my friend… from a while back. It's… it's a long story…"

"I have time," Hamish said, the corner of his lips twitching up a bit.


The two of them were sitting on the couch, Lucy's hands folded neatly in her lap.

"My roommate in college, she was amazing. We were best friends. I was always working at the little bistro at the college to work off my loan, and she would always be doing homework. We were practically sisters." Lucy said with a laugh. "And then, one day, she had to be taken to the hospital. She was pregnant, and we all didn't know… She died in childbirth. I… I offered to take the child as soon as I found out but… her son was already sent to a family member…"

"Hamish just looked at her, eyes wide.

"What was the name of the family you were living with, Hamish?" Lucy said, suddenly and urgently, one of her hands taking hold of his. "The family who mistreated you."

"The Byerly's." Hamish said quietly, as if just saying that name would cause them to appear and drag him back into that awful house of theirs. Lucy gasped, and in a flash, Hamish was wrapped up in her arms. She cried on his shoulder, her hand stoking his hair lightly.

"Hamish…" Lucy said, her hold on him tightening, as if she didn't plan on ever letting go.

"Is… there something wrong?" Hamish questioned. Lucy moved away from him, and cupped his cheek again.

"You were supposed to be my son…" Lucy said quietly, a smile breaking across her face. "You were supposed to be here…"

Hamish's bottom lip quivered, tears forming in his eyes.

Lucy was his mother's best friend. Lucy was who his mother wanted him to go live with, not Byerly. This was supposed to be his life. Jack was supposed to be his brother. Emma was supposed to be his sister. John and Lucy were supposed to be his parents.

And he had found them, completely by chance.

Lucy and Hamish hugged once more, both of them crying now.

"Hey guys!" Jack said, walking through the front door. "Turns out it was a half day at school- why are you guys crying?" Jack stopped walking and just looked at his mother and Hamish crying on and hugging each other.

"Jack…" Hamish said, jumping up and hugging Jack furiously. Jack blinked, surprised that Hamish would be acting like this. What happened to the boy that could barely look him in the eye, let alone hug him?

"Is everything alright?" Jack asked, hugging Hamish back.

"Everything is perfect," Hamish mumbled into Jack's shoulder, pulling away. "Sorry if we made you upset."

"Oh… no, I'm not upset… but can someone tell me what's going on?" Jack asked.

"Jack, Hamish was supposed to be your brother." Lucy said. Jack's eyes widened considerably, and with a laugh, he threw his backpack down on the floor, and basically tackled Hamish to the floor. Hamish laughed.

"Oh my gosh!" Jack said letting go of Hamish quickly. "You didn't know, huh?" He asked.

"No. Did you?" Hamish said, shaking his head. Jack laughed again, a smile coming on his face that will probably never go away.

"No!" Jack said. "This is totally coincidental!"

"It is fate," Hamish said, smiling brightly, a new sparkle shining in his eyes.


For the longest time, Hamish thought the world was out to get him, that he had no purpose. He believed that there was no hope for a person like himself, stuck with his aunt's family doing dishes and chores for the rest of his life. But, all this time, everything was leading up to this very moment, where Jack will walk in and do what was right. Hamish didn't even want to think about what would have happened if Jack didn't drag him out of that house.

Who knew that his hardships, his pain and his anguish, would lead to his happiness, his peace, and his family?


The End~~~

I'm not sure if this needs clarification about what happened, but if you do, feel free to PM me! I don't bite!

Thank you for reading! I had so much fun writing this! I hope you enjoyed!

Love you all!

-HB