Living

Chapter 7

October

"Because I want to."

"Well, I don't."

"Why?"

"It's a boy."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I freaking do."

"No, you don't, Cameron," Damien said. God, they fight like children. "I'm finding out and just won't tell you."

"What's there to tell? It's a boy."

Damien looked at me. "Don't I have a right to know?"

Great. They act like I'm the one that brought them together or something…oh yeah. "It's her body, Damien."

"It's my baby," he said.

"No," Cameron told him. "It's my baby. You had nothing to do with it."

The second she said it, Cameron knew she had said the wrong thing. Damien paid for his books.

"Damien, I didn't-"

"Leave me alone," he said, pulling out his keys. "Here, drive back home. I'll walk over to work."

She sighed as he left before looking at me. "Now what?"

I shrugged. "You hurt him. He really loves that baby, Cameron."

"But I don't…"

This was not her first confession of this to me but each time she told me, there seemed to be less drive in it. I think she does care about it, she just doesn't want anyone to know.

"Fang likes baseball."

"What?"

I nodded. "A lot. I watch it with him. I pretend to like it too."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Damien like stuff."

"He hates football."

"He likes basketball."

She frowned. "No, he doesn't."

"Yeah he does."

"How do you know?"

"Remember when I was taking care of James?" I asked. "His mom used to call me all the time. She said something about it. He was afraid of the people on the basketball team because they all teased him but he would play with some other guys at the park and stuff. He was good. Or so she says."

Cameron sighed. "Basketball is out of season until the end of October."

"…Then buy him a basketball goal."

"What?"

Honestly, Tyler had asked for one for Christmas but I figured if they got one, I could get out of buying it. "Yeah."

"No. What if I just buy him something else?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know." She looked down at the keys in her hand. "I'll see you later, Max."

"Bye."

After she was gone, I waited a good two minutes before going back to sleep. If we were getting a customer by then, we weren't going to get one.

"Hey."

I looked up. It was about a hour later and it was Bone. "Hey."

He kissed my head before going off to the back. He came back with books to restock. "Home."

"Bone, I have another hour."

"Go."

I got up. "Fine but if Luther shows up-"

"Don't scare me none. Go," he ordered. "Love."

"I love you too," I said, leaving. When I got home, Tyler was waiting for me.

"Hi, Max," he said. He was holding a piece of paper.

"Hi. What's that?"

"A piece of paper."

"Tyler."

"It's my list."

"Your list for what?"

"List of my favorite things."

"Why do you need it?"

"For school," he said. "I want to know how to spell Snickers."

I told him and he ran off, headed upstairs. Going down the hallway, I went into my bedroom. Fang was playing with Lucas and Cody.

"Hey, baby," I said, getting into bed.

"Hey," Fang said, leaning over to kiss me.

"What's for dinner?"

Fang shrugged. "I don't know. What do you want?"

I reached over to grab the remote. "I don't know."

Sighing, he got up. "Watch them for me, alright?"

"Yeah."

He went out of the room, probably to go find something for dinner. Lucas patted me.

"Hi, Mommy."

"Hi, baby."

He giggled. "Love 'oo."

"I love you too."

Cody curled against me. Luke didn't like that.

"No! Me Mommy!"

"Leave him alone," I told Lucas as he tried to pull his younger brother away. "Be good."

He made a noise of displeasure.

"Max?" Tabitha opened the bedroom door.

"Come get in bed with us," I told her. She ran to get up onto Fang's side. I smiled at her. "What's wrong?"

She started playing with the ring necklace Tommy had given her when they first got back together. "Tommy said that Damien's not the daddy of Cameron's baby. Who is?"

Great… "Damien is."

"Really?" She looked hard at me. "Tommy said that he wasn't."

"What does Tommy know?"

"Everything, Max."

"No," I said. "He doesn't."

"Yes."

"Tabitha, Tommy tells you things that he thinks he hears. I tell you what I know."

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I am. I always am," I told her. Fang walked back into the room.

"Pizza good?" Fang asked, crawling into bed. Tabitha laughed as he kissed her head.

"Yeah. Did you already order it?"

"Yep," he said, closing his eyes. Lucas, not liking all the people on the bed at once, started to whine. I gave him a kiss.

"Max?" Tyler walked in. "How do you spell chocolate cake?"

"Come here."

He got into bed, pushing Cody and Lucas away from me so that he could cuddle against me. "So how do you spell it?"

"I-T."

"Really?"

I sighed before telling him how to spell chocolate cake. Lucas licked Fang.

"Stop."

"Daddy!"

"Why do you like that? It's nasty."

Lucas just giggled.

"Did you bring me food?"

Damien sat a bag in front of her. "There."

"You aren't eating?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Damien-"

"Leave me alone, Cameron." He went upstairs. She sighed, eating alone. After she was done, she looked for Peter before giving up and going upstairs. Damien was in bed, the cat next to him. She got into bed, trying to pet Peter but he just moved closer to Damien.

"Peter-"

"He's tired," Damien told her. "So am I, so be quiet."

"Damien, grow up," she said. "Stop being so passive aggressive."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just say that you're mad and move on."

"Just move on? Huh? You tell me that you control what I can do to that baby because it's not physically mine and you expect me to just act like it's nothing?"

"You're not-"

"Cameron, I try. I try really hard but sometimes you are just…never mind."

She turned away from him. "Then leave."

"What?"

"Yeah. Just leave."

"I'm not leaving."

"Fine, you stupid jerk, don't leave."

He ran a hand down Peter's stomach. "Peter says he's sorry."

"Shut up, Damien."

"He wants his mommy to give him a kiss goodnight."

"You wanted to go to sleep, so do it."

"I can't. I have to tell the baby goodnight."

Cameron sighed. "Damien?"

"What?"

"Max said that I should buy you something."

"Why?"

"To make you happy."

He reached over and ran a hand down her back. "That's stupid."

Cameron finally faced him. "I know. Max is such a bitch sometimes."

"Don't say that word."

She sighed. "Damien."

"What?"

Peter moved closer to Cameron, purring when she began to rub his back. "Goodnight, Peter."

He meowed, closing his eyes. Damien leaned over and gave Cameron a kiss. "Night, Cammie."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No."

"Really?"

He sighed. "It is my baby too."

She looked away from him. "Whatever. Just go to bed."

"Now you're the one that's mad."

"No."

He laughed a little, laying on his stomach. "Goodnight, baby. I love you."

"…I love you too, Superman."

"What are you gonna be for Halloween?" Alex asked Tyler. They were in class and supposed to be doing their math work but Alex was good at addition. Who needs to know what two plus two was? She sure didn't.

"Spiderman." Duh. Alex was so stupid sometimes.

"Oh."

Tyler looked down at his work. Alex didn't do math because she sucked at it. He didn't do it because it was too easy. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"No. You have to guess."

"Um…You got me a gato?"

"No."

"A perro?"

"No."

"A-"

"I didn't get you anything, Alex."

"Oh."

He sighed. "I was gonna tell you that I got a new Spiderman toy."

That's all? "Oh."

"You say that a lot."

Alex nodded. "It's my favorite word."

"Hmmm…Mine is-"

"Hate?"

"No."

"Oh, it's no?"

"No. No, it is not no."

"So yes, it's not no?"

"Shut up, Alex."

"Meanie."

I was sleeping on Bone's couch because sleeping somewhere else is better than sleeping at home, when something was pressed against my face.

"Stop, Fang."

"Bubba, leave her alone," I heard Bone say. I opened my eyes a little. Bone was cleaning.

"What are you doing that for?" I asked. The dog had his nose pressed against my me, wanting to be petted. I rubbed behind Bubba's ears.

"Victoria's coming over."

"Do I have to leave?"

"No," Bone said. "Of course not."

"Good," I responded, closing my eyes again. "Remember the day we first met?"

"Somewhat, yeah."

"You said that you didn't like anime."

"I'm fine with it but I prefer comics."

"Victoria seems really into them."

He started picking up the dogs toys, making Nina come running. She probably thought it was the end of the world, Bone cleaning.

"She is."

"You guys were friends."

"We were."

"Did you ever…"

Bone stopped, looking at me. I knew this because I could feel his eyes. What? This conversation was not worth opening my eyes.

"Yes."

"You took her virginity, huh?"

"Max."

"What?"

"That's personal."

"Did you?"

"Yeah."

"She didn't take yours."

"Max, seriously?"

"What?" I opened my eyes now. "I'm your sister, remember?"

"I would have never told Carrie that."

"I'm more nosey."

"No kidding."

Lucas, who was on the floor playing, looked at Bone. "Hi."

"Hi what?"

He giggled. "Hi, Unal, Boon."

"Good boy," Bone said.

Every time Bone put a toy in the corner, Nina would run off with it. She wasn't accepting to the ideal of cleaning.

"Nin-nah," Lucas called. Fang thinks that I shouldn't let Lucas around Nina but she's just as docile as Tank, though I see his issues with it. As far as him not wanting Lucas around Bubba, that's just laughable.

Nina went over to Lucas and licked his face, something Lucas found equally enjoyable. He licked her back.

"Lucas, stop it. That's nasty."

He just giggled.

"You never answered," I told Bone.

"You didn't make it a question. You said it like it was a fact."

"Was it?"

"No, she wasn't my first."

I laid on my side. "Did you care about her?"

"Yes."

"Do you still?"

"Would I be cleaning if I didn't?"

James liked Cody. He was cool. He liked his daddy too.

"Play nice, alright?" Luther said, setting James down before going to sit at the counter next to Fang. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Where's Tabby?"

"School. Tammie let you take James?"

Luther frowned. "He's my son too."

"I know. She just acts like-"

"She's staying my fucking house, spending my fucking money, so I better be able to take my son when I want him."

"Alright, alright, I was just asking."

Luther sighed. "Where's Max?"

"Bone's," Fang said. "Have you talked to Damien recently?"

"No. He's still mad at me about not leaving his place."

"You should talk to him."

"Thanks, Dr. Phil."

"Shut up."

Luther laughed. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"It's Friday, right? Let's go see a movie."

"What movie?"

"Don't matter."

"Cool. You should call Bone and ask him to come. Max works tonight anyways."

"Alright," Luther said. "You should drive your own car though."

"Why?"

"I plan to find a woman tonight and I'm sure Bone does too."

"Whatever, Mr. Disgusting."

"It's life, Fang."

"Whatever."

I went home after Victoria showed up. Mostly because Lucas was getting cranky and I needed to pick up the kids. Seeing as Bone picked me up, he let me take his car. Unfortunately, it's impossible to sleep with all these kids in the house.

"Stop, Tyler!"

"No! Me and Alex want to play with it."

"Too bad!"

"Stop," I said, sitting up. "Really, just shut up. Tyler, if she had it first, give it back."

"Fine! You all hate me!" He ran up the stairs, Alex following. God, I can't wait until Saturday when they're over at the Mendoza's. Tabitha, happy about getting her way, played with the toy for like, two minutes, before deciding she didn't want it.

"Max?"

"What?"

"Are you ever going to get a real job?"

"What, Tabitha?"

She looked at me. "Yeah. Mr. Paul, Tommy's uncle, is a doctor. Um…Damien's a tattoo-er. You need a real job."

"Tabitha, knock it off."

"You should be a janitor."

Yep, that's exactly what I want to be. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"You clean up really well." Then she started laughing.

"What?"

"Luther told me that joke. It's funny, huh?"

"Do you even know what it means?"

"Nope."

Didn't think so.

"What do you want to do?"

Bone shrugged.

"You don't talk a lot."

Again, he just shrugged.

"You never have though."

Bone turned on the TV.

"Artemis?"

He looked at her.

"Since, like, I've gotten here we've been…dating, I think. Are we together? Or is this just a thing?"

He kept staring at her for a minute before speaking. "I like you."

"I know that."

"I cleaned for you."

"I can tell."

"…I haven't slept with you."

"I noticed."

"So," he deduced, "I guess we're together."

"Do you want to be?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I've never really had a girlfriend."

"I know."

Smiling, he turned his attention back to the TV. "When we were in high school, I wanted you to be my girlfriend back then too."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Why didn't you?"

"What?"

Bone looked at her again. "Didn't you want to be with me back then too? You never said anything."

"I asked you to have sex with me. I thought that was enough of a hint."

"You know I'm not that smart," he said. "Besides, I though you just wanted me to be your first because we were best friends and you loved me."

She laid her head against his shoulder. "I do love you."

Happy, he smiled. Then his phone rang.

"What?" He answered after seeing it wasn't Max.

"Dude, you have got to come hang out with me and Fang tonight."

"You two should be at work," Bone told Luther.

"Max will be."

"No," Bone said. "She shouldn't have to be there alone."

"Look, just come hang out with us. We're going to see a movie and me and you could probably score a few-"

"I have a girlfriend," he said, beginning to smile again. He had a girlfriend and a sister. For once, he was truly happy.

October 31st

"Look out! It's Spiderman!"

"Stop it," I said, frowning at Tyler. "You need to go get ready for school."

"Max, just so you know, it's Halloween!"

"It's also a Wednesday. Go get ready."

"You're no fun."

"And you're cute."

"I hate you!" He yelled running back up the stairs. Lucas, who was standing next to me in the kitchen, giggled.

"Ty cute?" He looked up at me.

"Yep."

He patted my leg. "Mommy cute."

"Thank you."

"Me pup-kin," he told me.

"For Halloween, yes."

"Rawr! 'cary pup-kin."

"You are not a pumpkin," Fang said, walking into the room. "For the last time, you're going to be Hulk."

"No, he's not," I told my husband. "You want to be a pumpkin, huh Lucas?"

"Yes. 'cary pup-kin."

"No," Fang repeated. "You're Hulk. You love the Incredible Hulk."

"Yes! 'cary Hulk!"

"Pumpkin," I told him.

"Rawr! 'cary pup-kin."

"See?" I looked at Fang. "He wants to be a cute, little pumpkin."

"He wants to be something scary."

I sighed. "Fang, honestly, I don't care but Mom bought him this stupid pumpkin costume so that's what he's going to be."

"But Max-"

"No."

"Fine. Be a stupid pumpkin, Lucas."

"Ya! 'cary pup-kin!"

Fox strode into the room and went over to his water bowl. Lucas got distracted by the cat and went over there too.

"I still think he'd look better as Hulk," Fang complained. I kissed him.

"Too bad. Now make me something to eat."

"So demanding,' he said, kissing my neck.

"Hurry up. I'm going to take the kids to school."

"Did they eat?"

"Pop-tarts."

"Yum."

"I know. They're so lucky," I said. "Make me eggs. I'll be back."

"Bye-bye," Lucas called to me.

"Bye, baby," I said before going to the end of the stairs. "Tyler! Tabitha! Come on."

"I shouldn't have to go to school," Tyler complained, coming down the stairs.

"You're such a baby," Tabitha taunted, following down behind him. After taking them to school, I came back home to find my food waiting for me. Fang wasn't around though. I ate before going into our bedroom. Lucas and Cody were watching Dora.

"Hi, Mommy," Lucas greeted.

Fang was in the shower but left the bathroom door open so that he could see them.

"Hi," I said, going to give him a kiss.

"Hi!" Cody yelled, not one to be left out.

"Hi, Cody," I said, giving him a kiss on the head before getting into bed with them. Fang came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, a towel around his waist.

"No wonder this house was so cheap, with a horrible view like that."

"Shut up," he said, going to the closet. "You know that you can barely resist the urge to jump my bones right now."

"Actually, I find it very resistible."

Fang changed before coming to get into bed with us. "I've got work in a couple of minutes."

"Sucks for you."

He laughed. "I'll be off at around five."

"Then we can take them trick-or-treating."

"Fun."

"You know it is."

Fang stretched a little. "Isn't Tyler going with Alex?"

"Yeah. Victor is taking them."

"What about Tabby?"

"Tommy is coming down and Luther's taking them."

Fang frowned. "Then who do we have?"

"James, Cody, and Lucas."

"Me pup-kin, Daddy," Lucas told him. "'cary pup-kin."

"I know that, bubba."

Cody banged his hands on the bed. He was going to be a ghost and so was James. They would look so cute. I love having James around. He and Cody were basically the same size and could do the same things. I could dress them the same, treat them the same. They even acted the same.

"You need to pick up James from Damien's house," I told Fang.

"Now?"

"Yes."

"Max, I have to get to work."

"We're always late."

"Not that job."

"…Well maybe if you bought me another car-"

"Shut up," he said, getting out of bed. Then he left.

"Did you buy candy?"

"Yeah, Cammie."

"Good," she said, not looking up from her book. "Are you taking James to Max's?"

"She said she'd send Fang to pick him up."

"Hmmm."

Damien went back to his game. "What are we doing tonight?"

"You work?"

"No."

"Then you're passing out candy."

"Fun."

"Don't start with me."

"Cam!" James yelled from the ground. "Nah-ma!"

She sighed, setting her book down so that she could pick the fourteen month old up. "What?"

James smiled, cuddling against her. He loved his Cameron. She was the best. Next to Max, that is. He patted her cheek.

"Hi."

"He likes you," Damien said.

"I noticed."

"…So can I find out of the sex or what?"

She sighed. "Damien-"

"Come on, baby, please? I really want to know."

"I guess if you-"

"Thank you," he said.

"Yeah, whatever."

There was a knock at the door.

"Get the door, Damien."

He took James from her. "Probably Fang."

It was. Damien smiled at him. "H-"

"Can't talk. I'm late," Fang said, taking James.

"Bye, James," Damien said.

"Bi-bi," he called as Fang took him back out to the car. James got excited. He only saw this guy when he saw Max. Ya, Max!

"Tyler, I swear to God, if you put that sucker in her hair, I will beat you so bad you can't feel your bottom."

He frowned but didn't put it in Tabitha's hair. "You're mean, Max."

It was around eight now and we were all done with trick-or-treating. I had put Cody and James in Cody's crib already and was letting the other three stay up, just for a little bit longer.

"No, I'm not."

Lucas was rolling around on the ground. He had already eaten all the candy that I was going to let him eat for the night. Now hyper and bored, Lucas was pretending to be a real pumpkin.

"Me 'oll on g'ound, Daddy. 'ike a pup-kin!" He giggled. "Boo! 'cary pup-kin."

"Can he go to bed now?" Fang asked. Even Fang was tired of him.

"I guess so," I said. I was trying to watch TV but they just all refused to let me. Tyler climbed onto the couch next to me.

"You want some of my candy, Max?"

"I thought I was mean?"

"You are."

I sighed. "No, Tyler, that's okay. I'm just eating Lucas, Cody, and James's."

"Max!" He giggled. "That's bad."

"You're telling me."

November

"I don't get why-"

"Shut the hell up, Damien."

He sighed, staring straight ahead at the road. When they pulled up, Cameron slammed the car door before going to the house, only to slam the front door.

"Cameron, why are you upset?" He went into the house behind her. "You always wanted a daughter, remember?"

She took a deep breath before turning around to face him. "I wanted my daughter. I wanted your daughter. I didn't want that thing's daughter."

He frowned. "Cameron-"

"It's not ours, Damien. I could have dealt with a damn boy but a fucking girl? He had to take my first daughter away from me too?"

"Cameron, why does it matter?" He asked. "It's still mine. It's still yours. And we already have the name! Samantha, remember?"

Her eyes clouded over even more. "That thing is not going to take that name."

"W-"

"God, I should have aborted it when I had the chance."

"Hey," he grabbed her arm. "Don't talk like that."

"Or what, Damien? You'll make me take care of a bastard? Too late. Give it a few more months and-"

"Cameron, if you don't want her so bad, then fine," he said. "I'll take her after you have her and you'll never have to see us again."

She pulled her arm from his grasp. "Good! Take it. Not like anyone else would ever give you a child. I always wondered why you never had another girlfriend but now I get it. You're just a worthless piece of shit."

"Don't curse like that."

"Stop me then, Damien. Come on."

He started back towards the door. "Fine, Cameron. Do what you want."

"Where the fuck are you going?"

"To my mom's-"

She laughed. "Figures. Have fun, worthless shit."

He slammed the door behind him.

Bone walked in with Victoria around noon. I was sleeping on the counter and for once, Luther was letting me. He was in a good mood, I think. Hell if I know why though.

"Hi," Bone said to me, pushing my head.

"Stop. Can't you see I'm sleeping?"

"Bye, Vickie," he said to Victoria. I heard him give her his car keys. "Love."

"I love you too."

"I was talking to Max, but okay," he said. I lifted my head up in time to see him give her a kiss before she left.

"Go do inventory," Luther told him. "Now. You're late."

Bone shrugged before walking away.

"She makes him happy," I said.

"Yeah."

I sighed. "I don't get it. Why does he like her?"

"Who?"

"Bone and Victoria."

"What do you mean? Why do you like Fang?"

I sighed. "Not like that. I just meant…he has all those hot girls hanging off him everyday and he chooses…her. I mean, I'm all for beauty on the inside and that shit but what guy follows that?"

"Fang, Damien-"

"What do you mean Fang?"

Luther sighed. "I'm not calling you ugly, Max, but he goes through a lot to be with you."

"Like what?"

"You know…he had to help your through drinking, he has to accept your mouth, he deals with Bone and his creepy obsession. And what about when those kids you guys grew up with hated you? He stuck with you through that."

I considered this. "What did you mean about Damien?"

"Come on, Max. Sure, the easy answer would be that he's raising someone else's kid but even before that he had to suck up a lot."

"Like what?"

"Cameron is a bitch. Just admit it. I feel bad for what happened to her and I care about her to the point that I would want anything to happen to her, but she's fucking annoying as hell," he said. "She whines, she can't stand not getting her way, she's as jealous as…I don't even have something to compare her to, she's that bad. But he doesn't care."

"You guys aren't the only ones that have to put up with shit."

"I know that, Max. Bone's freaky, Fang's an ass, Damien's needy, and me…you know me. I'm horrible. I'm just trying to make you get that sometimes that stuff doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," I said. "If I wasn't hot, would Fang put up with me?"

He looked up at the ceiling. "Max, I can't speak for Fang, but I can for myself. Look at Tammie. She wasn't always like that. After the baby…wasn't there, she couldn't take it. Sure, I cheated on her but I still love her. I'd die right now for her. Let's be honest, she's not the most beautiful girl in the world, but I don't care."

"You won't give up other women for her," I pointed out.

"No," he admitted. "But Bone's not me. He might be able to do that for Victoria. I don't know."

I sighed. "Still, I just don't get it."

He shrugged. "If Fang gained weight, would you still love him?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Good, because he's not exactly muscular anymore."

I frowned. Why does everyone say that?

"Hi, baby," Trinity said, opening the door. "Why-"

"Cameron's mad at me," Damien said.

She sighed. "You want me to make you something to eat?"

He nodded his head. "Please."

"Alright," she said, moving back so that he could come in. "Dan, Damien's here."

His father's eyes stared hard at him as he went to sit on the couch. "What?"

"Cameron's mad at me."

"Shouldn't be living with a woman that you're not married to, anyhow."

"Be nice," Trinity said, going into the kitchen. "What do you want, baby?"

"Anything."

"I'll make you an omelet."

"Thank you."

Dan turned up O'Reilly Factor.

"Are you watching that crap again?" His wife yelled from the kitchen. "You know that man's a liar."

Dan snorted but said nothing.

"Can't we watch something else?" Damien asked.

"Tell you like I did when you were a kid. You don't like my show, buy your own TV."

"Still. Mom's right. Fox is-"

"Don't you come into my house thinking that you're better than me now. You're still my son and I'll still beat you with my belt if I have to."

Damien shut up. At a commercial, Dan spoke again.

"What's that girl mad about now?"

"We're having a girl."

"So?"

He glanced at his father. "She doesn't want a girl."

"Like she gets a choice."

"Yeah but she's upset because it's not ours, it's-"

"Then she should give it up. That kid don't need her attitude it's whole life."

"She wants it," Damien defended. "She just doesn't realize it right now."

Dan looked at her. "You two married yet?"

"No."

"Then get that way."

"Dad-"

"Shut up, my shows back on."

Fang and I had just finished…our night when one of the kids banged on our door.

"What?" Fang yelled.

"I had a bad dream."

"Go back to bed, Tyler."

"But I'm scared."

I mouthed fuck to Fang before getting up. I grabbed my clothes and went into the bathroom. After presumably dressing, Fang opened the bedroom door.

"Come on," he said to Tyler. "Let's go get back your bed."

"No! There're monsters in there."

"Tyler-"

"Where's Max?" He gasped. "Did they get her?"

"I'm right here," I said, coming out of the bathroom, now dressed. "Come on, Tyler. "Let's go sleep in the living room, okay?"

I pushed Fang away before taking Tyler's hand and taking him into the living room. I laid down on the couch, laying him on top of me. Man did he get heavy.

"Max?"

"Shhh," I said, holding him to him. "Let's go to sleep. Tomorrow's Friday."

"Ya! Alex."

"Yeah," I said, running a hand down his head.

"But Max, I'm scared."

"Don't be," I told him. "Monsters can't hurt you."

"I know," he said, his voice changing. "I'm worried about you."

I laughed. "Well, don't be."

"I have to be. I can't protect you, Snickers, and myself."

"Tyler, I can protect myself."

He laughed at me. "Silly, Mama, no you can't."

"Yes I can," I told him. "I'm the Maximum Ride, Tyler."

"No. You last name is not Ride."

"It was."

"Lying is a sin, Max," he told me. "But that's okay. I do it all the time."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You do?"

Tyler nodded. "'member yesterday when you blamed Lucas for breaking that toy?'

"Yes."

"He didn't. It was me."

"Tyler!"

He closed his eyes. "Tyler's sleeping. Z-Z-Z-Z."

"Why are you saying Z?"

"That's what you say when you're sleeping," he said. "Which, by the way, I am. Z, Max. Z."

"I'll Z you if you don't go to sleep."

He just giggled.

Damien got home late. He stayed at his parents for a long time. When he did get home, the house was dark. Sighing, he went inside before going upstairs. Going into the bedroom, he noticed that Peter was in Cameron's spot, her in his. She had his pillow laying alongside her body, cuddling against it. This is what she did when he worked late so that he would have to wake her up when he got home.

"Cammie," he whispered. "Baby, you have both of the pillows."

"You don't get one," she mumbled, not opening her eyes. He sighed.

"Well, you're on my side of the bed," he added.

"You don't get to sleep in the bed either."

"Cameron."

"Move the cat, then."

"Peter's comfortable."

She sighed. "Just...Damien, God."

"I can sleep on the couch, I guess."

She moved the pillow closer to Peter before moving over enough so that he could crawl in. He was too close for her comfort but she didn't want Peter to have to get up for him.

Damien laid a hand over her slightly larger stomach, having to cuddle against her so he didn't fall off.

"Night, Cameron."

"Shut up."

He kissed the back of her head. "Are we still fighting?"

"Yes, Damien."

"Oh…I love you."

"Stop, alright?"

"What? I do. Sam loves you too."

"Do not call-"

"That's her name."

"Not, it's not."

"That's what I'm calling her," he said, closing her eyes. "Night."

"God, I hate you."

"I love you too."

"Seriously, stop it."

He didn't say anything to her. Cameron sighed, looking down at his arm.

"We're going to North Carolina for Thanksgiving."

"Cameron-"

"No, shut up. We are, get over it."

"Fine. I want Christmas here, still."

"Whatever."