Disclaimer: I do not own AHS.

A/N: Thanks for reading & reviewing everyone! Means a ton.

SMOLDERING CHILDREN

CH 7- Invincible

After days of trying to convince Constance, Larry had managed to get her to agree to take the children camping. Constance wasn't thrilled by the thought of the out doors but Larry had begged and begged and finally one day as they came home from church, Constance was so fed up with his pleading that she finally agreed. Besides, Larry had claimed that he had a surprise for Constance once they returned home. Larry was beyond ecstatic. He honestly believed that a camping trip would bring him and Tate closer together.

So on that Friday morning Larry got up early, packed all their things in to the old station wagon and got everyone up and ready. Addie was excited to go camping, James was excited to see Addie excited and Tate, Tate was less than thrilled. He looked as excited as he did just before getting a route canal.

"Do I have to?" he asked Constance that morning with a scowl on his face.

They were in the kitchen. Constance carried James on her hip. The girl was beginning to get a little too old to be carried but Constance continued to do so denying the fact that her precious baby was growing older by the day.

"Yes." She said firmly, "Now go get your things and get in to that car, young man."

"I'd rather not."

Constance sighed. "Tate, Larry has been planning this trip for weeks. He really wants the two of you to be close."

Tate scoffed. "I'd rather burn myself alive…or him…" he mumbled as he looked away.

"Excuse me?" Constance raised a brow.

"Nothing." Tate said. He paused for a moment, "What about Beau?"

"Bo?" James perked up and looked around, "Where's Bo? Mama is Bo going too?"

Constance sighed. "Tate, look what you did. You got your sister all riled up."

"You didn't answer my question." Tate pressed.

Constance avoided her son's angry eyes as she brushed James's bangs in place. "Tate," She said finally looking at him, "You know your brother is not well enough to come with us."

"Why can't Bo go?" James said with a pout and sad eyes. "Mama, let Bo go."

Constance turned to her precious child, "I'm sorry lovely but Bo can't go. He's still sick."

Tate scoffed and muttered something under his breath again.

"Tate stop your pouting and go do as you're told." Constance warned growing sick of Tate's sulky and rude attitude, "Don't be a bad influence on your sister.

Tate rolled his eyes and went to do as he was told to avoid fighting with his mother in front of James. He never wanted his little sister to see him angry. James watched Tate go with brilliant green eyes. She almost wanted to run after him but decided to stay in the safety of her mother's arms.

"Alright, the car is all set! Let's hit the road!" Larry called out as he came in to the kitchen.

Constance saw his cheery exterior and rolled her eyes.

"We're going camping, Mama." James said with a smile.

"Yes!" Larry laughed as he scooped James out of Constance's arms and raised her up in the air over his head.

"Larry!" Constance gasped afraid that he would drop her. James laughed delighted.

"Camping! Are you excited?"

James giggled, "Yes!"

"That's my girl." Larry chuckled and lowered her down.

"Larry, you almost gave me a heart attack. Here, give me the baby." Constance slapped his arm and took James back in to her arms.

"Oh, liven up Constance." Larry teased.

"I'm not a baby, Mama." James said.

Constance chuckled lovingly, "Yes you are. You're Mama's little precious baby." James scrunched her face as Constance kissed her cheek and followed Larry out of the house.

"Come on, everyone out!" Larry said with a grand smile as his new family filed out of the house.

Addie was the first to run out. She hopped in to the car right away. Constance and James followed after. Constance sat James in her booster seat in the middle seat between Addie and Tate and buckled her up.

"Come on, Tate." Larry said with a smile as Tate was the last one to exit the house. He only rolled his eyes at Larry and followed after his mother.

Tate took a seat next to James who smiled at him widely. Tate couldn't help but to return the smile. James just had a way of melting his heart no matter the situation. Larry was the last one to hop in to the car. His overly excited attitude made James and Addie smile but had Constance and Tate rolling their eyes. Tate put on his headphones and the loud rock music instantly blocked out everything.

The drive up North to Yosemite National Park was dreadful and more than some of the Langdons could bare. Tate's CD player's batteries died after the first five hours and he spent the rest of the time listening to Constance and Larry argue over sleeping in tents. Larry wanted the kids to experience real camping whilst Constance was not happy about sleeping in a tent at all. She insisted they book a hotel at the park to avoid whatever wild animals could lurk in their campsite at night.

James lay back in her booster seat watching in amazement as the world drove her by. She had never been out of Los Angeles before.

When they came with in proximity of the park James sat up, leaning closer to Addie's window. "Wow!"

"James!" Addie brushed her off, "Get off of me."

James turned away from her sister and leaned against Tate; she pointed out the window at the large pine trees. "Wow! Look Tate!"

Tate smiled with a chuckle. "Cool, huh?"

"Ahuh." James nodded eagerly. "Can you climb one?"

Tate laughed. "No, can you?"

"Mmm," James pondered for a moment. "Maybe."

Tate laughed again. Constance looked at her children through the rearview mirror. Tate only seemed to smile when he was around his sisters. Perhaps there was hope for him yet.

They spent the first night in Yosemite in a hotel. The following morning they went out to their chosen camping spot and began to hunker down. Larry was ecstatic and went around giving orders. Constance sat at a picnic table with James on her lap. Addie sat next to her watching excitedly.

Yosemite was large, beautiful and green. There were squirrels playing in the trees and hurrying across the forest floors. The air was fresh and smelled wonderfully. The sky was a brilliant blue free of pollution and the sounds of the city. There were people setting up their own tents in nearby camping spots.

"Tate, son, give me a hand." Larry said.

"Don't call me that." Tate scowled as he kept his back to Larry. He sat on a boulder feet away from the picnic table. He was sulking again.

Larry nodded once. "Sorry. My mistake."

"Tate, go help Larry." Constance ordered; she looked bored and out of her element wanting nothing more than to return to the hotel.

"I wanna help too!" Addie jumped up to her feet and hurried to aid Larry.

"Me too!" James squirmed out of Constance's arms and followed after her sister.

"Careful, baby." Constance called after her, "Don't run too fast, you'll trip."

It took Larry and the girls a few tries to get the first tent up. Constance made Tate help with the second tent. Tate only agreed because James and Addie begged him to.

Larry cheered when the tent was up. "We did it!" he raised his hand to give Tate a high five. Tate looked at him, scoffed and walked away. Larry stood there with his hand hanging in the air. "Fair enough." He said and set his hand down.

They spent the morning having breakfast and in the afternoon they went hiking. Constance denied to participate but forced her son to go along and keep his eye on his sisters. Tate dragged his feet behind them not pleased what so ever. He only seemed to lighten up when James slipped her hand in his and gave him a reassuring smile. Larry taught the girls about the types of squirrels and birds they saw along their hike. He also told them it was unsafe to eat any berries they found for they could be poisonous. At this Tate dared him to eat a berry and prove himself wrong. Larry only chuckled nervously and brushed Tate's comment off.

"Oh, Tate, look!" James stopped as a squirrel ran across the trail. Larry and Addie had gone off without them.

Tate looked at the little squirrel and kneeled next to James to be at her level. They watched as a second squirrel came and the two ran off together in circles and hurried up a large pine. Tate chuckled. "You like the squirrels?"

"Yeah!" James smiled brightly, "They run super fast, huh?"

"Yup." Tate said then noticed Larry and Addie leaving them behind. "Come on, let's go before they leave us behind. Don't want Mama getting mad now." He knew Constance would have a fit if Larry returned to camp without James. Tate lifted James up in to the air, "Up ya go." And sat her on his shoulders. "Hold on tight, kay?"

"Kay." She said with a giggle.

"Tate?" James asked as they followed the path Larry and Addie went down. James kept her eyes on the large mountains ahead of them in the distance. Their tops were covered in pearly white snow. She had never seen anything like it.

"Yeah?" Tate asked. He kept a firm grasp on James's ankles. James buried her fingers in Tate's wavy blond hair. "Are there monsters here?"

"Monsters?" He raised a brow, "James what are ya talkin' about?"

"Like werewolves and stuffs." She said.

"Werewolves?" Tate said teasingly admitting to himself that he let James watch way too many horror movies with him.

"Yeah! Are there any?"

"No." Tate said, "And if there are don't you worry. I'm gonna keep you safe."

James gasped. "But they'll eat you!"

"They can't eat me." Tate said confidently, "I'm invincible."

They returned to the campsite in the evening. Constance stood from the picnic table when she saw them approach. Addie walked in front, Larry walked behind her with a tired James in his arms and last but not least, Tate.

"Oh, there's my baby!" Constance beamed as she approached them.

Larry smiled widely, "Here I am."

Constance scoffed and slapped his arm. "Not you." She said curtly and snatched James from his arms. She smiled upon looking at her daughter. "I missed you my precious angel, did you have fun?" Constance walked away.

Larry sighed with a soft smile and followed after them.

When the sun set, the night and cold took over. Larry made a bon fire in the middle of the campsite for them to keep warm. Tate noticed James shivering in her sweater and unzipped his hoodie.

"Come here, Jamesy." He said. James instantly obeyed and Tate helped her put on his hoodie. "Here, this will keep ya nice and warm." He smiled softly at her.

James instantly looked concerned. "But you'll be cold."

"Nah." He said, "I'm invincible, remember?" He softly chucked her chin to cheer her up.

James giggled and hugged Tate. "Come on." He said, "Sit with me."

They all sat around the fire watching the flames rise in to the sky. James remained snuggled in Tate's arms. She sucked her thumb as her eyes became transfixed on Larry who had begun to tell scary stories. Tate noticed and pulled her thumb out of her mouth. James had a lot of bad habits he was trying to help her break. Habits Constance should have been taking care of, however, she let the child get away with anything, hell, perhaps even murder. It didn't matter; Tate would make sure his sisters would grow up right. He would protect them no matter what.

But James's eyes weren't the only ones transfixed on the fire. Tate's eyes also became entranced by the dancing flames. Unhealthy thoughts quickly raced through his mind. Voices bounced from one corner of his head to the other. The popping of the flames brought him back to reality. He lifted his deep brown orbs on Larry peering from behind the flames. Larry, he who was no one but an imposter in his family. He who was taking his father's place. Well, that did not sit right with Tate.