Living

Chapter 10

You know, first they have such miserable lives that I just have to bring them together, then they go and sneak off to get married. It's like they're freaking obsessed with me. Now, they've gone and stolen the name I was going to give Lucas if he were a girl.

Samantha. God. Now, I have to pick another name if we have a girl. Geez.

Yes, Samantha Nicole Sheer was born five days ago, on the 13th. She looked like Cameron, which is good. If she looked like that guy…I don't know. The only problem? She was born with hair. Not an issue, right? It is when it was blonde and Cameron's not. Guess who is?

Anyways, I have more important things to worry about, actually. Tomorrow is Lucas's birthday and I have to figure out who's coming. Damien and Cameron are off the list, I think, and someone has to be at the store, probably Luther. He and Tammie are already fighting again. She was planning on coming so I doubt he'll be here. Bone was coming, of course. Even with Victoria, he still found time to treat Lucas like royalty.

"Me party, Mommy."

"Not today, silly," I said, not looking away from the TV. Lucas huffed.

"I wan' it now!"

"Too bad," I said, still not looking away from the TV. Did he not realize that Maury was on?

"Daddy!"

"What?" Fang came into the bedroom. "Are you okay?"

He held out his hands for his father to pick him up. Once he was in his arms, Lucas said, "Mommy's mean."

"I know she is," Fang said, kissing his head. "Max, say sorry to him."

"Um…no, I'm good."

"Max."

"Fang, go away."

"Fine," he said. "But I'm taking Lucas with me."

"Thank God."

Damien groaned. He had only been asleep for ten minutes, thanks to the baby. She needed her diaper changed. Damien knew that taking care of a newborn was hard, but not this hard.

Ten minutes…wait, what was it that was waking him up right now? His phone was vibrating in his pocket. Why was he still in his jeans? Did he sleep in them? Groaning again, he pulled his phone out.

"Hello?"

"Hey, baby."

Normally, he would smile from the sound of his mother's voice but not today. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven. Were you just getting up?"

More like just getting to sleep. "No."

"Where's Cameron?"

Where was she? "In the shower, I think."

"Is the baby sleeping?"

"Yes."

"Well, okay. I just wanted to check on you," she said.

"Bye," Damien said.

"Bye."

He hung up and laid back down. "Cameron?"

"Damien, keep your voice down. You'll wake it up." She opened the bathroom door. "I'm just brushing my hair.

He frowned. "You're going somewhere?"

"No. I just hadn't showered in, like, two days and felt like actually getting dressed and stuff today."

Damien closed his eyes. "I'm going back to sleep."

"You're so lazy."

"I was up with the baby all night."

"So was I."

"Only when I forced you to go feed her."

"Shut up, Damien."

He sighed as Samantha started crying from the other room. Cameron made no move to go and get her, so Damien just went to do it. He had painted his baby's room pink because he knew she'd like it. He bought her a pink crib too. He was a good daddy.

"Hi, Sam."

She ignored him, continuing to scream her head off. Groaning, he picked her up. She was just upset that she had heard their voices so he didn't have to deal with poop or pee. Damien rocked her for awhile until she finally fell back asleep. He gave her a kiss on the head before laying her back down.

"Night-night, Samantha," he whispered before walking out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. Now that the baby was there, Damien put the thought of that nasty guy from his mind. Of course, Cameron was going to have to testify soon but he wasn't too concerned with that. Sam was here now and she loved him. This was the best thing in the world.

Damien had just gotten back into bed with Cameron shook his shoulder. "Damien."

"What? Is Sam-"

"No. I need you to make me food."

He groaned. "Cameron, I'm tired."

"Please? I'm hungry, Damien."

He sighed, getting up. "What do you want?"

Cameron just smiled, following him out of the room.

"Hey," Fang said, walking into the store. Luther didn't even look up from his phone. "What are you doing?"

"Planning a party."

"Ooh, I want to go!" Tabitha ran around the counter. "Can I?"

He glanced at her. "What are you doing here? Don't you go school, baby girl?"

"No. It's Christmas break."

"Great," he mumbled, shaking his head. "Where's the birthday boy, Fang?"

"His birthday isn't until tomorrow and he's with Max."

"Hn," was all Luther said.

"Who's your party for, Luther?" Tabitha asked. "Lucas?"

He sighed. "Hey, Tabs? Can you get that rag from the inventory room and start dusting the books? Please? For me?"

She giggled before running off to go do it.

"What party, Luther?"

He sighed. "Fang, you guys are going to have James tomorrow, right? He's spending the night."

"Yeah."

"And Tammie's moved back in with Justin so I'm alone. What type of party do you think it is?"

Fang shook his head. "Whatever."

"What? Do you know how long I've gone with out that?"

"Just shut up, alright?"

Luther went back to texting all of his fuck friends.

"Me three," Lucas greeted Mom.

"Not yet," she said, walking into the house.

"Yes," he complained as I closed the door. "Presents."

I groaned. Why would anyone ever want children? They are so fucking annoying. "What are you dong here, Mom?"

We hadn't really talked since the whole Ella fight thing. Whatever. She raised a slut for a daughter. Ain't my fault.

"I'veway otgay Ucas'slay iftsgay inway ethay arcay andway antedway otay opdray emthay offway."

"What?"

"I've got you know who's you know what in the car."

Lucas, no longer understanding the conversation, went over to Fox and started licking him. "Fox!"

I sighed, looking back at her. "Why are you bring them now?"

"I'm not going to be here tomorrow…or the rest of the week."

"What?"

She nodded. "I'm going on vacation."

"Mom, what about Christmas?"

She looked away. "Max, I have a…family emergency."

I looked her up and down. "Alright. Tell me it, then."

"Max-"

"Am I not family?"

She hesitated. "I…have some family that's coming to town for Christmas."

I crossed my arms. "Continue."

"They don't exactly know about you and your family."

I frowned. "What?"

She huffed. "It's not like I go around telling people that I left my oldest daughter to presumably be killed or turned into a weapon. It's not something I like putting on my resume."

"Wait, if they're coming to see you, why are you leaving?" I wasn't going to hold the whole 'avoid-ever-bringing-you-up' thing against her for now. I was too curious as to her plan for this whole thing. My mother might not seem it, but she is very intelligent. The school didn't make her join them for nothing.

"I've rented a house for the next to months out of town, just in case you guys didn't know what it meant to leave me alone."

Now that I had heard the plan, I was allowing my self to be offended. "Lucas doesn't want your gifts."

She frowned. "What?"

"You heard me. If he doesn't exist because you're not adult enough to own up to your mistakes, you can just forget him all together."

"Max-"

"No, Mom."

She scowled at me. "What exactly do you want me to do, Max?"

"Admit to them that we're here, because we clearly are, and let us meet them."

My mother's face was indescribable but I knew I had won. I always win, after all.

"Wait, what?"

I nodded. "Apparently, I never came up in any conversations."

He frowned. "Max, that doesn't make any sense. What about when we were always in the news? Your mother's name was in there too."

"Her family doesn't read it a lot. Also, she said that in Mexico, we weren't as big. Just thought of as a big hoax."

Fang closed his eyes. "You gonna get in bed or what?"

I sighed. "I'm going to go check on the kids."

"Have fun," he said before adding, "and don't bring any of them back with you."

"Why?" I asked, amused. "Planning a fun night?"

"No. I actually want to sleep."

I gave him a small smile before walking out of the room. Lucas was sleeping and so was Cody. When I got up to Tabitha's room, she was drawing.

"Bed. Now."

"Max-"

"No. I told you that fifteen minutes ago."

"If it was Tyler-"

"Tabitha, just go to bed, alright?" I went over to give her a kiss on the head but she moved. "Tabitha-"

"Leave me alone. I don't like you."

I wasn't going to play into her. Not today. I walked towards the door. "Go to bed. Now."

"I hate you!"

I closed the door behind me. When I went into Tyler's room, he and Alex both in bed. They weren't asleep though.

"Ignore Tabitha," Tyler told me before I could say anything. "You don't need her. You've got us."

Alex giggled, burying her face in his pillow. Tyler smiled as I went to give him a kiss and cover them over more.

"Go to bed," I told them before leaving. After I got Tank and the cats water, I went back to my bedroom. Fang, as promised, was sleeping. Rolling my eyes, I climbed into bed with him, cuddling against his back.

Fang groaned. "Stop."

I snuggled against him. "I love you."

"Mmmm."

"Tabitha hates me."

Fang made a noise, rolling over. He laid his head next to mine. "She does not."

"Yes she does."

"What was it this time?"

"I told her to go to bed and then she said that I wouldn't do that to Tyler. I do not treat them differently."

Fang closed his eyes again, as if this problem wasn't worth the exhaustion of keeping them open. "Take her out, just the two of-"

"Fang, I've tried that!"

He opened his eyes again. "Then I don't know what to say, Max. You're the only one that she has the problem with."

"I know, but why?"

Fang shrugged. "Don't stress about it."

"Fang, I have to stress about it. Even if I didn't, I still would," I told him. "What have I ever done to her, huh?"

After kissing my head, Fang put his back to me again. "Go to sleep, Max."

"Fang-"

"If there's nothing you can do, laying here and not sleeping won't help anything."

If she hated him, he'd care. I put my back to his, ignoring him the rest of the night.

"Damien?"

He groaned. "What time is it?"

"Eight."

"Let me sleep a little bit longer, Cam."

She ran a hand down his back. "You need to take Lucas's gift over to Max's."

"I know."

She kissed his ear. "When do you want me to wake you up?"

"Next time Sam cries, I'll get her and then go."

"Okay."

Peter jumped into the bed, staying away from Cameron and Damien. They brought this thing home that made these horrid wailing noises and they wouldn't let him in the room with it. Not that he wanted to be in the same room as it…

Cameron reached down and pulled the cat up to her. "Hi, Peter."

He curled against her, betraying his inner thoughts. Cameron giggled as he licked her hand. She laid there, watching Damien sleep for awhile before turning on the TV. Eventually, the baby started crying again. She pushed Damien.

"Get up."

He groaned but did so, leaving the room. A few minutes later, the baby had stopped crying and he came back. Damien changed clothes.

"Bye, Cameron."

"Yeah, bye."

He went and gave her a kiss before leaving. When he got to Max's house, Luther's car was already parked out front. Damien grabbed the gift from the passenger seat before going up to the house.

"Hey," Fang greeted, opening the door. "What are you doing here?"

Damien held out Lucas's gift. "Came to drop it off. Why's Luther here?"

Fang frowned. "Oh, you mean his car? Tammie drove it."

"With Justin?"

Fang gave him a smile. "It's not your problem, Damien. Go home."

He was about to ask if he could come in for awhile and get away from Cameron when something fell in the house.

"Fang, I'm going to kill your sons!" Max yelled from somewhere in the house. And that made him want to crawl back to Cameron's yelling. Cameron would yell and scream but Max would nag and sulk. Too very different things. He would choose Cameron every time.

"I don't wanna meet people," Tyler complained. It was Lucas's birthday party finally, but Tyler wasn't concerned with it.

Mom sighed, handing him a plate with cake on it. "Trust me, Tyler, they won't be thrilled to see you either."

Tyler frowned. "You just don't 'preciate me. Come on, Alex."

She giggled as Mom gave her a plate before following him. "Wait, Ty!"

"See?" Mom looked at me. "They don't want-"

"I just love how you justify this," I told her. "Is that why you helped me when I was fourteen? Was that the only way to get rid of your guilt? If it was, then guess what? Your debt to me is far from over."

"I do not owe you anything, Max."

"Please, save it," I said, walking out of the kitchen.

"See?" Tabitha said to Mom as she left. "Max is a bitch."

And that unified me and Mom again.

Mom threatened to wash her mouth out with soap as I yelled at her. After we were done, we called Fang in there and he took her upstairs to her bedroom, no doubt to do worse. That was the end of our unification.

"Clearly, you do not know how to watch your mouth," Mom turned her rant on me. "I told Fang that you wouldn't change-"

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You're just a bad influence."

"At least I didn't leave my child."

"At least I didn't let mine get killed."

"Get the fuck out of my house."

"See-"

"Now."

Bone walked into the room with Lucas. "We want more cake."

Lucas nodded. "Ye-"

"Get out of my house," I repeated. Bone frowned, setting Lucas on the ground.

"Wrong?"

I ignored him. Mom stared at me for a second before walking out of the kitchen and then out of the house.

"Grandma?" Lucas stared after her. "Me party! Grandma!"

"Max-" Bone started but I just ran out of the room and into my bedroom.

"Damien?"

He turned his head so that he could see the door. "What?"

"What are you doing?"

"Making sure that the baby's okay."

Cameron rolled her eyes, leaning against the doorframe. "She's fine."

"No. I think she's-"

"Damien, if you wake her up again, I'll make you sleep downstairs."

He sighed, moving away from the crib. Cameron smiled at him, moving out of the doorway so that he could leave the room. As she closed the door, Cameron told him she was going to bed. Damien followed her into the bedroom.

"Alright. I'm going to take a shower."

Cameron said nothing more to him, just laid down on the bed. Damien sighed, going into the bathroom. He had been in the shower just long enough to get his hair wet when Cameron started banging on the door.

"What?" He yelled, turning off the water to hear her.

"Go get the door," she said from the other side.

"What?"

"The front door."

"Cameron, I'm in the shower."

"And I'm in bed."

"You're knocking on the bathroom door."

"And now I'm back in bed," she said. "Besides, it might be your mother. I don't want to deal with her."

Damien got out of the shower and pulled on his jeans before walking out of the bathroom. "You're my family now, Cameron. So is my Mom. Deal with it."

"Screw you."

He ran down the stairs, figuring it was just Luther. When he opened the door, he was slightly happy to find that he was wrong. He couldn't deal with Luther at the moment. Then he realized he didn't k now these people.

The man looked Damien up and down. "Well, what a pleasant surprise. Butler, I assume? Maybe pool boy. Does Cameron have a pool, dear?"

"I can't remember," the woman behind him said.

"Cameron!" Damien moved back. "Cam, come here!"

"Damien, shut up," she hissed, coming down the stairs. "You're going to wake- Dad."

"Ah, there she is," he said, walking into the house. "Sleeping with the pool boy, I see."

Cameron frowned, trying to figure out what he was talking about. Then she noticed Damien was shirtless. "No, Dad, that's more up your alley."

He didn't even blink. "Hmmm…still as tasteless as always, Cameron. Honestly, when are you going to try something called decorating?"

She crossed her arms. "What are you here for?"

Damien moved closer to Cameron. Her dad scared him. He looked so…cold. Dan was cold but he was a rugged cold. This guy was skinny, dressed sharply, and had a face that just sent chills down your spines. It didn't seem to have an affect on Cameron.

"To see you, of course," her father answered.

"Of course. Because, you know, you couldn't do that while I was in the hospital or right when I got home."

"We were in Europe," the woman said with a shrug, as if that excused all faults.

"Did you even care about what happened to me?"

"Your brother called me," her father said, looking around. "Yes pool or no?"

"No."

"Then who is he?"

She didn't have to answer this because the baby started crying. Cameron immediately went back up the stairs.

"What is that?" Her father called after her.

"Samantha. My baby."

Any other time, Damien would have been excited that she not only called Sam by name but also acknowledged the newborn as her own. But right now, he was too busy being nervous to do that. Damn Cameron. She never cared enough to go get Samantha before. Now he was stuck in here with strangers.

The other two people seemed to careless for Damien, however. Neither spoke to him, only each other. Cameron came back after a few minutes.

"Now," her father began. "That child…I was under the impression that you aborted it."

"Hardly," Cameron said, making a face at her dad.

"Not pool boy…obviously not a housekeeper. Hmmm…appears rather unclean. Sex with the homeless is not-"

"This is my husband. Damien."

Her father blinked. The woman spoke. "Not quit a catch."

"Now, now, who are we to judge? She gets it from her mother."

Cameron looked away for a second. "What do you want? Really?"

Her father looked around again. "I have already told you. I came to see you."

"Yeah, okay."

"Now, is that little boy here?"

"Tommy? No."

"Good."

Again she looked away. "Have you already checked into your hotel?"

"I was hoping that we could stay here."

Cameron's fight went back to her eyes. "The baby's in the guest room."

"We'll take yours."

She glared at him. "No, you won't. You can have the couch."

"You cannot honestly expect us to sleep on that, that thing."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Fine. Sleep in Tommy's bed. It's big enough."

"Why can't you and the pool boy not sleep in the boy's bed?"

Choosing not to correct him on Damien's title, she said, "Because, it's our bed."

Her father straightened. "Fine, I suppose it will do for the night. Do you have any wine?"

"What?"

"As uncivilized as your pool boy seems, you must have something to drink in this house."

"You know that I don't' drink," Cameron said, starting back up the stairs. "You know where Tommy's room is. And leave the baby alone. Come on, Damien."

He glanced at the man and woman before following her. Once they were in the safety of their bedroom, Damien opened his mouth to ask something.

"Don't," Cameron said, laying down. "Go finish your shower. We'll talk later."

He frowned, feeling weird. Cameron though seemed fine with guests in the house so he just went and did as he was told, as always.

"They're all gone."

I moaned but didn't move. "How's Lucas? Is he upset?"

"No. He's sleepy. He wanted to sleep in here but I wanted to talk to you."

Fang came and sat on the edge of the bed, next to me. I still laid with my head pressed into the pillow, not wanting to move. Fang ran a hand down the back of my head, like II was a kid.

"I yelled at Tabitha," he told me after a minute or two. "She didn't mean anything, Max. She's just…I don't know. She loves you. She knows that you love her."

I still said nothing. For once, Fang didn't need me too.

"And the stuff with your mom," he began, "go easy on her."

What? Go easy?

"I mean," he continued, apparently not able to ready my thoughts, "she had it tough. She still does. We might not get what she does or why she does it, but who are we to judge? I know that it hurts, by maybe we should just let her live her life how she wants. So what if her family has no idea we're here?"

"Fang, if she doesn't care enough about us to-"

"Max, look at it this way. Here, all she has is Ella and you as family. If she moved back to Mexico, she's be with all the rest of her family. She chooses to stay here, with us. Not them."

"Still."

Fang leaned over and kissed m. "Just think about it baby. What you two do is your business."

He got up and left the room, going to take care of the kids. I sighed, laying there for a long time. I just don't get how she never thought once to bring me up. I am pretty dang important. It doesn't make any sense. And, on top of everything else, it just makes me plain mad. She's the one that joined the school. I didn't make her do that. It was her choice. It was a tough one but she still made it. So, any troubles that come along with that choice fall solely on her shoulders.

It was finally Christmas Eve and Alex was over. She was apparently allowed to stay with us for Christmas too. This excited Tyler so I just said yes. I thought about saying no just to get Tabitha on my side but that would just make Tyler hate me. He would actually have a reason to, too.

Mom and I weren't talking. I'm not sure if she went ahead and stayed in that apartment or what. Doesn't matter to me. Her and Ella can do whatever the hell they want. They aren't my problem. Besides, everyone is here for Christmas.

Iggy has the room he had last time, I gave Nudge and Drake the other, and Gasman is on the couch. I don't need Dr. Martinez to spend time with my family.

"Where were you?" I asked Fang.

"Getting food," he said. He had twenty boxes of pizza in his arm but I still wasn't buying it.

"That's a long time to be buying pizza."

"It's a lot of pizza," he said, walking into the kitchen. "Food! First come, first serve!"

"Fang, you were over there, weren't you?"

"Are you accusing me of something?"

I frowned. "You went to my mother's."

"N-"

"Fang."

"Max, I missed her."

I punched him. "Did Ella finally give you that blow too?"

He rubbed his arm. "No hitting."

"Fang, you can't do this to me."

"Do what? If you suddenly decided you hated food would I have to give it up too?"

"You're a fucking asshole," I said, walking out of the room.

"Max, come eat."

"No. I'm giving up food. But you'll be fine. You'll eat it anyways."

They were still here. God. Damien couldn't do anything. Okay, so he could, but he felt weird with her father and step mother around. They kept commenting on him.

Cameron seemed unaffected by it. "Damien, go downstairs and get me-"

"They're here, Cameron."

"They have been since the 19th. You should be used to it by now."

He frowned. "It's Christmas Eve."

"And?"

"You said that we were spending Christmas with my family."

"We are."

"How can we with them here?"

She sighed. "Damien, I didn't invite them."

"I know but-"

"It's my dad, alright? I can't just make him leave."

"Still-"

"Cameron?" There was a knock at the door. "Me and Janice are going out."

"On Christmas Eve?"

"Yes."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Have fun."

"Right. We won't be back either."

She got out of bed and opened the bedroom door. "What?"

"Your house was a stopping ground," he said. "We're on our way to Japan."

"So, if your plan hadn't stopped here, you wouldn't have even came to see me?"

"Now, now," her father began in his calming tone. "Do not fret over minor details. I have seen you and…the other inhabitants of the house. Now I am ready to go."

Cameron stared at it for a minute before slamming the bedroom door in his face. It woke Samantha but Cameron was in the way so Damien couldn't get out the door to go get her.

"Then leave. Just fucking leave again. That's all your ever good at."

"Cameron-"

"I thought for once you'd be here for one holiday but no. Whatever. Have fun in Japan."

"Alright, then. I'll see you next time-"

"Don't play like you're coming back. You're never coming back. You never do come back. Tell your next wife hi for me, because I don't plan on talking to you when you and Janice finally divorce or your next wedding."

"You're always so dramatic."

"So what if I'm fucking dramatic?" She closed her eyes. "Mom was right. Jack is a way better father than you ever will be."

It was silent for a second. Then Damien herd her father's steps go down the hall and then down the staircase. When the front door finally shut, Cameron got into bed, burying her head in Damien' pillow. He sighed, wanting to comfort her but needing to go get Sam. He went to the baby instead. She was easy to calm. Having just been scared by the door, she went back to sleep quickly. Then Damien was able to go back to Cameron.

"Cam-"

"Not now, Damien."

He got into bed with her. "Remember the first night he was here? You told me that you'd tell me about him later. We never did talk."

She rolled onto her back. Peter, who had been hiding under the bed, came out and got up there with them. He didn't like loud voices. Cameron pulled him to her, needing the cat's comfort.

"He's different."

Damien laid on his side, facing her. "Jack is Trent's dad?"

She nodded, running her hand up and down Peter's back. 'Yeah."

"Your dad travels a lot?"

"All the time."

Damien frowned. "Does he have a house?"

"Well, yeah. He just doesn't spend that much time there."

"…Has he had a lot of wives?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"I thought you said he wasn't a cheater?"

Glaring at him, she said, "You can have a lot of wives and not be a cheater, Damien."

"S-Sorry."

Cameron sighed. "After what my mother did to him…he just changed, Damien."

"Everyone changes."

Her tone changed. "Not like that. He was a whole different person."

"Why?"

"He loved my mom and she killed him inside," she said. "I hope she rots in hell."

"Cameron-"

"What? She was a bitch. I fucking hated her. It was one thing that she ruined me but she ruined my father for me too!"

He sighed. "It's not good to live with all that hate."

"So what? It's not good to live knowing that your mother's a bitch but I'm stuck with that."

"Stop it! I don't like cursing."

"Then don't fucking ask questions."

He turned his back to her. "I can't stand you like that, Cameron. I love you but you can't curse. It's not right."

"Oh, like you don't cuss in your head all the time."

"…Don't curse around me, alright?"

"And if I say no?"

He breathed out through his nose. "I can't love someone that's not going to heaven with me."

"Who are you to tell me where I'm going?" She got indignant. "Ooh, I'm Damien and I'm so fucking high and might-"

"Stop, alright?"

"Why would you have married me if you think that you're better than me because you go to church?"

"I never said that I'm better than you. I'm not better than you. I just…sometimes I just can't."

"Can't what?"

"Listen to you."

"Then don't, Damien. I didn't ask you to listen to me. I didn't ask you to marry me. I didn't ask you to stay with me. That's the problem, right? You just can't get past-"

"I am past that, Cameron! That was never my hang up! It was yours. I gave you time. I gave you chances. You didn't want what happened, I know that. It's not your fault. I'll never say that it is. But you can't keep taking the past out on me. Your family, your rape-"

"Don't you fucking label my life like it's some scene from a movie."

"I'm not trying to."

"Just leave me alone, Damien," she said. "You're just like all the others."

"Other what?"

"Men. Not only a fucking man but also a fucking Christian. Hypocrite. That's all you are."

He got out of bed. "I can't deal with you like this."

"Then go. I don't need you," she lied. "I've never fucking needed you. Walk out the door. Leave. You know what? Go catch my dad. I'm sure he'll take you to fucking Japan with him. There you can convert people, right? Because all you Christians think that other countries don't know God, right? Maybe even meet a real Japanese person. Tired of those fakes at the Anime store? Go get a real one. Bet you'll love that. Huh? Huh?"

He ignored her and just walked out of the room. He didn't even slam the door behind him. He didn't eve care enough to get upset.

"Fuck you then! Fuck all of you! I don't want you, Damien. Go run back to your mother! That's all you're good for! Go!"

Damien went to Samantha's bedroom and put her in her carrier before leaving the house, headed to his parents. Even when they were fighting, he still listened to Cameron.

"I 'ike Christmas," Lucas told me. "Christmas is green and red! Me and Tyler are green and red."

Alex giggled, though she had heard Lucas say this a million times already. "Lucas is funny."

"Not really," Tyler told her.

We were in the living room, some Rudolph movie on. Gasman and Iggy had gone out, probably to do something that I would yell at them for but whatever. I was bored out of my effing mind, not to mention still mad about Mom. Bone wasn't even here to comfort me. He and his precious Victoria are visiting her family. You know, because their in fucking love. They say that they're in love but they're not. You know what real love is? Huh? Huh? Nothing. Love is nothing. There is no such thing as love. Love is a lie. Simple Plan already spelled that one out for you. Or sung is out. Sang? Whatever. The point is that Love is fake. There is no such thing as-

"I love you," Fang whispered in my ear before kissing the side of my head. Oh, right. I'm in love with Fang. Bleck.

"Shut up," I said. "I'm watching Ralf."

"Rudolph."

"Whatever."

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, smiling.

"Alright," Tyler said randomly, standing up. "I've finally figured it out."

"What?" Alex asked. She was playing Barbie with Nudge. Tabitha had disappeared into her room with no plans of coming out tonight.

"How to be a Jew."

Oh God.

"I don't want to be a Jew," Alex said, making Tyler frown. "I kind of like being Mexican. Manny says that Mexicans are the best. I don't know."

"No! Jews are better," Tyler said. "Right Max?"

I sighed. "No one is any better than another, Tyler. Race or religion doesn't make you a better person."

"I love you, Max, but you're wrong. Jews are awesome. Mexicans suck."

"Take that back!" Alex jumped up. Great. Tommy turned my nice, sweet boy into a bigot just like him. Okay, so Tyler's not nice or sweet but he's normally not racist! God, can I not catch a break today?

"Stop it, Tyler," Drake ordered. He was laying on the floor, looking like Ralf was killing him too. God, why do little kids movies have to suck? I want real kid movies back. You know, the slasher films and horror movies with dead children? Okay, so not kid movies but the movies you stay up late to watch while Jeb is passed out in his room, probably secretly planning your demise. You know the ones.

"But it's true! Everyone should be Jewish."

At least we know he's not Hitler. Fang shook his head. "Stop, Tyler. You want your gifts tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Then stop."

He frowned but sat back down. Damn. I wanted to know his plan to be Jewish. I wonder if he knows he could just convert… Though, then he wouldn't be born Jewish. Geez, this stuff is hard.

Alex wasn't finished though. "Take it back, Tyler!"

"Chill, Alex," he said. "I'll make you one too."

"No! I like being Mexican."

"No you don't."

"Jews don't speak Spanish!"

"They can if they want!"

"I told you to stop," Fang said.

Then Alex did the unthinkable. Okay, I make it more dramatic than it sounds but she did kind of shock me. She got up and pulled him up too. Then she hit him in the mouth. Hard.

"Take it back!"

Tyler started crying before hitting her. Drake jumped up and grabbed Tyler as Nudge pulled Alex to her.

"I hate you!" Tyler raved between tears. "I hope you die!"

"I hate you too!" Alex yelled back at him. "Vasamorir,Tyler.Esperoquele dé cáncerotra vez!"

"Knock it off!" Fang got off the couch and took Tyler from Drake. He took him upstairs. Alex was crying. Great. Now I get to take her home. Fun.

"Come on," Drake said, going over to Nudge. He picked Alex up. "Stop crying. You hit him first."

"He's mean."

"And?" Drake started for the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked him. Drake ignored me. I looked at Nudge but she just shrugged. So, we've got the Mexican hater, upstairs, being yelled at, the Max hater hiding in her bedroom, and the beater outside with mysterious, muscular, sexy- Uh, yeah.

Alex sniffed. "Are you taking me home?"

"No," Drake said, setting her down. "Why did you hit Tyler?"

"Because he was mean."

"No, why did you hit him?"

"He said that-"

"No. Why did you hit him?"

"Because he-"

"Why?"

"…Because I got mad."

"Alright," he said, sighing. "Now, why were you mad?"

"Because he said something mean."

"See?" Drake asked. "He didn't make you hit him. He said something that made you mad. Hitting him was because you were mad. Don't get mad, you don't hit him."

Alex giggled. "You're like Manny. I like you."

"Yeah, well, I like not having little kids fight around me." Drake picked her up again. "Do you want to go home?"

"No. I want to stay with you."

He laughed a little. "Do you want to go say sorry to Tyler?"

"He said something mean, not me."

"Yes, but you're the one that got mad, remember?" Drake moved her to one arm. "It's your fault. You apologize."

"I don't wanna."

"Would you for me?"

She giggled. "Okay."

"Am I taking her home?" I asked as Drake walked back in.

"No," Drake said, carrying Alex up the stairs.

"What's up with him?" I asked Nudge. Yes, I am slightly attracted to him. That doesn't mean that I want him. I have Fang. I love Fang. Oh, right, love is fake. Shit, I'm screwed. Hehe, screwed. Yes! I laughed at something in my head. I'm me again!

"He lost his sister when he was a kid," Nudge said, shrugging. "He's always nice to little girls. Like this one that lives in our building-"

"Wait, he lost his sister?"

Nudge nodded. "She was, like, ten or something and he was fourteen."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. He never really told me. I think she got shot…or stabbed. Maybe it was a car accident." She looked over at Lucas, who was happily running around in circles. Tyler and Alex's fight hadn't affected him in the slightest. That's good to know. "You're going to make yourself sick, Lucas."

He giggled. "Yeah."

"No!" Tyler yelled at something Fang had said as Drake and Alex came into the room.

"Tyler," Drake said, carrying Alex over to Tyler. "Alex has something to tell you."

"No," she groaned, turning her face into his shoulder.

"Yes," Drake prompted. "For me, remember?"

She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Tyler."

He sniffled. "You hit me."

"Did I hurt you?"

He jumped off his bed. "No. Of course not. I'm part superhero, you know."

She giggled. "You are?"

"Duh, Alex. You're so stupid sometimes."

"Hey-"

"But I love you," he added quickly, not wanting her to get mad. She pushed her way out of Drake's arms. "I amor you too."

"Good," Tyler said. "Come here."

Interested, the two older men watched as Alex went over to him. Tyler put his hand on her forehead. Alex laughed.

"What did you do, Tyler?" Fang asked.

"Nothing," he said as Alex took his hand. She ran him out of the room. "Did it work?"

"Did what work?" She asked, the standard question. She had to ask it after Tyler pretended to wipe her mind. It wasn't real but Tyler said that if he put his hand against her head, he would erase her memory. He did this when he told her he hated her, or when he yelled at her. She would always forgive him. Alex loved Tyler.

Tyler giggled as they went back to the living room to finish watching the movie.

"You left."

Damien kissed Cameron's head. "Merry Christmas."

"It's not Christmas," she said. "And you left me."

"Is too," Damien said. "It's 12:01, on Christmas morning. Merry Christmas."

"You left and you took the baby."

"I didn't want you to be bothered by her," Damien said, kissing her again. "Can I get into bed?"

She rolled her eyes. "You left, Damien."

"You told me to."

"And?"

He sighed. "The point shouldn't be that I left. It should be that I came back. I'll always be back, Cammie. I love you."

"Get in bed."

He did so; laying so that he was facing her. "Are you still mad at me?"

She just closed her eyes. "Damien?"

"What?"

"In the bible, there's a passage about wives."

"There's a lot of those."

"No," she said, shaking her head a little. "I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. There's one that says something about death and wives."

"What?"

"Yeah. It said something about, God I barely remember, something about, in heaven, you have no wife."

"What?"

"Yeah," she said, rolling onto her stomach. "You aren't married. There's no sex. That's a worldly thing."

"What-"

"Maybe you should read your bible more," she said.

"Cameron-"

"Night, Damien. I love you."

He frowned, staring at her. "Yeah. I love you too."