Chapter 21: Summer

Patiently he watched, and watched and watched…till finally summer came back around. Annika looked more and more like Roslind every day. Every. Single. Day. For the exception of one thing: her hair. Her hair was almost just as red as Miranda's.

"Speaking of…she's been really…distant lately." What did she find, in her mothers jurnal that made her hate him? Was it because he gave her a fake one? He shrugged not really caring.

Wiping the running beads of sweat off his brow, his annoyance for the summer was getting more and more pronounced. He loved his hoodie, he would normally never take it off…but god damn it was way to hot outside. He hated Riverbend, the summers were too hot, and the winters too frigid.

"Fuck it…" carefully balancing himself, as to not fall out of his tree; with expert percsion took off the sweat drenched hoodie. Immideately feeling the cool summer breeze he sighed. Yet, the smell of roses burnt the back of this throat and almost made him want to gag. The smell of pine in the summer was intense, but the smell of roses from Slender's rose garden almost over powered it.

The sound of the backdoor and Roslind's laughter snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Come on Anni, lets go outside and have a picnic in daddy's garden!" Roslind was happy, cheerful. He almost licked his paper thin lips when he saw what she was wearing.

Sleeveless, yellow sun dress that clung to every curve of her body; the dress was tight, and happily showing off every bit. Ever since she had Annika, she put on a little bit of weight, but it looked really, really good on her. Mainly around her hips and bust.

When she laid out the blanket, she placed Annika on the pillow who also, was in a matching sundress.

"How cute." He snarled.

Roslind reached over, plucking a dandilion holding it out for Annika to see. Jeff, intrested honed in to listen.

"This flower, is called a dandilion. Later on, it becomes a lion's mane. It's magic. You just make a wish, take in a deep breath and try to get all the fluff off in one big blow!" She was so happy…it broke his 'heart' planning on taking Annika away from her. But, what pushed him to do so, was the fact he just couldn't find the right woman to take his seed. They always ended up having a miscarage or a still born child. Then they got mopey depressed…after that he just left.

"Seeing the fact that she could handle having his kid…I'm sure she could handle having mine." He didn't push the thought away, but at the same time something….caught his eye. It was another figure walking into the cabin. Where he was at, he couldn't really tell if it was a male or female…so he yet again, squinted and tried to listen.

"This should be intresting.." He repositioned himself, now able to see the entire garden, and first portion of the cabin. He was determined it to be another victim…till he heard Slender laugh.

"Hey bud! Long time no see! Wait till you see the missus and Anni!" This shocked Jeff as he shook his head.

"So where are they?" Jeff couldn't tell the voice right away…but Slender seemed to be excited and happy.

"They're in the garden. Want to see how much Annika grew? She put on six pounds!" He was…really happy. For once, just once in almost fifteen years now…Jeff…almost hesitated to ruin it for him…to take it all away.

"But he always had one more thing then I did. Always had one more object that I always wanted, and couldn't have…" And that's what pissed him off the most. He has a wife, Jeff had a girlfriend, Slender has a child…Jeff…had a baby.

He watched when the door opened and Slender walked out, with his arm around the neck of…

"Oh god…" He whispered out loud.

Laughing Jack, the blitzed clown.

"Hey Jack it's so nice to see you again!" Roslind smiled, her cheeks red from the sun and glowing with affection.

Jack…looked like a teenager going through an emo phase, to Jeff…he always seemed a little disturbing. Always laughing…not giving a shit who he had disturbed...he killed kids for fucks sake.

"And Slender wants him around his daughter?!" It was almost unreasonable. This time, Jeff listened, and listened good.

"Hey Rosie Posie, how's my goddaughter?" He kneeled down, poking Annika's nose. She squeeled with joy and took his finger. Putting it in her mouth, sucking lightly, making light cooing noises. Jack had a small moment of displsure when his finger was in the infants mouth…but started to laugh when he realized just how CUTE she was!

Slender kneeled down, on the blanket and watched his long time best friend, and his daughter laughing. His wife sitting there sipping at lemon sweet tea. His face seemed a little darker, more sierious, and honest.

"Jack, I have to ask you for two favours." He sat up straight, and Jack pulled his finger from Annika's mouth. She whimpered for a moment, before Roslind put a bottle to her lips.

"Shoot bud." L.J said, eyes rolling like cheese wheels again.

"I want you to be my best man, and the rightful guardian of Annika, and whatever child we have…I've known you the longest, the only one I can trust. So…" As he looked at Annika, she looked back cooing lightly.

"Wow, having a kid made you a softy." L.J said, poking Annika's forehead gently.

Slender looked back at him, cocked a grin.

"Well, I just wanted to cover my bases just in case anything happens to me or Roslind." Slender chuckled, reaching out gently running a finger over Annika's nose. Roslind looked at the two men, lifting a brow and shook her head.

…

Jeff's heart started to pound, his stomach boiling. This was completely unfair! He took his hoodie, placed it over his mouth, and screamed.

"FUCK!" Forcing it out as loud as he could, till his throat started to bleed. When he finished, he pulled the hoodie away from his face. Sweat rolled down and into his eyes, he was becoming more and more infuriated. The fact he kept trying to plan out when, how and where to kidnap Annika, the harder it was getting. Slender kept making more and more obsticals for him to cross. Stuff kept popping it up, making him push it back further and further.

Someone was watching him, staring at him. When he looked back over to the lovely scene before him, Annika was staring at him. Eyes locked, his stomach dropped. Her different colored eyes, glimmered brighter, brighter...making his temples throb, his heart felt like it could combust at how much fear this child was striking in him. Before long, his nose began to bleed. Something…that had only happened when he first met Slender, before he became a pasta. When he was human.

"She really is the daughter of the Slenderman." He stood, jumping off and away from the perfect faimly. Landing on the ground with ease, and light feet.

"So did you find anything?" Without warning Miranda spoke from behind, causing him to react and pull his blade out on her. When she looked at him, raised a brow and sighed, she placed her hands on his chest and gave a light push.

"Sorry, I didn't think you were such a chicken shit." She snapped.

Both looked over at the high fence, when another round of laughter bursted from the garden. When they looked back at each other, their eyes connected.

"You know, we could always try." Miranda suggested with a shrug. Jeff scowled.

"You don't love me, you used to care. Now I can't really tell. When it's obvious I care about you. I want you, to love me, care about me. And not when I want it." He closed his eyes, thought about something for a moment.

"You've became really good friends with Roslind. Talk to her, coax her into letting you become a bridesmaid…a maid of honor or something. We have to get that baby." Miranda tilted her head, eyes litterally scanning his skin. He was much more pale than usual. On further investigation of him, she looked over his pale blue shirt.

"Is that blood on your shirt?" She asked.

He turned, taking her warm cheeks into his cold hands, placed his hard lips against hers. Miranda's eyes widened, her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. When she took the step up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pushed back against the kiss, she felt an electric bolt run from her stomach down to her groin.

He let go of the kiss just for a moment, before he placed another deep passionate kiss on hers. She licked his top lip, tasting the sweat, need, and frustration.

"Were dealing with a child…that could kill a god." Jeff whispered.

It was her turn to back away.

"What…?" She whispered. Shaking her head.

"And you WANT that baby?!" She pointed to the fence, the other hand on her hip. He looked her over before deciding how to anwser.

"Listen, why don't we go home and we'll talk it over okay?" He snapped. She shook her head.

"You're biting off…much more then you can chew Jeff…much more." He shot her a look, before taking her warm hand, into his corpse cold one.