A/N: I would like to share with you all a song that I absolutely love….Awake and Alive by Skillet. I feel like it speaks to me…and I may just use the lyrics in this story. Anyway, I hope that you guys have liked the last couple of chapters. I have tried hard on those because of what I went through recently. I am also trying to get a job and sign up for college and everything is going really fast. So we will see what happens. Anyway I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Twenty Five: Play With Me

We arrived at the park just as hoards of parents were coming. It seemed that the best time to come to the park was in between lunch and bed time. I looked around and found a bench for me to sit on with Nicol beside me. Orael ran right to the sandbox as soon as we got there. He was playing with the sand and I could see that he would be just as artistic as me when he was older. I sat down once I got Nicol situated.

"Jeffrey." She said and I looked to her with a smile. The sun was bright and it light her face up nicely. I had missed Nicol so much. I stole a quick kiss before answering her.

"Yes Nicol?" I put my hand on top of hers and I could feel the bond between us begin to strengthen from the month that we had been apart.

"Look at him." I looked at Orael and smiled.

"Yea he sure is happy." I said, but when I looked back at Nicol she was shaking her head.

"No Jeffrey, really look at him." I looked at him and I stared for a long time. None of the other kids were playing with him. No one was even around him. He had secluded himself. Every time a kid came to play with him I saw him look at them with those green eyes that he had inherited from me. He looked at them with a glare that said to leave him alone. When he would finish a piece he would destroy it quickly so no one would see what he had made.

"He isn't happy." I said and Nicol nodded. I looked to her and then back at Orael. I stood after patting her on her thigh. I made my way to my son and sat down at the edge of the sandbox. Orael looked at me and smiled.

"Hi daddy." He said and I could see deep down in his eyes the sorrow in them now. I never had looked that deep into someone's eyes before. I could see an age in this little five year old that should have been there.

"Hello Orael." I said and motioned to the shovel. "Little Man, Why won't you let the other kids play with you?" I asked playing in the sand by making little works of art. Orael looked at them and once I had finished with one I left it there and went to another spot in the sand box. Orael looked at the art that I had left and I smiled.

"They won't like me anyway. They all call me weird." I looked around at the kids that were playing around the park, their parents watching over them cautiously.

"Why is that little man?" I asked and resumed my work. Orael came over to me and added some to the work that I had done before.

"Because I don't have a daddy." He answered. I looked at him with smiling eyes.

"Well, you do now." I flicked a little bit of sand at him and he giggled at me.

"Mommy always told me not to play with them anyway." I looked back down at the sand with a glare.

"Why?" I asked and hid my glare with a quick rub of my face.

"She said that they will tell their parents that she shouldn't have me because of the bruises her boyfriend would give me." I knew that her boyfriend had hurt Orael, but hearing it from him struck a cord. I took him by the hand and he looked at me with scared eyes. I lifted him into my arms and hugged him as tight as I dared.

"Orael, you don't have to worry about that man anymore." I heard him squeak and I released him. Orael looked at me and I could see his expression change. I knew he believed me. I could hear the mothers talking. They were swooning over the fact that I was playing at a play ground with my son. Once they saw my face though things would change. I would be bombarded with people. I didn't want to have to explain to Orael that I would be fine with all these woman fawning over me. I sighed and got up ruffling his hair. Walking over to Nicol again I sat down next to her. Once I sat down I took Nicol's hand and I could feel her squeeze my shaking hand.

"He hurt Orael." I said to her. Nicol looked to Orael and I could feel her squeeze my hand harder.

"Jeffrey." She said knowing my thoughts even before I said them.

"He better hope that I don't find him or he is dead." I said deathly quiet. Nicol laid her head on my shoulder and Orael looked over as another kid approached him. I nodded to him and he scooted over to give the other kid room.

"Want to play with me?" She asked him and I could see him give me another look. I smiled and gave him an encouraging wave of my hands. He looked to the little blonde girl and smiled.

"Yea." He replied. They ran off to the swing set and I watched over them. Nicol took a piece of my recently trimmed hair and twirled it around her finger.

"I love you Nicol." I said and sighed with content. This was how life was supposed to be. It was nice to not have to worry about much. The sun was warm and there was a light breeze like a cooling fan. It took away all worries with it. Orael came to me to drop off his toys when he and his new friend were going to climb on the monkey bars. Nicol soon fell asleep on my shoulder. It didn't matter that the other woman were looking on at the "Happy Family" I felt like this was my family. This was all that I ever really needed.

"Nicol." I said shaking her lightly. She opened her eyes and I smiled down at her.

"I missed that." She said stretching with a wince. I looked at her with a raised eye brow.

"Missed what?" I asked standing and calling to Orael. Orael waved to his friend and ran over to me. That was pure happiness in his eyes. It wasn't tinted with worries or hurt.

"Waking up to see you looking down at me." She replied and I chuckled. Orael took my hand and I lifted him onto my back. I felt like the world had no weight and I could fly again. Driving home Orael fell asleep in his car seat and I held Nicol's hand in mine.

Once we were home I carried Orael into the house and tucked him into bed so he could finish his nap. I settled Nicol in the living room and went into the kitchen for some drinks. On the Fridge was something I had never expected. A letter addressed to me from Beth.

Dear Jeff,

You may have noticed that I am not in the house. Or maybe you haven't noticed because you are too wrapped up in that woman you call a girlfriend. Now that you have noticed I would like to tell you that you won't have to worry about me anymore. You were right Jeff. I did let Richard hurt Orael. My beautiful little Orael and nothing I can do can right that wrong. I should have left Richard when I had the chance, but I was being selfish. I had took the money that he gave me to buy the drugs that I used to get from you. I never got Orael Christmas presents because once I remembered that I needed to get him presents it was already New Years Eve. By the time you guys get back from the Park I should be gone. If not please don't stop me. I'm at the clearing in the woods where you had proposed to me.

Don't take Orael with you; it will tare him apart anyway. I'm sure you and Nicol can have a good life with each other. You're right I only tried to use you so that I could get the fame, the publicity, and the money. I needed to feed that high that I can't anymore. Once you find me just tell Orael that mommy loved him, no matter what I let happen to him. I might not have been the best mom, but I still loved my boy.

Good Bye Jeff,

Beth Britt

A/N: Alright! Well that's the end of Beth. HAHA! I figured out how to get rid of her. Anyway hope you guys liked this chapter. WE AREN'T DONE YET!!!! REVIEW PLEASUMS!!!!!

~*Morna*~