Enjoy reading this special two parter-part one now, two later. See ya at the bottom!
I never thought that I'd be able to say that life is good, but it really is. I mean think about it, Dad is doing great after his surgery. T's in college…who knew he was smart? Plus, Lizard is so awesome, well when he's not being overprotective. And John and Randy are doing great too. Randy got married last month and I was in the wedding! It was cool, I couldn't believe how happy he looked. And now, I'm getting ready to have my sweet sixteen and Dad opened his wallet! Who knew the cheapskate would actually give me an unlimited amount of money? Oh man it's going to be awesome. I'm so happy, I feel like I shouldn't say that, but it's going to be great. John and Randy are supposed to be here later today, they might even get here for my soccer game tonight, I cannot wait!
The balloon hit Autumn in her face as she rolled her eyes. "Stop T." Thunder just laughed and did it again and again, and again. Autumn grunted and turned to Mark who was sitting in his recliner watching TV. "Daddy tell him to stop!" Thunder shook his head and pushed Autumn. Without looking up from the TV Mark spoke.
"Thunder stop hitting your sister." Thunder shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Snitch." Autumn laughed.
"Scared?" Thunder rolled over stood up.
"I'm through with this, Colby wants to meet me for dinner." Autumn's face dropped.
"But I thought you were gonna come to my game." Thunder sighed, she was always in so clingy. Their previous 'fight' disappeared just as all of them did, their bond went deeper than the scars they both shared.
"Um, I'm gonna catch the second half." Autumn shook her head, she knew he was lying.
"Whatever." Autumn didn't even try to stop him, she just stood up and walked over towards Mark. "Thank you for all of this, it's going to be the best night of my life." Mark couldn't help but to smile at his daughter. She was so beautiful. He couldn't believe how much she'd changed from that frail little girl who could barely look him in the eye. Mark stood up and engulfed his daughter in a hug. He kissed the top of her head.
"Anything for you, Ladybug." Autumn smiled against his chest. Mark looked down at Autumn and chuckled at the sleep in her eyes. "Late night?" Autumn pulled away and smiled.
"Sorta, me and Lizard stayed up listening to some rock." Mark's eyes bulged.
"He let you listen to that death metal crap?"
"Relax Dad, I'm not a china doll, I can handle it. It wasn't that bad, well after the first twenty songs or so."
"Why don't you go and take a nap before your game? I'll wake you up so you can go through your warm-up routine." She yawned in response simultaneously turning Mark's question into an order. He kissed her forehead and gently nudged her toward the stairs. She trudged up the stairs without any response knowing that it was futile. Without even taking off her shoes she fell face first on the bed and immediately fell asleep.
Mark smiled as he looked around. Autumn was super excited about her party tomorrow night and consequentially was having a great game. It seemed that her legs were moving faster than any other person's on the field. No one could stop her, she spent the whole game slicing through the defense like they weren't even there. He was one proud Papa, well for Autumn. As for Lizard and Thunder that was another story. Mark frowned as he watched Lizard scream into the megaphone and flirt with anything that moved near him. Mark was quite appalled by his son's utterly crude nature. There was a good portion of him that wanted to slap him silly, but he restrained himself. It seemed as much as his daughter was focused on the game that's how much his sons were focused on the women around them. Thunder who had arrived just as the second half had started wasn't paying attention to anything other than Colby's tonsils. Mark shook his head, he was a father of two hormonal male hyenas. Great.
Once the game was over, Autumn walked over to them with a huge smile on her face. That was her best game in a long time. "Mack, that was great, who knew you actually didn't suck?" Autumn frowned and punched Lizard in the stomach.
"Jerk." Lizard did what he always does and flung Autumn over his shoulder then started spinning. He knew if he did it she'd get pale and puke…just what he wanted. "Dad tell him to stop!" Lizard smiled as Autumn tried frantically to hold her lunch down. He was really enjoying this.
"Yeah dad, tell him to stop." Mark rolled his eyes and plucked Autumn off her oldest brother's shoulders and set her on her feet. He looked glanced at her checking for paleness.
"You alright?" Autumn glared at Lizard and then nodded. Mark slapped Lizard on the back of his head and turned to leave.
"Ow!" Autumn stuck her tongue out and followed Mark up the hill towards the cars. "Grumpy old man," Lizard mumbled under his breath. Autumn snickered as Mark turned and glared at Lizard.
"I heard ya." Lizard shook his head and kept walking.
"So." Lizard took a step back as Mark narrowed his gaze.
"Come again?"
"Nothin'." Mark nodded and continued walking. Thunder thought the encounter was priceless. Lizard had finally discovered just how much Mark commanded respect. He was becoming one of the obedient lab rats and Lizard was loving it.
"Scared of Daddy?" Lizard stopped misstep and slugged Thunder in his stomach causing Thunder to take a few steps back. He took a step back and charged at his older brother. Before anyone could react Lizard and Thunder were trading blows. Autumn smiled happily, this was fun to watch. Mark on the other hand was just a hare annoyed. It had been a long hot day and he was not in the least interested in playing referee. He had turned and stalked towards his sons. In one fluid motion he grabbed them both by the collar of their shirts and separated them.
"Get in your cars and meet me at the house," he growled. Lizard backing down from no man opened his mouth only to be met with a glare that would kill six moose in an instant. Deciding not to further agitate his father Lizard shook off Mark's grasp and walked towards his truck. Objects in front of him seem to find their way into the air as the twenty-four year old threw a childlike temper tantrum. Mark shook his head as his son walked in front of him. Some things could be fixed and some couldn't.
It was the night of her pre-party with just friends and family. It was the night that started the best weekend of her life. Autumn happily ate her ice cream as her brothers glared at her. Mark had decided to enforce his annoyance over their scuffle with a house wide sugar ban on them. Neither man agreed with it, but what could they do, Mark was scary really scary.
"Dad, so tomorrow you're gonna walk me in right?' Mark smiled at his baby, she was so happy that this was going to be her night.
"Yes Ladybug, we're gonna make our grand entrance together." Autumn beamed wildly.
"Come here ya big lug." Mark felt his heart warm as he pulled her close. There was definitely a special bond between them. It had been cemented by their four tumultuous years together. Man, that felt like forever ago. He couldn't believe the girl in front of him was that same little brown haired girl who'd struck him with a broom stick. He felt a tear in his eye. Autumn Mackenzie Calaway, his ladybug, his daughter.
The doorbell rang. Autumn's eyes grew wide. "John! Randy!" Autumn leapt out of Mark's grasp and ran for the door. She opened it to reveal the duo she loved so much. "Hey guys!" She hugged them both wildly as John turned to Randy.
"You know, I think she missed us." Autumn pulled back.
"Who me? Miss you guys? No, never." The two man walked into the house.
"Sorry we're late."
"Yeah moron missed his fight." Randy rolled his eyes.
"Yeah sorry I had to pick up the kids gift." Autumn smiled.
"Ooh yay. You're forgiven." Lizard entered the room chewing on the whole salami roll.
"Mack, Dad wants you to help Colby figure out the playlist." He paused. "Woah, what are they doing here?" She shrugged.
"Lizard this is John and Randy. Guys this is my older brother Lizard. He's Mark's son." The two older men nodded in understanding. Mark had told them some about his new son, but not much. They cast an inspecting glare at him. Lizard rolled his eyes.
"Come on Mack, we can't have a party without music." Autumn slowly left the room.
"Play nice," she said as she rounded the corner. A silence engulfed them as a staring contest ensued.
"Look, my dad trusts you and so do i. Don't make a scene and we'll be fine." Neither of the older men spoke, they just walked towards the den where everyone else was.
John and Randy entered the room to find Mark and Autumn playing Rock Band. Of course he was terrible but it was fun none the less. The two men stayed in the corner choosing not to ruin the moment. "So what do you think about this Lizard character?" Randy shrugged.
"He just doesn't rub me right. There's something off about him, but I can't put my finger on it." John nodded.
"I agree."
Two hours later the tension had risen to an all-time high. It seemed that no matter what Autumn or Mark did to alleviate the situation would work. Something was going to give very soon. Autumn sat hoping that whatever did happen would happen quickly and not cause too much damage. Not if, but when. By now the party was dissipating and the tension was palpable. She yawned. John smiled at her.
"Hey, why don't you go sleep you've got a big day tomorrow." Autumn shrugged.
"Not sleepy really." John's eyebrows rose.
"Yeah right, your eyes scream sleepy. Just go to bed, we'll all be here tomorrow." Lizard rolled his eyes. Who'd this guy think he was. "Come on let's get you upstairs." Lizard had enough.
"Autumn, I need you for a second." Autumn sighed knowing that if she left the room something would happen, but she had to go and see what Mark wanted. She just hoped it didn't take too long.
"Cena, leave Mack alone. She's fine. She's almost sixteen years old. So stop trying to give her a bed time. Get real. It's her night, if she wants to stay up then she can. Don't boss her around." John stood up he was no fan of Lizard's.
"Look, I know how she operates alright. Lemme handle this and go back to throwing schoolboy temper tantrums." Lizard's eyes narrowed. "Yeah Mark told me how you think it's a good thing to throw things when you're angry. So before you can tell anybody how to act, learn to control yourself, junior." Lizard took a menacing step towards John.
"Wanna see what else I can do when I'm angry." Randy stepped in between the two.
"Alright guys lets calm down here." He pushed John back and looked up at Lizard. "Relax, he's just doing what he's always done. Protect her. They go back a long way. Just let him handle it."
"Yeah like a dog." Randy rolled his eyes. It was Thunder the instigator.
"Shut up Thunder." Thunder was now standing in the mix of the encounter now.
"No, I'm with Lizard. You guys treat Autumn like she's a dog or something. Just leave her alone and let her be." Lizard nodded at his brother and the pounded fists. Randy sighed, he was trying to be the cooler head for once but it wasn't working. He grunted they were working his nerves too.
"Thunder, just shut up and stay out of this." Lizard's head snapped back.
"Whoa hold up, don't tell my brother what do. He's definitely a grown man. You know what why don't you both leave? No one wants you here."
"Autumn does, remember her? You know the little girl we practically raised all these years. The one we helped through nightmares or when she was so scared of what would happen because of your strung-out mother. We protected her, we did it then and we'll do it now." Thunder was seething, how dare he talk about his mother. Lizard sensed this and stuck his arm out to stop his little brother from killing Randy.
"Just leave. We'll be her protection from now on. She has brothers, she doesn't need you two." The room fell deathly silent then it happened Thunder's rage boiled over and he swung landing a punch squarely on Randy's jaw. Then chaos ensued. Lizard and John fell on the ground wrestling to gain superior position. Autumn ran back into the room hearing the commotion. She tried to stop it but she couldn't.
"Dad!" She looked around in a panic, "Dad hurry," she screamed louder. Seconds later Mark came barreling into the room separating the four fighting men. He glared at them.
"What happened?" No one spoke. "Now!"
"He called my mother a junkie." Mark softened but kept his stance knowing this wasn't over. No one else spoke for a while. Autumn was holding her breath, please no.
"I'm out of here," Lizard looked at Autumn. "It's me or them," he said green eyes flashing. Thunder nodded and followed behind Lizard. John and Randy turned to leave too.
"We'll see you around Autumn."
"You're uh coming tomorrow right?" Her voice squeaked showing what she really felt.
"Maybe, we'll see." Autumn felt her world stand crushed as they walked out. She slid down the wall then pulled her knees to her chest. Earlier she'd had four brothers, now she had none. Mark watched the tears stream down her face. He was going to kill those idiots. Mark pulled her close.
"Ladybug it's going to be ok."
"Do you think this will ruin my party?" Mark closed his eyes tightly.
"No, they'll work it out." Autumn heard his words, but she wasn't so sure.
So I've decided to make it anywhere from two-three more chapters. As always lemme know! I love suggestions or guesses as to what will happen. :) Expect a possible update for CS tonight and maybe even one for TTB. :D