Hey everyone! I'm back with another chapter! I apologize for the delay as I've been struggling with a lack of motivation. Thanks for all your reviews last chapter! You guys are so sweet. :) Thank you to all of my guest reviewers, sorry I can't reply to you because that's how it's set up but thank you all the same! PLEASE REVIEW and let me know what you think of this chapter! God Bless.

-Vegter999

Chapter 8

Erik's POV:

I pulled up to my parents house and turned off the engine, taking a deep breath before going inside.

I can handle this. I. Can. Handle. This.

I slowly pushed open the car door and stepped onto the pavement of the driveway and shut the door, locking the car behind me.

I padded my way up to the house entrance and knocked. The door opened and thank the lord in heaven it was Pappa that stood there. If it had been Magnus I'm not sure I would've been able to stop myself from landing a solid punch to his face.

Pappa sighed at seeing me.

"I assume you're here for Torsten."

I felt so much anger inside me brewing at Magnus that all I could do was nod.

Thankfully Papa did not protest and simply moved aside to let me in.
I looked to the left and noticed Magnus and Elsa sitting on the couch laughing. They stopped when they saw me however. White hot ire filled me to the point where my vision began to cloud and my fists remained clenched tightly at my sides, yet words somehow chose that moment to flee me, much to my irritation. All I could do was glare at them silently in fury and betrayal. I then turned on my heel and practically stomped in the direction of Torsten's room.
"Erik!" Magnus called after me but I didn't listen.

When I got to Torsten's room I knocked on the door.

"Torsten, it's me" I said.

"Erik" Magnus said, appearing in the hallway and looking straight at me. Torsten opened the door.

"Thank God you're here" Torsten said.

I entered the room and slammed it shut in Magnus's face and locked it when he tried to follow me in.

"Come on guys you can't avoid me forever!" he exclaimed through the door.

"Oh yes we can!" Torsten spat back.

I pulled out Torsten's suitcase from under the bed where I knew it would be and he proceeded to tell me what he wanted to take with him and I placed it in the suitcase.

"Erik my toothbrush and the rest of my toiletries are still in the bathroom. I wasn't able to get them because I've been barricading myself in here. Would you mind getting them for me?"

"Sure."

I took a deep breath before opening the door again and shutting it while Torsten proceeded to lock it from the inside. Magnus still stood there, his arms folded.

"Erik..."

"Shut up Magnus! I don't wanna hear anything from you!" I exclaimed, my tongue seeming to have started working again.

I made my way to the bathroom with Magnus on my tail. I repeated the same pattern of slamming the door shut in his face and locking it so he couldn't follow me in and quickly gathered up Torsten's toiletries before heading back down the hall with Magnus following me again.

"Look I know you're angry..."

"What part of shut up didn't you understand Magnus?!"

I entered Torsten's room again, this time leaving the door open since we were about to leave anyway and placed the toiletries in his suitcase before zipping it up and placing it on the floor, pulling up the handle to roll it out of the room.

"Let's go Torsten" I said. Thankfully Magnus didn't stand in our way as we made our way into the living room and towards the door.

All of a sudden Elsa stood in my way.

"Erik..." she began.

"Whatever you have to say you can save it Elsa. Now please move."

She looked as if she wanted to protest but, thought better of it and silently moved out of the way. Torsten and I then bid Pappa goodbye and got in the car and drove off.

###

Ruth's POV:

Once Sarie was exercised, groomed and well fed I headed back into the house and took a quick shower to wash off the grime from my ride. After that, I dressed in some fresh clothes and had just begun to comb through my hair when I heard the sound of the kids downstairs and I knew that Erik must be home with them and Torsten.

I headed downstairs and immediately was assaulted with hugs from Annalise, Katarina, and Maryam all at once.

"Hey my lovely girls did you have a good time with grandma?" I giggled, placing a kiss on each of their heads.

"Jakob pushed me Mamma" Maryam replied.

Jakob, who had been hanging back from us, suddenly found his shoes to be quite interesting as I gazed pointedly at him.

"Jakob, is that true?" I gently chastised him.

"I said I was sorry Mamma."

"Well don't do it again. Remember that true repentance is not only saying sorry but changing your actions."

Jakob bobbed his head up and down to show he understood while keeping his eyes lowered.

I then looked around and noticed that Erik and Torsten weren't in the room.

"Where is your Pappa?"

"He's helping Uncle Torsten out of the car" Jakob replied.

I quickly went to the door and spotted Erik helping Torsten into his chair and then beginning to roll it up the driveway towards the ramp that we'd installed awhile back just in case Torsten ever came for a visit.

Erik looked up and spotted me.

"Ruth could you hold the door open for us?" he called.

"Sure."

I stepped outside so I would be out of the way and held the door open as Erik pushed Torsten's chair through the doorway.

Once they were through I followed them inside and shut the door behind me.

Erik wheeled Torsten to one of the guest bedrooms, which consisted of a bed with plain white sheets and pillows and a wooden table by the bed as well as a dresser.

"I hope this will be comfortable enough for you" I said to Torsten as I stood in the doorway.

"It's look wonderful and thank you for letting me stay Ruth."

"Of course Torsten you're family, that's what families are for."

My eyes then shifted to Erik, who was currently unpacking Torsten's luggage. It was obvious from the tight set of his jaw, the rigidness of his posture, and the way he was shoving Torsten's clothes into the dresser, that he was upset and very, very, infuriated.

Once he was done he scooted past me without a word and hurried down the hall, slamming the door to our bedroom shut behind him.

I glanced at Torsten.

"Well I should probably go check on him. Will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine."

I gave him a small smile and a hug before leaving the room and softly closing the door so he could have some privacy.

Before I went to check on Erik I put a movie on for the kids in the living room and told them not to leave the house without telling me first before proceeding to head back to our bedroom.

As I stood outside, I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Erik can I come in?"

No answer.

I softly opened the door and found Erik lying on his stomach on the bed, his face on top of his arm.

"Erik are you alright?"

He only groaned in response.

"Was it that bad really?"

For a moment there was silence, then his shoulders started to shake and for a second I thought he was laughing. However, I soon heard small muffled sobs and I quickly realized he was crying.

"Oh sweetheart" I said sadly, making my way over to him. I sat on the bed and then laid down so the upper half on my body was on his back and held him in my arms. He continued to sob and I ran my hands up and down his upper arms.

"Sweetheart please talk to me. I want to help if I can."

He didn't answer but just continued to cry so I decided it might be best to let him get it all out before inquiring more about what had transpired at Skandar and Brita's.

As I continued to hold him and soothe him he began to quiet until at last he was only sniffling.

Finally he sat up. His eyes were red and puffy and he looked just plain exhausted. I gave him a hug from the side and he wrapped his arms around me.

"You wanna talk about it?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"How about some dinner? I'll make you your favorite meal."

He nodded.

"Ok. You stay up here and rest and I'll bring it to you." I kissed him on the forehead and he wordlessly followed my advice and got under the covers and lent back against the pillows.

I left the room and hurried down the hall and towards the living room to check on the kids before starting to cook. I stopped when I noticed Torsten watching the movie with them and Katarina sitting in his lap.

I moved towards them and Torsten noticed me as I approached.

"Figured you'd want an adult to be around to keep on eye on these little ones."

I smiled gratefully and my heart warmed at his thoughtfulness.

"Thank you. It always makes me feel better when I know someone I trust is with them."

"No problem. By the way how is Erik?"

"He's not even talking."

"Oh no that's a bad sign."

"I know. I haven't seen him this way, well, ever. I'm making his favorite meal for him and bringing it to him in bed so maybe that will cheer him up."

"Good idea."

"I also need to scrounge something up for the kids. Would you mind just calling and ordering a pizza for them?"

"Pizza!" Annalise exclaimed happily.

"Really Mamma we get to have pizza? Can we eat it while watching the movie? Please?" Jakob begged.

"Yes and yes but only for tonight."

"Yay!" Maryam exclaimed.

"Torsten, here's the money for the pizza" I pulled a small stack of Kroner from my purse and handed it to him.

"And Jakob when it gets here I want you to help Uncle Torsten with the pizza ok?"

"Yep" he replied.

I kissed him on the head and made my way to the kitchen where I began preparing Erik's all time favorite dish: spinach lasagna.

I soon had it ready and garnished with cheese and tomato sauce before I placed it in the oven where it would bake for forty-five minutes.

While I was waiting I went upstairs to check on Erik again and I found the bed empty, but I quickly picked up on the shower running in the bathroom. Oh no, another bad sign. Erik didn't usually shower in the middle of the day or in the evening unless he was very stressed out.

I tried not to worry and busied myself with vacuuming the floor so he would have a clean carpet to walk on.

I then proceeded to do the same for the other rooms and before I knew it, forty-five minutes had already flown by.

I pulled the lasagna out of the oven and took out two plates and placed them on a tray. I added a slice of lasagna to each along with a piece of leftover pumpkin pie which Erik and I both loved.

I then carried the tray upstairs and pushed the bedroom door open with my hip. Erik was lying on the bed again, his wet hair neatly combed and a washcloth over his face.

"Honey" I said. He reached up and removed the cloth and had to blink for a few seconds at the sudden rush of light.

"I brought you your favorite."

I set the tray down in front of him.

"Thank you."

"Good to hear your voice again" I said, kissing him on the forehead.

We proceeded to silently devour our meal and once we were done I asked the question that had been on my mind for over the past hour.

"So what happened?"

"Magnus tried to talk to me. I yelled at him to shut up. Elsa tried to talk me and I basically told her she could save it."
"It must've brought back a lot of bad memories for you."

"I am so angry with both of them for showing their faces here again I don't even know where to begin."

"Well think about it this way. You probably won't have to see him again while he's visiting and if he does come and try to talk to you, you have the right not to talk to him."

Erik sighed.

"I suppose you're right."

"Do you need another hug?"

"Yes."

I moved the tray out of the way and proceeded to hold him for as long as he needed.

Hey guys I hope I did this chapter alright. Please REVIEW and let me know what you think. God Bless.