"Where are we going?" Camilla asked as she strapped herself into her booster seat, Keith setting her backpack under her feet.
"We're gonna go meet Papa's family," Keith responded with a smile, turning his head quickly to make sure Lance and Marina were actually coming out of the house like they said they would be.
"We'll be out in a minute," Lance had told Keith as Keith took Camilla out to the car.
Well. That had been three minutes ago.
"Are they nice?" Camilla asked, turning Keith's attention back to her.
"They are," Keith replied with a nod. "They want to meet you, they only just learned about you twins you know."
"Daddy?"
"What is it baby?" Keith asked, leaning against the car beside her seat.
"What if they don't like us?" Camilla asked softly. Keith frowned, it was unlike Camilla to be nervous like this. Between Camilla and Marina, Camilla had always been the brave one.
"I'm sure they will baby," Keith said with a smile. "They just need to get to know you."
"You promise?"
"I promise," Keith affirmed with a nod, leaning forward to kiss her forehead gently. He closed her door and climbed into the passenger seat, just as Lance, Marina, and Kosmo came out of the house, Lance locking the door behind him.
A few minutes later, Marina was strapped into her car seat, Kosmo was sitting between the two girls and Lance had buckled himself into the driver's seat.
"Pretty sure that was longer than a minute," Keith said as he buckled his seat belt, Lance following in suit before starting the car.
"Well, you've had five years of experience with this," Lance said with a roll of his eyes.
"Excuses," Keith said with a playful smirk.
By the time they arrived in Cranston, the sun was starting to go down. It had taken them a little longer than they would have liked but with two five year olds, things don't always go as planned.
"You live here Papa?" Marina asked with wide eyes, her eyes never leaving the house.
"I do," Lance answered with a smile. "Ever since I was a baby."
Just as they walked up to the front door, the door opened and out walked Lance's mother. Rosa, who wore a big smile on her face.
"I figured it was you lot," she said as she drew Lance into a hug. "I missed you mi hijo."
"I missed you to Mama," Lance replied with a smile. Rosa pulled back and turned to Keith, her smile never leaving her face. In fact, Keith swore it grew bigger.
"It's good to see you again Keith," Rosa said, a motherly tone present in her voice.
"Yes, it's good to see you again as well Mrs. McClain," Keith replied with a small nod.
"Oh please, Mrs. McClain makes me sound old," Rosa said with a scoff. "Please, just call me Rosa. You are family now after all."
Rosa's gaze then turned to the two girls who were clinging onto the fabric of Keith's black jeans and staring cautiously up at the woman. Her eyes softened and she slowly knelt down to be level with the twins.
"How would you two like to help me bake some cookies for later?"
"Go on," Keith said with a smile, placing his hands on each girls head and ruffling their hair.
Camilla was the first to grab Rosa's hand, followed by Marina. As they headed into the house, Keith and Lance started grabbing their luggage from the car. Lance turned as he heard the screen door slam shut and his older brother Luis walking down the porch stairs.
"Sí mamá lo sé," Luis yelled back to their mom before letting out a sigh.
"Mom made you help us didn't she?" Lance asked with a smirk.
"Could be worse, Marco is stuck helping Dad clean the shed out back," Luis said with a chuckle. "Hasn't been cleaned in months."
"I don't pity him," Lance replied with a chuckle. "Luis, you remember Keith right?"
Keith turned at the sound of his name being called. He caught the gaze of Luis who nodded upon seeing Keith.
"Yeah I remember," Luis said with a smile. "Nice to see you again."
"Yeah, same here," Keith replied with a nod, slinging a bag over his shoulder. He had met Luis a few times whenever he would come over and Luis and his family were visiting. Today must have been one of those times.
By the time Keith and Lance were settled into Lance's room and the twins were set up in the guest bedroom, dinner was called. Lance's father greeted him as he and Marco came in from out back. It was almost funny how calm everything was. Keith expected it to be tense in the family but it was surprisingly calm.
Luis and Lisa's children Nadia and Sylvio got along well with Camilla and Marina, despite the age difference. Keith smiled to himself having a weight off his shoulders, at least he knew that whenever they visited again, the twins would get along with their cousins.
After dinner, Nadia and Sylvio headed out into the backyard with the twins and Kosmo. Luis and Marco were in the kitchen helping clean up with Lisa and Rachel doing the dishes.
"Keith," Michael called out as he and Rosa entered the living room. Lance and Keith turned from where they were cuddling on the couch, Rosa and Michael sitting on the loveseat near the couch. "I- we want to apologize."
"Oh," Keith said sitting up and shaking his head softly. "Really, there's no need-"
"But there is," Rosa said with a soft shake of her head. "Because of our judgement, we pushed Lance to break up with you in order to please us and what we thought was best. Which in turn, not only hurt Lance but you as well."
"We just wanted to let you know that you and your daughters have a place here," Michael said with a smile. "And we hope that you can forgive us."
"Of course," Keith said with a soft nod. "You were just doing what you thought was right, as a parent now myself, I understand."
"I'm glad," Rosa said with a smile. "Now, why don't you tell us about those girls of yours?"
A few months later, Lance had fully moved in with Keith and the twins. While his parents would miss their son being home, they understood his commitment to Keith and the girls and supported him on his decision.
Within those months, Romelle and Allura had gotten engaged and were set to be married that fall. Shiro and Adam had also started finally planning a wedding, much to Krolia's excitement that they were finally getting married. The couple had also purchased a house in Millcreek to be closer to Krolia and Keith but also to be closer to Adam's parents who lived closer to Millcreek than Cranston.
Lance also had talked with his parents about going to school to pursue a career in teaching and his parents were more than willing to support him through school. Of course, it had just been an idea and Lance was still debating if he wanted to.
For now, Lance took up a job working at a coffee shop and would bring home treats for the girls after his shifts.
Keith had also signed the girls up for kindergarten and they would be starting in the fall. Marina and Camilla were excited to start school. Though, Keith knew there was an unspoken fear of school within both of them. He and Lance would have to sit the girls down and help them work through their fears before the school year started.
Natasha had asked Keith to open the bar as she would be running late because of a doctor's appointment. Keith had opened a few times so it was nothing new for him. He dropped the girls off at Krolia and Kolivan's house before he headed to the bar as Lance wasn't off until seven and Keith started at six.
Nadia, Ryan, and Ina hadn't shown up yet and neither had Vivian or Julian. Which left Keith and Annika to themselves for a bit until someone else showed up. He didn't mind, he liked the quiet before the bar became crowded and loud.
The bar was partially set up with what Keith could do himself, what was left was whatever was Nadia's job as she was the main bartender. There wasn't really much to do until the bar opened and even then, there was not a lot to do in that first hour anyway.
"You can push me away, I can take it
I can make you a promise and break it
We know the way it goes by now"
Keith turned and smiled hearing Annika playing the piano and singing, filling the silence of the bar.
"Running off just to see if I chase you
I pretend I know how to replace you
Still we get tangled up somehow"
He always liked Annika's voice, he was sure if she wasn't working here that she would be on Broadway.
"Hear it thunder
And I wonder
How long can I hang on?"
Keith vaguely remembered hearing the song from a TV clip Annika had shown him a while back. Some show called Smash or something along those lines.
"I'm caught in the storm, I'm caught in the rain
I'm caught in the rush that hides this pain
I'm ready to drown, but it's coming down, but I feel so alive
Just let me go, just walk away
If you love someone, you never let them stay
Caught in the storm"
The door opened and in walked Nadia along with Ina. The girls turned to wave at Annika who nodded back at them before the pair headed over to the bar.
"As the bars on the bowery are closing
You arrive at the door, standing frozen
You say you thought you'd find me here
Tell me how I begin to forget you
When you keep coming back and I let you
Love me until you disappear"
"Did Nat say a time she'd be here?" Nadia asked as she tied her hair back into a ponytail and started pulling stuff out on the bar.
"No, just that whenever her appointment is done she'd be heading over," Keith said with a shake of his head as he wiped down tables after taking the chairs off of them.
"I'm caught in the storm, I'm caught in the rain
I'm caught in the rush that hides this pain
I'm ready to drown, but it's coming down, but I feel so alive
Just let me go, just walk away
If you love someone, you never let them stay
Caught in the storm"
"Ryan's out sick today," Ina said as she walked back from the back with trays and her apron.
"Let me wash away
You can find me after the flood
Let me wash away"
"Tell him I hope he gets better," Keith said with a smile.
"Will do," Ina said with a nod.
"Caught in the storm, caught in the rain
Caught in the rush that hides this pain
When you love someone you find a way to stay
Caught in the storm, hmm"
As Annika finished her song, the trio clapped for her. Annika smiled and bowed as she stepped away from the piano. However, her face turned serious a minute later and she sat on the bar in front of Keith.
"Okay, spill it," Annika said placing her chin on her hand. "What's eating you?"
"What?" Keith asked as the attention turned to him, he was taken back by Annika's question. "There's nothing wrong."
"Uh huh and I'm having tea with the Queen of England tomorrow," Annika replied with a roll of her eyes. "You can't hide it from me, I've known you for what, five or six years now? Spill it."
Keith let out a soft sigh before he placed the towel he was holding onto the bar counter. Scratch Annika being on Broadway, with her skill of picking up that he was hiding something, she would be a great asset in the police force.
"I just-it all feels surreal," Keith explained.
"What does?" Ina asked as she sat down beside Annika.
"Lance, I mean, we've been dating for months now and we've patched up the holes and we're all moving forward as one unit," Keith said with a frown. "But sometimes, I feel like I'm going to wake up and it's all just going to be a dream. Everything will be as it used to and I'll be stuck with the pain all over again."
"What you talked to Lance about this?" Nadia asked. "He is your boyfriend after all."
Keith's silence was enough of an answer for them.
"I'm not going to tell you what to do Keith," Annika said with a small smile. "But I do know this is going to keep eating you up until you eventually crack."
"Annika's right," Nadia said with a nod. "It might help to talk this through with Lance. You never know, maybe he's feeling similar feelings."
"Maybe," Keith said with a sigh."
"Cause you, you've got this spell on me
I don't know what to believe
Kiss you once now I can't leave
'Cause everything you do is magic
But everything you do is magic"
Keith turned from where he was singing with Julian and his eyes landed on Lance who smiled seeing he caught Keith's attention and waved at him.
"Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh (C'mon)
Kiss you once now I can't leave
'Cause everything you do is magic
But everything you do is magic
Dada dadada da da da da"
As the song ended, Keith headed over to Lance who greeted him with a kiss and a smile.
"I thought you weren't off until seven?" Keith asked, Lance let out a laugh before he showed Keith his phone.
"Babe, it's seven thirty, I got off half an hour ago," Lance said before shoving his phone back into his pocket. "Slow night?" Lance asked looking around at the bar which was more empty than usual.
"Tell me about it," Nadia said as she walked up holding a tray with empty glasses on it. "This is what happens when people go away for the long weekend."
"Then you won't mind if I steal Keith away then?" Lance said wrapping an arm around Keith's waist.
"Honestly? Go for it," Nadia said with a chuckle. "I'm sure Julian and Annika can handle themselves."
"You sure?" Keith asked as Lance started leading him to the back to grab his stuff.
"I wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't sure!" Nadia called back as they headed down the hall.
After they picked up Marina and Camilla, got them ready for bed, and put them to bed, Keith and Lance were relaxing in their bedroom for the night. It still baffled Keith to say it. It used to be his house and his bedroom and his daughters.
Now, well now things were different.
Now it was their house, their bedroom, and most importantly, their daughters.
Keith was already changed into his pyjamas and was snuggled under the blankets, Lance had just gotten out of the shower and changed into his own pyjamas. The only light in the bedroom was the lamp on the bedside dresser on Lance's side of the bedroom.
Keith kept replaying his conversation with Nadia, Annika, and Ina earlier as he watched Lance dry his hair with a hair towel. He knew he should talk to Lance about his recent anxiety but, he just didn't know how.
Keith was brought out of his thoughts when he felt the bed dip and Lance climb under the blankets with him.
"You've got that look on your face," Lance said as he leaned on his elbow.
"What look?" Keith asked as he turned his attention to Lance. "I don't have a look."
"Yeah, you do," Lance said with a chuckle. "It's the look you have when something is troubling you. So tell me, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing," Keith said with a shake of his head. 'It's something' Keith thought with a frown.
"Hey," Lance said with a smile. "You can tell me anything, I'm here for you. Don't be afraid to tell me."
There was a few moments of silence before Keith sat up with a soft sigh, the blankets falling to sit on his lap.
"You love me right?" Keith asked softly, soft enough that Lance had to strain his ears to hear it properly.
"Of course I do," Lance said as he sat up and brushed the hair from Keith's neck and placed a gentle kiss there. "More than anything."
"Enough to stay?" Keith asked, even more softly than before. "To stay with the girls? To stay here? To stay, with me?"
"Keith," Lance said as he took Keith's chin gently and turned him to face him. "I left the girls, I left you and I regret it every day. But hear me when I say that I will never leave you again. I'm here to stay, and I mean it."
Lance had a feeling something had been bothering Keith lately. Now, now he knew exactly what it was.
"Do you promise?" Keith asked as his eyes filled with tears and slowly slid down his cheeks. His heart had been broken before, he doesn't think he could stand it if Lance were to leave again. "Promise that I won't wake up tomorrow and this will all be a dream."
"I promise," Lance said with a smile. "I'm not going anywhere. And if I do, you have my permission to send Shiro and Adam to hunt me down."
"I think they would do it without me having to ask them," Keith said with a smirk.
"Very true," Lance said with a laugh. "I love you, you know."
"I know," Keith said with a soft nod.
"I mean it, I-"
"Lance," Keith interrupted.
"What?"
"Shut the hell up and kiss me."
"Gladly," Lance said with a smirk as he closed the distance and kissed Keith.
Song(s) Used:
Caught in The Storm
Sung by Katharine McPhee, 2013
Magic
Sung by One Direction, 2012
Author's Note:
Hey y'all!
I am alive! I apologize for falling off the face of the Earth. Life hit me hard and I had to take a little bit of a break there.
I'm doing better though, I just hit a bump in the road and needed time to get myself back into the groove of things. This chapter is a little bit of a smaller one but I just wanted to get a chapter out, it's been sitting in my folder for a few months now.
Anyways, I don't really have a thought question for this chapter but I hope you guys enjoyed it.
Until next time!
~Alchemygirl8
