Chapter 5: Like old times
Everything was a blur. Of sirens, lights, body bags. The coroner said he fell down the stairs, but not why he fell down the stairs. He never tripped or fell down the stairs. Pogue had called Cassie and Tyler. "Excuse me, Miss Andrews?" A officer questioned. I looked up at him. "Yes?" I questioned standing up. "May I have a word?" He questioned, I nodded following him into the kitchen.
"Do you have any family you can call?" He questioned and I shook my head no. "No it was just us" I told him. He sighed but nodded. "I'm sure you'll be fine for tonight but tomorrow we'll have to move you and your siblings to foster care" He said. I looked up at him in horror. "No! Jenna and Derek might be adopted by separate families! You can't do that!" I told him. My voice rising to near hysteria. After losing mom, now losing dad. I was going to lose Jenna and Derek too?
"And it won't." A deep voice said. I looked over confused at seeing a blonde haired couple. The man looked really familiar but I just couldn't place him. "Mr. Garwin" The cop said immediately. My eyes widened. Why was Reid's dad here? He stepped forwards pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. "I just happen to have a copy of Mr. Andrews will" That's right. Reid's dad was a lawyer. "And in it he names his children's guardians" he said handing the will to the office. He opened it and read into it quickly before looking back at Mr. Garwin. "And do you accept this?" He questioned. Accept what? What would Mr. Garwin be accepting. "Yes my wife and I have talked about it and yes we agree to it." He said. "Agree to what?" I demanded. I wanted to know what was going on.
Mr. Garwin smiled softly at me. "Your father had appointed myself and my wife as your guardian. We're also going to be adopted your little brother and sister as well. To keep the three of you together. That is if you're all right with that. If you want to go to foster care then that's fine as well" He told me. "Why would you do that?" I questioned, "since when does a person need a reason. Now if you like you can stay here for the night since your brother and sister are fast asleep. But…" Mr. Garwin was interrupted by Derek. "Piper? What's going on? Where's daddy?" He questioned. I looked over to see him in his pajama's. His dark brown hair sticking up in odd directions. He was currently holding his teddy bear with one arm and rubbing his eyes with his other.
I walked over to him crouching down in front of him. I took his hands. "He's going to be gone for a while" I told him softly. "Where did he go?" Derek questioned. I sighed, "he's with mommy Derek" I told him softly. Derek instantly started wailing. I pulled him into my arms cradling him against me. "Sh, it's okay. It's okay Derek" I told him softly kissing his cheek. I picked him up rocking him softly. He was getting huge. He hooked his legs over my hips. His arms secured around my neck as he soaked my jacket. "If you want to stay with us tonight the boys I'm sure would be more than happy to help you find it. We'll get rooms set up for you three immediately" Mr. Garwin said before leaving with his wife.
After an hour I had Derek calmed down slightly. "I don't want to stay here tonight!" Derek wailed. I groaned. "I know baby, but the night's almost over. We'll be in a new home tomorrow. I promise" I told him softly. "But I can't stay here. I can't" He cried shaking his head. Shit. Where the fuck were we suppose to go? It's not like all three of us could stay in Cassie's dorm room. "You guys can stay in my apartment. It'll be cramped but at least it's a place to stay." Pogue offered. "Thanks Pogue" I told him. "Why don't you go upstairs and get some stuff packed?" I questioned Derek. He nodded his head. "I don't want to go alone" Derek said softly. "I'll go with you Derek" Cassie offered he nodded his head slowly before holding his free hand out. Cassie took it, the two walking up stairs. I groaned rubbing my face. "Need some help?" Caleb offered. "No I got it." I said not really listening as I went upstairs. But all I could think about was dad falling down the stairs.
I softly closed the door to my room. I walked over to my bed just sitting on it and grabbed a pillow crying into it. I didn't notice my door softly opening or closing. I just felt the arms that wrapped around me. I quickly looked up, pulling my face out of my pillow to see Pogue's long hair. His hand on the back of my head keeping my face into his neck. "Pogue?" I questioned, he pulled back slightly crouching in front of me. "Look just let me get this out all right?" He questioned and I nodded, clutching onto my pillow. He sat on the bed next to me. "I know I wasn't that great of a friend when your mom died" he said softly squeezing my hand. I shuttered at the memory. His grip on my tightened. "But I promise that I'll be a better friend this time around. I'm sorry for the way I've acted Piper and it wasn't anyone's fault but mine. I shouldn't have listened but I did and I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I wasn't and I'm sorry" Pogue said quickly. I couldn't help it. I needed my friend back. I wrapped my arms around him burying my face into his neck just completely breaking down.
He crushed me into his chest rubbing my back. "I really missed you Topher" I cried into his neck. I could feel his smile stretching across his lips as they pressed into my shoulder at the mentioning of his old nickname. "I missed you too Pip" he said softly. I hugged him tightly glad to have my best friend back. It felt so comfortable being in his arms again. I pulled back and just sat there. Pogue had turned himself on the bed, so he had one of his legs on the bed and I had leaned forwards into his chest. So now that I had pulled back we were facing each other. Pogue's hands contoured around my cheeks. His thumbs rubbing my tears away.
I hadn't noticed that Pogue's eyes had a golden tint to them. But I didn't have time to focus on them before his lips met mine. My eyes widened for a second before they closed. My heart skipping a beat. I reached up. My fingers meeting his neck before it hit me that Pogue had a girlfriend. I hated Kate, I mean I really hated Kate but still. How would I feel if my boyfriend was cheating on me?
I pulled back quickly. Pogue looked shocked for a second. "What?" He questioned softly. I shook my head standing up. "Pogue I can't deal with this now" I told him. He sighed but nodded. That's not what I meant to say but that's what came out.
"Sorry" Pogue said softly. Pogue was apologizing a lot tonight. Rubbing my eyes into my jacket sleeve I grabbed my bag and stuffed it with clothes. With that done I left it in the hall and slipped into Jenna's room and got her bags ready. Babies had way to much stuff. With those bags done, I gently picked up Jenna wrapping her up in a blanket so she staid sleeping. I had to walk slow and carefully or I'd wake her up. She snored lightly on my shoulder. I walked out into the hallway and Caleb, Tyler and Pogue were loaded down with bags. Cassie was holding Derek in her arms. He was passed out. So much for not being able to sleep in this house. "Ready to go?" Caleb questioned and I nodded.
I drove my car to Pogue's, Cassie in the passenger seat, with Caleb and Pogue leading the way in the mustang, and Tyler behind us in his hummer. "Wait he kissed you?" Cassie gasped and I nodded. "Yep" I told her. "What did you do?" She questioned. "Kiss him back" I muttered. "What?" She almost screamed. I smacked her arm, Derek groaned, lifting his head looking around blindly before falling back asleep.
"Then what?" Cassie questioned, "I remember he was dating Kate and pulled back and told him I couldn't deal with this right now." I told her. "But Kate's cheating on him" Cassie defended. "And he knows about it. Which is why I think he thought it was okay to kiss me." I told her. "Then quite letting it bother you. I mean if you like Pogue then go for it!" Cassie encouraged. "But I don't know if I do! I mean it's great having him back as a friend. But I can't deal with this now. I just want my friend back. I can't just forget all the years he ignored me!" I told her. She sighed leaning back in her seat. "Then I take it you have your eye more on Caleb?" She questioned. I gave her a look. She held her hands up in defense. "I'm just saying!" Cassie muttered. I rolled my eyes. "So you and Tyler are getting close" I commented. She blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about" she muttered looking out the window. I rolled my eyes. I focused on the road only to glance over at her. She was watching me out of the corner of her eye. Probably waiting for me to break down or something. I didn't have time to break down.