A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys!

Disclaimer: I am not the wonderful Kelley Armstrong!

October 13, 2021 is the day Ethan Souza sees his parents crying for the first time.

And quite ironic, the day had started out pleasant. Which just made things worst.

Ethan had come back from playing pirate in the park with some older kids in the neighborhood. Though he was the only three year old in the group of five year olds, he apparently had the better imagination everyone of them had lacked. So he was nominated the leader his pack of pirates versus Jimmy's pack.

Anyways, it was extremely fun and when he came back home, mom had made Chicken Carbonara Rosa for dinner! And she let him eat as much as he wanted, so it ended with a tummy ach and he went to take a quick nap.

Except, he woke up to the sound of light footsteps pacing in the other room.

He got up on his elbows and listened intently. There it was again, pacing.

Light, meaning mom's. And it was gong back and forth. It kept going for about two minutes when suddenly, it all just stopped. It was eerie quiet, and worried for his mother, Ethan got out of his crib and walked to his parents room. The door was slightly ajar, and Ethan peeked in.

Mom was standing, giving Ethan a profile of her as she stared at a wall in front of her, her stance telling Ethan she was using a lot of energy to remain standing.

"N-no. Why? What does it mean?" Chloe asked, sounding like borderline pleading. Ethan looks closer to realize his mother wasn't wearing her Bluetooth, the thing she always wears when speaking around the house. It made no sense to Ethan, because she always talked to family on the phone, but to others, she had to take the time searching for the

Bluetooth, wasting all her time.

So, who was she talking to? Ethan couldn't smell anyone else here.

"Th-that can't be. W-Why would you say something like that!" Chloe suddenly exclaims, pointing a finger at the wall. Ethan heard his mother's heart rate speed up to an abnormal speed and she started panting suddenly, clutching her now big tummy. Her eyes widen and she slaps a hand over her mouth, swaying and resting a hand on the bed besides her for support.

"Mom!" Ethan rushed in, not sure why his mother was suddenly acting like that.

He wrapped his arms around her legs and she draped an arm around his shoulder, one hand still clutching her stomach.

"P-please. P-please don't do this to me." She whispers, her voice cracking as Ethan looks up to see her talking to the wall.

"Mom?" She doesn't even look down at him as she shakes her head. There are tears pricking her eyes and she is breathing heavily. "Please. Please." Her chest seizes and she slaps a hand over her mouth while shutting her eyes tight.

But it doesn't matter, because the tears flow freely, spilling over her hand, muffling her sobs. "Mom!" Ethan exclaims and jumps up, panicking.

For the first time, Chloe realizes he's right there and she kneels down in front of him. Then she brings him to tight embrace.

"Oh Ethan." She continues crying and all he could do is hold her back. He wishes he could ask what's wrong. God knows he wanted to know, but Chloe couldn't even form coherent words, just talking gibberish into his ears.

Who knows how long they were like that until Ethan felt his dads arms around them and picking them up to sit on the bed. Chloe lets go of Ethan and clutches onto Derek's shirt, climbing onto his lap.

She digs her head into his chest as she sobs, Derek rubbing her back. His warmth assures her the slightest, but what she's going through, it's not something Derek can fix. Chloe looks so small compared to Derek's warm large arms around her as he holds her.

"Shhh." He whispers while rocking them back and forth.

"Just go! Just go away!" Chloe suddenly exclaims, and Ethan's worried she's saying that to daddy. But when he checks, he sees her looking

over Derek's shoulder, gripping them, accidentally digging her nails in from her anger.

"Chloe. Please tell me what's wrong." Derek asks desperately, his wolf confused beyond belief. Chloe keeps her head in the crock of his neck, her arms around his neck for support.

"It's the babies Derek. It's them." She whispers low, but Ethan still catches it.

Derek pulls Chloe away to look her in the eyes, capturing her face in his two large hands. Her face is covered with tear stains, eyes still watery.

"What about them Chloe? What happened to them?" He asks frantically, eyes wide with fright

"S-she told me. T-the physic who's always here. S-she s-said one of th-the twins d-didn't make it." More tears flow and Derek immediately puts an ear to her stomach, praying for all eternity the ghost is wrong. "Please tell me she's wrong. She's wrong right?" Chloe asks desperately and after twenty seconds of no respond, she sucks in a shaky breath and sobs some more

Derek could only now hear one heart beat.

Just one strong one. That's it.

It breaks him, and he can't even bring himself to confirm it to Chloe. Or to even lift his head. He sees red, and for the first time in such a long time, he wishes he had a face to punch. Just someone to blame for this. Someone to let all his anger out on. But he doesn't, and his wolf knows it. He should lift his head up, because the single heart beat he is

listening to is so foreign to his ears, he hates it. But he can't even do that. His wolf howls sadly inside of him, and Derek feels the need to run into their little forest and Change, let the wolf out to mourn his child's lost. But he can't leave his wife like this. Maybe some other time.

And as hard as he tries, he still feels hot tears spilling over as he clutches Chloe's stomach.

Only one heart beat.

Chloe feels her husband's shaking form, and she puts a hand in his hair and she bends to kiss his head. He looks up and takes her in an embrace, both of them sobbing, the

combination of both shaking forms transforming into one shuddering body.

Both seem to forget Ethan was right there He just sits there, silently watching the scene before him.

Put one and one together, and what do you get?

And for the first time, Ethan wishes he wasn't abnormally smart. That he was the average three year old with the average mentality. Because if he was, then there was no way he would have known that one of his unborn siblings just died.

Tears flood his vision, and he's taking shaky breathes to calm himself. But it's in vain, because his tears spill over and he crawls to his parents.

His father looks up, face wet, and opens an arm and Ethan comes crashing in between them.

Chloe hugs him tightly and Derek wraps his arms around both of them, slightly rocking them back and forth.

No words are said. They aren't needed. It's a silent understanding between the three of them as they mourn the loss of one of their babies, like one shuddering body.

Ethan never wants to see his parents cry like that ever again.

January 4, 2022 is the day Ethan sees just how strong his daddy is.

They were all just entering the house from leaving the theatre. They saw Avatar 3, because Ethan was really excited to see the new digital effects that were being added. Plus, Chloe just loves James Cameron movies.

Ethan was sitting on daddy's shoulders, laughing hysterically as his father purposefully shifted a lot as they walked out of the driveway.

"Derek, he's going to fall over." Chloe tried to chastise, but at the look of Ethan's wide smile, she couldn't help but let the corner of her lips curve up.

"Pssh! Daddy can't do that. I'm strong." And to show his strength, Ethan held on tighter to his father's neck. Derek could feel the tight pressure, and he knew any other father would ask him to stop, but being a werewolf, it didn't really have an impact. He smirked up at

his son as Chloe searched her purse for the keys in the dark night, all of them standing in from of the door now.

"That's tight. But let's see just how tight you can go." Derek challenged as Ethan blinked down at him. Chloe frowned at him as she put the keys in but Derek pretended not to notice. It was a werewolf thing.

"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you, who's gonna buy my toys if you can't work?" Ethan smirked and stuck his tongue out. Then, flexing his fingers first, he put much more pressure on his hold (knowing it wasn't going to hurt his dad because he's really strong.)

Is it weird saying Derek hoped his son was able to actually cause him pain? If so, then they have a very weird relationship.

Chloe opened the door, and Derek froze.

"Derek?" She asked carefully after stepping in and looking back at him. Derek immediately pried Ethan's fingers off him as he reached for his wife, pulling her out. He kept a firm arm around her waist after handing her Ethan, who was quiet and listening intently. Though he had no idea why dad was taking a defensive stance, back rigid, eyes open wide, nose in the air, he had never seen him like that, and decided to

keep quiet.

Chloe on the other hand-"Derek? What's wrong?" She whispered to him. He didn't even look down at her as he sniffed the air. "Derek?" She tried again, but it was in vain. "Derek!" She risked a whisper yell at her husband. "Tell me what going on." She demanded and Derek finally looked down.

"Someone's been here recently." He whispered and that shut her up. "Here, take Ethan, get in the car, and call Simon." He planted a kiss on her forehead before stepping into the house.

"Wh-what? Where do you think you're going?" She takes his arm, halting him. She knew by the emphasis and slight snarl on someone, that it was a werewolf. And here is Derek, not even hesitating to enter the house!

"I'm going to check things out. Just go." Derek wrenches out of her grasp and gives her a light push to get out of the threshold. He enters the house quietly, taking small steps while following the now disappearing scent. He doesn't bother turning on the lights and passes the entry ally, and goes into their large spacious living room.

A sniff, and the scent is stronger.

But not strong enough, so he goes to their kitchen. The refrigerator is open wide, with spilled goods on the floor. Then, there's vomit. The smell burns his nose and it covers anything else.

Shit.

A dark figure, and Derek's on the floor with a man on top of him. Derek blows a punch right on the man's face, then kicks and the man leaps up with a groan. Derek quickly takes the opportunity and jumps up, crouching.

He growls at the man as they circle around, never leaving their eyes of the other. The man-who looked about forty, dressed like the homeless with a scarred face- snarls at Derek before springing. Derek lands a punch in his chest, just as the man kicks his shins. Derek grunts, before back handling the man in the chin. He hears a snap, and leaps out of the way as the man takes a swing.

"Heh, you're pretty good." The man gruffs out before leaping into Derek. Somehow, they are in the living room and they both fall on the couch, and it tips over with a loud thump.

They wrestle on the floor, neither of then getting the right hold to do any damage. But as they roll, Derek can feel the man's muscles moving, along with his own. They are about to Change.

That's when the man's head snaps up, and he licks his lips as his eyes widen with pure lust.

Chloe's there, worried for her husband who's under the large man. She knew he was about to Change, and even though Derek's now older, his Changes still take more time then other werewolves.

He needed a distraction.

Derek grunts as one of his muscles snap, and he doubles over. The man merely gets off him and stares at the woman.

"My, my. Chose yourself a nice mate, eh?" He takes a step forward, and Chloe tries not to flinch.

Derek, still on the floor, reaches for the man's ankle weakly but the man just kicks and takes another step.

"Where's that beautiful son of yours? Its been awhile since I've come across such a good smelling baby werewolf." He licks his lips again, and Chloe forces her self to steel herself

"Get. Out Chloe." Derek demands, but Chloe ignores him. He hates how defenseless he his. He hates how the man is looking lustfully at his mate. He hates how he can also smell his son hiding by the ally way. He hates how it is a sadistic maneater that they have come across. He hates how his Changes come much too slow. And he hates how he needs

his wife to distract the mutt.

"You're not going to touch my son." She says to the man. The man raises an eyebrow.

"You're gonna have another baby, what's the big deal?" Chloe is mentally preparing a dead animal, when suddenly, her husband springs up and leaps on the man, still in human form. They go down, but Derek has the advantage and he lands punch after

punch.

Then, the man spites blood in Derek's face and kicks him, Derek leaping off. But Derek quickly comes back and grabs him in a head lock. By then, Ethan is besides his mom (who first locked him in the car, but he had managed to escape.)

Every fiber in Ethan's body is telling him to do something, his muscles working. But the more rational part of him told him his father had everything under control. That his father was better trained and younger then the old man.

Just then, the man leaped up and for a second, everything went in slow motion for Ethan.

The man, with an arm stretched out, fingers ready to grab, reached for Chloe, Derek right behind him to hold him back. It was like a perfect movie still, until everything went too fast and Derek's fingers slipped through the mans raggy clothes, and Ethan throws himself in front of his mother, and seeing this, Derek, on the last minute, threw all he

had on the man. But as they fell, the man managed to scratch his horrific animalistic fingers into Ethan's face.

Chloe immediately pushes Ethan away to the kitchen, but he doesn't move. "Ethan! Move. It!" She yells at him, and the face she gives him; he doesn't hesitate and obeys. Chloe runs to the back door and slides it open. Derek grunts and brings the now tired old man out.

Derek throws the man down the steps, stumbling and grunting as Derek descends the small steps, bearing down at the man as he swipes some blood off his lips with his fist.

"Don't come any closer Chloe." He booms, not even bothering to look back at her. Chloe hesitates by the door, her foot already outside. "Chloe. Don't." Derek bends down to grab the crawling man and, by his hair and shoulder, drags him into the forest they own.

Ethan, watching from the window, is actually dreadful of what his dad is going to do.

January 5, 2022 is the day Ethan learns every married couple fight. That there's no such thing as a perfect couple.

"What! That is the stupidest idea I have ever heard of Derek! You're not going anywhere." Ethan strained to hear as he leaned his ear closer. He had just escaped Tori and Simon downstairs, where Ethan brought up the long old controversy: boys vs. girls. Of course, that set them off, totally forgetting Derek's firm "request" to make sure Ethan stays downstairs. And thus, as stealthy as he could, he climbed the stairs and made it into his room. He opened his closet door and threw some boxes out of the way as he finally found the bare back wall that only held one picture.

Then, he took out the taped picture, where the hidden small hole was, looking right at mom and dad's open closet.

And so, that was what Ethan was doing. Though it was past midnight, Ethan felt wide awake as he witnessed his parents argument

"No Chloe. What's stupid is the fact that you didn't listen to me!" Derek roared, his hands pointing accusingly.

"Is that what this is about, Derek?" Chloe's voice asked, incredulous.

"Yes! It has everything to do with that!"

"Oh, so it's stupid to think you might need a distraction, but not to walk in a house in which we already know who's in there? Huh? Please explain the logic there Derek."

Derek gave a bitter laugh. "Oh god Chloe, not this again."

"Yes! Because even though we now married and have children, you just still don't understand the risk of being "self sacrificing!"

"It wasn't self-sacrificing, Chloe. There was only one person here, and I knew I was younger, meaning he would be easy!"

There's a pause, and Ethan looks through the hole to see his parents facing each other, both standing with fists by their sides.

"Well, was it really that hard to tell me that before entering the house? I was worried!"

"And why would you be-" Derek began, confused before being interrupted.

"Well, I don't know, maybe due to the fact the Cabal hadn't bothered with us for the past nine years! And they, Derek, wouldn't have been easy to handle. And there you go, in to the house by yourself. For a second I just-" Chloe stops, huffing slightly while looking down.

Derek sighs. "You just what Chloe?"

"I-I thought you have forgotten we had a child." and didn't care if you got hurt and left us alone, she added, but never had the guts to say aloud. She knew it was stupid to ever think of such things. Derek loves them both, and won't ever forget, but still…it felt unsettling.

Derek's voice softens. "Chloe, of course I didn't. I would never allow leaving you two unprotected." He says as he takes a step forward to place his fingers under Chloe's chin to lift her gaze off the floor.

But (which much strain) she pried them off and looks up at him angrily. "And that doesn't include leaving us when the threat isn't right under our noses?" she asks mad.

Derek recovers quickly. "I-I'm not leaving you, Chloe. I just wanna talk with the Pack again. I won't be long-"

At this, Chloe gave a bitter laugh. "Derek, have you somehow forgotten I know you? Why I can't leave you alone so you can make your own decisions? Why, if it's two hours or just two miles away, I wouldn't let you go without us? Because I know you well enough that once you're alone, your mind wanders to far-stretch beliefs, and start believing

stupid things."

Derek's face turns impassive. "I don't know what you're talk-"

"I'm not stupid Derek. Ever since the baby died, you have been second guessing our marriage, haven't you?" Chloe desperately prevented her voice from cracking, and she managed as Derek looked stunned at her. Silence, and that was enough confirmation. She tried to not show just how much that hurt. "Somehow thinking that if it wasn't for our mixed genes, I would have never have gone through those two weeks of

mourning, right? And now, this. Some stupid mutt comes stumbling in, and suddenly, it's your fault, because if it wasn't because of Ethan's special scent, he would have never been stalking us, right?"

"Of course!" Derek finally cracks as he glares at Chloe unintentionally. "That is the very reason why our house is messed up. Why he was planning on hurting you. Why he planned to do unspeakable things to Ethan. Why his has cuts on his face!" Ethan fingers his now healing cuts on his right cheek. It wasn't a big deal. "Why Ethan has

to go to the Pack in thirteen years, where they will decide what to do with him while we stand in the sidelines unable to do anything because of that goddamn treaty!""He finally exclaims, like spilling his guts of all his worries. The room is suddenly eerily quiet as Ethan holds his breath.

"So what now? The truth is finally out. What are you going to do about it?" Chloe asks in a voice that anyone would call calm, steady, but inthe inside, she was panicking, heart racing, chest seizing at what Derek might reply. No, he wouldn't dare to leave-

"I-I'm sorry dad! Please, please don't blame mommy!" Suddenly, Ethan is in the threshold, door open and panting, heart racing. "She asked me to stay in the car, even locked it. But I got out. Please." he pleads, his eyes wide with such fright and dread. "a-and this?" he points to his cuts. "it doesn't even hurt anymore! Nothing! It's okay, it not

your fault. It's mine. D-don't fight anymore. Please. No more." Tears threaten to fall as Ethan stands there, arms tucked to his chest, lips quivering.

Derek walks over to him and kneels in front. Then, he grabs him to give him a tight hug. "No Ethan. It's not your fault either.. I'm sorry." He pulls apart to look his son in the eye, who's tears are rolling down his cheek.

"Y-you're not leaving me and mommy, right?"

"Of course not! I-I wouldn't bare to ever leave." They hug again, and Derek looks right at his wife over his son's shoulder. " I just couldn't. No matter what. I really couldn't. Even if I wanted to." He whispers but he knows his wife heard him as her cheeks glow red from embarrassment.

"Ohmygod! Ethan, how dare you escape!" Tori comes stumbling in. Then, she notices Derek. "O-oh. Hey. See you found Ethan. Well, I'll be taking him now, thanks!" She yanks Ethan, lifts him up, and descend down the stars to the couch, where Simon sat. "Found him!" She sits down with Ethan on her lap.

"Oh god! Ethan, what were you thinking? To sneak off like that after what just happened?" Simon asks.

"I-I just wanted to know what mom and dad were talking about." The siblings exchange a worried glance.

"And what did you hear?"

"B-bad things. They were arguing. And yelling. And called each other stupid. And yelled more. And daddy mentioned l-leaving." his chest seizes just by remembering his parents argument. His heart telling him they were going to separate, knowing he could do nothing of it. "I-it was really scary." And that was a great underestimate, the tears sparkling in his eyes proving it.

Guilt consumes the siblings as their eyes widen in surprise. They can't seem to form any comprehensible thoughts or words of encouragements. What must be going this little guys head? Knowing that he doesn't know of the things his parents had gone though, and for the first time ever, witnessing his parents raise their voices to each other?

"Ethan. No. Your father isn't going to leave you guys. He would never." Tori finally finds words. Surprisingly, when Ethan lifts his head to her, he's smiling, though tears still evident.

"I-I know. He said so, and I know he was not lying." daddy loves us. He added silently to himself. Tori and Simon sighed with relief, glad to know even Ethan understood the depth of the love his father had for the two. But they still didn't quite understand why he looked close to tears. And Ethan can sense their confusion. So he added.

"It's just...it's weird." For lack of better word. "scary. Mommy and

daddy fighting? I n-never thought that was possible..." he trailed off, but Simon and Tori both nodded in understanding. Here was little

Ethan, witnessing, for the first time in his life, his parents arguing adamantly. Tori understood completely. To anyone in the neighborhood, Chloe ad Derek seemed like the "perfect" married couple. By glance, you knew Derek didn't go off to bars and smoke. Or that Chloe was secretly having an affair. They probably looked like high school

sweethearts. And that they barely fought. Or disagreed. None of that. But of course, that bond in which they had was only created and enhanced through actual fighting and disagreement. All of that on the run stuff made them closer then any other couple. And knew each other so well as a result.

But Ethan of course didn't know what they have gone through, or that seven years ago they fought constantly as teenagers. Or in fact, their last equivalent argument they had was - years from now, when Chloe found out she was pregnant.

Ethan was probably like those other outsiders. But it was different.

Because he witnessed all of his parents loving moments. And as a child, he thought his parents never argued so vividly. Or were ever close to tears as a result.

They were his idols, his version of perfect. No yelling, no crying, no secrets, no guilt.

Making up her mind, Tori took one of Ethan's hands in hers. "Ethan. You have to understand...no one's perfect. Not even your mom or dad." Simon was glaring at her, staring daggers. But Tori chose to ignore him. She knows it's a horrible thing to say, telling a child his parents aren't the idols they think they are. "They fight Ethan. They disagree like other people do. They are human and make mistakes. And don't you

forget that." But Tori knew it had to be said out loud to him. Sure he's almost

four, but he has the mentality of a six year old. And Tori knew this isn't going to be the last time Ethan will see his parents fight. And he can handle this.

Simon though, thought otherwise and was about to protest when Ethan's words cut him off. "I know aunt. I get it. Still though..."

"It's still new, huh?"

Ethan actually gave a sad smile "Yeah."

"But just because they argue, doesn't mean they don't love each other. It's just, well, everyone fights sometimes. But your parents will never stop loving each other. You get that too, right?" Simon asks as he lays a hand on Ethan's back.

"Yup. I know." this time, Ethan gives a true happy smile. He thinks about his parents argument, analyzing it.

It seemed that Dad was mostly angry that they didn't obey his orders and that he was just

worried for his wife, his son, and unborn child. Ethan now understands it wasn't a great idea to search for them after his mother locked him in the car. Or that he didn't try to stop mom when she said she was going to check things out, endangering her and his unborn sibling. And the look on dad's face when he realized the man was aiming to punch mommy in the stomach: Ethan made a new personal vow.

He promises he won't let his body get in the way. He promised next time, he will think logically first instead of acting on adrenaline. And lastly, he promised to make sure his unborn sister or brother also understands this, that even though he/she isn't quite sure of what things mommy and daddy have gone through, why this random man came and attacked them, that he/she should understand not to ask so many questions, to just listen and oblige, knowing dad and mom know what's best.

Yes, he will make sure to tell that to his unborn sibling.

I'm sorry, I killed one of Chloe's babies! But, well, you know….This is Chloe and Derek, I can't make them have a relatively normal life. That's just not them. like Tori said, they're not perfect. You understand, right?

Any questions you have, please let me know so I can address them!

I have finals and crap coming up, so I'm a be very busy. BUT if I get a lot of reviews, I'll post quicker!