Chapter 53: Meet the Family

Things were quiet, it was times like these that Ashley loved the most. It was just a few weeks before Christmas and the whole family had taken some much needed vacation time and rented a spacious cottage in Vermont. It was snowing outside and Fabo had lit a roaring fire in the cottage's huge fireplace. Crackling sparks could be heard as the fragrant aroma filled the room. John sleepily wrapped an arm around his fiancée's waist pulling her down into a lying position with him on the couch. They were watching a movie and Ashley had sat up to look at the falling snow outside. It was late but she couldn't wait for baby Faith to wake up so she could see snow for the first time in her short 7 month existence. Faith had lived most of her short life in Tampa so she had no idea what it was like to see snow falling.

"My dad and Lilian are bringing their new foster child up here tomorrow" Ashley said with a yawn.

"Did they give you any more info about him?" John asked nuzzling his lover's neck.

"Nope, nothing other than the fact that his name is Quentin Fields and that he likes basketball"

--

"Whatcha lookin at Quentin?" Lilian asked looking over her foster son's shoulder at the picture he was holding.

"Are these your kids?" he asked.

"I guess you could say that, they are Chris's kids Ashley, Connor, and Keegan"

He put the picture down and grabbed the next one resting on the mantle place. "These his grandkids?"

"Yeah, that's Phinnigan, Dean and Faith"

"Interesting names huh?" Quentin said.

"Chris's late wife was Irish hence the unusual names"

"If ya'll already have kids why do you want me?" Quentin asked still not believing that a wealthy white family would want someone like him.

"Because everyone needs a family Quentin" she said giving him a smile.

He liked Lilian right off the bat. She was the warm and bubbly maternal type where as Chris was more quiet and reserved. He really hadn't gotten the chance to sit down and have a talk with his foster father as of yet. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to be here. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be a part of this family or any other .

"You'll soon find out that our family isn't like most others and that we all have a special place in our hearts for children who don't have anyone else"

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"You'll see but right now it's getting late and you've had a long day so why don't you get some rest" she suggested.

He looked at her to see if she was serious. He hadn't heard someone tell him to go to bed in quiet some time. His mother had died almost 3 year prior and ever since Quentin and his two younger brothers Alexander and James had been shuffled from home to home where nobody seemed to really care what they did. Xander and Jamie at ages 3 and 5 were lucky enough to be adopted but their 16 year old brother wasn't as lucky. Nobody seemed to want him that was until now. He hadn't expected to be taken care of and at this point he really didn't want to be. Lilian seemed to be serious, rather than start a fight he nodded and headed to his room.

--

They were already at the airport at 5:30 am that next morning to catch an early flight to Burlington, Vermont. Where they would then drive an hour to get to the cabin where his foster parent's family was vacationing for Christmas.

"I really think you'll fit in well with our family Q" Lilian said referring to him with the nickname he had asked them to call him by.

Q wasn't listening he had his head rested against the cool plane of glass. His breaths frosting over the window. His eyes were closed. Lilian wasn't sure if he was sleeping or just deep in thought. Either way she left him alone. Thirty minutes later they pulled into a driveway of a large cabin. Fresh snow covered the ground. Q had his eyes open now and although he would never admit it he was a little excited to get out of the car. He had never seen snow before now and all he wanted to do was touch it and see if it felt like what he had dreamt as a child. He got out of the car and shivered against the bitter cold air. He bent over and touched the cold wet snow with his fingertips. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. But it was short lived because he was plastered with a snow ball in the back of the head.

"What the …" he stood up quickly and could hear the sound of young children giggling.

"Where are my boys" Chris bent down and pulled two small boys dressed in identical winter jackets and hats into his arms.

"Grampa put down" Phinnigan demanded wanting to throw more snowballs.

"What no hello to your old grandpa?" Chris mocked being offended.

"Hi Grandpa Chris" Dean offered.

Dean called Chris grandpa as well and he wouldn't even listen when people tried to explain that Chris wasn't his grandfather. It could be said that Dean had adopted Chris.

"Hey buddy" he grinned "where are your parents"

"We hidin from dada an Ranny" Phinnigan explained.

"Oh well ok you boys have fun" he put them down and they ran off.

Q smiled at the two boys. They reminded him of his brothers. Thinking of them even if it was only briefly brought a pain of hurt to his heart. He scowled trying not to think of them anymore.

"Come on honey it's cold out here" Lilian said.

He nodded and followed her into the cabin. Just as he was about to shut the door he heard one of the boys let out a squeal and he guessed they must have been found.

It was nice and warm inside the cabin. A roaring fire was lit in the main living room and 3 women and two men were lounging around.

"That's Dommy, Becky, and Ashley and the two boys are Keegan and Connor" Lilian whispered to him.

"Bout time you got here" Ashley called from her spot. She was sprawled out on the couch with her head resting on Dommy's lap.

"You look comfortable" Lilian laughed.

"Believe me I am"

"Where's Faith?" Chris asked joining the rest of his family in the living room.

"Taking a nap and don't you dare wake her" Ashley told him "It took me forever to get her to sleep"

"Come on I missed my granddaughter" Chris shot her an almost pleading look.

His daughter rolled her eyes at him "Fine but she's yours for the rest of the night"

"Deal"

"Chris is very attached to his granddaughter" Lilian once again whispered to Q.

"So where's my foster brother?" Ashley asked "is he outside with the boys"

"No he's standing right next to me" Lilian said "everyone this is Quentin but he prefers to be called Q"

"Lil, I though he'd be 6 not 6'2" Ashley said.

"Don't pay her any mind Q … she's bitchy by nature" Dommy remarked earning a dirty look from her cousin.

"Some cousin you are"

"Wait you two are cousins?" Q asked incredulously.

"Unfortunately" both women said at the same time.

"Like for real cousins or was one of you adopted?" he asked.

"No, her mother was my mom's sister" Ashley said.

"But she's black and well you ain't"

"And your point is?" Dommy asked.

"It's just ironic that's all"

"We never really pay attention to race in this family Q … you could be purple and we wouldn't care"

Maybe that's what Lilian meant last night when she said you'll soon find out that our family isn't like most others. Maybe he had been wrong about them the whole time. He wasn't sure if he wanted to let his guard down around these people but it did help to know they weren't a bunch of racists either. He'd give it a try for now.

A/N: Wow sorry it took me so long to write this but I have had tons of stuff going on all at once and it's hard to find time to sit down and write. I know that's not an excuse but it's all I got. Everyone tell me what you think of Q. He was one of my fav One Tree Hill characters and then they killed him off and I decided to save him and modify him of course. Well the next update will be up sooner. Peace out homies.