DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All rights to Veronica Roth.
Chapter 1
Out of Hand
||10 Years Later||
Phoenix's POV
"Good morning, baby." I peek into the nursery and smile at the one-year-old girl holding onto the railing of her crib. She was giggling and swinging on the bar, waiting for one of her parents to hold her.
"She awake?" Alex comes behind me, his head looking over mine and towards our daughter.
"When is she ever asleep?" I ask with a laugh, entering the room entirely and picking the girl under her arms. "Such a big girl." I say proudly blowing raspberries on her cheek and making her squeal.
"So you're parents are going to watch her today?" Alex asks me, pulling out a fresh diaper and setting up the changing table while I bring over the baby.
"Yeah, but dad has a late shift until 8 and mom has to head into work right after dinner until 9 so Mara will watch her then. We can pick her up at 10."
"Sounds good." He gives me a quick kiss before taking Birdie from me and getting to work on her diaper. I go to the dresser and pull out a fresh outfit to dress her in.
"So where are we going again?" I ask, handing him the clothes and leaning against the wall.
"Can't tell you." He smirks, reaching for the baby powder. "And no matter how many times you ask, I will not say." I laugh and give a groan, rising from the wall and going back to the crib. I fix the blanket and re-adjust the toys, taking out a few things to place into Birdie's diaper bag. "Can you hand me her bee-bee please?" I walk over to the now dressed child and play with her toes.
"Does Birdie want her bee-bee?" I ask wiggling the pacifier over her mouth and cooing at her.
"We should really wean her off that thing soon." Alex reminds me as Birdie takes the pacifier and reaches for her daddy. He scoops her up and kisses her cheek while she snuggles her head onto his shoulder, reaching for his hair with a small hand.
"I don't have the heart to do that." I say, making him laugh. "Come on, we'll be late for breakfast." I urge, grabbing the packed diaper bag and ushering my two favourite people out of the door.
~.~.~
Tris' POV
"Aww Piper, you're looking amazing." I say, placing my hand over her large stomach. Chris was next to me, her hand on the other side of Piper's stomach.
"Damien is so funny. He keeps buying new things for the nursery and fussing over me." Piper explains to the both of us.
"Sounds just like Uriah oddly." Chris laughs. "Remember how Marlene wasn't even allowed to walk because he refused to let her?" I begin to laugh as well.
"He would carry her to the washroom, to the cafeteria, everywhere!" I exasperate, waving to Shauna when she enters with Zeke.
"Hello Lovelies." Shauna says flamboyantly, as she kisses Piper behind the head and comes to me. "How's our Mara?" She asks, sitting next to me and rubbing my arm. Piper went to find Damien who was still in line with Will, and Tobias to get food. Chris looked to me as well and now both wanted to know about my youngest.
"It's nearly been a month and she is still distant." I say, pointing to the far table near the end of the cafeteria.
"I'm sorry Tris, but she had to know eventually. She's sixteen and all of her friends were getting their periods years ago. She needed to know that because of what happened years ago, she can't have kids or get her period. Ever." Chris says, I nod quickly.
"I know, I know. I'm glad she knows but I felt like we buried the rape incident back when she was little but now that she is older I think it is hitting her harder. I just wonder if she blames Tobias and I for not doing our job as parents."
"Tris," Shauna begins, sympathy in her tone as she rubs my forearm. "You've given her nothing but love and support. She had a troubled past and saw more than someone should before she even turned five. She just needs to work things out and make herself understand."
"Yeah." I agree, rubbing my face in my hands and taking a deep breath. I peek through my fingers and see my daughter reading at her table, a sad look washed over her face as she swings her long legs. She was tall, nearly 5"8 last I checked. She and Chris were the exact same height and matched in the way their body was shaped. Long legs, but shorter torso. Unlike Christina, Mara has long hair.
She never cut her long black curls, and something tells me she refuses to.
"Breakfast is served." Tobias announces, bringing over the trays of food with the other boys and Piper.
"Who let her get up?" Damien asks, pointing to Piper.
"Damien, I can walk. I have legs remember?" Piper wiggled her legs when she sat down and gave a giggle. "Stop worrying."
"I'm not worried. I'm concerned." He says, setting their food down and wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Same thing." She replies, kissing his cheek. I smile when Tobias takes his seat next to me.
"How are you?" He asks, taking a seat and pecking my forehead.
"I'm worrying about Mara again." I admit making him furrow his eyebrows.
"Tris-"
"I know, Chris and Shauna already told me not to worry. But I'm her mom and she's hurting. I can not stop worrying about what she is feeling." I explain making him snicker at my ranting.
"I was going to say, take a deep breath, grab this bowl of oatmeal, and try to get Mara to talk to you." I smile at his words and take the bowl he was offering me. I grab a spoon as well and kiss him quickly before walking over to the other table.
"Hello Raven," I say, kissing the back of her head and placing the food down in front of her. "I brought you you're breakfast." I say, nodding for her to look at the oatmeal.
"Thank you." She says, giving me a weak smile and shutting her book. She takes the spoon and stirs the food, glancing at me momentarily before taking a bit.
"Do you want to come sit with your dad and I?" I ask, rubbing her back.
"Uhh, no. That's alright." She whispers.
"Baby, if you want to talk-"
"I just need a little bit of time mom. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt myself… or do anything like that." She says softly, looking to me with a heartbreaking face.
"Okay. Are you still up to watching Birdie for an hour or two after dinner today?" I ask, rubbing her arm.
"Yeah, of course." She nods, giving a genuine smile.
"Dad and I will be back from work around nine so when dinner is finished you can take her back to the apartment and bathe her before bed."
"Okay. You don't have work until then right?"
"Nope, I'll take care of Birdie while Phoenix and Alex have a day together, so you can maybe hang out with your friends if you'd like." I suggest, she slumps her shoulders and shakes her head.
"I think I'll just stay at home, or maybe I'll go train hopping for a while."
"Sweets, if you block out your friends, you're only hurting yourself." I remind her.
"I know, I'm just not up to it today."
"Okay, remember: Dad and I are here if you need us." I say, kissing her forehead before rising and heading to the couple that just entered.
"Hi mom!" Phoenix ran to me, giving me a hug.
"Hi sweetie, hi Alex." I kiss his cheek and take my grand-daughter into my arms.
"How are you?" Alex asks me as I kiss Birdie's hands.
"I'm good. Are you guys excited for a day off?" I ask, looking to the both of them while the baby tugs on my cheek.
"Yeah, thank you so much again for watching her." Phoenix exasperates, leaning into Alex's side.
"Anytime. I love this little Bird!" I say, nuzzling into Birdie's side and making her squeal.
"She loves you." Alex replies, laughing when her daughter reaches back for him.
"Go to your daddy." I encourage the small child, patting her bum when she is out of my arms.
"Come on, the rest of the family is sitting already." I say, pointing to where our table was. Ezra and his fiancé Izabel were at the head of the table already. Ronnie and Lynn were just arriving as well. They got married five years ago, Samantha was the flower girl and Jackson was the ring bearer. The wedding was something to be remembered forever, especially when Marlene tied the rings to Jackson's wrists so he wouldn't lose them.
"Mara isn't joining us again?" Phoenix asks me, nodding to her little sister. Mara prodded her oatmeal and occasionally took a bite.
"Not today, baby." I whisper, knowing that Mara couldn't hear but still feeling bad about it.
"She's okay with watching Birdie, right?" Phoenix nods towards Alex who was talking to the baby in the food lineup.
"She'll be fine." I promise, taking her shoulders and leading her to the table.
"That's my first born. I want to keep her alive." Phoenix reminds me. I pinch her lightly and give her a scolding glance.
"Mara is capable of taking care of a baby."
"Mom, I'd be worried that she can't even take care of herself right now. I think you'd like to know she missed breakfast again." She points to the door where Mara walked out. I sigh and close my eyes from the headache I was getting. This was getting out of hand.
First chapter of Firms of Endearment :) How was it? Did you enjoy it?
(**Ages of Characters**)
Birdie Ida Keenan - Blake/Charlie (The Originals) - June 18 3041 || 1 year old
Damien James Eaton – Zach Roerig - March 29th 3014 || 28 years old
Phoenix Emma Eaton – Sasha Pieterse - March 29th 3014 || 28 years old
Ezra Andrew Eaton – Chase Crawford - September 2nd 3019 || 23 years old
Mara Rose Eaton - Danielle Campbell- November 21st 3026 || 15 years old
Piper Willow Balgrove - Sarah Hyland - January 3rd 3016 || 26 years old
Thalia Balgrove - Lucy Hale -May 1st 3029 || 13 years old
Izabel Pedrad - Nina Dobrev - April 28th 3018 || 24 years old
Samantha Pedrad - Rachel Bilson - March 15th 3031 || 11 years old
Jackson Pedrad - Brant Daughtery - August 4th 3032 || 10 years old
Alexander Keenan – Keegan Allen - June 11th 3014 || 28 years old
Tobias Eaton – Theo James – 48 years old
Tris Eaton – Shailene Woodley – 46 years old
Will Balgrove – Ben Llyod-Hughes – 46 years old
Chris Balgrove – Zoe Kravitz - 46 years old
Zeke Pedrad – Jesse Williams - 48 years old
Shauna Pedrad – Nikki Yanofsky - 48 years old
Uriah Pedrad – Keiynan Lonsdale - 46 years old
Marlene Pedrad – Suki Waterhouse - 46 years old
Lynn Riley – Rosa Salazar - 46 years old
Ronnie Stewart – Kacey Rohl - 46 years old
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Valentina