Forever, With Love

Chapter Twelve

Aiden

I'm fuckin' pissed. I have only seen her like this maybe once in our entire lives and it wasn't remotely close to how she is now. I carried her limp body into my house as she clung to me like her life depended on it. Felix was trying to handle her damn dog, but he was going nuts, trying to get back to Ava.

"Ava!" Sawyer yelled, running over to her bringing a water bottle and a blanket for her to snuggle in. Something warm and comfortable for her, "What happened?"

She shook her head and started to sob even harder. My chest started to hurt as I started to see red. Someone hurt her and I wanted them to pay. Ava might not be blood related to me but I always seen her as a little sister. I promised all the parents in our lives I would help take care of her and that was a promise I was willing to keep n matter what happened.

I sat down on the couch, holding her in my lap tightly while she soaked my shirt. Felix was finally able to get Snoop into the back yard, "Damn, that dog is strong." he huffed making me roll my eyes at him.

"I thought you guys were going camping?" she sniffled, "I called hoping I would get you before you guys went."

"Canceled. I'm needed here. Felix, let Archer know." he nodded his head and took out his phone to text him, "So who's ass do I need to kick? Art? Brandon? Finn? Jordan? Dylan? Name it and it's done." I said with a stone cold straight face.

She shook her head, "None of them, although I wouldn't object to Brandon." she sighed, shifting her weight a bit so she could wipe her eyes.

"Then what's wrong little one?" Felix asked, kneeling down next to us. I c****d my eyebrow at him, telling him to basically f**k off. This is my sister, she doesn't need pet names from a d**k like him, "Don't look at me like that, I'm harmless. You know this."

I grunted, "Yeah, that's why you lied about sending those love notes to me." Sawyer rolled her eyes, "Ava...talk to me please. Does this have anything to do with Art?"

She shook her head no which just confused me even more. I looked at Sawyer and she gave me the same look. What else is going on in her life right now? "Are you hiding things from us?" I asked her. She nodded her head yes.

"Please, talk to us. We can't help you if you don't open up." Sawyer grabbed Ava's hands into her. She looked like she was about to cry again. The pressure in my chest started to rise. I cannot deal with tears. I'm not good with emotion. I don't show it, I don't express it and if I do, it's rare and I'm usually only around one or two people.

"If you want me to leave and make you more comfortable I can." Felix mentioned. I looked at him and nodded.

"How about you go get us some food and maybe Ava can give you her key and you can go to her place and grab some clothes. She's going to stay the night here." and when I said that, she bursted into even more tears. What the actual f**k was going on?

"Do you want me to call Art?" Sawyer asked as I bent my head down and kissed the top of her head. She was shaking so bad, like she was cold. How the hell do I fix this?

"I want you to but he's working. He got called in so I don't know how long he will be, but he already kind of knows what's going on, well, one thing at least."

"How does he know something that we don't? What's going on?" I asked. She looked up at me with her red rimmed eyes, tears about to fall as she tried hard to hold them back. I took her in, like really took her in. Her blonde hair was a mess from me running my fingers through her hair. Her make up was starting to run a bit, but nothing major. Her nose, cheeks and eyes were all red and puffy. Where is the girl that's my sister's best friend? My sister? The one that's snappy, fun and always happy? "Ava, you're usually happy and full of energy but I've noticed since I've been home, you have not been yourself. First, I chalked it up to the drama with you, Brandon and Art but there's something else going on, isn't there."

"Yeah." She said softly, "I guess...mom is right. I need to talk to someone about what's going on before it all becomes too much and I lose myself."

"Babe, I think that process has already started." Sawyer said as she wiped a tear off her cheek. She got up and sat closer to us, putting Ava's legs in her lap so she could rub her calfs and thighs.

"Do you want me to go?" Felix asked, "I can stay if you want me to. But I feel like this is something that needs to be discussed with you three."

"Yeah, I think that's best. My clothes are in my car already so no need to get those. Um...can you grab something for dinner? I'll cook I guess." Ava gave him a soft smile. He nodded his head, moved closer to her and kissed her on her forehead.

"I know we don't really know one another that well. I've only met you when we've been home a few times before you moved and my deployments, but I would like it if you were to look at me kind of like a brother, like Aiden so to speak."

"Just a brother?" I c****d my eyebrow at him.

He laughed and shook his head, "Yeah, a brother because I know this brother here would kick my ass if I did anything or went after either one of you and I would preferrably like to keep my balls intact thank you very much." at least that made her chuckle, "I'll head to the store and get stuff for dinner and don't think about cooking, I got it. Believe it or not, I am an amazing cook. Maybe someday, I'll open my own place, gotta have goals. Anyways, I'll shoot a message to Finn telling him I'll pick up the kids from the daycare type s**t you send them to since I feel like some childish laughter may be something we all need tonight." he winked as he got up. He grabbed keys off the table and slipped out the front door. The next thing I knew, I heard a roar of an all too familiar car.

"Fucker took my damn car." I groaned.

"Which kids are coming over?" She asked me.

"Well, Miles of course but Lucas is coming over while Art is working and Ivy if that's okay. It will at least give Finn a break since he has Harper right now." Sawyer said. She nodded her head, "So, about that talk."

"What I'm about to say to you guys...please don't be mad at me. I have my reasons for not saying anything."

"Are you going to tell him everything?" Sawyer asked. I furrowed my brows in confusion, "I mean everything Ava and that means what you told me after Summer and Jordan's wedding. Because I think that's playing a huge part in the stress your under."

She nodded her head, "I'll start with that I guess..." she let her head drop and bit her bottom lip, "Can I stay in your lap? If it's too weird then I can get off."

"You're fine." I mumbled. If anyone looked at the scene before them right now the would think something is going on between us. I can honestly say I have never looked at her like that. Yes, she is gorgeous and whoever she ends up with will be a lucky mother fucker but I could never cross that line, no matter how much Sawyer talked about it.

"Aiden, I...I..." she stuttered.

"It's okay. Start with senior year of high school babe." Sawyer said, sending her strength and encouragement.

She closed her eyes and dropped her head, letting the words fall out of her mouth like vomit, "When I was a senior I went to see my OB because my period was three weeks late. I took four tests and two came back positive and two came back negative which is very unusual and confusing. I told my boyfriend at the time what was going on because well, he deserved to know. He was nervous and so was I. Were were no where ready to be parents and everything was confusing. So, when I was at the doctor, they ran tests, did blood work, preformed ultrasounds, everything you can think of all because my initial exam didn't seem normal."

"What did the doc say?" I held her tighter as I felt her nerves start to shake a bit.

"I wasn't pregnant." she said softly as her head fell further, if that was possible, and she started to sniffle again, "Between everything happening with my uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries...they told me I couldn't get pregnant. They gave me this long complicated explanation and what not but in the end, it just couldn't happen, like less than a five percent chance and even then, it's high risk. First, I thought, what was the big deal? I didn't want children. I could get off the pill if I wanted because what was the point of taking birth control if I couldn't get pregnant as long as the other person was safe and clean. I literally thought nothing of it and I left the doctors office feeling...indifferent with what was told to me. I was seventeen so I wasn't worried about it, ya know? I called my boyfriend so I could talk to him about what happened."

"What happened with him? What did he say?" I asked.

"He didn't pick up so I drove to the school. He usually worked out after school since if was the off season, so my best bet was he was there. I saw his car parked in the back so I went inside to the weight room and well, he was there." She took in a deep breathe and slowly let it out, "I walked to the door and I saw him, butt ass naked, pounding one of the girls I hated the most, from behind while she was naked. It was a scene I could never get out of my head. It was actually gross. But the things they said..."

"What the f**k did they say." I gripped her hip a bit tighter, making her tap my hand, "Sorry."

"He was telling her how much better she was and she gave him everything his d**k wanted. She was the best lay ever. That if anything happened and I was pregnant it wasn't his because I was slut, a w***e who slept with half the football team. She begged him to c*m inside her and f**k her harder and for me to f**k off and that she was better. Like, what the f**k? We were seventeen and she wanted him to c*m inside her? If she freaken crazy?"

"Psychotic. Way to ruin your life for a man that wasn't even her boyfriend." Sawyer shook her head, "Both of them. Damn assholes. If I ever see her again..."

"How do you even know her?" I asked, "If she went to the same school as Ava..."

"I've visted." She shrugged, "And she used to go to our school as well. It was like she was almost obessed with Ava and when she moved, she moved too. Let me tell you the surpise I felt when Ava called me and told me she was at her new school. Fuckin' bitch."

"Anyways, I slammed the door open and they both freaked out and looked at me. I was fuming. He went to cover himself up and she kept kneeling on the bench with a smirk on her face. He tried explaining what was going on. She laughed. I don't remember what happened but I punched him in the face and told him me and the baby will be just fine. I stormed out."

"Wait...but..." I started to say.

"Yeah I know. I was dumb. He blew up my phone begging to talk about the baby and everything going on. I told him eventually I lied and I wasn't pregnant. I told him I was done with him even though he begged for another chance. To be honest, we were toxic to each other. He cheated and I lied about being pregnant because I was mad." She shrugged, "I was barely in school anyways because I was taking college courses since I moved down here. After I cut all ties, mom let me go remote and I did all my school crap online and had a gym trainer sign off on my physical education credits so I could graduate."

"Why do I sense there is more to this story..."

"Because there's a whole other part." Her face fell, "Being told you can't get pregnant, especially at that age, you don't think about it until you're in a relationship where you see a future with someone. When I was in med school, I met this guy and he was everything to me. We dated for two and a half years and he always talked about our future together. He talked about how we would both be residents at the same hospital, get a house, get married and eventually have children together. Everytime he mentioned children, I froze, not able to speak the words to him. It wasn't until he planned the most romantic night I have ever seen and he proposed to me. I broke down and shook my head no, crying that we couldn't, that I couldn't do that to him. He was so confused and that was when I fell to my knees and told him everything."

"What did he say? And this was the guy Sawyer messaged me about when I was deployed, right? You two were supposed to get married in like six months after the proposal?"

"Yeah. Well, after I told him everything, he told me that it didn't matter. He loved me for me and there were other options we could look into when we were ready. He told me that we would handle all this together and he just wanted me to be his wife, so I said yes and we planned our entire wedding for six months out and then...the day before the rehearsal dinner..."

"I still get pissed off at this part. Fuckin' dickface." Sawyer groaned. I just shook my head and looked at her.

"You like...never swear, not like this." I said, stunned.

She shrugged her shoulders, "Things change. There are people around here who are...influential." I just laughed a bit and shook my head.

"Keep going. The suspense is killing me at this point."

"I ran to our apartment to get something for work and I heard moans coming from our bedroom. What was funny was I wasn't even mad, it was hilarious actually. I went to the room and opened the door and stood there like a freaken creeper. He was laying his on back while his step sister was riding his d**k, telling him she could give him the children I couldn't. He said he loved her and it was in that instant he came inside her. I walked into the room, grabbed a bag and packed my s**t while they watched me with wide eyes. He pushed her off him and tried to stop me but I just laughed. I turned back to his step sister, grabbed her had as she tried to cover herself up and slipped the ring on her finger and told them good luck being the family disappointment."

"You did not!" I laughed and shook my head, "His step sister? That's just...not right. It's like a porno gone wrong."

She shrugged, "They dated while in high school not knowing their parents were dating. They broke up when they found out because his dad proposed to her mom. I guess they never stopped sleeping together and he told her everything."

"That's still wrong on so many levels. Are they still together?" Sawyer asked.

"I honestly don't know and I really don't care."

"So...how does all this lead to what's going on today?" I mumbled a bit, "Is this fear of not being to have children the reason why you broke up with the only man I have ever seen you fall in love with?"

"Before Summer and Jordan's wedding, Art and I...our relationship was up and down. We started off not liking each other and the more time we spent with one another, as a group with our friends and on our own, we grew closer. We were inseperable. First, it started out as just releasing our needs but feelings started to develop. The night when we first made love is engrained in my mind and I will never forget it. But then, there was a turning point in our relationship that will forever make me regret everything that I did and said. We were laying in the bed of his truck under the stars, talking about our futures. He said he imagined getting married to a woman he loves, living in a big house and having a couple of dogs, but most of all, he wanted a large family, children running around, laughing. With that, his life would be perfect."

"Oh Ava..." Sawyer said as she wiped away a tear, "I didn't know you two talked about that..."

"Let me guess...you didn't tell him about your medical situation...?"

She shook her head no, "I didn't have the heart to. I learned from past experiences that people will say things and then their actions show something else. I can't do it anymore." she sighed out. I furrowed my brows, taking in the words she was saying. Can she not see how much of a mistake this whole thing is with Art? Any person with a blind eye can see how much that man loves her to the point where he would do anything, "I broke it off for him."

"For him? What the f**k is that supposed to mean?" I snapped out making Sawyer glare at me, "Don't give me that look."

"You're an ass." Sawyer muttered under her breath.

"Stop you guys. Please." Ava begged.

"Why did you break it off?" I asked her. Sawyer just looked at me like I was an i***t. What does she expect? I don't get it. If he loves her and she loves him, then why not be together and work through their s**t together, "It seems simple. You love him. He loves you so why end it?"

"You don't understand." she said quietly, "How would you feel if you met a girl who you were absolutely head over heels in love with and you wanted to give her the world. She slowly started to become your everything, started to become your family and you saw visions of what a future with you two could be like, only to find out, you cannot give her the one thing she wants in life, a child of her own, because you're infertile. She told you about her dream of having a family, carrying that child inside her and giving birth. But you knew deep down, you could never do that."

"But..."

"No buts. That's how I feel. He wants a family. He want's children and that is something I physically cannot give him no matter how hard I try."

"But...he loves you, cares about you. I'm having a hard time understanding."

"Aiden." Sawyer sighed out, "When you hear news like that, news that the one thing you are supposed to be able to do but can't, something being ripped away from you like that...it breaks you. You feel empty, broken, damaged, unworthy. Yeah, he could say it doesn't matter, but there is that voice in his head that could say 'she can't give you what you want'. He could say they could look at options, but that would be putting her body, physically, mentally, and emotionally through hell. But in the end..."

"He deserves more than what I can give him. I love him enough to be able to let him go. I love him enough to hope he finds someone that can give him everything he wants in life. I love him enough to step aside and watch him fall in love with someone else, get married and start a family. It might kill me because I want that. I want that so bad." she cried, "I love him enough to walk away, shattering my heart and hurting his, but knowing that in due time, his heart will heal and grow with someone else."

I went to go say something else but I couldn't muster the words. For once in my life, was I speechless because she made me speechless, not by choice.

"Aiden, Sawyer, I need you both to promise me that this doesn't go to anyone. No one can find out unless I tell them. Please."

"I think you need to tell him sooner rather than later but..." and she gave me those eyes, making me roll mine, "Fine."

"Thank you."

We all sat there for a moment, silent, as Sawyer and Ava cried and held each other's hands. I had so many thoughts running through my mind. Thinking from a guys perspective, if I were to fall for someone in her situation, it wouldn't matter to me. There are options. There are so many ways to get over this hump and if he truly loved her that way he looks then it would all work out in the end.

"There's more..." she sighed out, "There's so much more...my mom...she's...she's not...doi-"

I let her compose herself while my phone vibrated in my pocket. I lifted my hips a bit to get to it, trying not to knock her off, and pulled it out to see that Felix messaged saying he's done shopping but he's going to be late getting back because there's an issue with him picking Lucas up.

"Hold up...Felix is having issues." I mumbled, making the girls look at me all weird. I called up only for him to answer in a panic, "What's going on?"

"Dude...this psycho won't let me get Lucas. He's crying and yelling for me but she said because I wasn't on some fuckin' list for pick up and he's not allowed to go with me. I can't get a hold of Art because he's working and I don't know what the f**k to do! What list is she even talking about? I never had this issue before!" he yelled, "Give me Lucas you crazy psycho!" he screamed.

I took in a deep breath and rolled my eyes, "Calm the hell down. I'll be there. Give me a damn minute." I hung up and threw my head back on the back of the couch, "Felix can't get Lucas."

"What do you mean?" Ava got all serious, "what's going on?"

"There's some crazy psycho teacher of his and she won't let him take Lucas. He's saying something along the lines of him not being on some damn list or whatever."

"That makes no sense! I can get it if he's trying to pick him up in the middle of the school day, but it's dismissle. I'm sure Ray can do something about this." Sawyer pursed her lips, "Who is this crazy woman anyways?"

Ava bit her lip and looked between the both of us, "Can you drive me to the school Aiden? Tell Felix to bring the other two back here."

"If he can't get him what makes you think you can? No offense."

"Well, there's something you guys don't know...Art...has a big mouth." she shook her head.

I couldn't help myself but laugh my ass off, "No s**t. We know he has a big mouth."

"You don't get it. He told the teacher that I'm his fiance and put me down as Luke's mom..."

"WHAT!" Both Sawyer and I yelled and all she did was nod her head, purse her lips and look between us.

"Yep..."

"How did that happen?" Sawyer questioned.

"How about I tell you this story while you guys drive me to the school to get Lucas." I stood up off the couch with her still in my arms, carrying her bridal style towards the door, "Put me down you big baboon!" Ava kicked and tried to get me to drop her.

"Why would I put you down when it's so fun watching you squirm." I laughed, "But I'm glad to see your spirits up."

"It's a visage Aiden. I'm still depressed as hell because of the crap going on with my mom." I paused my step and my arms went weak, dropping her to the ground with a loud thump, "AIDEN!"

"You can't say s**t like that and not expect me to react! What's going on with Sara?" I demanded.

With a huff, "Can we just get Lucas first and then we can talk about how the other half of my life is imploding on itself."

With a grunt and a roll of my eyes, we made our way to Ava's car since dickwad took mine and headed to the school to get Lucas. The drive was silent as music played in the background. I love old school music and when I mean old school, I'm talking like Simple Plan, Linkin Park, that kind of music. It wasn't until my playlist played 'Gone too soon' where I looked in the rearview mirror and just saw the tears streaming down her face, making me switch the song. She glared at me and I just softened my face, something I don't do normally, and I think I just figured out what was going on with Sara and my heart broke for both of them. But why wouldn't she tell us? I'll have to go to the source and soon.

We pulled up to the school to the school and I wanted to just go out there and flip the f**k out. Lucas was sitting on the stairs by himself crying, his face hiding in his arms as his knees were to his chest, as Felix tried everything he could to go around the crazy psycho standing in his way. "I got this." Ava stated out as she got out of the car. She went into mommy bear mode and it was scary as f**k. I looked at Sawyer and she knew what I was saying. We both got out of the car and as she went to the other car where Miles and Ivy were in the backseat, Ivy crying at the scene in front of her. I don't believe in hitting a woman, but I won't stop Sawyer and Ava from beating the s**t out the crazy b***h.

As soon as Lucas saw Ava, he got up and ran right into her arms, crying as she held him tightly to her chest, trying to calm him down, "What the hell is wrong with you?" She yelled at the teacher.

"This man here was trying to take him! Where the hell were you at pick up? You just like to let strangers pick up children!" she yelled back.

"You're crazy! Obviously, Lucas knows him! The two kids in the back of the car know him!"

"And I've picked him up before with no freaken problem!" Felix yelled back, "Crazy bitch."

"Lucas, I love you, get in the car." Ava told him, "I will be right back." He nodded his head and started to make his way to the car where Ivy and Miles were in, but the teacher grabbed Lucas' arm, "Let him go." I felt chills run down my spine. The look on Ava's face could kill. She was turning red and her fists were clenched to her sides as she tried everything to keep her composure.

"Mommy..." Lucas whispered just low enough to where we almost didn't hear him, "I want to go home."

"Lucas, baby, go see Uncle Aiden, Uncle Felix and Aunt Sawyer. I will see you later. I need to take care of this and it's ending right now." Lucas ripped his arm away from the teacher and ran over to us. The look on her face was something else. What the hell was wrong with this woman? How can she get away with s**t like this?

Ava stormed her way back into the school and this teacher ran after her, yelling who knows what. At the moment, we didn't give a s**t because we needed to make sure Lucas was okay. Whatever was going on, it needed to fuckin stop and needed to stop right now.

"Lucas, stay here with Sawyer and Felix. I'm going to help..."

"Mommy..." He whispered again.

"Um... we will talk about that later tonight." I stormed away from them and ran into the school, following the sounds of screaming coming from the office where the psycho and Ava were in with who looked like the principle. You could hear the yelling down the hall and it just escalated. This is the s**t I know I can handle so I did what I do best, I slammed open the door, making all three of them jump. I just smirked at who was behind the desk.

"We meet again." I smirked at the police chief's brother, "I think it's time we talk." and talk we did because no one f***s with my family.