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“Who’s dealing with he syrup monster?” Kailan asked as he looked to Zack like he definitely did not want to be the person.
“I’ve got him,” I volunteered, then I looked to Nick, feeling unsure of myself. “…if it’s okay with you, I mean?”
“Of course it’s okay with me, babe. He loves you,” Nick assured me as he got to his feet and came over to place a kiss on my cheek. “Be warned though, he loves to splash if you put him in the bath.”
“I don’t think I have a choice,” I laughed. “I’m pretty sure he has syrup in his ears.” I looked to Zack who just grinned and bounced up and down excitedly in his high chair.
“He has clothes in the dresser in his room, though I’m gonna need to get more now he’s here permanently,” Nick added.
“I can help with that too. We could order some online,” I suggested.
“That’s a good idea,” Harris agreed. “I’ll start a list of everything he needs and we can get it all at once.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I agreed. “Right, come on then little syrup monster.” I grabbed Zack under his arms and lifted him up, keeping him at arm’s length as I headed upstairs and straight into the big bathroom.
“Ev! Nick and I are gonna check the perimeter, Kailan’s in the gym, and Aleks is down in the office if you need anything,” Harris called up to me.
Aleks usually just worked in the kitchen, but he had a more secure computer set up in the office apparently, and he had been using it more and more since Soloman got into my brothers security. I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but I found it was best to wait until he came to you.
“We’re all good,” I assured Harris loudly as I set the huge tub filling up with just warm water. I filled it about a quarter full, then checked the temperature again, confident about doing such things after having so many nieces and nephews.
Undressing Zack from the food covered onesie was a little tougher, and I ended up with his sticky hands finding their way onto my cheeks as I did it, but we both just laughed and got there in the end. Then he was sat in the tub, happily kicking and splashing me, then laughing with delight at my reactions.
I managed to get him washed with the duck shaped sponge and his organic soap, then we played for a while, Zack loving to fill the set of cups he had, then pour the water from up high back into the tub.
He was such a happy little soul, happy to play with pretty much anything you gave him. He barely ever cried unless something was wrong, like his diaper was filled and he slept like a dream through the nights. I hated to think about the things his own mom had said about him. How could she be so cruel about her own flesh and blood?
He just smiled and opened his arms to me when I grabbed a towel to get him back out again. I wrapped him up and cuddled him close, smiling when he just lay his head on my shoulder and cuddled against me too.
Once I got him to his room I made short work of drying him off, applying baby lotion, getting his diaper on, and dressing him in the most adorable set of animal covered trousers and sweater. I added socks, grabbed his blue bunny, which he instantly grabbed from me, then gathered him back into my arms. Bathing him had been somewhat therapeutic and I felt relaxed and settled. I could get used to this kind of life, I thought to myself.
Then, as we got halfway down the stairs, like a reminder from the gods that I was a complete idiot to relax, a huge boom came from outside, so loud it shook the entire house.
Unsteadily I fell back and sat on the step behind me, not wanting to fall with Zack in my arms. The sense returned to me, as did the panic. Nick and Harris were out there! Was that a damned bomb?
“GUYS!” I screamed as I stood and ran down the last of the stairs. I headed right for the front door, needing to know Harris and Nick were okay, but a hand stopped me just as I started to pull open the door. I turned, panicked and realized it was Kailan.
“Let me go!” I wailed. “H-Harris and Nick!”
“No. You’re not going out there,” he said firmly. Go upstairs, into Harris’s room and lock yourself in his bathroom. The locks are reinforced, as is the door. No one can get in there,” he told me quickly.
“Catch!” Aleks said as he came running towards us in a black bullet proof vest. He had a gun in his hand too, and he looked so unlike the Aleks I knew. He tossed a second bullet proof vest at Kailan, who caught it and started pulling it on over the sweaty tank he must have worn to workout. Aleks handed him a gun too, and I stood, open mouthed as he pulled out the cartridge to check it was loaded, then flicked off the safety.
“W-what’s happening?” I whimpered as I clutched Zack even tighter.
“We don’t know, darlin’, but we have to get out there to the guys. Can you do what I asked? Harris’s bathroom? We’ll come for you as soon as we can,” Kailan said way too calmly.
“I…I…is th-this him?” I stuttered as I tried to make myself think straight.
“Evie! We don’t have time, malenka,” Aleks told me firmly and when I looked up he had his hand on my shoulder. “We have to go, okay? Can you do as Kailan said and keep Zack safe?”
I looked down to the tiny boy in my arms and saw the beginings of tears in his eyes. He was scared. I was scaring him.
“Y-yes. I can d-do that,” I nodded, my voice shaking badly.
“Good girl. Go now. Don’t open the door unless it’s one of us, okay?”
“O-kay,” I agreed with a nod. I wanted to beg them to be safe. I wanted to make them promise they would all come back to me, but I knew there was no time. Instead I turned and ran for the stairs, doing as Kailan had instructed and locking myself inside of Harris’s en-suite bathroom. I had never been in there before, so I had never noticed the slight electric sound when I shut and locked that door. It was cold to the touch and I guessed it was a solid steel door. There were no windows in there, so I put on the lights and huddled on the floor with Zack in my lap.
