The last day of school was approaching quickly and Jaxsen found himself excited for the prospect of summer. It was the first summer he’d looked forward to since ‘Death Day’; his own private name for that fateful night. To his knowledge they didn’t have anything planned, no big summer trips, but that suited him just fine. He was excited to not be scared of what all those endless hours trapped inside the house could bring. He was excited about having real friends to spend time with. 

Since Basil had gone back home to his mother’s he’d slipped into private depression at having to be back there. He’d felt free and at peace at Jaxsen’s. At home he had bad memories and found all his insecurities waiting for him on the front door step. For and around Jaxsen he kept a smile close and tried to keep his mood light. In the five weeks since her return, Basil had spent a majority of his time at Jaxsen’s. Maggie Robinson did not protest once and Sebastian was all too happy to have the lad over.

Nizhoni was entering her sixth month mark and Jaxsen was amazed at how big she was getting. She could see the excitement on the boy’s face as she continued to grow. 

It was a Wednesday night, the night before the last day of school. Dinner was eaten and the dishes were put away. The three of them sat together on the couch. Jaxsen sat between Nizhoni and Sebastian. Nizhoni smiled over Jaxsen’s head as the giggles echoed across the house. Jaxsen’s hands were resting on Nizhoni’s belly, his fingers spread wide, giggling in pure delight as the baby kicked. 

The television was on, but forgotten, a low noise in the background. They watched a movie once the baby was settled down. Jaxsen sat in Sebastian’s lap, his head leaned back against Sebastian’s shoulder. He could feel his eyes getting heavier and after several minutes could no longer fight sleep. As he dozed off he smiled lightly, a small tug at the corners of his mouth, and snuggled further into Sebastian.

In response, he wrapped his larger arms tightly around him, nuzzled his neck and placed a small kiss there. “I love you, sweet boy,” he whispered in his ear.

Jaxsen smiled sleepily. “I love you, too, Daddy.” 

As he fell asleep nestled in Sebastian’s arms, he felt his heart mend some at this feeling of safety and security.

The gun shot echoed through the neighborhood louder than he remembered. His scream caused the shooter to become distracted, the gun lowering a fraction. Able to only crawl toward the assailant, Jaxsen latched on to their calf with his teeth. They screamed and kicked him in the face once he was detached from their leg. At that moment Sebastian and Nizhoni came rushing into the room. Jaxsen watched, his screaming burning his lungs, as two more shots were fired.

Jaxsen woke up screaming, his eyes wide, heart hammering behind his ribs. His scream died as his breath ran out to be replaced by another. 

“Daddy!” he sobbed, pulling his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. He cried out again, weaker this time as his fear began to overtake him. “Mommy…Daddy…” He covered his head with his arms and closed his eyes, wracking sobs pouring from him. It seemed like hours, but couldn’t have been more than a minute before both Nizhoni and Sebastian burst in through the bedroom door. Jaxsen reached out, calling for them both, his wails starting anew. Sebastian picked him up, bringing him close to his chest. Jaxsen reached his hand out to Nizhoni and she took it.

Sebastian rocked him gently. He was too distraught to do anything but cry. Sebastian nodded toward their bedroom door and followed Nizhoni down the hall.

“You okay, sweet boy?” Sebastian inquired as he sat down on his bed.

“No,” Jaxsen managed before fresh tears fell.

“Well, what happened, baby?”

Squeezing his eyes shut against the images that continued to assault him he haltingly told them the dream. “I don’t want you and Mommy to die, Daddy. I don’t wanna be alone again. I don’t wanna be scared all the time.” He was beginning to approach hysteria and Sebastian knew they needed to calm him down.

“Sweet boy, easy, baby. You need to breathe, Jack. Breathe, baby, breathe. There you go,” Sebastian cooed gently, stretching out the syllables in ‘breathe’. “It’s okay now, Jack, yeah?” Sebastian told him softly as he pulled back to look the boy in the eyes.

“Everyone’s safe. The house is quiet. No one’s coming to get us.” As he spoke those words a feeling twisted in his guts. Something that told him those words to be a false prophecy. He pushed the feeling away and focused on his son. It took longer to calm the boy than normal, the dream still having a firm grip on him that didn’t seem too keen on letting him go. After another half an hour of being held and comforted, Jaxsen was asleep.

Sebastian laid him down between him and Nizhoni, who’d gone back to sleep about twenty minutes prior. She smiled sleepily and pulled Jaxsen closer to her when he sought out her warmth. 

After the death of Daniel, his son, Sebastian spent a long time holding onto the pain caused from missing simple moments like this. He watched them a moment and smiled. He loved them more than he’d ever thought was possible after the destruction of his first family. Soon Sebastian felt the tendrils of sleep pulling at the edges of his consciousness. With his hand resting on Jaxsen’s lower back, and his fingers atop Nizhoni’s forearm, he finally fell asleep.

“Hi, Jaxsen,” Melissa said with a small smile. Jaxsen sat down at the lunch table and grinned back at her. Basil watched the exchange feeling a strong filament of jealousy flourish from the pit of his stomach and spread through his veins like venom.

“Hey, Melissa. Hey, Basil,” Jaxsen greeted with a wide grin and bright eyes.

“Hey, Jax,” Basil smiled but it didn’t reach his cheeks. 

“You okay?” Jaxsen asked as he opened his drink.

“Good luck getting him to say anything, Jaxsen. I’ve been trying to get him to spill it since second period,” Melissa said with an eye roll.

Jaxsen bit into the ham and turkey sandwich and shot Basil a questioning look.

“And as I’ve told Melissa since second period, I’m fine. I’m just tired,” Basil replied with annoyance in his voice.

“Right,” Melissa said with dripping sarcasm. “And I’m going on tour this summer for my breakthrough hip-hop album.” Melissa grinned at her own wit and popped a chip into her mouth. Basil glared but did not retort further.

“You guys wanna come over tomorrow? I bet my dad would let you stay the weekend, Basil.” 

Basil nodded and half smiled. “Yeah, sounds like fun.” His tone belied his words and felt his shoulders sag. He wished he could shake himself of this mood. He felt retched. At home he’d become the invisible boy. Since his mother had gotten back home she’d spoken maybe five full sentences to him in as many weeks. He was hurt. He was angry. He wanted the comfort of her arms like when he was little. Jaxsen and Melissa shared a glance as Basil stared into his lunch. Melissa shrugged and they both looked back to Basil. Jaxsen knew school wasn’t the place to ask and decided to wait until they were alone. Basil smiled slightly as he felt Jaxsen’s arm slide around his back and glance to his left from under hooded eyes. Jaxsen finished his lunch while keeping a close eye on his friend.

“Hey, you wanna come home with us tonight instead of tomorrow?” Jaxsen asked as they walked to their last class of the day. They were getting out a bit early for summer. They were to be dismissed at quarter to one. The last class being reserved for the yearbook signing out on the play field and cleaning out lockers; which they had just completed now to beat the hoard of students all shoving each other and the general chaos associated with the end of the school year. Jaxsen was still extremely wary of large crowds and found himself beginning to panic at the thought of being enclosed by the sea of the student body. Basil, noticing the panic that was sneaking up behind his eyes, suggested they skip the crowd. Jaxsen’s shoulders dropped in relief and nodded.

“Basil,” Sebastian greeted with a smile, “I mean to take it you’re staying this weekend?” Sebastian ruffled Jaxsen’s hair smiling. 

“If it’s okay, Bastian,” Basil answered shyly as he averted his eyes to his feet. As they began walking toward the car Sebastian took an assessing look of the slightly older boy.

“Basil, are you losing more weight? I swear those pants fit you last month.”

Basil grinned. “Yeah, a little,” he replied as a blush crept up his neck.

Sebastian smiled. “Looks like we’re going to have to take you shopping again, doesn’t it?” 

Basil smiled and blushed again. The first time Sebastian told him that is what he had planned, Basil was slightly embarrassed; not that Sebastian wanted to help, but that his own mother hadn’t bothered to notice. The pang of abandonment struck him hard and low, and for a moment it felt like he couldn’t breathe. He smiled at Sebastian, thankful that if he couldn’t have parents who both wanted and loved him, he had Jaxsen, Sebastian, and even Nizhoni, who in the last year had become the family he’d so many times wished for.

“Come in,” Jaxsen called at the knock on his door. Sebastian poked his head into the bedroom. The boys were set in the center of Jaxsen’s area rug, cross-legged and facing one another. Basil dropped his head to hide his face, subtly shouldering away any moisture on his cheeks.

“Everything okay?” Sebastian asked in concern.

“Yeah, Dad, we’re okay.” Jaxsen glanced quickly at Basil before looking back to his father. “We’re just talking.”

Sebastian nodded. “Well, Nizhoni doesn’t feel good, so I’m going to run to the store and get her some crackers. You boys want anything specific for dinner?”

“Can we have spaghetti and meatballs?” Jaxsen beamed. It was one of his favorite meals.

Sebastian smiled. “Again, Jack? If we keep eating spaghetti, we’re all gonna morph into noodles.” Jaxsen giggled. “You boys wanna come with me or stay here?”

Jaxsen glanced at Basil again then back to Sebastian. “No, Dad, it’s okay. We’ll just stay here.”

Sebastian nodded. “’Kay. Your mom’s asleep so try not to make too much noise, alright?”

Jaxsen nodded and smiled. “Okay, Dad. Be safe.”

“I will, Jack.”

Jaxsen turned his attention back to Basil when Sebastian closed the door behind him, who was still inspecting the dirt under his fingernails. “Is it selfish of me, Jax?” He looked up and met Jaxsen’s gaze. “I-is it bad that I wish she would just love me?

“No, Basil. It’s not bad at all.” Jaxsen wished there was something more he could do for his friend.

He shrugged. “It feels like it’s bad. Sh-she makes me feel like it’s a bad thing.” Basil sighed and wiped his eyes. “I should just stop allowing this to get to me so much. It’s stupid. It’s fucking stupid and no amount of crying or being upset or being hurt is gonna change the fact that she doesn’t really give two shits about me.”

His tone became laced with anger, his face turning into a hard scowl as he spoke. Jaxsen didn’t know what he could say or do that would make his friend feel better. Understanding words wasn’t what was needed however, and simply Jaxsen scooted over next to his friend and pulled him into a tight embrace. 

“You’ll always have me, Basil,” he whispered in his ear.