Fantastically Fictitious Fics from Various Fandoms

Hey, My name is Karin and this is my random fan fiction blog! I'm always taking requests, so feel free to send in anything you'd like!

[fantasticallyfictitious]

Things went downhill quickly. Lisbeth left Dan for an Irish whiskey brewer, and Kaija was deported and her plane crashed. Dan and Phil went into a deep depression, turned against each other, and in a messy murder-suicide pack, rendered their apartment uninhabitable for the next century. Thanks Obama.

[danhowellfever]

Hysteria- SPECIAL EDITION GUEST CHAPTER 26

A/N: This Chapter was written by the absolutely amazing Karin at @fantasticallyfictitious and it’s like my favorite thing in the world so give this chapter and Karin some love!! :D

“Daddy, daddy! I wanna see the polar bears!” Jax exclaimed, grabbing his father’s hand and pulling him through the zoo.

“Sweetheart, slow down!” I laughed as he dragged Dan along behind him.

“Mum,” he said determinedly, a stern look on his face, “polar bears are endangered and this could be my only chance to see them. I already missed out on dodo birds, I’m not missing out on this!”

“Should we tell him that he would never have been able to see dodo birds anyway?” Dan asked quietly, grinning.

I slugged his arm gently, beaming. Jax roped his father into spending the day at the zoo, without my knowledge, and I was surprised this morning to see Dan helping his son tie his shoes. Dan made a picnic lunch and got Jax dressed in his favorite ostrich t-shirt and knee high dragon socks. I was given twenty minutes to get ready, then had breakfast that Dan had prepared. We were playing happy family, and I dared to believe that we really were.

“You’re too slow!” Jax cried, and threw Dan’s hand away. He turned and started darting through the crowd.

“Hey!” I yelled, anger and fear taking over. I pushed my way through the throngs of people and quickly spotted my son’s backpack. I grabbed onto the handle, bringing him to a sharp halt. “Jackson!” I chastised as he turned to look at me. “You know better than to run off on me. What’s the rule when we’re out and about?”

 His little bottom lip puffed out; he knew he was in trouble. “Always stay in sight and don’t wander off.”

 Dan had caught up to us, and nodded approvingly to me at Jackson’s statement.

 I turned my attention back to my son, and became aware that I had adopted my mom-is-mad pose: head cocked to the side, hands on hips, and left foot tapping angrily.

“I’m sorry, mama,” he said, and looked down at his light-up shoes. “I just got really excited.”

 I exhaled and relaxed. I ruffled his wavy hair and said, “I’m not mad, honey. You just scared me a little.”

 “I’m sorry,” he repeated, then looked back up and took my hand.

 Dan took his other hand and said, “Let’s go.”

 The three of us sauntered off through the zoo, passing dozens of exhibits until we reached the polar bears. The second they were in sight, Jax ripped his hands away and went sprinting to the glass. He pressed his nose against it, fogging up the glass. “Mum! Dad! Look at them!”

  Dan and I stood at the top of the stairs leading down to the glass. At our height, we could see the top of the water, and two polar bears were swimming, looking curiously at all of us humans.

  “How cute is our kid?” Dan asked rhetorically, brushing his shoulder against mine.

“Pretty damn cute,” I answered. Jax had made a connection with one of the bears, and it was following him as he ran back and forth.

Dan ran his hand down my arm until he reached my hand, and locked his with mine. “I’m glad we were able to do this. I feel…”

He trailed off, so I squeezed his hand. “What is it?” I asked gently.

“It sounds stupid, but…” His cheeks reddened, and he kept his eyes fixed on our son. “But I feel like a dad.”

“That’s not stupid,” I told him, stroking his hand with my thumb. “I didn’t really feel like a mom even after I brought Jax home. It was like I had a loud, smelly roommate. Honestly, it didn’t hit me until a few nights later. I woke up to him crying, and he wouldn’t stop. I tried feeding him, changing him, rocking him, singing to him… Nothing worked. But then I kissed him on the forehead and he just stopped. He opened those big brown eyes and looked at me, and the widest smile stretched across his face. He wrapped his hand around my finger and just stared at me. That was the moment that I first felt like a mother.”

I looked up at him and saw his eyes watering. “Dan? What’s wrong?”

“I should have been there.”

And there it was. Our perfect family gathering shattered by the secret that kept us apart for so long.

“Dan,” I breathed, feeling my heart break. “We’ve talked about this. I thought we were past it.”

“It doesn’t take away the hurt, Evie,” he muttered, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground. “I missed years of my son’s life just because you…”

Heartbreak was quickly replaced by anger. “I’m not having this fight with you right now. We have discussed this so many times, I’ve lost count! Are you gonna hold this over my head forever?”

He rolled his eyes and scoffed.

My fists clenched. “I am done feeling guilty about this,” I hissed. “You don’t think I regretted my actions for all these years? I went crazy knowing that I was keeping this from you.”

“You wouldn’t have even told me about him if we didn’t run into each other!” he cried, finally meeting my eyes. “You would have kept him from me until your conscience decided to do the right thing. That’s what I have an issue with, Evie.”

I felt myself shaking. Somewhere in my heart, I knew he was right. But I wasn’t ready to admit that. “Screw you, Dan.”

He laughed dryly. “Now I’m the bad guy?”

“I thought we had moved on. Guess I was stupid for assuming that we could be happy together.”

“I want that more than anything!” he exclaimed. “But there’s still the fact that I missed his birth, his first words, his first steps… I’ve missed so much and it’s all because of-“ He stopped. He scanned my face for a moment, and I felt tears filling my eyes. “I shouldn’t have brought this up. I should  have kept my mouth shut. I… I need to take a walk.” And he spun around and stalked off, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I was shaking with anger and sadness. I furiously wiped at my eyes, trying to get rid of the tears. I turned back to the polar bears, knowing that a smile from my son would cure any sadness I was feeling.

The only problem was, he wasn’t there.

My stomach dropped. I ran down the steps to the glass where my son had been playing. No Jackson. My body racked with shakes as my mind started projecting all the horrible things that could have happened.

“Excuse me,” I said to a woman who was watching the animals with her children, “have you seen my little boy? About this tall, brown hair, brown eyes?”

“He was just here,” she informed me, and I felt a little bit of hope. “I saw him run up those stairs.”

“Thanks,” I said dismissively as I scrambled up the stairs. I scanned the crowds but saw no sign of my child. “Jax!” I yelled. People looked at me oddly, but no response. “Jackson!” I screamed again. I pushed my way through the crowds, and still, no Jax. Then it hit me: Dan. He went after Dan.

I darted off in the direction in which Dan walked off. He hadn’t gotten far, and I caught up within minutes. Latching onto his arm, I cried, “Dan!”

“Go away, Evie,” he growled, trying to shake me off. “I told you, I-“

“Have you seen Jackson?”

The anger disappeared from his features. “What do you mean? He’s at the polar bear exhibit… right?”

My legs gave out and I crumbled to the ground. Jax wasn’t with Dan. He was missing. Missing. How could I let this happen?

“Ev!” Dan sank to his knees and grabbed my face between his hands. “Where is our son?”

 In a voice I didn’t even recognize, I croaked, “I don’t know.”

His jaw set and he stood. He stretched a hand to me and said, “So let’s find him.”

The world glossed over as Dan pulled me back to the polar bear exhibit. My mind was running through every worst possible scenario that I could think of. All I could imagine was someone taking my child away and I wouldn’t see him again.

Dan grabbed my hand, squeezing it. “Evie, it’s going to be okay.”

I then realized that we were standing before a few zoo employees, and I had been biting my nails so much that my cuticles were bleeding. “I just…”

He kissed my knuckles. “We’ll find him, babe.”

I shook my head. “I can’t believe I took my eyes off of him. How could I be so stupid?”

Dan gathered me into his arms and kissed the top of my head. “Just breathe,” he murmured. “Breathe.” He stroked my back. “Let’s go get him.”     

Hand in hand, we started walking around the park, trailed by zoo employees, asking people if they had seen Jax. Dan and I showed his photo to anyone that would listen, and my heart lifted when many had. A particular woman said, “Oh, that little charmer? You know, he returned my wallet not fifteen minutes ago!”

Dan and I perked up.

“Where was that? Was he okay? Did he seem okay? Was he scared? Was he…” Dan squeezed my hand and I stopped ranting.

“He seemed fine, ma’am,” she told me. “I guess I dropped my wallet back by those polar bear statues and he chased me down to return it. I thanked him and he told me I should thank his mum for turning him into a gentleman.” She chuckled lightly, and I felt myself smile. “I did ask after you, ma’am,” she said, turning serious. “He said he could get back to you on his own, so I bought him a balloon to thank him and we went our separate ways.”

“What kind of balloon?” Dan asked hurriedly.

I peered up at him, confused. “Dan, our son is missing, how is a balloon important right now?” I hissed.

“Go easy on your husband, dear,” the woman said.

I brushed off the ‘husband’ comment. “Dan…”

He grinned. “Find the balloon, find our son.”         

Slapping his shoulder, I exclaimed, “You’re a genius!”

The woman giggled and said, “It’s a pink elephant. He said his mum loves elephants.”

  “Thank you,” I said quickly, and spotted the nearest bench and ran to it, hopping on top. I scanned the crowd, my faith and hope renewed. Balloons littered the crowd, and I chewed my bottom lip as I tried to find the elephant. Dan joined me on the bench, but no sooner did he join me then I saw it; a hot pink elephant in the distance.

 I leaped off the bench, ignoring Dan’s cries. I made a beeline for the balloon, my heart pounding. My son…

I stopped short. There was Jax, sitting on a polar bear statue next to the exhibit, holding a pink elephant balloon. He was looking at his feet, kicking them gently against the statue.

“Jackson,” I breathed, and rushed to him. I grabbed him in my arms and lifted him.

“Mum!” He exclaimed, and wrapped his little arms around my neck. “Mama, I missed you!”

I couldn’t think straight. All I knew is that my son was safe and in my arms. He was okay, thank goodness. “Oh, baby,” I said, leaning back to look at his chubby face, “are you okay?”

“Yep!” he exclaimed. “Look, a woman bought me a balloon. It’s for you! Mum, why are you crying?”

I sniffled and readjusted him on my hip. “I just missed you,” I whispered.

Dan burst through the people and breathed a huge sigh of relief once he laid eyes on us.

“Daddy!” Jax yelled happily. “Look!” He raised his hand showing off the balloon that was tied to his wrist. “A nice lady bought me a balloon!”

Dan just grinned and stepped forward, pressing a kiss on the top of his head. I saw him blink away tears before he stepped away.

“Guys,” our son said slowly, “why are you crying?”

 I sucked in my lower lip and held him a little tighter. “We’ve been looking for you, hon.”

Jackson’s jaw started quivering, and he looked down at his feet. “You and daddy were fighting and I didn’t want to see it, so I went to the polar bear statue. I kept you in my sight, just like I’m supposed to! But then the lady dropped her wallet and I just wanted to give it back, but when I came back you were gone! So I waited right there,” he pointed at the bronze statue, “until you returned.”

I was overwhelmed with guilt. I never should have argued with Dan in front of Jax. It wasn’t healthy for him to see. I was about to say something, but Dan leaned forward and took our son from my arms.

Settling him on his hip, Dan said, “We’re sorry, buddy. We shouldn’t have been fighting. And you did the right thing, but you have to tell us where you’re going.”

 Jax nodded. “Am I in trouble?”

Dan and I exchanged pitiful looks.

 “No, hon, you’re not,” I said, and tousled his hair. “Just next time, don’t run off. Let us know where you’re going first.”

He finally looked up at me and a smile broke out across his face. “I will!”

I chuckled. “Good.”

 His eyes slyly looked at Dan. “If I’m not in trouble, can I ride on your shoulders?”

Dan laughed and hoisted our son onto his shoulders and held onto his ankles.

“Can we look at the giraffes?” Jackson asked meekly.

“We can do anything you want,” I said, and squeezed his foot, making him giggle.

As we walked, my heart stopped racing. Everything was okay again, thank goodness. Well… almost everything.

 “Hey,” I said quietly to Dan as we watched Jax attempt to pet a giraffe. “I’m sorry about… about everything.”

He shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have started with you. It wasn’t fair.”

“It was more than fair,” I said quietly. “You were right. I didn’t plan on ever telling you about him, and it kills me, especially now, that I had that thought. But I am so, so, happy that you found out about him.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, “I am too.” He took my hand and laced our fingers together. “I understand why you did what you did,” he said softly, keeping his eyes fixed on Jackson. “And I can never get that time back. But I don’t want to waste any more time now. I can’t enjoy our present if I’m busy sulking about our past.”

I smiled broadly. “Couldn’t have put it better myself.”

He glanced down at me and met my eyes. “Friends?” he asked.

“More than,” I said, and stuck out my tongue.

He chuckled and gave me a quick kiss. “Good.”

“Mum!” Jackson exclaimed, startling both of us into straightening. “I want a kiss too!”

Dan and I exchanged looks, and simultaneously swooped down and we each kissed one cheek.

 Jackson giggled wildly, then stretched his hands out towards the both of us.

Hands linked, the three of us spent the rest of the day walking through the zoo like a normal, happy family. And something told me that one day, we really would be.

[fantasticallyfictitious]

Gotta love Leah! I'm so honored that she asked me to be a part of her amazing Hysteria series. It was so much fun playing with the characters she created. Thank you for letting me do this!

[danhowellfever]

Hysteria- Chapter 7

We remained wrapped up together in silence for a while, not moving. After a few minutes, Dan spoke, quietly so it was barely audible, but I heard. “Will you tell me about him? What’s he like?”

Moving, I rested my chin on his chest to look up at him and smiled softly, “He’s the spitting image of you, as you could probably see from the pictures. He’s brilliant, Dan. Really. He’s incredibly smart, and funny, and caring. He’s perfect. I mean, he has his moments like every kid, but to me he’s perfect.”

I felt his thumb ever so lightly tracing circles on my back, and he tilted his head to look at me. “So… just like me,” he joked with a sad smile.

I couldn’t help but giggle. “So you haven’t changed that much.”

“I don’t want to start another fight. I’ve never liked fighting with you. I just want to understand. Why?” his voice cracked and I had to hold back tears.

“I thought you didn’t want him. I thought I had no other choice.” I moved to sit up and grabbed a nearby blanket to cover myself. “I’m sorry, Dan.”

“It hurt when you left. But by that point I knew it was coming. You’d been pushing me away for weeks, and that hurt worse. I didn’t understand what I had done. I thought you hated me. I was going to talk to you again about the baby and what to do and try to come up with a plan if we were going to keep it, but when I tried to bring it up again you just shot me down and said you took care of it. After that I couldn’t talk to you about anything anymore. You completely shut me out. It broke my heart.”

“I know. I thought I was doing what was best for everyone. I thought by cutting myself out of your life you’d be happier.”

He looked up, and his eyes bore into mine. “I was never happier without you.”

I couldn’t hold his gaze, so I averted my eyes and stared down at my hands, not sure how to respond. “So what do we do now?” I asked, gesturing to our naked bodies.

He chuckled humorlessly, “As if things couldn’t get more complicated.” We sat in silence for another minute, pondering what to do, before Dan spoke again. “I want to meet him. I want to be his father.”

I shook my head nervously, “I don’t know, Dan. It’s such a big deal to have a new adult in his life. I don’t even introduce new friends to him until I’ve known them for awhile.”

“I’m not a new friend, Evelyn. I’m his father. Not to mention we’ve known each other since we were sixteen.”

“We don’t know each other anymore.”

“Yes we do. We’re still the same people. Sure, we’ve got different things going on in our lives and we’re more mature. But we’re still the same.”

“Do you have any idea how much this would alter his entire world? It’s only ever been him and I,” my voice faded as I thought about our life and the little world I had created, just the two of us. It just seemed like someone else coming into the picture would throw everything off.

“Have you told him anything about me?” he asked quietly.

“I told him you had to go to University and you knew he’d be safe with me. I left it at that for now, and it was enough to satisfy him for the time being. When he’s older I’m sure he’ll have more questions.”

Dan nodded slowly before continuing, “I’m not going to give up. Or take no for an answer, in fact. I want to be in his life.”

“And what if you decide you’re happier without him? It would break his heart. I would never forgive myself if I let him get hurt.”

“Evie, don’t you think I deserve the chance at a relationship with my son?”

I sniffled, and a tear leaked out onto my cheek. “Yes,” I whispered, and it seemed as though the word hung on my lips. “But only if you swear you’re in it for the long haul. You have to commit to being a father for good. I won’t let Jax meet you and get attached otherwise.”

Dan looks at those he can hardly contain himself as a wide grin spreads across his face. “Yes, I promise. I’ve already thought about it a lot since I ran into you two the other day.”

I held up a hand, “No, Dan, I need you to be 100% positive. No doubts, no backtracking, a firm commitment. I’m not going to accept an answer now, it’s too soon. Think about it, long and hard, for a week and then give me an answer. It’s the only way I can make sure you mean it.”

“You can’t take my word for it?” he asks, sounding hurt.

I sighed, “Try to think about it the way I am. I need to protect my four year old. I can’t let you meet him unless I know without a doubt that you will be there for him. Deciding to be in his life is a lifelong commitment. How many people make commitments like that after only a few days?”

He pushes his fringe off his forehead and looks away, “I guess you’re right. A week it is. From today.”

I met his eyes and smiled, “Thank you.”

[danhowellfever]

Hysteria- Chapter 6

“Dan, I-” I began, looking down at my hands.

Abruptly, Dan stood up again, as though he hadn’t literally just taken a seat. Pacing, he began to rant, “I mean you let me go all this time thinking you had aborted the baby- or given him up for adoption. Do you know how many nights I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t get it out of my head? Wondering what would have happened if you had kept it? Feeling guilty about how I reacted? Mourning the loss of my opportunity to be a father? To have a child with the one person I ever loved?”

I stood, anger flaring up in me, “You didn’t even want the baby, Dan. Don’t you remember what you said? ‘You aren’t keeping it are you? You can’t be!’ You made it abundantly clear that you didn’t want any part of him,” I said, my voice raising with every word.

“I was fucking terrified! I was 19 years old and struggling in university and had no idea what the hell I was doing with my life and all of the sudden my girlfriend is pregnant. I panicked! I didn’t know how to handle it- any of it. I admit, I didn’t react well, but never once did I say I didn’t want him. Never once did I say that if you kept the baby I didn’t want to be involved,” he raised his voice to match mine in his retort, and it was quickly becoming a shouting match.

“How the hell else was I supposed to take your response? I couldn’t afford to have you panic and bail on me at the last second. I took you out of the equation before you could take yourself out to make it easier on both of us- on all three of us,” I corrected quickly.

“You had no fucking right to make that decision for me.”

“I had every right. I’m his mother.”

“And I’m his father. He’s as much me as he is you,” He stepped closer, fuming. We were toe to toe, staring at each other angrily, the tension palpable. Finally, something snapped in me, in both of us, and our lips smashed together violently.

I can’t explain what came over me. Hormones, rage, lust, all of the above. The last time I had slept with anyone was before I found out I was pregnant. I’ve been too busy being a  mother to date, and I’m not one for one night stands. Dan was the first, and the last, and the only person I’d ever loved. I inhaled him, he still smelled the same, tasted the same, and somehow even after all these years I was so unbelievably attracted to him. It felt like I needed him like air. And yet my blood was boiling from our fight. Whether I was right, or he was, I still felt the anger coursing through my veins, mingling with desire and taking over me completely.

I tore at his shirt until he ripped it over his head. He fell back onto the couch and I climbed on top of him after taking off my own shirt. I ran my fingernails down his chest and his breath hitched, in pain or pleasure I didn’t know- nor did I care. He responded by grabbing a fistful of my hair in one hand and forcefully pushing my jeans off my hips with the other.

We separated just long enough for Dan to push his jeans and boxers to his knees and for my to get my pants and underwear completely off. Immediately I straddled him again, lowering myself onto him and wincing. It was painful, after so many years, but I savored it. It made me feel alive. It made me feel whole. Rolling my hips, I moaned as Dan began to roughly meet my thrusts, reaching up and pulling my head back by my hair to bite my neck. He bit down hard and I gasped in both pleasure and pain, digging my nails into his back.

“Holy shit,” Dan moaned against my shoulder and the words echoed through my mind. I had never had sex like this. When we were teenagers it was always gentle. Gentle, loving, and a little awkward. But now we were grown, with more stamina, more experience, and a hell of a lot more emotion. It wasn’t just two kids learning about their bodies and head over heels in love. It was two adults working out their issues violently and sexually, and using each other’s bodies to reach that goal. I threw my head back and screamed when I came, my body twitching and writhing as the wave of heat and pleasure washed over me.

Dan followed soon after and the energy drained out of me. Still on top of him, with him still inside me, I laid my head of his chest. I didn’t want to move, or think about anything that had just happened, or that we still hadn’t resolved the issue he was there for. The anger had been fucked out of me, and I just wanted to stay in that moment without having to think about the bigger issues. At least for awhile. Dan hesitated, then gently placed his arm over my bare back, and in that one gesture I knew that he was feeling the same way that I was.

[danhowellfever]

Hysteria- Chapter 5

A few more days went by of me dodging Dan’s calls. My guilt was growing and I knew I needed to address the issue but I just couldn’t bring myself to answer- or respond to any of his text messages. I didn’t know how to say, and I just wasn’t ready.

As the time went on I just focused on unpacking and getting Jackson and I settled in to our new apartment. By the end of our first week I had managed to turn our little place into a lovely home. Sure, there were some boxes still left, but for the most part we were all settled. Jax had already adjusted 100% to the city. He had made friends with nearly everyone at daycare and was already setting up his first playdate on Saturday at his friends how. It made me nervous but I knew I couldn’t keep him cooped up with me forever, as much as I would have liked to. Plus I had met his mother a few times when picking Jax up and part of me was looking forward to the alone time. I had hardly had any since Jax was born.

I held back tears as I dropped him off. I gave him a tight hug and kissed him goodbye, promising to come get him at 5 for dinner, though he was more interested in playing with his friend than what I was saying.

The way home I couldn’t get Dan off my mind. I knew I needed to address the issue and talk to him, and what better time then when Jax was at a friends. I decided that when I got home I would call him. Walking towards my building from the Underground, I stared at my feet, so focused on what I was going to say and calming my nerves, that I accidentally barreled right into someone.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry I didn’t see you,” I said, steadying myself before looking up at who I had ran into. I had to strain my neck, he was about a foot taller than me, but my breath caught when I saw his face.

“Evelyn,” he said, clearly unamused.

“Hey, Dan, what’s up,” I said awkwardly.

He raised an eyebrow and clenched his jaw. “Seriously?”

I rubbed the back of my neck and looked away, struggling to hold his gaze as I could see the anger in his eyes. “Look, I was going to call. Today actually, as soon as I got home. I’m home alone today so I thought it would be a good time to talk. Jax- uh, my son- has a playdate so…” I trailed off.

“Our son.” Dan said pointedly.

I bit my lip and sighed, hesitating. “My building is right over there. Do you want to come inside? I don’t have moments like this very often and I definitely do not want to have this conversation with a little person around.”

Dan paused, “I was supposed to film a video with my flatmate, but this is more important. We need to do this.”

“Alright come on,” I said, turning and heading towards my apartment. Dan followed, calling his friend as we walked and saying he had something to take care of and wouldn’t be home for awhile, but promising he’d be around tomorrow to film. I tried not to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of a career he and his friend could have made out of YouTube.

“Do you want some tea? I can put the kettle on,” I said as we entered my apartment.

“Not really,” Dan said, strolling over to look at the pictures I had hung up in the entry way. Almost all of them were of Jax and I throughout the years, and the guilt washed over me again as I saw Dan reach up and touch the frame of a picture of Jax when he was six months old- grinning and holding tight to a stuffed Winnie the Pooh bear.

Looking at Dan was bizarre; obviously he was still the same person I was in love with five years ago, but at the same time he wasn’t. He was taller- or maybe his posture was just better. Either way, he looked like a pillar dressed in black standing in my hallway. His fringe was shorter, he had some stubble on his face (something he had never been able to grow before) and he seemed so much more sure of himself. I could see so much of him in Jackson and it was weird to see those same mannerisms and features on an adult after so many years.

“You know I really loved you,” he said suddenly, turning to face me.

I blanched- that was probably the last thing I had expected him to say. Slumping on the couch, I put my face in my hands. “I really loved you too, Dan.”

I didn’t look at him, but I felt the couch shift and knew that he had taken a seat opposite me. “Then what the fuck, Evie?” he asked.

[danhowellfever]

Hysteria- Chapter 4

It felt like I had only had about two minutes of sleep when my alarm went off. Groaning, I rolled over and stretched before forcing myself out of bed. It was my first day at work and Jax’s first day at his new daycare. I got myself ready, letting Jackson sleep in as long as possible before I had to get him up and ready. By the time we got out the door he was still half asleep, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He leaned against me on the tube journey to the daycare and sniffled. I looked down and, to my horror, saw tears on his cheeks. “What’s wrong baby?” I asked, wiping a tear away with my thumb.

“I don’t want to go to a new daycare. I won’t know anybody and I miss Grandma,” He rubbed at his eyes with his hand and I felt my heart break.

I pulled him close and held him. “I know it’s scary, honey. I’m scared to go to my new job today, too. But we will both get through it and it will only be a couple of hours. Before you know it, I’ll be there to pick you up again. Plus, in just a few weeks you will be going to kindergarten and you’ll meet loads of new friends there.”

“I guess,” he responds, resting his head against me. I rubbed his shoulder affectionately and we spent the rest of the trip in silence. I felt bad that I had uprooted him, but when this publishing company saw some of my art online and gave me the opportunity to work as an artist designing book covers in London I couldn’t refuse. It was such a huge opportunity, and considering I didn’t have a college degree, it was probably a once in a lifetime thing. Plus, at Jax’s age, it’s  a lot easier to make friends than if we had moved when he was in high school or something.

He hugged me for a good two minutes when I dropped him off, and both of us were fighting off tears as I let go. “I have to go, Jackson,” I said, fixing his brown curls. “Remember, it’s just a few hours and I’ll be back and you’ll get to tell me all about your day.”

He nods bravely, “Okay mum. I love you.”

I kissed his forehead, “I love you too. More than anything in the world. I’ll see you soon.”

The tube journey to work was long and lonely. I pulled out my phone to play a game and discovered that I had missed call from Dan, along with a voicemail. Putting the phone to my ear, I played the message, “Evelyn, I don’t know if you got my last text message, but we really need to talk. In person, preferably. Just, give me a call please.”

Sighing, I put the phone back in my pocket. I honestly didn’t feel like we did need to talk. Or maybe I just wasn’t ready to talk. I had built such a nice little family with Jax, just the two of us, and it had always been that way. The idea of Dan coming into the picture after so long scared me; what would that do to Jax? How would I explain his absence the past four years? Well, assuming Dan would want to be in his life after finding out about him. Maybe he just wanted to talk to tell me he didn’t want to be around either of us and didn’t want it to be awkward if we run into each other in the neighborhood. Regardless, I needed some time to think everything over before we ‘talked’- and I for sure needed to get myself and my son settled in with all the new changes before I thought about or discussed the complicated situation with Dan.

I pushed the matter to the back of my mind as I arrived at my building, ready to start my first day at work.

-

Eight hours later I left the building with a smile on my face. My first day went fantastically and I could already tell that I would love it there. However, no matter how well my day went I couldn’t get to Jax’s daycare fast enough. He was on my mind all day long and I couldn’t wait to pull him into my arms and find out how his day went.

“Mum!” he shrieked happily when I arrived, running into my arms.

“Hey baby!” I grinned, holding him close. “How was your day?”

“It was so much fun!” he said, pulling back to look at me. He was smiling so big that his dimples stood out, making him look remarkably like his father. “I made loads of new friends and we worked on my reading. I’m gonna be so ready for kindergarten in the fall.”

“I bet you are. Now let’s head home. What do you want for dinner?” I asked, standing up and grabbing his hand.

“Hmm,” he mused before excitedly shouting, “Pizza!”

I laughed at his enthusiasm. “Alright. Pizza it is.” I was so focused on Jackson during the ride home, that I didn’t even notice my phone ringing- and the number calling was one that was becoming familiar.

[fantasticallyfictitious]

Shaken: Part Four

Kaija was surprised to see Lisbeth sitting on their couch when she came home from work. “Lis!” She exclaimed, and ran to her side, throwing her arms around her neck. “How are you? Are you okay?” Lisbeth grinned meekly. “I’m fine, Kai, really.” She frowned when she saw her friend’s swollen bandaged nose. “Holy shit,” she muttered, “that bitch really did break your nose.” Kaija sighed and sat next to her, resting her head against her shoulder. “She did. Though I’d happily let her do it again if it meant I got to hit her back. She sucker punched me.” “I can’t believe Dan ever dated someone like her,” Lisbeth murmured quietly. “You talked to him?” Kaija asked. “He came by a few hours ago,” she admitted. “We talked for a while. He explained everything.” Kaija nodded in understanding. “So the two of you are..?” “We’re… I don’t know what we are. The love is there but the trust is broken. For now, I want Chelsea out of his flat and out of our lives.” “So do I. But I'm not getting involved with that bitch anymore,” Kaija muttered sourly. “The way she has Dan twisted around her finger makes me sick. He’s got to be the one to kick her out.” “Honestly, Kai,” Lisbeth sighed, “I don’t know if he’s strong enough. He’s so scared to hurt her that he won’t be blunt with her. Maybe I should confront her.” “I wouldn’t do that,” Kaija said shortly. “I can tell you for a fact that she’s after Dan, and she’ll hurt anyone that gets in her way. And trust me, you wouldn't look good with a broken nose.” Lisbeth elbowed her, grinning. “You’re one to talk, Kai. You’re not exactly winning any beauty contests here.” Kaija laughed under her breath. “But really, Lis. I’m a third party in this and look at what she did to me. Do you have any idea what she would do to you?” “I’m not exactly helpless, Kai. I’ve been known to kick a few butts.” “Yeah, but those have been fights over petty things like a torn prom dress. This is about a man that Chelsea is obsessed with. I don’t even want to think about what she might do to you.” Kaija shuddered and squeezed Lisbeth’s hand. Lisbeth sighed, feeling a little more than helpless. “Then I’ll make Dan deal with it. I’ll be supportive, but he brought her in, he can damn well get her the hell out.” “There she is!” Kaija looked up at her friend. “There’s my sassy best friend!” Lis pushed her gently and laughed, “I never left!” “You can do this,” Lisbeth murmured as Dan squeezed her around the middle. “I’ll be with you the whole time.” “I know,” he replied, already sounding defeated. “I’m just… Nervous.” She pulled back and cupped his face in her hands, beaming up at him. “She has to get out, Dan. She doesn’t belong here and you know it. The longer she’s here, the longer she’s poisoning our lives and our relationship. You’ve got to make her leave. We’ve got to make her leave.” He nodded and released her, only to take her hand. “You’re right.” “Then let’s do this.” Dan could feel the dread building as they walked hand in hand to the lounge. The desire to not hurt Chelsea was outweighed by the desire to fix thing with Lisbeth. He knew it was going to be hard, but it would be worth it if it meant having Lisbeth back in his life. When he reached the doorway, he took a deep breath. This was not going to be easy. Chelsea was laying on the couch, playing a game on her phone. Her eyes were glazed over, but as soon as Dan entered the room, she jumped to her feet. “Danny!” She squeaked, and wrapped herself around his arm. “I missed you. Where have you been?” Her eyes narrowed when she saw Lisbeth’s eyes darken. “What is she doing here?” she asked innocently, peering up at Dan. He sighed pulled his arm from her grip. “We need to talk, Chelsea,” he said lowly. Her lips twitched, but she allowed him to pull away. She knew what was coming; it was the same tone of voice he used the first time he tried to dump her. The only difference was that he had backup this time. Dan sat down on the couch, pulling Lisbeth with him. Chelsea sat a few feet away, her hands folded in her lap. “You must be the ex,” Chelsea said, unable to hold back her smug delivery. Lisbeth didn’t even flinch. “Not quite.” Chelsea sneered at her, then turned her attention to Dan. “What’s going on?” He took a deep breath, then smiled gently when Lisbeth put a hand on his knee. “Chelsea, I’m sorry, but you can’t stay here anymore. It was a mistake to ever invite you to stay with me.” Her face paled. “But, my boyfriend-” “I know,” he interrupted. “And I am sorry about that. But you’ll have to deal with him somewhere else.” “How could you do this to me, Danny?” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. The guilt set in, and he looked at Lisbeth, reassured by her gaze. He took another breath and said, “I have to, Chels. You came between me and Lisbeth, me and Phil, and you broke Kaija’s nose. I can’t have you around anymore. You need to leave. Now.” Her bottom lip started quivering. “I never meant to hurt anyone, Danny. I just wanted to have you back in my life. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved. How could you hurt me? Again?” “I can’t do it. We’re toxic for each other. You’ve got to go.” “What am I going to do without you?” she whispered. She began dragging her nails across her arms, leaving angry red marks in their wake. “Stop that!” Dan snapped. “Why?” she muttered, tears now freely flowing. “You hurt me so much. I might as well hurt even more.” He snatched her hand, surprising both of them. “You can’t blame me for what’s going on with you. Chelsea, I’m being dead serious here.” Her face fell. “I guess you’re right. I’ll…” She took her hand back from him and stood up. “I’ll go. I’m sorry. I know I’ve been difficult. I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry.” Dan stood and clapped a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry I had to be so blunt. I’ll go get your bags.” On his way out, he cast a glance back at Lisbeth, who beamed at him. “I bet you’re pretty happy about this,” Chelsea sneered, turning her back to Lisbeth. “I’m not sad about it,” Lisbeth answered, careful around the woman who was capable of such violence. “You know you’re breaking up soulmates, right?” she asked, pausing in front of the TV. “I haven’t done a thing.” Chelsea laughed dryly. “Really? So you think you’re completely innocent in all of this?” Lisbeth didn’t answer. She didn’t want to goad her on anymore. She laughed again. “What a destructive bitch,” she muttered. She spun around, revealing a pair of shiny scissors clenched in her fist. Lisbeth felt panic surge through her as she stood. “What are you doing?” “Me?” Chelsea asked innocently as she took a step forward. “I’m not doing anything. Apparently, I’m getting ready to leave Dan’s flat. Can’t leave without my favorite scissors.” Lisbeth moved behind the couch. “Are you scared of me?” She grinned as she advanced, slowly. “Your friend wasn’t. Well,” she paused to smile wider, “she wasn’t until I broke her nose. I’ve got to say, my favorite sound has to be a bitch’s bones breaking by my hand.” “You’re crazy,” Lisbeth hissed, her heart racing. “I’m glad he’s kicking you out. You really are a toxic woman. A toxic, fucking crazy woman!” Chelsea’s smile just widened. “I know. Want to see how crazy I can be?” Lisbeth didn’t have time to react. Chelsea launched herself over the couch, grabbing Lisbeth’s shoulders and tackling her to the ground. She flipped Lisbeth onto her stomach, digging her knee into her back. “Get off me!” Lisbeth screeched, trying to claw her way to her feet, but she was pinned. “I don’t think so, bitch.” Chelsea grabbed Lisbeth by the ponytail, yanking her head up. She wrapped her hand around the hair, then slammed Lisbeth’s face against the floor. Lisbeth cried out as her world went hazy. She could feel her lip throbbing, and saw blood dripping onto the floor. She was about to try to get Chelsea off of her when suddenly the weight was gone. She lept to her feet, and what she saw made her scream. Chelsea was perched on the back of the couch, holding Lisbeth’s long ponytail in her hands. She had cut her hair at the base, leaving Lisbeth with short choppy hair that stuck to the blood dripping from her mouth. “What in the hell is…” Dan’s faded when he saw the scene before him. “God… Lis, are you okay?” he exclaimed rushing to her. “Oh my god, baby, what did she do to you?” Lisbeth glared past him, and in a voice Dan had never heard before, growled, “Get her the hell out of here.” Dan rounded on Chelsea. “She’s not so pretty now, is she?” she asked rhetorically as she played with the severed hair. “Last chance, Danny? Want to stay with that ugly bitch, or me?” He marched up to her and curled his hand around her upper arm. “Get out,” he snarled, and literally dragged her off the couch. Her face looked so shocked as she staggered behind him as he pulled her down the stairs of his apartment. “What… But, Dan! I only did it to help you realize that I’m so much better for you. Dan!” He wouldn’t stop. “Listen to me, Danny!” They reached the front door, and he pulled her through it, despite her attempts to cling to the doorframe. Reaching floor level, Dan swung the door open and turned on her. “I never want to see you again. Get the fuck out of my house, out of my life.” He shoved her out the door, and watched her stumble and fall onto the sidewalk. She looked up at him, her face enraged. “You’ll regret this, Dan! I’m the best fucking thing in your life!” She screamed so loudly that passerbys stopped to observe. “Wrong,” Lisbeth snarled, appearing in the doorway. She threw Chelsea’s suitcase at her, hitting her in the side. “I am.” She took Dan’s hand. “And stay out, bitch.” She slammed the door and quickly locked it. Dan released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He grabbed Lisbeth, clinging to her as if she would suddenly disappear from his world. “Thank you,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “I’m sorry she-” Lisbeth shushed him as she returned his embrace. “I don’t even want to hear her name again. She’s gone, baby.” He kissed the side of her neck. “I love you, Lisbeth.” Lisbeth wanted to say it back. She felt it and she meant it, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She had physically and emotionally suffered so much because of him. Instead, she held him close and said, “Me too.”

[danhowellfever]

Hysteria- Chapter 3

After the movie ended, I carried Jax into my bedroom and tucked him in before pulling my pajamas out of a box, putting them on and brushing my teeth. I crawled into bed and picked up my phone, which I had neglected for a few hours. I had two missed calls from an unfamiliar number and a voicemail.

I furrowed my brow in confusion and put my phone to my ear, playing the message. “Hey Ev,” I recognized his voice immediately, though it was lower and more articulate than I remembered from all those years ago.”I got your number from your mum. I can’t seem to find you on Facebook or anything. I just have to ask you- I mean I’m pretty sure I already know the answer, but, I- I don’t know- I guess I just need to actually hear it from you. Is-” He paused, and I heard him take a deep breath and exhale. “Is he mine?”

Tears pricked at my eyes. He sounded so hurt and confused, and I had done that to him. I set my jaw and sniffled, forcing myself to remember his words when I told him he was pregnant. ‘You’re not keeping it though right? I mean you can’t possibly. We can’t have a baby. We can hardly take care of ourselves- I mean we practically are babies.” He had said it like it was so obvious, like there was no other choice but to give him up, and he shattered my heart into a million splinters with those few sentences. Why does he get to sound hurt about it now? I’ve put in nearly five years of raising this child, loving him, devoting myself to him. He doesn’t get to waltz in and pretend to be a father this late in the game. And Jax doesn’t need that kind of confusion.

I stared at my phone for a few minutes before sending him a text. All it said was “Yes.” He deserves to know, sure, he has that much right. But I’m leaving it at that. I put the phone on silent and placed it on the nightstand before pulling out my ponytail and letting my ruffling my elbow length auburn hair. Rolling over, I pulled my son into my arms and placed a soft kiss on his head. Still sleeping, he snuggled closer and placed a small hand on my cheek. I smiled and closed my eyes, squeezing him close and drifting into a deep sleep.

-

I woke up the next morning before Jax- which rarely happens. I slipped out of bed carefully so as not to wake him up and headed into the kitchen. After opening up a box and finding a mug, I made myself a cup of tea and sat down at the table with a book. I felt a little guilty, like I should be unpacking or doing something more productive with my alone time, but I just wanted to relax by myself for a bit.

 I hadn’t checked my phone since the night before, and I didn’t really intend to. Or at least not until I had to. I don’t know what freaked me out more from Dan, a response or silence. Either way, I wasn’t ready for that answer, and I planned on avoiding it until I was.

After about a half hour Jax still wasn’t up- the move and the walking about yesterday must have tired him out a lot- so I put my book down and began to unpack. By the time he came around the corner rubbing his eyes I had most of our small collection of dishes unpacked. “Good morning sleepy head!” I said, smiling as he sat down on at the table.

“G’morning mum. Can we have pancakes?”

“I’m sorry, hun, we don’t have the stuff for me to make pancakes with. We only have cereal for breakfast.”

He looked down at his feet, pouting. “How about this?” I continued, “We’ll have cereal this morning, and then we’ll go see the London Eye with Aunt Jenny, and then for dinner we’ll have a pancake buffet?”

His eyes had lit up ever since he heard the words ‘Aunt Jenny.’ “Yes! Please that will be so much fun!” he said nearly bouncing up and down with excitement.

 It took about an hour and a half to get the two of us ready. By the time we had eaten, showered, dressed, and scheduled a meeting time with my sister, we were both more than ready to get out of our cluttered with boxes apartment. “Mum,” Jax said as we sat down on the tube headed to the Waterloo station stop. “You really need to get started with unpacking. It has been two whole days!”

He sounded so deadpan that I couldn’t help but laugh. “I think it usually takes more than two days to fully unpack and finish moving. But you’re right, I do need to get started. Though I did unpack a lot of dishes this morning.”

 “Good job, I’m proud of you.” I wrapped my arm around him and hugged him close in thanks.

My younger sister Jenny was waiting by the station when we walked out. Jax ran into her arms and she lifted him up before going, “Oof! You’re almost getting too big for me to do that.”

He started running his fingers through her long blonde curls, a habit of his, and puffed out his chest, “Well I am almost five.” Jenny and I shared a look and a chuckle before heading to the huge London Eye. After waiting in line for about a half hour, we got in one of the large pods and luckily enough had it to ourselves. Jax pretty much smashed himself against the glass and stuck there, in awe of the amazing view of the city. Thankfully, this gave me a chance to talk to Jenny.

“How did the move go? When will you let me come over and see it?” she asked, nudging my shoulder.

I laughed, “The move was fine. I’m still unpacking. And you already saw it when we were touring places for me to get.”

She rolled her emerald eyes. “That doesn’t count it didn’t have any of your stuff in it.” I shrugged. “But really, though, are you liking London so far? I hated it when I first moved here- it was to metropolitan- but I got used to it. Now I feel like I’ll never leave. I’m so happy you and Jax are so close now.”

I nodded, “I’m glad we’re closer too. It will be really nice to be able to see you more often.” We lapsed into a comfortable silence, both watching as Jax fussed excitedly over the city. Finally, I spoke again, “I saw him.”

Jenny looked confused. “Who?” In response I merely raised my eyebrows and nodded my head in the direction of Jax. Jenny’s mouth dropped and she mouthed, ‘Dan?’ and I nodded affirmation. “Holy shit,” she said. I elbowed and shushed her language. “Sorry, sorry! No swearing in front of him, I know. It just slipped. Was Jax with you?”

“Yeah, he was. And Dan saw him. We were out for a walk and stopped at a Starbucks just a few blocks down the road from the flat. He ended up in line behind us. Apparently he lives near there,” I sighed heavily, thinking about how I still hadn’t gotten a response to the text I sent him last night.

“Wow, what are the odds. That is like, really terrible luck. Did you tell him? Like did he figure it out?”

“He got my number from mum and called asking if Jax was his. I texted him yes, but haven’t heard anything back. I don’t know if I want to. If he doesn’t respond things can just continue on and they have. I mean, Jax and I are perfectly fine and happy without that complication.”

“It’s a lot to handle. He may just need time to process before he responds. I mean, can you imagine all of the sudden finding out you have a five year old?”

I shook my head and looked down at my hands. “No I can’t.” I raised my head and gazed out at the city, realizing we had already made it to the top of the Eye.

She clapped a hand on my leg and stood. “Well let me know how that situation plays out.” She strolled over to Jackson and knelt down to his level and began telling him about the different buildings they could see. Smiling, I joined them, wrapping an arm around my son and soaking in our new home.

The rest of the evening was fantastic. After the London Eye, we spent some time wandering around Hyde Park and grabbing pizza for lunch. Soon it was time to part ways and Jax and I headed back to the new apartment. I made the promised pancakes for dinner and put in a movie for Jax to keep him entertained while I did more unpacking. I needed to get his room ready so he didn’t have to keep spending every night with me. Not that I minded. In fact, I preferred when he slept in my bed and snuggled, but I knew for his development that he needed to have his own room and his own space. I didn’t want to have a 12 year old someday that still wanted to sleep in his mum’s bed.

By the time I was finished getting his room ready the movie was over and it was time for bed. I tucked him in, read a bit of Harry Potter- we were a quarter of the way through the Philosopher’s Stone- and kissed him goodnight. It was only 9 o’clock, but I was exhausted as well. I collapsed onto my bed and almost didn’t notice my phone vibrating. I held it up to see that I had a new message- one from the same number that had called twice yesterday. It read, “I think we need to talk.”

[fantasticallyfictitious]

Guess what I'm doing right now? Having lunch with the amazing @danhowellfever! Time to do some brainstorming! Gotta love Leah!

[danhowellfever]

Hysteria- Chapter 2

We only made it four blocks before Jax got tired of walking. I could have gone on forever, just watching my son’s reaction to the first big city he’s seen. His dark brown eyes were wide with amazement and he was grinning from ear to ear, deep dimples showing on his cheeks. Thankfully, there was a Starbucks on the corner of the block so we stopped there. I grabbed a water for each of us and we hopped into the long line, my hand still holding tight to Jax’s.

“Can I play a game on your phone?” he asked, looking up at me. I glanced at the line before us and knew it would be at least a few minutes before we were to the counter.

“Sure, sweets. Here you are,” I said, pulling my phone out of my back pocket and handing it over. He became engrossed in a game of temple run just as I felt a slight tap on my shoulder.

“Evie?” I heard a vaguely familiar voice say from behind me, and turned around to find myself face to face with the same eyes I see on my son every day.

I felt the blood drain from my face and I stepped in front of Jax, shielding him from view. “Dan, wow it’s been ages.”

He smiled that dazzling smile of his, and I was shocked at how much more mature he looked. He was taller, more built, and exuded more confidence.I briefly wondered what he’s been up to since going off to law school in Manchester. I’d purposely blocked him on all my social media years ago, feeling as though it would be better for both me and my son.

“Yeah it really has been. How’ve you been? What brings you to London?”

I felt slightly relieved, knowing that he either didn’t see Jax or hasn’t noticed him and hopes that it stays that way. “I’ve been great. I just got hired at a new firm that transferred me here so I’m living here now. How about you?” I spoke a bit too quickly, my nerves getting the better of me and I began tapping my foot, feeling on edge and wanting to escape from this situation before Dan could see Jax.

“I’ve been here for about three years. I live in an apartment just up the road with a mate of mine.”

I froze, suddenly realizing that the father of my son- who doesn’t even really know he exists- is my fucking neighbor. “Christ almighty,” I mumbled under my breath.

“What was that?” Dan asked, hands in his pockets and exuding this unbelievably sexy swagger.

“Hmm? Oh nothing. Are you still doing law?”

He laughs. “No. God no. I dropped out of law school. I am actually a full time youtuber. I know it seems a bit silly but it’s actually a great source of income and I absolutely love doing it.”

“Wow,” I replied, suddenly wanting to get the hell out of this situation as quickly as I could. “That sounds fantastic. I’m really happy for you Dan.” I turned around and looked back at the line ahead of us which, astoundingly, had barely moved.

“Mummy? Can we just go home after this? I really don’t want to get my hair cut.” Jax says, stepping out from behind me and holding my phone up for me to take.

I froze before looking back at Dan. He stood still, mouth agape, staring in shock at Jackson.

I practically threw the water bottles back on the counter. “We can go home now, buddy. Come on let’s head out. Bye Dan!” I said, grabbing Jax’s hand and rushing out of the shop before Dan could react or respond.

I didn’t slow my speed until we were a block from home. Jax was struggling to keep up so I had him hop onto my back and gave him a piggyback ride. “Mum, who was that man at the coffee place?”

I didn’t answer right away. There were too many thoughts and possibilities running through my mind and none of them had a decent outcome. No good could possibly come from living in such proximity to Dan, and I couldn’t allow Jax to find out the truth. It would break his heart if the truth came out and Dan didn’t want to be in his life. “He’s someone I used to be friends with, that’s all.”

I set him down once we got into the apartment. “Now, how about we set up the tv and watch the Lion King? What do you think?” I offered, knowing that would make him forget all about the tall stranger in the coffee place. I haven’t let him watch the Lion King in months after we insisted on watching it nearly every day until I couldn’t take it anymore.

He grinned, “Yes! Thank you mum!”

After getting everything set up and pushing the couch in front of the tv, I made us a blanket nest and we settled in together. About an hour into the film, Jax had fallen asleep with his head in my lap and I mindlessly ran my long fingers through his curls. My mind was racing, but it all came back to the same thing: what the fuck am I going to do?

[danhowellfever]

Hysteria - Chapter 1

“Oof!” I huffed and dropped the last heavy box into my new apartment in London and sat down into my recliner. I laid my head back, trying to catch my breath after moving everything from the past 23 years of my life up three flights of stairs by myself.

I heard the pitter patter of little feet in the hallway and smiled, picking my head back up as my son came around the corner and into my view. “All done mum?” he asks.

I held my arms out to him, and he crawled into them. “All done. You slept through the whole move, Jax! It was hard not having your strong arms to help me,” I said, tickling him while he laughed and squirmed. I waited until he settled down and then ran my fingers through his thick curly hair. “What do you want to do now that you’ve taken a full nap and we live in the big city? Shall we go explore? Maybe we can find a barber shop and get you a haircut.”

He hops off your lap and heads into the kitchen. “Aww but I like when my hair is long! Can you make lunch? And then can we go explore? I wanna see everything in London!”

You laugh, pulling out the ingredients to make a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. “While, it seems like we’ll probably be here for a long while because of mummy’s new job, so we will have plenty of time to try to see everything in London.”

You finish making the sandwich for your son and then sit down across from him at the table while he eats. “Hey mum?” he says, wiping his small fingers on his napkin.

“Yes Jackson?” I replied, using his full name.

“Why don’t I have a mummy and a daddy like the other kids in the neighborhood by grandma and grandad’s house?”

I froze and mentally cursed. I’d been dreading this day since he was born almost 5 years ago. I took a deep breath and sighed before answering. “You have such a great mummy that you don’t even need a daddy.”

He ponders that for a moment before shrugging. “I guess you’re right. But do I have a daddy?”

Shit, I thought, he isn’t going to let this go. “Yes, you have a daddy.” I bit the inside of my cheek, thinking of how to continue. I refused to ever lie to my son, but there were some things that he definitely wasn’t old enough to know the whole truth of. “He had to go to University and knew that you would be safe with me. He’s out there making the world a better place.”

I held my breath, hoping that was enough for him and that the conversation wouldn’t continue from there. In reality his father didn’t even know that I kept him. After he suggested that I get an abortion or give the baby up for adoption- his point being that neither of us were ready, we were both going to University and this would screw up all our plans for the future- I merely told him I had taken care of it and began to distance myself from him until we eventually lost contact, thankfully before I started showing. My heart was never really set on being in Uni, and I felt love for my baby as soon as I discovered I was pregnant… or at least after the initial panic at having a child at 18. I knew I didn’t have it in my heart to get rid of him, and I’ve never regretted it for a second.

“Okay!” Jax said, finishing his sandwich and standing up. “Can we go exploring now?!” He grinned, bouncing from foot to foot with excitement.

I nodded. “Go get your shoes on!”

My phone starting ringing, and I picked it up and put it to my ear. “Hey, mum,” I said, leaning down to tie Jackson’s shoes.

“Hey Evie! How is the big move going? Does Jax like his new house?”

“I finished moving everything up about 20 minutes ago, now all that’s left is the unpacking which I’ll worry about later. Jax is loving it. He just woke up from a nap and wants to go out and see the city a bit so we are just heading out.”

“Alright well let me know how you get on. I miss you two already! We will have to come up and visit soon and see the new place.”

I laughed, “You saw us this morning! You only live an hour outside the city we aren’t too far. But please save the visit until I have everything unpacked and decorated. I’m gonna let you go, mum, we are just heading out the door. I love you!”

“I love you grandma!” Jax shouts.

“I love you both too!” my mum laughed before hanging up.

“Alright baby, let’s go,” I said, ruffling my son’s hair and grabbing his hand as we strolled out the door, down the stairs, and onto the London street.

[fantasticallyfictitious]

ITS FINALLY HERE!

[danhowellfever]

Hellooo do you happen to know where karin is i miss her :(

I know I miss her too. Her computer died and she’s working on getting a new one so she will probably be MIA at least until that gets straightened out 😓

[fantasticallyfictitious]

I miss me too. My writing, that is. Writing a entire fic on the phone isn't fun.

[danhowellfever]

Comfortable

A/N: This isn’t a request, but I was inspired after watching Phil’s new video hehe

The loud banging seeps into your dreams before it wakes you up. You were dreaming you’re in a hot tub and are warm and relaxed and can’t possibly be more comfortable until this loud banging and a muffled noise saying ‘Dan!’ repeatedly disturbs your peace. After a while the banging continues and you slowly begin to rise to consciousness. You roll over and burrow into Dan’s chest, trying to block out the noise at first, still thinking it was part of your dream, until you realize that it was Phil’s voice saying your boyfriend’s name over and over, and that he was banging at the door.

You lean up and glance at Dan’s still sleeping form, confused and trying to figure out what was going on. You see Dan’s phone lit up with a missed call from his best friend, and you begin to put the pieces together. You remember Phil booking his cab on Dan’s phone last night when his own wasn’t working, and you figured he must need it again to get his cab information. You shake Dan’s shoulder gently. “Dan. Babe. I think Phil needs you.” He groans and just pulls you back down and wraps you in his arms, not waking up at all. You try again, a bit more forcefully, “Dan. You need to wake up and go see what he needs. He’s going to wake up the whole neighborhood.”

Finally, he opens an eye and looks at you groggily. Then he hears the noise. “Is that Phil?” he asks, sitting up slowly.

“I think so. Maybe he needs your phone,” you say, grabbing Dan’s pillow and snuggling into it.

Dan gets out of bed and throws the covers over you. “He just woke me up like 20 minutes ago and I let him use it. What is going on.”

“I don’t know. Go find out. I’m gonna stay here.” You close your eyes and hear Dan shuffle out of the room. After what feel s like only about 30 seconds because you fell asleep briefly, you feel the blankets lift and the bed shift as your boyfriend reclaims his spot in bed.

You find your place against his chest and he folds you in his arms. Without opening your eyes you murmur, “What did he need?”

“The phone again,” Dan responds quietly. “His cab wasn’t outside. He had to call another.”

“Hmm,” you respond, already drifting back to sleep, just as comfortable as you were before the disturbance.

[fantasticallyfictitious]

Thank you, Anonzy!! I’m thinking that Shaken will be a 5 or 6 part series, I haven’t worked it all out yet.

[fantasticallyfictitious]

Thank you oh so much! That is unbelievably sweet of you to say! Thank you for tuning in and continuing to support what I do for fun! You rock, Anonzy!

[fantasticallyfictitious]

I’m right here, Anonzy! It took me a while to think of what to do next. I had to get out of my slump!

[fantasticallyfictitious]

Thank you so much, Anonzy! It really means a lot that you took the time to tell me how you feel! I hope I can satisfy you with a level of juiciness with the rest of the Shaken series!