Adoptive Family

**Aileen POV**

The trip back to the Hemmer house I would like to say was deathly quiet. That was how I assumed it would go. Instead, Father spent most of the ride scolding Mr. Hemmer's driving. He drove a lot like his son with no care for the speed limit. Thanks to him being a retired squad leader, police officers never stopped him, always assuming he was on some official business. Maybe that was the reason Trevor always seemed to luck out with the officers of the law.
Mr. Hemmer kept glimpsing my Father in the rearview mirror. I could tell how annoyed he was getting at being constantly harassed about his driving skills. At one point he slammed on the brakes making the car come to a screeching halt. He informed my Father that they could trade places and he would direct my Father to his home. My Father being stubborn and unwilling to admit there is something he can't do; took my adoptive Father up on his offer. I had to voice my displeasure in their arrangement. In the end I had to remind them there was a baby growing in my belly. Their dumb bet could put their grandchild's life in danger. They both shut up after that.
After what felt like hours, Mr. Hemmer pulled up to a large house. My Father eyed the little flower garden up front and white picket fence going around the back of the house. Trevor and I had climbed the fence many times in our adolescence and run around the cul-de-sac. Trevor also hopped the fence many times to sneak his girlfriends in and out. He thought himself so clever when in all actuality I'd wager the Hemmer's were well aware of his little flings. His old man was a squad leader after all!
We made our way up the steps. My Father was observing everything about the Hemmer's living style. They may have lived humbly, but they were by no means poor. Being a squad leader paid very well and didn't stop at retirement. The Hemmer's made sure they were comfortable and provided well for their children. Besides that, they saw no reason to waste money on unnecessary things. A decent portion of his wealth went to charity. On one of my birthdays, rather than material items, he donated a large sum of money in my name to an orphanage.
I really have been blessed by amazing parental figures. Father, Kalum, and the Hemmer's were all incredible in different ways. Each of them shaped who I became.
"Aileen, now really isn't the time to day dream. My wife has been worried sick about you and Trevor. You better go in there and give her the biggest hug of your life! Do you understand me young lady!" Mr. Hemmer was scolding me like I was that little twelve year old from when I first got here. It was strangely comforting.
The door was opened and I was welcomed back by the delicious smells of Mrs. Hemmer's baking. The woman must have been really stressed and nervous just as Mr. Hemmer claimed. She always baked when upset, or if her husband was away on a mission. The scents of sugar filled cookies had my stomach growling. I hadn't eaten much, with the stress of the trials looming over me. A good thing I was surrounded by only family. I was sure a bit of drool would be rolling down my chin at any second.
I couldn't wait to see how many cookies I could shovel into my mouth at once. My son was kicking in my belly, showing his approval. The kid had my sweet tooth for sure.
My Father made his way to the light blue colored walls of the living room. He surveyed all his surroundings, taking in the framed family portraits, light brown coffee tables, and the massive television mounted on the wall. The family portrait was what really caught Father's attention. His guard dropped staring at us wearing cringy matching outfits in the picture. No one spoke. Father's hand traced over the wooden frame, studying our happy carefree expressions. For a long while he almost seemed sad.
Mrs. Hemmer came out of the kitchen, dropping her tray of sweets. Luckily Trevor was beside her and was able to catch her fumble. Mrs. Hemmer barreled at me and wrapped me in a tight embrace. Clearly she had forgotten about my pregnancy. The woman could have squeezed the kid out of me like a toothpaste tube. Already I could feel her tears streaming down her face into my hair. With gentle shaking hands she rubbed the top of my head.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. Hemmer escort my Father upstairs. On the way they both snagged a cookie from Trevor. I swear I heard Trevor growl at them. One of my Father figures, not sure who, growled back at him.
Trevor came over to his mom and I. He placed a kiss atop her head. With a smile, she flung an arm around each of us. "I have missed you two so much. You have no idea. I'm glad you're both safe."
A hand went to my belly. Little man was kicking up a frenzy in my stomach. The way he was moving around, kind of reminded me of a shark moving in waves. Trevor rubbed at my belly too. I guess the baby liked them both with how he was kicking.
Mrs. Hemmer wiped at her face. "So much has changed and you two have grown into incredible young adults. I'm very proud." She ticked my bump, almost causing me to need to go to the bathroom. "And I am very eager to meet my first grandchild."
Trevor laughed, "would you like me to chase Aileen around threatening to rub a booger in her hair? That would be just like old times!"
"Don't you dare nasty idiot!"
"What are you going to do to stop me princess?" He argued back.
Mrs. Hemmer shook her head like she had so many times when we were teenagers. My Fathers came back down the steps chuckling secretly to each other. What the hell had happened upstairs? They were so tense towards the other before Father had seen that portrait. What changed?
In Father's hands was a binder filled with photos. Mr. Hemmer held a stack of letters. The hell had they done!?
"What's going on? You're both are acting suspicious."
"Paranoid as when I first met you in the woods. Your dad and I were just going over some old photos my amazing wife had taken over the years. They may not be adequate replacements for all the years he missed, but he certainly did enjoy seeing what you've been up to." Mr. Hemmer teased. I knew many of those photos he and his wife had taken were unflattering. They swore they were only for family to view...oh...
Father cockily added, "I see that my elegant daughter got caught many times with her mouth wide open, sneaking food. Some things never change do they?"
"And those letters Mr. Hemmer has?!" I demanded to know.
"These are a few of the silly ones you wrote addressed to me. I did not let him read the emotional ones." Father answered.
I was turning red from embarrassment. Part of me was glad they had bonded, but did it need to be at my expense? "Those letters are mine. You had no right." I huffed like a child.
"They are addressed to me; therefore, they are mine." Father slid me one of the pictures. "This is my favorite. Never thought I would see you dressed as a giant circular candy, sticking your tongue out. Very ridiculous. Perhaps I shall keep this one for blackmail back home?"
He was referring to the Halloween party the Hemmer's had thrown. My costume was an M&M. I needed to find a way to burn that picture before we went home.
Mrs. Hemmer clapped her hands together. "Well that settles it. We all are getting along, so you and your Father will live here until Lena and her team return from meeting with Demon Lord Kuzon."
Trevor's phone started ringing an obnoxious song about some guy being caught by his girl banging on a couch or something. He hadn't silenced the song quick enough; his Mom was giving him her 'seriously' eyes. She must have known the song.
"You gonna answer it?" I asked.
He slid his finger, answering the call. "Yeah, who knows, it might be a booty call." He grinned annoyingly and walked upstairs to speak to the girl privately.

**Devon POV**

Did that idiot brother of hers really just tell my love I was a booty call? At least hand her the phone then! If I was honest with myself, I had been lonely. Seeing her booty, or teasing her until she blushed crimson would definitely cheer me up. This hospital room was becoming quite dreary. My love's embarrassed gasps would brighten me right up.
"There a reason you're calling me? I still don't exactly like you." Trevor's tone completely changed from when he was talking to his family.
"Not happy I survived? You did carry me out rather harshly. I'm fairly certain you were the one who dislocated my shoulder."
I could almost feel his smirk from the other end of the phone. "Why would I be happy to talk to the man that wants to stick his dick in my sister. And yeah, after all the suffering you caused Aileen, I was happy to hurt you a bit. You deserved that and more."
"No need to be upset. I swear if the time ever comes, I'll give you an adorable nephew." I don't know why I felt like antagonizing him.
He grumbled, "you're really lucky you're in a wheelchair right now man."
God did I want to tell him to give Aileen the phone. I'd missed her so much in our time apart. There was so much to tell her. I don't think she was even informed of my condition exactly. The doctor's hadn't exactly talked to her before wheeling me away. Over the phone was no way to inform anyone either. I had to get better. Soon she would go into labor. I wanted to be by her side, to talk with her, reassure her about the baby, and finally shout to the world that Princess Aileen Lutz was mine.
But more than anything else, I just wanted to hold her.
"What do you want Devon? I'm losing interest."
"Am I not an exciting enough booty call for you?"
I heard him snickering, "hmmm, turnabout is fair play. She stole that waitress from me, I should steal you from her! You can ask half the women in the city and they will confirm that I'm quite...blessed. I doubt you'll be able to handle my size, but you'll have a good time trying."
Now I could throw up. Shouldn't have made the joke.
"Anyway, the reason I called you is there is something important I'd like to discuss with you and your parents at some point in the next month."
Trevor was silent for a minute.
"Not Aileen? Man you aren't actually turning gay are you? That'll break her heart and I'll break what's left of your spine."
"No, I'd rather you all know first. I would come to you, but they aren't discharging me for a while. Think you can convince your parents?"
Please don't let him be an ass about this. I could already feel the drugs they pumped into me kicking in. Very soon, I would be drifting off to sleep, away from all this unbearable pain. As much as I hate to admit it, I was unable to make a phone call until they attached a pain killer to my IV.
"Yeah, I'll talk to them, but it better be important. They aren't happy with your past choices either. Ya kinda caused their beloved intellgent amazing son to be tortured and helped their daughter be kidnapped."
Not that there was any reason to remind me of that. I had been reliving my past failures quite a lot in recent weeks.
"So I'll see you all in the infirmary this month?"
"Yeah, again you're lucky you're in a wheelchair; otherwise, I may be so kind right now."
I really couldn't care less about his reasons for helping me; as long as I got to talk to them sooner rather than later.