Our little brother

Chapter 58

PART ONE:

Spencer's POV:

After texting Nick, I'm tempted to go get food and then come back here, but what if he wakes up alone? I can't do that to him right now, no matter how good the stupid food smells. I guess I fell back asleep because the next thing I know, Reid is shaking me awake. "W-what? What's wrong?" I ask groggily. Is it possible to feel shit faced drunk without having drank at all? Or maybe it's the punches I took and I'm finally feeling the full affect of them. He doesn't say anything, he just sits up and stares at his lap, fidgeting with his sleeve. Sitting up too, I ask him if he had another nightmare, but he shakes his head. I wait as he rubs his eyes, his sleeve inching closer to his mouth and I'm tempted to pull it away, but stop myself. I wait as he opens and closes his mouth, stopping himself from talking. "Nick made food, wanna go eat some?" I ask when he still doesn't say anything, and he takes a minute before nodding slowly. He grabs hold of my hand as we leave the room, his eyes darting around as if he looking for something that's going to rip him away from me.

When we get to the bottom of the stairs, Noah runs right into Reid's legs, making him flinch and almost fall, but I grip his hand to make sure he doesn't. "R-reid! M-miss you! Wake n-now! Can p-plant garden and a-and play! H-Hunter is magic! N-noah go see L-lex! C-come too p-please?" Noah says all in one breath. Why the fuck does he have so much energy right now? "Noah! I thought I told you to wait by the stairs for me." Atlas says coming towards us picking him up. "Atty l-look! Find Reid!" He says pointing to Reid who's now standing directly behind me, curling into himself. "I see, good job, but Spencer and Reid need to go eat breakfast, while you and me go see Alex." Atlas says taking a step up the stairs. I start to pull Reid into the kitchen but Noah stops us all. "Oli f-find you too?" He says and Reid's face goes more pale than he already was. My own eyes widen when I vaguely remember Noah offering Reid Oli last night. I have no idea where the fuck the stupid giraffe went, and judging by Reid's face he doesn't either. His breathing picks up, and I try to recall what we did. He had it down here on the couch, did he take it upstairs? Did Hunter bring it up? Did he not? Holy shit did they accidentally murder it by throwing it in the laundry with the bedsheets?! "Oli was waiting on the couch for Reid to wake up remember?" Atlas says super chill and calm, as if Reid wasn't about to have another panic attack. Noah huffs and mumbles something but they go upstairs and so I pull Reid to the kitchen, where we find Hunter, and Nick.

"Morning." Nick says, but I don't respond. Reid let's go and shuffles over to Hunter, who wraps his arms around him. I take this chance to get a plate for us. After plating my food though, I mutter a quick thanks to him for cooking, just in case Nonna is around within earshot, she'd beat my ass for not having manners, even if he doesn't deserve them. Reid nibbles on a piece of bacon from my plate, but doesn't even finish half of it before I inhale the rest of my food. "Lily is going to be here in a bit to see Reid, and in about an hour the doctor is coming to check over all your guys injuries." Hunter says to both Reid and I. "I don't need him to check over me, I'm fine." I tell him, but he shakes his head. "I know Sarah is qualified to check over you as well, but you took a lot of hits yesterday, it's just to double check, I'm sure she didn't miss anything, but she also was checking over half the student body yesterday too." He says and I sigh, most of the time, there's no point in arguing with Hunter, and that usually doesn't stop me, but the doorbell causing Reid to flinch does. Nick offers to go get it and I'm expecting him to return with Lily, but instead Aaron and his mom are here?

Hunters POV:

"Hunter, thank you so much for doing this, I know it's a lot considering all that's going on." Aaron's mom says when she walks into the kitchen. "Trust me, I know how work trips seem to always happen at the worst times possible." I say giving her a hug. I watch as she holds in a gasp seeing Reid's face, but gives him a warm smile as Aaron sits down next to him. "I hope you don't mind me putting him to work with the boys at the office after school, it's part of their punishment." I tell her and she shakes her head laughing. "Oh no, do your worst, please. If keeping them busy at the office, keeps this one out of trouble, I'm all for it." She says ruffling Aaron's hair. "Mom stop!" He says blushing. "He's staying here? For how long?" Spencer says and I sigh because I know his tone, and I know he's about to start a fight. "He's staying with us for 2 weeks while she goes away for business. It's been on the calendar for a month." I say. "Fine then if he's staying here can James stay too?" He asks and I sigh. "Can we talk about this later please?" I ask not wanting to get into a screaming match with him right now. If Aaron's mom wasn't going away, he wouldn't be here as part of the boys punishment of having no friends over, but he is and I can't exactly justify only allowing him over, and no one else. "Bullshit if Aaron's here then James should be allowed too!" He says loudly causing both Aaron and Reid to flinch.