Nick's P.O.V:
(Flash Back).
"Nick." I adjust in my spot as I keep my eyes clothes. "Nicklaus." I feel someone slap their hand against my cheek lightly. "Nicklaus!" Oliva shouts, making me shoot up from the uncomfortable couch that I had passed out on.
"What is it? What's happened? Where are the kids?" I ask.
"Calm down old man, we're right here." Ryder says as he walks into the room with a bowl of popcorn in his hand.
"Why'd you wake me up?" I ask.
"We need your fat ass to move from the couch so we can watch a movie." Ryder states, making me sigh. I've been up all night working on a new case and I guess I ended up crashing at Tessa's once again.
"We have bedrooms upstairs for a reason, can you guess what the beds are for uncle Nick?" Iris smiles lightly.
"Sit down, smart ass." I stand up from the couch. I yawn loudly as I stretch before I sigh and turn to face the kids. I look away from the twins and at the built young man that looks around the same age as them. My eyes scan his denim ripped jeans, his N.W.A shirt and his dirty trainers. I can tell he isn't from these rich areas by the way he's dressed and by the way he's just staring at everything in the room.
"Who's this?" I ask as the boy and Ryder talk.
"Oh, uncle Nicklaus." Ryder clears his throat before he throws his arm around the young man. "This is Mason. He's a close friend of mine." He smiles, making Mason slap Ryder's back.
"How long have you known each other?" I ask. I reach out for some popcorn and throw some in my mouth.
"We met in school." He states.
"How old is he?" I ask.
"A year older than me." Ryder shrugs.
"Where's he from?" I fold my arms across my chest.
"What is this? Some sort of security check to see if i'm allowed in this fucking mansion tha-" Mason starts but gets cut off.
"He's a good friend of mine, uncle Nick. Come on!" Ryder huffs. I watch the young man before I let out a sigh. Ryder does look more happier. Ever since Marshall fucked off, he's been down. I guess Mason's changed that.
"No swearing in this fucking house." I point at the kid. "Tessa will fucking murder your ass!" I add before I walk towards the door.
"Charming." Olivia says as she stands by the door. I give her a wink as I walk past her and out the room, making her smile lightly as she blushes.
"Was that a serious rule?" I hear Mason ask.
"Yep." Iris replies.
"But he just swore himself!" Mason adds.
"It's a rule of mom's man, not his." Ryder replies. I shake my head lightly as I make my way upstairs. I walk towards the nursery when I notice the doors open and step inside to find Tessa standing their with Noah in his arms as he cries.
"What's wrong with him?" I ask, making Tessa turn around quickly. I close the door behind me and walk towards her.
"He hasn't stopped crying and-and I d-don't know what to do!" She stutters. She was never good with babies or kids, where as I had a lot of practice with my little brother.
"Let me see." I mumble. I watch Tessa as she places Noah in my hands slowly. She hasn't been the same since Marshall left. She acts like everything is okay and that she is fine. She's fooled everyone but me. I can tell by looking in her eyes that something is missing and that she is hurting deep down.
