The Pack and Sidemen Oneshots

The Pack Ships- If We Have Each Other

I held the baby up against my hip, her olive skin the same colour as my own. I was completely alone in the world, 19, with nowhere to go and a baby in my arms, work that only bought in enough money to scrape it. A one bedroom apartment, no heating, electricity constantly threatening to cut off.

She was 19 with a baby on the way, on the East-side of the city, she was working every day, cleaning dishes in the evening, she could barely stay awake, she was clinging to the feeling that her luck was gonna change.

I told myself that things would get better, there was some sort of hope in my heart that my luck would change and I would be able to create a better life for my daughter. But that was only hope and for now I worked nights, bills stacking up on kitchen table, leaving her alone. It was my only choice.

And, 'cross town she would take the bus at night to a one bedroom apartment, and when she'd turn on the light, she would sit down at the table, tell herself that it's alright, she was waiting on the day she hoped her baby would arrive, she'd never be alone, have someone to hold.

I thought that blonde boy would leave me, pretend I didn't exist, once he found out that there was a little girl in my life. It was too much of a burden, dating a single parent living off welfare in a tiny home where the windows cried and the ceilings grew green.

But he stayed. He took care of her, offered to take her the nights I worked overtime for the extra pay, slipped cash that I knew wasn't mine into my wallet, bought warm clothes so she didn't get sick. It took so long to trust that he was going to stay, he wasn't doing it for sympathy or fun, I wasn't a charity case; he really loved me.

And when nights were cold, she'd say, the world's not perfect, but it's not that bad, if we got each other, and that's all we have, I will be your mother, and I'll hold your hand, you should know I'll be there for you, when the world's not perfect, when the world's not kind, if we have each other then we'll both be fine, I will be your mother, and I'll hold your hand, you should know I'll be there for you.

I had her, and now I had him. It was an odd mixture, the three of us together but somehow it worked out and I began to break down the walls I had built up. I raised her and he helped to bring me out of the crippling situation I was in.

I'll hold her hand till the end of time and she knew I would always be there for her. When the world wasn't perfect and the world wasn't kind he came, and she was still there.

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My hands shook just as they did every time I held something, old age was getting to me. I was finding it difficult to stand now and the walker by my chair was a huge indication of that. As much as I hated it, not being able to do things on my own, I knew it was because of the full life I had lived.

They were 90 and were living out their days, on the West-side of the city next to where they got engaged, they had pictures on the walls of all the memories that they'd made, and though life was never easy, they were thankful that they stayed.

It hadn't all been perfect, Jerome and I had struggled at times and there were several moments when we thought it would all fall apart; the world was against it and it wouldn't be alright again. First a car crash, unemployment, then the custody battle over our adopted daughter, then cancer and finally arthritis that completely destroyed my ability to move.

But in our older years, things were more peaceful. We weren't rich by any means and on benefits and savings we struggled to pay off the mortgage for our tiny house, but I looked back on my life it was fulfilling. I had a husband, two children and now 2 grandchildren and although my body was failing me, my mind was still there.

With each other, and though some times were hard, even when she made him angry he would never break her heart, no, they didn't have the money to afford a fancy car, but they never had to travel 'cause they'd never be apart, even at the end, their love was stronger than, the day that they first met, they'd say:

Jerome made sure to look after me, our love was stronger than the day we first met almost 8 decades earlier. He was constantly by my side, helping me when I needed it although he wasn't much stronger than I was, but he was there. Always.

The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad, if we got each other, and that's all we have, I will be your lover, and I'll hold your hand, you should know I'll be there for you, when the world's not perfect, when the world's not kind, if we have each other then we'll both be fine, I will be your lover, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you, you should know I'll be there for you.

Our lives had collided at an earlier age and although they had been nowhere near perfect, they had been together. I loved him and my children and my grandchild, and my love for them had been born in hardship and uncertainty.

Jerome pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek as my eyes flickered closed, exhaustion taking over as it so often did. He was so tender, so gentle with me but he did that all the time and had been since our first meeting. I loved him.

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My parents were getting old, there was no denying that. They had had children at an older age than normal and now, at 23, they were both in their 60's and retired. My two older brothers had moved to different states and my little sister and two little brothers were getting older and getting to the age where they would move out in a few years.

Rob was a huge help though. His parents were older than mine; both in a retirement home, so he understood my worry and was there to comfort me when I needed it.

I'm 23, and my folks are getting old, I know they don't have forever and I'm scared to be alone, so I'm thankful for my sister, even though sometimes we fight, when high school wasn't easy, she's the reason I survived, I know she'd never leave me and I hate to see her cry.

We were both young, in our early years of our relationship and having just moved in together we were getting everything in our lives sorted. We had quiet, unassuming lives and moving into together was probably the biggest event of my life, Rob's too.

So I wrote this verse to tell her that I'm always by her side, I wrote this verse to tell her that I'm always by her side, I wrote this verse to tell her that, the world's not perfect, but it's not that bad, if we got each other, and that's all we have, I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.

It was scary thinking about the future, the world was in a delicate balance that could tip at any moment and I relished in the fact that my life was stable for the moment. I had Rob by my side, my parents and my siblings, a stable job and a wonderful house. I was content if not a little worried about what was to come.

You should know I'll be there for you, when the world's not perfect, when the world's not kind, if we have each other then we'll both be fine, I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand, you should know I'll be there for you, you should know I'll be there for you.

If we had each other then it would be alright, and I knew that. I had him and he had me and that was the way it had always been and hopefully it was the way it was always going to be.

"Love you Robby." I whispered, his arms around my waist. I didn't get a reply, but I did get a kiss.

I smiled. It was alright.