Raising Anti

13

"Uh-oh..." Anti freaked out. His heart started racing as his panic began to climb. His mind shut down entirely. He couldn't breathe. Chase froze up in concern as he looked back to see Anti just standing there completely rigid. Chase has been with him long enough to know Anti does that when his anxiety is getting to him. Most people have that whole fight or flight thing, but Anti... Anti goes completely still. It was the whole reason he didn't jump out of the way of the spell. When he's scared and can't process it chances are he'll go rigid. 

Anti was crying again. He could feel it. He watched them walk away and he had tears in his eyes. He didn't want to leave yet. He was having so much fun. He loved being here with Chase. He didn't want to go.

"Hey, kiddo?" Anti snapped, fists clenched as he took off running. He didn't know exactly what he was going to do but he knew for damn sure he was not happy. "SAM!"

"We're looking for a few shirts for your brother and then we can check out the jackets if you want." Anti flared as he glitched appearing behind her suddenly with this look in his eyes.

"Go away." Anti yelled out as he crossed his arms and pouted. "Go away right now!" They spun around in shock only to spot Anti standing there. "I don't want to leave. So you have to leave. Go away."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't want to leave. So go away!" Anti's eyes started to glow green as he growled in anger. Their eyes went wide seeing the glow as Anti stomped his foot. "I wanna stay. I wanna be with..."

"SAM!" Anti jumped spinning around just in time for Chase to pull him in. "You can't do that. You can't run off on me. Ok? Are you ok? Nothing happened, right? You're alright?"

"I don't wanna go. I wanna stay. I want to stay." Anti shook as he held Chase tight making the older seriously confused. Chase pulled away to get a better look at him as Anti just stood there sniffling.

"You ok, kiddo? You don't have to vocalize or anything but... Give me a sign or something." Anti just bowed his head as he blinked before giving Chase's hand a soft squeeze. "Thank god. I'm sorry for freaking out. It's just... You worried me, kid."

"Chase?" Chase froze up instantly, his blood turning to eyes as he stared at Anti afraid to look up. He knew that voice. 

"Shit..." Chase swiftly pulled Anti up in his arms before turning around and starting to walk off. 

"Wait, Chase, stop!" Chase froze unable to move as Anti shifted in his arms. "Chase..." Chase slowly turned around to see a very beautiful blonde woman who had haunted his dreams for so long. The very woman he had sworn to love for the rest of his... the very woman who had broken his heart.

"Stacy..." Chase frowned as he shook his head and stepped back farther away from her. "I'm sorry. If I'd known you were here, I would have left." Stacy just smiled sadly as she glanced from Anti to Chase.

"It's not your fault, Chase." Stacy glanced back to see her eldest skimming through the shirts. "I'm glad your here actually."

"No!" Anti cried out as held Chase closer. Chase just chuckled as he shifted his weight.

"Forgive him... He's..."

"He's a kid, Chase. I wasn't mad. He must care about you." Chase nodded slightly as Stacy just smiled wider. "He told me to leave so... He's very bright. Smart enough to understand things like... like a restraining order."

"Speaking of which... I should really be going." Stacy's eyes snapped up as Chase started to back up again. "I really don't want to get into any trouble over an accidental meet up."

"I've been speaking with Henrik." Chase frowned as Stacy took a step closer. "He's been keeping me informed on your progress... not in so much detail obviously but enough for me to know you've been getting better."

"Define better. Stace... I lost my wife... my kids... and then my daughter, who I never got to say goodby to. I won't lie and say my drinking has improved... or well, it has but... I don't know. I haven't picked up a bottle in while so that's a good thing." Stacy just chuckled softly as she shook her head. "What do you want, Stacy?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Kind of hard with that restraining order in place." Stacy just shook her head making Chase frown in confusion.

"Chase, I only did that because I was scared. Not of you... Of... Of that glitch bitch." Anti flinched in Chase's arms catching his attention slightly as he held him closer. "I didn't want Anti near our kids ever again, so I thought if I cut you out it would keep them safe."

"I don't associate with the glitch. You know how much I hate him." Again Anti flinched making Chase have to put him down. "Hey..."

"I'm... Imma go..." Anti pointed off by the close making Chase sigh as he nodded.

"Ok, but don't go far. I want to be able to see you in case something happens." Anti nodded as he walked off leaving Chase alone with Stacy. Stacy frowned as she watched the young child pass her. Her eyes narrowed seeing the tears that fell as he held his hands close to his chest. She saw the glitches. She had seen the eyes. She wasn't stupid. She knew who he was... just as she knew Chase did not. Otherwise, he either wouldn't have been with him or he wouldn't have said that.

"Chase..."

"You took my kids away from me because of him?" Stacy's frown grew even more as Chase just stood there trying to reign his anger in. It wasn't easy but he couldn't risk losing his cool right now.

"I was scared but I was also wrong, Chase. The boys... After a while they both finally spoke to me... told me what happened. We spent the whole day just talking about all of it. Neither of them are scared... and chase... I'm not either. Not anymore..."

"What does that mean?" Stacy smiled as she held out a card she pulled from her wallet. Chase took it cautiously finding a number as she laughed.

"It's my number. I'm willing to talk about visitations." Chase's eyes shot wide with instant tears as he crashed right there in front of her. 

"You mean it? I-I... I could finally see my boys." Stacy just nodded as she looked back towards her son now finding both boys smiling and talking. "I can... I can finally... finally see them again."

"How about this? Why don't I get a hold of Jack and set up a time to drop them off for the weekend?"

"You're being serious?" Chase was literally in tears as Stacy looked through her bag beaming. "This isn't some trick or... You're actually going to let me see my kids?"

"I'm being serious, Chase." Stacy handed him a tissue as she just shrugged. "I've learned to forgive Anti." Chase faltered as Stacy glanced back at the boys. "Not everything told to us is truth."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Stacy just sighed as she shook her head. "Stace?"

"Ask the boys what really happened, Chase. It might actually help you a bit."