Laura smiled as she looked at her husband, the newly placed ring shining on her finger as they both looked at the moon lit up beach. The perfect honeymoon resort.

"I promise you Laura, I'll make you the happiest woman on earth. I'll spoil you, and love you for the rest of your life. Once my company takes off, you'll have everything you've ever wanted." Andrew said, turning his eyes to look at hers, her blue eyes seeming to be more captivating than the glistening ocean.

Laura tore her gaze off the waves, her sapphire eyes looking at her husband's brown ones. "All I want, is you." She said as he hugged onto him, happy that they were finally married, even though it was against her parents wishes.

Andrew smiled, embracing her. "You already have that, my love."

• • • •

Laura couldn't believe it, after so many times trying and nothing but failed attempts, she couldn't get over the initial shock of finally succeeding.

Those two red lines were as clear as day. She was finally pregnant. Her eyes filled with tears as she held onto the small stick, her other hand coming up to cover her mouth.

She couldn't wait to tell her husband. She sped out of the room, walking into Andrews office, grinning from ear to ear as she held the pregnancy test behind her back.

Andrew typed away on his computer, the restless nights he worked showing on his face with dark circles that rested underneath his eyes, he didn't even glance up at her as he continued to work. "Yes, Darling?"

"Hon, I have some good news!" She said excited, ignoring the fact that he didn't even look at her.

"And what would that be dear?" He asked, picking up his coffee cup and taking a gulp of the cold liquid.

"Well I know you're working hard for this company, but I was wondering if you can take some time out of your schedule to take me to a doctor's appointment in around six weeks?" She said, her smile never faltering.

"For what? Are you sick?" He asked, finally looking up from his computer.

"Not exactly, I just thought you'd might want to tag along to the first ultrasound, considering you are the father." She said, shrugging as if she didn't just reveal her pregnancy.

Andrew blinked, dropping his coffee cup on the desk, it spilling all over the floor. He stood up quickly. "Are you- you're- are you saying- Pregnan- WhA- Really??" He asked, stammering quite a bit as he worked his way around his desk to get to her, almost tripping over his own feet.

She gave him a coy smile, nodding her head as he bounced on the back of her heels excitedly, showing him the pregnancy test that was behind her back.

"You're- you're really- I can't believe it!!" He cheered, picking her up and spinning her around, his tiredness seeming to fade away. He set her down quickly, holding onto her shoulders. "Why- you need to sit down- you can't be standing for so long- i-"

"Calm down Darling, I'm not that far along." She said, laughing a bit at his obliviousness.

He couldn't help but smile, hugging her tightly. "This is the best day of my life.."

• • • • •

Laura wrote in her notepad full of poems and quotes she's thought of throughout the years. Her hand set her pen down as she read over the quote she had just written.

"An archer is known best for his keen eye and heart that trusts his capability to aim for the right target.." she mumbled to herself, not knowing that her husband was listening to her mumble as he read a book beside her. "And his intuition of knowing what is the target and what is not.."

Andrew set down his book, looking at Laura as if waiting for her to continue as he laid his hand on her growing stomach, hoping to feel a movement.

"The archer.." She repeated, not noticing his hand and his gaze that was looking at her fondly. "Archer.." She blinked, snapping her note book shut as she turned her head towards her husband. "What about Archer?"

"..What about it-?" He asked, his eyebrow quirking with confusion.

"As the name of our son. Archer?" She asked, smiling widely.

"That is a beautiful name.." He agreed, nodding. He smiled at his wife, rubbing her stomach gently. "Archer it is."

"Archer Bailey.." She muttered to herself, looking down at her stomach that looked as if it were about to burst. "A beautiful name indeed.."

• • • • •

"See Cameron? There's no monsters in here!" The small seven year old said to his little sister, walking around the room as if to convince her, unaware of his mother watching the two from the doorway.

She had heard the small little girls cries in the middle of the night and had come to see what was the matter, but apparently, she wasn't the only one.

"B-but- but I heard one-" Cameron's small voice said, all of her small body covered with her blankets, everything except for her eyes.

"Well it isn't here anymore. Don't worry, I'm here with you. I won't let anything harm you." Archer said, walking over to his sister, puffing out his chest confidently, as if to ward off any 'monsters'.

"Really?" She asked, Pulling her sheets down so her face was visible.

"Really." Archer told her, crawling into her bed beside her. "As long as I'm here, you're safe."

Laura smiled, turning away from the door to go back to bed, knowing that everything was solved now.

• • • • •

"Laura." Andrew said with a voice that held a tone of anger, not at her particularly, but more so, someone else.

"Yes dear?" She asked, glancing over at her husband as he walked into her office, holding onto Archer's arm. "..What is the matter?"

"What's the matter? This is what is the matter!" He said, pointing to the eight year old boys face, which was lathered is makeup. His face held a guilty look, as he lowered his head, allowing his father to hold onto his arm as if he were going to run away.

Laura looked at her son, snorting a bit at the sight. "My, Darling, I see you are playing with my makeup." She said, with an amused tone that seemed to make Archer feel more relieved that she wasn't scolding him like his father had previously done.

She never was one to get angry at her children, the most discipline she would enforce was a lecture and a time out. Of course, that didn't interfere with her children's respectful upbringing.

"How can you be so calm about this?? Look at him!" Andrew said, holding onto his son's shoulders as he pushed him towards her as if to prove a point.

"I see nothing wrong. Archer was only playing with my makeup, that is to be expected from a child." She stated, her brows furrowing as she stood up, walking towards the two. "If you are worried about him ruining my products, then you shouldn't. They are only inanimate objects, they can be replaced."

"That is not what I'm getting at, Laura!! He's a boy! He shouldn't be playing with makeup!!" Andrew said, gritting his teeth as his grip tightened a bit on Archer's shoulders.

Archer lowered his head, sniffling a bit at his father's harsh tone of voice. As he tried to hide his incoming tears.

"So what if he is a boy? It is just makeup, it will not hurt him." Laura said, seeming to keep calm, though on the inside she was seething. She placed her hands on Andrews, releasing his grip on Archer as she pulled the boy towards her gently.

"You don't get it do you?? He will be ridiculed!! Mocked! He can't be a boy and play with makeup!! He should be playing with other things! Like tools!!" Andrew exclaimed, ignoring the small sob that came from his son. "If he doesn't stop playing with makeup then what will happen when he grows older? Huh?? What will others think of him??"

"You are overthinking this, Andrew.. He is a child, playing with makeup! Even if he does want to use makeup when he's older, it shouldn't matter what others think! As long as he is happy!" She retorted, petting Archer's hair as the small boy cried into her shirt.

"I cannot believe this.." Andrew muttered under his breath, glancing down at the boys shaking shoulders. He looked back up at his wife. "We will speak of this later.." He said, before leaving the room.

"That we will.." She mumbled, looking down at her child. She sighed sorrowfully, raking his messy brown hair out of his face as she lifted his head, looking down at his tear stained face that was covered in smudged makeup. "Do not listen to your father. You do what you wish."

Archer wiped his nose, a smudge of makeup coming off as he did. He only nodded, not seeming to get any words out.

Laura looked at his face, laughing a bit as she tried to wipe the makeup off with her shirt. "I'll teach you how to apply makeup the right way, Alright my little one?"

Archer opened one of his eyes, looking up at her. He smiled and nodded, hugging onto her. "I love you mama.."

"I love you too, Archer.."

• • • • •

Cameron and Archer ran into Laura's room, laughing as they played with each other. Laura paid no mind to it as she flipped the page of her book, as long as they were not getting hurt or breaking anything, then there seemed to be no reason to stop them.

She only tore her eyes away from her book when her two children jumped up on her lounge chair, sitting down on either side of her.

"What are you doing, Mama?" Archer asked, nudging his head under her arm so she would hold him as he peeked at the book she was reading.

"I am reading my book, Darling." She stated, smiling at him as Cameron piped up, the six year old looking at her with a wide grin.

"What's it about? Is it about dragons?" She asked, smiling even more widely when her brother joined in.

"Fairy's? Princesses?"

"Not quite." Laura smiled, laughing at the questions. "I am reading mythology. It has always interested me."

"What is Myth-cology-?" Cameron asked, blinking confusedly.

"Mythology." Archer corrected, crossing his arms.

"Same thing!"

"Now, Now, My ducklings. No fighting." Laura warned, looking at both of them, the two silencing.

"Sorry, Mama. Anyway, why don't you read some to us?" Archer suggested, his sister's eyes lighting up at the thought.

"Like bedtime stories, just without the bedtime-"

"If you two want to listen." She said, laughing softly at the two.

"Yes please!" Archer said, scooting closer to his mother while his sister sprawled out across her lap.

Laura smiled and read some of the stories to her children, taking notice how Cameron had dozed off at the first few minutes of reading, though Archer was still wide awake. He listened intently, his eyes lighting up every now and then with interest.

"The Greek gods-" Laura started, only to be interrupted by her husband who spoke from the doorway.

"I have to- what are you doing?" He asked, quirking a brow at the three, curiously blinking at them.

"Mama is reading Mythology to us! Come sit with us, Papa!" Archer said, sitting up excitedly as he looked at his father with hopeful eyes.

"Ah- no, I have to get going. I have a meeting in thirty minutes." Andrew stated, glancing down at his watch. "Next time though, I promise."

Archer's hope deflated as his father walked away, he shrunk into his mother's embrace, staying silent for a little while.

"..Is everything alright, Little one..?" She asked, looking at his worriedly as she noticed how his mood changed drastically.

"It's just.. Does..-" Archer started, glancing at his mother, before looking at his sound asleep sister. "..Does papa, Love us..?"

Laura couldn't help the small gasp escape her as she blinked, hugging Archer tightly. "Of course he does, why wouldn't he?"

"It's just that.. he never spends time with us.. he's always busy.." Archer mumbled.

"You know this company thing is important to him.." She said, trying to comfort him, even though she knew he was right.

"I know that.. but.. are- are we important to him..?" Archer asked, earning silence from his mother.

She didn't know what to say, he was right. And that made her question it herself. Were they important to him?

• • • • •

After an argument and a very long discussion, Laura was finally able to compromise with Andrew. Making him take one day each week to spend with his family, and no better way to do that than watch a movie.

Tonight was the designated night for the family to spend together and of course the first, and Archer and Cameron were both excited, though Archer was preparing for his father to come home tired and not wanting to go on with the plan.

"Are you two excited?" Laura asked, crouching down to be eye level with her children, she didn't mean it in a teasing way as to say they were short. She did it out of respect.

"Mhm!" Cameron hummed, excitedly, clapping her hands as she looked over at Archer, waiting for his response.

"Oh- uhm- yeah. I am too." Archer said, giving her a forced smile. He was already starting to get his hopes up, knowing how his father usually was. Tired. Busy. Caught up in too many other important things.

Laura smiled, ruffling her son's messy hair, messing it up even further as she heard the door open. "I believe that would be your father."

As she said that, Andrew walked into the room, smiling as Cameron tackled him in a hug. Archer keeping him distance, knowing how grumpy he was when he came home.

But to archers surprise, he smiled, picking Cameron up with one arm as he set down his briefcase. "Hello, Are you guys ready for movie night?" He asked, Archer blinking as Andrew patted his head.

"Wha- you're not tired..?" Archer asked, looking up at his father as Cameron cling onto him, with a big smile.

"Not one bit! Why don't we go make some popcorn?" Andrew suggested, though it was clear to Laura that he was lying. His eyes held dark circles underneath them, though, he hid them well with his glasses.

Archer smiled widely, looking up at Andrew with a grin. "Yeah!"

"Good! Let me teach you how to do it, the old fashioned way." Andrew stated, leading the two kids into the kitchen to make some popcorn, Laura following the three of them to watch. Taking notice of the happy smiles and laughter that emitted from the three as they made their popcorn.

Laura wasn't going to tell Andrew. But that was the happiest she had ever seen her two children.

• • • • •

Laura opened her red eyes, looking at the empty coffee cup at her side, before she glanced over at the hospital bed, taking notice of Archer's dull eyes looking at the ceiling.

He didn't say anything, or even blink. But Laura calmed down a bit once she noticed he was breathing. His emotionless eyes were drooping, as if they were about to close, or fill up with tears.

The fourteen year old hadn't said a word since she told him what had happened. He was in a state of shock. She couldn't bring herself to make him speak either. Even though the only thing she wanted right now was to hear his voice as a reassurance that he was okay.

She scooted her chair closer to his side, leaning towards him. He didn't even seem to flinch at the sound the chair made as it dragged across the marble floor.

Her puffy eyes glanced up at his, to now see that he was finally looking at her. Those eyes that didn't even shed a tear when she had told him that his sister was gone, were now starting to glisten with them.

"...Mama.." He mumbled, his throat hoarse and his words strained as if this were his first time speaking in years.

Laura's eyes widened, Finally after days, he had said something. "..Y-Yes?" She answered, blinking as she took hold of his hand.

"...I'm.." Archer started, the tears he was holding back now started to stream down his face. "I'm sorry-"

"Wha-" Laura muttered, taken aback by his sudden apology.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!" Archer repeated, his hands coming up to hide his face as he sobbed, Laura standing up quickly to embrace him. "I'm so sorry!!"

"Shh.." She hushed him, sitting down on the hospital bed beside him so she could hold him close as he clung onto her, sobbing into her shirt as he kept repeating those simple words.

I'm sorry.

• • • • •

Laura set down the plate of food, looking over at Archer, taking notice of how his small skinny form just laid on his bed, his back turned towards her.

He hadn't eaten in days, not seeming to find the strength to. Or the appetite.

"Archer.." She mumbled, walking over to him and sitting down on the bed, petting the cat that she had gotten him, in hopes that the cat would bring him comfort. "You need to eat.."

"Not hungry.." He responded, in such a small voice it was barely audible.

"Archer.."

"I said I'm not hungry!" Archer snapped, turning to look at her, his eyes not holding anger, but remorse. "I- mama.. I'm sorry.."

"No, Darling. I know you didn't mean it.. just please.. eat.." She said, standing up and leaving the room.

Only to return a while later to find that the plate had been untouched. Archer hadn't eaten a thing.

• • • • •

"Eat god damnit!!" Andrew shouted, slamming his hands on table, causing Archer to flinch, though he didn't do as he was told.

"Andrew this isn't helping anything.."

"Laura, They boy hasn't eaten in almost an entire week! He needs to eat for god sake!" Andrew said, looking at his wife as Archer silently escaped from the dinner table, going up to his room.

"I understand than, Andy, but shouting at him isn't going to make him do what you say!" Laura yelled back, for the first time in her life, she raised her voice. "You can shove it down his throat and yell at him, But that isn't going to help anything!! We are all grieving, Andrew.. in our own ways.. but shouting, and yelling at each other isn't going to make it better or make us happy. It isn't going to bring her back. So sit down!"

Andrew sat back down, staring at his plate, as Laura sighed, looking at the staircase where Archer had scurried off to. She picked up the first thing that was on the table, which happened to be a slice of tiramisu and went up the stairs.

She heard Archer go into his room and shut the door. Laura sat down outside of the door, setting the cake down infront of her as she looked at the closed door, knowing that Archer was behind it.

"Archer." She spoke, seeing his shadow move from underneath the cracks. He was listening. "I know what it feels like for you right now.. Cold. Dark. Numb.. But I also know, that we can't go on feeling that way. We have to push past it. Past the sorrow. Because life goes on, even when we don't want it to."

She sighed, trying to think of what else to say, as he looked at the door, sorrowfully. "..Think.. Think of life.. as a dark room.. there are obstacles that are in your way, that might trip you.. and because it's dark you won't see them coming.. but, you can always get back up.. and find the light switch.." She said, tracing the rim of the plate with her finger.

"But in order to find that little switch.. you have to take the first step.." She muttered, pushing the plate towards the door. She sat in silence for a few minutes, starting to give up hope.

But suddenly, Archers door opened a jar. His hand came out and pulled in the plate inside, Laura stated at the door in shock, her eyes glistening with tears as the plate slid out from under the door a few minutes later. Empty.

"...Can.. You read me some mythology..?" Archer voice asked, from behind it.

"..Of course, I can.."

"..I love you, Mama.."

"..I love you too, Archer.."

• • • • •

"I can't believe it! You stupid boy! You're throwing away your life! Do you know how much criticism you will receive? How much judgement??" Andrew asked, looking at Archer with an angry glare, the seventeen year old glaring right back.

"What, Like I don't already get that from you??" Archer shouted, narrowing his eyes as Andrew's eyes widened.

"What did you just say to me??"

"You heard me!!"

"Don't you dare take that tone of voice with me!!"

"I'll take whatever time I want to take!! I'm sick and tired of you judging me for what I want to do!! You were never once there for me throughout my life, so don't act like you care about what I'm doing with it now!!" Archer yelled, his fists clenching in anger. Laura came into the room, glancing at the two with shock.

Andrew pulled his hand back, causing Laura to gasp as he slapped Archer. Archers face turning to the side at the force, his eyes widened at the action.

"I am your father! You are supposed to address me with respect!! I only want what's best for you!" Andrew exclaimed, Ignoring as Laura ran up to Archer, looking at him with worry, although she stumbled with how weak she was now that she was sick.

"...Respect goes both ways. You shouldn't command for respect, when you can't be respected.." Archer mumbled, glancing at his father before looking to his mother. "..I'm sorry Mama.. I can't stay in this house another moment.. I'm moving.."

Laura only nodded, guiding Archer out of the room, to help him pack some necessities.

She sat down on his bed as he walked around the room, filling his duffle bag with what he needed, as quickly as possible. As if afraid his father would try to stop him.

Archer sat down next to her when he finished, looking down at his hands as if trying to think of what to say. The only words coming to mind. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She said, smiling at him weakly. "You are, who ever you want to be. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks. Including your father." She said, placing her hands on his.

He looked up at her, nodding a bit as he leaned his head on her shoulder, taking in her comfort for the last time.

"Follow your arrow, my little Archer.."

• • • • •

Laura opened her eyes, straining to keep them open as all she wanted to do now was sleep. She barely had any strength left to even speak, but when she saw her husband at her bedside, she had to say what was on her mind.

For she didn't know if it would be the last time she would even get to.

"Andy." She mumbled, catching his attention rather quickly as he looked at her, with his brown eyes, the ones she had fallen for those many years ago. "Make.. make things right again.."

Andrew blinked, glancing down at her hand that was barely able to move, though he knew what she was wanting. He took her hand, listening to what else she had to say.

"Archer.. you're all he has left.." she muttered, sighing abit. "Do what's right.."

"I- will, Darling.. just rest now.." Andrew said, Laura nodding, doing as she was told, though she didn't necessarily have the strength to argue. She smiled at him, closing her eyes for the last time.

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((4,013 words.))