~ Caspian ~
Sleep was hard to come by for Caspian lately. Several days had passed since he last saw Audrey and the memory of her haunted him every single night. Tonight was no different. Caspian was restless and tired. His hand went to raid the bedside drawer and he pulled out a tube of his sleeping pills. There was none left in the tube and Caspian sighed in annoyance.
Of course.
Getting up from his bed, Caspian went to the bathroom and reached for the medicine cabinet. His cabinet was fully stocked since he hadn’t been using a lot of them for the past year. Caspian was scanning through the tubes, looking for any other kind of sleeping aid when he noticed a gap in the corner. He remembered keeping some strong painkillers there but the whole tube was missing.
That’s odd.
Caspian didn’t think too much of it. Maybe
~ Killian ~“Killian! Oh my God!”Killian’s eyes were still closed and he saw nothing but darkness, but then he heard a voice. The voice kept calling for his name. It was a familiar voice that he had known so well. She had a voice like an angel.Audrey…?“Shit, shit, shit!”Killian then heard another voice. It was a guy’s voice. Killian, of course, knew this voice very well. He grew up listening to this voice. He fought and argued with this voice plenty of times before.Caspian…“Get my phone out and call Dr. Rex! He’s on speed dial!” Caspian ordered. He had ripped out a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around Killian’s wrist like a bandage. “I need to keep some pressure on the cut,”&ldqu
~ Caspian ~After almost losing his brother, Caspian began to question everything in his life. For two days straight, Caspian only slept for an hour and he spent every waking moment worrying about Killian. He made sure that the doctors took care of him and he kept everything on the down-low, he even made the doctors sign an NDA after treating Killian. He did all that so that Killian wouldn’t be under pressure or under media scrutiny when he wakes up.Caspian realized he cared for Killian more than he acknowledged. He spent the past few months cursing at Killian and blaming him for pushing Audrey away. But now he took it back. He’d rather have Killian alive and ruining his life than not at all.Caspian spent some hours of the night praying to a God he didn’t believe in. He wanted God or anyone that could hear him to bring his brother back. He promised he’d do anything for
~ Audrey ~When Audrey opened her eyes next, the first thing she saw was Killian’s face. His eyes were closed and his breathing was deep. Audrey took note of his handsome features, his sharp jawline, and long lashes. Audrey couldn’t help but smile.The next thing she noticed was Caspian’s arms wrapped around her body. He was spooning her, her back was flushed against his chest, and Audrey could smell his intoxicating scent enveloping her.Hmm. This feels like home.Audrey closed her eyes and relished the moment. This was something she thought she’d never get to experience again. She couldn’t describe how happy she was, waking up next to them in this warm New York morning.Wait a second…!“Oh my God!” Audrey gasped and quickly jerked up. “What time is it?”
- - - - - One Week Later - - - - -~ Caspian ~The days they lived out in Killian’s house were perhaps the best days of Caspian’s life. He would even compare it to the night they spent in Bermuda. There were no tears or heartbreaks, no stress or pain, just pure and absolute bliss.Caspian would start every morning smiling and feeling grateful for his life. He’d give Audrey a kiss on her cheek before making breakfast for everyone. And once Killian and Audrey got busy in their laptops for work, Caspian went out running to Brooklyn Bridge. He’d come back feeling refreshed and after a quick shower, he would help Killian or Audrey with their work, pushing out one bright idea after another.The mornings were great, but Caspian liked the nighttime the most. If they weren’t getting food delivered, the three
~ Audrey ~“Why the fúck is he sending you emails and love poems?!”Audrey didn’t realize this, but Caspian was standing behind her and reading her screen. He was shouting so loud that Killian heard him from the kitchen.“Caspian!” Audrey gaped and shut the laptop closed.“Who’s sending her what?” Killian appeared at the door.“Anthony Cavanaugh! That fúcking shit is sending our girl love emails,” Caspian growled.“He’s doing what?” Killian shouted back.“Guys, stop it,” Audrey quickly got up to diffuse the situation.“Yeah, you wanna tell us why he’s sending you emails saying I miss you and all that crap?” Caspian said to Audrey.“First of all,
~ Audrey ~Audrey woke up at five thirty in the morning. She couldn’t sleep that well, her mind was filled with anxious thoughts about meeting Anthony and her dad. She figured breaking things off with Anthony would be awkward and sad, but it wouldn’t be too hard. But breaking the news to her dad was where the real battle lay. The last time she told her dad about breaking off an engagement, he got a life-threatening heart attack.I’ll have to be a lot more careful this time around.Audrey rehearsed and replayed in her head the things she would tell him. She planned on telling her dad everything, from this unusual relationship with Caspian and Killian to the brothers’ agreement to work for Maxwell, and their plans on living together forever. Audrey could only hope that her dad would understand how happy she was and that there was nothing else in the wor
~ Audrey ~Audrey took a deep breath and stared at the double doors. She knew her dad was sitting in his study right behind these doors. After her meeting with Anthony, Audrey was a little shaken up, but she refused to crumble. No matter how upset or angry her dad may be, Audrey was determined to say her piece. She closed her eyes for a moment and the image of Killian and Caspian came to mind. Audrey couldn’t help but smile. Nothing could stop her from going after what she wants. And they were what she wants.With that thought in mind, Audrey opened her eyes and opened the double doors to the study. Maxwell was sitting at his desk like usual, reading something from a stack of binders in front of him, and Sebastian was standing next to him. Maxwell looked up and saw Audrey striding in. Her steps were full of conviction and determination.“Ah, look who finally decided to grace us with
~ Audrey ~When Audrey left the house this morning, she was radiating with confidence and determination. Never did she imagine that she’d end up curling up next to the toilet bowl on her bathroom floor by the end of the night.“Ugh,” Audrey groaned and pulled herself up.The maids tried to help her, but she only shooed them away. She didn’t want anyone to see her in this pitiful state. Sebastian offered to call a doctor or take her to the hospital, but she also didn’t like that idea.“I just need to rest. I just need to be alone,” she told Sebastian.Audrey didn’t feel like talking to anyone right now. Especially not her dad. She needed time to process everything and while her brain was doing that, her stomach was processing it in a different way.This is so not how things are suppo
- - - - - THREE YEARS LATER - - - - - ~ Killian ~ “Alright baby, it’s your first day, are you excited?” “Yes!” Grace squealed in excitement. She was wearing her favorite dress and her hair tied up in a ponytail. She also got her pink backpack and Princess lunchbox with her. Today was her first day in kindergarten. Audrey and Killian were dropping her off in front of the school. Some other kids were crying because they didn’t want their parents to leave them with a bunch of adult strangers, but not Gracie. She was fearless, like her mother. “We’ll be back in a few hours to pick you up,” Killian said and kissed the top of Grace’s head. “Listen to your teachers, be nice to your friends, and have fun,” Audrey added. “Yes, I will!” Grace exclaimed and waved her hands. “Bye, mommy. Bye, daddy!” “Bye, baby. We’ll see you again soon,” Audrey and Killian waved back as Grace raced to the doors. Her teachers were greeting her and she greeted them back politely. “I can’t believe she’s i
- - - - - ALTERNATE ENDING - - - - - ~ Caspian ~ “Daddy, daddy!” Caspian opened his eyes to see Grace looking straight at him. Her little hands that were the size of ravioli were resting on his face. She was tapping him lightly, wanting to wake him up. “Mmhm,” Caspian groaned and turned around. He was teasing Grace on purpose. “Daddy, wake up!” she protested. Taking after his daddy, Grace was a persistent girl. She climbed up the bed and climbed on top of Caspian’s body. He was laughing to himself as Grace struggled and got on top of him. “Daddy!” she exclaimed happily as she sat on Caspian’s chest. “Hey, good morning, you,” Caspian chuckled and opened his eyes in defeat. “Good morning, daddy,” Grace was laughing triumphantly and hugging his neck. “Did mommy send you to wake me up?” “Uh-huh,” she giggled. She had her mom’s smile and that made Caspian smile. “Where is she?” he asked. Grace pointed to the floor, meaning downstairs. “Alright, let’s go get her,” Caspian got
~ Audrey ~ “Sweetheart, you’re making all my dreams come true,” Killian’s words made Audrey’s heart swell. Her eyes softened and glazed over. Her hand reached for his face and her thumb caressed his skin. Their eyes were locked onto each other and she stared at Killian as if her life depended on it. “I love you so much, Kill,” she whispered. Killian leaned down and kissed her in response. His kiss was so tender and deep, Audrey couldn’t help the tear falling from her eyes. She was so incredibly happy. And he was too. She could feel it. “I love you too. So, so much more,” he whispered back. Killian pulled her into his chest and Audrey tightened her grip around his neck. She wanted to feel more of him, so she linked her legs around his waist too. Killian held her entire body up with ease and he carried her up to their room. He laid her down gently on the bed, and he stared at her eyes for a moment as he hovered above her body. Audrey was seeing her entire world in Killian’s pier
- - - - - Six Months Later - - - - - ~ Audrey ~ “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Gracie, happy birthday to you!” The whole room was singing and cheering for baby Grace’s first birthday. She had no clue what was happening though. She was sitting on her chair with a pink dress on, staring at everyone in front of her. Her biggest fans in the world were in the room, her mommy, daddy, grandpa Max, grandpa John, and grandma Anna. Even uncle Mikey, Uncle Sebastian, Auntie Liv, and Uncle Benji were there too. Audrey and Killian invited their closest friends and family to attend an intimate weekend celebration for Grace’s first birthday party. They wanted it to be extra special, so instead of doing a house party at their home in Brooklyn or at the Vanderbilt mansion, they decided to have it in Bermuda, the place that inspired her namesake. The Vanderbilt villa was big enough to house everyone. And out in the garden, Audrey, Mikey, Liv, and Benji had dec
- - - - - Six Months Later - - - - - ~ Audrey ~ Audrey was staring in front of her laptop for the longest time. A word document page full of words was staring back at her. She thought for a moment before her hand reached for the keyboards again. And just as she was about to start typing, she heard a loud cry coming from the next room. Audrey immediately knew what that cry meant. After listening to her baby’s cries for six months, Audrey could tell what she needed just by the way she cried. Getting up to her feet, Audrey quickly went to the nursery. She opened the door to see Killian and Virginia, their postpartum doula, picking up baby Grace from her crib. Yes, following their busy schedules, Killian and Audrey thought it’d be a great idea to have a doula live in their home and help with the baby. Virginia was a highly experienced postpartum doula in her mid fifties. She had great insights and support on infant feeding, infant soothing, and coping skills for new parents. She also
- - - - - One Month Later - - - - - ~ Killian ~ Killian lay in bed that night staring at the ceiling. Not being able to sleep was a normal thing for him, but there was another reason why he couldn’t sleep tonight. Tomorrow was a big day for him and Audrey. It was the day where their baby girl would come into the world. Audrey decided that she wanted to do a homebirth. They didn’t have the best memories the last time they were in a hospital. And Audrey felt most relaxed and comfortable being at home. Dr. Shepherd, who was closely monitoring Audrey and the baby, agreed that home birth would be a viable option. So they set on a date, got all the equipment ready, hired a midwife-nurse, and set aside a hospital transport just in case. Tomorrow was the D-day and Killian was too nervous to sleep. He kept checking the clock to see if the hour hand had moved. Audrey seemed like she was nervous too. It was about eleven-thirty at night and she was usually asleep by now. But tonight, she wasn
- - - - - Two Weeks Later - - - - -~ Audrey ~“Good afternoon, Mrs. Vanderbilt,” the receptionist greeted Audrey politely. It had been a whole month since people started calling her by this name and she still got giddy every time she heard it.“Hi, is Killian done with his meeting?” Audrey was biting her lip to stop herself from smiling too much.“Yes, he’s in his office. Would you like me to call him for you?”“No, don’t call him. I’ll come up and see him,” she said quickly and winked. “It’s a surprise,”The receptionist nodded her head and opened the door to the private elevator leading up to Killian’s office. Since he started working as the head of both the Vanderbilt and Huntington corporations, Killian would divid
- - - - - Two Weeks Later - - - - -~ Killian ~ Two weeks had gone by so fast. Before they knew it, it was already the last night of Killian and Audrey’s honeymoon. Sure, being in Bermuda was great, but Killian enjoyed spending uninterrupted quality time with Audrey the most. He couldn’t care less of what they were doing as long as they did it together. And they did everything together, from exploring around the island to trying out the local food, and visiting historical sites that she liked so much.The days went by so fast, but the nights were a bit more troubling for Killian. Ever since the accident, Killian had been having trouble sleeping. Every time he closed his eyes, he was back at the steering wheel again. He’d try to drive away to safety, but the end result was always the same.Letting out a deep sigh, Killian opened hi
- - - - - Two Weeks Later - - - - - ~ Audrey ~ “Welcome back to Bermuda, Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt,” Benji greeted Audrey and Killian with his signature toothy smile. “Thanks, Benji,” Audrey replied. She hadn’t seen Benji, the Vanderbilt’s personal tour guide, since their last visit to Grace Bay two years ago. “It’s been so long since your last visit. Congratulations on the wedding,” he said as he took their luggage and put it in the trunk of the car. “And I am sorry to hear about Mr. Caspian. I cry when I see the newspaper,” “Thank you, Benji. I appreciate it,” Killian replied. Though Benji’s English wasn’t particularly great, Audrey could see the sincerity in his eyes. He must be sad to hear about Caspian’s passing. Whenever he visited Bermuda, Caspian always treated him very well. Benji only wor