Kids Are Forever

Evgeni's POV
"Go daddy!" I heard my three year old cheer as I took if down the ice.
"Not today dad," Ash knocked me off the puck.

"Oh come on!" I turned around to Kate as I climbed up back to my feet.
"That was perfectly legal," she smiled knowing she would get to me.
"What? He used an elbow, you blind?"
"That's it, Evgeni your off, get on the bench," she pushed me in the direction of the bench for my 2 minute penalty.
"Bye bye," Asher stood next to his mother with that shit stirring grin plastered on his face.

I sat back and watched my son play. He was good and there was no doubt in my mind that he could make it all the way to the NHL.

"Come on Ash!" I found myself cheering as he single handedly split Sid and Mike's excuse for defence and took the puck all the way to the net.

"I taught you that, now you use it against me," I stood up as he skated towards me with a huge smile on his face.
"Yeah but I perfected it," he chirped.
"Now you chirp me too?"
"Yes."

This kid was going to make the perfect hockey player. The knowledge of the game, the skills to play the game and the chirping to match. That's my boy.

"Hey Clark you going on?" I put my hand on my little guys back.
"I don't know," he shrugged not seeming interested, "I don't want to play."
"Why not? I thought you like hockey."
"No dad, I like basketball remember," he got up and stepped out onto the ice.

It was hard keeping track of all the kids and I admit sometimes I forgot who was who and who liked what and other times I payed more attention to one than the other, but I didn't do it on purpose.

At the moment Asher was taking up most my time as I helped him get ready for hockey. I had been in his position before so I was trying to make it as easy as possible for him to deal with it.

Nicky was my shadow, he followed me everywhere. He claimed he wanted to be just like me and was doing his best at it so I couldn't ignore him.

I also spent a lot of time with the twins helping them at hockey, taking them to their games and coaching. Lacey was my little princess and while she mixed it with the boys on the ice she could be quiet the little terror at home, something Kate didn't like dealing with.

Kate stayed at home a lot of time so naturally she looked after Zach who had a very firm attachment to his mother and was at the stage where he didn't like to be separated from her.

And Clark, he was quiet, he was a very shy little boy who kept to himself. A lot of the time while we were trying to keep the chaos at bay he got lost in amongst it all. I felt bad he was a sweet kid and I just wished he would open up to me a little bit sometimes.

Kate's POV
"Hey Clark do you want to go with dad and Lacey and Luka to hockey tomorrow?" I asked as I sorted everyone's dinner.
"No I am fine," he sat poking at his chicken.
"Are you going to eat that or continue playing with it?" Asher sat next to him at the table.
"I am not hungry," he pushed his plate away.
"Sweetie if you didn't want to eat then you should have said so," I sat on the other side of him giving him a kiss on the forehead.
"I was but, now I am not."
"Clark always sad" Nicky climbed up onto Evgeni's lap.
"I am not," my little wavy haired brunette boy grumbled.
"That's enough you two," I defused it before they could go any further.

Clark was the middle child if you went by birth. He was always butting heads with Nicky and the twins. He absolutely adored Zach and Zach loved to be with Clark. They shared a bedroom not because we didn't have enough rooms in the house but because they loved each others company. We were waiting to wake up one morning and find them in the same bed.

Once dinner was over help make sure everyone was showered and ready for bed so we could watch a movie before they were all off to sleep.

"Everyone say goodnight to Zach," I said as Evgeni carried in our baby boy for his goodnight kisses.

The kids each took it in turn to say goodnight before Evgeni and I were taking him to bed.

"Mum," Clark stood at the door rubbing his eyes.
"Yeah sweetie?" I opened my arms and he ran in to give me a hug.
"I want to go to bed too," he looked up at me with his big blue eyes.
"Ok well come on," I pulled back the covers to his bed and he climbed in.

"Are you sure you ok?" I ran my hand over his head. His skin wasn't hot anymore he was just a little more quiet than usual.
"Yeah, just tired," he rolled over and tangled himself in his blankets.
"Goodnight bud," Evgeni lent down and kissed his forehead.
"Goodnight," he mumbled sleep beginning to overcome him already.
"Goodnight, sweet dreams baby boy," I whispered in his ear.
"Night."

"Is he ok?" Evgeni frowned as I shut the door behind me.
"He's just feeling a little down he doesn't want to play hockey anymore but he feels like we are making him go," I explained.
"He never say to me," Evgeni whispered looking a little annoyed.
"He doesn't want to hurt your feelings, he knows how special hockey is to you, they all do."
"That's silly," his features calmed as he wrapped his arms around me.
"I love hockey, not expect them to," he shook his head placing a kiss to my forehead.
"I know, believe me I know."