Daddy and the Nanny

Saturday morning arrived and all three kids were now ignoring Alex. The blonde was only glad he was spending the day with his parents otherwise he'd go crazy with the kids not talking to him. After breakfast, which for once was a silent matter, Alex was up in his room getting ready to leave. Alex grabbed his phone and car keys before walking out of his room and downstairs where Jack was in the living room with the kids who were busy watching TV.

"Leaving?" Jack asked as he walked over to the blonde, catching the children's attention.

"Yeah, I'll be back late. If not I'll come back tomorrow morning." Alex replied as he buttoned his coat.

"Alright, good luck." Jack smiled at Alex and patted his back.

Alex simply nodded and walked out of the house.

"Daddy, where Ali going?" Dylan asked as he looked up at his father.

"To visit his mommy and daddy." Jack replied as he picked up the child.

"Why didn't he say goodbye?"

"He didn't have to say goodbye to you kids since you've been mean to him all morning."

"Oh."

Before Alex got into his car, his phone rang and he glared at Zack's name flashing across the screen.

"Yes?" Alex answered as he got inside and started his car.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it last night." Zack sighed.

"Zack, it's fine. I wasn't able to make it either, I wasn't feeling alright." Alex said as he looked at the house and smiled a bit when he saw Dylan peeking out the window.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Zack. It was just a headache." Alex answered with a chuckle.

"Alright. Are you headed to your parents?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way right now."

"I'll meet you there later, I'm going to work right now."

Alex hung up a few minutes later and started to drive to his parents place.

~~~

"Morning sweetie. You alright?" Alex's mother asked after taking a good look at her son.

"Not really." Alex replied with a soft smile and stepped inside the house, the smell of pancakes and bacon drifting over from the kitchen.

"Well come inside and I'll give you some breakfast if you're hungry, you're looking a little thin."

Alex followed his mother into the dinning room where his brother and father were already seated and eating.

"Morning dad." Alex greeted with a smile. "Shane."

"Alexander." Shane greeted bitterly as he stared at his older brother.

"Boys please, don't start so early." Their father scolded.

Alex sighed before sitting at his spot and thanking his mom when she brought him a cup of coffee. She sat down and breakfast carried on as a quiet thing, again.

"Alright so we have some things to discuss." Mr.Gaskarth spoke up.

"Then I guess I'll be leaving." Shane said as he stood up.

"No, this involves all of us as a family." Isobel said sternly.

Shane sat back down and sighed as he took a sip of his juice. Alex looked down at his half empty plate of food.

"Shane, we talked to our lawyer last week and Alex about something important concerning your future and if something were to happen to your mother and I."

"About what, dad?" Shane asked a bit worriedly.

"You know we travel a lot and when you don't go with us well you stay with your grandparents, but you can't stay with them if something happens to us." Isobel said as she stared at her youngest son.

"Why not? They've always taken care of me and even him." Shane responded a bit angrily as he pointed at his brother who wasn't looking up from his plate.

"We know sweetie, but they're old people and not really capable enough of taking care of you if your dad and I ever died."

"But then what? Who would take care of me?"

"Your brother. He's more than capable and qualified too. He's got a stable job-"

"As a nanny!" Shane yelled in bewilderment.

"Nanny or not, it's still a job and I earn my own money!" Alex yelled back as he looked at his younger brother.

"Hey, both of you calm down! Shane, you need to show your brother some respect. I have no clue what this fucking problem between you two is, but you will solve it today. And Alex, stop arguing back to every comment your brother makes." Their father spoke angrily.

"I don't understand what his problem with me is, but I hope you know Shane, that when you were born eleven years ago I vowed to take care of you and protect you. I did nothing but watch over you when you were younger and I don't get where it all went wrong." Alex spat out as he got up with his plate and walked towards the kitchen.

Shane simply stared at the retreating form of his brother with guilt flooding at the pit of his stomach. He looked down as he bit his bottom lip in thought.

"Sweetie, I don't get it either. You and Alex used to be inseparable before you turned six and started to hate him. Your brother did nothing wrong and he'd spend time and time again with trying to get you to like him again, but you never did and it hurt him. That's why Alex moved out when he turned 18 because he was upset."

"I thought he moved out because he couldn't stand you." Shane replied his mother.

"That too, but it's my fault I pushed him away once you were born. Shane, just know that Alex will be your legal guardian in case anything ever happens to us."

Shane simply nodded and got up, going after his brother who was still in the kitchen staring out the window at their yard covered in snow.

"Are you sure you'd want to take care of me even after I've been rude and annoying?" Shane asked timidly, making Alex jump a bit.

"We're family Shane and I don't leave my family no matter what. Yeah we're like total strangers, but it's what mom and dad want. For me to not forget about you and finish raising you. Between us though, I hope it doesn't have to come down to that scenario where I become your legal guardian." Alex smiled sadly at his brother who nodded.

"Yeah, I always think that they'll never come back when they leave on their trips." Shane spoke as he walked closer to Alex.

"I think the same. I had that same fear when I was your age."

A silence settled over both brothers for a bit as Shane gathered his thoughts and courage to apologize for all of those years where he ignored his brother.

"I'm sorry, Lex." Shane finally said after a few minutes.

"It's fine. I've learned to forgive and forget since I moved out."

Shane nodded and hugged his brother quickly before leaving.

Later that day Alex was up in his old room looking through the things he'd never packed when Zack walks in. Alex looks up momentarily before going back to the box of pictures and posters he'd found in his closet.

"You still have all that?" Zack asked with a smile as he sat down next to Alex and grabbed an old yearbook from their freshman year in high school.

"Hard to get rid of so many memories you know." Alex answered as he held up a picture of their prom.

"Some I'd really rather forget." Zack chuckled as he put the yearbook away and leaned over to kiss Alex's cheek.

"Like that one time Vic pulled your pants down in the middle of the lunchroom and everyone laughed." Alex teased as he leaned against his boyfriend who shook his head laughing at the memory.

"That was embarrassing, but Vic and his little gang of Mexicans were such pranksters. I wonder where they are now. We all promised to keep in touch after graduation, but we never did." Zack spoke, wrapping an arm around Alex's waist.

"It's sad how we were all so close and then we lost touch." Alex hummed as he came across the final picture of all his friends together during the graduation ceremony. "I'm taking this one."

"Why are you so nostalgic all of a sudden? I feel like you're a lot more sensible now a days." Zack said as he set the yearbook down and rubbed his hand up Alex's side.

"I don't know. I guess so much has happened over the last few weeks that my emotions just want to spill over."

"If they do, I'll be here for you." Zack whispered into the other male's ear.

Zack left an hour later and when he did, Alex and Shane took a trip to the mall for some bonding time between the two brothers who knew nothing about each other.

"Are you doing good in school?" Alex asked his brother as they walked around the mall.

"Yeah." Shane smiled. "Do you ever plan on going back to college?"

"Maybe this year. Jack's youngest kid starts school in September so I'll try it since I'll end up having some free time."

"That's good."

The afternoon passed and soon both were heading home. Alex was glad him and his brother were back to talking and not fighting every ten seconds.

"So you really like your job?" Shane asked on the drive back home.

"I do. I mean I was beyond terrified at first. Taking care of three kids isn't an easy task, but they're nice kids." Alex replied with a smile.

Just then Alex's phone began to ring and he sighed when Jack's name flashed on the screen.

"What's up?" Alex answered.

"Um I'm sorry to ask you this, but can you come back home? The kids are out of control and Hayley and I can't calm them down." Jack spoke sheepishly.

"Alright, I'll be there in a bit." Alex responded.

"Wait, Dylan wants to talk to you."

"Hi Ali!" Dylan greeted loudly, making Alex pull the phone away from his ear.

"Hi kiddo, your daddy told me you're being naughty. May I know why?"

"Because she's here and she's an evil witch." Dylan spoke with a giggle.

"She's not evil nor a witch, but I'll be there soon alright, Dyl?"

"Okay! Bye bye!" Dylan hung up and Alex set his phone in his pocket as he pulled into the driveway.

"Sounds like chaos." Shane chuckled as they got out.

"Oh yeah. They don't like their dad's girlfriend, so every time she comes over they misbehave to get her to leave."

"I would do the same." Shane laughed and followed his brother inside the house where their mom was making dinner.

"You boys are back just in time because dinner's ready." She told them with a smile.

"I'm sorry mom, I can't stay." Alex said. "The kids need me."

"Alright honey, come back anytime."

Alex nodded and said his goodbyes before driving back to the chaotic home. When Alex stepped foot into the house, all three kids wrapped their arms around their nanny.

"We're sorry Ali! Don't leave us with her!" They cried and Hayley scoffed as she walked past them.

"Alright." Alex spoke as he hugged them all.

"Alex, thank you for coming and I'm sorry for pulling you out of your day off." Jack apologized as he walked towards the blonde who was trying to shake off the children who only held onto him tighter.

"It's fine, I wasn't doing anything important." Alex smiled. "Kids, let go."

The kids untangled their arms, but stayed close to their nanny who picked up Dylan and led them up the stairs to the play room.

"Alex, can we watch a movie?" Tyler asked as he searched through their movie collection.

"Only if you've done any homework your teachers might have left you." Alex spoke sternly as he tried putting Dylan down on the ground.

"No Ali! Up!" Dylan insisted and Alex finally gave up after the fourth attempt.

"It's done! Daddy checked our homework earlier." Tay replied with a smile as she helped her brother choose a movie.

"Alright then. Sleepover again?" Alex asked them with a smile.

"Yes! And can we eat popcorn and chips and candy and-!" Tay rambled on until Alex cut her off with a chuckle.

"Let's stick with popcorn. It's late and I don't want to give you guys a sugar rush." Alex commented as he walked over to Dylan's room.

"Boo." All three children pouted.