My Scars Are The Story Of My Life And This One Is For You

Critter nodded. "I love you to."
As soon as Alex left, he cried again, this time he sobbed and cracked.
He broke a record as he cried for the second time in 24 hours.

When Alex got home, the kids bombarded him with questions.
"Guys, I'm not feeling too well. Can you please let me have some alone time?"
Alex and Cameron left him alone but Sydney knew her father. She knew something was wrong.
She poked and prodded until he finally came clean. She wasn't too happy with the thought of Critter replacing her momma but she knew her daddy needed her right now.

Cameron came back. "I want my daddy, take me to see my daddy." She demanded.

"Baby girl, you're daddy wanted to be alone and so did I." Alex quickly wiped away tears. He could cry in front of Sydney but he refused in front of Cameron.

"I want my daddy. You have Sydney, I want my daddy." She knew he daddy must be upset.

"Cameron baby, please just lie down. I'll take you to visit daddy in the morning." Alex said softly.

"I'll get Alex to take me." She huffed before going to get Alex Jr who came down a few minutes later with Cameron in his arms. "Dad im taker her."

Alex nodded.
"Thanks darlin." He gave his son that look that told him there was a specificc reason why he didn't want to take Cameron to the hospital.

Alex drove the the hospital and walked the little girl inside. He was frightened to say the least when he opened the door to Critter's room. He wanted to cry, the strongest man in the world looked so hurt and pained....he had never seen Critter so broken up and neither had Cameron. Cameron rushed over to her father and hugged his neck. Critter quickly dried his eyes, he had to be strong for his baby.

Sydney kissed her father's nose.
"So I'm a total relationship expert." She smirked. "I'll help you figure this out."
Alex chuckled.
"Since when?"
"Oh hush! Now, I'm going to ask you questions be ready." She paused.
"What did it feel like when momma kissed you?"
"Magic." He replied immediately.
"And what about Critter?"
Alex thought about this one more.
"It feels like my first kiss all over again every time."
Sydney grabbed a note pad and began taking notes. He rolled his eyes at her.
"Now, don't yell at the next question... How does making love feel with momma compared to doing it with Critter?"
"Sydney! You don't need or want me to answer that question!" Alex exclaimed.
"Oh just answer."
"Fine." Alex grumbled. "Well with your momma I always had to be so careful. I was always afraid with hurting him. It was amazing. It really was. And I wouldn't change a thing about your momma but it's different with Critter. I don't have to hold back. We're equal... actually I'm the weak one."
Sydney frowned. She didn't like where this was going. So far it seemed as if her father loved Critter more.
"Hmm... would you kill Critter if it meant you could bring momma back?"
Alex was shocked to hear the same question he'd asked Critter earlier.
"No." He answered quickly. He didn't even have to think. He wanted Mike back but he could never hurt Critter.
"Last question, what if momma came back right now? Dont ask how or say that wouldn't happen. Just imagine. If momma came back would you leave Critter?"
Alex sighed. He should be able to say 'of course!' But he couldn't.
"N-no..."
Sydney frowned, she didn't like this at all. She was starting to wish she hadn't gotten involved in this.
"Daddy.... I think we both know the answer to who you love more..." She sighed.
Alex nodded, tears filled his eyes. He couldn't do this to Mike. Which would be worse? Telling Mike the truth and having to watch the hurt in his eyes? Having to hear his heart break? Or continue lying and have to see the constant trust in his eyes? The complete innocence and obliviousness. Plus, he'd hurt Critter. He sighed.

Alex Jr arrived home within an hour or so. Cameron had insisted to stay with her father and Critter couldn't say no to his baby. When Alex walked through the door he looked scared, and frazzled, he had never thought he would see the day when Critter cried.

"Was everything okay?" Alex asked his son when he came home. Was Critter taking this better than he was?

Alex stared at him for a long moment. "I don't know. I have know Critter since I have been born......I have never seen him cry...until tonight." Alex shuddered and went up to his room.

He was crying. Alex was going to wait til morning but he couldn't anymore.
"Sydney, I'm going to go tell Critter... what we found out." Alex called to his daughter. She nodded, tears filling he big blue eyes.
"Oh darlin please don't cry."

Alex came back down and listened. "Daddy, don't tell me you have replaced my momma." Alex could not and would not take that.

"Alex..." Alex sighed at his son. He didn't see how hard this was. "This is hard enough as is. Please, now is not the time." Alex shook his said. The tears he'd only just managed to stop were threatening to start again.

"Your not my father.....My father loved my momma, beat the shit out of Daffy for my momma." Alex shook his head. "Im leaving, I wont be your son anymore." He went to his room to pack.

"Alex knock it off." Sydney sighed. "You weren't up there listening to what daddy and I were talking about. Would you want him to not be happy?" She frowned.

Alex continued to pack, he came back down with a suit case in his hand. "I'll come get the rest of my belongings later." He went to his truck and loaded his things.

"Alex please." Alex pleaded. Why couldn't he be as understanding as Sydney. It's not like Alex chose to love Critter as much as he did. It was nothing he could help.

"Yeah, no." He replied coldly. "I don't give a fuck anymore to think momma loved you so fucking much." Alex got into his truck and skidded out of the drive way and onto the road.

Sydney walked up to her father, wrapping her tiny arms around his waist.
"I'm sorry daddy."
"..." He was going to say its okay. But it wasn't. Not one bit.
"I'll be back." He said softly. There was nothing he could do about alex at the moment but he could help Critter. He got in his car and drove back down to the hospital.

Critter was leaning against the wall, tear tracks visible as Cameron was trying to play a game with him and make it better. She liked music so she would sing some then Critter would sing some.

Cameron grinned. "Okay daddy, I'll start." She cleared her throat.
"If I fell in love with you."
Critter sighed and said the next line.
"Would you promise to be true"
Cameron giggled. "And help me understand"
Critter gave a small smile. "'Cause I've been in love before."
Cameron looked thoughtful. "And I found that love was more."
Critter held his daughters hands. "Than just holding hands"

They sang the next verse together.
"If I give my heart to you, I must be sure...From the very start that you would love me more than her...."

Alex paused in the waiting room as an idea struck him. He had to write it down now. Before he forgot. He asked one of the women at the front desk for a pen and pulled out a crumpled paper from his pocket.
He frantically wrote until he was finished and then he walked into the room.

Cameron looked up and frowned, sitting in her fathers lap. "Excuse you.." She glared. "You know how to knock? Then do it."
Critter thumped her ear. "Don't talk to grown ups like that." He scolded half halfheartedly.