The Age of The Masrui

“I just don’t want to be here anymore with... dad so close but... not...” Karsi whispered. “Where can we go?”

---

“We should... we need to go to Sienna. She saw what happened. She’s going to be traumatised. We can’t leave her with Dorian any longer.”

---

“We can’t tell anyone about the baby yet...” Astrid murmured as she thought about it. “I don’t know how we’re gonna cover it up... everyone will be expecting me to drink... god I wish I could.” She laughed without humour then, wrapping her arms around herself.

"The spoke to the doctor, you've been poorly and he told you to cut the drinking out. It isn't a lie." Reid whispered. "Come on. Let's get going, jump on a flight. Get you home."

---

"Are you sure you're ready?" She asked softly. "There isn't any rush, Dorian is good with her. He has probably found some way to distracted her."

---

"I uh..." He glanced over his shoulder toward the room Thomas was in, seeming uncomfortable to say it before whispering, "I was hoping to have a minute alone with him. I - I don't want to go yet."

“She basically just watched her grandpa die, Marlowe. She needs us.”

---

“I - of course.” Karsi nodded. “I’m sorry, I should’ve - of course you do. Do you mind if I sit in the car, if you want to be alone with him?”

---

Astrid nodded, moving to put her shoes back on and grabbing her bag.

"Okay, okay. I'm just..." She shook her head, smoothing his hair off of his face gently before getting to her feet and offering him a hand up.

---

He was silent for a few minutes then, studying her closely before mumbling a quiet. "Never mind, we'll go wherever you want." Before heading toward the car park.

---

Reid pulled a coat on, grabbed the keys and headed out.

“Louis, no.” Karsi frowned, grabbing his hand to stop him. “I thought when you said you wanted to be alone with him you meant alone without me… I didn’t wanna push you to have me there. I’m sorry I - “

Rose stepped out of the room quietly, glancing at her daughter and offering her nothing but a smile before heading down the corridor to the chapel

---

“She watched someone die... we need a therapist for her by the morning.”

---

Astrid followed him out quietly.

"I've changed my mind, just want to go home. You can see Cain like you want, I'll just take an early night." He mumbled, moving his hand away and continuing to walk.

---

"I- I think a session for you won't do any harm either." Marlowe added tentatively.

“D-don’t be mad at me.” Karsi whimpered then as he dropped her hand. “Louis - “

---

“I don’t need therapy, Marley.” Maddox shook his head as he headed out of the room and down the corridor.

"I'm not mad at you."

---

Marlowe chose to stay quiet, deciding that now wasn't the best time to have the conversation. Simply following him.

“I just thought you wanted to be alone, you’re mad at me.” Karsi’s voice broke then as she wiped at her eyes.

---

“Can you drive? I’m tired... I don’t trust myself.”

"I'm not mad at you." Louis repeated. "You want to go home, so we are going home Karsi. Please, don't fight with me right now it isn't good for either of us."

---

Marlowe nodded, kissing his cheek before taking the keys and getting inside. Starting up the engine.

“You didn’t want to go home - you wanted a moment with him. Please don’t not have it… moms gone now.”

---

“Thank you.” Maddox climbed inside, leaning his arm against the window, putting his head on his arm. “I can’t go home.” He whispered, staring out if the windscreen. “Can we just go to a hotel and have the kids brought to us? I can’t - I can’t go back there.”

"It isn't important, not my father is he. Your brothers will need it more." Louis mumbled, getting into the car.."I need to call Ronan anyway, tell him to stay scarce until Dane doesn't want to kill him."

---

"Of course, love," Marlowe whispered, starting the car up and setting off. "I- I think that is probably a good idea."

“We’re gonna have to move house...”

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“Louis please... I just told you he considered you a son. If anything you appreciated him more because - “ Karsi sighed softly, opening the door but not getting in. “It is important - please. I know you’ll regret it if you don’t.”

"Its just a house, moving is no big deal." Marlowe nodded, reaching a hand across as she drove to rest it against her knee. "What makes it home is you and the kids."

---

"Do you want to go home or not?!" He snapped then, though instantly regretted it. Hitting his fist against the steering wheel before resting his forehead against it and closing his eyes. Breathing shaky.

“We have the funeral, we go away somewhere. Maybe take mom. And whilst we’re gone we have people come in and move our stuff... I can’t go back there...”

---

Karsi walked round to his side, opening the door and crouching as best she could next to him, silently resting her hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"You don't have to go back there." Marlowe promised, pulling over once they got to a hotel. Sending Dorian a text as she got out of the car, moments later walking around to Maddox side and opening the door up for him.

---

"I can't do this, make it about me. Do not let me make it about me. Get in the car, I'm driving you home like you wanted." Louis whispered after a few minutes of silence.

“No... I want you to have your moment with him. I want you to get out of the car help me up -“ Karsi gave a short laugh, needing some lightening of the mood even for a second. “Then I want you to go in there and go say goodbye like you wanted to. You never got the chance to say goodbye to your mom and dad and I know it’s weighed on you. Forgive me for mentioning it but I love you too much to let you carry around any more regret like that... So come on Mr King. Dad’s waiting...”

---

“We’re gonna need one more use out of Dorian tonight.” Maddox sighed as he got out of the car and headed into the hotel, walking up to the front desk and simply just being handed a card as he was recognised. Nodding in silent appreciation to the clerk he didn’t have to make idle conversation as he headed for the lift, waiting for Marlowe to get in before he pressed the floor.

Louis physically flinched when she mentioned his parents, gritting his teeth together to prevent a pained sound when he referred to Thomas as his father too. Unable to open his mouth and say anything in response, not trusting himself not to sob.

---

"And what would that be?" She asked once they were alone, reaching her hand over to interlock her fingers with his.

“Locating the second half of the famous bromance. Someone needs to find Cal before he does too much damage...”

---

Karsi rubbed his arm gently, lifting her other hand to rest on his shoulder. “I know... I wish I didn’t. But I know…” she whispered quietly, her own voice breaking when she saw his pain.

"Ah, yeah. I get the feeling we aren't even going to have to ask him to do that, he'll do it off of his own back." Marlowe whispered.

---

"Can you wait in the car?" He managed to bite out.

“The drink relapse we can cope with... if he ends up back on the drugs... he’s out of everything. That clause was written into everything when he got out of rehab. He touches the stuff again and he doesn’t get a penny from Levi’s. If he’s shot out of the company he’ll just spiral and we’ll be burying someone else shortly... I can’t lose someone else.” Maddox shook his head tiredly, getting out of the lift when it stopped and heading down the corridor to the room they’d been given, opening the door and heading inside the two bedroomed suite.

---

“Of course, for as long as you need.” Karsi nodded.

"We won't let that happen," Marlowe assured gently as she followed, opening the mini fridge and pouring him a drink- offering it out to him quietly. "Lets not try to think too far ahead right now, anyway. Every minute at a time, okay? Tomorrow is when we can start to worry about everything."

---

"Okay," Louis whispered, helping her up before he stepped out of the car and slowly wandered back into the hospital

“I’m pulling Sienna from school. We’ll get her a tutor. As soon as this goes to the news we become targets. Everyone will assume we’re falling apart and will want in on our territory, our business. I don’t trust a single one of those vultures to not stoop as low as to hurt our kids. I know my brothers will be doing the same. We don’t trust anyone until everything settles down. Until we’ve stabilised and we’ve got Cal out as the figurehead for now. Prime Karsi to take over in a year or so...” Maddox started, though ended up just rambling, stopping and just tapping on the glass.

---

Karsi walked round to sit in the passenger seat, turning the radio on and leaning against the window, wiping tears from her eyes every now and then.

"That is fine, all fine." Marlowe hummed as she listened, pouring herself a glass and placing it on the side as she sat herself down. "Like you said, everything is going to settle and like I said... we can focus on all of this tomorr- hey there." she cut off in greeting when the door opened and Dorian walked in with the kids.

"Hey," Dorian whispered, placing Theo down once inside.

Sienna came wandering in just behind, completely silent.

---

After twenty minutes, Louis got back into the car. Closing the door and starting the engine.

Theo ran to Marlowe, lifting his arms to be picked up.

Maddox got up and set his drink down, walking over to Sienna and scooping her up in his arms, taking her into one of the bedrooms, sitting on the bed with her and running his fingers through her hair.

---

“Hey.” Karsi greeted quietly, voice quick as she sniffed, using her hand to wipe her eyes and then at her nose.