The Fighter Within

What do you want from me?

"I am you're moms new friend." Carter says bending at the knees to reach Faith's small frame. Carter puts his hand out in a handshake form but Faith just stares at him. "Hmm, ya okay sure." Faith says with an attitude. Faith has never been a fan of new people and espsically not someone who thinks they can replace her father. "Mommy can I please have a snack?" Faith walks over to mother who. is busy putting away the grocies, "Here baby have a popsicle and take one to your siblings to, Jaxon can chew on it in his chair outside." Claire has a big fenced in backyard, a place were the kids could play and run and just enjoy being kids thats why they bought the house. Faith loves being a big sister again, she liked Lizzy but they are only 3.5 years apart so its not the same as the age gap between Faith and Jaxon. Faith walks out of the kitcen carrying 3 freezy pops for her and her siblings. Once Faith is no longer in sight Carter starts his temper tantrum, and Claire just rolls her eyes and prepares for it. "Why does she act that way at me!" Carter says while griting his teeth together, "and worse you allow it!" Carter is so mad and yet this why Claire has not taken the time to properly introduce them yet, being a step parent is not an easy job. "Carter she is a child, and she is a child who just lost her father 6 months ago, chill out." Claire says in a calm tone putting the last of the groceries away. For Carter to expect a child to. just be all open and. willing to be okay with someone else coming into her family is not an easy task. Faith loved her father so. much, and it took weeks. for her to full understand what happened to her father.

Claire and Carter walk out of the kitchen and into the backyard where the kids where playing and Jaxon was becoming a stickly popsicle mess, Claire laughs a little and Carter looks disgusted. Claire takes Jaxon out of his chair and wipes him of with some wipes, no point in doing a bath just yet in the middle of the day and he likes to be outside to. Claire watches Carter play with teh older two children and it causes her to conlficted. One on hand he is ruthless and mean and has hurt her both physically and mentally. But then he flips likes a light switch and is the biggest child yet while playing with her girls. "I. don't understand.." Claire says to herself. As the day winds down Claire takes Jaxon to the bathtub and the girls climb in her shower to wash off. Claire's bathroom is big and 6 people could easily fit in the bathroom. Claire's house is a newer bulit 4 bedrroom 2 bathroom home but the master bedroom and bathroom are the biggest and on the end of the home. Faith and Lizzy share the small hallway by the front eend of the home with the smaller 1st bathroom and then Jaxon has the second hallway which is shared by the garuge and laundry room. Carter calls one of his many men to bring them a few pizzas for dinner since Claire did not cook and Carter is not the cookimg kind, why would he? Carter sits on the. couch and goes through his messges when a certain caller ID shows up on his phone. Carter grins hard at the message which read, "Im hungry wanna come play?" The message was from the red head that he particularly enjoys. Once the pizzas arrive from one of Carters men he sends a message to Jason to comme watch the house. while he is gone, walks into the master bedroom and to the bathroomm when he stops dead in his tracks. The sound that stop his feet is not the sound you would think. It was the sound of happiness, laughter and music. "Is she seriously dancing in the bathroom?" Carter catches a glimpse of of Claire dancing while her children are laughing and the girls are dancing in the shower. Carter did not have a happy childhood, his father was a ruthless, mean, and cold hearted man. He taught Carter that to rule the mafia you had to be this way or no one would take you serious. Carter learned that having a family meant that you would have a weakness for the enemies to gain control off and taking you down, as a leader family has no meaning. Maybe this why Carter has such an attachment to Claire, she is everything a man wants but Carter can't have.

"Excuse me, pizza is here." Carter says in the doorway catching Claire off gaurd. Claire was startled but laughs it off and nods. After getting everyone rised, dryed and dressed theey all sit down at the table together and eat their pizza. Jaxon is the only one who didn't eat any pizza but he go baby food instead. Claire then takes time to make sure both the girls have their hair brushed, teeth brusthed and kisses them goodnight before making sure their t.v. shows are on before closing their doors. Claire has started an routine with Jaxon that requires him to attemped putting himslef to sleep. Claire makes him a bottle, then after checking his daiper and placing him in the sleep sack she places him in his crib with his bottle, kisses him goodnight an dcloses his door. Clairee returns to the kitchen and turns on the baby monitor before cleaning up the plates from dinner. Of course Carter is not help. Carter watches Claire from the couch, he is in awe at her and all the work she puts in to make sure her children have the happiest childhood even though she is mentally exhusted and drained she never shows it to her childreen or family. Claire finishes clesning and takes a long hard sit on the couch next to him. She takes out a deep breath and closes her eyes for a moment. "I'm going out, I might be back or I might not." Carter says. Claire isn't stupid. They haven't had s*x in almost a week since he first hit her, so clearly he is getting it somewhere else but she won't say that. "Whatever," she says. Claire didn't realize how bad that sounded until it was to late to take it back. Carter takes his hand and grabs Claire by the throat, but he doesn't sqeeze, just holds it through to create fear in Claire's eye. "What did you say?" Carter asked in a husky tone. " I didn't mean it like that Carter I am just tried." Claire pleas to him to let go but he doesn't. "What do you want from me Carter?" Claire asked, she wasn't expecting an answer. "Oh Claire, you are like property, propeerty that belongs to me and only me." Carter says, he lets go of her throat and gets up from the couch walking to the front door. "Things are going to changee around her Claire or the punishments will only geet worse, much worse." Carter said to Claire before walking out. "I'll be back but don't tell her that." Carter tells Jason before starting his car and leaving. "How dare she ask me that question!" Carter said to himself.