Chapter Text
Chapter 3, Landing
How Earl knew where to fly was a mystery to Cecil. But, soon they were landing on a sand strip, big enough for their little plane. Cecil was in inner turmoil over the unknown danger this posed to his son who was his entire world. And he was in outer turmoil honestly as he now had a five year old to entertain on a very long flight. Thank the dark gods above and below that Esteban was, at least, able to use a normal bathroom. That had been something they'd been working on when-
The impact of the sand caused him to hold his son closer, jaring him from his thoughts. Naturally his son's first response was “Daddy! Water, beach! Let's play! Build pretty bowling balls”
He gave Janice a ‘I am so angry with your choices’ look, to which she had the decency to look guilty before he returned to his excited son. What would Carlos do? He'd… he'd do science. “Esteban. Here. While they get unpacked let's see if we can identify shells and fish. And make sand bowling balls.” What choice did he have? This would likely be scary for him, he needed something to help.
So in the setting sun, exhausted, he had Esteban in his lap on the shore, pointing out what he knew. He wanted a drink. To sleep. To set up camp and start tracking. But Esteban's enthusiasm over the ocean was worth it for a moment. And it wore him out at least.
Steve gently tapped his shoulder once the sun was nearly gone and done screaming. “Earl has food and fire going. And Janice went ahead and did the bloodstone rituals for dinner.”
Cecil nodded and scooped up his young son who was now leaning on him quite a bit. Completely worn out to say the least. “Come on little fish. Let's eat.” And tiredly his son agreed, nodding.
However things quickly went from a tentative quiet calm to strained in seconds once Esteban saw the campfire. He gasped and hid against his father's neck, immediately whimpering in fear. And Cecil quickly realized why.
Cecil himself really wasn't fond of fire after that night. But for his young son, he'd only ever seen large flames the night Carlos… Carlos died. “Hey… it's okay. Here. We'll sit back here okay? It's a different kind of fire” he said in a slightly shaky but comforting fathers voice. He sat them on a fallen tree, a bit further back. He turned away so they faced the ocean instead, his young son whimpering.
“Why fire Daddy?” He asked into his father's now sand and snot covered shirt.
Cecil sighed and went the science route again. It was becoming automatic at this point. Two years… “Well. We have no walls to keep out the cold here. And the fire, when controlled like this, can keep us warm. And Uncle Earl needed it to cook food as food needs heat to separate out the molecules to make it tasty. It's called a campfire. People use it when outside overnight like us”
Esteban listened, he was so good at that. Cecil was good at talking. Or had been. But Carlos - Carlos had shaped their son to listen first. He looked over his father's shoulder and slowly shrugged. “Can we stay hewe?” He whispered, as if fire could hear him. Maybe it could.
Cecil nodded and kissed his forehead “Of course.” He then added in a slightly louder voice over his shoulder “Earl. Could you pass us our food? Esteban are going to eat on this nice log here”
One of their first dates had been listening to trees. Carlos had looked- Cecil was distracted from getting too lost by Janice in her all terrain wheels rolling over with cricket and calamari. They all knew nights were so much worse for Cecil. It used to be when he worked. He was awake and at one point, it was when he talked and talked. Now he was mostly quiet, unless it was related to his son. His soul.
Now was no different as he helped feed his little boy before even touching his own food. It was a bit hard, as Esteban kept fearfully peaking at the fire or dozing from exhaustion. But they managed. And once he seemed done Cecil ate his cold plate, but had to stop as his son asked a crushing question. Once he'd only asked once before, a week after he'd finally realized his Bunny wasn't coming home.
“Why'd Bunny weave us?” he was looking at his plate, looking as hurt and lost as he had then.
It broke Cecil's already shattered heart further to see that look on his face. But he was his father, he had to answer. So, swallowing glass- metaphorically and possibly literally with this dish- he brushed his son's midnight hair out of his eyes and cupped his cheek. “Esteban… Sometimes, as hard as we try, we don't get a choice to leave…” Cecil closed all three eyes - though his third was already closed, as it had been since the day he quit his job. He swore, up and down, since seeing Esteban on that plane, since hearing Steve's crazy plan, he wouldn't do this. He wouldn't get his son's hopes up. But seeing him like this. Being on the island… he fought and lost the battle before pulling his son in his lap for a tight hug “But, we will bring Bunny home. It may be hard. But we will…”
Gods he was a terrible father.
But Esteban relaxing into his arms, tearing up slightly and giving a silent stubborn nod, looking more hopeful than he'd been since the fire, he couldn't regret it just then.
“Will the cat come back too?” Esteban asked, not moving.
Cecil was confused. “Kashack? He still lives at the station Este.” But he was more confused by his son shaking his head.
“I saw… A cat before the fiwe…”
Cecil was more lost. The fire had started in Esteban’s room. A prototype lamp from Carlos caught fire. But their cat was at the station. However before he could ask more he heard his son snore. Right. He was exhausted… Cecil was too.
Still, he couldn't help but just hold him for a moment. Lost in memory of that night, as he was most nights. Especially if he had no drink in hand.
Cecil and Carlos were about to go to bed. Carlos had been messing about in his lab all day but came up from dinner. It'd been a boring, perfect, evening. In the hall to their room, Cecil noticed the smoke and flames. Without hesitation the couple burst down the door to hell.
Esteban was passed out on the floor, his arm starting to burn. Cecil didn't even hesitate to run in and scoop him up, the floor creaking. He looked at Carlos and shouted “Run! I'll use the window!”
Carlos however was backing up and yelled running down the stairs “THE LAB! - THE FIRE- CHEMICALS EXPLODE. I HAVE TO STOP IT, GO! RUN! I'LL MEET YOU OUTSIDE!”
Cecil had no choice. Esteban was struggling to breathe. The house was falling. He trusted Carlos. A scientist was always fine.
So he jumped from the window, not caring he broke his ankle. He cared only about the boy in his hands, his husband in -
The explosion sent father and son back several yards. He somehow held on according to the secret police in the hospital. They'd found the pair under debris, the block their house was on had sustained terrible damage. But all of that fell on numb ears as Abby broke it to him that Carlos was nowhere to be found. They were pretty sure the explosion had destroyed him beyond finding.
Leaving Cecil a single father of a son who'd lost his Bunny and was gravely injured.
No one said it but they all knew a lot of Cecil died that day too…
“Unncclleeee” Janice voice quietly broke through.
He was staring at the fire, silently crying and holding Esteban who still snored. He blinked. “Hm? I- Sorry Janice. Yes?” She was in many ways, his eldest child. He'd helped Abby raise her after all. He'd been the one to help pay her medical bills as paying for that as a mother was not cheap. He adored her like a daughter even mad as he was with her.
“I asked if you wanted help changing Esteban and getting settled. Steve's getting supplies too and Earls cleaning up the visera from dinner.”
Cecil had to focus more than normal on her. She looked way too much like Abby and acted way too much like Cecil and Steve. “I … Yes. If you don't mind.”
She smiled and squeezed his shoulder “We'll bring him home Uncle Cecil. I know it” she said confidently.
He almost believed her.