Chapter 31

~~~~~Flashback ~~~~

"Did you tell him yet?"

"No, he had to go back to work." The woman said on the other line.

A boy with red hair sighed while situating himself on the couch. "Again, you got to be kidding me!"

"I know he even asked off but duty calls and he's got to go."

"Yeah but still he's been working every single day for the past couple weeks. You found out not long ago that you were pregnant and today is your wedding anniversary, today would have been the best time to tell him."

"I know." The woman said on the other line while sniveling real softly.

"Hey hey don't cry Jess it's okay."

"It's not okay I'm 3 months pregnant and the father doesn't even know that he's a father yet.. what if he doesn't come back home?!"

"Jess calm down he's fine. He's been welding for awhile now, he knows what he's doing."

Jess remained quiet as the receiver on the phone replied, "do you want me to come over?"

"... No." She softly spoke.

"Jeeeeess."

"....yes."

The receiver chuckled while grabbing his things. "Alright I'll be over in a minute okay? I'll order Chinese."

"I made food here. Why don't we eat it so it doesn't go to waste."

"Alright whatever you want you are the one carrying a baby after all."

This earned a laugh on the other end. "Yeah. That reminds me, when you get here I want to talk to you about names we picked out."

"Ohhhh? Have you discussed any.. I don't know god parents?"

"Ash.."

"What I'm just saying, I'm good with kids and they seem to like me."

"Yeah then why don't you have one of your own?"

"Oh well you see you have you have this thing called an egg while I have sperm. It kinda doesn't work unless there's an egg, you dork."

"Ash.. I'm being serious, why don't you adopt? Stan's friend's brother is adopted and I bet if you talk with their family they could tell you the best program."

Ash remained quiet as he was thinking back on Stan and his friends. Not the same one she was talking about exactly. His heart ached as he thought about his ex boyfriend.

"Ash.. are you okay?"

"Huh Y-Yeah. I'll head over in a minute. Bye." Hanging up, Ash held back tears as he leaned against his front door.

'If only he wasn't so fixated on work all the time.. maybe we could have been married by now and had kids of our own. In all the years we have been apart, no man has ever made me feel the way that you make me feel. I loved you so much it hurts everyday to think about how many years I spent with you to only be cast off to the side. Ever since you got that job that you never seemed to want to talk to me about, you changed. We were so happy but then you got so distant. I don't understand what I did wrong but.. dumping you hurt so much. I was honestly shocked to see you so overwhelmed in emotion. It was clear you were hiding something. You know I hate secrets.' Ash wiped his face as he finally made his way out of the door. 'Let's not get into this right now, I'm going over to cheer up Jess.'

As Ash was walking the sidewalk he saw a black van parked in front of his friend's house. The moment he heard two gunshots, his heart jolted and his legs felt like jelly as he quickly ran to the house. "JESS? JESS!!!" He yelled as he ran inside the house and saw a man at the top of the stairs with her over his shoulder. Seeing the man point the guy at him, Ash held up both his hands.

"You, get in the van or I'll kill you and the girl."

Ash was shaking as he simply said, "Why are you doing this? What do you want with her?!"

Seeing the man put his finger over the trigger he glared at Ash, "get in the van."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Ash was tied to a chair with blindfolded and gagged.

"Ash is that really you?" Eric asked while quickly running to the boy he recognized.

Ash's head immediately sparked up as he muffled. "Eric?"

"Ash oh my god! Oh my god what did they do to you?" The Coon said while about to unblind Ash but not before Clyde coughed twice while grabbing Cartman's attention. Eric looked back to see Clyde and Token pointing at their masks. Cartman simply took off his mask and removed the blindfold off his ex.

The moment he saw the same breathtaking blue eyes, Eric wasn't to so badly kiss the boy but looked away in such shame. "Ash.. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I focused on work more than you I just... I..." Eric look back at Token and Clyde as they left the room. Eric was about to do something he knew he shouldn't.

"Ash.. I love you! Please take me back!" He cried out.

Ash tensed up as he looked away. "Eric.. you know how much I have trust issues. Your not always honest with me. I was tired of you always coming home and not ever opening up about your day at work.. I don't want to be a family of lies and secrets. I want to be honest and open but you insisted to keep your secret to the end." Ash said while Eric removed his restraints.

Ash rubbed his wrists while looking at him confused. "Wait how did you find me?" He asked.

Eric swallowed a big knot in his throat as he tightened his grip on his mask. "Ash... I didn't tell you everything because I didn't want this to happen to you."

"What?"

Cartman held up his mask with one hand and the other he retracted his claws as if he was sabertooth from X-Men. Ash's eyes grew wide as if he saw a ghost. "E-Eric?.. Your the Coon?"

"Surprise.."

Ash felt his heart falling piece by piece as it was all adding up now.

"All these years. That's the lie you were keeping from me. To keep me safe?"

Cartman nodded. "I... I'm really sorry but . It's a huge violation to our oath of heroship. However if it means I can have the smallest chance of having you in my life again. I want you to know. Ashton I trust you with my alter ego identity. Do you trust me?"