"There's a bunch of people needing a drink downstairs!" Natalie called as she ran back up the stairs to the commotion in the upstairs apartment. "Are we even close to leaving?"

"Very close!" Austin agreed as he spun around and grabbed the three sandwiches. "Which one of you had the peanut allergy?"

"L-" Natalie began.

"Luke." he cut her off, making sure to write his name on one of the bags. "Okay. Lunches, teeth are brushed, do we have clothes on?"

"I can't see anything!" Luke yelled as he smacked right into the wall, trying to get his head through the sleeve of his sweater rather then the top.

"I forgot my bag!" Natalie had a moment of realization, running down the hall as she bumped into Luke, making him hit the wall again. "Oh! Sorry!"

"Okay, young man." Austin leaned down and helped him find the right opening, his head popped through. "There! Better?"

"Yup, better." he agreed, getting his arms through. "Can I have three oranges?"

"Three oranges, got it." Austin fixed one of his curls. "Go get the bag with your name on it while I get your brother."

Austin hurried down the hallway into the room Levi and Luke were sharing. Levi turned with a panicked look, motioning toward his head. Austin pointed. "Right, we gotta get the toilet paper rolls out. Come here."

Levi tilted his head for Austin to unpin as quick as he could, gently unrolling them. "Looking like a million bucks."

Levi turned to the mirror, examining his head. He flashed Austin a grin with a nod. The older boy noticed he only had one shoe on. "Grab your other shoe and meet us at the door."

"I only wanna wear one." he said, following behind him.

"Only one shoe?" Austin rose his eyebrows, Levi nodded. Natalie pulled her bag on her shoulders and met them. "Okay, one shoe it is."

"What if we aren't smart enough?" the redhead girl asked as Austin opened the door and let the boys go first.

"That's why you go to school, to get smarter." Austin encouraged her to get out of the doorway as he locked it behind them. "That's why I went to school."

"What if the kids are mean?" she asked again as her brothers went down the stairs first.

"Then i'll smack em." Austin smiled at her as they met the boys at the bottom of the stairs.

"What's a man gotta do to get a drink around here?" Spencer called to Austin as he sat at the bar.

"What's a man gotta do to get a drink around here?" Luke mocked him with his own laugh. "I want one."

Natalie laughed. "That's what we forgot."

"Yup!" Austin hurried into the ice machine and grabbed the bottle of homemade orange juice, via Beth and Hershalls recipe. "Levi, I know you said you like apple juice more, and we're gonna make it tonight, but you gotta drink this for now for your immune system."

"Hello?" Spencer asked again. "I think you need some employees."

"I think you're right." Austin agreed, handing each of the kids a cup. He looked at the small crowd of people near the door. He found eyes of someone he trusted. "Eric, wanna job since Aaron isn't letting you recruit anymore?"

Eric's jaw fell. "Me?"

"Yup, you." he gave a questionable look.

"Okay." Eric's creeped forward.

"I'll be back in ten minutes. All you gotta do is fill up the glass until you know it's right in the middle of too little and too much, then write their names down." Austin smacked the notebook down with a quick smile. "I'll be back ASAP!"

"We gotta go to school!" Luke's eyes widened.

"We gotta go to school!" Austin agreed as he encouraged the trio out of the door, leaving Eric with wide eyes and a bunch of alcohol.

"How long are we gonna be here?" Natalie asked Austin. "Have we met the teachers yet?"

"Not long, just a couple hours then i'll come pick you up again." Austin agreed as they headed for the open garages. "You met them yesterday when we went and got everything you needed."

"Those were the teachers?" she asked again, getting a nod. "Are we all going together?"

"Luke's gonna be in the one across the street since he's younger but you and Levi will be." he confirmed for her. "I'll pick all three of you up at the same time though."

"What if we want to leave before?" she continued to question.

"Already wanting to skip class?" he gave her a sarcastic laugh. "I'm ashamed."

She cracked a grin. "Like, what if we get sick?"

"Then get someone to walkie me. I made sure to leave one with both of y'all's teachers incase you need me, it reaches to the bar from here." Austin nodded his head. "And the infirmary if i'm there."

"Are they gonna get another doctor since your friend died?" she looked up at him as they got closer.

"I'm not sure yet, i've gotta go check on my friend Eugene once I can get Spencer to leave me alone." he agreed with an exhale.

"What's a man gotta do to get a drink around here?" Luke repeated his words from earlier, on Austin's back. It made the three laugh slightly as they came to a stop. "Are you sure you're gonna be right here when it's time to go?"

"Promise. And if i'm not, i'll always send someone else to grab you guys." Austin leaned down so he could get off his back. "Okay, ready for this?"

"Oh, yeah." Luke slicked one side of his hair back. "Smooth."

"Smooth you are." Austin confirmed as he adjusted his small bag. "Remember...if any of the kids try to give you their sandwiches, make sure it's not peanut butter."

"Okay." Luke nodded, hugging Natalie. "Bye!"

"Be good!" she called, seemingly having a hard time letting him go.

Austin held her shoulder. "You'll be able to hear him the entire time from right across the road."

"I know, we just haven't gone to school since before." she admitted. "I don't want the kids to be mean."

"There's only four of them in there, including Luke. If anyones mean, they'll see it." he nodded his head. "But, of anyones mean to you, smack em."

"Smack em, got it." Natalie confirmed.

Austin turned to Levi now. "Try not to break too many hearts with this fabulous hair, okay?"

Levi looked up at Austin with a sad look. He leaned on his level a little more. "What's shaking in that head of yours?"

"I don't wanna go yet." he admitted.

"Levi, we have to get smarter." Natalie sighed. "It'll be fine."

"Why don't you wanna go yet?" Austin asked him with a nod. "Other kids?"

"They're gonna make me talk." he whispered. While Levi had gotta better about talking to Austin over the past week, he still didn't like to when it came to other people.

Austin nodded as he thought about it. "What do we gotta do to make it easier?"

Levi shrugged. Austin looked to Natalie. "Why don't you head in and he'll come learn about bandaids for a little bit?"

Natalie hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Yup, and he'll be ready by tomorrow." Austin smiled. "That okay with you?"

Natalie nodded. "Just a few hours."

"Just a few hours." he repeated.

"Meet right back here." she pointed to the exact concrete they were standing on.

"Right back here." Austin agreed. Natalie hugged her brother for a second before heading into the garage. Austin rose his eyebrows down at Levi. "Thought and opinions on going to medical school?"

Levi smiled, Austin nodded as they walked together. "Sounds like a plan, Stan."

"How's Maggie?" Austin asked Carl after rewrapping Eugene's wounds. He held Judith, bouncing her slightly.

"Eating pickles." he said, handing him the tape. "Enid was with her last time I checked, she wanted to come in and help but I said I would."

"So you could hang out with me instead?" he flashed him a side smile.

"So the pregnant lady could rest." he said in return with a faint eye roll, hidden smile. "He's not in school?"

Austin looked to Levi. "He's shy."

"I believe shy people tend to speak more with their actions compared to the biblical encouragement to speak with your words." Eugene said from the bed.

"The bible says to talk with your words?" Austin frowned his eyebrows.

"Well, it is heavily implied." he said back.

Austin looked at Levi again. "What's the bible know anyways?"

It made the young boy smile.

The door flew open, Enid came running in and out of breath. "Austin, you need to come right now!"

"What happened?" he gave her a panicked look.

"Somethings really wrong with Maggie!" she yelled at him in fear, Carl took Judith quickly as Austin encouraged Levi to follow the running three.

•

kylie speaks

sigh, i hate that we're at
the end of six.