Knocking on Heaven's door

He was running late.
There was absolutely nothing Bellamy could do to make his plane fly any faster, but the knowledge did nothing to quell the anxious quiver in his chest. Today was supposed to be  perfect day.  His baby boy was going to graduate in less than and hour.  Bellamy had been preparing for this day ever since the boy started school.  The man had been saving this date ever since it had been given.  He'd told his superiors at the beginning of the year he would need to be home for at least a week in preparation of such an event.
And yet somehow he'd still been roped into a last minute assignment, made to stay so long that now every second was costing him.  To try and save himself some time the soldier had even dressed in the confines of the plane's bathroom, struggling to slip on a suit against the tiny enclosed space.  In the end it wasnt doing much to help him.  In thirty minutes his son would walk the stage to graduate and his plane would not land for another twenty.   Everyone was going to witness Nikita's big day-
Everyone but him. 

Eustass though was already seated at the highschool in preparation for watching Nikita walk. He'd driven Nikita, and after being forced to part with the boy he'd gone to save himself and Vitaly a front row seat to the upcoming event.  The alpha had spent nearly two weeks attempting to talk Vitaly into allowing Nikky to spend the nights before and after graduation with him.  That way Nikita would be free to spend the night celebrating however he wanted to, courtesy of the towering alpha that would be watching over him every step of the way. Eustass had even taken special care to dress for the occasion.  The man donned a sleek black suit, silk red tie matching his vibrant rose color of his hair.  He was immediately visible in the crowd, standing out above all others and grinning with all the pride of a biological parent.  In his hands he held a large bouquet of roses, thirteen to be exact; one for every year Nikita had spent in school.  The flowers were cliche and Nikky would surely feign embarrassment, but Eustass knew that later he would appreciate them, most likely alone in his room when no one could see.  The alpha knew though, he always knew.

A few minutes later and Vitaly was walking down the aisle towards Eustass, tugging Pavel beside him. He sat the young boy in the empty seat beside Eustass before sitting on his son's opposite side, placing his jacket over the seat next to him for his husband who he just knew would make it in time. He had reassured Nikita all day that Bellamy would arrive and was still doing so through text. By now the students were making their way backstage, ready to start the ceremony. They had a bit since the students would walk in alphabetical order and Nikita's last name was Odair, but not too long. He truly hoped Bellamy was on his way. But judging by the fact that he had not answered any of Vitaly's calls, he was still on the plane. Vitaly could only cross his fingers and pray.
"Thanks, Eustass." The Russian murmured to his friend, leaning over to squeeze the alpha's hand gently.

Meanwhile, Nikita stood backstage with the rest of his classmates, constantly checking his phone to see if his father had answered yet. However, no such luck. All he could do was listen to the names of his classmates being called and wait as his turn neared. His father had let him down before, had missed Christmases or birthdays when he'd promised to be there but they always had next year. This was only going to happen once. His daddy had to be here.

Upon landing and finally securing a Taxi, the soldier was so desperate that he sank so low as to risk bribing the cab driver in a vain attempt to have the man speed over the given limitations.  Instead of accepting Bellamy's offer, the man had threatened to drop him at a police station if he didn't sit back and stay silent. The ceremony had already started.  All Bellamy could do was desperately text Nikita's phone, promising he was on his way. 


"Nah, thank you." The alpha looked unnatural with how he was smiling, his usual scowling features brightened into proud flash of teeth. He glanced towards the stage then, nodding off to the side where Nikita would make is grand entrance.  When he spoke next, he was reaching to take Vitaly's hand for a fleeting moment of tenderness. "If not for you, I wouldn't have this.  Hell, I might've gone insane from all the long months with Thatcher being gone.  But you didn't let that happen, did you?  You are the reason I get to be here. Nikita takes up most of my heart."  Bellamy would not have wanted him around their children without Vitaly's influence. If not for the Russian he would be nothing but a stranger to Nikita.  "You gave me the son I always dreamed of and I just want you to know that he's my greatest treasure. I have that because of you so just...Thank you." The man was awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as he finished, fumbling a moment before plucking one last flower from the floor and thrusting it into Vitaly's chest.  It was a purple orchid, tied with black ribbon, a small semblance of how the Russian had changed his life.

Vitaly could not help but smile at Eustass, accepting the flower gratefully.
"Eustass, you don't have to thank me. I don't know what I would have done without you all these years. You've been my rock, big guy. You know as well as I do that I wouldn't have survived as a mom by myself while Bell's gone. I'm just glad you've enjoyed raising Nikky with me as much as I did." He smirked at the man before returning his gaze to the stage, his stomach tightening then as he realized his husband was cutting it very close. But he knew the man was on his way. It was going to be alright. Bellamy always pulled it off.

Nikita waited nervously backstage. He tried to relax and joke around with his friends nearby but it was hard not to think about his father and where the man was. He had been forced to put his phone away by this point so now he could only wait and see.
Slowly, the line in front of him disappeared until it was his name being read out, and his future plans being listed. So he grinned and walked out across the stage, trusting that his father had pulled it off once again. He didn't look out into the crowd until he was shaking the principal's hand and being handed his diploma. He wanted to look out there and see the proud look on his father's face. Instead he was greeted by an empty seat. He tried only to let his smile falter a little, instead glancing over to his mother and then Eustass. Eustass looked just as proud as Bellamy would have, if not more so. But still, it was not the same.
And then, just like that, Nikita was off of the stage, making his way over to his family. It was over, that quickly. And his father was nowhere to be found.

Bellamy made it into the stadium just as his son was stepping down.  He entered just in time to see Eustass rush forward to greet his son, sweeping the boy off his feet entirely as though Nikita was his child. 
But Bellamy supposed he deserved it, despite the mounting anguish he felt as witnessing this scene instead of his baby walking across the stage.  The soldier hit his knees just inside the doors, unable to move as he watched Eustass settle a bundle of roses against his son's chest in congratulations.  Bellamy could hear the alpha crooning from his place in the back. 
Slowly, his stomach feeling as though it were being eaten by fire, the soldier made his way to the front of the room where his family waited.

When Nikita first noticed his father approaching, he only stared for a moment before moving off to the side of the room so they were not in the way of anyone. He wanted to be happy that his father had made it at all, wanted to hug him and celebrate like they always did when Bellamy got home. But he was hurt. As much as he loved Eustass, it shouldn't have been him that lifted him in a hug when he got off the stage. It should have been his daddy.
Finally when his mother was finished hugging him, he glanced over at his father as he approached.
"You promised." He spoke quietly as Vitaly practically tackled his husband in a hug. Immediately though, the Russian turned back around to look at his son.
"Nikky, you know it's not his fault. I recorded the whole thing, it'll be alright."
"Don't fucking defend him anymore, mom! You can't give me that "well we always have next year" bullshit like you do when he misses Christmas or me and Pav's birthdays. This is my graduation. Not like I'm going to college so he can see it then. I know it's just some stupid piece of paper but it's... it was fucking important to me that he be here and he missed it!" He was realizing how stupid he sounded now, whining about how he was disappointed his daddy missed him walking across the stage. But he was hurt. And he didn't care enough to stop now.

Bellamy staggered under the weight of his son's hurt, arms open and aching as though he'd expected the running hug he always received.  He understood the moment he walked in and realized he missed the walk that Nikita would be angry, but his judgement had been clouded by his own mounting grief. He'd been desperate to get to his baby-
And now Nikita didn't even want to see him.  
It was his fault though. When his son hurt it always seemed to be his fault. And each time Bellamy lost a piece of his heart because of it.  He'd always wanted kids.  He dreamed of what they would be like once they were finally here.
Bellamy had never thought he'd cause them such pain.  He was supposed to be super dad-
And yet all he did was let Nikita down.
"I did promise, Nikky.  I promised and swore and im so sorry. I...."  The soldier was terrified in ways he hadn't seen eve on the battlefield.  There was so pain like knowing he'd taken such a special thing away from his baby.
"I wanted...God, I wanted to be here so badly."  
The man cringed as Vitaly attempted to defend him, only to be shot down by the intensity of Nikita's hurt. Bellamy reached for the boy then, desperate to stop the tears before they came.  He could tell by the sound of his voice, the desperate stiffening of his upper lip, the hurt was there welling behind bright eyes. 
"I can't make this up to you.  But you have to know that I love you, I love you more than anything and I tried. I wanted to be here just as much as you wanted me here. 
Eustass was staying out of the confrontation, knowing it was not his place to pose an opinion.  The alpha never left though.  The man stayed a few steps behind Nikita, holding all the boys gifts and offering his silent and unwavering support. He would be here when he was needed.