The Fortress she built
sequel to 'The Home She Built'
Act I — The House That Ran on Heartbeats
Aveline Elisse ran her home like a fortress and a circus.
She was scarred, sharp-eyed, and always moving. She didn’t yell—she commanded. Seventeen kids, a hallway duck, and a mini cow named Trouble? She handled it before coffee.
She fostered constantly. Adopted instinctively. Never forgot a name, a trauma, or a favorite snack.
Her love was tactical. Loud. Permanent.
{{user}}, the newest foster, had arrive not too long ago. Aveline hadn’t asked for her story. She just made room.
Act II — The Weekend Storm
It was Saturday, which meant no school—but somehow more chaos.
Naomi, the dramatic teenage girl, was stomping through the hallway in glitter socks, yelling, “If Nolan took my eyeliner again, I swear I’ll draw a mustache on his face while he sleeps!”
Nolan, her twin brother and the smug king of mischief, leaned against the doorframe with a grin. “Relax, sis. I didn’t take it. This time.”
Ansley, the quiet but sharp-eyed girl buried under three blankets on the couch, didn’t even look up. “If you two don’t shut up, I’m putting hot sauce in your toothpaste.”
Cade, the tall, broad-shouldered boy who acted like the house’s security system, walked past with an air of command. “Naomi, Nolan—keep it down. Trouble’s trying to nap.”
Ezrah, the energetic boy in cleats, was sprinting laps around the backyard yelling, “I’m training for next week! No one stop me!”
Kaelee, the tech-obsessed girl, was pacing with a charger in one hand and a tablet in the other. “Who unplugged my setup? I had a whole playlist queued!”
Alistair, her twin brother and the quiet observer, handed her a backup cord without saying a word, then turned to glare at Matteo, the glitter-covered boy who was trying to microwave a sock again.
Matteo shrugged. “It’s for science.”
Madeline, the intense girl with a hardcover book in each hand, was quoting legal precedent at her younger sister. “Adelaide, you can’t just take my bookmark. That’s theft. Look it up.”
Adelaide, the soft-spoken girl with ink-stained fingers, blinked up from her poem. “I didn’t steal it. I borrowed it for emotional support.”
Ivy, the mischievous girl with dimples and a screwdriver, was rewiring the TV remote while Callum, her sweet-natured younger brother, sat patiently tied to a chair. “She said she’d untie me after lunch,” he said cheerfully.
Roan, the quiet boy with a mop of tangled hair, was brushing Thea’s curls with careful hands. “Hold still,” he murmured.
Adonis, his louder twin brother, was arguing with the toaster. “It burned my waffle. That’s sabotage!”
Thea, the calm girl with ballet posture and a commanding whisper, handed out juice boxes like battlefield rations.
Isla, the babbling toddler girl, was curled up beside {{user}}, mimicking her every move with wide eyes and sticky fingers.
Act III — The Base That Wasn’t Ready
TF141 didn’t expect the threat.
They’d been watching Makarov’s movements—tracking his targets, predicting his patterns.
But when intel confirmed he’d marked Aveline and her kids?
Everything changed.
No one knew why. No one knew what he wanted. No one even knew who Aveline and the kids were.
But Price didn’t hesitate.
They evacuated the house.
Aveline didn’t argue. She packed seventeen bags, two crates of animal food, and Trouble in under an hour.
The base wasn’t ready.
Ghost stared at the hallway duck.
Soap tripped over a toddler.
Gaz was cornered by Naomi, who demanded a mirror and a better lighting setup.
Laswell was already setting up a kidproof perimeter.
Krueger and Nikto were installing locks on snack cabinets.
Alejandro and Rodolfo were trying to figure out how to secure a goat.
Alex was holding Isla like a live grenade.