Just a Kid • Book 1

• Chapter 6 •

Third Person's POV

That night, Tommy was laying awake in his bed when he suddenly heard screaming coming from Rory's room. And yes, she had her own room in their mansion.

Immediately, Tommy's protective instinct kicked in and he jumped out of bed, rushing to her room which happened to be right next to his. Oliver had called him right before bed that night to tell him that he and Laurel were attacked by an assassin and that he didn't think that they'd go after Rory, but to keep an eye out, so Tommy assumed the worst.

He burst into the room and scanned it for any threats. But there wasn't any. Instead, he saw Rory turning and thrashing in her sleep, still screaming as tears ran down her cheeks. "NOOO!!" The young girl was shouting.

Quickly, he moved to her bed. "Rory, Rory, wake up. Wake up." He spoke and her eyes snapped open, sitting up and breathing heavily. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay. It was just a dream, Aurora." Tommy spoke, stroking her hair comfortingly as she tried to calm down.

That's when Malcolm appeared in the doorway. He had been in his bedroom across the mansion, but he had heard her screams, and just like Tommy, was willing to do whatever it took to protect the young girl. Especially after what Tommy had relayed to him from Oliver right before bed. He was relieved when he saw that there was no threat and that Tommy was already there comforting her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Tommy asked softly and Rory nodded. "It was the Queen's Gambit. It was sinking. But it wasn't just Dad, Grandpa, or Aunt Sara there. . . it was you too. And Mom and Aunt Thea. You were all drowning and all I could do was watch. I couldn't do anything to save you." Rory explained her dream to him.

"Rory, I'm so sorry about your grandfather and aunt. Robert was a good man and Sara loved you a lot. But Oliver survived. And your mom, Aunt Thea, and I are okay too." Tommy tried to reassure her and it actually worked. "Thanks, Uncle Tommy."

Malcolm watched from the doorway, having mixed feelings about what Rory said. He had no regrets about what he had done, but he did wish that it didn't cause as much suffering to the young girl. She was his child's niece, she was family, and he knew he would do anything to protect his family.

"Rory, I was talking to your dad earlier. He mentioned something that you said to him today. That when you were upset about your dad when he was dead, that you didn't always call because you didn't want to be a nuisance to me." Tommy paused as Rory looked down at her lap.

"I didn't want to lose you. I was afraid that if I called you too much and interrupted your plans too much because I was upset that you would eventually think I was a nuisance and not want me around anymore. And I couldn't let that happen. I needed you in my life." Rory admitted.

"Rory, there will never ever be a time in my life when I will not want you around anymore. And you are not a nuisance to me, you never have been, you never will be. I am so sorry if I ever made you feel that way." Tommy spoke, trying not to let his voice crack as emotions washed over him. He loved Rory like a father and it broke his heart that she ever thought that about him.

Rory moved forward and wrapped her arms around his back, burying her face in his shirt. Tommy held her in his arms and laid his face against the top of her head. That's when he noticed his father in the doorway and locked eyes with him for a moment before closing his eyes and focusing back on Rory.

~~~

Rory hated feeling upset or seeing others upset, it had been too huge a factor in her life for the last five years, so she was determined that the next day would be better and she wouldn't make herself, her dad, or Tommy sad again.