A Family bond

Nightmares

The house was silent. In the dead of night the house sat still the only noise reaching thea's ears was the soft crackle of the fire she sat next to. Everyone was asleep but like most nights she just couldn't get her mind to shut off. It had been a few weeks since she had last consumed any substances but it was times like this when she was so overwhelmed and exhausted that she felt herself wishing she could just have one tiny drug. Anything. Just to help her sleep. She was sat there stock still with a glass of Tommys whiskey in her hand staring into the fire. She'd been here for hours unmoving Except to sip her drink. As she felt her mind slipping, slowly shutting off as she heard a soft crash coming from upstairs. She sat for a moment waiting for any other noise and low and behold another soft thump sounding from the upper level. Pushing her self off the couch and placing her glass down she made her way for the stairs. Her bare feet padding on the cold wooden floors as they creaked and groaned. Thea made her way to the landing, the place was in darkness as is to be expected by the hour of the night. She looked around at all the closed doors trying to decide what to do next. As she stood there the house fell quiet again but now she could hear the ragged breaths and quiet mutterings coming from Tommys room. Thea stood there outside of his closed door in the dark staring down at the door handle, having a silent mental battle with her self on weather or not to open that door. She was so conflicted because she was pretty sure that once that door was opened she wouldn't be able to shut it again. Metaphorically speaking. Against all her better judgment she twist the knob and ever so cautiously pushed on the door. Inside Thea saw Tommy in a mess if bed sheets as he twitched and jerked in his sleep, sweat beading in his hair line and his face scrunched almost as if in pain. She stood for another moment honestly considering walking away but she felt she couldn't move, staring at him as he struggled to catch his breath as incoherent whispers left his lips. Finally she got her feet to move closer, her toes curling from the feeling of the icy cold floor. She made it to his bed side and her hand hovered over his shoulder for a moment. As much as she wanted to wake him up and save him from his terrible dream she also knew how she felt after a nightmare. She felt venerable and broken but mostly embarrassed. God forbid someone saw her like that, saw her feeling like she was still the small child their mum left behind. Nevertheless thea's hand shook his shoulder, gaining no response she did the same again, still nothing. This time when she shook him she muttered his name quietly as she did and within an instant Tommys eyes shot open his hand going for her throat and grabbing it tightly as he flipped her onto the bed, all of his weight pressing on her windpipe. Thea didn't scream or gasp, she couldn't, she just gripped his wrist and stared straight into his eyes begging him to let go. It took Tommy merely seconds to come to his senses but as his did he gasped backing away from the small girl all the way to the other side of the room his eyes wide. Thea rolled over as soon as the pressure on her neck was released and she coughed violently and she held her chest, her lungs were burning and her ears were ringing as she tried to regain her composure. "Thea.." Tommy called but he didn't dare take a step closer. He wanted her to scream at him, swing for him, storm out, he definitely didn't think he'd get the reply that he did. "Sorry" she said quietly her voice hoarse, "shouldn't have come in" Tommy felt his chest tighten at her apology, he wasnt mad in the slightest, her apology only making his feel guiltier. "You we're dreaming" she said as she stood from the bed, avoiding eye contact making her way straight for the door rubbing her soon to be bruising neck. He caught her arm as she past him making her tense "don't you apologise to me" he said trying to meet here eyes but she refused to look at them "don't say you're sorry. You shouldn't be" he gently took ahold of her wrist moving her hand away from her neck, terrified to see the damage he'd caused to his little girl. It's was red, obviously going to bruise and when Tommy saw it he let out a shaky sigh bring both his hands up to rub over his face and his tired eyes. Thea watched him as he bowed his head breathing deeply, she reached her arm out resting it on Tommys bicep, he flinched at her cold touch lifting his head. Thea met his eyes this time and told him "it's fine. Others have done worse" she somewhat jokes and tried her best to send him a reassuring smile but if didn't quite reacher her eyes, Tommy lifted his hand and and ran it over her head, down the back of her hair. "I'm sorry" he spoke. With that she left the room shutting the door behind her.

The next afternoon the garrison was packed, Aaron and John were in the snug half cut with a bottle of whiskey while Thea any Tommy were at the bar. She was sat on a stool her elbows leaning forward to rest of the bar reading a book polly had bought her about patterns in numbers, whilst Tommy leaned on his hand next to her. Grace came over with Tommys drink completely ignoring theas order. "God where have the all come from" grace spoke softly as she glanced around the room, it was Thea who spoke up first "I ordered a whiskey" eyes not looking to grace as she spoke instead focusing on the book that sat in front of her. Grace huffed and rolled her eyes but fetched the girl a glass never the less. When she came back to put it down Tommy spoke up "they came from St. John's" graces eyes widened "the church?" As she stared deeply into Tommys eyes, their moment was broken as they both turned their heads to Thea when she spoke up eyes still not moving from the page "so fucking stupid". Grace scoffed looking to Tommy for back up not believing the words that left the girls mouth. Tommy rolled his eyes but never the less gave Thea a light tap on the back earning her attention before point to grace and simply speaking "apologise". Thea held his eye for a moment before concluding that he wouldn't back down due to his severely clouded and incredibly poor judgment of grace. As she she turned it the blond barmaid and as the smallest smirk stretched onto her lips Tommy feared he'd made a mistake. Thea shut her book and leaned closer to the bar, grace wore a smug smirk on her face as she folded her arms over her chest believing her self to have 'won'. "Grace, I'm sorry for telling you that you're stupid..." graces face had a shit eating grin on as her eyes flicked to Tommy craving his approval but his eyes were fixed on his daughter waiting for the punch line as he knew she wasn't done yet. "I thought you already knew" and with that the smile dropped from the barmaids face and her hands fell limply to her sides. Thea sent a sarcastic grin to Tommy who shut his eyes in annoyance. Graces jaw was slack as she watched Thea down the whiskey in one slamming the glass back onto the bar before snatching up her book and walking straight out the door, desperate for some quiet.

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I'm sorry I know it's been ages I've just had some serious writing block 🫠