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darker_london2007-12-16 12:24 pm
abigail-lilith.livejournal.com) wrote in darker_london2007-12-16 12:24 pm
Entry tags:
Love and Memories (Abby, Stuart, Young!Abby, Young!Thomas)
There was nothing more that Abby could do in Bristol. Julian had well and truly proven that if he didn't want to be found, they weren't going to find him. And Joe had Lavinia, Eleanor and Jordan to look after him. Thomas didn't have anyone in his family and while Abby knew he was surrounded by friends, she rather wanted him to have family by his side as well. It was important. And she was damn sure he didn't want other people touching him right now. She would keep him from that as much as she could.
Abby knew the nature of Thomas's injuries because she'd spoken to several people about them, but that still didn't prepare her for the sight of him lying there nearly covered in bandages. His skin was lifeless, which did make sense, but it was horrible to see. His eyes were closed, which she was glad for. Abby covered her mouth to keep her emotion inside, and when she trusted her voice not to quaver, she softly said, "I'm here, Thomas." She went to his side and smoothed his hair back carefully. "I'm going to change your bandages, Thomas. Just to...because it should be done."
Abby set about her work, keeping her lip firmly between her teeth as she did so because what had been done to her older brother was absolutely disgusting. When she'd finished, she curled up carefully beside him and she wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she dared, her thoughts straying back to when they were children.
Sleep was always difficult when you went to bed hungry. A ten-year-old Abby was lying in her bed, arms wrapped firmly around her stomach in a vain attempt to keep it from aching. She was glaring out the window, angry at the world beyond it because it sometimes seemed like no one cared. Her father had abandoned them to a near penniless existence. Their mother's family (aside from dear Uncle Mike) had decided that they didn't want to associate with paupers. Her mother's friends had even left them alone. The love the Littleton family shared did sustain them through many things, but you couldn't eat it. On the other side of the room, Abby could hear her little sister crying which brought about a coughing fit, and Abby couldn't help but begin to cry herself. Eleanor was sick. Very sick. It seemed like nothing helped, even though nearly all the money the family did have went to cure her. And so Abby glared, feeling like the anger could consume her.
Until she heard the door crack open. Abby's head turned to see her twelve-year-old brother Thomas tiptoeing over to her bed. Immediately her anger quelled. It was hard to be angry with Thomas in the room. He was so utterly caring and wonderful. He was her best friend. Thomas reached down to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Don't cry, Abby...please.." He whispered, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Things will be better tomorrow." He ran his fingers through her messy hair and he attempted to give her a brave look.
"But...what if they're no-"
Thomas held a finger to Abby's lips. "They will be." They had to be. Thomas glanced over at Eleanor who was still crying softly, curled on her side. "Come on. Let's go to her."
Abby nodded and Thomas reached out a hand to her to help her out of bed. The two of them made their way over to their little sister's bed, and they climbed in, one on each side of Eleanor, as if to provide her with a barrier from a world that didn't care. Thomas wrapped one arm around Ellie, and he reached the other across to Abby's stomach. He rubbed it gently, hoping to calm her hunger, at least a little. Ellie's cries quieted there in the safe embrace of her older siblings. Abby looked at Thomas over Eleanor's head, smiling weakly at him in the dim light that streamed into the room from the street lamps outside. She knew he had to be hungry too. Hungry and scared, just like she was. But he was here, protecting his little sisters instead of being preoccupied with his own discomfort. She mouthed 'thank you' to him, and instead of answering back, Thomas just winked at her fondly. They settled down to sleep, and Abby found that there in his safe presence, despite everything else, sleep found her easily.
Abby kissed Thomas's hair, her hand slipping around to rub his stomach gently, though it was difficult to find somewhere on him that wasn't injured. She knew the gesture would mean something to him. And she knew he'd feel it. "I love you, Thomas." She whispered.
Some time later, Stuart appeared in the doorway. He hadn't seen his girlfriend in over a week, but there was no way he was about to interrupt Abby's time with Thomas. Instead he pulled up a chair behind Abby, and he rested a hand on her back with was both a greeting and a show of support. Abby turned her head to look at Stuart and she smiled at him through her silent tears. Slowly, she mouthed 'thank you' and when Stuart just winked back at her, Abby felt secure there with the both of them, if only for a moment.
Abby knew the nature of Thomas's injuries because she'd spoken to several people about them, but that still didn't prepare her for the sight of him lying there nearly covered in bandages. His skin was lifeless, which did make sense, but it was horrible to see. His eyes were closed, which she was glad for. Abby covered her mouth to keep her emotion inside, and when she trusted her voice not to quaver, she softly said, "I'm here, Thomas." She went to his side and smoothed his hair back carefully. "I'm going to change your bandages, Thomas. Just to...because it should be done."
Abby set about her work, keeping her lip firmly between her teeth as she did so because what had been done to her older brother was absolutely disgusting. When she'd finished, she curled up carefully beside him and she wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she dared, her thoughts straying back to when they were children.
Sleep was always difficult when you went to bed hungry. A ten-year-old Abby was lying in her bed, arms wrapped firmly around her stomach in a vain attempt to keep it from aching. She was glaring out the window, angry at the world beyond it because it sometimes seemed like no one cared. Her father had abandoned them to a near penniless existence. Their mother's family (aside from dear Uncle Mike) had decided that they didn't want to associate with paupers. Her mother's friends had even left them alone. The love the Littleton family shared did sustain them through many things, but you couldn't eat it. On the other side of the room, Abby could hear her little sister crying which brought about a coughing fit, and Abby couldn't help but begin to cry herself. Eleanor was sick. Very sick. It seemed like nothing helped, even though nearly all the money the family did have went to cure her. And so Abby glared, feeling like the anger could consume her.
Until she heard the door crack open. Abby's head turned to see her twelve-year-old brother Thomas tiptoeing over to her bed. Immediately her anger quelled. It was hard to be angry with Thomas in the room. He was so utterly caring and wonderful. He was her best friend. Thomas reached down to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Don't cry, Abby...please.." He whispered, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Things will be better tomorrow." He ran his fingers through her messy hair and he attempted to give her a brave look.
"But...what if they're no-"
Thomas held a finger to Abby's lips. "They will be." They had to be. Thomas glanced over at Eleanor who was still crying softly, curled on her side. "Come on. Let's go to her."
Abby nodded and Thomas reached out a hand to her to help her out of bed. The two of them made their way over to their little sister's bed, and they climbed in, one on each side of Eleanor, as if to provide her with a barrier from a world that didn't care. Thomas wrapped one arm around Ellie, and he reached the other across to Abby's stomach. He rubbed it gently, hoping to calm her hunger, at least a little. Ellie's cries quieted there in the safe embrace of her older siblings. Abby looked at Thomas over Eleanor's head, smiling weakly at him in the dim light that streamed into the room from the street lamps outside. She knew he had to be hungry too. Hungry and scared, just like she was. But he was here, protecting his little sisters instead of being preoccupied with his own discomfort. She mouthed 'thank you' to him, and instead of answering back, Thomas just winked at her fondly. They settled down to sleep, and Abby found that there in his safe presence, despite everything else, sleep found her easily.
Abby kissed Thomas's hair, her hand slipping around to rub his stomach gently, though it was difficult to find somewhere on him that wasn't injured. She knew the gesture would mean something to him. And she knew he'd feel it. "I love you, Thomas." She whispered.
Some time later, Stuart appeared in the doorway. He hadn't seen his girlfriend in over a week, but there was no way he was about to interrupt Abby's time with Thomas. Instead he pulled up a chair behind Abby, and he rested a hand on her back with was both a greeting and a show of support. Abby turned her head to look at Stuart and she smiled at him through her silent tears. Slowly, she mouthed 'thank you' and when Stuart just winked back at her, Abby felt secure there with the both of them, if only for a moment.