The Cameron's - One shots

When she left

A/N :- Rafe is 14, Sarah is 11

Rafe had spent weeks in his room. No one dared to intrude, only Sarah came in occasionally to drop off a plate of food, even though he didn't eat much of it.

How could she leave. Not a single thing left behind, it was as if she had never lived there, it was like she had planned her run away long before any of her and Ward's fights.

The thought that she had planned her going away far before, makes him question if she was ever really there, when she wiped away his tears, placed tender kisses to his forehead, cleaned his wounds, helped him with his math work. It was always his mom for him, Sarah had their dad and he had their mom.

She had left no note, no good bye, nothing.

One night after wiping away his tears and blankly staring at the sandwich on his side table, having no appetite. He gets off his bed and decides he needs a glass of water, his throat dry from the lack of consuming anything.

He softly closes the door with a click. Making his way down the hall, past Sarah's door and down the stairs. He tries to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to interact with anyone. After filling a glass of water he sits down at the island and stares idly at the cupboards in front of him. Trying not to think about anything.

After sitting there like that for sometime he finishes his glass of water and tries to quietly make his way back to bed, suddenly exhausted. When he makes his way to the top of the stairs he hears muffled cries coming from one of the rooms . When he tries to follow the quiet sobs he discovers that they are coming from Sarah's room. He softly knocks on the door and then opens it as quietly as possible. The small streaks of light that crept their way into the room highlighting the image in front of him.

Sarah on her bed, slightly sitting up, wet trails down her face.

Rafe quickly closes the door behind him, races to be by her side. "Hey, hey what's wrong?"

Sarah is still perplexed by the invasion, she thought that everyone in the house was asleep. When she saw who her invader was she was startled, she hadn't seen Rafe's face for weeks. Every time she had gone in to leave some food for him, he'd turn his face away. Not letting her see his tears. Stubborn even at his weakest moments.

She observed his face for a moment, even through her blurred vision she could see that it was full of concern and his eyes were red, from crying. This just made her cry more.

"What- what happened" he asks feverishly, while sitting down next to her on the edge of her bed.

"....Mom" she's able to sob out.

Then it dawns on Rafe why she is crying and he feels dumb for even asking in the first place. He feels like a horrible person, through all of his grieving and sadness he had forgotten to even consider how Sarah might be.

Without even thinking he crawls over Sarah and drops down next to her on her bed with a huff. Pulling the covers from under him, covering himself and her properly. Making themselves comfortable next to each other. She turns around and cuddles into his side. He puts an arm around her and pulls her closer.

They don't often show affection for each other but they know when it's needed. And when it's needed they're there for each other.

He feels guilty for not being there for her and not realizing that she was having a hard time too. For not realizing any of it. He had seen her coming into his room multiple times, she had kept a concerned face one, not showing any signs of her sadness. He then realizes that she'd been doing this for him, keeping a strong front for him. She was younger than him and yet she had to be the one who took care of her older brother. He can't even fathom how hard it was for her, he hated the fact he couldn't be there for her.

He presses a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm sorry" is the only thing he's able to give her at that moment.

All this time he had been thinking that his mom had left, his mom didn't love him enough to stay. But as it turns out it was their mom, both of theirs.

They stay like that for the rest of the night just holding each other. They were the only ones who understood each other's pain. The only ones who still had the memories of her. The only ones who didn't want to forget her.

And like that they both went to sleep. Happier than they had been before. They had each other.