The Oceans Legacy

Chapter VII

hello lovelies, thank you so so much to everyone that has voted and commented and even just read my story. it truly means so much to me. thank you so much. i love you guys, have a wonderful day xx

-oakleigh 🌊

~Steve's POV~

After showing her to her room I make my way back to the others, no doubt they have a lot of questions. I walk into the living room to find that the rest of the team has gathered around the couches. I sit down next to Nat and the team focus their eyes on us.

"Before you guys start spewing questions, Nat and I barely know anything about her either. When we got to the orphanage all the kids were lined up, she looked terrified. When we tried to talk to her she couldn't get her words out. I mean, she was trying really hard but she just couldn't do it. The girl next to her had to speak for her." I start explaining to the team what happened.

Nat continues on, "I don't know what happened to her in that place but it wasn't good. She thinks that we are going to hurt her."

I look around the team to see the same look of worry and sadness about what happened to this girl projected on their faces. However, I know everyone is thinking the same thing. We need to protect this girl and give her the childhood she deserves.

We stay here for a little while, making light conversation and watching TV.

After about an hour Wanda and Nat start to make dinner, Sam and I go to get Tallulah.

~Tallulah's POV~

"Come in." My voice is hoarse after crying.

The door opens slowly to reveal Sam and Steve.

"Are you enjoying your new room?" Sam asks me as they walk into my room slightly.

I nod, "Yes, thank you very much."

"That's great, kiddo. Nat and Wanda are making dinner if you want to come." Steve gestures down the hall.

I'm still full from the sandwich but I nod and follow them out the doorway and down the hall. The building is like nothing I've ever seen before, the ceilings are super high and everything is so modern. I feel like a robot should come out and greet me.

We all get to the living room where a bunch of adults are all crowding around the big dining table. I feel my hands starting to get sweaty so I pat them on my dress but it only solves the problem for a few seconds. I freeze just before we enter the room.

Sam notices and kneels down in front of me as Steve goes to get Nat, "Hey kiddo, it's going to be alright. It's a lot of people, I know. But they are not going to hurt you."

Nat comes over and joins us, "Remember what I said in the car? It's going to be okay. You don't have to talk if you don't want to. These people are all really nice. I can make sure that they don't swarm you and ask you a lot of questions. Would you like that?"

I nod, "Yes please." I manage barely above a whisper.

Nat takes my hand and we head over to the others.

Dinner was like nothing I've ever experienced before. Everyone was talking happily and laughing. It was never like this back at the Home.

Nat stayed by my side the entire time. I don't know why, but I feel safe around her. I really do.

I didn't eat anything because to be honest, I think that if I ate anything else I would be sick. Lunch was already way too much food for me to handle, after eating barely nothing for a long time, you get used to it.

I knew that everyone kept glancing over at me from time to time, but I kept my head down. I had learnt a long time ago to not draw attention to myself.

It also became quite clear how the group of adults interact. They are like a family. Like me and Henry and Ivy. I tried to push the thought out of my mind as it only made me miss them more.

I try to stifle a yawn as the day's events hit me. Clearly I didn't do a very good job.

"I think it might be someone's bedtime, huh?" Nat chuckles at my exhaustion.

I nod my head as we start to pack up dinner. I go to put my dishes in the sink and start washing them up when Nat stops me.

"Woah, woah, woah. What do you think you're doing little miss? You don't need to do the dishes." She takes the dishes out of my hands and leads me down the hall to my bedroom.

She sits in the chair in the corner of my bedroom, "I'll wait here while you get ready for bed, okay? Let me know if you need help with anything."

I go and grab my nightdress and brush and take them through to the bathroom with me. I noticed earlier that they have already given me toiletries. I manage to slip off my dress and put on my nightdress. The fabric brushed against my back making me wince, if only Ivy was here. She would know what to do. She would know how to help.

I miss her so much.

After brushing my teeth and washing my face I make my way back into my bedroom. I brushed my hair before so that she wouldn't see me struggling. I don't want them to find out about my back or scars. If they do, they probably won't want me anymore.

"You all ready for bed, honey?" Nat gets up from her chair and starts getting my bed ready and pulls back the covers.

"Mmhmm." I nod in response as I carefully get into the bed. I try to hide my pain from my back when I get into bed but I couldn't help but wince a tiny bit. I'm just hoping she didn't notice.

Once I'm in bed Nat strokes back the hair from my face and plants a kiss on my forehead. "Good night, honey. If you need anything, anything at all, come wake someone up. Steve and I are right next door and Wanda is just across the hall."

"Okay." I reply knowing that I wouldn't dare wake anyone up in the middle of the night.

"Sleep well." She flicks off the light and leaves with the soft click of the door.

It's too quiet. I try to close my eyes and fall asleep but it's no use. Everything here is so different. My room is high up enough that I don't get any of the road noise. There was always traffic noise at the Home. There's no creaking of metal beds here, or sniffles and coughs as the other girls sleep.

I don't know how long I've been trying to sleep but it feels like hours. I untangle myself from the mess that I've made with my sheets and climb out of my bed. I drag my pillow and blanket over to the bench underneath my window and curl up watching the city.

The lights are mesmerizing, I can't see the stars but that's okay. Looking at the city is like looking at a galaxy. I don't realise that my thoughts have run away until I feel a tear slip down my cheek.

Ivy would love this. She has always been fascinated by the world. I miss her so much. She was my everything. She is my everything. She became my family, and I became hers. Silent sobs rack my body at the thought of living without her.

I don't realise I have fallen asleep until I open my eyes to the sunlight streaming down onto me.