Future to Past

{-Chapter One-}

It was cold, colder than normal the ground was like ice, people slipping and falling to the ground every step they took. The wind made peoples cheeks redden, their lips turning blue. Something was in the air, and it wasn't something good, especially in the home of a young 20-year-old girl. Her eyes were closed as she took hit after hit, her father hated her, hated that she was a girl and not the boy he wanted, blamed her for her mother's death, blamed her for any little thing. She was tiny for her age, she called herself the female version of Harry Potter, living inside a cupboard under the stairs. She just saw herself that way.

"You are pathetic." Her father hissed kicking her one last time before walking away leaving her a crumpled mess on the floor. She lifted her head slowly, her eyes blurred before gripping the cupboard and picking herself back up. She was in so much pain, that she didn't comprehend just how bad it was.

Taking slow steps, the young brunette made her way towards her cupboard, slipping inside she locked it tight, keeping herself relatively safe. Shaking she laid herself down on her flimsy bed, shivering at the pain and the cold. She cried softly into her pillow, her tears staining the pillow more, at this point she believed this pillow was just made of tears, made of her pain filled cries.

"Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly." She whispered to herself softly as she allowed her body to rest. "Lavender's green. When I am king, dilly, dilly. You shall be queen: Who told you so, dilly, dilly. Who told you so?" She sang softly as her tears continued to fall down her cheeks. "'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly. That told me so."

Her voice drifting off as she started to slip into a deep sleep. Not noticing the way, the shadows begun to converge on her, covering her in an embrace she had never felt before. Slowly the world changed, her clothing changing into a simple light blue dress, her hair laying limp around her as she was taken away from the nightmare she lived.

She laid asleep as she was laid down on the cobblestone, protected from the harsh reality of the future.

Polly Gray was a strong woman, having dealt with some many hard hits, she was someone to never be messed with, so when she saw the young girl laying on the ground, blood all over her face, bruises littering her arms, she couldn't help but cry in fright. She turned around to see her three nephews not far from her. "Boys!" She called out, waving them over to her. "Come help me now!" She ordered before running over to the young girl, her hands laying on her face, she found the girls pulse sighing in relief. "Who did this to you love?" She questioned softly, petting her cheek softly.

"Pol?" Tommy questioned as he found his aunt beside a young girl. An injured young girl.

"Help me." She ordered, Tommy simply nodded as his brothers came up behind him, Tommy picked the small girl up as she whimpered.

"No, no, I'm sorry, please no, I'll do better." She whimpered in Tommy's hold. Tommy's heart was already broken, but now it broke more, this poor girl had been injured, by someone she potentially trusted some who should have loved her, his father didn't care for him and his brothers, but his mother loved them, and cared for them.

Tommy couldn't help but hold her just a little tighter as they rushed down the streets of Small Heath. The girl shivering in Tommy's hold as she whimpered from the pain. "I've got you." He whispered to her softly. Polly remained ahead of her nephews, even shoving some out of the way. She was quick to unlock the house motioning to the boys to go inside the house, Tommy carefully placed her on the couch, moving a stray piece of hair from her face, as Polly begun mending the broken girl. Tommy stayed beside her head caressing her hair, soothing her, he wasn't sure why he needed to do it, it was just a feeling inside his heart that he needed to do it. He watched as Polly continued to work on the young girl, wrapping bandages around her open wounds tightly.

"Find out anything you can on her, now." Tommy ordered his brothers, the two men nodded before walking out the door and back to where they had found the girl. Both men were livid after seeing the markings on her body, she had gone through her own personal hell.

Polly had left the room to go and bring in a blanket for the girl, as Tommy continued to run his fingers through her hair. Moving her head softly, he watched as her eyes fluttered open soft golden-brown eyes stared into his own icy blue eyes. "It's alright darling." He whispered to her as she whimpered in pain. "I'm Tommy, who are you sweetie?" He asked her gently.

She hummed softly before speaking quietly. "Seraphina."

Tommy let a small smile glide onto his face. "A beautiful name," he said gently. "Seraphina, who did this to you, who hurt you?" He asked her.

Seraphina's eyes welled, as she shook her head. "No, no, he'll hurt me, he'll hurt us." She whined as her tears slipped down her bruised cheek. Tommy quickly shushed her, calming her down as he whispered sweet words of comfort to her. "He'll come, he'll hurt me." She whispered, as she slipped back into a deep sleep, as Polly walked back into the room. A giant blanket in her hands.

"I got the warmest one." She said as she laid it over the shivering girl.

"Her names Seraphina." Tommy said as the pair walked into the kitchen, Polly making tea. "She woke up while you were gone, told me her name, and I wanted to know who it was that hurt her, but whoever it is that hurt her, she's scared of him."

"That poor girl." Polly whispered. The two sat in silence as they pondered over what to do. "She should stay here." Polly said clearly to her nephew. "She shouldn't be thrown out into this world, she needs someone, she needs us to look after her. To keep her safe."

Tommy didn't speak up before finally he said, "she'll stay here Polly, I won't have her thrown out."

Polly smiled, happy that her unemotional nephew agreed with her, that he wants her to stay. The pair's head snapped to the sitting room, seeing Seraphina up, her body shaking as she stands in the doorway. "Where am I?" She asked softly.

Tommy stood up, going over to her slowly, he held his hand out to her, she slowly went over to him and took his hand. "Your in our home, on Watery Lane," Tommy answered her.

"Why?" She asked. "I should be in my cupboard; he'll get up me if I'm not there." She whispered, her body shaking violently. "He'll hurt me."

Tommy shushed her holding her to his body, the warmth he gave off was soothing to Seraphina, "it's alright, your safe now. We will keep you safe."

And it was a promise, a promise he would keep.