Her Lost Soul 2

Chapter 22

When I walk out from the bathroom something seems wrong. I head back to the table and I frown. "Where's Miley?"
Abigail points at the wall and Miley is sat wall gazing. "What happened?" She hasn't done that since Riley brought her home.
"I'm not sure, we returned to the table and she ran for the wall." Will she respond to me? Normally when she's like this it's only Riley she will return to.
I walk to the wall and kneel next to her. "Smiley?" Her eyes flash to me and she leaps into my arms. She clings to my neck. "You okay?"
"You left me," she whispers. Sometimes she says she hates me and other times she hates that I leave. I stand up and return to the table.
"Is she okay?" Abigail asks.
"I think so. I think she saw that I wasn't here." Abigail nods.
"What do you want to eat, Miley?" Hayden asks. I bring the menu up to her eye line. She's still clinging to my neck.
"Cheesy pasta," she whispers. "I want Mommy."
"Macaroni cheese, please, old man and milk." He raises his eyebrow and then smirks. He gets up to order. "I know Smiley, me too. Once we eat we will head home."
She nods into my neck. I get my phone out and call Riley. Maybe if she can talk to her she will be okay. It rings and rings. Is she asleep and can't hear it?
It goes to voicemail and I hang up. I leave my phone on the table, hopefully she will call back soon. Hayden returns to the table with a number stand.
He places it in the middle of the table. "Bro, stop stressing. She will be fine." I look at him instead of the phone.
"She didn't answer the phone." I don't want to voice my concerns in front of Miley.
"Babe, can you text your brother to stop him stressing. She's probably asleep." I watch as Ruby gets her phone out.
I pick up my phone and ring her again. I hear Tyler groan between the rings. I growl as it goes to voicemail. I slam it on the table.
Our drinks are served and I offer Miley her milk but she shakes her head. "Ricky says she's snoring on the couch."
My eyes flash to Ruby's. "My girl doesn't snore." She can but rarely, it's normally when she's deep sleeping on me and it's just once not continuous.
"He's probably joking around, Flynn. He thinks he's funny but he's not." I'm surprised she's sleeping with Riccardo in the room, with me not there.
I pick the phone back up and call her again. I just need to know she's okay, even if it means waking her up. Voicemail. "Honey, just relax."
Easier said than done. The food comes twenty minutes later. I've called her another twenty times in that time. Miley releases me enough to eat her food.
It doesn't take long for her to eat her food. She clings to my neck after she's done. I'm halfway through my food when my phone finally rings. "Ri."
    "What's wrong?" She sounds like she's just woken up.
    "You weren't answering the phone, I got worried."
    "I was asleep Flynn, I'm not feeling good." She coughs and I'm literally on the edge of my seat. She doesn't sound well at all.
    "I should never have left you." Miley's arms go slack and I check on her. She's fallen asleep.
    "Flynn, it's fine, but can I go back to sleep now?"
    "Fine, we are just finishing lunch and then we are coming home."
   "You don't need to hurry back on my account Flynn. I'll only be at home sleeping."
   "I know that," I snap. Why am I mad at her? I try soften my voice. "Miley misses you too."
   "Okay, see you soon." She hangs up and I put my phone on the table.
"Well?" Tyler raises his eyebrow.
"She was asleep but she sounds worse if that's possible. She says she feels really poorly too. She wouldn't say that if she wasn't feeling rough."
"I'll call Alec if I feel the need when we're home." I nod at Abigail. I quickly eat the rest of my food and impatiently wait for them all to finish.
Once they have finished I'm on my feet. "We need to go to the shop to get her a toy," Tyler says.
"She's asleep, Bro."
"I'm not having her scream the place down because I didn't get her a toy. She can sleep in the car." Fucking hell, we head into the shop and I gently nudge Miley.
"Smiley." She whimpers and clings to my neck. "Smiley, Uncle Tyler wants to buy you your toy." She starts crying into my neck. "Come on, Smiley. What do you want him to buy you?"
I walk around the shop slowly but I don't think she's really paying attention. At least she's not screaming. She's starts crying loudly and I stop.
She points behind me and I step back a few steps. She reaches over and grabs a monkey teddy and hugs it to her chest. Her cries die down but she's still crying.
I walk to Tyler. "We have a winner but I don't think she's going to let you have it." He shrugs as we walk to the till.
"The brat wants this teddy but she's not going to hand it over and trust me, you do not want to take it. Can you scan another or type in the price?" The shop assistant frowns.
"Yeah, I guess so. How much is it?" Tyler goes to look at the label but Miley screams.
"Fucking hell, kid. I just need to see the price of it. You promised you wouldn't scream if I bought you a toy." He manages to grab the label and turn it around. "Alright, stop."
He releases the label and steps away. She stops screaming, only her crying left. "54 dollars." Bloody hell, for a teddy?
She types it in and Tyler scans his card. "You know, she's going to keep scamming you. Maybe I should tell Riley. I don't know what will be worse."
His eyes widen, "Definitely my sister. Don't tell her, Bro. My stomach still hurts."
I laugh as we head outside. Miley sniffles and then nothing. I look at her and I think she's asleep again, cuddling her new teddy.
I carry her to the car and strap her into her seat. It's a bit of a nightmare though, with her hugging her monkey.
An hour later I'm unbuckling a still sleeping Miley and lift her out the car. Luckily she stays asleep. I walk briskly to the door and wait for Abigail to open the door.
I hurry in and walk into the living room. Riley's blanket in on the couch but no Riley. The dog barks and jumps up at us. "Stop."
That's strange in itself. The dog follows her everywhere. I settle Miley on the couch and put the blanket over her. I jog up the stairs and into my room.
Fucking hell, where is she? I run to her room and she's not there either. I try the bathroom but nothing. I run down the stairs. "Bro, she's not here."
Tyler runs out of the dining room. "What do you mean she's not here?"
"She's not upstairs." I slap my hand against the wall. "I knew I shouldn't have left." I get my phone out and call her but it goes to voicemail.
"Babe!" Tyler calls. "Can you ring your brother?" Ruby joins us in the hallway with her phone. She brings it to her ear.
"He's not answering." She walks to the front door and opens the door. "His car isn't here." I walk behind her to have a look.
"Where would he have taken her?" I snap.
"Bro, don't speak to her like that. It's not her fault." I turn and glare at him.
"No, it's yours. You made me leave her. I knew he couldn't handle her." Abigail comes into the hallway.
"What are you shouting about?" She puts her hands on her hips.
"Riley's not here. Her arsehole brother has taken her somewhere."
"Bro, stop it." I growl. I hear a car approaching and I rush to the door. Ruby moves out the way.
      "That's his car," Ruby confirms. I run outside and run towards the car as he parks up.
     I yank the door open. She looks awful. She's using his coat as a blanket and it pisses me off. "Where the fuck have you been?" I remove the coat and toss it at him.
     She's freezing, literally shivering. I unclip her belt and lift her out the car. She groans, I'm so fucking angry. "You had better start talking."
"You can beat it out of me but I won't tell you," Ricardo says. I carry her into the house.
"Ruby, get you brother to fess up before I damage his pretty little face."
"I'm sorry Flynn, we aren't like Tyler and Riley. He listens to no one but himself. Nothing I say or do will make him admit where he's been."
I lower her onto the other couch. "Bro, can you get a duvet? I don't think a blanket will be enough." I place a pillow under her head and I lay next to her.
     Maybe I can heat her up. She curls up into me. "Ri, I'm so mad at you."
"You love me." She shivers as she tries to warm up.
"Yes, doesn't mean I'm not mad at you." Tyler returns with a duvet and throws it over us. "Why won't you say where you were?"
     "She didn't tell me. I technically know nothing." I bet that was Riley's doing.
     "Mate, I gave you money so she wouldn't leave the house," Tyler reminds him.
     "You took money off him? You're unbelievable," Ruby grits out.
     "Hey, I'm not turning down money. As soon as you left she was on the move. It almost seemed planned. I stayed with her."
    "Why didn't you call me?" Tyler asks. "She's really poorly now. She needed to rest."
    "She seemed fine, mate. She slept on the way back but she was fine on the way."
    "She over did it, as per usual. You don't know her like we do. We put those rules in place to prevent it, not to waste our breaths." At least he's as annoyed as I am.
    Abigail touches her forehead and then lifts the duvet and slides a hot water bottle between us. She tucks her back in. "She didn't eat the sandwich I made."
    Why does that not surprise me. "I'll eat it, Mom." She sighs and leaves the room.
     "I'm going to take Rex for a walk, babe, you coming?" Tyler asks.
     "Yeah," she replies. He calls Rex and he whines but eventually gets up and follows.
     Abigail passes me a plate and I tuck into the egg mayo sandwich. It's awkward from this position but I'm not letting her food go to waste.
    I don't want Abigail to feel like she's not appreciated. She loves her kids so much and Riley isn't making it easy.
      When I'm finished I slide the plate on the table. Miley starts whingeing and I slide off the couch and make sure Riley is tucked in.
     I walk to the other couch and kneel down. "Shh, Smiley. We're home."
     She blinks her eyes open. "Where's Mommy?" She rubs her eyes.
     "She's sleeping on the other couch. She's poorly still." She holds her arms out to me but keeps hold of her monkey.
      "Mommy." I lift her into my arms and carry her to Riley. I lift the duvet and settle Miley next to her. Miley hugs Riley but my girl is still out of it.
    I tuck Miley in and leave the room. I go for a piss and find Abigail in the kitchen. She's folding laundry. She never stops. "You finished with the sandwich?"
     "Yeah?" I raise my eyebrow.
     "Where's the plate? What did your last slave die of? You came in here but didn't think to bring your plate in?" I laugh and she glares at me.
    I continue to laugh as I head back to the living room to collect my plate. I think Miley is asleep again. I return to the kitchen and set the plate on the side. "Honey, why is there ripped panties in your pocket?"
     I laugh again, "Well, I ripped them off Riley."
     "Why?"
     "Because I couldn't wait to fuck her so I ripped them off her." She shakes her head and it only makes me laugh more.
I sag into a chair as I continue laughing. "What's for dinner?" I can never get enough of her cooking. Two weeks of home cooked food three times a day is heaven.
"You just ate and you're asking about food?" She continues folding laundry.
"What can I say? Your cooking is to die for. Are you sure you can't move closer to Duke so we get regular food?" She laughs and shakes her head.
"I do worry about you lot. You boys live on fast food and I have no idea what Riley eats, if she eats." She sighs, "When you go back, you'll make sure she eats, won't you?"
"Mom, Riley can cook as well as you. I'll just have to make her cook for me more often. Then I know she's eaten too."
"You make her cook for you?" I can't tell if she's happy or annoyed about it.
"When we get fed up of eating out we make her cook for us. Sometimes, if I'm there she will cook for me without me asking."
"She doesn't get annoyed about it?" We've only done it once. Now she has Miley I'm sure she will at least eat dinner. It's better than nothing.
"She didn't seem annoyed although when Tyler asked her how long it would be she elbowed him in the ribs. He thought she broke a rib." I smile at the memory. She shakes her head in dismay.
A few hours later I'm sat with Riley on the couch. Hayden and Riccardo are sat on the other "So you don't know where she was?"
"Nope, Ricardo won't say and she's been sleeping. She really is poorly. She's overdue on her meds." I don't know whether to wake her or leave her to rest.
"Why won't you say?" Hayden growls.
"She made me promise," Riccardo says casually. "I asked no questions so technically I don't know what she was doing. She also said she wouldn't say because she said Flynn was more likely to kill me."
She knows me too well. "Too right, did she eat lunch?" I know the answer but I need it confirmed.
"No, all she had was a milkshake this morning. I asked her and she didn't want anything."
"What a surprise, still haven't decided if I will kill you yet." He needs a beating at the least. Riley grumbles. "Ri."
"Leave him alone, I was the ring leader." I roll my eyes, of course I know that.
"Oh, I know. It's you we're talking about. You could get anyone to follow your stupid plans."
She giggles but abruptly stops, "Miley," she whispers. Always thinking of others and not herself.
"With your Mom." She woke up in a better mood so hopefully she was just tired.
"My dog?"
"He's here on the floor, Tyler has already walked him so you can put that idea out of your head. Can you tell us where you've been?"
"No," I mumble. Where the hell did she go? Do I want to know? It's obviously somewhere she shouldn't if she won't say.
"Why?"
"Because I'm comfy and I don't want you to move. You'll be mad." Fucking hell, why does she do this to me?
"What did you do, Ri? If you know I'll be mad then you must have done something catastrophic."
She sighs, "Make him leave." Why is he still here anyway? He could go home and we can take Ruby home.
"She wants you to leave." I still don't like him. I like him even less after todays
"Whatever you want Darlin'." He must like her. He took her wherever she went even though we paid him not to let her leave. He follows her every command.
"Alright, now talk, Ri."
"Mrs Webber called this morning." Mrs Webber? Isn't that James's mom? Why would she ring?
"That bloody woman! She's called every day since he was locked up. It doesn't matter, I denied you entry!" Hayden yells. She has? He never said anything.
"She knew that which is why I impersonated her daughter." James has a sister?
"She doesn't have a daughter!"
"I know, I think she used her sister's bank card as ID."
"You went to see James? How could you Ri? Did you forget that he nearly killed you?" I don't understand why she would willingly visit him.
"She said he needed me. She said he wasn't cooperating. She said he would plead guilty if I saw him."
"And will he? What happened?" Hayden demands.
"He said he would do anything I wanted. He would plead guilty if I agreed. Then brad came in and I freaked out."
"Brad? They are in the same prison?" I ask stroking her hair.
"Yeah, James promised me he wouldn't let him hurt me again so I sat back down. He didn't like Brad talking to me. Brad's parents were coming to visit and I had to get out of there but James wouldn't let me leave. He said he wouldn't let them hurt me either. James said he would do anything I wanted if I promised one thing. To wait for him."
"No fricking way." She's mine, he has no claim on her. He doesn't deserve her.
"I had to accept but if he gets the help he needs he may realise he doesn't love me. It will be years before he's out, right Dad?"
"As much as I'd like life, realistically we are looking at ten years for GBH. It will be longer if we can pin rape, murder, sexual assault, breaking and entering."
"See, ten years Flynn doesn't really matter what I promised. I told him he'd have to prove he's changed. I told him he was bad for me. He hurt me and I couldn't trust him again."
"So you said no?" There's no way she could agree to that. In ten years she'd me married to me, if I have my way.
"I said yes Flynn. He won't love me by then. I lied, okay? It didn't matter what I agreed to. Ten years will change everything and well if not I'll deal with it then. A part of me will always wait for him. Why would I wait for him if I have you? We want a guilty plea, don't we?"
Why would she if she has me? Does she see me in her future as I do for her. "You want me?"
"Yes, how many times do I have to say that?" A lot apparently. I need as much reassurance than she does.
"Then you'll officially be my girlfriend?" Fuck, did I really just say that? Tyler is going to kill me.
"Yes, if that's what you want."
"Of course it is." Double fuck. I smile, how can it be wrong when it feels this right?
"So did you leave after that?" Hayden asks.
"No, I feel really poorly Daddy. I fell asleep on his hands on the table while he stroked my hair." Fuck me. She's got a screw lose. Or perhaps, really poorly as she said. Maybe we do need the inappropriate doctor back.
Or we could get a different one. Maybe the money grabbing one from last time. He was old. "You fell asleep with all those criminals in the room?"
"JJ would have protected me. I felt awful, then he woke me up telling me to go home and rest. He kissed me before I left."
I tense as I hear her words. "The fuck!" I growl. She let him kiss her?
"Shh, you can't blame me for that. You know he would have done it anyway and technically I wasn't your girlfriend then."
She slides her cold hands up my top and rests them on my abs."Fucking hell!"
"I hurried back to the car and I really did feel like shit. I said to Ricardo that you were going to really kill me this time."
"I really am. When I got home and you weren't here I freaked!" I knew I shouldn't have left her. How can I leave her again if she goes visiting psychos in prison.
"He really did," Hayden jokes.
"How would you know, old man? You weren't here." He's a funny fucker.
"I know what happens in my house under my roof." I raise my eyebrow at him.
"Doubtful." There's no way he knows what kinky shit I do to his daughter under his roof.
"Enough of that son."
"Dinner is ready!" Abigail calls.
"No. Sleep." She's not missing dinner. No way on this earth. I slide out from behind her and haul her into my arms. "No. Stop it," she protests. "Sleep."
"You didn't eat lunch and you are overdue on your next meds." I carry her into the dining room and lower her onto the chair.
I run up the stairs to get her meds. Jesus Christ, why do they have such a big house? I like the apartment, a few steps to the bathroom. A few steps to bed and then a few steps to the kitchen.
This is like running a bloody marathon. I jog back down the stairs and sit in my chair. Miley is already on Riley's lap. Riley is literally laying on the table.
I help her sit up and administer her meds. She turns her back on me and then leans back so she's laying across me. Her head rest on my left arm.
She had better not fall asleep. She sleeps way too much.
"Ri, you need to eat." She's actually a nightmare. I grab her plate and tip her food on my plate. I scoop some corned beef hash and bring it to her lips.
She opens and I sigh with relief that she's eating. Miley lifts Riley's top up and she shivers. Maybe I should have given her a blanket. Miley touches her tummy with her hands and rests her cheek on her tummy.
"I missed you," Miley says.
"I missed you too baby, now can you finish eating please?"
"Sure, Mommy!" Miley resumes eating. She's like a little Angel when Riley is about. I lower her top down so she doesn't get too cold and to stop prying eyes.
I take a mouthful myself. It's not one of my favourites but it still tastes good. "That is gross," Tyler sighs.
"Come on, don't tell me you wouldn't share with Ruby." I laugh, what's wrong with sharing? "It's the same as kissing."
"Stop talking, bro." I offer Riley some more food. I manage to get her to eat quite a bit which is the most she's eaten for a while.
     After dinner I carry her to bed. I hate seeing her like this. As much as it's easier to deal with her when she's drowsy, I still miss her company.
     I head downstairs and Miley is playing a game with Ruby in the living room. "Right, it's bath time, Smiley."
    "No! We're playing Scrabble." As much as I'd like to let her play, she needs a bath and it's soon her bedtime.
    "Miley, please. Just go easy on me, yeah?" I sigh loudly and flop on the couch. I scrub my hands down my face. This parenting shit is hard. I need Riley but she's recovering after being abused.
     Small hands touch my arms and I remove my hands from my face and look down at Miley. "It's okay Flynn. I can play with Ruby tomorrow."
    Thank fuck. She holds her hands out and I pull her into my arms. She can be an Angel when she wants to be. I stand up and head upstairs.
     She clings to my neck. "Thank you for taking me to the Zoo, Flynn. It was so fun. I'm glad Mommy saved me.
     "I hated it there. I was all alone, I was a freak. The kids hurt me and sometimes the staff. I love being here with you and Mommy."
     I hold her a little tighter. "And we love having you with us. I just need you to go easy on me. You behave brilliantly when Mommy is around."
     "I'm sorry Flynn." I head to Riley's room and grab her towel and some PJ's. "Miss Faye said that I need to learn to control my emotions."
     "You can talk to me Smiley. I'd rather you talk instead of screaming and crying." I carry her into the bathroom and set her down.
      She starts running the bath herself and I place her bits on the floor. "What was Mommy and Daddy like? I don't remember them very well."
    I sit on the toilet lid as I watch her put in bubble bath. "Mom was pretty. She had black hair, blue eyes, like us. She cooked every day for us. Made sure we had everything we needed."
     Needed but not wanted. We weren't the easiest of kids. I'd go out drinking as a teen. Miley and her tantrums. "Dad was quiet. He didn't say much but he'd sometimes take us to the park. He'd give us a cookie when we wanted one."
     I don't want her thinking badly of them. If she's too young to remember then she doesn't need know the negatives. She dips her hand into the water and then turns the taps off.
     She starts removing her clothes. "Do you miss them?" Do I? No not really. They were absent parents when they were alive. I wish that they didn't die. I spent a while in care.
     "Sometimes." I help her into the bath and sit back down. "I've found a new family now. I cherish what I have now. I don't look back at the past because we can't change it."
     She frowns, "Am I your family?" She sounds sad and withdrawn.
     "Of course you are, Smiley. I may have found a new family but you'll always be a part of me."
      She nods and seems to cheer up a bit. "Like Mommy. She's my new family."
     "Yes, exactly like that. Family doesn't always mean blood related. You can choose your family. Uncle Tyler is my brother, by choice. Nana is my Mom by choice and and Pop's is my Dad by choice."
"Why about Mommy?"
"She's my girl. My fiancée, my wife by choice. She's family in a different way to me."
     "Mommy said that she loves you differently than me." She takes a wash cloth and pours body wash on it. She starts cleaning her body.
     "What did she say?" I'm intrigued as to what she said. She says she loves me but never the magnitude.
      She frowns as if recalling the words. "She said, instead of the planet, the oxygen helping me breathe it's him. He's a magnet to the world, he keeps me grounded. He can challenge me, tell me when I'm being bad. He makes my heart bigger, he makes me warm when everything else makes me cold."
     Fuck me, I don't think I've ever loved her more. It feels amazing to be loved like that. I didn't think I'd ever find love, I feel a million dollars having someone love me in this way.
     Who would love me? I'm the bad boy, poor as shit, I know I'm rough around the edges, I have anger issues. Regan said she loved me but why?
     I was never particularly nice to her. My new family love me and now I hear just how much I'm loved. "Mommy said, that you can't go looking for that kind of love. It finds you and that it comes when you need it most."
     My girl is full of wisdom. I guess neither of us were looking for love but boy did it wrap us up in the spell. Nothing can break the spell and I wouldn't want it to.
    Through all of Riley's faults, I wouldn't change her. I like that she's challenging. I like that she has a huge heart. She's selfless.
     Once Miley is washed she pulls the plug and I help her out the bath. She's a very self efficient child. She tries to do everything herself if she can. She's like Riley in that way, except Riley will try and do it even if she can't.
      We walk into the hallway and Tyler is leaning against the wall by Riley's room. "Kid, you want me to read to you?"
      "Yeah!" She starts bouncing next to me and I roll my eyes. Don't excite her too much before bed. "But you need to do the voices better Uncle Tyler."
      Miley runs into the bedroom and climbs on the bed. "Mom said I need to try harder with her whilst Riley is poorly. Said if I'm truly your bro, then that means she's family. Regardless of your relationship with my sister."
     I put my hand on his shoulder. Does he know we're officially together? Somehow I doubt that, he's be grilling me hard right now."Thanks mate. I do need a break."
      He nods and walks into the room. Although Miley was easy on me tonight I just need some quiet time. I know that she's technically not my responsibility, Riley is the one that's adopting her but she's my sister and I can't expect anyone to look after her.
    Perhaps in a few years I'd be ready. I would be done with Uni and have a full time job. Now though, I'm not prepared or ready. It's selfish, I know.
    As much as I've always said I'd want to get Riley pregnant, I'm not ready for a baby. Riley is already there, she's amazing to Miley.
     What if she didn't have that accident? What if she'd have had that baby? If I did meet her later on in life? If she was with James?
     Could I love the baby in time? I know I'd see the sadness in her eyes. Would she be different? Tyler always said she was.
      Who am I kidding? If it's a part of Riley then I'd love them. I'd have taken them both under my wing.
     I head downstairs and Abigail is watching TV with Hayden. I kiss her cheek. "Thank you for what you said to Tyler."
     "You know, he loves that child. He just doesn't want to admit it. He's not a natural with kids. I don't know why because he was amazing with Riley."
    I take a seat on the other couch. "He'd always split his sweets with her, give her the bigger half. He'd talk on her behalf. If she was grounded he would stay with her. Wherever he went she went."
     They were so cute. Riley doesn't like to admit it. She hates the attention. Tyler would admit it but he doesn't always share this stuff because he knows Riley would hate it.
    "I need to see my girl, she sleeps far too long." Abigail nods as I stand.
    "I'm going to call Alec in the morning. He wanted to check on her anyway but I want piece of mind."
     I grumble, "Can that old guy come instead?"
     Hayden laughs as Abigail frowns. "He's our doctor, why don't you like him?"
     "He's inappropriate with my girl." I shrug and she shakes her head.
     "No he's not, I was with them all the time. You're reading too much into it." Yeah okay then. I roll my eyes and jog up the stairs.
     I enter my room and she's still asleep. I slip in next to her and wrap my arms around her. She shivers, "You okay baby?" Are you still cold?"
     She nods but doesn't open her eyes. Why the hell did she leave the house this poorly? Nothing was that important. Nothing.
    I climb out of bed and walk into the bathroom. I run her a bath, hopefully this will help. I put in some bubble bath. I make sure it's more on the warmer side than the Luke warm side.
     Once it's full I turn the taps off and return to my girl. I lift her out of bed and she clings to me. At least she's not protesting.
      I set her on her feet in the bathroom and shut the door. I lock it and start removing her clothes. Goosebumps cover her skin. I hope that she starts feeling better soon.
"Bath with me," she whispers. Whatever she wants, maybe I can I can burn her enough to heat her up.
     I lift her into the bath and strip my clothes off. I slide in behind her and pull her to my body. She turns on me so she's on her tummy.
    I stroke her back trying to keep her warm. I move the hair from her face so I can see her without barriers. I've still got enough of them. Will I ever see all of her?
    I know the barriers are her protection but I want them destroyed, even if it's just for me. "I hate seeing you so poorly."
"I'm sorry, I should never have gone. The doctor told me to rest." Yes she should but as I said to Miley, it's in the past, you can't change it now.
"I'm still mad about that. Were you scared?" I can't imagine what it must have felt like to be in a prison feeling that poorly with two people that hurt her badly.
"Yes, I wasn't really scared when I saw him. I always just fall into sync with him when we are close. It was the pat-down I hated most and seeing Brad but I knew James would protect me so."
"Pat down? Why?"
"I hate people touching me. Mrs Webber was worried I wouldn't go through with it if they weren't prewarned of my nervousness. It's normally done by same-sex but they gave me the choice. I couldn't handle the woman doing it."
"What why?" I don't understand. Guys have hurt her.
"It sounds weird I know but I have to trust people around me, to a certain extent. He seemed. . . I don't know, more comfortable to be around. You know I don't like people who are unsure of themself. He seemed the better option and he was careful and understanding."
I sigh. As much as I hate it, I can see her side. That's how I know she was never with the frigid. Se needs someone that's more of a dominant. "I guess I can understand that, doesn't mean I like it."
     She starts coughing and my eyes widen. I fucking hate this. I feel utterly helpless. I feel like I should be doing more. Yet, she's not complaining about anything.
     Once she stops coughing her breath shallows out. Bloody hell, I need more than a five minute conversation with her.
    I know I'm being selfish, she needs rest, I don't care about the sex part. I just need her conscious. It's a small timeframe considering we have the rest of our lives but I can't get enough where she's concerned.
    I let her sleep until the water starts getting cold. I put her back in bed when I get her in some fluffy pjs. I head downstairs in boxers and jeans.
    "Is she okay Honey?" Tyler and Ruby are sat on the other couch.
    "Not really but she's no worse. I was going to make her a hot water bottle. She's still cold." Abigail gets off the couch. I sit on the arm rest of their couch.
     "I'll get her one." I thank her and turn to Tyler.
     "Is Miley okay?" He pulls a disgusted face.
     "That kid is hard work. Wouldn't sleep until I did the voices exactly right. But yeah, she's asleep now."
      "Thanks Mate." How's it going to work when we go back to the apartment? Will I be able to stay with them both or will Tyler get shitty?
     Abigail returns with the hot water bottle. "Thanks, goodnight, I'm shattered."
     They all mumble their good nights and I consider letting Miley sleep on her own but I know she sleeps better with us.
     I bring her into my arms and she blinks her eyes open. She smiles and lets her eyes fall closed. I take her to my room and settle her by the wall. She instantly curls up to Riley.
The damn dog is in my way. I try shoo him off the bed but he doesn't even react. I go to touch him but he growls at me. Fuck my life.
I climb into bed next to the dog. Hopefully he won't eat my face off. Can't even hold my girl. I shut my eyes and I eventually fall asleep.
A cough jolts me awake. Riley is gasping for breath. I push the dog away despite his grumble. He settles between our legs. I feel around for her but she's sitting up. My arm wraps around her waist. "Shh, I'm here."
She doesn't settle so I slide my hand up her body between her tits and push her back down. I shift as close as I can with the dog where it is.
I wrap around her side and she looks at me. She's crying and she looks terrified. I stroke her cheek, "Shh, you're safe, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." She nods a couple of times and I bring her face to my neck.
"I'm scared." Scared? Nothing is going to happen with me around. Besides, the dog seems to be more of a guard dog than anything else.
"Of what?"
"I don't know." She tries to make out that she's confident and made of steel but underneath she's still that scared girl that was raped in her bed with her family down the hallway.
As protective as her family are they didn't protect her when she needed them most. I pull her closer and hold her. In more ways than one I feel totally helpless. I feel like I should be doing so much more.