Hatchetfield.

Becky Barnes Climbed a Tree

Becky Barnes had spent most of her life believing three things:

One, that Stanley had the power. Two, that she was weak. And three, that she still loved Tom Houston.

She clung to those three things every day for fifteen years. Those three things that she could never forget. Those three things that haunted her every waking moment, even though Tom Houston was a thing of the past. Because she yearned for a completely different life. Because hope was not to be had when her husband raised his fist. And daydreaming was her only escape from his torment.

That was of course, until a week after Tom's wife died.

She wanted to go to the funeral. Not to win him back, but to be his friend, just like they were as children. Not to remind him of their past life, but to hold him in her arms... even if it was only platonically. Because nothing was worse than never seeing him again.

Her friend needed comfort. Her friend needed hope. And though years had passed, who could keep them apart? Other than the fate of the last fifteen years, which Becky was no stranger to.

Neither was Tom.

Because in that time he was away from her after he returned home from combat, Tom Houston also knew three things:

One, that he loved Jane. Two, that he loved his son. And three, that he would always love Becky Barnes too.

Deep down she had her reasons for attending, but she assumed Tom would never feel the same. How could he? He spent so long away. He lived a life he wanted. He had a son. And who was she to assume he'd love her again?

Becky decided to go to the funeral because she had nothing to lose.

She had already lost everything.

But Stanley wouldn't let her go... and that was when the fire inside of her ignited again.

Who was he to keep them apart?  Who was he to control her decisions? Who was he to say no? As if she was being woken up to truth for the very first time, Becky realized that there were three things she no longer believed:

One, that Stanley had the power. Two, that she was weak. And three, that she would ever stop fighting for Tom Houston.

She realized that she was the one who had given Stanley the power. He was the one who unwillingly made her weak. And he was the one who convinced her Tom would never love her back again.

The power had never been snuffed out of her, but merely ripped from her grasp.

Stolen.

So, that night, she took it back.

She fought back.

After all, he was the one who chased her into the woods.

After all, he was the one who made her go to nursing school.

After all, he was the one who had brought the knife.

It had been a year and a half since then.

Becky never found a body in the dark of Witchwood Forest where she left Stanley, but he never came crawling back either.

She'd like it to stay that way.

Now she was with Tom, Tom was with her, and they were together.

They were finally a family.

Tom didn't realize just how much he still loved Becky until he saw her that night. Until they stood face to face, and neither held an expectation of the future. They just... held each other.