{On Hiatus} Snapshots :: Sugar & Spice | Lloyd Garmadon

01. Coffee

    Drums pounded in my ears as I tried to look around my room, something wasn't right- it was too quiet. But it was loud. Why can't I see? Where is Ruby? Why can't I speak? Forcing myself up, panicked thoughts ran through my mind, I wanted to go... go where? Calm down...think....

Dad came in my room, feeling him scoop me up in his arms

Dads face was comforting. But who is missing? Where is grandma... Grandma is gone... Where is Jackie? Jackie is gone... Someone is missing......Lloyd...Where is Lloyd?

Frantically, I struggled to get out of Dad's arms, ...he had to be here! Searching my room for the familiar blond, trying to grasp for air. He could be gone... where was Lloyd!

"Lloyd!?" I managed to choke out, stumbled onto the floor after managing to somehow wiggle away from dad... he had to be here, he was just here.

"Reagan, calm down, everyone is safe." Dad spoke calmly as he took me in his arms again. Though it didn't help, something was wrong...everything was wrong, I needed to leave...I needed to go.

***

Lloyd's heart broke as he laid his eyes upon the scene, having seen it so many times this week. The same baggy eyes of her family upon him as he made his way to the shaking ginger. The nightmares were getting worse. In a few short strides, he was in front of Mr. Reed

Mr. Reed allowed him to take the flailing girl in his arms. Holding her close to his chest as he mumbled comforting words and ran his hands through her hair until she had fallen into a peaceful sleep against his chest.

This wasn't supposed to be how this week was supposed to go, it was supposed to be happy...it was supposed to be lively, though sitting on her bed in the midst of her family... Even Mrs. Reed didn't try to kick him out. Lloyd had been at the Reeds nearly every day, the days he wasn't there, Reagan seemed to have a panic attack of sorts that nobody could calm her down.

Mr. Reeds' look of concern made Lloyd's heart sink. This felt so wrong, he was the one that should be the one to comfort his daughter. He felt out of place, in her family's home, being the one that kept Reagan together.

"Looks like she finally fell asleep." Mr. Reed's soft tone snapped Lloyd out of his train of thought, glancing down to see his wife asleep...his wife...

"...this can't go on." Lloyd spoke softly as he stood in the middle of the room. Looking down at the dog that was now whining at his feet. His grip around his wife's piety body, he couldn't let this go on.

Mr. Reed sighed, running his hand over his bald head. "I know... just...let's do a test first before we jump to any conclusions."

Lloyd's grip on Reagan tightened, he knew what needed to be done. And whether her family liked it or not, it was what needed to happen, gritting his teeth as he spoke his next words. "I'm going to be busy for a week... I won't be able to come... maybe if she can stay with my mom-"

"Just give me a heads-up...you can stay the night." Mr. Reed shut him down, he didn't want his baby girl to go so soon... Lloyd knew that... they had talked about this before... It was supposed to be another year before she was planning to live with him.

Lloyd decided to just nod... though he felt somewhat responsible...somehow.

The few words spoken between the men were all that was needed. The family being ushered away from the sight by the older brother who seemed to understand, the mother insisted on staying, however the father convinced her she needed to sleep.

All who were left in the room were Lloyd, Reagan, Ruby, and Yuki.

"You're really going to take my sister away... aren't you?" Ruby spoke softly as Lloyd laid down. Reagan close to his chest as he kept her in a firm hug as he looked over to see Reagan's near identical twin sit up in her bed, her eyes brimming with tears.