Inside This Place Is Warm, Outside It Starts To Pour.

Chapter 8

Tim's POV
Since Lucy found out Jackson was killed she's been Non-verbal. It's been five days now. We got Angela back safely two days ago and now everything is going back to normal. Well as normal as can be. Today Lucy has to go back to work.

"Bunny," I say softly at 7.

Lucy rolls over and looks at me.

"Cuddle time then we need to get you in the shower ok?" I tell her.

She frowns but nods slightly.

She moves her head onto my chest and draws with her finger on my skin.

We cuddle for five minutes before I get her up and into the shower. I help her shower, then I sit her down and do her hair. I do it in two space buns. We head to work and when we arrive Lucy ignores our friends, sits down at her desk and puts her ear defenders on.

"Is she still not talking?" Celina asks.
"Yeah. Not a peep since." I sigh.
"Poor thing." Angela frowns.
"Do you think she would feel a bit better if you worked with her?" Grey suggests.
"Possibly."
"Alright, you two work together," Grey tells me then we all head off to do our jobs.

 I sit down at her desk and she tilts her head curiously.

"I'm gonna work with you," I tell her and stroke her cheek softly.

Lucy nods slightly then hands me the case.

The morning is pretty average. At lunch, Lucy silently sits at the table with her headphones on while nibbling her food. Later on, while we are back at Lucy's desk with our friends talking about the case while Lucy plays with her sensory toy an officer comes over and laughs.

We all look at him.

"Oi Chen? Cat get your tongue?" Officer Staton smirks.
"Bro shut up," Aaron says.
"Nah. If it was up to me special needs people shouldn't be cops. Only normal people." He smirks.

Suddenly Lucy gets up and slaps him.

"If it was up to me assholes like you shouldn't be allowed to be alive." Lucy snaps her first sentence in about a week.
"Ow! You bitch!" He says, holding his cheek.
"Stanton, my office. NOW." Grey snaps at him.

Stanton shamefully gets up and walks to Grey's office.

"At least I'm more normal than him." Lucy giggles a bit.
"True." I smile.

Since then, Lucy has been a bit more talkative but she's still not back to her normal self. I can't blame her. 

Over the next month, Lucy struggles. She has more meltdowns than usual but then I come up with an idea.

"What if we made you a new routine?" I ask her.
"Huh?"
"Like we can make a new morning routine. It may be upsetting at first but you'd get used to it. Instead, you could wake me up and cuddle me. I'll learn how to do your hair." I suggest.
"Okay. I get to decorate again!" Lucy grins.
"Yeah. Let's go get your art supplies ok?" I tell her.

We go to her spare room. I get Clover and Winnie out while she sets up. We spend a while talking about her routine and then she decorates it. She also makes me make one for myself.

The next morning I wake up and follow my new routine, I go to the gym, shower, hop back in bed and wait until Lucy wakes up.

She wakes up and smiles at me. She cuddles up to me more. We changed the cuddle time to 10 minutes and she's clearly very happy about that. Once our 10 minutes is up, she gets up and gets ready while I get dressed and make breakfast. We both eat and then I do her hair while she plays on her phone. We check on the bunnies, Lucy gets her bag packed and then we head out.

Ever since we made the new routines, Lucy's been doing better. The first few days were rocky but then she got into the routine and she was much better.

Lucy's POV
I miss Jackson. At first, I didn't know how to feel but now I know. I'm sad but at the same time, I've made my peace with it. I know Jackson wouldn't mind me making a new routine. I know he wouldn't mind me making my peace with his death. He would understand. I sometimes can also sense his presence. He's watching over me, looking after me. The big brother I never got.

Whenever I feel lonely I talk to him. I know logically he can't hear but I don't care. In my world, he can.

A/N Another short chapter but at least it's longer than the last one. Now, the next chapter can either be the end of the story or not. I have a whole sequel to this planned but I don't know if I want to make it a sequel or just put it in this one. Either way, you will be getting more of these characters it's just up to you if you want it in here or in another fic.

If you choose in a second fic, I already have two title ideas and I need votes on which one.

'One Love, One House, One Love, One House.' (The lyrics after Inside this place is warm outside it starts to pour in sweater weather.)

Or, 'All Because A Bunny Picture.'