Lucy got out of bed, her movements quiet and deliberate. She didn't want to wake the others. The house was eerily silent as she made her way to the kitchen. She filled a glass with water, the cool liquid soothing her dry throat. Sipping her water, she wandered to the living room and sank into one of the armchairs. The soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant sound of traffic were the only noises in the stillness. She stared out the window, her mind replaying fragments of her flashbacks.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back to the present. She turned around to see Tim standing there, concern etched on his face. "What are you doing up?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Tim walked around and sat on the couch next to Lucy, his presence a comforting contrast to the isolation she felt. "I was thirsty," he replied, his eyes never leaving hers. "But the question is, what are you doing so early?" His voice was gentle, but the underlying worry was unmistakable. Lucy sighed and glanced back out the window, the first hints of dawn starting to break through the darkness. "I couldn't sleep," she admitted, her tone weary " because" he said, knowing it was something more. She turned away from him looking out the window again. Taking a breath as she said " nightmare" tim could see it wasn't easy for her, and that something was wrong but he couldn't set his finger on it " about" he continued "nothing special" she said. Her voice is troubling. Her eyes went glossy,she didn't know why but somehow she got overwhelmed and the tears came over her. When Tim saw this he got sad himself to see her like that, she was always so strong and she never showed much emotion. But these last few days she has been different. He signed for her to " come here" he said she slowly stood up from her chair, and fell into his arms as they both layed down on the couch. Tims arms around her and her head on his chest.
Her hand was on his chest as she broke down, the emotions she had kept bottled up for so long finally spilling over. The sobs wracked her body, each one a release of the pain and fear that had been haunting her for years. She didn't want to do this anymore. She wanted to forget about her past, to bury the memories so deep they could never resurface. But it was impossible.
Tim held her tightly, his arms a protective barrier against the world. He didn't say anything, just let her cry, knowing that sometimes words weren't enough. His steady heartbeat beneath her hand was a grounding presence, a reminder that she wasn't alone. As the minutes passed, the intensity of her sobs began to slow down and she eventually fell asleep and so did Tim.
In the morning, when Gray, Angela, Nyla, John, and Jackson came downstairs, they were greeted by an unexpected sight. Tim and Lucy were cuddled up on the couch, fast asleep. The group couldn't resist capturing the moment, snapping a few pictures before waking them up. "Lovebirds, wakey wakey," Angela teased, rousing them from their slumber. Groggy, Tim and Lucy slowly realized they were in each other's embrace and quickly pulled away. Lucy stood up hastily as Tim sat up, both looking a bit flustered.
"So, how did you two end up all lovey-dovey on the couch?" Angela asked with a playful smirk. Tim shot her an annoyed look before turning to Lucy with a soft smile. "Well, I was going to get some water, and when I came down, I saw Lucy on the couch, unable to sleep," he explained, deliberately omitting certain details. His eyes briefly flickered to the ground before he intended to meet Lucy's gaze but stopped at her thighs. Angela noticed his hesitation and followed his gaze, her eyes widening as she saw the scars that looked like stab wounds. Soon enough, everyone's eyes were on Lucy's thighs."merde(shit)" Lucy said frustrated
"don't worry" Lucy said casually, attempting to downplay the situation. But concern had already spread through the group, and they moved closer to her. "What do you mean, 'don't worry'?" Tim asked, his voice laced with worry. "What happened?" Angela echoed, equally concerned.
