A Pause

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Sometime in the middle of the night he heard something move. It took him a minute to understand his surroundings. That's when he realized. It was Tory.

She was having a nightmare.

" Tory." He whispered.

She turned slightly, her eyebrows creasing. " Don't leave me too." She murmured. " Please. No. Stop. Come back!" She continued to thrash around. Her forehead was glistening with sweat. 

" Tory!" Robby said loudly.

Her eyes popped open and she sat up quickly, Robby could barely make out the quick movement. Her breathing was uneven, sounding raspy, and coming out as gasps. She put her hand to her chest.

" Hey, it's ok." Robby said, attempting to comfort her by rubbing her back. She pushed him away and turned, not facing him. It wasn't until he heard a sniffle and small sob that gave it away.          " No. Don't cry Tory. It's ok." He tried to pull her in, but she pushed him away. " Tory..."

" Please. I just-"

" Do you want to talk abou-"

" No, I just-"

" Please, Tor. I-"

" It's nothing." 

" Tory." Robby gave her a look that showed how much he cared for her while also wanting to help her, so the truth spilled out of her.

" It's just... I want to go home." She said quietly. 

Robby didn't expect to hear that. " We'll be home soon. Once the tournament is ov-"

" No. You don't understand. That's not what I mean." She said, tears spilling from her eyes. Robby cupped her face and wiped a tear with his finger. 

 " What do you mean?" He asked softly. 

" I want to go home. When my mom was alive and my dad was still there. When I didn't have these major responsibilities. When I wasn't forced to grow up." She said in a whisper, afraid of her voice breaking and showing signs of weakness. But tears were starting to stream.

That was when Robby got it. That was the first time he heard her admit on her own, without the Larusso's forcing her, that her mom was gone. He finally understood her pain and what she was suffering. Years ago he would wish he knew what it was like to have a father. He would want to go back to when he was a kid with his mom, oblivious to it all. Not thinking about why he was the only kid without a dad. 

" Oh, Tory." He said, pulling her in for a hug. She didn't push him away. Instead she started sobbing. She leaned into him, finally giving in to her emotions. " It's ok." He said. 

" No...it's...not." Tory responded. " It's...never...been."

" It'll be fine." He said, stroking her face. 

" I want her back Robby!" Tory said through her sobs. 

" I know." Robby replied, quietly. He held her closer to him, as if to protect her and keep her safe.

" I...sacrificed...so much time! I worked double...shifts...to...get...money...to pay for...her...fucking bills...and the doctors...couldn't help!" She shook both her and Robby with her sobs. The only thing Robby could do was comfort her, and let her vent. He wanted so much to take away her pain, but it wasn't in his power.

" I...had...to watch my...brother...and cook them...meals!"  Robby was rubbing her back, hoping she would find it comforting. He started to play with her hair.

" Tell me this is a dream?" She said, looking into his eyes. The pain and fear was evident in hers. Her eyes were already bloodshot, her voice uneven. " A really bad dream? Please? Please tell me Robby." She started to sob again. She was becoming delusional. She knew. He knew. But it just made him feel even worse for her.

Robby hated hearing her like this. The sound of her pained and hurt sobs stabbed him in the heart. It was a sound he never wanted to hear again. It made him feel like he failed her. Like it was his fault she felt this way.

" I'm sorry, Tor." He said, rubbing her back. " I'm really sor-"

" No. Please." She said, her voice muffled against his chest. " Don't. Stop." His shirt was getting wet, but Robby couldn't care. " You don't know what this is like! You still have both your parents. I'm on my own. I even lost my brother!" She continued to cry, releasing all the tears she held in for the past weeks.

" She's...gone! I didn't even get to say bye." 

" Tory, I'm so sorry. You're right. I don't know. And I can't even imagine how it could be like. But I'm here for you. We all are. I'll stay with you, keep you safe."

" You can't...promise...that." Tory said, her voice breaking. 

That left Robby stunned. He knew she was thinking of Kwon now. How he was there, torturing Robby, then mere minutes later dead. Instead of answering, he held onto her. He thought of all the times she was happy, when things were better. He tried to recall when she was ever this vulnerable. He couldn't think of a time. She had always kept up a wall. Done something to make sure she was safe and well taken care of. 

" I can promise," Robby started slowly. " I'll be here as long as I can. I'll do my best to make sure you're ok. And I'll continue to love you as much as I do right now. Ok?" 

Tory emerged from his shirt and looked at him. She was still crying, but her sobs were lessening. She slowly nodded, looking down. 

" I love you too." She whispered. 

" We should go back to sleep. I didn't sleep last night, and I'm exhausted." He said, trying to distract her. 

She laughed a little, then nodded. " Ok. Yeah." Her breathing was finally started to even out. 

They lay back down, Robby still hugging Tory. She snuggled into him, letting her tears flow. She fell asleep, and before Robby knew it, he was also out.