Storyteller

Chapter 22

Tim POV:

Faith lays beside me, her bare shoulders tan in the morning light. She lays on her stomach, her head turned toward me, eyes glimmering at me. She bites her thumb, and kicks her legs around in the air. I run my thumb along her cheek, before kissing her. She looks stunning in this light. 

"We can't do this again, you know that right?" She whispers quietly. I laugh lightly, and smile at her. She's worried about the girls. I understand that a hundred percent, but I still love her. I still love the girls too. I can't just walk away. 

"I'm better now, honey." I say softly, curling up next to her. She looks at me carefully, studying me. She shakes her head slowly and spares me a small smile. 

"And I'm glad you are... I just don't think that it'd be a good idea, given everything in the past..." She releases, taking a deep breath. I'm starting to panic, as I notice her begin to become tense. Faith, I'm not that man anymore. I can't hurt you anymore... 

"I understand." I respond, kissing the tip of her nose and standing up, putting on my clothes. She lays in bed still, and watches me. She bites her lips, before sighing. She sits up, and tussles her hair a little bit. 

"Do you want to say hi to the girls?" She asks, clearing her throat. She watches me eagerly, unsure of how I'll respond. I smile, and nod. I haven't seen the girls in years. 

We walk downstairs. She starts to make breakfast, before I decide to takeover for her. She, in response, decides to work on getting coffee for the both of us. Audrey walks down the stairs and stops once she's spotted me. She freezes, and analyzes the situation carefully. This is the true test. I don't know how Faith has handled this, or if I'm going to be a villain in their eyes regardless. 

She's almost grown up now. She's eleven years old, meaning that I've missed practically half of her life. Her blonde locks are now more of a dark brown, and her blue eyes are green. She looks at Faith for a cue whether to run away or toward me. Faith looks at her and smiles, granting her the right to come forth. She nervously walks up to me, before reaching out for a hug. I gladly wrap my arms around her, feeling myself breakdown a bit. I kiss her cheek, and her forehead, before releasing her. Faith smiles at me, seeming very nervous herself. 

After spending the day getting reacquainted with the girls, Faith is driving me home, since she drove me to and from the hospital. Our conversation continues easily, and we are comfortable again. We fall into silence, as something begins to engulf Faith's mind. She taps the wheel nervously. 

"You know I love you more than anything, right?" She confesses, looking over at me. I cringe, feeling a pit in my chest begin to form. "It's just... I get nightmares. There's just constant reminders of what happened, and I can't get it out of my head. It's not fair to you, but... I don't know what else to do. I love you so much but I'm still scared." She admits, panting a little as the car comes to a stop light. I nod, and try to answer carefully. 

"I understand." I say, repeating my answer for earlier. I want to fight for her, but I know it'll take time. If we rush back into this, we risk falling right back into our old way. She looks over at me and leans her head against her headrest. 

"Stop." She says firmly, her eyes growing moist. "Don't try to do this I understand thing... Tell me what to do... I don't know what I need to do..." She starts to cry. I feel my chest grow tight. I look down at her trembling hands, which for the moment rest in her lap. 

"Don't love me." I suggest, feeling my heart clench at the words. She stares at me, before looking at the wheel and biting her lip. The light turns green, and she starts to drive for a while, before pulling onto the side of the road. She puts the car in park, and sits back in her seat.