Whole Lotta Love- One Shots

Be My Anchor (Part Five)- A Tom Hiddleston Story

I haven't gotten dressed for a 'date' in this room in years. It wasn't the same as I'd left it when I moved out. Mom and Dad kept it just the way it was for the first few years of college but after it became apparent to them that I wasn't coming back home, they packed all of my things, strung up some Beatles posters and made it into a guest room. Other family came around more often than I did. Mom's brother was here at least every 3 months with his new wife and her three kids. They needed the space and I was glad they didn't hold onto the memory of my living here.

Still, I felt sentimental as I sat on my old bed and looked at a few of the photos on the bookshelf that I had once packed full of all of my novels.

A picture of myself and my parents the day that I came home from the hospital. A photo of mom and dad meeting Ringo Starr. On the very last shelf was a photo I didn't recognize. I leapt to my feet and grabbed the silver frame. Two young, teenaged faces were staring back at me.

'Lennon and Tom' was written across the bottom of the frame in Sharpie.

***2000***

Family vacations were the bane of most teenagers' existence but I never minded it in the least. In fact, I looked forward to the annual vacation with my parents and for the past 4 years Tommy had been joining us.

This year we were in Ireland, one of my most favorite places to be, visiting Blarney Castle. The nature lover that she was, mom had dragged dad ahead to see the castle gardens and that left Tommy and I to ourselves to explore the rich history and gorgeous scenery around us.

"This castle has been standing since the 1400's." Tommy explains as we stare up at the magnificent structure. Depending on your point of view, the castle looked either war beaten or from a fairytale. Here with Tommy, it seemed to be more of the latter.

"You're like a walking encyclopedia." I tease, poking him in the ribs. He laughs, a blonde curl falling down across his forehead and into his eyes. I squeeze my fists together as hard as I can to keep myself from touching him and putting it back in place. With his curls, though, there really was no point. They had a gorgeous, tempting mind of their own.

"And this," he points to our visitor's map, "is what they call 'The Court'. A family owned the gothic mansion in the 1700's after buying the castle and finding it unpleasant to live in. It burned in the 1800's."

"What happened?" I ask, studying the pictures of the dilapidated old house.

"Some say it was to keep their son from inheriting it."

I nod and point at another photo. "And this?"

I stare at a rock that seems to take the shape of a human face and stares back at me.

"That is the Witch's Stone." He informs me, "Apparently the Blarney Witch resides there and escapes after nightfall." His voice takes on the sound of an old storyteller and I try not to laugh.

He grabs my arms for dramatic effect, trying to scare me. I raise an eyebrow at him in disbelief that he thought that would work.

"Okay. Maybe not." He laughs and we continue walking, coming upon a series of stone stairs.

"Oh, those are exquisite." I say, running to them and rubbing my hand across the smooth stones. The history of them seem to scream at me to be learned.

"The Wishing Steps." Tommy reads aloud. "Legend has it that if you can walk these steps down and back up-backwards- with your eyes closed and think of everything but what you wish for, then that wish will come true."

"Backwards?" I ask, "And with your eyes closed."

I stare at the steps and see my imminent death in the near future.