One Shots

You're My Family

I was sat across the room from Octavia, laying upside down on my bed. We were sat in comfortable silence as she made faces at me trying to get me to smile. I was too caught up in my past, in the memories, in the things that haunted me. I gripped the necklace I always had on and spoke in a whisper, "Do you ever think about the day your life ended?" She raised an eyebrow, urging me to explain and I did. I played with the two rings dangling around my neck as I closed my eyes, letting the picture fully come to mind.

"Mom, is John gonna be okay..?" I had been sobbing for days on end at my brother's bedside. John had caught what could have been a very deadly case of the flu. He was my older brother, my protector, my best friend and I was just sitting here watching what I thought would be his last days, but of course our dad came to the rescue. Although, sometimes I wish he hadn't. "How is he doing?" My dad walked in and placed his hand on my mom's shoulder. I watched as their eyes met and I saw how they both were almost mesmerized by each other. "I-I'm not sure how.. How much longer.." She choked on her words and I saw his jaw clench as tears threatened to spill out of his eyes. My dad reached his hand into his coat pocket and put something in my mother's hands before whispering something into her ear. "(Y/N), I want you to come here for a minute." My dad's voice was void of emotion as he walked out of the room, but I followed him after squeezing my brother's hand gently. I saw our father sat at the kitchen table with his head in his hands and approached cautiously. "Dad...?" I sounded weak and scared. I always hated that about myself. I knew when things were bad, but I promised myself I wouldn't be weak anymore. "I.. I know you're clever, so I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you, sweetheart." His voice was raspy as I watched his face for a sign of something, anything that would help me figure out what was happening. "I went and got your brother some medicine, but I know they know I took it." He watched as my eyes widened and I stared at him. "They're.. They're floating you.. Aren't they..?" He stood slowly and made his way over to me, placing a hand on either shoulder. "I love you and your mom and your brother very much. I would do anything to protect you three. That's why I did this." He kissed my forehead and I held onto him, knowing this would probably be the last time I saw him. "I want you to take something for me. Okay?" He took his necklace off of his neck and put it around mine. I played with his wedding band that was on it before looking up at him, "Promise me that one day you'll take mine and your mother's wedding bands and give them to someone you really love. I want my little girl to be happy." He smiled as I whispered my promise to him, a cheesy grin swept across my face, but we both knew the goodbyes were coming. I could see it in his eyes as the heavy footfalls came down the hallway. He hugged me one last time before opening the small hatch in the floor that was my room when the guards came or people were over. The door to the floor wasn't opened again until dinner that night. My mom had tear streaks down her face and I sat at the table quietly as she set plates for her and I. "Man, do I just have to get my own around here?" John walked out of his room slowly, still obviously sick, but healthier than he had been. I ran over and hugged him tightly around the middle, smiling as he ruffled my hair, "You act like somebody died, dork." He chuckled and our mother glared at him, "Sorry, ma." She shook her head. The months after that were long and horrible. Our mother drank and drank and drank and eventually started abusing the two of us. John took most of it though. He would step in between us if she even came near me. I fell asleep in John's room early in the morning, I think it was about four months after our dad was floated, but I can't recall because everything just sort of blended together after that, I awoke to John screaming and ran to the living room. Our mother was choking on her own vomit after an alcohol bender and the last thing I heard before she passed out was, "You killed your father. You did it!" As she pointed at John. He felt for her pulse and looked up at me, tears filling his eyes. He pulled me close to his chest and held me for awhile as I cried, singing to me softly which he denies he ever did. He watched silently as I reached over and pulled her wedding ring off of her hand and slipped it onto my necklace. I told him of the promise I made to our dad and he smiled at the fond memories. "I'll keep you safe. Always."