Just When I Needed You Most (Sequel to Forever & Always)

Chapter 18

TIM POV: "Let...go... stop... Derek... please..." Carrie yells as she shakes uncontrollably. 

"Honey... Carrie." I say lightly, grabbing her hand.

"What!" She screams, gasping and then crying, like she always does. I get into her bed, and curl up to her. "I hate him. I didn't know he could do that..." She says every time.

Her abusive boyfriend from Oklahoma, turns out to be Derek. It's a small world. She's been having nightmares of him coming back to hurt her. I mean, I guess he did find her, but he didn't mean to. The police haven't found him yet, so I won't let any of the kids leave the hospital. When they need clothes, they call Betty and she goes and get them for the girls. I can't risk losing them, like I almost did.

Faith told me that for now, she's gonna go. She says that she thinks I have everything under control. I think she's right. I feel like for the first time since she's gone, I'm starting to find my way back. She said that if something were to happen, she would come back and help me. I can tell she feels good about how things are going for us, so far.

Carrie lays her head on my chest and falls asleep. Her head is right on top of where my scar is. The good thing is that it doesn't hurt anymore. The only thing that hurts is this leg, which is in need of a great physical therapist.

Carrie more than likely can't have kids. It broke her heart when she found out. She cried for a good 3 weeks, but now she's becoming closer with the girls and I think they fill that missing part inside of her. Audrey and her are inseparable. Gracie and Maggie are really close with her too. 

I look at the whiteboard in the room to see that its been a year to the day, since Faith has passed. I smile, surprised that I've made it through a year without her. She's definitely still here. I can feel her here, she just can't be here all the time like she used to be. She's here when I need her to be, and that's the most important part.