Ronan: To the Moon and Back

52. The Spark That Ignites the Flames

Trigger Warnings

After Rae's all cleaned and patched up, the supplies put away, Louis takes her hand in his then leads her downstairs. Almost immediately when reaching the floor, a pair of black gloves are shoved in Rae's face. Louis' about to scold Zayn for nearly punching Rae in the nose, but the look on his face is serious. Zayn may come off as quiet, some times indifferent to certain situations, but Louis knows him well enough that the tightness around his caramel coated eyes means Rae's assault on her own skin haunts him. She takes them without a word, but offers a sheepish smile. 

Then Harry steps up with nail clippers in his hand, and Louis thinks if it weren't for his charming smile and dimples Rae would be giving him much more than an petulant pout. When there's a knock the door, Rae sarcastically cheers, allows Harry to clip the last nail then hurries to answer the door. It doesn't stop from there.

All day it seemed like the door was knocked on, or the bell rang every hour or so, and three times only fifteen minutes apart. It got to the point where Niall had to take a hammer out of Rae's hand so she wouldn't bash in the doorbell. She may or maybe not be a little unstable, her mood swinging from depressingly empty almost, to snippy and angry. 

At first, Raelyn was the one to answer the consistent beckoning, trying to greet her family members without much emotion on her face. She allows herself to be pulled in for sympathy hugs, and kisses and takes whatever food dish they have to offer before leading them into the kitchen. Louis keeps a careful eye on her every chance he can. He watches as her fingers twitch for her chest, sees the way she mentally grounds herself, calms herself, and if it starts to get too much for her in front of her family, Louis steps in.

He'll introduce himself, calling over whichever boy is nearest to do the same. It gives Rae the time to collect herself, or step out of the room to breathe properly. Only once did she have another attack, and that was in reaction to her grandparents showing up; her mother's parents. When Rae opened the door to reveal the two people she hasn't seen for years, she launches herself into her grandmother's arms. It's as close to being herself as Louis thinks he'll get. It goes downhill, however, when MaryAnn walked into the kitchen, spots her parents and just breaks down all over again.

"Oh daddy." MaryAnn had sobbed, practically falling into his arms. Her mother had join the small hug as well.

Rae had been a witness to this along with Louis and Liam. She watched her mother collapse in her grandfather's arms, watched as her grandmother hurried over to hug her daughter. Watched as her grandfather, who seems like the strong, sturdy type of man, shed tear after tear down his face. Rae nearly dropped the casserole dish, almost slipping from her slack fingers, before Liam reacted quickly and took the dish from her hands. Slowly, Rae joined her family, ducking under her grandfather's arm, and snuggled between him and his wife. Liam nudged Louis's around, jerked his head towards the backyard and followed his lead.

They were silent sitting outside, patiently waiting to go back in once the heartbreaking reunion was over. It didn't taken very long before there was a frantic tapping on the glass behind them. Both boys turned around in time to see Rae hunched over, using the counter as support, hand digging at her exposed skin, with her mother hovering next to her. Louis jumped up, barely allowing Rae's grandfather to slide open the door to get inside.

MaryAnn had stepped back once Louis got to Rae, saying, "I can't calm her like you can."

Three hours had passed after that, with Rae's grandparents looking on in shocked concern and her mother motioning them out of the room. It didn't take long for Louis to calm her, doing his usual soothing methods, but it did leave new bloody marks below her collarbones; the gauze having fallen fall during the attack. He absolutely has no idea what to do for that anymore.