The Forest Fic

16

Tyler wakes up to his mother lying on his bed next to him, rubbing his back.

"Hey," she says softly as he sits up, rubbing his eyes.

"Hi," he says, feeling hollow.

"Want to talk about it?" his mom asks gently.

Tyler starts to shake his head, but says, "Josh hit me."

His mom's eyes widen. "He what?"

"It was my fault," Tyler says, running his fingers through his hair. "I kept screaming that he's not real, he's not real, and he was crying but I didn't stop and finally he just hit me."

His mom stares at him, looking horrified.

"He hit you," she says slowly.

Tyler rubs his eyes, nodding. He's suddenly wrapped into a fierce hug.

"Mom?" he says uncertainly as he feels her shake as though she's crying.

"Tyler," she says softly. "Oh, Tyler. I'm so sorry."

"Why... why are you...?" Tyler begins but doesn't finish, hesitantly patting his mother's back.

"My baby boy," she whispers, hugging him to the point that it's hard for him to breathe.

"Mom?"

Tyler looks up to see his youngest brother peeking into the room.

"Um, I don't mean to bother you, but Dad's on the phone," the brother says, holding out the phone.

Reluctantly, Tyler's mom releases Tyler and grabs the phone. Looking much relieved, his brother leaves immediately.

"Chris?" his mom says, holding the phone to her ear. She listens for a moment. "No, he just woke up." She pauses again. "Yes, I did- no, I'll tell you later." Another pause. "Yeah, he is. See you soon." She hangs up, setting the phone on Tyler's dresser.

Tyler's mom sits back down next to him on the bed.

"Are you hungry?" she asks.

Tyler shakes his head. "What time is it?"

His mom checks her watch. "3:50," she says.

"In the afternoon, or-"

"In the morning," she says.

Tyler frowns. "What's Dad doing out? What's my brother doing up?"

"Your dad went out to go pick up a few things," his mom says. "And all of your siblings haven't been able to sleep."

"That's my fault, I'm sure," Tyler says, sounding perfectly apathetic.

His mom squeezes his hand. "It's my fault, if anything," she admits. "I've been a bit of a mess."

"Oh," Tyler says, unsure of what else to say.

"We're going to see Dr. Paulson later, okay?" she says.

"Why?"

"We all need to talk together," she tells him.

"About what?'

She shrugs. "Everything that's been happening."

Tyler sighs. "The sex," he says, and his mom flinches.

"Yes, Tyler," she says. "That's part of it."

Tyler nods slowly, lying back down. He buries his head in his pillow and pretends Josh never hit him.