Don't Forget Me

Chapter Fourteen

Everything was silent. And it wasn't a comfortable silence either. It was empty, and cold. A bitter feeling hung in the air. They all knew why. They all knew. So, they all agreed to be silent as Matt wrapped up Tom's scarred hand.

"Tom..." Edd mumbled. Tom looked up at him, but Edd refused to look back.

"What?" His tears had dried, and he was left with a sour taste in his mouth when he spoke. However, Edd didn't know what to say. Did he ask why Tom did what he did, or apologize? Did he get mad at him? Or did he feel bad?

"Why did...I mean...Did you..." Edd fumbles with his words. This never happened before. But, then again, Tom never went missing before. However, Tom let him speak. He wasn't going to interrupt him, despite how pissed he was.

"Thomas, why did you do it?" He looked over at Tord, who was looking at him with an unreadable expression. Tord has only ever called him 'Thomas' once before. He didn't respond. Just bowed his head in shame. He heard the other God sigh, and then, footsteps. Tord kneeled down in front of Tom, and looked up at him. Reaching to him, he gently lifted Tom's face, to look at him.

"Thomas," he said again, his voice as unreadable as he expression.

"What...What do you want from me..." Tom tried snapping at him, but his voice broke.

"Why did you do it?"

Tom took a deep breath, before answering him, "I wanted to see why I stay around here...Why I bother. I'm nothing. I'm nothing at all. So...I wanted to see who cared, if any of you cared at all.."

Edd looked up at him. His own eyes were filling with tears as he spoke, "Youre not nothing, Tom. Why do you think that?"

"Because I cant do anything! I can't control storms, or wind! I can't rapidly grow food! I can't be there for people," Tord tried to speak, but Tom just glared at him, "I'm not done. I'm a shadow God! And I can't control shadows or create anything! Hell, I can't even control myself!" Everyone froze. Tord stood, and looked down at him.

"No. You know what, you can't do any of that. But you want to know why?"

"Why?" Tom practically snarled at him.

"Because that's not you. When you mentioned creating storms? That's me. Not you. Edd and Matt can't do that. And rapidly growing food? That's Edd's thing. I can't do that either."

"But what about controlling shadows, huh? What about the things a 'Shadow' God is supposed to do?" Tord shook his head.

"Tom, what is a Shadow God supposed to do? That's hard to know if you're the only one in existence!" He snapped. Tom visibly flinched back, and Tord froze.

"I'm sorry for yelling." Tom just looked away from him. Edd opened his mouth, before shutting it again. He was at a loss for words.

"But, what about the things any normal person can control? Tord, I know you hate our fusion. I can't control myself, and you have to suffer for that."

"But I don't!" He turned to him, "I don't! Literally everytime we fuse, you take all the pain for yourself! You make sure I can't feel it!" Tom felt Matt stop, and look at him. Edd did too.

"You...You do what?" Matt asked, continuing, slower. When's Tom refused to answer, Edd spoke up.

"You channel all of that pain on yourself?" Tom nodded his head.

"He doesn't need to suffer for something I can't control. None of you do."

Everyone fell silent again. Eventually, Matt cut the wrap, and tucked it in on itself, to hold it in place. Tom sat, his head screaming.

You told them. You told them how useless you are. How terrible you are. You told them, and did they react much? No. No, they didn't. You always asked why you felt so much pain.  You're in pain because you chose to be. You chose to do this, didn't you?

But, he didn't. Tom didn't choose this. He didn't want to be in pain, but he didn't want the others to be in pain either. He didn't choose this, but he did choose them over himself. He chose Tord over himself. He always has, and always will.

So, Why was it so difficult all of a sudden?

Why did Tom want to stop? He didn't want to protect them from himself anymore. He just wanted to be better, to be healed.

"Tom, I understand if you want to go back. Like I said, we won't stop you," Edd said, his voice full of sorrow. Matt backed away from the God to give him space, to think. He felt all of them looking at him, waiting for his response. Should he run? Should he stay? What should he do?

"I'm done." He said. Everyone stared at him, confused.

"What?" Tord tilted his head.

"I'm done running. I'm done being scared. I'm done."

"And that means..."

"I'm not leaving." However, Tom's expression was blank. He wasn't saddened by this, or happy and excited. His problems weren't automatically solved. And he still had a long way.

But this was a start.

[The story is not over yet!]