Tom Holland x Reader Imagines

28: What Was Once Lost

(In the Heart of the Sea     Thomas Nickerson) 

"The boat is here!" A little boy came running into the room, tripping over loose floor boards and his own feet. "It's here! Thomas is here!"

A little blonde girl, barefoot in the mud just outside, dropped the basket of flowers in her hand as she heard the boy's cries.

"Come on sissy, I've seen him myself! He's on the boat!"

I felt my entire world freeze. And I mean, I felt it. It froze. My sister was no longer crying and sniffling as she picked flowers, my brother was no longer sulking in the walkway, and my mother was no longer giving I'll attempts to get me to speak again.

We all sat, completely frozen, for my little brother had just cried out...Thomas is here.

I stood up very slowly. I wanted to be careful as to not shatter this, if it was what I thought it was, this wonderful dream.

Thomas was home.

My mother covered her mouth with both hands. My sister ran to me, grabbing at my dress as my bother did the same.

"Come on sissy, run! We've got to run to the docks to meet him!"

"No." My mother grabbed my sisters hands, prying her off me. "Let your sister go first....let her see him first."

I covered mouth. This couldn't be real.

My little brother tugged harder. "Come on sissy."

"Run." My mother gave me a small push, and with that, I gathered up my skirts, and I ran. I ran so fast my little brother called after me to slow down, I ran so fast my hair came undone from its delicate braid my mother did in halfhearted attempts to make me feel better.

I ran so fast the neighbor boys couldn't jeer at me, I ran so fast that I was able to jump clear over the crates in the street being unloaded.

My eldest sister cheered for me to run faster from where she stood in the street, grocery basket in hand.

I think I was running about as fast as I could handle.

Thomas was home.

I came to a dead halt in the muddy water when I reached the docks.

People standing in a huge crowd, welcoming the lost seamen with solemn faces, and no words. Just gestures.

The faces all blurred the moment the boy pushed through the crowd, weak and malnourished, walking with a limp, his lips pinched together the way they always were.

All faces were blurred....but his.

The fact that he stood here in front of me, alive, a year after he'd left, rendered me speechless. I could only stand there, in the dirty street, skirt blowing in the wind and hair loose around my face, bare feet freezing in the water, but my heart had never been this light. He was alive.

He looked up at me, and his mouth fell open, jaw slack. The bag he'd slung over his shoulder fell into the puddle beneath him with a splash.

Tears clouded his eyes, also in mine, as he slowly began to comprehend he was home, and I was standing in front of him.

My mind slowly began to comprehend these things to, while he opened his arms slowly, with his chest heaving and he was, finally, smiling.

I covered my mouth as I ran to him, jumping up, throwing my arms around his neck, and letting him hold me tightly for the first time in over a year.

It felt so good, so safe, and so relieving to be held by him, his arms encircling me protectively.

All I could do was cry into his shoulder, hand bracing the back of his neck as I lifted my legs up to wrapped around him.

Very unladylike, I know, but he was home, and I hadn't been able to tell him I loved him before he left.

He was fifteen now. I was also fifteen now, and I no longer cared if we missed a couple courting steps along the way, because he was home.

I pulled back to look at his face. Handsome as ever, a bit more rugged.

He smiled, and it was the sweetest smile I had ever seen. His eyes wrinkled up around the edges, tears spilling over. His lips were chapped.

And for the first time in months, I spoke. "I missed you so much." It only made me start crying again.

"She spoke!" My little sisters voice cried out from behind me, before being shushed by my mother.

"I'm so glad you're alive." I held him even tighter, hiding my tear stained face in the crook of his neck.

He laughed through tears, kissing my shoulder. "I missed you too."

I didn't let him put me down when he tried, I just held on. "Don't leave me again."

He nodded furiously into my shoulder.

"Wherever you're planning on going," I said in a watery voice, leaning back to look at him again. "You're taking me with you."

My mother was crying softly behind us.

"I'm never leaving you again." He shook his head.

I laughed, kissing his forehead soft, and for w prolonged amount of time.

"I promise you," he whispered. "Never again."

I gasped, preparing myself to say what I so sorely regretted not saying as I planted my feet back on the ground. "Thomas, I love you."

He was already crying, but now he was crying and smiling. "I love you too."

I wiped my face softly, and then bit down on my bottom lip. "Thomas, I'm going to kiss you."

He started to ask what I'd just said, but I cut him off, kissing him right on the mouth. His lips were rough, but I didn't care. I couldn't care, because here we were, crying, kissing, laughing, and finally together.

He'd grown taller in the past year, finally growing taller than me.

And he was dreadfully skinny, and tan.

I stopped kissing him to breathe, cupping his face in my hands, looking at him again. "You're so handsome."

He laughed, looking at the ground in embarrassment.

"I'm so glad you're home." I hugged him again, and didn't let go until it was time to walk home, which we did hand in hand, each held tightly.

I never wanted to let go, and when it was time for him to go to Falmouth, he didn't make me.

He let me come with him, and this time, I didn't let him out of my sight. Thomas Nickerson was mine to protect, and this time, I wouldn't fail. I would keep him from any horrors he'd encountered out at sea. That was my job.

My name is Mrs. Reagyn Smith Nickerson, and this is my White Whale story......What Was Once Lost.