My Love; My Life: Slipping Through My Fingers

Strength

*Pic of Ace*
*This is me: The greatest showman*
Setting: still Mary's house...

Bailey watches as Sheldon just stays and listens to Zin's quiet, trembling voice tell him everything-every memory she has from when it all started to when it finally ended. Bailey takes her leave as they talk though and goes to check on the other kids, finding B2 still crying but now sitting on the couch with Mr. Sparks. She finds her mother in the kitchen, on the phone with someone-probably one of her other siblings or something. She goes to Georgie's old room, where she finds Holly comforting Ace-them laying cuddled up on the bed facing each other. Mary would tell them to keep the door open, but with the deed already done, they're was no point in it now...

"I failed her," he whispers dejectedly

"You didn't fail her," Holly whispers, "you did your best."

"I should've tried harder," he sighs heavily, "should've fought harder."

"You were always there for her Ace," she tells him quietly in a reassuring voice, "and you always will be there for her..."

"I should've fought mom more," he says still blaming himself, "fought her harder ta save Zin."

"Ace," Holly whispers with a heavy sigh of her own. "You fought your mom hard as you could that one time," she tells him, "and you were left with brain damage cause of it-"

"It don't matter," he whisper snaps at her, "I'm er older brother. I should've fought harder ya protect her."

"Ace-" she starts again

"It don't matter what nobody says," he whispers to her, "this guilty feelin ain't never gonna go way...ya don't have any siblings, so y'all wouldn't understand no how Holly."

"You're right," she replies quietly, "I wouldn't."

Bay just shakes her head as she watches them turn away from each other, Holly in silent tears-hurt by her boyfriend's words. Sure the girl didn't understand, but didn't mean she didn't sympathize either; Bay leaves them be and goes back to where B2 is in the living room with Mr. Sparks...

"I should've said something," he sobs out, still blaming himself

Bay hated seeing her familiar pain like this, it would break her heart if she were alive today. It isn't long before more people come through the doors and all the grown Cooper kids are back at their mother's house. Missy's is the first to enter the kitchen, having left work early and her kids still in school with Georgie's kid's. Georgie and E are next through the door as the three stay in the kitchen a bit talking with Mary...

"So let me get this straight," Georgie is the first to speak with anger fueling his voice after Mary quiet tells them what's going on, " Amy was hurtin Zin?"

"And the boys are blamin themselves," Missy whispers in a clamor tone

"Sounds familiar," E says quietly as memories of her own childhood replay in her mind

"The boys told nobody outta fear that they wouldn't be believed by Sheldon," Mary whispers to them, "and fear that Amy would turn on em too...rightfully thought too," she continues, "Amy caused Ace permanent brain damage the one time he tried to pull Zin away from er."

Bay watches as E seems to zone and tune out the conversation as she stares at the floor, but soon abruptly leaves to elsewhere...

"What's that bout?" Mary whispers to Georgie

"Y'all ferget," he replies quietly, "E know almost exactly what Zin went through," he sighs out, "and I Ace."

"..." Mary and Missy go quiet as Georgie goes leaves as well