The Guardian (Sanders Sides Werewolf AU) *on hiatus*

2

"Dad, dad, dad, pop, papa, father, fa, dada, VIRGIL!"

"I'm awake!" Virgil jolted upright, his head narrowly missing Thomas' chin

Virgil grumbled at his son, "why so early? It's a Saturday; you don't have school and I don't have work. It's the day of rest so why are you waking me up at..." Virgil squinted at his Nightmare Before Christmas wall clock, "FOUR IN THE MORNING?"

"Sunday is the day of rest."

"Saturday is the day of pre-rest. Now, why am I up at 4?" Virgil rolled over and put his head under his pillow

"Because I wanna play"

"At four fucking am?" Virgil growled as Thomas pulled his pillow off

"Yes!"

"Thomas, sweetheart, my son, my reason for being. It's four am. I want to sleep."

Thomas pouted, looking down and hugged the pillow tighter.

"I'm sorry Dad" Thomas whispered, tears threatening to spill

Virgil sat up and instantly pulled his son into a hug, guilt flooding into him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, wiping a tear from Thomas' cheek

"I lied about why I'm awake. I had a nightmare, but it wasn't a nightmare. It was a memory" his voice got quieter as he spoke and Virgil pulled him into a tighter hug

"Do you want to tell me what memory it was?" Virgil asked softly

"It was about last year," Virgil's grip tightened as his eyes flashed purple, "we were back with him and...and...it was the night before we got away...it was so loud and it was so dark. I couldn't see anything; I could only hear...the screaming it...it was so loud. I don't know who it was but-but..." he began to hyperventilate

"Thomas, Thomas, you're okay. You're here with me, you're safe. I'm never going to let him hurt you again, okay? I promise. Now tell me five things you can see"

"You, bed, pillow, wall, posters"

"Good, now four things you can feel"

"Your arms, the pillow, the covers, a breeze from the window"

"You're doing amazing, three things you can hear"

"You're breathing, my voice and the clock ticking"

"Two things you can smell"

"Your scent and the leftover smell from the neighbour's barbeque"

"Very good, lastly one positive thing that has happened recently"

"I started 2nd grade"

"There you go. You are here with me and safe. I promised to protect you and I'm not going to break it."

"Pinkie promise?" Thomas asked, holding up his pinkie

"Pinkie promise." Virgil confirmed, locking his pinkie with his sons, "now let's go back to sleep and then we can go into the woods?"

Thomas perked up and nodded, handing Virgil his pillow back, before running back into his room, grabbing his star covered pillow. He then snuggled up with his dad, very quickly falling asleep, breathing in the comforting scent of fresh rain that was emitted from Virgil.

~ ~ ~ ~

The duo woke up at a more respectable time for a Saturday, noon. Thomas went back to his own room to get dressed, while Virgil showered. Thomas wore a pair of black jeans, a grey t-shirt and his red biker jacket with a pair of dark red trainers. He grabbed his satchel and skipped down the stairs and started to collect the things that they would need: picnic blanket, toys and water bottle. Virgil came downstairs shortly after Thomas was finished, wearing his signature purple patched hoodie - that Thomas helped him sew - a pair of ripped black jeans, and Evanescence shirt and purple Doc Martians with rainbow laces.