Fight By My Side

By the time I ran back to the Sanctuary, Jack had moved inside, and Mike was still standing post. He cawed at me gently as I went to the trap door. Using my paw, I pushed under the loop and nosed the door open, slipping inside as it crashed down.

I shook my head, trying to rid the thoughts of the boy with the tattoos as I entered our living area. There were grocery bags strewn about as Vic put away the groceries. Both boys had shifted back to humans. I didn't want to shift back yet and had to cool down, trying to ration myself out.

Sometimes the wolf part of me was more rational than the human part.

"Hey Wyn! We brought back jerky!" Vic cheered happily. Vic always was happy when jerky was in the Sanctuary. I raised my head in a nod, but otherwise didn't answer. My paws felt like lead as I trudged to my door. Jack and Vic whispered quietly to each other, but sometimes I think they forget wolves have sensitive hearing. I was nearing my bed room door when I froze, listening to their conversation.

"Shut up, Vic! Don't you remember the day?" Jack hissed back to him. Vic had a moment of recognition.

"Oh, okay. But it's been, like, six years now? I thought she would've moved on..." Vic drifted off, seemingly distracted. I growled, low and deep in my throat, snapping my teeth together angrily.

Move on?! Sure! Let's all just skip off to happy land and chase rainbows while forgetting about witnessing your parents murder that HAUNTS YOU EVERY NIGHT!

I barked, the rough sound echoing in open room as I whipped around to face Vic and Jack. They both stared at me, wide eyed. I'd only been truly mad and upset a few times, and both times they wished for me never to be like that again. The fur on my back bristled, ears flattened. Jack held up his hands.

"Hey Shadow-Walker, he didn't mean it..." Jack called me by my nick name as he tried to soothe my anger, taking a few steps forward. I felt burning tears at my eyes. But I forgot; wolves don't cry.

I turned towards Vic, shaking from the fury. My mind was blurred from the anger and I saw no rational reason to any actions. Seriously, he was like a brother to me. He WAS a brother for me! Just four years ago when I saw the kid's dead body on the side of the road, HE was the one came into my room, trying to coax me out. HE was the one that held me as I cried as the haunting memories of my parents, the blood, the murderers, rushed back to me.

I was hurt that now HE was saying that. I had screwed up today with the tattooed boy while trying to run away from the past, and HE brought them back up again!

Jack stepped back as I increased the volume of my growl, my lip curled menacingly. Vic looked down, ashamed before coming to Jack's side, looking sorrowful. We sat in uncomfortable silence for many minutes before I stopped, turning around to the door and Shifting back. Although my arms were heavy at my sides and it took the fight out of my to turn back, I managed to twist the door knob and push the door open.

"When you see your parents being slaughtered for something they never did and then revisit the memories over and over every night, you come tell me when you 'got over it'." I responded, a tad harsher than I meant to, before entering my room and closed the door.

My parents never started the war, but the Guardians hunted them just the same. They never killed anybody. They were the gentlest people I ever met, yet they were killed like beasts.

Although technically it wasn't just my room, I shared it with the three other boys, each of us in our own separate beds lined up against the back wall. The other three other rooms were guest rooms. When we were trying to figure out the use of space, it was wisest to leave as much room for guests as possible. I flopped down in my bed, the one second to the left.

We each had our own little lights and nightstands. I pulled open the drawer, looking to get the pain over with all at once. It was better to rip the band-aide off instead of slowly enduring it.

At the bottom, I had salvaged a few things of my parent's before fleeing the scene. Inside was a stuffed bear my parent's had given to me when I was born and a picture of the three of us. The moon pendant I always wore was my mom's. I took the bear out and set it on my pillows. The paws balanced carefully on the light blue blankets that covered my bed. It might have seemed childish, but it was a reminder of my parents.

I clasped the picture in both hands. My mom, dad, and I were all standing in front of the woods. We used to walk out here all the time, and one of our Shifter friends had come along, snapping the picture as we posed just outside the woods.

I wiped hot tears off the side of my cheeks. No, Vic's right. Maybe I do need to move on. I repeated to myself. It seemed like every night, I was bombarded with nightmares, each time I relived watching the blood from my father's chest mingle with my mothers. Sometimes I ran away, sometimes I died with them, sometimes could only stand there and watch, right behind them as they fell, yet the Guardians didn't notice me.

But every night made it harder to let go. I was flooded with these thoughts.

As I closed my eyes and let the tears drip onto my hands, I heard Jack yell at Vic outside. Jack may not have gone through what I did, but he was a little more sensitive than Vic Fuentes.

"Why did you say that?! You should know better Vic!" Jack yelled at Vic, the anger overpowering the room. Vic sat quietly for a few minutes. Footsteps bounced down the stairs. It must've been Mike.

"I didn't realize it still bugged her." He spoke softly. Jack grumbled for a few minutes about insensitivity before sighing. I could see where Vic was coming from. I had told Vic about the nightmares I got, but that was four years ago. He probably thought I had outgrown them and moved on, but I never told him they attack my brain every night.

"Vic screwed up with Wynter." Jack explained the situation to Mike, who just sighed.

"Stop making me feel worse than I already am. I know I screwed up! Do you think that I really meant to say that?! She's like my little sister and I can't stand to see her like that!" Vic cried out. Inside my room, I felt small. Clutching the worn fur of the brown bear, I wished it all away. Closing the drawer, I glanced back at at the old picture, still holding on to it. The room outside fell silent, but all I could see was darkness behind my eyes lids.

I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

I set the brown bear on the dresser under the light, still holding the picture, legs swung over the edge of the bed. A knock at the door alerted me to someone, but I didn't care. I just needed my space. I could sense the three guys hovering just outside the door, waiting for a reply.

"What do I do?" Vic whispered. Mike and Jack whispered encouragements of 'go in!' and 'stop screwing around and say you're sorry!'. The sound of the door opening alerted me to the presence walking into the room. The click of the door going back to its original position made a tear drop to the floor as my head bowed over the picture.

Okay, I had over reacted and I felt bad. The anger got to me, the weariness of today, the past, the boy who looked like Dad...

"Hey, Wynter." Vic mumbled, still standing at the door awkwardly. I could almost hear Mike and Jack's murmurs over on the opposite side of the door. I gave him a side wave, still not opening my eyes. I didn't want to look at the memories in my hands. His soft footsteps came close to me as he sat down on the bed.

"Hey." I sniffed to him. We both sat there silently, our own thoughts locked in our heads. Eventually Vic sighed, deciding to dive into the conversation.

"Wyn, I'm sorry about what I said. Really, I am. I didn't mean to and that was extremely rude of me to do." He apologized. I sighed and opened my eyes to see Mom and Dad staring back at me. I set the picture back on the dresser and set my head in my hands, sobbing.

"Vic, I miss them so much." I collapsed, leaning into his strong shoulders. He wrapped his arms around me, rubbing my shoulder sadly. His chin rested on top of my head as I cried into his neck. For once, he didn't say anything and just let me cry. His long hair brushed against my cheeks.

"Don't worry, little sis." He murmured, once again calling me by his family name for me. He really did treat me like a younger sister.

"Vic, I know you didn't mean it, it's just, the...they keeping coming back to me each night. It's just one nightmare on a continuous loop. The G-Guardians kill them, or I die with them, o-o-or I watched, unable do do anything once again." I sputtered, choking on my sadness. Vic rubbed my back, calming me down like usual. He always knew what to do to alleviate stress and anxiety. Vic would always just hold me and rub my back until I stopped crying. The clock on the wall hummed out a strike, warning us that it was already 9:00. The summer sun would've just disappeared and the moon would start its ascent.

"Wyn, I didn't know you were still having nightmares." his subdued voices said. I buried my face deeper into his chest, ashamed I never told him. I started to yawn, the battle taken out of me. The Shifting and the tears had sapped all strength from me.

"I thought they'd go away, but they didn't. They never did." I muttered sleepily. Vic laughed gently, rubbing the back of my neck, making me even more sleepy.

"Do you wanna go watch another movie?" He asked me. I yawned once again, but didn't want to go to sleep with the nightmares.

"Didn't we watch one last night?" I laughed weakly. Vic chuckled with me.

"Yes, but now it's your turn to pick." He told me. I knew what we needed to watch.

"Lets go watch the Avengers kicking alien butt." I told him. He pulled me up from the bed. After talking, my face wasn't so red and puffy. Vic wrapped one arm around my shoulders as I hugged him.

"Thanks Vic." I whispered in his ear. I could see him grin.

"Hey, anytime." He told me. We walked out of the room. Jack and Mike were at the bar again, both having a drink.

"Good to see you in one piece, Vic." Mike joked. Jack just sighed.

"Feeling better, Wyn?" He asked. I gave him a weak nod, still feeling bad I growled at him.

"We're going to watch Avengers. Anyone want to join?" Vic asked, his arm still around my shoulders. Jack rubbed his hands together.

"Gotta love Iron Man and the Cap!" He cheered and dove for his favorite spot in the giant bean bags. Mike popped in the disk and went to the couch. Vic and I plopped into the other bean bag.

Half way through, I started to get a little sleepy. I curled next to my 'big brother', trying to resist a small yawn and keep my eyes open. By the beginning of the credits, I had my eyes closed. The three guys probably thought I was asleep, but I was attempting to fend off the dreams.

"I never get tired of that film." Mike said as he shut off the TV. The amazing thing about the old house, was that it still got cable and electricity.

"Looks like little sis is asleep. I'm going to follow her example and head off to bed. Goodnight, everybody." Jack noted, stretching and heading off to bed.

"I'll bolt the doors." Mike said and went off to do that. We had multiple safety precautions and Mike was in charge of them. Vic rolled over to face me.

"Psst, Wyn...Wynter, you awake?" He nudged me. I grumbled but didn't open my eyes.

"Grrrm..." I muttered. Vic laughed and brushed my bangs that had fallen in my face.

"Vic, stop being a flirt..." Mike teased as he crossed the room. Vic muttered towards him.

"I'm not flirting, I'm taking care of little Wyn." He shot back. I laughed a little. The Fuentes stood up, popping his back.

"Wyn, are you going to go to sleep?" He asked. I opened my eyes, but it felt like thirty pounds was on my eyelids.

"I ain't walking there." I groaned. Vic chuckled.

"So you'll just sleep here?" He questioned. I closed my eyes. Hey, I was in a light shirt and athletic shorts. I usual slept in this anyways. I could do it.

"I guess so." I concluded and turned over. Pretty soon I was lifted into air with a squeak of complaint.

"Come on, Shadow-Walker, you're coming with me." Vic cradled me. I sighed and closed my eyes, nearly falling asleep in his arms.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" I asked him sleepily. He nodded, setting me in my bed. It didn't take eyes to know that Jack and Mike were already dead asleep. Vic locked the door and pulled back the covers, tucking both of us in.

When I told Vic that I'd had nightmares for the first time about five years ago, it was when I woke up in heavy sweats. He was a light sleeper and said that he heard me tossing and turning. That was a particularly bad night and laid in bed with me until I fell back into a heavy slumber. Ever since then, that was the ritual in case of bad nights.

"Do you think you can sleep better tonight?" He asked me, gently stroking one piece of stray hair. I nodded sleepily, curling into his open arms.

"Goodnight, big brother." I whispered.

"Goodnight, little sis." He responded.

That night, the nightmare ended before anything bad could happen. I counted that as a big win.

Notes

Awww! Big brother Victor is taking care of little sis Wynter! Fuentes brothers are so caring! I hope you guys liked that chapter!

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