Let Me Help You (Addilyn)

[Deleted]

This was bad. Edmund didn't know how bad because he couldn't catch up with Addi in the corridors. Still, he was pretty sure he knew where she went. The common room. Interestingly enough, that's where she normally went when she was upset, though it made hardly any sense to him. He preferred to hide from everything when he was upset. But this was Addi and he was almost positive that's where she'd gone.

As he rushed toward the common room, his mind was racing. He was trying to come up with something to make her feel better or help somehow. He hated seeing her upset. He didn't think there was anything he could really do. Except be there for her, to comfort her.

He walked in the common room and exhaled in relief when he saw her. He guessed right. He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. He didn't say anything because he didn't know what to say. He'd let her lead the conversation.

@jill2

[Deleted]

@edmund
<3

This was all so crazy. Addilyn couldn't believe she just did that. Her poor brother. Her feelings were all over the place. She felt bad because he was her brother, and she loved him, but she was also extremely angry because Grey would rather protect himself than protect her. And that broke her heart in more ways than one. She couldn't even think right.

Addi heard the common room door open. She didn't even have to turn around to know it was Edmund. Oh how much she... Loved him. It made her heart swell to think that, but she couldn't say it. As his arms wrapped around her, Addilyn curled up into a ball and began sobbing into his chest.

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Edmund held her as she cried. He hated this, hated that she was hurting and that he told her what hurt her. Granted, he had no desire to keep that from her, he didn't keep secrets from Addi. But seeing her like this hurt him. He wished there was something he could do to take away her pain, but he knew better. It had to run its course.

He ran his hands up and down her back, hoping that maybe he might be helping her, even if it was just a little. "I'm so sorry Adds," he whispered into her hair as he held her closer. "What do you want me to do?" He didn't know what she wanted. Maybe she wanted to be alone or wanted chocolate or something. He didn't want to leave her, but he would help her in any way he could.

@jill2

[Deleted]

@edmund
<3

Addilyn felt his hands run up and down her back. It was so comforting. She couldn't believe how gentle and sweet Edmund was being. It was so caring and loving and it made her extremely happy, even though she was also extremely sad.

Addilyn sniffled , trying to catch her breath. She didn't know what she wanted. She just wanted to be happy for once. "I want my siblings to stop acting like idiots and talk to me..." Addi wiped a few tears away even though they immediately were replaced. "And I want you." Her sea green eyes looked into his deep brown ones.

[Deleted]

There wasn't anything Edmund could do to make her siblings stop being ridiculous. He frowned as he tried to think of something, anything he could do but there wasn't anything. He didn't know Claire at all and there was no way Grey would talk to Edmund. Not when Grey was ignoring his sister. There would be no reason for Grey to talk with her ... Boyfriend. Unofficial boyfriend, that was. He reached forward and played with her hair while looking into her eyes, "I wish I could fix this and make them talk to you, but I can't." At her next comment, Edmund have her a small smile. "Adds, you don't need to worry about me. You have me," Edmund leaned forward and gave her a light kiss. He didn't want to get too distracted because who knew when people would come back from dinner, but Addi needed to know that he was there for her. "I'll be here for you, no matter what you need. Or when. You know that, right?" He asked gently. 

@jill2

[Deleted]

@edmund
<3

Addilyn knew there was nothing he could do. It wasn't like he'd go talk to Grey, and Addi wouldn't want him to anyways. She just couldn't get the picture out of her head, Grey's face all swollen and red. Her hand was a little red, but it hadn't hurt that bad. It looked a little swollen as she lifted it up to look at it. Goodness. This was horrible. What were her parents going to say? Ugh, and Claire.

"Yes, I know you'll always be here, E. And I for you." She felt his lips gently touch hers, and a few more tears fell. Why was this happening to her?

[Deleted]

She was still crying. Edmund had hoped that maybe he'd be able to find a way to lift her spirits, but he didn't know if that was possible. He knew how much arguing with one's family hurt. Even though everyone felt things differently, he could understand to a degree. But not take it away. 

"Good," he muttered as he pulled her close once more. "You'll let me know when you need help, right?" Edmund trusted Addi, but he was worried for her. He was worried that she'd turn into him and start holding back, keeping it all inside. He didn't want that to happen. Not to Addi. She was going through a hard time, but he wanted to help her keep her personality. 

@jill2

[Deleted]

@edmund
<3

Addilyn nodded her head at Edmund. Of course she'd ask him when she needed help...at least that is what she currently thought. However, what the future held was not something anyone would predict for Ms. Addilyn Joy Slater. And as she was held in Edmund's arms, she closed her eyes, the punch replaying in her brain over and over again, as well as Edmund's words. Tears graced her beautiful face, but her breathing stayed steady. How could Grey do this to her? She thought he was different...

[Deleted]

Edmund didn't know what to do. This was something he'd never dealt with before and he had the feeling he was doing it all wrong. Wasn't she supposed to feel better after talking about it. But she was crying. Edmund wasn't sure what was normal, he wasn't really one to comfort others. "Adds," he started, pulling back a bit. "Please smile. I can't stand to see you like this," he knew what he was asking was hard and he hoped she wouldn't get angry at him, but he didn't want her to keep on crying. He bent forward and gave her a soft kiss. As he pulled away, he glanced toward the door, "Besides, who knows when they're gonna come back and I don't want Theodosia to know how much she's hurting you." And me through you, he thought, but kept to himself. Guilt was the last thing Addi needed right now.

@jill2

[Deleted]

@edmund
<3

Addilyn Slater had never felt this way before. This was...completely different. It was something she didn't know how to deal with. There had been too many unfortunate things currently going on in her life that she just...didn't care anymore. Addilyn couldn't fix everything, she couldn't fix everyone. Grey had proved that point to her just a few moments ago. And then she had physically hurt him. Granted, it did make her feel better, but she felt worse all at the same time.

Addi couldn't look at Edmund as he pulled away from her and spoke. She was too embarrassed, too shy. Her eyes looked downward at the fire in front of them and she shook her head. "I don't care about Theodosia anymore. I care about my brother and sister." Tears continued to fall, but Addi's facial expression was stone cold. She had no emotion.

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Nothing was working to help Addilyn and Edmund was seriously worried. How did things get so bad so quickly? A part of him wanted to leave and search Grey out and give him a piece of his mind, but it wasn't the time for that. A part of Edmund felt like he was the only thing keeping Addi from totally breaking apart, though he hoped it hadn't gotten that bad so quickly.

She wasn't looking at him. From all the years he spent distancing himself from people, he recognized what she was doing. That is, if she was anything like he was, which was something he'd never considered before. Before today there would never have been a doubt in his mind that she didn't take things the same way he did but right now ... she was pulling away. Edmund felt his stomach drop. No! He thought desperately. Not Addi, not his Addilyn. He wanted to stop this from happening, to take away the pain that he knew she was feeling, but he didn't know how.

He reached forward gently and cupped her chin, trying to lift it so he could look in her eyes. Edmund was going to do everything in his power to help Addi and the first step was showing her that he wasn't going away. He wouldn't abandon her like her siblings had. As his eyes searched hers, he saw the sadness and loneliness in them. "I understand," he told her gently. "I'm sorry about what happened and I'm here for you. Adds, please don't pull away from me," Edmund begged softly, still gazing into her eyes. He couldn't stand to see her like this.

@jill2

[Deleted]

@edmund
<3

Addilyn Joy Slater was stuck. Her mind was not joyful anymore. Her heart was not happy. Yes, granted, she had Edmund, thankfully. But...even he couldn't fix her. Her siblings were gone. There was nothing that could make them come back to her the way they all were before. Grey and Claire were out of her reach. Her heart felt ripped into pieces. She was ... empty.

That's when Edmund grabbed her chin and lifted her head up to him, making her look him in the eyes. Goodness...those eyes. They were so gorgeous. So full of concern, their deep depth of chocolate brown wanted to pull her in. But, she couldn't. She couldn't do it. He couldn't fix this. No one could. She had to pull away from him. Addi couldn't get hurt like this. Ever again. Her eyes filled with tears, her green eyes blinking. As they fell, she shook her head. Addilyn took her head out of his hands, shut her eyes and stood up. She couldn't look at him. Addi ran up the stairs, and went straight to bed.

Tears falling, heart breaking, and sorrow filling her heart.

[Deleted]

As Edmund stared into her eyes, he somehow sensed what she was going to do. His eyebrows furrowed and he opened his mouth to say something, but before he could she was gone. Tears streaming down her face, she ran up the stairs to her dorm, where he couldn't follow. She left him.

People started coming into the common room and Ed changed positions. He moved to the fireplace, quickly starting a fire with his wand and pulled a nearby chair over so he was sitting directly in front of it. He needed some time to think and he was sure no one would bother him. Most people knew to leave him alone when he seemed so serious. 

He sat there for hours, his thoughts racing. He knew Addi was hurt, knew it was because of how Grey was treating her; ignoring her, more like. He saw the pain in her expression and the sorrow when she pushed him away. He wasn't sure what to make of it. She never pushed him away, not once during their friendship. He wasn't sure if she wanted him to leave her alone for a few days or just give her the night to calm down. Eventually he decided that he'd talk to her tomorrow and see how she was doing.

@jill2