omega

“Why not?” Diana asks, though she has a feeling she might know the answer.

Personally, she would have loved it if Tommy and Alex were back as well. Over time she had really come to like Violet despite their rough start, but Alex was her best friend, and she needed her here to be her simultaneously callous and supportive self right now, as selfish as she knew that was. “You care,” Sam says, somehow managing to turn herself into a therapist instead of her usual babbling self at least for the time being. “You don’t think that’s enough? That you’re enough?”

“Yeah.” Another wave of guilt swamps her, and she looks down at her hands. She wasn’t good for Thomas - for anyone - but she knew how it felt to be left alone. “You missed a question, though.”

“That’s very true,” she agrees, her expression soft as she comforts Violet. “I think I am, at least about this. Learning how to deal with people caring about you… it’s hard. We’ve both been there,” she says, gesturing between the two of them, “months ago, but you and Tommy are the first people she’s ever really had. Maybe she just doesn’t understand it yet. But she will.”

“…how are you? How’s Thomas?”

“Something tells me we have similar problems,” she says, thinking about how Alex would love to make sure Nikki has an amply offensive vocabulary. She notices the sorrowing of Violet’s expression, though, and reaches out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. “She’s gonna be okay, V. She’ll come back to you.”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to talk about.”

“You know, she’s gonna start talking soon.” Sam murmurs absently, looking down at Nikki as she plays with her toys on the mat. “We should probably invest in a swear jar, otherwise her first word is gonna be ‘shit.’”

Yeah, of course. Anything I can do to help.

I know they’re coming back because I have faith in them. And I know you’re never going to do this alone because I’m always going to be here for you.

Yeah, well, I shouldn’t be.

Can I do anything? Maybe take Thomas for a few hours so you can go see everyone?

They’re coming back, Vi. And you will never, ever have to do any of this alone.