One Piece (Love Story) [Part One]

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Three [Rewritten]

Just barely did she suppress the shiver that wanted to tear down her spine the moment she thought about the Master waking up so early.

"I-I can't..." Skylar whimpered, unable to suppress the hiccupy sobs that came tumbling past her quivering lips. "I-I can...can still hear its p-painful whim-whimpers..." Mary didn't dare question the brunette on what her nightmare was about...though, she had a sinking feeling she knew exactly what it was about as she recalled the events that had transpired earlier that evening.

"I know, I know, it's not your fault—you didn't know he would do that" was the only thing the raven-haired woman could think to say as she picked up and sat the child down on top of the counter. Patting the top of her head, she set to work—quietly doing her best to pull out a decent-sized pot from one of the cabinets, milk from the fridge, and anything else she felt she needed without making too much noise. It took a while, but eventually, she poured the heated milk into a glass once it was ready. "Here..." she softly murmured, carefully handing it to the whimpering child—making sure she had a good hold of the glass and wouldn't drop it.

"What's this? Milk?" Skylar quietly sniffed as she looked down at the warm glass in her small hands. Mary quickly looked away the moment she spotted the blistering bruise that had formed on the child's hand from where the gun had jerked back and painfully scraped against her skin. She winced at the painful reminder of what had transpired earlier that day, her stomach churning as she recalled the frightened sobs and desperate pleas that fell on nothing more than deaf ears...

She felt sick as she recalled the agony she had felt earlier that evening...felt disgusted and frustrated with not only herself, but everyone else within the manor's walls as she harshly bit down on her lower lip and swallowed back the tears that now pricked her eyes.

"My...my mother before she fell ill used to warm some milk up for me whenever I had trouble sleeping..." Mary quietly explained, expression softening a little as she watched the brunette take a tentative sip from the glass. She felt her heart practically melt when she saw the way the child's eyes brightened—her sad frown instantly turning around as she quickly started to chug down the rest of the milk as if frightened the glass would be taken from her if she wasn't quick enough. Mary felt her gaze saddened at the sight, her heart aching as she quietly started to clean up the mess she had made. She was mindful not to leave a single piece of evidence behind, aware of how upset the Master would be should he find out what she had done...he always hated it whenever any of the help showed any kind of kindness to his children...

Always claiming that it wasn't something they deserved—that they didn't earn it and that it would only make them weak.

It didn't take long for Skylar to finish her glass and slowly start dozing back off, head drooping as she sat the glass aside and sleepily yawned. She took comfort in the warmth that filled her, blooming from her stomach and through her entire body as she cutely held her arms out to the maid who sweetly smiled.

"Come now, let's get you back to bed..." Mary softly murmured as she picked the child up and started carrying her back to the twin's shared room. "I'm sure your brother is wondering where you are."

-End of Flashback-

She only did it a few times, I recalled...

But it was during those few times that I would truly find solace from the terrors that would occasionally plague me in my sleep. Perhaps somewhere deep inside of me, I wished to experience that same solace once again every time I suffer from a nightmare. Perhaps it was that desire that had me wandering to the kitchen—that had me sitting here on the floor, patiently waiting for Mary's gentle face to show up and tell me that everything would be alright while she warms up some milk. I felt my jaw clench and my vision blur the longer I thought about her and all the things she did as she desperately tried to give me and my brothers the love she felt we deserved while in that hellish place...