Sarah Paulson One Shots

Come Back ~B.DH~

I will say there are a lot of time jumps in this-

The year is 1973.
You stood over your body by the door. So close, you could have made it. You thought. The lifeless expression laid there as the fire engulfed the home and everything in it.

    ~few hours earlier~
"Y/n can you hand me those Christmas lights?" Your mother asked. It was Christmas Eve, it was a family tradition to put up the tree the evening before Christmas Day. "Here." You handed your mother the string of lights as the twins Shiloh and Eleanor put the ornaments on and your father put the some lights on the roof of the house. "There. All done." Your mom said stepping back admiring a job well done. "Alright, now you kids off to bed or Santa won't bring your presents tonight." Your dad insisted mainly talking to the twins since they were only 6. 

    You tossed and turned all night. No matter how hard you tried, sleep was impossible and not because it was Christmas Eve and your inner child was ecstatic for the day to come, it was a deeper feeling. Not a good one.

    2:30am Christmas Day~
You had finally fell asleep a couple of hours ago. Going in and out of slumber you woke up at 2:32am to the smell of smoke as if something was burning. Suddenly your mother ran into your room taking your hand running down the stairs. The smell got stronger "what's going on?!" You screamed over the smoke detector that was beeping notoriously. The two of you went into the yard meeting your dad in the front holding Shiloh who was crying and confused. You looked around for Eleanor. The little ray of sunshine was nowhere to be found that only meant one thing. Running back towards the burning home you couldn't see anything 2 feet in front of you so relying on sound you could hear Eleanor crying. "Ell? Where are you?" The cries were faint. Finding your way up to her room there she was in a ball coughing. Picking her up you put a blanket over her head to block out some of the toxic air. You felt your body getting weaker coughing more, this was the only time you wished the house was smaller. Coming downstairs was harder then going up, you told Eleanor to run as fast as she could to Mom and Dad, and not to look back.  She insisted that you come with her. "Y/n, come on please get up." She held your hand trying with all the strength a 6 year old  had to pull you up. It was no use. "Go Ell. I'll be fine." With that the little girl ran into the arms of her parents. You couldn't keep your eyes open any longer as the smoke and toxins coated your lungs. You stood over your body by the door. So close, you could have made it. You thought. The lifeless expression laid there as the fire engulfed the home and everything in it.

~five years later~ 1978
When the house burnt away your family built another one in the same place in your honor.  You watched over them every day. You'd watch your mom cook dinner, she still made your favorite regularly. On Tuesdays they would watch your favorite shows. The twins would try to talk to you by yelling your name though they knew it's not how that works. It was like you never left. Not too long after the home was finished your mother died of liver cancer and your dad left the home with the twins, only to never return.

   
But little did you know today was a start of something that would last forever. You heard a car pull up in the driveway. A family of 3 hopped out of the vehicle with boxes of what assumes to be their belongings. A little girl with blonde hair and denim overalls ran through the home "be careful Billie." The older women with darker blonde hair called out. Billie ran into what was your room stopping in her tracks staring at you . "Who are you?" She asked. Before you could open your mouth to respond her mom came in taking her hand. "Who are you talking to honey?" The woman asked Billie. "The lady by the window."  The mom looked at you. But she couldn't see you like the girl could. "Let's go get your stuff from the car okay?" The mom pushed the child out of the room shutting the door leaving you all alone.

   
~a few months later~
The new family had been settled in for a while now. Billie talked to you a lot. You grew fond of the child. Feeling the need to protect her like you did your own siblings. Billie's parents never saw you or understood the girl when she talked about you. They brushed it off as an imaginary friend like most kids have one.

    "Would you like some sugar with your tea y/n?" Billie asked. She was still a child so she liked to have pretend tea parties with you. "I would love some, thank you." You smiled at the child. The girl dropped some pretend sugar cubes in the imaginary tea. "Billie..How come you're not scared of me?" The blonde looked at you confused. "Because you are nice." The child was blunt, but you took it as a compliment. Abruptly there was a loud voice coming from downstairs. Billie's parents have had fights every month since they moved in. Since Billie seemed to tell you everything you knew that they haven't done this before they came here. Their voices became faint but you listened intently. "Why are you telling me this now?! You know what. You can go tell our daughter that, I'm not gonna be the one to hurt her again." The mother scoffed. You found Billie hugging your side. She did this when she was scared or at night when she couldn't sleep. "It's gonna be alright." You cooed rubbing her back. Soon enough here came in her dad with fire in his eyes. "Billie start packing. We're leaving. I got a new job." He left the room with no other words. You looked at the girl in your arms, she had tears falling into her rosy cheeks. "Hey shh don't cry, it's gonna be alright."

~a week later~
Once again everything in the home was in labeled boxes. It felt like they had only just moved in, and you had barely knew Billie yet knew everything. "Billie, sweetheart let's go." You felt a tiny tap on your shoulder. Turning around, that tap turned into a hug. "I'm gonna miss you
y/n." Billie's grip got tighter. You kissed the top of her head. "I'll miss you too little one." You heard a small sniff come from the girl. Bending down to get eye level with her, "hey, no don't cry. You're gonna be strong for me. Okay?" The girl nodded. "I'll come back. I promise." You started to tear up to the girl's words. But would an 8 year old really keep a promise to a ghost she might not even be able to see as an adult? It still hit you hard. "I'll be here." Billie nodded. Then she was gone. You watched the same car disappear in the same window from when it appeared for the first time.

~20 years later 1998~
There wasn't a day that passed when you didn't think of your family or the promise Billie made you. You were starting to loose faith in her coming back but you heard a familiar sound that always seemed to give you hope. A black car pulled up to the driveway of the home. A tall blonde woman with brown eyes and a white dress stepped out. A crew of camera men followed closely behind her. You watched as she gave them a signal to turn the cameras off. She stared at the home for a minute before opening the front door. The house was empty nobody had lived there in 20 years. Then her voice called out. "Y/n?" It sounded so familiar but you couldn't put a pin to it. She walked up the stairs into your old room. "Who are you?" She asked jokingly. You turned around meeting eyes with the woman. Flashbacks came through when the girl with the blonde hair and denim overalls said the same thing when you first met. "Billie?!" You ran over to her giving her a hug that seemed to never end. "I thought you weren't coming back." You mumbled through the tears. She pulled you out in front of her "I wanted clarity for you. Besides I don't break promises to those who were always there for me." She tucked some hair behind your ear. "Y/n, you helped me as a child. It's my turn to help you." Knowing exactly what Billie meant you nodded in agreement. "Go. Go into the light y/n. It's alright, be strong for me." She quoted something you told her once. Hugging her one last time you gave her the clarity that she came for.

- the end.

-requests open ✨🤍