𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 [𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒊 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔]

•01•

Breathing in one more deep, shuddering breath, she opened the door and climbed out quickly so she didn't give herself the opportunity to change her mind. Pulling the hood of her dark green coat over her head she began a slow walk up the drive; all too soon she had made it up the steps and now was faced with the difficult task of actually knocking. She slouched insecurely, ready to hightail it back to the safety of her car, before she shook her head at herself in exasperation.

'This is your home, the only place where you felt like you truly belonged and were wanted, just knock.' Mind made up she steeled her back and raised her shaky hand, her knuckles meeting the glass as she knocked three times. It took a short while before she saw movement through the drawn cream curtains and the door was yanked open. Tears welled in her eyes as they met with familiar chocolate brown ones, her lip trembling as she struggled to smile.

"Nora." Her father breathed. She could see a flash of worry pass through his eyes, brows furrowing as he took her in with concern. She knew why. After the incident, she had found it extremely difficult to eat, sleep and even bathe. Food no longer appealed to her and what she could manage to eat she would just throw up later, no matter how hard she tried to keep it down.

She tried to avoid sleeping when she could; everytime she closed her eyes she'd end up back in that dark room, unable to move or speak, forced to feel those unwanted harsh touches as they destroyed who she had once been. As a result she was now a weak shell of the girl he remembered. Her eyes were rimmed with dark purple bags, face hollow and skin pasty, a harsh contrast to her normally tanned skin from the Arizona sun. She was wearing a simple black hoodie and blue jeans under her coat but he could still see how thin she'd become, they swallowed her and hung off her body.

Tears gathered in his own eyes and he surged forward, engulfing her in his arms and squeezing her tightly. She stilled for a moment in shock, her arms hovering in the air with hesitancy. They'd hugged before, obviously, but her dad was never one to show his emotions so openly. Squeezing her eyes shut to will away the tears she returned the hug, her hands gripping the back of his red flannel shirt as she sank into him, content as she finally felt the anxiety leave her at the familiar hug.

She felt him sniffle and a shudder racked his body as she held her. Sadly it was because he could now feel how sick she had become-it must have felt like hugging a sack of bones. He seemed to squeeze her impossibly tighter to the point it was almost painful but, she didn't care and just let him hug her for as long as he needed.

Time passed glacially, but eventually he stepped back and brought a calloused hand to wipe under his eyes sheepishly, pulling a face at the tears wetting his fingertips. While he was distracted with gathering himself, she took the time to look him over and noticed how drained, how utterly exhausted he looked. The tables had turned, and this time it was her who wore a concerned frown.

He looked down at her with his awkward little half-smile he always did when he was uncomfortable or unsure and she decided to make the first move.

"It's good to see you, Dad." She said softly, a genuine smile on her hollow face. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her and felt her body untense as she entered her childhood home for the first time in months.

"It's good to see you too, Nora." He passed his eyes over her quickly her, a once over that left her feeling embarrassed, before nodding to the stairs. He bounced on his heels and stuffed his hands in his pockets to distract himself from his concern for his eldest daughter. She never liked being fussed over, even as a little girl.

"Bells is up in her room if you want to go and say hi. I'll get your stuff for you." He offered and stretched out his hand.

She placed the keys to her car in his palm with a gracious nod of her head. "That would be great, thanks dad."