The Saint & The Sinner.

Chapter 15: Help Is On The Way.

Hey guys! 

Sorry for not updating a lot lately, I've been busy doing adult stuff. But here's a short update that will hopefully appease your thirst for updates. It's really short though but I'll try to have another one, a longer one up tonight. 

|NecromaniacKat|

|Corey|

Is it wrong that I felt smug over the fact that Tali used my shoulder as a pillow instead of Sid's? It's not that I was jealous if she'd used his instead, I'd just prefer her to use mine. She is in a dark place right now, weather she knows it or not doesn't matter, she's there and I don't want her getting hurt because she has this idea in her head about something that probably won't happen. She can't afford to get hurt further, especially after yesterday. Tali tells me she's fine but I can see a storm brewing in those electric blue eyes. She's in denial about it and I don't blame her. Steph told me that even she is a bit shaken up by the procedure. I can't imagine what a seventeen year old girl who just underwent that is feeling, is thinking about. I just hope she doesn't go down the same road I went down at that age. That's the last thing anyone wants to have happen. If she starts tail spinning I need to catch her right away before anyone notices and starts to ask questions. I'm just trying to protect her. She's been through too much in life already, too much for a child to witness and undergo. In so many ways she reminds me of me when I was seventeen and in the beginning stages of wrecking myself. Tali is going through so many emotions right now and they're mostly all negative, she doesn't have the coping skills to deal with that. I have to be the person to help her release that pressure valve before she starts wrecking herself and doing things she's going to later regret. I need to be there for her because nobody was there for me. I had myself and that's it. Tali has so many people who are more than willing to stay up all night and listen to her ramblings if need be.

"Welcome to your home away from home away from home, Tali." I led the way onto the bus, Tali followed close behind me. The guys had already gotten onboard ahead of us. Tali's suitcase took forever to come through baggage claim; I waited with her while they went to the small bus station where the tour bus was waiting for us.

Tali groggily looked around, taking in her new environment. Her eyes were rimmed with dark brown and purples, but they wanderlusted around like a baby in a room full of new people. She shrugged the black and white rucksack off and let it dangle off her arm at her side. Those hand-me-down blue eyes she got from me finally landed in my direction and a serious but grateful look dashed across her face.

"Thanks again, Corey. You didn't have to bring me along with you." She kept her voice small but the gratitude that radiated in her words got her point across with no problem. She keeps saying this, she keeps thanking me for being her dad and trying to protect her; she doesn't have to do that.

"Yes I did. Now stop thanking me for doing nice shit for you and go pick your bunk before you end up with the bitch bunk. And you can stop calling me Corey; you are allowed to call me dad." I hated the doom and gloom baggage that hung over us, and has hung over us since yesterday. I needed to set that shit on fire and clear the way so we can successfully get to our futures.

"I can't stop thanking you for everything you've done for me; you and Steph, and the guys. You have no idea how much I appreciate what you've done for me in the last week. I'm willing to do anything to make it up to you." Tali's gaze moved from me down to her fidgeting hands. Her voice stayed low, it was almost a whimper. It broke my heart to see her like this. I don't know exactly how she grew up but it mustn't have been too well if she is like this now. She doesn't know how to take without having to give back. I needed to talk to her about a lot of shit, but there's a time and place for all that and here and now isn't it.

"Alright, now go choose your bunk. We'll be leavingsoon." I completely bypassed her statement and retorted with my concerns aboutwhere she'll be sleeping. Tali nodded and went back to the bunk area withoutsaying another word. I stayed there for a moment, listening to the tiredchatter in the back behind me. I silently thought out a plan of action for howI'm going to tackle everything that's been holding Tali's tongue hostage. q_?