Arrow ｡ Henry Mills [1]

TWENTY ➳ LEAN ON ME

"Can't you people just let me grieve on my own?" Teresa grumbled.

"Have you met my grandparents?" Henry smirked. "They only want to help. We all want to help."

"I don't need anyone's help." Her voice was stern, but Henry wasn't going to leave. He would be damned if he was going to let her grieve one. Everybody needs someone in a time of sorrow.

"Why?"

Teresa was speechless. Why? She honestly didn't know why. All Teresa knew was that her mother was dead and that she wanted to be alone. She didn't know why she wanted to grieve alone though. Perhaps because after she lost her mother she was alone, until she met Snow and Ruby.

Henry sighed and reached forward, grabbing her hand which held the stick that was cooking the squirrel. "I know you're upset about your mom, and I'm sorry you lost her, but no one should be alone."

That was when Teresa lost herself.

Every emotion that had been pent up her entire life spilled out in hot tears and loud, hiccup-like, sobs.

Henry's eyes widened, having not expected her to breakdown. She seemed like someone who would build walls and never show emotion, yet here she was, the Teresa Holmes, crying her heart out in the middle of the woods. In front of someone. And him of all people. He didn't know if he should feel honored or not, to see the great archer like this.

Teresa turned to Henry and burried her head into his chest, letting all her tears soak into his shirt. She balled his shirt into her fists as he wrapped his arms around her. He placed his cheek against the top of her head and rubbed his hand up and down her back in order to calm her down, though he knew it would be a while before she calmed down. It seemed she had been keeping this all in for quite some time.

Teresa's sobs died down to silent tears and shaky breaths. What seemed like hours later, was merely twenty minutes later. She could feel his steady heartbeat against her left ear as her head rested on his chest, and it made her calm. His heartbeat was quite soothing.

With a sniffle, she lifted her head from his chest. Henry frowned at the state of her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and were still leaking silent tears. Her nose was red and her cheeks flushed. She looked...broken.

Henry reached forward and used his thumb to wipe away her tears, causing Teresa to blink at him in shock. Henry blushed and pulled away his hand, turning his gaze to the flames that had now burnt the squrriel to a crisp.

"Sorry," he apologized.

Teresa cleared her throat and wiped face of any tears that Henry had missed. "Me too." Henry gave her a confused look. "For crying on your shirt."

Henry looked down at his chest and found it stained with her tears. He found himself not minding one bit. "It's fine, they're only tears." He met her gaze and bit the inside of his cheek. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head, sniffling. "No." Her voice cracked. "I feel...empty."

"It'll get better. I still miss my dad, and always will, but my family being there for me has helped." Teresa met his gaze. "All you need is someone to be there for you."

They held each other's gaze for the longest time before Teresa smiled. Henry returned her smile with one of his own.

"Thank you."