What is Needed But Unexpected

Family?

Trigger Warning: mentions of sexual assault, panic attacks and mentions of blood.

She didn't want to appear weak, especially since the other queen seemed to look at her like a baby. Sure, she was seventeen years old but she also had been through just as much shit as they had in their past lives. However, even now as everything settled down between the queens, she still couldn't find herself trusting any of them.

Weakness got you hurt, after all. Just look at Maddox, she had been young and powerless against him and look where that got her? Look where trusting any of them had gotten her. However, on nights like tonight, Katherine Howard really wished she did have someone to trust because despite trying to play it cool...the nightmares still came and she could still feel the ax slicing through her skin.

Does Anne ever experience this?

She couldn't help but wonder as she sat there, blankets pulled up over her head as she tried to keep herself from panicking in the dark room. 

It was like she could feel the hands still touching her, still feel the cold, stale air that had drifted through her cell. She had to get out of there, she had to remind herself that she wasn't still in the tower.

She slowly slide from the bed although she could feel her legs trembling beneath her, just like they had the day she was led to the scaffold. 

Would anyone even care? Would Anna even care? After all Maddox claimed he cared but he took advantage of you. Everyone took advantage of you and you were the one who paid the ultimate price for it!

The voice at the back of her mind taunted and she swore she felt the air around her grow colder as bile rose into her throat.

   .                                                       .    _________★________

"And this makes no freaking sense ...Ugh...Why is it so hard to focus tonight?" Anne grumbled as she ripped another page from her journal, removing her earphones for only a moment in order to go get something from the fridge, although she paused mid step when she heard what sounded like crying.

What the hell?

Slowly Anne made her way down from her attic–turned–bedroom, only to feel her blood chill in her veins as she realized that the crying was coming from the door right by the steps. Why was Katherine crying? She wondered, however a slight sting of phantom pain along her scar reminded her of a very good reason why.

I probably should get someone.

But something about the desperation in the younger girl's sobbing kept her rooted in place for a mere minute before she lightly knocked on the door.

"Katherine?" 

She called, only to receive a slightly louder sob in return.

Okay Anne, what would you do if this was Lizzie? 

She found herself wondering, although she forced down the bitter sadness that filled her at the very thought of that name. She could grieve her losses later, she knew, but right now Katherine needed someone and since she was the closest thing that she real family, Anne figured it probably should be her.

With that thought, she slowly opened the door to find her cousin sitting on the floor, hands wrapped around the front of her neck as if something was choking her as she sobbed.

The sight broke Anne's heart.

How could I be so stupid. Of course she has nightmares about it...She had it so much worse than me but I never even thought to try to talk to her...To check on her. We're family and I just….