Another Milkovich- C.G.

Grasp

Walking into the Gallagher house she half heartedly jumped at the sound of her slamming the door. Thoughts jumped through her mind, any coherent thoughts she had were strung apart. Heavy breathes caught in her throat, walking through the kitchen to the living room only to be met with empty rooms.

Trash and the usual clothes scattered atop the ground. Her eyes quickly darting to the staircase. Feeling the sharp pain in her heels as she walked quickly up the steps. Swinging open any and all doors she passed. Still seeing no one.

Her breathing became more labored, her head swung from the quick and shaky breathes, where she would breathe out all the air at once until her lungs burned.

Reaching Carl's door she prayed he wasn't out, but once it swung open she was met the realization that the house was completely empty.

Standing in the middle of the room she could feel her skin itch. Thoughts crashing down with every second. Her head pounding like a bowl of rocks being shook by a child. She pulled at the clothes on her skin, stretching the material that felt so much tighter on her body, feeling as if it was constricting every movement. Her hands grabbed at handfuls of her hair, pulling at the locks as the sound of her breathing became louder and louder until her ear drums were thumping with every breath.

Her chest felt hot, heaving. She couldn't feel the room around her anymore, her body stuck inside itself. Closing her eyes she could feel the hits, the blows she endured from her father. Memories suppressed coming to surface.

She remembered Mandys boyfriends face. How she pictured it was her fathers.

"Nina," She could barely comprehend Lips voice, eyes drifting across the room. His presence getting closer, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Nina, calm down-"

"I could've killed him" She nodded her head frantically, running hands through her hair, still meeting her eyes with the ground, "I could've, he could be dead"

"But you didn't Nina" His voice was much more stern than hers. Her own voice coming out soft and shaky, like a frightened child.

"But I almost did, I hurt him"

"Nina, he deserved it" She finally looked up as both his arms gripped her upper arms. The hot tears streaming down her face. His loud tone attracting the rest of the family that had been waiting downstairs. Soon all coming collectively at the door.

Ninas eyes staying on Lips, "But I didn't"

Slowly falling to her knees Lip did the same. Keeping his hands on her arms as she faltered. Only glancing to the family watching hurt from the door.

"Nina, hey look at me," She forced herself to look at lip who kept a calm expression as her breathes kept their quick pace, "You did a good thing, you protected Mandy. She's proud of you, we all are"

She didn't move when his arms wrapped around her. Hot tears began soaking through the thin material of his shirt. And loud sobs began leaving her lips, pressing her face further into his chest at the feeling of a comforting embrace. When he began to pull away she could feel the small tug on her wrist pulling her into another chest. Looking up to see Carl as his hands ever so carefully moved the small strands stuck to her tear stained cheeks.

The silence, for once, hadn't created a piercing thought through her mind. She could feel the ragged breathes slowing down. The heaving of her chest calming to a steady yet shaky breathes.

Minutes passed with Carl comforting her in that same position. Everyone had left from the door way giving them their space, and in all honesty, she didn't want to move from it. For once she didn't want to bounce back into the tough act. For once she wanted to just stop. She was so tired. Looking after everyone, only to get shit.

Pulling her head away from his chest she blinked multiple times, the blurry haze from the tears clouded her vision.

His hands reached and softly caressed her cheeks. It was nice, but different. Of course he had comforted her before, but this time felt strangely more intimate.

He pulled her head up softly, kissing the top of her head gently. Shoving her head back into his chest she gripped the fabric of his shirt.

This wasn't normal. She didn't feel right. As much as she didn't want to feel like she needed to constantly shove these feelings down, feeling this helpless made her sick. Of course the embrace was so nice all she could do was deeply breathe in his scent, almost scared he would drift away. So she held on harder, the one good thing she had wouldn't escape her grasp, not this time.