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Charlotte sighed, turning to the noise in the corner of the main floor. After the Nine debacle it wasn’t surprising that the kids weren’t sleeping as well as they used to. That, and Victoria wasn’t exactly helping the home environment. Her teeth clenched as she remembered the Hero in question. She didn’t trust her at first, had no idea what she was doing or why Skitter had brought her. And of course, that bit her in the ass, just like it always did. At least they had managed to come to an uneasy agreement in the time since. Small mercies.
Charlotte groaned as she stood up, arching her back to work out the knots and tension that lived in her spine ever since Leviathan. She had no idea which of the kids was making this noise, but it clearly wasn’t going to stop. Victoria and Skitter were too busy to deal with this. Case in point, it was god knows what hour in the morning and they were still gone. That left just her.
She was silent as she stepped between the floorboards, careful not to make so much as a squeak on the water-soaked boards. It was a miracle with the damage that the Endbringer had left behind that the house was in as good condition as it was. Part of that was Sierra’s insistence on having the floor treated immediately. She’d have to find time to thank her again later.
Charlotte carefully brushed aside the curtain in the room near the hallway entrance, only to confirm what she’d already known.
Tia was having a nightmare again. Poor kid couldn’t have been older than six when she and her parents were driven out of their home by Leviathan, returning back to nothing but rubble and memories. They had taken shelter with Skitter for the food and shelter that her Boss had supplied… only for Tia to watch as her parents were cut apart by Mannequin weeks later. She hadn’t looked anyone in the eye since.
Charlotte forced herself to slowly make her way to the bed where Tia was shivering. She really didn’t know what to do, at times like this. She wasn’t much older than this fucking girl was. She definitely didn’t feel any more mature. But then… who else was there?
Gently, her hand shaking from nerves, Charlotte carded her hand through Tia’s hair. Instantly the girl’s struggles paused, and Charlotte froze.
Fuck. Had she done something wrong? None of the stuff she’d read had anything on how to approach kids in a nightmare. Was that even what she’d been having? Maybe she should just leave. Yeah, Charlotte didn’t know what she was doing, clearly–
“Mom?”
Charlotte’s vision was blurry, her lips pressed together in a thin line. Fuck. Fucking fuck. How was she supposed to… Tia didn’t say anything to anyone. It wasn’t her place, she couldn’t…
Tia started sniffling again, the edges of her eyes opening glazed with pain, and that was enough.
“Shhhhh,” Charlotte whispered, “I’m here. It’s okay. Go back to bed.”
Tia curled into her hand, settling into a more comfortable position. Her face was still wet.
It was at times like these that Charlotte wondered what the hell she was doing. What any of them were doing. She was grateful that her boss had rescued her from that hellhole from the merchants, that she’d given her a place here.
But in moments like this, with Tia’s cheek warm against her hand, she couldn’t help but hate her for it too.