Gravity || Teddy & Scarlett

drscarlettfrost:

Scarlett turned a moment and made sure the door was closed. She took a deep breath and looked at Teddy. She softened her features when she noticed how Teddy looked pretty frightened. She looked paler now too. Walking to her, Scarlett led her to sit down on the couch, “I won’t hurt you, Teddy…”

Taking in a deep breath, she explained, “Delia’s been better. She’s got some pretty bad bruising, Teddy and her wrist is a bit annoyed so we wrapped it to help it heal a bit.. I gave her something for the pain and she’s asleep right now. What’s going on, Teddy? Because I know you didn’t do this… Judging by the look on your face.” 

Deep down, Teddy knew that this was her friend. But after months of having to watch her back, her trust was broken in everyone — including herself. She no longer trusted herself to speak for fear that she might let loose a secret; she no longer trusted herself to be the mother she had to be, for she’d done nothing but let her daughter down lately. She saw vile intentions in the eyes those held nothing but kindness, and the walls she’d built up with her own two hands out of pain and guilt would never be so quick to fall.

Teddy deliberately shied away from Scarlett’s questioning that left her so vulnerable and bare, and it was a subdued voice with which she spoke next: “Did you admit her?”

Of course she hadn’t done this to her daughter. She loved Delia so much — but then again, she’d once thought Henry had loved her, too. And because of this, Teddy would never show anyone her own scars; not because she didn’t want to protect Delia, but because she couldn’t — if she told, Teddy couldn’t know what might happen next.