The Burden Time Always Reveals
By JessMerrick

She was worried about him, they all were.

She was shocked, they all were.

She was feeling for him, they all were.

Sophie Scarbrow looked around the room scanning the faces of her group, The Cliffhangers, who were all as surprised as she was. She had never suspected, and she didn't believe Peter or any of the kids had either. This was definitely news to her, and she had been his counsellor on and off for eight months now.

Her scan of the room showed her kids to be exactly as compassionate and caring as she had thought they were. Even Shelby looked stunned, and disturbed, which was definitely something, she could act pretty cold sometimes.

They were all standing, grave faced either looking at David or the floor, not knowing what to say or how to help him, but mostly, she knew, wanting to help him.

She turned her attention back to the dark haired boy and she smiled sympathetically as she watched him, just sat in the corner, against the wall, doing his best to keep his cool and pretend that he wasn't a mess.

She looked to her husband and he nodded, she knew what she needed to do.

She walked over to David Ruxon, the General's son, and knelt down in front of him, reaching out to him, a friendly, gentle hand on his shoulder.

The boy didn't flinch away but instead struggled to keep tears from falling as he looked at her.

"David," she said gently. "It's not your fault."

And she watched that day as for the first time they met the real David Ruxon, comforting him as he broke down, finally giving her a glimpse of the pain he'd hidden so well.