Character(s): Carly Shay, mentioned Spencer Shay, and their parents
Prompt:
'Your daddy, he's the iron man / Battle ship wrecked on dry land / Your mamma, she's a bitter bride / She'll never be satisfied' - "Life Is Sweet" - Natalie Merchant
Warnings: Dark!fic, alcohol abuse, suicide, drama, gen
Word Count: 523

A/N: This is the story of Carly's childhood, where I tried to answer why Carly's parents weren't around. I have no idea why this is so dark and depressing. Go warped brain of mine. ^^;


I'll Just Let These Memories Fade Away, If I May?

There was a time, a long time ago now it seems, when they all lived a normal life. Back then, Carly was two - small and quiet in her little dresses and shiny little shoes. Spencer was gangly, all limbs, and uncomfortable in his skin for at least another year as he grew accustom to his new height. There was also Carly's mom and dad. While Carly long since forgot a lot of her memories from those first several years of her life, she remembers her mother smiling a lot. She remembers warm hugs and swinging hammocks as the sun and her mother's soft humming put her to sleep.

She remembers her dad back then too. His soft eyes and short hair, buzzed down until he was almost bald. She remembers throws in the air and giggling behind doors as her father played hide and seek with her.

What's more, and these are the things Carly pushes to the back of her mind hoping that if she doesn't think about them, she'll forget them, she remembers tears. Carly can remember mommy crying and daddy yelling. Her father was a Marine, had been practically since the day he was born, and her mother was a homebody. She loved her home, her family. Loved peace and quiet and knowing all her neighbors. However, Carly's father couldn't stand being in one place for too long. He needed to move around, be out at sea or he grew very cranky.

Spencer's told her some things that Carly's been able to forget. How their mother picked up a bottle one day and never set it down. How Spencer use to take Carly to his friends' houses or to the park for hours, Carly nestled in the basket he had rigged to his bike just for her. On her own, Carly can remember her father yelling and her mother quiet and how there was less laughter and smiles from her parents.

They moved around a lot, daddy had to have his way or no way at all. Then one day, Carly, six and old enough now to go to school like a big girl, stepped off the school bus and found Spencer waiting for her. He was so tall then, Carly had to crane her neck forever to look up at him. When she asked him what was wrong, he shook his head with a smile that didn't touch his eyes, took her hand, and they went to one of his friend's house for a long time. So long that eventually Carly drooped her head and fell asleep against her brother's leg.

Little Carly remembers waking up slightly to Spencer in tears and telling his friend how their mom had done slip and slide. Why would mommy playing on a slip and slide make Spencer cry? Little Carly was too tired to ask and went back to sleep. It was better for her, the less she knew, anyway.

Her father got his freedom after that. And Carly's mom got to stay in one home where she would always enjoy the peace and quiet and would always know her neighbors.

-End-