Behind the Most Cherished Smile is the Saddest Frown Ch. 3

WARNING: THIS PART OF THE STORY WILL BE DARK! I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS FLASHBACKS OF THOMAS' PAST THAT HAS ABUSE AND DETAILED/GRAPHIC CONTENT. READ AT OWN RISK. Please don't flame, I gave a good warning…

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS SUFFERING FROM ABUSE PLEASE GET HELP.

Also, please read end of chapter for information on 'BbF?'

…

Everyone stared in stunned silence at Thomas as he muttered 'Merry Christmas' in that broken tone. They've never seen Thomas act like this. It scared them, tremendously. So Edward stepped forward.

"Thomas..," he started but Thomas suddenly stood up, turned and rammed himself into Edward, wrapping his arms around him and held on tight, cutting Edward off with a hug.

"I'm… I'm sorry..," Thomas whispered. "I'm sorry you had to see that..,"

Edward was shocked by this sudden display of emotion, but nonetheless hugged the smaller boy back, and sat down, bringing Thomas into his lap.

He wrapped one arm around Thomas' waist, and put his other arm around Thomas' upper back, softly stroking his hand through Thomas' hair.

"Don't ever feel like you need to apologize for what happened, Thomas." Edward spoke softly. "Whatever happened back in England, you don't need to worry about here." He said. "But, if you need someone to talk to, we'll all be here." Edward reassured the teen.

Thomas looked up into the eyes of his big brother and saw only reassurance, and protection- so he smiled, only a bit. Because what he was about to reveal was going to hard and scary for him.

"Can… can we talk now, actually?" Thomas asked timidly. "I'd like for.., for you all to know the truth." He said.

Edward nodded. "Of course, Thomas. Would you like to go up to our room?" He asked.

Thomas shook his head. "No. I said I want you all to know the truth." He said. "Can, we all be here?" He asked.

Edward looked around, and everyone nodded. "Of course Thomas, you want us all to know, that's understandable."

"You want some hot chocolate, Thomas?" James asked.

Thomas nodded. "Yes please..," he said, now turned around in Edward's lap, with Edward's arms wrapped around his waist, and chin on his shoulder.

James nodded, and walked back to the kitchen, and a few minutes later, came back with a mug of hot chocolate and gave it to Thomas.

"Thank you." Thomas said, accepting the hot drink, and taking a small sip.

James nodded, and sat down next to his brother, Hiro as everyone else sat down next to their respective siblings- Rosie and Gordon sitting down on either side of Edward and Thomas.

"Now Thomas." Edward said, as he sat up straighter, pulling Thomas into his lap more. "Are you ready to tell us?" He asked gently.

Thomas closed his eyes, taking a breath, as he clenched the mug in his hands. "Yes…" He breathed.

Everyone nodded, and waited patiently.

Thomas sighed, opening his eyes. "Well… you all know I came from England, but not much else, right?" He asked everyone. They all nodded.

"That's right." Henry said.

"Well..," Thomas said again. "I did have a home.., and parents, and a last name before I came to Sodor…"

…

A seven year old Thomas sat in his room, crying with his ears covered as he listened to his parents argue from downstairs. His Father, Alan Fearnley had recently lost his job as a repair man for slacking off and a multitude of other things. Having alcohol on the job, yelling and cursing at coworkers, making certain 'advantages' towards female coworkers- it wasn't pleasant.

His Mother, Celia Fearnley was, to say the least- not happy.

"How could you do this, when we have a child?!" Celia yelled.

"What I do at work, is none of your business!" Alan countered.

"It is, when you get fired!"

"We wouldn't have to worry about this, if that boy hadn't been born!" Alan snarled.

"Don't you dare, bring Thomas into this!" Celia yelled. "This is not his fault! He isn't the reason you lost your job! He didn't ask to be born!"

"Don't you dare talk back to me woman!" Alan yelled. "You decided you to keep the kid!"

"Of course I did!" Celia said. "I wasn't about to abort him!"

"Well, if you did, this wouldn't be happening!" Alan growled.

"That's it!" Celia yelled. "I'm done. I'm divorcing you, taking Thomas, and the money! You won't get anything!"

"Like hell you are!" Alan yelled.

Then there was tons of movement around, things crashing against walls and floors, screams, then suddenly-

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Then silence.

Thomas gasped and uncovered his ears. Even with them covered, he could still hear those loud noises. It sounded like- gunshots. He knew what they sounded like because his Father would often go to the shooting range, and stay there for hours. When he asked his Mother, she would explain that his dad would go 'let off steam'.

Thomas slid off his bed and tip toed down stairs. He clung onto the banner, and kept low to the ground as he moved.

When he reached the living room- he screamed.

There, on the ground, was his Mother. Two gunshot wounds were in her stomach, and one was in her chest.

"M-mom…?" He questioned shakily as he walked towards her. His breathing went ragged as he realized that she was still alive. Unconscious, but alive. He stepped closer to his Mother, and knelt down to her.

He could hear her short and shallow breathing as she struggled to stay alive.

Despite his age, he knew what to do.

So, he moved closer to her, and moved his hand under hers, gently grasping it.

"Mom.., mom it's me, Thomas." He whispered shakily. "It's ok mom. I know you're scared.., I know you're hurting. B-but.., I don't think I can help you…" he gasped, tears streaming down his face.

"Mom.., you have to let go..," he finally said. "I'll be ok. I promise. I'll be ok. Just please… let go. I don't want to see you hurting anymore…"

After a few moments, he felt his Mother's hand squeeze his.

He bit his lip, and gently squeezed back.

Then, the grip around his hand loosened, and he heard his Mother breathe out.

Thomas closed his eyes and started crying, and leaned his head down onto his Mother's chest.

…

Everyone sat in stunned silence as they stared at Thomas, who was clutching tightly onto the mug in his hands, with his eyes shut, tears streaming down his face.

"Oh Thomas…" Emily whispered quietly. "We had no idea…"

Thomas shook his head, wiping his eyes. "I never told you." He simply said.

Percy bit his lip. "Thomas, I hate to ask this, but is there more?"

Thomas was now leaning heavily against Edward, his mug now in Rosie's hands, as she, Edward, and Gordon stared at their baby brother in concern.

Edward looked up. "Percy, I don't think it's a good idea-"

"No." Thomas said, cutting his big brother off. "There is, and I will tell just, give me a minute."

Everyone nodded, and waited quietly.

…

Thomas stayed by his Mother sobbing for a while before he heard a door slam. His head shot up and he saw his Father walk in holding a bottle and a gun.

"D-dad…"Thomas whimpered.

"If you hadn't been born, this wouldn't have happened." Alan snarled, gesturing to Thomas' dead Mother on the floor with the gun.

"I-I'm sorry- AH!" Thomas's plea was cut off as the bottle his Father was holding was shattered over his head. Thomas fell over in pain, as he held onto his head, now covered in shatters of glass.

His breath was knocked out of him as Alan kicked him in the stomach repeatedly, his cries of pain coming out in weak gasps.

"S-stop…" the seven year old begged, which only made Alan more furious than before. He grabbed Thomas by the arm and threw him across the room, slamming him into the wall. Thomas groaned, and sat up, leaning his back against the wall, panting heavily.

Alan walked forward and pistol whipped him across the head once, before pointing the gun at him.

Despite the pain shooting through his body, Thomas' eyes widened as he stared up into the barrel of the gun.

"This, wouldn't be happening if you weren't born." Alan growled again.

This time, Thomas glared at him. "That isn't, my fault." He panted out.

Alan glared, and moved the gun to the left before shooting.

Thomas cried out in pain as a bullet went through his left shoulder, the stinging, burning pain was unlike anything he ever felt. He grabbed his shoulder as blood steadily streamed down his shoulder and arm.

"Next time," Alan said darkly, "Think before you speak..," then he went upstairs.

Thomas panted as he listened to see if his Father had gone to sleep.

'How dare he?!' He thought angrily. 'My mom.., what about my mom…?' At this he started to sob quietly.

He didn't want to leave, but at the same time, he knew he had to. So, slowly, he limped to the bathroom, and got out a bandage and wrapped up his shoulder. When he looked up into the mirror, he sighed.

There he was, cuts on his face, with bruises forming as well. He looked tired. His hair and clothes were a mess, with tears, dirt and blood.

He looked away, and with what little strength and energy he had, Thomas ran out of the house, not looking back.

He didn't know how long he ran for. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? He really had no idea. He finally felt his lungs burning as he reached a building. It was five stories high, and painted in a dark teal green color. It had big letters painted in yellow, but he couldn't see what they said.

Slowly, he walked up to the steps painting heavily from either loss of breath or blood. Probably both. Thomas didn't care at this moment- he just wanted to be safe. When he reached the top, he slowly knocked on the door, exhausted.

He didn't get to see who answered the door.

He didn't hear the person gasp in horror.

He didn't feel someone lift him into their arms.

He didn't hear the cries for help.

Slowly, he felt his eyes shut, and everything went dark.

When he awoke, he was greeted with the combination of pain, coldness, and a warm bed.

Slowly, he sat up. When he did, he felt a horrible pain in his left shoulder. He instinctively grabbed it, and moaned in pain.

"Easy son..," said a soft, Italian, female voice. Then a hand went to his uninjured shoulder, and gently pushed him back onto the bed.

Thomas looked up, and saw a lady with black hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in a teal dress, with a name tag on her chest that he couldn't quite make out.

"Who- who are you?" Thomas asked quietly. "Where am I?"

The lady smiled softly. "My name, is Gina. And you're at London City Orphanage."

Thomas looked down.

Orphanage….

He looked back up, and nodded, showing he understood.

"We found you on our doorstep. You were half conscious, with a bullet wound in your left shoulder." Gina explained. "You had many other injuries as well."

Thomas nodded again. "I know..,"

"What's your name?" Gina asked.

"Thomas." He replied.

"Last name?"

Thomas froze up. "No…" He said after a few moments.

"No?" Gina asked confused.

"I… I don't…"

Gina nodded. "You don't want to say. That's alright"

Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. He looked around. From the looks of it, he could tell that he was in a medical room. He looked down at himself. He was in new clothes.

He was in a teal shirt, and blue pajama pants. His shirt had yellow trims around the ends of the sleeves, and the letters "LBSC" on the left shoulder.

Quietly, he lifted the blanket off of himself, and his pant leg up. Like his arms and shoulder, they were covered in bandages.

He sighed and slowly sat up, with Gina's help of course.

"Can.., can you tell me about yourself?" Thomas asked. He wanted to think of something else.

Gina sat at the end of the bed, nodded and smiled, knowing why he suddenly asked that question.

"Well, I'm originally from Italy." She explained. "Back there, I competed in a lot of contests shunting trucks."

"With a train?" Thomas asked, his eyes lighting up.

Gina smiled more at seeing his excitement, and nodded.

"I want to have my own train someday." Thomas smiled. "Do my own jobs."

"I hope you get that." Gina smiled. "Shall I continue?"

Thomas nodded eagerly.

"Anyway," Gina continued. "I was often the winner of them. I thought that was going to be my lifelong dream. To shunt trucks, and win competitions. That is, until I saw a child, homeless in the streets of my city." She said. "I knew then, I wanted to help children. So, I transferred here, and started working at the orphanage."

"That's where I met my now best friend, Ashima." Gina said. "She came from India, almost the exact same way I had. She was a champion at shunting trucks, and thought was what she wanted to do."

"Until I heard of all the homeless, and abused children here." Said a new voice.

Gina and Thomas turned around to see another female enter the room. She was wearing the same dress Gina had on, and had black hair, and violet eyes. She was carrying a tray of food.

"Hello Gina." She smiled.

Gina smiled back. "Hello Ashima. Meet our new child, Thomas."

Ashima nodded at Thomas. "Hello Thomas." She said cheerily.

"Hi." Thomas replied.

Soon, all three of them formed a close bond. They became the best of friends.

Both Gina and Ashima did their best to try and help Thomas forget whatever it was he experienced. They wanted to forget, but they knew it would be hard.

…

Everyone stared at Thomas in shock.

"Oh my gosh Thomas…" Emily gasped. "You… we can't believe you went through all that..,"

Thomas only shook his head. "Just… maybe some other time..," He whispered. "I'm so tired..,"

Edward nodded. "I'll take you to bed. In fact, we should all, go to bed."

Everyone nodded at Edward's silent command, and started getting ready for bed.

Edward carried Thomas up the stairs, and into their room, as Rosie and Gordon silently followed. He quietly helped Thomas get changed into his pajamas, and tucked him in. Edward Rosie and Gordon all hugged and kissed him goodnight, then they all changed into their pajamas and went to bed.

While Thomas fell asleep relatively quickly, despite what he just relived, everyone else had a slight bigger problem falling to sleep that night, their minds all swimming with questions, and one certainty.

Thomas' story was far from over.

…

With 'Broken but Fixable?', I have unfortunately hit a road block with it. I have not forgotten about that story, I just have no ideas. Anyone have any? If so, please share! Much appreciated! Sorry for the long chapter, also.