Chapter 18: Red Skye's

Notes-So sorry about the ridiculously long delay. I'm putting chapter 18 up unbeta-ed because I just don't want to make you guys wait any longer so if there are any mistakes they are my own and feel free to point them out and I'll fix them ASAP. I have some really great chapters coming up for you guys. I'm really excited to see what you think. I'm going to be revealing some of Skye's haunting past very soon.

Skye's POV- Status: Whereabouts: "Gramsy's house" Time: 3:00 am

Sitting up, Skye pushed off the blankets and pulled her pyjamas off. She didn't feel good. She was hot, uncomfortable, tired and now thirsty. She could feel the emotions bubbling up inside her as tears started rolling down her cheeks.

She sat there in the dark not sure what to do or what she really wanted. No, she did know what she wanted. She wanted her Grant to fix it, whatever it was she was feeling; she just didn't wanna be the one to wake him up because she didn't feel good.

Grant's POV

He sat up quickly, flicking the lamp on when he heard a muffled sob. "Baby?" He said quietly, not wanting to wake Tommy or Gramsy. "Come here." He encouraged, opening his arms for her. Skye crawled into his lap, rubbing her hot tear stained face against his bare chest.

He rubbed soothing circles on her back. "Too hot again, baby?" He guessed by the heat coming off her skin and her state of undress. Skye nodded mumbling something he could only understand parts of.

He was getting rather fluent in translating her baby slur. "So your jammies are too hot and hurt to wear over your sunburn. You're tired, but you can't sleep because you're hot and dehydrated." He stated trying to make sure he'd got the situation right.

"What's de-hi-dra-ated?" She frowned up at him with teary eyes.

"Dehydrated." He corrected, running his fingers through her tangled hair. "It's when you haven't had enough water. How about we go and get you a drink?" He got out of bed with Skye and headed to the kitchen, being as quiet as possible so he didn't wake anyone.

He picked up a yellow plastic cup from the shelf and filled it with water for her.

"Wobot sippy." Skye whined, shaking her head as she pushed the offending cup away.

"Ok, baby, where'd you put it?" He asked, looking around trying to spot it in the dark kitchen.

"Gramsy put it in da fridge." She told him, shaking a little against him.

Is she cold now? Maybe she needs more clothes on. He wondered, holding her closer to his chest so she'd absorb his warmth as he opened the fridge.

He tightened his hold on Skye, automatically calculating the distance to the nearest weapon when the kitchen light was suddenly flicked on. The knife in the sink. He mentally cringed at the idea of hand-to-hand with Skye in such close proximity. He spun around sharply prepared for anything. He took a deep breath and relaxed his stance once he spotted Tommy in the doorway; his brother looked shocked but didn't comment.

"It's on the bottom shelf. Gramsy put it there so Skye could reach it easier." Tommy nudged him aside, getting the water bottle off the lower shelf. He handed the bottle to Skye, who immediately started gulping the cool water down, spilling it over her chin in the process. Grant jerked when the icy cold water dripped onto his bare chest.

Tommy handed him a tea towel, he wiped the cold water off his chest and then the watery dribble off Skye's chin. He pulled the bottle away from Skye's mouth so she'd take a breath. "Small sips, baby. You don't wanna be sick." He warned her, releasing the bottle. Skye huffed at him, but took smaller sips.

"Skye doesn't seem herself." Tommy observed, anxiously eyeing Skye.

"Skye's just a little dehydrated. All she needs is some water and rest, don't worry." Grant reassured his brother, squeezing his shoulder.

"Ok, but…I think she's shaking and she looks a little sweaty." Tommy insisted, furrowing his brows.

Grant focused his gaze on Skye, dread filled him as he realised his brother was right. Skye suddenly dropped her bottle as her hand flew to her mouth. Specialist reflexes kicking in, he dashed for the bathroom, where Skye emptied her stomach contents into the toilet.

Holding her hair away from her face, Grant knelt down beside her rubbing soothing circles on her lower back like Gramsy used to do for him when he was sick as a little boy. "It's ok, baby. You're ok, I've got you." He soothed as she retched again, tears trickling down her cheeks silently.

When Skye slumped back on her knees shaking, he flushed the toilet. A cloth obstructed his view, he didn't even realise Tommy had followed them into the bathroom.

"Here." Tommy said, handing over the damp cloth.

"Thanks Tommy." He said, wiping Skye's mouth.

Skye looked miserable. "Let's get you back into bed." He said, Skye's bottom lip was trembling and she was staring into space.

"Don't wanna." She whimpered, still crying.

He gently pick her up, she shook violently and felt hot and clammy. "Well, you're exhausted, baby. It's time for bed." He insisted, ignoring her tired refusal. He tossed the wash cloth into the hamper and headed for his bedroom with Tommy following behind.

"Is Skye really going to be alright, Grant?" Tommy asked, sounding like he was 5 years old rather than a twenty six year old. Grant placed Skye down without a complaint as her eyes fluttered closed. He covered her up with just the sheet and kissed her forehead.

Grant turned back towards his little brother, who was clutching Skye's bottle like a life-line with white knuckles. "Thomas, I need you to listen to me. Look at me, okay." He waited till his little brother made eye contact with him. "It's not your fault. Skye's my responsibility. I'm the one that should've made sure she had enough sunscreen on. This is on me, not you. You didn't know, you've never looked after a kid before and I don't want you feeling guilty. These things happen." He reassured Tommy, using Gramsy words from early.

Tommy still looked like a vulnerable five year old, expecting to be punished for doing the wrong thing. "Thomas, kids get sick. It happens." He insisted, trying desperately to get Tommy to understand it was only an accident and Skye would be ok.

"I should've been more careful. Skye's only a baby. Of course she was going to get burnt. This is Australia for God sakes! How could I be so stupid? Now I've made her sick and miserable." Tommy avoided his gaze again, fiddling with Skye's water bottle.

Grant walked up to his brother, putting his hands on his shoulders. "Thomas, she'll be fine. Stop beating yourself up about it, it wasn't your fault. Do you understand me?!" He asked, firmly.

"I hear you. I'm just not sure I believe you. Skye might be your responsibility for now, but when she was sunburnt, she was mine. So next time, I'm going to make sure nothing happens to her on my watch." Tommy insisted.

"You're worse than Gramsy with your stubbornness." Grant complained. "Get to bed and give me that damn bottle." He told his little brother, taking the bottle to stop Tommy fiddling with it. He shoved his stubborn younger brother towards the door.

"Like you can talk, you're more stubborn than the two of us combined." Tommy said over his shoulder, leaving the room.

"Goodnight Tommy." He grumbled, getting into his bed beside Skye.

Grant placed Skye's bottle on the bedside table, beside the after sun spray. He'd worry about the spray tomorrow. He didn't want to wake her now. As soon as his own head hit the pillow, he was out like a light.

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The house was quiet for a change and he was catching up on his reading. Tommy had taken Gramsy out for lunch and Skye was yet to make an appearance. He glanced at his watch again. I better wake her, before its lunch time. He thought.

He was about to get up when Skye unexpectedly stumbled into the room, still in her underwear, rubbing her eyes. Her long hair was a mess of tangled curls, sticking up in every direction, and he didn't think she'd looked more adorable in her life.

Skye stumbled towards him with her eyes still half closed, and just waited for him to place her in his lap. Once she was settled, she snuggled into his chest. She was always so snuggly when she first woke up. "Feeling any better, baby?" He asked, shifting his book to the coffee table giving her his full attention, not that Skye didn't already seem to be the centre of his universe.

She closed her eyes, burrowing into his warmth. "Mm, no." She mumbled into the front of his shirt.

"Skye, can you lift your head so I can hear what you're says please?" He asked, having trouble converting her baby garble as it was muffled by his shirt.

Skye lifted her head slowly, opening her eyes to frown at him. "Tummy no feel good and got sore froat." She complained, bringing her hand up to her throat.

He nodded, he'd expected that. "We better put some of that spray on you that Gramsy found." He said, carrying her back upstairs.

He sat Skye on the edge of his bed. "Hold still baby, close your eyes and don't open them till I say." He instructed her.

"O'tay." She shut her eyes tight.

"Here we go, keep em shut." He told her, spraying all over her face. "You can open your eyes now, baby. I'll do your arms and legs then you can get dressed, while I get you some brekkie."

Skye opened her eyes, watching him spray her arms and legs. "I smell like bee-nana." She told him, giggling happily for the first time since she'd woken up.

He quirked an eyebrow amused. "I guess you do smell like banana." It's 'banana boat' after sun spray. He noticed, reading the brand name on the bottle.

He put the spray bottle down on the bedside table and stood up. "Let's get you dressed." He laid out clean underwear and clothes for her, setting them down on the end of his bed. "Come down to the kitchen when you're dressed for some brekkie, ok baby." He told her, walking out leaving her to get dressed.

He heard little feet coming down the hallway and turned to see Skye only dressed in her clean underwear and a singlet, he frowned. "Baby, where's the clothes I set out for you?" He asked, while putting her fruit in a bowl and grabbing a fork from the drawer.

"They hurt, don't wanna wear d'em." She told him dismissively, climbing onto the chair.

He shook his head, setting her bowl down and handed her the fork. "Fine, just eat your fruit. It shouldn't hurt your tummy." He insisted as she scrunched up her face at the idea of food. Skye stabbed a piece of cut up watermelon and popped it into her mouth, obviously deciding it wasn't going to hurt her tummy. He'd picked water based fruits to help keep her hydrated.

He leant back against the bench, arms crossed over his chest and watched Skye work her way through the fruit salad. She started with watermelon, then grapes, rockmelon and banana. Then she repeated the pattern. "Skye, you aren't playing with your food are you?" He asked, sternly.

Skye looked up innocently and shook her head no. She then continued to play with her fruit, only eating it in that order.

"I think you are playing." He told her, disapprovingly.

"No, I not!" She insisted. "I eating favourite colours." She explained to him.

Which is playing. He rolled his eyes.

"Wed, gween, orange and lellow." Skye listed for him, spiking each piece of fruit in turn, and then popping them into her mouth. "See? All gone." She told him, happily clapping her hands.

He picked up her bowl and fork, placing them in the sink. "Tummy feeling okay?" He checked.

"Yeah." She said, looking down at her belly as she gave it a small poke. "Where are Tommy and Gramsy?" She asked, looking around for them.

"They went out to lunch, baby. They'll be back later." He told her.

"THEY LEFT THE CASTLE! WE HAVE TO GO GET THEM BACK, RIGHT NOW!" She shouted at him fanatically, jumping down from her chair running towards the front door.

It took him a moment to respond to her outburst. "Skye! SKYE, HOLD UP. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?" He shouted, catching up with her just as she hit the bottom step. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Baby, stop squirming. Where do you think you're going?" He asked, confused.

"To get Tommy and Gramsy back! NOT SAFE OUT THERE!" She shouted, trying to get free.

"Calm down, Skye. Nobody knows about them. I wouldn't have let them go otherwise. I promise they are coming back." Skye didn't calm down at his reassurance and was still trying frantically to get out of his strong hold on her. "I'll get them on the phone, if you want just so they can tell you themselves." He pulled his phone out of his pocket, still keeping a firm arm wrapped around Skye.

He dialled Tommy's number. "Hi Tommy. Yes, Skye's ok. But she wants to talk to you. Just tell her you're coming back after lunch, okay." He told his brother, handing his phone to Skye who'd stopped squirming immediately.

"Tommy?" Skye asked, hesitantly. "You and Gramsy have to come back, right now. I don't want the bad guys to get you." Skye said, voice trembling.

Grant's chest tightened listening to Skye's side of the call. He hated that she thought HYRDA was going to hurt everyone she loved and that nowhere was safe.

"Promise you'll be careful?" She asked, tears filling her eyes. "You promise, you'll come back and play wif me?" She was clutching the phone with a death grip.

He tightened his grip to comfort her. Tommy was obviously making some promises, but he was sure his brother wouldn't let her down.

"I'll wait right here and look after Grant for you…till you get back, I promise." Skye sniffled, tears silently running down her cheeks. Skye sniffled, handing the phone back to him.

"Tommy, you there?" He checked, putting the phone back to his right ear and rubbing Skye's arm comfortingly.

"Yeah, I'm still here. Is Skye okay? She sounded scared." Tommy asked, worriedly.

"She'll be fine, now she know you're coming back." Grant assured him.

"I hope so. We'll be home soon." Tommy told him.

"I'll see you and Gramsy when you get back." He said, hanging up. "You ok, baby?" He asked.

Skye shook her head no and turned around burying her face in his legs. "Come here, baby. It's alright." He said, lifting her up, wiping her tears away. "They'll be back soon. How about we go inside and watch some TV while we wait?" He suggested. Skye just buried her face in his shirt sniffling, she was obviously over tired from last night.

He grabbed the remote off the coffee table and lay down on the couch. He rested his head on the arm rest with Skye sprawled out on her belly on top of him. He flicked though the kid's channels. "What have we got here, Skye? Look baby." He said, getting her to focus on the TV.

"Tommy da Tank Engine." She smiled, pointing at the TV.

"That's right, baby." He said, wiping away the last of her tears and kissing the top of her head. He watched her eyelids slowly close. Skye looked so relaxed when she was asleep, like she didn't have a care in the world. Running his fingers through her tangled hair, he sighed. I actually need to brush her hair later, it's really outta control. He thought, closing his own eyes.

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Gramsy's POV

Thomas has told her about the call and she fully expected to be met with Skye giving them the third degree about leaving, but they got out of the car and were met with silence.

"You don't think they left. Do you, Gramsy?" Thomas asked her worriedly, looking towards the house.

"Of course not, they'd say goodbye first." Gramsy soothed his worries not letting on that the eerie silence was unsettling her too.

She pushed open the front door quickly looking around the lounge, she sighed with relief. "I told you they'd still be here, Thomas." She walking quietly into the living room, followed by her grandson.

"Is that…" Thomas trailed off, recognising what was playing on TV.

"I believe its Thomas the Tank Engine. Skye must really have missed you while you were out." She said smiling at him.

"Yeah that…or Grant's going soft." Thomas chuckled, heading into the kitchen to unpack their shopping.

Yeah, Grant's going soft alright. Soft for Skye. Gramsy shook her head, placing a blanket over them for the second time in two days. This was becoming a habit.