Haunting Memories (Ty)

[Cass Old Account]

Cass tossed and turned in her bed. She was running in her dream. Running from a black tiger in her dream that she knew it was Jay. She knew what happened after the tiger caught up with her. She would get kidnapped and tortured, all in hopes of destroying the life growing inside of her. She couldn't wake up until it was all over.

Soon it was and she had shot up in her bed. Emotion seemed to sweep over her, as she broke down and cried. She tucked her knees close to her and crossed her arms over them, leaning her head down and rocking back and forth. Every time she dreamed and/or had a nightmare about Jay, she cried. That was always how Ty knew she was dreaming and or having a nightmare about her past, whenever he woke up. She hoped she didn't this time. This had been the worst one yet. She actually broke down. Her tears couldn't stop. They wouldn't...

[Tyler Ryonas]

Ty awoke, hearing his mom crying again. The sound of Cass crying always woke him up, almost like his ears were trained to pick up that faint sound. That, and she'd wake up crying on occasion. She never really seemed to want to talk about exactly why she was crying though. He always guessed a dream, and left it at that.

He rolled out of bed, as he always did on nights like this. He walked across the small dark house to her room. They didn't have much, but Cass gave Ty pretty much anything he wanted. He made his way to her bed and sat beside her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

[Cass Old Account]

Cass willed her tears to stop, but she hadn't had this dream in a while; she'd always had others, when everything was all right between her and Jay, and she cried because she missed those. When she felt a hand on her shoulder she looked up, her eyes swollen from crying so hard. It was Ty, as she knew it would be.

Cass didn't know what to do; if she was ever in any physical pain, she wouldn't cry. When it came to stuff like this, she did cry. She usually didn't say anything when Ty came in, but she felt she had to explain something. It came out in a sob. "W-What did I do wrong?" and she broke down all over again. In one night it seemed she was falling apart.

[Tyler Ryonas]

Ty was wearing a black tee-shirt and bright green shorts, what he usually slept in. He slipped his arm around his Mom, pulling into a hug and letting her head rest on his shoulder. He'd never seen her this bad before, and to be honest, it was scaring him a little.

"W-What did I do wrong?"

Ty was confused. "I...I don't know..." he said shakily. "I don't see where you've done ANYTHING wrong..." His voice got serious. "Mom...I've seen you cry for a while now, but never like this...I know something's bothering you, and think it's time you get this off your chest."

[Cass Old Account]

Cass repositioned herself so she could hug Ty and she leaned her head against his shoulder. Then Ty spoke to her. She was slightly afraid to tell him the truth about his father, and all that he's done. Even though it was Jay who kidnapped her and Jay who had done everything to her, she had always blamed herself for the problems, much like others would do in her situation.

She decided to try and say something else. "I-It was your father...in that dream." She stopped crying momentarily and she felt relief, but as soon as her eyes closed, she saw Jay's smile, his face, that then distorted into one of someone evil, and she started right back up again.

[Tyler Ryonas]

Ty didn't know why, but he wasn't really surprised when Cass said it was about his father. He knew his father was Jay McRae, and that he'd left before he was born, but that was all. He comfortingly rubbed her back when she started crying again.

"Mom...I...I know it's hard, but you'll never beat this thing by holding it in. If you don't want to talk, I understand." He paused, lifting her chin to look her in the eye. "I want you to know that I'm ready to listen whenever you're ready to talk." he then hugged her again. "No matter what, Mom, I love you."

[Cass Old Account]

Cass knew Ty was right, but what would he think when she told him the story she had told him about her and his father wasn't true? Soon she felt Ty lifting her chin up and she looked him in the eye. "All right."

She hugged him back and didn't want to let go, but knew for this she would have to. "Ty...your mother has made some bad decisions in the past. I think this is by far the worst one. I lied to you."

[Tyler Ryonas]

Ty leaned back as the hug broke and Cass started to explain. He sat on the bed, looking her in the eye, eager to help. But he wasn't prepared for what she told him. Not in the least bit.

"Ty...your mother has made some bad decisions in the past. I think this is by far the worst one. I lied to you."

He blinked a couple of times. He tried to speak, but couldn't form the words right away. Finally he managed to force out a "Wh-What? How?... Why?"

[Cass Old Account]

Cass felt her heart start to tear when he asked the questions. She looked down at her hands, the tears falling on them. "The truth behind your father...I feel like it's my fault, somehow. Leona and Nichole both warned me that he would hurt me, and I ignored them. He seemed to be a really nice guy, and I fell in love with him."

She sighed, tears never quitting. "It wasn't meant to be, I found out the night after we slept together. He found out I was friends with Leona, and he hated that. I still don't understand why." She shook her head. "When he found out I was pregnant with you, it made things worse....I was walking down the street alone one day, I was about three months along, when-when-" and she broke down again. She couldn't seem to go on right at that moment. "I-I'm so so sorry."

[Tyler Ryonas]

Ty listened, feeling tears well up in his own eyes. He wasn't mad at her for lying. He was upset at first, but she only did it to help him. She thought she was wrong, but Ty was sure that wasn't something he'd have been able to handle when he was younger.

He hugged her again, tears freely flowing. "It's okay, Mom. You only lied to protect me. I know you don't support lying, but you were only looking out for me. Only....now that I know the truth, I hate my father even more...."

[Cass Old Account]

Cass held onto Ty tightly as he spoke and she said, "I wouldn't have lied, if I knew where he was. I just don't want you to do anything that'll get you hurt, okay?" Her tears seemed to have finally gone away, when she pulled back.

"I don't know, Ty. I believe there's still that same old Jay I knew inside him. And who knows, maybe he left to change for the better. I like to be optimistic. Is that bad?"

[Tyler Ryonas]

"No, it's actually a good thing," Ty said, wiping his eyes. "You always look out for me, and I thank you for that. Look, it's not bad to try and find the good in people. You have a way of looking at someone and seeing the good things, and I admire that about you."

His tone then darkened. "But, I don't I'd ever want to meet him, even if he's changed. Especially now. He hurt you before, and I'm not gonna let it happen again. You're all I've got, and no one is taking you from me."

[Cass Old Account]

Cass smiled at the compliments she was getting from her son. "I'm glad I have you for my son. I don't know what I'd do without you." She hugged him again. She sighed as she stood up. "What time is it anyway?"

Cass nodded. "I understand that, hun. But maybe the fact that he's been in prison for ten years now could have changed him so much he isn't like he was. Besides, I'm much more aware of signs and warnings than I was younger. I don't think he'll be around for a long while."

[Ray]

Ty smiled. "Thanks, Mom. And you know I'd be lost without you, too." He looked at the clock on the wall. "It's 2:25 in the morning," he said as he hugged her back.

"I know, Mom. I'm sorry for feeling that way, but I just can't imagine someone treating you like that. I....just don't want to see you hurt again." He pulled back and kissed her cheek. Goodnight, Mom. See you tomorrow." He grinned before leaving and going back to his room and crawling in the bed, drifting off to sleep.

[Cass Old Account]

Cass smiled. "I know. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." She gave him one last hug and a kiss on the forehead. "2:15? I only had three hours of sleep? Man, I only have three left to catch."

Cass thought it so sweet that her son cared that much. "Thanks, Ty. Good night. I'll see you at breakfast." She watched him leave before she crawled into her own bed to fall asleep.