#timmy thorne

[littleindigochildx]

[littleindigochildx]

[littleindigochildx]

☆ may the 4th be with you

“Savvy, wake up! Wake UP!” Timmy exclaimed as he bounced up and down on his little sister’s bed. It was 6 o’clock on a Monday morning. Savanna (for once) wanted to sleep in. Declan didn’t see this as a problem since it meant he got to sleep in too. He didn’t know Vic’s youngest children all that well, but after living with them for a couple weeks he knew sleeping in was rare.

Since the quarantine began, school work for the week was assigned on Sunday nights. Both of the Thorne children liked to finish it immediately. They wanted to spend the rest of their week doing whatever they pleased and didn’t want to be weighted down by school work. Social distancing was a completely new experience for them. Both kids had their good and bad days. They clearly missed their parents and older siblings-- Hell, they missed their entire family. This was the longest they had gone without spending time together. It was a miracle they were still alive since the person in charge of them was barely qualified to take care of himself. Things had been rough. Timmy and Savvy couldn't reply on anyone so they were forced to grow up a little faster than intended. Despite all the promises Declan made to Vic-- The kids were basically on their own. If they were lucky, they could convince him to make them something sensible for dinner, but (for the most part) they left him alone and he left them alone just as they promised.

“It’s too early, Timmy. Go back’ta bed.” The seven year old groaned as she pulled the blankets up over her head. She didn’t know why her brother was in such a good mood, but she was too tired to ask questions. “I can’t.” He replied with a heavy sigh. “We got work ‘ta do.” The nine year old explained. Today was May 4th. Any Star Wars fan would know the significance. Timmy was no exception. He had a movie marathon to prepare for, but he couldn’t do it without Savanna’s help. She was better at snack selecting and baking than he was. “Why do we gotta do work? I already finished all’a my school stuff.” The little brunette groaned. Clearly she wasn’t getting rid of her brother that easily. Timothy took a breath and bounced again. “Cause t’day is May 4th--” He stated simply. He figured she would know what he was talking about now, but it was too early and the only thing Savanna could think about was how little sleep she got the night before and exhausted she currently was. The house rules certainly were different without Victoria and David around. Declan didn’t seem to care what the kids did as long as they were quiet and out of his hair. The new found freedom was both exciting and scary. Especially when they did things Victoria would never allow like staying up all night or eating ice cream for dinner.

“Fine--” Timothy huffed. “I’ll get everythin' set up on my own.” The little boy was clearly disappointed, but he knew his sister had a late night. She missed Victoria so much she spent a better part of yesterday crying. Timmy did his best to console her but it wasn’t the same. He wasn’t their mom. He could never be their mom. “I’ll be back in’a little while.” He spoke as he headed for the door. “But don’t forget ya got’a help me feed all the animals.” Timmy reminded his little sister before exiting the room. Declan could be heard snoring from the guest room. He wouldn’t dream of sleeping in the master bedroom knowing David had been there. Although he had done his fair share of snooping.

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Savanna woke up around 8am. The house was quiet which meant Timmy was most likely outside already and Declan was still asleep. Without hesitation, the seven year old slipped some rain boots on her feet and headed outside to find her brother. Breakfast could wait-- Especially when there wasn't much to choose from. They were in desperate need of groceries. Declan and Timothy had eaten practically everything in the house that didn’t require meal prep. Savvy expressed her concerns in an iMessage to Victoria, but Vic was so busy at work that she didn’t have time to check her messages yet. David didn’t have time yet either. It only took three days for them to break their promise of FaceTiming daily, but the kids still tried hoping that eventually they would get through.

“Good. Yer up.” Timmy said as he finished cleaning out Vegas’ stall. Mucking stalls was his least favorite chore, but he knew he had to do it. Savanna tried to help, but she wasn’t strong enough to move the wheel barrel once it was full. Feeding the animals, collecting chicken eggs, and letting the horses out into the pasture was more manageable for her so she got to work right away. “How much longer do ‘ya think we’re gonna have’ta do this?” The little brunette asked. “I want mommy and daddy ‘ta come home.” Savvy frowned. Timothy put the pitch fork down and turned to look at his sister. “Me too.” He admitted. “But don’t worry, Savvy-- They should be home soon. This quarantine can’t last forever.” Timmy added, but in his head he silently wondered if he was telling the truth. The pandemic certainly felt like it would last forever-- Unless it only seemed that way because Declan hadn’t warmed up to them yet. Not even a tiny bit. “When we’re done, I got’a surprise for ‘ya--” He grinned excitedly. “I’m gonna need yer help with some’a it though.” Timmy confessed. Snacks were going to be difficult to come up with, but Vic always had the ingredients to make cupcakes or cookies. The hardest part would be staying out of Declan’s way.

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“There. All done.” Savanna said once the animals were fed and her bucket was full of fresh chicken eggs. The food source wasn’t much, but at least they wouldn’t starve before Declan got around to grocery shopping. “Can I see the surprise now?” The seven year old asked. Timmy noticed she was struggling with the heavy bucket so he took it from her to carry inside. “Not yet. We need’a get dressed ‘n make snacks first.” He replied. It wasn’t uncommon for Savanna to help with morning chores in pajamas, but Timmy usually got dressed before heading outside. Today he resisted the urge. They were running out of clean clothes and neither he nor Savvy knew how to do laundry. The last time Savanna attempted to do it by herself, she flooded the mudroom and the kitchen. “Meet me in the kitchen when you’re ready.” Timothy instructed. “An’ try not to wake DC.” They weren’t entirely sure Declan was still asleep, but if he was— Timmy didn’t want to wake him. Savanna didn’t either.

Both kids changed quickly and met back downstairs as Declan entered the kitchen for his first cup of coffee. If he knew Timmy and Savvy were in there with him, he didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, he made a single cup of black coffee and took it with him into the living room.

“That was close.” Timmy exhaled. He didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until Declan left the room. “Now what?” Savvy inquired. Timmy requested her assistance, but she still didn’t know why. “Now we make snacks-- If we have any food left.” The nine year old chuckled softly. He knew their parents would forbid them going to the store without an adult, but Timmy was fully prepared to go anyway. He and Savanna had protective face masks and he knew where David hid emergency money for situations like this. He already started a list of essentials in case Declan was feeling up to the task, but they couldn’t wait on him for much longer.

“What do ‘ya need my help for?” Savvy arched a brow. They were out of most convenience items so they would need to get creative with the snacks. “Besides mom an’ aunt Clara-- Yer the best at makin’ cookies ‘n cakes--” Timmy explained. “But mommy said we’re not supposed’ta use the oven without adult supervision.” Timothy thought about his sister’s concerns for a moment before responding. “Declan is here.” He gestured to the living room. Surely if the house caught on fire, he’d have to intervene, but Timmy didn’t think it would come down to that. He had faith in his sister’s ability to bake without causing chaos. “Well-- What are we gonna make?” Savvy asked. Clearly whatever her brother was up to, he put some serious thought into it. “Cupcakes!” The nine year old grinned. “For Star Wars day.”

Savanna was quick to hop on board when Timmy shared some of the surprise details with her. He didn’t want to tell her much because he had been working so hard to cheer her up, and he didn't want to ruin everything. “What do ‘ya say? Wanna help?” That was all it took for Savvy to agree. “You get the bowl and measuring cups. I’ll get the ingredients.” She had them memorized along with Clara’s recipe for her super secret buttercream frosting. “Yer gonna be my sous chef.”

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Declan didn’t concern himself with anything the children did until the smell of baked goods filled the house. His stomach growled which piqued his interest in what Timmy and Savvy were up to. The biker stood with his hand-painted #1 Dad coffee mug and headed for the kitchen. “Somethin’ smells good. What’cha makin’?” For a second both kids feared they were about to get in trouble, but when Declan showed no signs of anger they let out a sigh of relief. “We’re makin’ snacks.” Savvy said vaguely. Timmy wanted to take this opportunity to point out that they were running low on food in general, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. “Makin’ snacks?” Declan repeated with an arched brow. “Didn’t know five year olds could cook--” He smirked to himself. Savvy rolled her eyes which instantly reminded Declan of his own daughter. “I’m seven. An that mug yer usin' is my daddy's.” She corrected him with her hands on her hips. She looked so much like Dottie when she was little that it was hard to believe Savanna was a Thorne. “I stand corrected--” Declan put his hands up in defense. “I didn’t know seven year olds could cook.” His smirk turned into a full blown grin. “We’re just makin’ cupcakes. Mommy an’ aunt Clara teached me how.” Before DC could speak again, Timmy chimed in. “We will clean up the mess. I promise.” They hadn’t experienced DC’s temper first hand, but heard stories. Neither one of them wanted to feel his wrath which is why they took extra precautions to stay out of his way. Under these circumstances Declan didn’t seem annoyed. He seemed intrigued. “What else can ‘ya make?” He asked. The question caught the kids off-guard. “Nothin’-- We got no more food ‘ta make. Mommy always goes ‘ta the store on Saturdays, but she’s not here an’ you didn’t go.” Savvy told him with a scowl. She clearly wasn’t as scared of DC as Timmy appeared to be which made it even harder for the ex-con to believe she was truly a Thorne. “Savvy--” Timmy nudged her but she shook him off. “He needs ‘ta go to the store or we’re gonna starve.” The seven year old was being a little dramatic, but it got the point across. “Cool yer jets, kid. I’ll get ‘ya some damn food.” Declan responded. He received a glare from the youngest Thorne. “Language--” Savvy reminded him. “Or we won’t share any’a these cupcakes with you.” Her serious expression matched Victoria’s exactly and instead of being angry at the child, Declan laughed. “Women-- Yer all the same.” He mumbled under his breath on his way up the stairs.

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It took Declan almost as long to shower and get dressed as it took Timmy and Savanna to decorate their fresh batch of cupcakes. By the time he came back downstairs the pair had disappeared from the house. On the table was a note written in crayon from Savanna. With it were a few cupcakes she decorated herself and left for him.

Dear Declan,

I made these for you. Don’t eat um too fast or you’ll get a tummy ache.

Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you.

xoxo, Savvy ♡

PS: Me n Timmy are in the barn if you wanna come join us.

Savanna truly couldn’t have been more Victoria-like if she tried. The note was a nice touch and clearly something she learned from her mom over the years. The backwards letters and Savanna’s handwriting in general tugged at Declan’s heartstrings. David’s kids or not, he was beginning to develop a soft spot for them-- Especially little Savvy.

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Wookie noises, light sabers, and laughter could be heard from the hayloft. Timmy finally revealed his surprise to his sister when their cupcakes were ready. It took him all morning to set up, but he was pleased with how their loft turned out. He used the birthday decorations from his last party, added some bean bag chairs for comfort, and made sure his iPad was completely charged with the entire Star Wars saga downloaded and ready for viewing.

“So this is where the party’s at?” DC’s voice made them jump. Timmy gave his sister a look. If Declan found their hiding place it was only because Savanna told him where it was. “Savvy--” He spoke through clenched teeth. She returned an apologetic look.

“Did ‘ya come ‘ta watch the movies with us?” Savanna and Timothy were both in costume but it wasn’t a requirement. “I came ‘ta thank you for the cupcakes.” Declan couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. Did he just thank someone for a kind gesture? “Yer welcome.” Savvy smiled as she moved over to make room for him. She could feel her brother’s icy stare on the back of her head but chose to ignore him. “We are havin’ a movie marathon cause it’s Star Wars day.” It explained the strange outfits. Declan had never seen a single Star Wars movie and he didn’t understand the hype, but for some reason he found it nearly impossible to say no to Savanna’s invite. “I’ll stay-- But only for a little while. I wouldn’t wanna crash the party.” His gaze moved from Savvy’s hopeful expression to Timothy’s somber one. The nine year old quickly returned his attention to the screen without saying another word.

[littleindigochildx]

task 18

Timothy sat outside the principal’s office. Blood dripped from his nose down the front of his shirt. It wasn’t like him to get into fights. He was typically such a passive child, but he just couldn’t take his classmate picking on him anymore. He knew he needed to stand up for himself. Savanna certainly would if she was in his position. Timmy was trying to be more like her because he admired that about his sister. She always stood up for what she believed in, whether it be a friend, family member, or something she was passionate about. What Timmy didn’t account for was the outcome of his actions. Not only was he in trouble, but Palm Valley Elementary had a zero tolerance policy when it came to fighting. He would have to serve a three day suspension for punching another student, even if it was in self defense.

“Are ya sure we need’a call my mom an’ dad?” At this point he was on the verge of tears. Things had been rough at home and the last thing Timothy wanted to do was disappoint his mother. She had enough to deal with between Savanna and her bed wetting, David and the custody battle, DC and his multiple personalities, Dottie moving out of Limbo, and Ransom overworking himself… He didn’t need to add anything else to her plate. “Can’t I just…. What if I just come here every day an’ do my work here?” The eight year old tried to negotiate, but Principal Dennison wasn’t having it. “I’m sorry, but you know I can't allow that.” He spoke softly but sternly. “We will discuss the terms of your punishment after I speak to your parents.” The principal told him before he picked up the phone and called Victoria.

—————

“He what?” Victoria questioned with her cell phone pressed to her ear. She was already on high alert because the kids' school was calling. That was never a good sign. Her initial reaction wasn’t that Timothy or Savanna were in trouble, but that one of them got hurt. They were good kids and rarely misbehaved, especially at school. “Timothy... Timothy Thorne?” The brunette was in disbelief because her Timothy didn’t get into fights. Victoria thought Savvy had to be involved in some way, shape, or form.

“What’s goin’ on, Vic?” Declan asked, but she held up her finger to prevent any further questions from him. “We’ll be right there.” She told principal Dennison before she ended the call and turned back to Declan. “Timmy got into a fight at school… Why do I feel like you put him up to this?” She arched a brow. She knew the two had been spending a lot of time together. Declan had been filling the void that David left when he stopped making an effort to be in his children's lives.

“Me? I didn’t put ‘im up ta nothin’. I swear.” DC replied defensively. He tried to hide the smile forming because he knew it would only make Victoria more angry. “If he hit’a kid, I’m sure the lil’ fucker deserved it.” His comment earned him a shove and an eye roll. Whether she agreed with Declan or not, her kids knew that violence wasn’t the answer. If they were having problems with a classmate they were supposed to go speak with a teacher, not punch another kid in the mouth. “I’m glad you think this is funny.” She glared at him as she grabbed her car keys. “Because you’re comin’ with me. Let’s go.” Victoria held the door open for him and made sure to lock up before the two of them headed for the car.

—————

When they arrived at Palm Valley Elementary, they could immediately see Timothy sulking in the corner of the main office. His glasses were broken and his shirt was stained crimson. Did he even get to see the nurse? Why didn’t she clean him up? Wasn’t that what they sent extra clothes to school for?

“Mrs. Deschaine. It’s a pleasure to see you again… I’m sorry it has to be under these circumstances.” The principal told her as he shook her hand, then Declan’s. “...I don’t believe we’ve met.” He turned to extend the same courtesy to Declan. Timmy had yet to make eye contact with either of them. He didn’t want to see the look of disappointment in their eyes. “So ya got us out here… Care to explain the situation, principal?” DC was quick to skip the introductions. “My kid got into’a fight, huh?” His kid? Victoria heard the comment but didn’t correct him. Declan had been more of a father to Timmy in the last few months than David had been in the last year. Where was David now? Did the school try to reach out to him? Did he shrug it off like he did most of his responsibilities? “Please step into my office and I’ll explain.” Principal Dennison showed them the way to his office and Declan caught Timmy’s gaze. He gave the boy a thumbs up and a wink to let him know he was on his side… No matter what.

—————

“Are ya gonna keep wastin’ everyone’s time, or are ya gonna tell us what happened?” Declan asked as he took a seat. The door was closed so Timmy couldn’t hear the conversation. He’d get the opportunity to tell his side of the story soon enough.

“Well, Mrs. Deschaine…” The principal didn’t address Declan directly because, until today, he had never seen the man on school grounds before. “It appears that your son was involved in a fight with a classmate.” Declan immediately scoffed. “Appears? No shit… Ya’ see tha’ kid’s shirt covered in blood?” Victoria nudged Declan to let him know he needed to back off. Of course they were going to defend Timmy, but they needed to hear the whole story first. “As I was saying…” The principal continued. “We’ve spoken to both students and it’s unclear who started the fight, so to make things fair we’re giving three days of out of school suspension to both of them. We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to violence. Regardless of how this came about, we feel this is the best decision for everyone involved. Perhaps even a change of classrooms so this kind of behavior doesn’t continue.”

Declan was trying to remain calm, but his fists were clenched tightly inside the pocket of his grease stained hoodie. “Yer school has a bullyin’ problem an’ ya think the best solution is ta take my kid out’a his classroom...away from his friends?” Victoria had never seen Declan stand up for Ransom the way he did for Timmy. She couldn’t even recall a time when he referred to Ransom as his son, but here he was doing it for David’s child. David Thorne, a man Declan despised. David Thorne, the man who stole his wife. Now here he was, sitting in the principal’s office, vouching for David’s offspring as if Timmy were Dottie and she was in trouble for fighting in school.

“I ain’t sayin’ what happened was right, but Timmy doesn’t get in’ta fights. If he punched’a kid...The kid prolly deserved it.” Victoria wanted, so badly, to cover DC’s mouth to get him to stop talking, but she had to agree with him. “Glad ya’ got’a nurse down here ta’ look at ‘im.” The comment came out sarcastically. “Good thing I brought one with me.” He was referring to Victoria. She’d do a better job assessing the damage than some underpaid school nurse anyway. “Yer runnin’ a fine establishment here, sir.” Another sarcastic comment earned him a sharp jab to the ribs. “Declan, you’re not helping…” Victoria spoke in a hushed tone through clenched teeth. “Maybe you should wait outside.”

It was different being in the principal’s office when he wasn’t the one in trouble, but it still brought back old memories. “Declan…please.” That was all Victoria had to say for DC to remove himself from the office. Truth be told, he preferred to be in the hallway with Timothy anyway.

—————

Declan removed an unused napkin from his pocket and extended it to the boy for his nose. They would have to tape Timothy’s glasses together until they could be fixed properly, but DC would work his magic with duct tape to make them look good as new. “Is mom gonna ground me?” The eight year old questioned. He still couldn’t look at Declan. He was wallowing in self pity. That was evident. “I didn’t mean ‘ta…. I just... “ It was hard to find the right words when he was on the verge of tears. “I just wanted Dylan ta’ stop pickin’ on me.”

Silence hung between them for a moment. Declan wasn’t used to giving fatherly advice and he wasn’t quite sure what to say. “I think she’s gonna be mad ‘bout the suspension, but we both know yer not’a violent kid.” He lifted Timmy’s chin to get a better look at his nose. It didn’t appear to be broken, just bloody. He did have a nice shiner forming under his left eye. DC assumed it was caused by the impact of his glasses. “Tha’ kid really clocked ya’ huh? We’ll have ta’ put some ice on that when we get home.”

“Mom’s not gonna’ make me go live with dad, is she?” Timmy’s question caught Declan off guard. “Why would’ya think somethin’ like that?” He replied with an arched brow. “Cause the teacher said I’m not’a ‘loud back in her class.” The little boy said sadly.

“You listen ‘ta me…” DC began as he placed a reassuring hand on Timmy’s back. “Ya never have’ta worry ‘bout yer mom an’ me sendin’ you away.” A smile formed and Declan leaned in to whisper the next part. “Between you an’ me… The lil’ fu…. kid deserved it. Just tell me one thing….” His voice got softer. “Did ya’ get ‘im good?” Timmy looked around to make sure the coast was clear before he smiled back and nodded. “Knocked his front tooth right out.” Declan seemed pleased with the response and chuckled softly. “Good for you, little man.” He knew there would be some form of punishment when Timmy got home, but Declan was proud of him for finally standing up for himself. It seemed the boy was capable of fighting his own battles after all.