Re: Bill and Dom
His arms went around her on instinct as Dom hugged him, holding her close because she needed it. The same way he'd always held her close when she needed it. He hadn't expected the rush of emotions, the unexpected surge of pain and will to protect. Within him, it was as if something broke, as if there was even more that could break.
If he held her too tightly he wasn't sure he could stop himself. Victoire would have been bruised by the strength of his grip, the way he nearly crushed Dom against him in a rush of fear of losing her and Victoire too.
He wished he could cry, that he could shed more tears, but after that first day, it was as if he was dried up. There were no more tears that could ever make up for the pain, and so he stood dried eyed, crushing his daughter against his chest without feeling able to ever let go.
"You're not ever allowed to die." The whisper was out of his mouth before he was aware of wanting to say it. Yet once the words were formed he kept repeating them, like a mantra. For what else could he say? There was nothing that would ever make this better, nothing that would ever make this go away, and he wasn't sure he could even survive this another time. Dom and Vic simply weren't allowed to ever die.