Chapter Text
“Kumbaya, my lord, Kumbaya.” Wednesday Addams' eyes shot open. Every time she closed her eyes, she heard the echoing of that damn song. Her ears were prickling from the memory of the sound of Gary’s guitar. She brought a hand to her forehead, her head felt hot, as she could feel her pale face blushing. She rolled her eyes at the horror of having rosy cheeks. However, before she could think of anything else, the damn song reemerged from her memories. She put both of her hands over her ears, in a desperate attempt to get the memory to stop. “Stop it, stop it. STOP IT!” She yelled out.
It’s been a week since the ordeal with Debbie, and her brother, Pugsley, and her escaped from that wretched summer camp, but Wednesday still could hear the singing. She could still see the "smiles" of the campers, especially the smug smile of Amanda Buffman. Wednesday smiled slightly at the thought of how Amanda must feel now, at least that brings her some comfort, but at night, she could close her eyes and see the “Harmony Hut.” The memory is so vivid that it brings her back to that hut and the worse night of her life.
Wednesday took in a deep breath. It’s not abnormal for an Addams to run across people like this, after all, she does go to school, but the only difference between this school and the camp was that she could return home. Unfortunately for Wednesday, the last month, she was trapped with “normal” people. There was no escape from their “ways,” their “food,” etc. and now she’s been home for a week and can’t seem to let go of the trauma from those days. She wants to feel safe and sleep. She has not slept since returning home, or if she had slept, it was filled with nightmares. These weren't the pleasant nightmares of an Addams. Oh yes, she got the upper hand, but the torture that she had to endure, from Debbie, Gary and Becky, the campers, and Amanda…
Why else did she not run to her parents' and uncle's arms when she and Pugsley returned home? “You sent us to camp.” She remembered stating to them angrily with her arms crossed. “They made us sing.” She remembered looking right at her parents. She remembered feeling betrayed. Her parents had never betrayed her before. She did blame Debbie, mostly. But still...they were Addamses. Addamses are family first and family last. You don’t send away family. Wednesday wiped away a stray tear as it made its way down her cheeks. She still feels that her parents and uncle need to know what they allowed to happen to her and Pugsley.
A knock at her door pulled her away from her thoughts. She reached for her crossbow, which now sat at her bedside table. Normally it would be loaded as she would await Pugsley, however, now it’s there for her desire to feel safe. “I’m alright.” She told whoever was at the door. Someone must have heard her call out. She guessed a little disappointed with herself for displaying some emotion.
“Wednesday.”
Wednesday subconsciously lowered the crossbow, it was her mother. Her mother’s soft voice immediately had Wednesday feeling at ease. The way she spoke her name was filled with a soft, yet maternal command. The command displayed her mother's concern for her. Wednesday should have known her mother would have noticed her behavior, but she just assumed her mother would still be preoccupied with her new baby brother, Pubert, or wouldn’t care, since she sent her away in the first place. “Come in, Mother.” Wednesday whispered knowing that her mother could hear her.
Morticia entered her room. She glanced at the crossbow in her daughter’s hands. She made sure she made eye contact with Wednesday as she slowly crossed the room towards her. Morticia knew Wednesday was suffering and on edge. Her lack of sleep the last week had made her incredibly jumpy and withdrawn. Morticia and Gomez knew they had to repair the damage that was done to their two oldest children. They already started with Pugsley. They thought Wednesday still trusted them to come to them, but after a week, they realized just how much they wronged their eldest child. Morticia knew she had to help her children, they are Addamses and to an Addams family is everything. Wednesday watched her mother enter her room. She has always been in awe of her mother. Her mother had power, her mother was intelligent and extremely loving. She hated that this last week has brought them apart. She watched her mother glide to her, slower than she would normally, but still smooth and agile, almost as if she was gliding above the floor. Her eyes never left Wednesday’s as she sat on the edge of her daughter’s bed. Wednesday watched her mother’s hand rise as she very carefully, very gently, and very slowly reached out to her.
Morticia gave a small smile as Wednesday’s eyes closed as she ran her fingers over her daughter's braids following each loop. “Wednesday.” She said her name again as she continued to caress her daughter’s head and then moved to her caress her cheek.
Wednesday’s eyes stayed closed as she felt her mother’s hand gently caressing her face, her hair, her cheek. Another tear began to drop from one of her eyes, but before she could wipe away it’s existence her mother caught it with her finger. “Wednesday.” She whispered again, still caressing her cheek. Wednesday leaned into her mother's touch subconsciously, she moved until her head was lying on her mother's shoulders. Morticia let Wednesday stay there for a few minutes. Then she whispered to her daughter, “Wednesday, come with me.” Wednesday nodded as her mother took her hand.
Hand in hand they left the bedroom. Wednesday allowed her mother to lead them to her room. There was so much that she wanted to say to her mother, part of her wanted her mother to make it all better, like when she was younger, however, there was a part of her that didn't know if she should, what if her mother sent her again? What if they trusted an outsider over her? She didn’t want their help, but yet...she craved her mother’s attention and love. Morticia could feel the turmoil in her daughter. She gripped Wednesday’s hand tighter. She failed her children once, that is not a mistake she will repeat.
She and Gomez made the mistake of hiring a nanny. By the time Pubert was born her Wednesday and Pugsley were becoming teenagers. She had felt like a new mother again, but in hindsight, she and Gomez should have done more to prepare Wednesday and Pugsley. But that’s passed, now, Morticia's Mama would handle Pubert for the next few days while she focused on her elder children, once they were on the mend, she and Gomez had figured out a way to differentiate their time to make sure all their children felt loved and wanted.
Morticia stopped at the master bedroom’s door, Wednesday was about to object when her father, Gomez, opened the door for them. Morticia gently ushered Wednesday into their room. The first thing Wednesday noticed her younger brother, Pugsley, was already in her parents' room with them. He was already asleep under multiple blankets and padding in the corner of the room. Well, at least he can sleep. Wednesday thought a little bit annoyed at her brother, yet relieved he wasn't suffering like she was. Before their ordeal she would have thought of a masterful plan to trap him, but her brain wasn’t functioning like it normally would. But what is he doing here? She questioned looking at her parents.
“Pugsley came to us earlier this week. He told us everything.” Her father answered her unspoken question. Gomez pulled up the duvet as Morticia guided Wednesday to their king-size bed.
“I don’t need this.” Wednesday whispered a small protest. She didn't need them like she used to, like the night when she learned Uncle Fester was a "fake" and chased her out of their house. I don’t trust you she wanted to say, but couldn’t form the words.
“Yes, my Darling, you do.” Morticia said gently to her as she helped Wednesday to lay down. “We won’t talk tonight. Right now you need rest. Right now you need safety and right now, you need us.” She told her laying beside her. Morticia looked her daughter in her eyes, “Wednesday, we were wrong, we are sorry. Let us help you.” She whispered in her daughter’s ears. Reaching up to caress her daughter's cheek again.
Wednesday couldn’t help it, her mother was...her mother. She always felt magnetically pulled to her. She scooted closer to Morticia until she was being held in her mother's arms. She told the truth at the camp, Addamses don’t hug...unless it’s another Addams. Morticia moved her hands and gently undid Wednesday’s braids. Wednesday initially stiffened, but soon the feeling of her mother's fingers running through her hair calmed her. “Sleep.” She heard her mother whisper as she felt the bed dip in behind her. Her father took a hold of her other hand.
“Sleep.” He whispered, rubbing her arm in the same rhythm as her mother’s fingers ran through her hair.
Wednesday felt her eyelids finally feel heavy. It wasn’t long until sleep began to overtake her. She let out a sigh. She was feeling a little safer and a little more wanted.
Gomez and Morticia shared a look as Morticia brought Wednesday closer to her. They should have protected Wednesday and Pugsley better. “No new Nannies. Right Cara Mia?”
“Qui, Mon Amour.” She whispered as Gomez leaned over and kissed her. A moment passed and they pulled apart, normally their kisses were more passionate and led to more...fun. However, tonight and probably a few more nights this week, they are going to focus on their daughter, Wednesday. “Gomez?”
“Cara Mia?”
“We have to help Wednesday and Pugsley.” She told him, she glanced over at Pugsley, who was sleeping much better now. But the first two nights were unpleasant for her son. “It may take more time to help Wednesday feel safe and wanted again.”
“You’re a devoted mother, Tish. She will feel that again from both of us. We Addamses don’t fail our children and we won’t fail her. We’ll make everything right.” Gomez assured her as he brought Wednesday and Morticia close to him. “For now, let’s see if we can keep her asleep the rest of the night. She needs the rest.”