Last Hope - (Sarah Paulson & Holland Taylor)

RESERVED

TW : Abuse, Anxiety

Sarah POV :

Lizzie was staring at her lap, and started recounts her bad dream.

"You were... you were hurting me. Sarah was kicking me hard and you were trying to choke me. Your hands were around my neck as Sarah was hitting me with her book." Lizzie said as she showed my book laying on the armchair.

"Oh honey." I said as I put my hand gently on her cheek, but she flinched.

"We'll never hurt you Lizzie. You really need to understand that. As long as you're with us, you're safe." Stated Holland, but the young girl didn't seem convinced.

"What can we do to help you understand that sweetheart ?" I asked her.

"I don't know... It's not your fault, I'm just used to being abused and hit, so I thought it won't never change but- but you both seem different from the other families."

"We are darling, we're here to make you feel safe and cared about because you deserve it." Said Holland.

"And we know you've been throught so much already, but whatever can helps make you feel comfortable, we can try to do it. You just have to ask." I finished.

Lizzie nodded. "I don't know. I'll think about it."

"But we won't hurt you baby girl, never. Understood?" I looked deeply into her scared eyes.

"Yes... Thank you." She said reaching for our hands. Holland and I took one of her hand and squeezed it.

Later this day, Lizzie was in her bedroom. When I walked past her door, I saw her writing in the same notebook, in which she was drawing this morning, and writing the first day she came live with us. I softly knocked at her door and she raised her eyes.

"Come in." She whispers, closing her notebook.

"You're okay honey ?"

"Yes."

I sat at the end of her bed.

"What were you doing ?" I asked smiling.

"Oh, nothing. Just writing some stuff." She answered, clearly avoiding what she was writing about. I didn't want to push her, it was her privacy but I wanted to know, my curiosity was stronger than my moral. And a part of me was scared of what she was writing is this notebook.

"Are you writing stories ?" I asked getting closer to her.

She however took a step back a put her notebook closer to her.

"No- I mean, just stuff that are going through my head. Nothing really interesting."

"Oh, okay." I replied as she was becoming colder to me. But it just made my curiosity growing.

I looked at my watch and saw that it was time to eat dinner.

"Holland and I didn't make anything for dinner. Is it okay for you if we order food ?"

"Yes, it's perfect !" And with that, we went downstairs. We bought sushi and ate in front of the TV. Then we played board games and Lizzie seemed very happy. She was like a little child at Christmas and it warmed my heart to see her smiling and laughing. When it was very late, she came back to her room and we said goodnight.

Lizzie POV :

When I was laying on my bed, I could feel a strange emotion on my body. Something I usually don't express. Happiness. We played all evening with Sarah and Holland, it was so much fun and I was so grateful to be here. They really seemed to love me and I thought they were honest when they said they would never hurt me. Actually, I hoped they were being honest. I couldn't lower my guard yet, but I was feeling more comfortable.

I wrote everything I was experiencing right now on my notebook and when I could feel my eyes closing, I simply put my notebook on the nightstand. I fell asleep quickly, remembering the good memories I just created with my new foster family.

The next morning, I woke up early as usual. I got downstairs where Holland was preparing a picnic.

"Hi darling, did you sleep well ?"

I nodded rubbing my eyes.

"Today we're going out, together. Sarah has to stay here to work a little so we're going just the two of us. Is that okay with you ?"

"Yes, no problem."

Holland smiled at me and I helped her finishing to prepare the picnic.