trapped | lierra

twenty seven

Luke

"Holy fuck that scared me," Michael held a hand over his heart after the first firework, making me and Sierra laugh. Everyone on the beach clapped and cheered as more fireworks began to light up the sky. My arm stayed around Sierra as we watched, until Calum slapped my arm, making me look over to see Ashton trying to calm Amber down, who was a sobbing mess.

"Shit, Amber," I swore, gaining Sierra's attention. Immediately the two of us had taken Ashton's spot.

"It's the noise," Sierra told me. "We need to leave,"

"You guys go, we'll get everything," Michael reassured us. I picked Amber up and rushed back to the beach house with Sierra following at my heels. Once we were inside, I sat her down on the couch as Sierra crouched down in front of her, trying to pull her back to reality.

"Amber, baby, it's ok," Sierra promised, moving her hands from her ears. "We're at home, we're right here, it's a memory, you gotta open your eyes and look at me," Amber didn't listen as Sierra kept repeating the same thing until she finally opened her eyes. "Amber, name things around us," Sierra told her. Amber hiccuped, trying to calm down, until she could speak.

"Tv," she stuttered.

"Good, good," Sierra smiled, "keep going,"

"Couch,"

"Yeah,"

"Dad,"

"Which dad?" Sierra asked.
"Dad," she began to panic again.

"Amber, which dad?" Sierra asked, squeezing her hand. "Luke?" Amber quickly looked at me, panicking again.
"Don't go dad, please don't go," she begged, before crying again.

"I'm not going anywhere, princess," I promised her, pulling her into a hug as she cried into my shirt. "I'm right here, I promise, I'm right here," she was saying things that none of us could make out.

"Amber, baby, you gotta calm down, you gotta ground yourself," Sierra promised her, then looked at me. "You can't hold her right now,"

"Si-"

"Luke, trust me," she demanded, "she's not calm, she's panicked, and she's not going to focus," I did what she said and let her go, instead cupping her face and wiping her tears.

"Princess, listen to mom," I told her, "name things in the room, keeping going,"

"Table," she stuttered, looking at Sierra after I let go of her face.

"Do you know where your blanket is?"

"In our room," she answered, beginning to calm down until there was a loud firework, making her jump and bring her hands to her ears, which Sierra gently removed.

"What about the food?"

"Kitchen," Amber answered, more tears falling down her face. I had to admit, I was pissed at Sierra for not being comforting, but she knew what was best and she knew how to handle Amber's panic attacks. I just hated that I was sitting here, not knowing anything. "I want blankie," Amber told us, still shaking.

"Lu-dad will get that, and water," Sierra promised. I did what she said and rushed upstairs, grabbing her blanket and water bottle, then coming back down. I helped her take a sip of water due to how shaky she was, then gave her the blanket. "Better?"

"I want it to stop," Amber begged, "please make it stop,"

"I wish we could," Sierra sighed, "but we can't. You just gotta keep naming things when you start to panic, we need to pull you back,"

"I thought you died," Amber looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"I'm right here," I reminded her.

"I saw dad, and all those dead people," she stuttered. The two of us listened to whatever she had to say, "and I saw the boy that I was trying to stop bleeding out. And there were so many people dead, and so much blood and gunshots," she rambled, stumbling over words.

"Did you feel back in the memory?" Sierra asked.

"Like I was living it again,"

"The noise from the fireworks triggered it, because everything is still so fresh. It's a symptom of PTSD, which you are struggling with, and bottling it all in is hard," Sierra told her as she moved her hair out of her face.

"I thought I was there,"

"You're right here, and you're safe. Dad and I wouldn't let you get hurt," Sierra promised.