LA
August 14th
3:27 AM
"M-Mommy?" Hailee said, her hand against my shoulder.
I turned, rubbing my eyes and sat myself up, hearing Justin groan in his sleep and tighten his grip on my waist.
"Another nightmare?" I asked her, watching her little figure shake from crying, nodding her head quickly.
"Come here," I pulled back the covers, helping her crawl up, where she buried her face into my chest, crying as I ran my hand on her back. "Shh, you're fine, see?"
"I-I know."
"Aw," Justin said from behind me, pushing himself up to look at us. "Another one?"
"Mhm."
"Go ahead." I laughed, watching her crawl over to Justin in his arms.
"You know, we're always going to keep you safe." He murmured to her, kissing the top of her head.
"I know."
"And you get to see Kyle and Sara tomorrow. That'll be fun too. Just think if happy stuff. Like you're a big five year old princess now."
"I'm your princess." She laughed through her tears as I wiped them away.
"Yes, you certainly are. While Mommy's filming tomorrow, and Aria's with Grandma and Grandpa, you and I are going to have some fun."
"What are we g-going to do?"
"I think we're going to get breakfast together, do some Daddy-Daughter shopping, and then ice cream."
"Ok."
"I love you very much. My Hailee Bailey."
"I love you too."
"Snuggle with me." He laughed, pulling her into his chest, then looked up at me, holding out his arm and draped it across my waist. "Look, it's a Hailee sandwich."
"Stop Daddy." She laughed, burying her face in Justin's chest.
"Goodnight baby doll."
Justin smiled at me, the padding of his thumb moving along my waist.
"Night night Daddy."
And she was asleep before me, Justin's lips pressing to my forehead before we both fell back asleep.
__________________________
Two days later:
4:48 PM
"Justin?" I asked, watching him walk past me in the kitchen through the hall--fast. "Justin?!"
He didn't answer me, and I wasn't yelling through the house, Aria was asleep.
"Justin?" I said again when I got to our room, his shoes on the floor, his body curled into itself with his hands tangled into his hair. "What's wrong?"
I put my hand on his arm, feeling him stiffen underneath me.
His eyes were dull, the caramel color drained, not moving an inch- it's like I wasn't even there.
"Baby, talk to me."
Justin's eyes met mine for a split second, shaking his head violently as his knees dug farther into his chest.
"What's wrong?"
"Everything's fucking breaking! It's breaking and I can't do anything about it!"
