Sibling spotlight - billie and Finneas story

Searching for answers

Chapter: Searching for Answers

The days that followed were like walking on eggshells. Y/N’s PTSD was evident in everything she did—every loud noise made her jump, every shadow caused her to flinch, and every unfamiliar face sent her into a panic. She hadn’t been the same since they found her, and the trauma weighed heavily on her entire family.

Her father, in particular, was struggling the most. Every time he entered the room, Y/N’s body tensed, her eyes filled with fear she couldn’t shake. No matter how softly he spoke or how slowly he moved, it was like his presence alone triggered something deep inside her—a reminder of what she had endured. The resemblance, even if it was small, between him and her kidnapper was enough to keep her on edge.

Maggie watched him from the doorway as he stood by Y/N’s bed, a soft sigh escaping his lips. He looked so tired, so defeated, and she could see the pain etched on his face. He wanted nothing more than to comfort his daughter, to hold her and tell her everything would be alright. But every attempt to get close had only ended with Y/N pulling away in fear.

“Hey,” Maggie said softly, stepping into the room and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You should take a break.”

He shook his head, his eyes fixed on Y/N, who was curled up under the blankets, her body barely moving. “I can’t,” he muttered. “I’m her dad. I should be able to help her.”

“I know,” Maggie whispered, her heart breaking as she looked at him. “But this isn’t something we can fix overnight. She’s going through so much, and we need to be patient.”

“I’m trying,” he said, his voice cracking. “But she’s terrified of me. How am I supposed to help her when she can’t even look at me without—” He stopped, his voice choking on the words.

“She’s not scared of you,” Maggie reassured him gently. “She’s scared of what happened to her. You remind her of it, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you. You saw the way she looked at you the other day. She’s fighting it.”

He sighed heavily, rubbing his hands over his face. “I don’t know how to reach her. It’s like she’s slipping away, and I’m just standing here, helpless.”

Behind them, Billie and Finneas stood silently by the door, overhearing the conversation. They had been doing everything they could to keep Y/N comfortable—holding her when the nightmares came, staying by her side when the panic attacks hit—but even they couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. Y/N wasn’t talking, and they needed to know more if they were going to help her heal.

Billie stepped forward, her expression determined. “We have to find out more,” she said quietly, her voice firm. “We need to know what happened to her… what he did.”

Finneas nodded in agreement, though his eyes were heavy with worry. “We can’t force her to talk, but we need to ask her the right questions. If we know more about him—what he said, how he acted—we might be able to help her understand that Dad isn’t him.”

Their father looked at them both, his eyes filled with uncertainty. “What if she’s not ready to talk about it?”

“She won’t be,” Billie said softly, “but she has to start somewhere.”

With that, they moved toward Y/N’s bed, her small frame hidden beneath the blankets. Billie sat down beside her and gently reached out, placing a hand on her arm. “Y/N, can we talk for a bit?” she asked softly.

Y/N blinked, her eyes slowly focusing on Billie. Her breath hitched, but she nodded ever so slightly, her body still rigid with tension.

Billie glanced at Finneas, who knelt down beside the bed. “We just want to help you,” he said gently. “But we don’t know enough about what happened. If you can tell us anything… about him… it might help.”

Y/N’s face tightened, and for a moment, it looked like she might pull away. The mere mention of him—the man who had hurt her—made her chest tighten and her hands tremble. But there was something in Billie and Finneas’s eyes, a quiet understanding, that made her want to try. She trusted them more than anyone in the world, and even though speaking about it felt like tearing open a wound, she knew they wouldn’t push her if she wasn’t ready.

“I… I don’t know,” Y/N whispered, her voice so small it was barely audible. “It’s hard to remember. It’s all jumbled.”

“That’s okay,” Billie said softly, squeezing her arm. “Anything you can tell us will help.”

Y/N took a shaky breath, her hands trembling as they gripped the edge of the blanket. “He was tall,” she started, her voice wavering. “Like Dad. And he… he had the same kind of eyes. The way he looked at me, it was like… like I was nothing.”

Billie’s heart broke at the words, and she felt Finneas stiffen beside her. Their father stood silently, his back turned, his fists clenched as he tried to hold himself together.

“I know Dad’s not him,” Y/N continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “I do. But sometimes, when I see him… I just… I can’t help it.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that,” Finneas said gently, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s not your fault, Y/N.”

Y/N nodded weakly, her eyes filling with tears. “I want to be okay,” she whispered. “I want to stop being scared all the time. But every time I close my eyes… I see him.”

Billie pulled Y/N into a gentle hug, her heart aching as she held her sister close. “You’re going to be okay,” she whispered, her voice steady. “It’s going to take time, but we’ll be here every step of the way.”

Their father finally turned back around, his face pale and drawn. “I love you, Y/N,” he said, his voice trembling. “I would never hurt you.”

Y/N looked at him, her eyes filled with tears. “I know,” she whispered. “I’m sorry… I’m trying.”

And as the room fell into a quiet stillness, they all knew that the road ahead was going to be long. Y/N wasn’t healed yet, and her fear still gripped her tightly. But the fact that she had started talking, even just a little, was a step forward. A small step, but a step nonetheless.