Somniphobia

Chapter 31. Her natural self

Aria POV
I woke up realizing Caleb wasn't in the bed with me. "D-daddy." I whimpered on the verge of crying. I sat up on the bed looking around for him but he was nowhere in the room.

"D-daddy." I cried for him. I got no response back which made me worried. I got up crawling towards the edge of the bed with Mr Tinkles hugging him tightly for moral support.

I walked out of the room into the dark hallway while crying softly. I reached the staircases and slowly made my way down them. "D-daddy." I called for him softly.

Still no response from him I made my way towards the kitchen hearing voices and the sound of someone crying or screaming.

I wasn't quite sure what I was hearing but I could hear it coming from the dark hall that led you down towards the basement. I walked towards the hall hesitating because of how dark it was.

"D-daddy." I called for him hesitating to go through the dark hall. Once again I didn't get a response so I started walking down the hall as I heard nothing but silence but a loud silence.

I took another step when suddenly I heard my name being called right in front of me from someone causing me to scream loudly in fear. "Shh!" He covered my mouth with his hand while lifting me up effortlessly in his arms.

"It's me princess." He whispered to me while holding his hand over my mouth to keep me quiet. I calmed down after realizing it was him and could see him clearly once he stepped out of the dark hallway.

I hugged him tightly laying my head on his shoulder calmly. "Why are you up this late princess?" He asked me. "I c-can't s-sleep d-daddy." I muttered softly to him.

"Are you having bad dreams?" He asked me concerned. "Y-yeah. I d-don't w-wanna s-sleep a-anymore I-I'm n-not t-tired d-daddy." I expressed to him.

"You are tired princess your just scared aren't you?" He asked me. "Y-yeah b-but I w-wanna b-be w-with y-you d-daddy." I muttered to him while hiding my face in his neck.

"I c-can o-only s-sleep g-good w-when y-your w-with m-me d-daddy." I confessed but immediately regretted it.

Cause I didn't want him to feel like he had to take care of me or that I needed him which I did but I didn't want him to feel responsible for me.

"W-why a-are y-you u-up s-so l-late d-daddy?" I asked him. "I had to check on something in the basement don't worry about it princess." He told me but that only made me even more suspicious and curious.

"I-is t-the b-basement s-scary?" I asked him curiously. "No but it'll be scary for you princess I don't want you going down this hall at all. I don't want you near the basement ever alright?" He told me strictly.

"O-okay b-but w-why d-daddy?" I asked him but agreed not to go there because I was too scared of basements anyway. He sat me down on the kitchen counter standing between my legs.

He pushed back the few strands of hair in my face back behind my ear kissing my forehead gently. "You look beautiful princess." He complimented me making me blush softly.

"T-thank y-you d-daddy." I thanked him for his sweet compliment. He pecked my nose softly making me smile brightly. " I m-missed y-you d-daddy." I hugged him tightly refusing to let him go anywhere without me.

"I was just downstairs princess I didn't go anywhere." He reasoned with me. "I k-know b-but I d-don't l-like w-waking u-up w-without y-you n-next t-to m-me." I explained to him.