Harmless Things (Jean Hobbs AU)

Part fifteen

Dean P.O.V.

On Monday, Scarlett was scheduled for an MRI scan at the hospital, which, again, we all took the day off school and work and attended as a family to support her and each other. 

Before she went in, I helped her take out her hair slides which she had sloppily put in an hour before and take off a tiny thin bracelet because she wasn't allowed to wear any metal when she had the scan as my mother signed a form. Since I was allowed to go into the room with her and Scarlett practically begged the radiographer to let me accompany her - much to our mother's slight disappointment - I handed the jewellery and hair slides to Daniel for him to look after and took off my zip hoodie and placed it on his shoulders because I had seen him shiver out of the corner of my eye. 

"Won't you need it?" He asked, although I could see a little hope in his eyes.

"No, it has metal on it," he nodded and put his arms through the sleeves, wrapping it around his tiny self and fiddled with the bracelet as he glanced at Scarlett nervously. She threw himself at him, her arms wrapped around his legs and he awkwardly patted her on the shoulder, looking scared as if he would hurt her. She let go and looked at me with wide eyes, the fear she was feeling loudly showing through all her expressions and actions. I dropped down my knees and pulled her into a tight hug for some moments before letting go. "Come on, Scar, I'll be there the whole time."

We went into the room with Scarlett gripping onto my hand as she clutched onto her favourite scruffy teddy. This had been my idea because I knew she liked her comfort and I thought having something familiar would help her a little - in what way, I wasn't sure but it wouldn't do any harm to try. 

"Okay Scarlett, we need you to lie down on this, with your head at the top," the nurse gestured towards a bed on the table that led to a short, white tunnel that was open at both ends. I picked Scarlett up and placed her down on the bed and she lay down with her head on the pillow and took hold of my hand again. 

"Don't leave me!" 

"I won't, I promise," she smiled at me but still looked nervous, the knuckles that were turning white on her other hand giving away how strong her grip was on the toy.

"I'm going to put a dye in you so I can get some really cool pictures of your brain, okay? Can you roll up your sleeve for me?" the nurse asked. Scarlett nodded slowly at her and then looked at me for confirmation. I smiled and then she let go of my hand temporarily so she could roll up her sleeve and I knelt down so I was more her level instead of towering over her. "I'm going to put it in your arm and it's going to hurt for a moment but it's best if you didn't watch, so keep looking at your brother," still without saying anything, Scarlett turned to fully face me, squeezing her eyes shut when the needle was put in. 

"You're doing so well, I'll treat you to your favourite magazine when we get home and we can watch your favourite film later with Daniel, yeah?" She nodded eagerly when she heard Dan's name because she absolutely adored Dan. He loved her too but they didn't have the same connection that me and Scarlett or me and Dan did. They didn't spend as much time together than what they used to before our father left us, and when he did that's when Scarlett became clingy with me and Dan seemed to detach and distance himself from us.  

I guessed that he preferred to deal with his emotions alone because that was his was his way of coping, but I didn't worry too much because I knew he was transferring them into songs and guitar chords instead and I didn't pressure or force him into talking to me. Our bedroom floor used to be littered with scattered sheets that had scrawled lyrics written on them, but now he took more pride in his work by putting them in a folder instead that I had bought for him specially. He sometimes used to come to me during Scarlett's afternoon naps where he'd talk to me or say nothing at all, just liking that I was there for him if he needed me.