Finding A Family: One Shots

Fine Tuning

Freddie's POV
After her rough night, I had spent the night with Hannah in her bed. In the morning when  I had woken up, she was still asleep in my arms. After the rough night she had, I wanted to let her sleep as long as possible. A couple seconds later, Alan had walked into the the room. "Hey, how was she last night?" He whispered as he kneeled next to her bed. "It took her a little while but she fell back asleep. No more nightmares," I whispered back. "Look I know I was being a jerk last night, I'm sorry. I'm just got a little scared, because of how scared and clingy she has been since she came home," Alan whispered. "I know, this is scary and this isn't going to be easy but we've been through this before. We'll get through this darling," I whispered. "Fred, it seems like we are back at square one, I just want her to not feel so scared anymore," Alan whispered. Suddenly Hannah started to stir in my arms. She opened her eyes and looked up at Alan and I. Once she was satisfied that she wasn't alone she snuggled back into my chest and closed her eyes again. Alan and I looked at each other and chuckled. "Are you still tired princess?" Alan said. Hannah replied by simply nodding her head. "You can sleep darling, you don't need to be awake right now," I said as I rubbed circles on her back.  "Stay here," she mumbled. "What's that love?" Alan said as he tucked her hair behind her ear. "Daddy and Papa, stay here with me. Don't go," Hannah said. Alan and I looked at each other, Alan looking slightly defeated. "Why don't you two scoot over and make room for Papa," Alan said. Hannah and I complied and made room so Alan could lay down on the other side of Hannah. We all laid there for a little while not saying a word. I could sense Hannah feeling safe but I could also sense Alan's anxiety. "Hannah, love, can you tell us something?" Alan suddenly said. Hannah looked over at Alan with curiosity in her eyes. "Can you tell Daddy and Papa why you have been so scared? Why you have been so worried lately?" Alan asked. "I don't know. I wanna be with you and Daddy," Hannah said, "I missed you," she went on. "Oh darling we missed you too," I said as I hugged her tighter. "But you know you are going to stay with us forever and ever, right? No one is going to take you away ever again, I promise," I went on. Hannah began to tear up and starting softy crying. "Oh sweetheart, shh shh, it's okay," Alan trying to comfort her, "I'm sorry love I didn't mean to upset you," he continued. "I don't want to talk about this anymore," Hannah cried. "Okay, okay, we don't have to daring," I said as I held her. "Tell you what, how about you cuddle with Daddy some more and I'll go make us a nice breakfast. Does that sound nice?" Alan asked. Hannah nodded as her tears turned into sniffles. "Okay, you stay here with me and Papa will make us breakfast," I said.

A couple days later we were all at Charlie's office for a therapy session. After seeing how shaken up Hannah had been recently, Alan and I thought it was best to consult him. Typically at the start of each session Hannah would go with Lizzie, while Charlie talked with just Alan and I first. After he talked with us he would work with Hannah and Lizzie for a while, and then all of us together. But this time when Lizzie tried to get Hannah to go with her, the waterworks started. "No, no, I wanna to stay with Daddy and Papa! I don't want to go!" Hannah cried as she held onto me tightly. "Hannah, sweetheart, you're only going with Lizzie for a little while. We'll just be over here talking to Charlie. You're going to come back to us after," I said to her. "No, I wanna stay with you!" Hannah cried. "Hannah it's alright love, we'll just be in the other room while you're with Lizzie, nothing bad will happen I promise," Alan said trying to help calm her. "No, no, no!" Hannah cried. The more we tried the harder Hannah cried and the more my heart broke. Her cries soon turned to sobs which then turned into her beginning to hyperventilate. Alan and I were both at a loss but thankfully Charlie stepped in. "Hannah, it's okay, it's okay. You're going to stay with Daddy Hannah," Charlie said. As soon as Hannah heard those words, her cries began to slow down. She wasn't quite calm but she wasn't in a severe state of panic either. "Hannah I need you to take some big breaths for me can you do that?" Charlie said. Hannah nodded her head and proceeded to take some shaky breaths. "Good girl. Okay this is what's going to happen, you and Daddy are going to go with Lizzie while Papa and I stay here and talk. Does that sound okay?" Charlie said. "Y..yes," Hannah said with a shaky voice. "Excellent, why don't you and Daddy come with me then," Lizzie replied. I picked Hannah up and Lizzie led us to the other room. Once we got to the other room I sat down with Hannah still in my arms, practically on my lap. Hannah was still a bit panicked and her breathing was a bit rushed. "How about you have some water Hannah, it will make you feel better," Lizzie said handing me a cup of water. When I offered her the water Hannah whined and turned away her head. "Come on darling, just a little bit," I encourage her. With some coaxing, Hannah complied and took a few sips of the water. "That's a good girl," Lizzie praised her. "Would you like a squishy lovely?" Lizzie offered. Squishies are stress toys that Hannah often uses to calm herself when she's stressed. Hannah nodded her head quickly in reply to Lizzie's question. "Which one would you like pumpkin? I have a donut, a strawberry, a unicorn," Lizzie said. "Un... unicorn," Hannah said shakily. "There you go love," Lizzie said and she handed Hannah the squishy. "That was pretty scary wasn't it Hannah. When you thought you were going to have to be away from Daddy and Papa, even just for a little while," Lizzie said sympathetically. "Mmm hmm," Hannah nodded as she fidgeted with the squishy. "I don't want to be taken away again," Hannah said. "Oh darling, you know that's not going to happen again right?" I said. "How do you know," Hannah replied sadly. My initial instinct was to reassure her again but the more I thought about it the more I felt I was lying to her. I couldn't exactly guarantee that something like that wouldn't happen again. If it happened once who's to say something like it couldn't happen again. The more I thought about it the more I started to feel overwhelmed by my thoughts. I looked over at Lizzie desperate for help. "Hannah it's okay to feel scared sometimes. It does help to talk about it when we feel scared. Do you feel like you can tell Daddy and Papa when you're scared?" Lizzie asked. "Sometimes," Hannah replied. "Sometimes? Why only sometimes, daring? Are there times when you think you can't come to Daddy and Papa?" I asked. Hannah nodded her head sadly. "Papa got mad when I was in your bed and when I had an accident," Hannah said sadly. "Oh Hannah, Papa wasn't mad. Papa was scared too," I replied. "Hannah sometimes when people are scared they seem like they are angry but really they are just scared," Lizzie said. "Why was Papa scared?" Hannah asked. "Why don't we ask him when he's done with Charlie," Lizzie said. We sat there longer while Lizzie continued to gently ask Hannah more questions as I held her. As I sat there couldn't help but ask what Charlie and Alan were talking about.