Little Montgomery: A Station 19 Story

Chapter Seven: Protective older brothers

Hartley's POV:

I hear a door lock behind me. I turn around and see a little girl hitting the door trying to get out. She starts crying and slamming her small fists on the door, trying to get to the doorknob.

Hartley: Are you okay?

Little Hartley: I can't get out!

When she turns around I realize she's me when I was 4, and I know where I am. I move next to her and start tugging on the doorknob, but it won't budge. I start hitting the door but I can't get it to open. The room starts to smell like smoke, and the door still won't open. I start to panic.

Hartley: Help! Somebody! I can't get out! Please!

Emmett's POV:

Hartley: Help! I can't get out somebody help me! I can't breathe!

I wake up around 2 to screaming and whimpering from Hartleys room. I run in and throw the door open and see her writhing on the bed, crying and screaming for help. I rush to her bed and grab her shoulders to wake her up. After a minute she jolts awake and sits up, looking terrified.

Emmett: Hey, it's okay. You're okay, you're safe. It's just me.

When she realizes it's me she relaxes a little bit and jumps into my arms. I hold her tighter when I feel how shaky her breathing is and how fast her heart is beating. After a couple minutes she's calmed down enough to talk, so she sits next to me on the edge of her bed.

Emmett: Do you want to talk about it?

Hartley: I was in a room, and I saw my younger self trying to get out, the room smelled like smoke but the door wouldn't open. I tried so hard and I called for help but nobody came. I couldn't get out.

Emmett: Hey, it was just a dream. It wasn't real. You're not there anymore, you're here, and you're safe. You're okay.

Hartley: Okay. I'm okay.

Emmett: Come on, let's go back to sleep.

I start to leave but she stops me.

Hartley: Emmett. Please don't leave.

Emmett: I won't, I'm staying right here. I'm not going anywhere.

I sit against the headboard and pull Hartley into my arms with her head on my chest. I cover us with a blanket and notice she's already asleep.

Emmett: Goodnight Hartley.

I kiss the top of her head and close my eyes too.

Travis' POV:

I wake up around 7 and Emmett isn't next to me. I figure he must have already gotten up so I go to the kitchen but all the lights are off and nobody's there. His car keys are still in the bowl by the front door, and the light is off in the bathroom. I check every room in the house but I can't find him so I go to check on Hartley and find them asleep cuddled in the bed together. I take a picture before closing the door and going back to the kitchen to make coffee.. A few minutes later Emmett walks into the kitchen and sits at the island.

Travis: You and Hartley were pretty cute this morning. Any reason for that?

Emmett: She has these recurring nightmares from a foster home she was in when she was 4. I heard her screaming in the middle of the night, so I went into her room to calm her down. She asked me not to leave, so I didn't. I think she has PTSD, Trav. We need to get her to see a therapist.

Travis: Yeah, we should. Let's talk to her about it in a few days, so she can get settled here first.

Emmett: Definitely.