Adopted (a Zalfie fanfic) [1]

Chapter 22

Authors Note:
Really, really sorry for not doing a proper update in so long, I've been super busy and haven't had the chance to sit down and write a proper chapter. I am going to try really hard to update more often! Thank you for being patient x

*Zoe's POV*
It was horrible seeing Lily in such a state, it was as if she really had hit rock bottom. It was a pretty big panic attack, similar to the worst ones I've ever experienced. I did my best to calm her down, saying things to comfort her whilst we sat on the floor together. I heard Alfie's footsteps in our room after an hour or so, by which point we were both sat on the bed, Lily wide awake while I was battling to keep my eyes open. "Just nipping the loo, won't be long!" I told Lily, before stumbling out onto the landing.

Alfie came out of our bedroom and switched on the hallway light, making us both squint. "What's happened?" asked Alfie. You could tell he was worried as he wasn't even complaining about the time.

"It's Lily. She's had a panic attack." I whispered, careful not to let Lily hear us talking about her.

"Oh god. Is she okay?" He asked.

"Better than she was before." I replied. He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before walking to Lily's room. "Alfie?" I said, making him stop abruptly.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful, yeah?" I said quietly, before making my way to the bathroom. He nodded and knocked gently on Lily's door.

*Alfie's POV*
I knocked on her bedroom door and waited a moment for a reply. I heard nothing so I opened the door quietly and poked my head round. On the bed sat my soon to be daughter, broken and exhausted. "Lily?" I said, finding my way to the bed and sitting on the edge. She was sat, knees up to chest, zoned out in a world of her own. Failing to receive a response the first time, I tried again. "Hey." I said, placing a hand on her cold knee. She flinched at my contact and huddled her knees even closer.

She looked at me and flashed a small smile. "H-hi." She stammered.

"You okay now?" I asked. I knew she probably wasn't but I was trying to make conversation.

"I-I suppose."

I sat fully next to her on the bed and tried pulling her close to me. She flinched again, almost as if she thought I was going to hurt her.

Then I realised. That was why she was so off with me, she thought I would hurt her.

Instead of giving her a hug, I pushed her hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead in a fatherly way. She looked at me again and this time, her smile was that little bit wider.

Zoe re-entered the room a few minutes later and we both sat on the edge of Lily's bed. Lily herself hadn't changed positions apart from the fact she was now under the covers. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" I asked, after Lily telling us we could go back to bed.

"I-I'll be fine." She said. With that, Zoe and I stood up and said our good nights, even though it was early hours of the morning.

We left her door open slightly and went back to our own bed. "I hate seeing her at her worst." Zoe said, cuddling into me.

"Do you know what triggered it?"

"That nightmare. She has it every night but I think with all the stress she is under at the moment, it pushed her over the edge."

"There's definitely something wrong if she has had the same nightmare every night since the accident. What do you reckon?" I asked.

"I'm pretty much certain it's post traumatic stress disorder. I've been doing my research on how it effects teens and it all makes sense. It all adds up." Zoe said, propping herself up on the pillow. "She's agreed to us getting somebody to help her through it. I might look into a special doctor we can visit when she's officially our's, who can assess her and give us a proper diagnosis." She sighed.

"You're an amazing mum you know. I love you." I told her. "Lily's scared I'm going to hurt her."

"You just need to wait a while for Lily to warm up to you and she'll realise that you'll never hurt her. You're doing great." Zoe reassured.

We talked for a little longer until we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer.

"I love you little one."

"I love you too."