This Little Light of Mine, Shine Oh Shine

Chapter 30: Wide Eyed

Most of the night is spent in the cosy living room but after a couple of hours, Sara wakes them up to go to their room so in the morning she doesn't have to hear about anyone complaining about their bad backs.

They settle in bed around three in the morning, the night goes smoothly for most but for the trio, there were quite a few bumps.

Both Sam and Alex knew that their little girl had dropped farther than her average age range, but both being tired, they did not prepare for what could have happened throughout the night.

All of this stress has caught up to the little girl, and with stress, activates her night terrors. She wakes to tears rolling down her round and flushed face. She doesn't really remember what happened in the dream, she just remembers the feelings. Cold, so cold. Dark, hard, and scary. She doesn't know from what, it wasn't her usual fright, when her father comes from work or he's spent an awfully long time drinking while watching baseball and wants to let out his frustrations when his team loses. No, this kind of fright is different.

It's a feeling she can't place, and isn't sure she wants to, her little brain can't comprehend much. She just knows that she wants to feel safe again, but this lurking feeling is making that impossible. Her tiny body physically trembles in trepidation, she looks round the room, the dark room, shadows cast over. Mama forgot the night light.

Her body can't catch a hold of itself, she cries, she tries not to wail but her hand can only do so much to muffle the noise. A body stirs next to her, it takes her out of her small reverie, but it didn't provide comfort, the sudden move startled her, she squeaks and then cries more.

Little Maggie doesn't realize it, she wets, it soaks into her underwear and makes a small river under her and whoever is now holding her. The fabric soaks it all up soon enough, they are all sitting in a mess, a very wet mess, but Maggie can't focus on that now. She focuses on her Mama's breathing.

In out, In out.

"Good job bunny, have some more big breaths, I'm so proud of you."

She can feel herself relax, the fog of terror clears a bit, and then more panic sets in. She feels the cooling underwear stick to her bottom, she can feel her shirt try to shift on her skin but it is clinging to her.

Trouble, BIG trouble.

She feels a hand caress her back, it's warm, in contrast to the dropping temperature that's around her. She whines, she knows she should pull away but doesn't want to leave. There's this little thought in the back of her mind telling her being close when you know you've messed up is a bad idea, but the other side of her knows that her Mommy's have proved time and time again, that they will never leave, no matter what.

The good side wins.

Her Mama tries to get her to settle again, and she does.

"Your safe bun, you're ok."

Alex gifts their little one over to Sam and nudges her quietly to the bathroom. Once the two are off, Alex quickly strips the soaked sheets and her clothes and makes the bed as fast as she can. She is grateful for Sara's foresight in a waterproof underlay and putting extra sheets at the foot of the bed on the little couch that sits there.

Sam takes off both of their clothes, she forgoes having a bath, she is really tired and would rather get all of this over with quickly. She is by no means mad at her little girl, never, this is nowhere near her fault, that's what she whispers to her girl until they are under the shower head being pelted with warm droplets.