𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ❂ ᶜʰᵃᵖᵃ ᴰᵉ ˢⁱˡᵛᵃ

𝕋𝕠𝕓𝕚𝕒𝕤

The young girl sniffled as she clenched her stuffed animal in her hands. Even though she was old enough to go without it she didn't want to. The yellow dog brought comfort to her as she cradled it to her chest.

Her small hand knocked on the brown door in front of her. She waited for a moment before knocking again after silence. She leaned closer and pressed her ear against the door, listening to any sound. Her hand reached out and quietly turned the knob.

As she walked in she noticed a figure in a suit sitting at a desk. His brown hair that was usually trimmed to perfection was now out of place, presumably from his hands. Her small feet paddled over to him and stopped behind him.

The man tapped his finger against his desk as he scribbled on some papers. Piles of paperwork was spread out on his office desk and he hadn't noticed the young girl's appearance.

"Dad?"

Tobais jumps as he turns around in his rolling chair. He frowned as his eyebrows furrowed at the sight. The girl's hair was slightly knotted and her eyes were red. He carefully laid his pencil on the desk as the he bent down to his daughter's height.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked. As the girl opened her mouth she choked on her words. Tears resurfaced as he cooed and pulled the girl close. He picked up her small frame and carried her to his bed.

She sat on the edge as he squatted on the floor in front of her. She avoided his gaze, making her hair fall. He pushed it behind her shoulder and hugged her.

"I-I had a nightmare." She whimpered. Tobias frowned before rubbing her back. "What happened?" He carefully asked.

Her eyes grew wide as her breathing quickened up. "I-I just wanted to play! I asked mommy to let me leave but she wouldn't let me go!"

He frowned and he rubbed her knees. "Hey, it's okay. It's not real, Mommy's not a monster."

Monster.

The world made her lip quiver as she looked down at him, her eyes glossy. "She looked scary."

His heart aches as he heard her broken whisper. Pheobe and her mother never had a strong relationship, mainly because Evelyn was focused of the boys.

Tobias could never and would never tell his daughter that she was only here because he had always wanted a girl.

Her mom didn't.

Tobias smiled, even if it didn't reach his eyes.

"Well then, it's a good thing I'll always be here to protect you."