Prologue
Adopting Aurora had easily been the best decision of my life. Throughout that whole Parkhurst ordeal, I had become practically smitten with the dear thing, and when I saw her holding my military issued revolver, pointing it at her disgraceful parents, I knew that all I needed to do was tell her, make her realize that she wasn't mad for just wanting a little love or care. Those sick bastards had truly made her believe that she was insane, that she wasn't worthy of affection or compassion, but I made it my duty to show her otherwise, to help her adapt to the new life I was trying to give her. It had been taking longer than I first expected, but I do not think the constant rows she endured did her any good.
I just could not figure out why anyone would want to harm Aurora. Now, she was about the size of a ten year-old in spite of her age of twelve, but she was truly adorable despite her downright meticulous and, well, rather ferocious attitude. She had a round face, accented by these big, cocoa brown eyes and a brilliant smile. Her hair was as dark as obsidian, falling just beneath her shoulders in almost-curls (not quite curly, but not quite wavy) and contrasting greatly with her pale white skin. She usually wore simple clothes, though formal. Normally, you could find her a button down shirt (varying in color) and simple black dress trousers along with a black blazer. It was honestly adorable how formal she could act when she was just a kid, and I told her such. She was just a kid who suffered as any kid would, and that included nightmares.
She never talked about them, simply clinging to my side even more obsessively than she did if she didn't have a bad dream the previous night. I never could get her to open up, but I also could never bring myself to deny her an embrace, my arms always open for the tiny, scared twelve year-old kid I had come to call my daughter.
It was mid-November, the twenty-first, I think, when Aurora finally admitted she couldn't take her nightmares alone. I woke to a soft crying, and I bolted out of bed in fear, thinking something had happened to Aurora yet again. I remember pulling open the door, nearly tripping over the small bundle perched right outside my room. She was curled up in a ball against the doorway, knees pulled up against her chest and face buried in her arms. She was crying quietly, sniffling slightly, and I was too shocked to do anything but stare until she whimpered, "I- I didn't mean to wake you, but I had a nightmare and wanted to- to be close."
I wanted nothing more than to hug the poor thing close at that point, and I would have had I not looked down at myself and realized that I was in nothing more than a pair of shorts.
I didn't think anybody would approve of being hugged by that, especially not a twelve year-old girl.
"Sweetheart?" I whispered delicately, gently brushing my hand across her forehead and wincing instinctively when I could feel a raging fever with just that simple touch. "Aurora, Honey, why don't you go on and head to the kitchen? I just need to pull on some clothes, and I'll be down there in a sec, alright?"
"I- I don't-"
At her falter, I pressed a kiss to her forehead, promising, "You don't have to if you don't want to. I'll be right inside, okay? Don't hesitate to come in if you need me."
With that, I reentered my room, rummaging around my dresser for something to wear. I eventually ended up wearing an old pair of grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt, just grabbing whatever I saw first. It wasn't long after that that we were sitting at the kitchen table, a newly brewed mug of hot chocolate in Aurora's hands.
"So, what's the matter?"
"I-" She hesitated, ducking her head and hiding her face in her long locks. "I couldn't fall asleep all night."
"At all?"
She shook her head. "Every- Every time I did, I woke up almost immediately from another one."
"Another nightmare?"
She bobbed her head up and down in a nod, finally meeting my eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Dad, what if Moriarty's not done with me? I- I barely made it out of there the first time, and I don't think I could do it again. Or- or what if Mycroft didn't take care of all the men at Parkhurst? What if my parents come back and contest the adoption? What if-?"
I silenced her by wrapping my arms so tightly around her I may have cut off blood circulation. I held her head to my chest, letting her small hands mat themselves in my shirt while I gently hushed her with soft words.
"Sweetheart, it's over and done with now," I soothed, stroking her hair back and untangling it with my fingers. "I can promise you that Mycroft took care of everyone at Parkhurst. He shut down the entire asylum, and he assured me personally that Veneel will regret ever touching you. Also, Mycroft saw to the adoption immediately and personally so there would be no waiting, and he even said your parents are being heavily watched and being ripped of their ambassadorships for what they've done to you."
I smiled down at her, kissing her forehead gently when she looked up to me. "I will promise you that nobody, and I do mean nobody, will ever get away with hurting you again because you are my little Aurora Watson, and no one can ever take you away from me as long as I'm here."
Of course, a week or so later, she was taken from me.
To the new followers of my series: welcome! To the old followers: hello again and here's that sequel I promised you! Any criticism is welcome, per usual. Reviews keep me going, so, if you have time, let me know what you think! I hope you enjoyed your reading, and I'll see ya soon! :)
