A/N: Happy new year, all! It's good to be back with a new piece! This is actually directly connected to my last story, "But He Doesn't Hit Me"; A little one-shot continuation of what happened after the flashback in chapter 6. There's quite a few things I wanted to include in BHDHM, but I felt it would've made the story drag too much, so, I guess you can consider this a sort of "deleted scene". And before we begin, I'd just like to clarify something: this is NOT intended as a ship fic. Cierra's no homewrecker. That being said, you can interpret it any way you want. Enjoy!
"Please, Mrs. Marsh? Please?"
Mrs. Marsh looked from one child to the next, finally sighed and said with a smile, "Oh….how could I say no to those faces?"
"Yes!" Stan shout whispered and did a quick fist pump.
Cierra squealed happily and readdressed her father. "She said it's okay, Dad! We'll be right up!" She hung up, stashed her phone away and quickly grabbed Stan's arm. "Come on, Stan!" she cried excitedly.
"Oh-okay!" Stan rapidly turned back to his mother as Cierra pulled him along. "Later, Mom!" he quickly shouted to her.
Mrs. Marsh chuckled at the sight. "See you later, hon!"
"You're gonna love Dad's cooking," Mrs. Marsh heard Cierra say happily, "he made a beef brisket tonight." As the two friends turned a corner and went out of sight, Mrs. Marsh headed for the hotel's exit.
The two friends entered a nearby elevator and Cierra pressed the button for her floor excitedly.
"A beef brisket, huh?" said Stan.
"Mm-hmm," said Cierra, "And red skin potatoes, and peas too."
Stan nodded in approval, "Sounds like a dream."
"Oh, just wait until you get taste of what's for dessert," Cierra said confidently.
After a feast of beef brisket, potatoes, peas and apple cider doughnuts that her father made from scratch, the two friends headed for Cierra's room to watch some Game of Thrones on her laptop. Stan made a shushing motion with his finger and Cierra giggled as episode three of the show, "Lord Snow", began playing.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cartman was out in the living room sat down watching the news. As he did a weather report for the area began.
"And it looks like snow heading straight for us tonight here in Denver," said the weatherman, "seemingly out of nowhere, there's a strong snow storm heading for us tonight straight down from Canada. With the below freezing temperatures approaching as we head later into the night, it's gonna be icy roads and at least 10 to 14 inches of snow falling in the up-coming hours."
"Oh, no," Dr. Cartman said concerned.
As Stan and Cierra continued to watch "Lord Snow", Stan's cell phone began to vibrate and ring. The two kids were startled at first but Stan went to retrieve his phone.
"Hello?" he answered.
"Hi, Stan," said Mrs. Marsh. "Can I speak to Cierra's father for a minute?"
"I'll be right back," said Stan, "Pause it."
Cierra nodded and did as Stan left the room.
Dr. Cartman was looking out a window near the balcony and shook his head with worry.
"Dr. Cartman?" Stan said approaching him. "My mom wants to talk to you."
Dr. Cartman took the phone.
"Hello?" he said.
As Stan stood near him he only heard Dr. Cartman's half of the conversation.
"Yes, I saw the weather report," said Dr. Cartman, "It's already starting to look pretty nasty out there."
'Huh?' Stan thought. He glanced past Dr. Cartman to look outside. He saw the blurry sight of a snow storm beginning outside the hotel.
"Stan?" said Cierra who had come out to see. "Have you seen outside? It's a mess."
"Yes, who knew winter would decide to surprise us this early," Dr. Cartman said with a chuckle. The two kids looked up at him as he spoke to Stan's mother. Stan heard the garbled voice of his mother before Dr. Cartman spoke again. "You know, Sharon, I was thinking. With the snow out there, it's bound to be a pretty treacherous terrain back to the hotel and you just had your car fixed up once," he pointed out, "seems a bit too risky for you to come back out if the storm's just going to keep getting worse." Stan's eyebrows raised in surprise. If this conversation was going where he thought it was going..."Well, look. The weather report said we're in for at least a foot or so of snow, the kids are probably going to get the day off from school anyway..." Cierra gasped softly and her expression became one of excited anticipation. "Why not just have Stan spend the night here?"
"What?!" Stan said excitedly.
"We have a guest room he can spend the night in and we've got plenty of food here at the Ichiban-"
"Oh, daddy!" Cierra exclaimed as she bounced around her father excitedly, "Can he sleep over?! Please, please?!"
"Uh-oh," Sharon said playfully over the phone, "You didn't let them hear you, did you?"
"Unfortunately, I did," Dr. Cartman said with a chuckle.
"Am I really spending the night?!" Stan asked excitedly. "Am I?!"
"If you're mother says yes," Dr. Cartman said to Stan, briefly moving the phone from his ear. He heard Sharon chuckle over the phone and placed it back to his ear.
"Well, looks like you've got a little guest for the night, Doctor," said Sharon.
"Looks like," Dr. Cartman said continuing to chuckle.
"Dad?" Cierra looked up at him with pleading eyes.
He mouthed "One minute" to her as the garbled voice of Mrs. Marsh continued on the other end of the conversation.
"All right then, it's settled," said Dr. Cartman, "We've got a pair of souvenir pajamas he can borrow and some spare toiletries, so he'll be just fine."
"Yay!" Cierra cheered loudly. She rushed over to Stan, "We're having a sleepover!"
"Sweet!" Stan said with a laugh and he and Cierra rushed back towards her room.
As they left, Mrs. Marsh spoke to Dr. Cartman.
"I'm guessing the kids are looking forward to it?" she asked.
"They might be just a little excited," Dr. Cartman said with gentle tone of sarcasm.
Soon, Stan and Cierra finished watching "Lord Snow" and Dr. Cartman helped the two of them get ready for bed. Dr. Cartman lent Stan a pair of pajamas he had bought from the hotel's gift shop. They had been meant for Butters but fit Stan just as well. As bedtime quickly approached, Dr. Cartman led Stan to the guest room across from his own before returning to his daughter's room to help with her final preparations for bed.
Cierra stood before her father in a pair of pink starry pajamas and held out her arms to him. Once he finished locking her bedroom windows, he took her cue and hoisted her up into his arms.
Cierra smiled at him and giggled and he smiled back at her as rested her on his hip and approached her bed.
"Alright, princess," he said. "Teeth?"
"Brushed," Cierra responded.
"Face?" he asked.
"Washed," she responded yet again.
"Hair, homework?"
"Brushed and finished," she said proudly.
She squealed softly as her father gently placed her on her bed. She scooted up to the pillow and nestled her head onto it as her father tucked her in. His smile faded just slightly as he asked his final question. "...Pills?"
Cierra looked up at him and sadly responded.
"Taken."
Dr. Cartman stroked his daughter's hair comfortingly.
"You won't have to take them forever," he said, "You've been improving little by little."
"But not that much," Cierra said in the same sad tone.
Dr. Cartman leaned down to kiss her forehead causing her to squirm and giggle.
"Any progress is good," he assured her, "no matter how big or small."
"I guess..."
Dr. Cartman stroked her hair affectionately again.
"Sleep tight, princess," he said.
"Good night, daddy," Cierra said sleepily.
He turned out her light and quietly walked out of the room. As he shut the door, he reached into his pocket for a key and locked it, shaking the doorknob for good measure. He made his way to his own room but stopped by Stan's on the way.
He poked his head into the room and saw Stan had already tucked himself in.
"Good night, Stan," he said.
"Good night, Dr. Cartman," Stan said from the under the sheets.
Dr. Cartman flicked the light switch off and closed Stan's door before retiring to his own bedroom.
In the quiet of the hotel suite, Stan found sleep came very easily. He drifted off to sleep almost instantly. A few hours into his sleep, Stan began to dream. He saw Cierra, as Audrey, being enticed into the Mushnik flower shop by Audrey II.
"Hello?" Cierra said. "Is someone there?"
"Hey, little lady, hello..." a deep voice sang.
Cierra looked around frightened. "Who...who said that?"
"You're looking cute as can be..."
"Seymour?" Cierra said looking more and more anxious.
"You're looking mighty sweet..."
"Seymour? Seymour?" said Cierra in a shaky voice.
Suddenly a dark area behind her brightened up revealing Audrey II.
"No, it ain't Seymour," said the plant, "It's me..."
Stan began to stir beneath the covers. The voice of the plant suddenly changed to a more high-pitched, familiar voice. One that made his dream self very nervous for Cierra's safety.
"Oh. my God!" Cierra shrieked. As she gazed at the plant she began to slowly back away. "Am...am I dreaming this?"
"No! And you ain't in Kansas neither!"
Cierra continued to back away from the plant but it draped one of its vines onto her shoulder. "Oh, hey, hey...what's the rush, sweetheart?"
"I..." Cierra stammered, "Something's very wrong here and...I think I need to go..." She tried to push the vine away but another heavy one was placed on her other shoulder and the plant forced her to face it.
"Now, now," the plant said trying to sound more soothing. "There's no need for that."
Cierra looked to the plant nervously.
"Besides, I know all about why you really want to stay away."
Cierra's eyes went wide in fear. "You...you do?"
"Think I wouldn't find out? About you and your 'big cousin'?"
Cierra gasped and tried harder to fight her way out of the plant's grip. As she struggled in the dream, Stan's real self stirred more aggressively under the covers and his dream self looked on helplessly, getting more and more worried.
"Shh...shh..." said Audrey II, "don't worry about it, cuz. I'm not mad; not at all," it said still trying to soothe her.
Cierra's breathing became very heavy and her face reflected pure terror.
"In fact..." the pant said, "I'm okay with the two of you being so close."
"You...you don't mean that," Cierra said with an even shakier tone.
"Oh, but I do," the plant said with a sinister chuckle. "In fact, why don't we call him over? I've got a little...idea of how you two could get even closer..." the plant slurped it's tongue and Cierra became even more horrified at what it was implying.
"Oh, no! No! Please!" she begged. "Don't hurt him! Don't eat him! Please!" Her eyes began to well up with fearful tears.
"It's what you wanted, isn't it?" the plant's voice became less soothing and more bitter sounding. "And this way, everybody wins!" the plant bellowed. "You and Stan get to be together forever..." Audrey II's vines wrapped around Cierra waist and she screamed as they lifted her towards its mouth. "And so...DO WE!"
"AHH!" Cierra shrieked.
Stan began to breathe heavily under the covered and moan distressingly as his dream self tried to come to Cierra's rescue.
"CIERRA, NO!" Stan cried, "Get off her! GET OFF HER!"
He saw Cierra be completely consumed by Audrey II and stood frozen as it laughed that horrible, cruel, smug, high-pitched laugh...
"NOOOO!"
"AHH!" Stan cried as he jolted from his bed. He struggled to catch his breath as he slowly realized where he was. Still in Cierra's apartment, in his guest bed and not about to be eaten by a man-eating venus flytrap that sounded like Cartman.
"Ohh..." Stan sighed heavily. He held his head for a moment and said to himself, "Just a dream...or a nightmare." He calmed his breathing down after a few minutes and was about to go back to bed when he felt a sudden jolt of worry.
"Cierra!" he shout-whispered. He threw the covers off of him and quickly but quietly came to Cierra's bedroom door.
He pulled a spare key from the dresser near her door, cracked it open ever so slightly and spoke softly from the small gap.
"Cierra..." he whispered. "Are you awake?"
She didn't answer, so Stan opened the door just enough to take peek inside. What he saw only intensified his worry. Cierra shuffled under her covers violently and was whimpering and moaning in her sleep.
'Is she having a nightmare too?' Stan thought until he heard something that intensified his worry even more.
"No..." Cierra muttered in her sleep. "No...please...please leave...leave him alone...please..."
Stan slowly crept into Cierra's room and her voice began to grow more desperate and frantic.
"I can't...I can't get out..." she muttered loudly, "Can't get out...don't look here...stay away!" her muttering became clearer and louder as Stan came closer. "Please...please...just leave...just leave me alone!" Cierra was bathed in the full moon's light as Stan made it to her bedside. Under the light, Stan's worry reached it's peak as he saw tears running down the sides of Cierra's face. From the tear stain marks on her pillow, Stan guessed Cierra had been this way for quite some time. She stopped muttering and began to softly sob in her sleep. Stan saw fresh tears run down her cheeks, came to her side and gently put a hand on her shoulder.
"Cierra...?" he said softly as he tried to wake her up. "Cierra, can you hear me?"
Cierra began to whimper again but Stan began to gently shake her. "Cierra," he called a little louder, "Cierra, it's Stan."
Cierra continued to struggle, so Stan held her shoulder and shook her more firmly. "Cierra! Come on!" he shout-whispered, "Wake up! Wake up!"
"Ahh!" Cierra gasped as she finally woke. "Stan..." she said in a breathy voice, "What are you doing in here?"
"I was having this dream..." Stan started to explain, but then he got a good look at Cierra's face. She had sweat bullets on her brow, dried tear stains on her face and was shaking with fear. "I...it woke me up and...I just heard you in here and got kinda scared."
"Oh..." said Cierra. She hugged her knees and began to rock herself back and forth. "I was...I was having a nightmare again."
"'Again'?" said Stan.
Cierra nodded wearily. "I've been having it again and again for the past few months now."
"What's it about?" said Stan.
"It...I was...trapped...in this...tiny-" Cierra began to explain but suddenly felt overwhelmed with the memories of the dream. She held her chest and felt her breathing become uneasy. "There was no way out...I couldn't-I don't wanna...I don't..."
Stan looked at her fearfully.
"Cierra, what's the matter?" he asked frantically, "are you having a heart attack?"
Cierra shook her head and reached for the drawer on her nightstand. She opened it and pulled out an inhaler.
"You...you have asthma?" Stan asked.
Cierra nodded wearily again and began to shake the inhaler vigorously. She exhaled until she felt her lungs empty and quickly put her lips around the mouthpiece. She quickly pressed the top button and the albuterol hissed as it entered her mouth. She inhaled deeply and held her breath, stiffening herself as she did.
Stan watched Cierra intensely, the entire time sporting a concerned look. As she slowly exhaled, Cierra slumped forward holding her head. Stan felt the room round them become eerily quiet as Cierra's breathing began to steady.
"You okay?" asked Stan.
Stan saw Cierra slowly shake her head. She drew her knees close to her and held them tight without saying a word. Stan reached for Cierra's desk lamp and flicked it on. As the room filled with light, he saw Cierra looked even wearier than she sounded in the dark. Her eyes were bloodshot red and still glistened with the tears she had shed in her sleep. She still held herself tightly and let her head fall onto her knees. More tears began to form in her eyes and Stan slowly reached out a hand to her back.
Cierra flinched for a moment, startled by the unseen contact, but slowly raised her head to look towards Stan.
"Cierra..." said Stan, "...what happened?"
Cierra looked at Stan with tired but sad eyes.
"...in the nightmare?" asked Stan.
Cierra glanced away and stretched her leg out onto her bed. She stared downwards and was silent for a long time. Stan sat and waited patiently until Cierra spoke in a groggy voice.
"A lot," she said simply.
"A lot?" Stan asked.
"Mm-hmm..." she said.
Stan stayed silent and waited again for her to continue.
"It's been happening..." Cierra said, "...Almost every night...for a while now."
"Really?" said Stan.
"I...I really don't..." Cierra searched for the right words, "I really don't know what to do..." She began to tense up, "It's...it's just horrible..."
Stan saw Cierra's distress and remembered the feelings from his own nightmare.
"Do...do you wanna tell me what happened?" he asked hesitantly.
Cierra's face suddenly became even more tense and she held her eyes shut tightly. "I..." she said in a shaky voice. "It was...Dad and I were..." She began to whimper and held herself anxiously while trying to remember her nightmare. "I'm-I'm sorry...I-I can't..." Cierra's voice began to break and she began crying from her stress.
Stan saw this and wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't bear to see her this way and tried to think of something to do. He did the first and only thing he could think of and reached for Cierra's hand.
Cierra continued to cry but soon felt a firm hand holding hers. She shot up instantly and turned to see Stan holding her hand.
"It's okay," said Stan, "I had a nightmare too," he admitted.
"You did?" Cierra asked.
Stan nodded. "It was horrible..." he hesitated before telling her the next thing on his mind. "And...and you were in it."
Cierra looked to Stan intrigued. What could he have dreamed with her in it?
"What...what happened?" she asked still sniffling.
"I...I saw you...getting hurt..." Stan hesitated to remember his nightmare, "By your cousin..."
Cierra's eyes went wide in surprise.
"It was horrible..." he said sadly but looked back to her forcing a smile, "I'm just glad it was a nightmare. I...hated seeing you scared and unhappy."
Cierra looked down to her knees. "Sorry," she said softly.
"Stop saying that!" Stan said with a joking tone. "You still didn't do anything wrong."
Cierra didn't seem in the mood to joke and her sadness made Stan's face fall.
"Was someone hurting you? " he asked. "In your nightmare?"
Cierra stayed still for a long while before nodding her head.
"Was it Cartman?' Stan asked.
Cierra quickly shook her head.
"No?" asked Stan in surprise.
"No..." Cierra said softly. She began to hold herself nervously again. Stan felt more and more helpless as he watched her and said eventually said, "Do you want me to stay?"
Cierra was surprised by the suggestion. She released the hold she had on herself and turned towards him.
"What?" she asked.
"Look," Stan explained, "if you're not gonna tell me what your nightmare was about, then I at least gotta help you get back to sleep."
"No, you don't," said Cierra shaking her head.
"Yes," Stan said sternly, "I do."
He briefly glanced around the room and saw a small storage bench at the foot of Cierra's bed and tried to make himself comfortable.
"Stan...?" Cierra called as Stan took the bench and brought it to her bedside. "What are you...?"
Stan felt the cushion on the bench curiously.
"Huh, it actually seems pretty comfortable," he admitted.
"Stan..." Cierra tried to protest again but Stan told her,
"Wait here. I'll be back." He soon returned with the pillow and comforter from the guest room and used them with the storage bench to create a small, makeshift bed for himself.
"No use trying to talk me out of it, Cartman," said Stan as he dragged the bench closer to Cierra's headboard. "I'm here to stay."
Cierra sighed but a small smile began to creep onto her face.
"Ah-ha, you're glad aren't you?" Stan said teasingly.
"No..." Cierra said playfully.
"Liar," said Stan.
"Nehh!" Cierra stuck her tongue out at Stan who returned the gesture.
"Nehh!"
Cierra giggled at the sight and Stan began to feel more relieved. He decided to pry a little.
"So...what does your dad do if you wake up this late?" Stan asked.
"Well...he usually tells me a story or sings me to sleep," said Cierra.
"Well..." said Stan starting to feel awkward, "I don't know if I should sing for you..."
Cierra let out another giggle.
"It's okay," said Cierra in a sweet, but tired voice. "Sometimes plays a special game with me to help me sleep."
"What's the game?" asked Stan.
"It's called 'I'm going to the moon'," said Cierra.
"Uhh...how do you play?' asked Stan laying his head down.
"We both pretend we're going on vacation to the moon," Cierra explained as she tucked herself back in, "then take turns saying what we're gonna bring there," Stan began to tuck himself in as Cierra explained the rules, "The trick is to say the entire list of things from beginning to end, and the first one to forget an item, loses."
"Huh," Stan said from his pillow, "Sounds...interesting."
"I'll go first," said Cierra.
"Sure," said Stan.
"I'm going to the moon and I'm taking my cell phone," said Cierra. "Your turn," she chimed.
"Okay..." said Stan, "I'm going to the moon and I'm taking your cell phone and..." he looked around the room for something to jump out at me and, outside the room, finally caught sight of the new, bronze-colored door bells for the Ichiban hotel. "...a bell?" he said hesitantly.
"Okay," said Cierra, "My turn again," she said proudly, "I'm going to the moon and I'm taking...my cellphone, a bell and...some rain boots."
"Rain boots?" Stan asked with a chuckle.
"Just remember them in order, Marsh," Cierra said in a mischievous but groggy voice.
"Right..." Stan said in a lovingly sarcastic tone. "I'm going on vacation to the moon and I'm taking your cell phone, a bell, some rain boots and...uh...a pillow!" Stan panicked to find something to say and cried out the closest thing to him.
"Hee, hee, a pillow?" Cierra asked with a giggle.
"What?" asked Stan, "It can be anything, right?"
"Ha-ha..." Cierra laughed before letting out a yawn.
Stan saw this and gave a tired but relieved smile.
Cierra shook off her tiredness and strained to keep her eyes open.
Stan said softly, "Your turn, Cartman."
"Hmm?" she asked sleepily, "Oh, right..." she let out another yawn, "I'm going to the moon, and I'm taking..." Cierra tried to remember the list, "My cell phone, a bell, some rain boots, a pillow...and..." her voice began to drift off as she thought of something new to add to their list, "um...my new friend, Stan..."
Stan's sleepy eyes began to open more as he heard the new addition to the list. Cierra began to curl herself deeper under her comforter but something began to shift underneath. Her hand slowly made its way out of the cocoon of sheets and though it was slumping from her tiredness, Stan could see she was holding it out to him.
She gave him a smile as she felt her eyes becoming heavier and said drowsily, "Your turn..."
Stan returned the smile and saw her fighting her heavy eyelids as he tried to remember the new list. "I'm going to the moon...and I'm taking...your cellphone...a bell...a pillow...your new friend, Stan..." Cierra's eyes completely closed and she returned to sleeping once more as Stan added one more item to their list, "...and my new friend..." he reached for her hand as he tucked himself in further, "...Cierra."
"You..." Cierra mumbled sleepily, not bothering to open her eyes, "...forgot the rain boots...You lose..." she said with a smile.
Stan yawned as he gave in to his own sleepiness and closed his eyes.
"Yeah..." he murmured sleepily, "...you win..."
With that, both kids returned to their slumber, holding hands for the rest of the night.
A/N: There's all different kinds of love out there, and with this being February, you can consider this my Valentine's Day piece to celebrate familial and platonic love. Let me know what you guys thought of this little story. I have at least one more "deleted scene" in storage that could make a good one-shot and may upload it if demand is there. My next official story is in the works though, so keep a look out for that. Happy Valentine's Day and President's Day and Black History Month and all that jazz.