#5: Seeking Solace

"Papa."

Killian came to awareness wearily, eyes blinking into the darkness. A small hand tugged at his harm insistently.

"Papa, please wake up."

In an instant he was sitting upright in the bed, covers falling to his waist and he grasped the small shoulders in front of him. "Liam? What's wrong? What happened?"

Terrified blue eyes stared back at him. "I'm scared, Papa."

Now with the traces of sleep cleared away, he was alert and on guard, surveying his surroundings and keeping an open ear to the darkness. Behind him, he heard the gentle breaths of his wife and his tension eased. He looked down at his son in puzzlement. "What's wrong, Liam?"

Liam bit his lip, nostrils flaring in the way Killian knew he was trying to hold back his tears. "Can you come to my room?"

Killian sighed in relief. It was probably a nightmare. Liam was nearly eight but the terrors of a nightmare haunted at all ages. "Of course."

Taking him by the hand, he led his son back to his room and they sat gently on the bed. Liam tugged at the hem of his blanket, frowning and occasionally taking deep, shuddering breaths.

"Do you want to talk about it? Sometimes it helps if you talk about it. Dreams can be quite cruel if you allow them to fester in your mind."

Liam shook his head and sighed. "No, it's not that."

"Then what is it?" Killian asked, forehead crinkled in confusion.

"I don't feel good."

Killian pressed a hand to his son's forehead. "You do feel a bit warm. Are you hurting anywhere?"

Turning away in embarrassment, Liam nodded. "My stomach. I feel… I feel like I'm going to be sick and I don't like it. I want it to go away."

"Well, sometimes it helps if you do—"

"No, no! I don't want to! I hate being sick!"

"Shh! Shh! You'll wake your mum and your sisters," he said, running a soothing hand through his son's hair. "It will be okay."

Liam burst into tears, lips trembling and eyes wide with fear. "Can you just stay with me, just in case? I'm scared. I don't want to be alone."

Killian smiled, nodding in understanding. He wrapped his arms around his son, hugging him to his chest. "Aye, Liam. I'll stay."