Chapter 9

Daniel was back at the hospital bright and early the next day. Today was a big day, both kids were going to be discharged, but first the police and social workers were coming to interview the children. He stopped at the canteen knowing what both children would want for breakfast, doughnut's, but determined to introduce them to healthier options, today it was fruit salad, yogurt and waffles as well as 2 doughnuts.

He made his way to the room, opening the door, 2 occupants were awake, Timmy was on the bed, Barbara sat in the chair, Zona was on her lap. She looked exhausted as did Timmy.

"Bad night?" Daniel asked kissing her forehead placing the food on the table, Barbara nodded,

"Lots of nightmares," She replied nodding at Zona fast asleep on her lap.

"How about you Timmy? Did you have a good night?" Timmy shrugged; Zona had been crying last night which had woken him up. Barbara had eventually settled his sister on her lap, which had made her nightmare stop but his anxiety increase. He had to stay awake to make sure his sister didn't get hurt. Now he was really tired, and Zona was still in Barbara's arms.

"I brought breakfast" he offered, placing the food on the table.

"Zona sweetie, time to wake up" Barbara said softly not wanting to startle the young girl. A Blue eye slowly opened the other still swollen closed. "It's time to eat" Barbara told her,

"You're warm" Zona said, not moving off Barbara's lap. "And soft" she had never had cuddles before from anyone other than Timmy and was really enjoying it.

"Thank you," Barbara said, "Would you like some breakfast?"

Zona nodded the prospect of food waking her up more.

"We have fruit and yogurt, waffles, the waffles are still warm" Daniel told her, Zona sat up. Barbara helping her sit forwards. While Daniel aided Timmy,

"Would you like bananas or strawberries?" Daniel asked, both children appeared confused, Zona looking at Timmy.

"We haven't ever tried them" Timmy explained, "We've had apples and berries before"

"Well, you are in luck, they are both delicious with waffles and yogurt, why don't you try a bit of both and see" Daniel suggested. Both children nodded. He divided up the fruit dolloped the yogurt on top of the waffle handing a plate to each child and his wife. Again, Timmy went first Zona coping him. They both managed one waffle each eating all the fruit Barbara helping Zona cut up the waffle.
After breakfast Barbara helped both children change into fresh clothes while Daniel read to the other. Both adults had taken a few days off work to help settle the kids.

Soon Mabel walked in, this time the ward round waited outside. "Hey how are you feeling?" she asked

"We had waffles?" Zona announced,

"Wow waffles," Mabel replied, "Did you like waffles?"

"Yep, and strawberries and nana" Zona told her, Mabel took her stethoscope out listening to her chest.

"Did you like it, Timmy?" Mabel questioned, moving onto him, he had been very quiet.

"I don't understand, why are you all being nice?" he asked still repeating the same question, he was waiting for them to get angry for things to return to normal and he was exhausted trying to protect himself and Zona from the threats when nothing was appearing.

"This isn't nice Timmy; this is how people should treat each other." Daniel explained, Timmy still seemed confused. "You look out for Zona because that's what big brothers do, it's their job. We look after you because that's our job, Mabel as a Doctor and Barbara and I as your foster parents. It's our job to make sure you have eaten, you have clean clothes, you are safe, warm, that nobody hurts you."

"Nurse B is warm" Zona added, not really understanding the conversation, but wanting to join in. Cuddling nurse B was her new favourite thing.

A knock at the door interrupted them. Mabel answered it opening it up. Daniel and Barbara recognized Detective Nixon. She was accompanied by an older woman with greying hair.

"Hello Timmy, Zona, Daniel, Barbara, and Dr Mabel, it's quite a crowd in here" Nixon greeted, Zona automatically ducked down off the chair hiding behind it.

"My name is Tilly, and this is my friend Lynne, we were wondering if we could talk to you?" Nixon asked,

"No, Zona's not here" a voice from behind the chair said, the adults hid their smiles. She was still clearly visible behind the chair but had her eyes hidden behind her hands.

"Hmm, I swear I could hear a voice, but I can't see a little girl in the room, maybe I'm hearing things" Nixon joked. "It's a shame because I brought presents, one for Timmy and one for a little girl called Zona. I heard they liked chocolate, so I brought you both a bar of my favourite"

"I'm here" Zona jumped out giggling, she was funny and there was no way she was going to miss out on chocolate. She only had it once and it was good.

"Oh" Nixon pretended to be surprised, she handed over a bar of Hershey's for each child. Zona took it passing it to Timmy to open, when it came to food, he was the only one she trusted. He opened it passing it back.

"They want to ask use about daddy" Timmy sighed. He hadn't missed the detective badge on her hip.

"I do" Nixon admitted, he was a smart kid there was no point lying.

"Fine, ask" Timmy ordered.

"Thank you but I need to talk to you separately, we have a room outside and your guardian can join if you feel safer." Timmy's had grabbed Daniel's straight away, his crystal-clear blue eyes staring at Barbara.

"You will stay with Zona?" he begged; Barbara nodded. "Make sure she doesn't get scared" he ordered

"Of course, we will be fine" Barbara promised, "In fact I have found a story book I know Zona is going to love"

Timmy left the room still holding Daniel's hand. Zona meanwhile crawled back into Barbara's lap,

"Story please" she asked. Zona had discovered she liked cuddles and she liked stories especially with Nurse B. They had just finished the story when Timmy and Daniel returned, both looking emotionally drained. Timmy climbing on the bed curling up under the covers. Zona jumped off Barbara's lap climbing on the bed.

"Timmy are you okay?" she asked,

"Just tired Zona" he muttered,

"Zona, would you like to talk now?" Nixon asked, Zona bravely got off the bed taking Barbara's hand following the detective out of the room. They sat in the office. Zona sitting on Barbara's lap playing with her hair. Her eyes darting between the strangers and the toys in the corner.

"Hello, can you tell me your name?" Nixon asked,

"Zona"

"And how old are you?" she asked.

"This old" Zona held up 5 fingers on her bandaged hand,

"5 fingers, wow," Nixon counted. "What about your brother?" Zona bit her lip only able to use one hand instead she grabbed Barbara's hand gently tugging 3 fingers up and used 5 of her own. "8 fingers"

"Do you want to play with the toys, we have lots of really fun one?" Nixon asked, standing up going over to the pile, picking up the family doll set.

"I'm not allowed" Zona said, looking sad, daddy had always said toys were for good children not children who had killed their mommies and were a burden on society.

"Who says?" Nixon questioned.

"Daddy"

"What about colouring?" she asked, Zona nodded she was allowed to colour and draw. She did that at school. "Can you draw me a picture of your family?" Zona nodded again, picking up the crayons with her bandaged hand. She drew 2 figures in a box and a much bigger figure above them and a figure lying down. All had blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Wow that's a great drawing" Nixon praised, "Who is that?" she pointed to one of the figures in the box.

"Timmy"

"And who is he with?" Nixon asked pointing to the other figure.

"Zona"

"And where are they?"

"Hiding" Zona explained,

"Why are they hiding?" Nixon pressed,

"Cus daddy is mad" Zona said,

"Why is daddy mad" Nixon asked keeping her voice light,

"Cus Zona is a stupid, useless, murdering bitch, and Timmy is a traitor" Zona said, surprising all of the adults. That language coming from a 5-year-old was shocking.

"Who told you that?" Nixon choked out, it had taken a few minutes to try to formulate a question.

"Daddy" Zona said, she was continuing to colour her picture. "I murdered mammy" she told them innocently, this was something she had heard daily since she could remember, so it wasn't shocking to her.

"How?" Nixon asked, unable to imagine the child hurting a fly yet alone a fully grown woman. Zona huffed still colouring,

"Cus I was a stupid bitch who couldn't even be born properly," Zona told them.

"It wasn't your fault sweetie, I promise you, you didn't kill your mammy, your daddy shouldn't have said that, he was wrong" Barbara interrupted, hugging Zona tightly.

"It's true" Nixon told her agreeing, "It was a horrible tragedy, but it was nobody's fault, but especially not yours"

Zona shrugged not believing either of them having grown up hearing that all of her life. Barbara sighed making a note to work on that and mention it to Rita.

"Who is that?" Nixon pointed to the figure on the floor

"Mammy" Zona told her as if it was obvious, "She is in the ground now, being eaten by bugs" Daddy had told her that too lots. "I drew the bugs too"

"Oh Zona" Barbara held her foster child tightly, it was a horrible thought to have.

"Timmy says the bugs are friendly and Mammy is in heaven watching over us" Zona explained,

"She is, and she would be so proud of how brave you are" Barbara promised,

"What's that?" Nixon pointed to an object next to the daddy figure

"Daddy's special juice," Zona told them, "It smells funny and makes daddy angry"

"Does he have special juice lots?"

"Uh huh," Zona said, "Lots and lots, in the morning and after school and before bed,"

"What happens when he gets angry?" Nixon questioned, Zona took a black pencil drawing what looked like a snake in his hand, and blue tears on the children and used the red crayon to colour over both of them. It was hard to talk about, but it was easier to draw the blood and the tears.

"What's happening there?"

"Daddy is angry, and Timmy and Zona are hurt."

"Does daddy often hurt them?"

"Lots and lots"

"And where are they here?" Nixon asked, pointing at the box

"Cupboard, its safe there" Zona told them, continuing to scribble the red colour over the two children.

"Why?"

"Daddy can't get in, even when he is mad" Zona told them,

"And how often are you in there?"

"Lots and lots." Zona said, "Timmy sometimes sleeps in his room cus daddy doesn't hate him, but it gets cold without him"

"What happened last time daddy got mad?" Nixon questioned now Zona was talking it was important to try keep the conversation going.

"I was hungry, and Timmy was sleeping, and I knew where the bread was. It was really high, so I used the chair, but it fell, and I knocked daddies special juice over, but I tried to clean it up, but it hurt" Zona rubbed her hands the crayons forgotten. "Daddy woke up and was really mad, he was shouting and hitting lots,"

"Then what happened?"

"Daddy got tired, so he went to bed and Timmy woke up, he said we needed medicine, we went to the hospital and met Nurse B and she gave me a pink cast and a bandage on my tummy" Zona told them.

"Why did you leave the hospital?"

"Cus daddy would be mad if he knew we were gone" Zona said simply,

"What happened when you got home?"

"We hid in the cupboard" Zona's brow furrowed as she tried to remember what happened next, "Daddy opened the door, Timmy was gone, daddy said it was time we join mammy and be eaten by bugs. Timmy said we had to run, and I tried but daddy heard us, so Timmy tried to stop him, then the soldiers came, but they were scary, so we hid in the safe place." Zona felt the tears run down her face.

Sensing the little girl had reached her limit for the day Nixon smiled reassuringly,

"Thank you, Zona, can I keep your picture please? It's really good" Zona nodded shyly,

"I can draw more" she offered having never had anyone want her drawings before, normally they just got thrown in the trash.

"That would be great, you are very talented." Nixon praised watching the little girl glow with pride.

"And one for me, I'd love to have one on my fridge so everyone can see" Barbara added, "And I bet Doctor Mabel would like one and Daniel for his office"

Zona nodded she could do that.

"Shall we go and find Timmy, maybe we can play another board game" Barbara suggested, Zona nodded tiredly, not moving from her lap. "Can I carry you sweetie?" Barbara asked, Zona didn't object, as Barbara adjusted her position carrying her back to their room. Zona snuggling even closer. As she entered the room Timmy sat up from his bed,

"Zona" he cried worriedly,

"Timmy" Zona wiggled in Barbara's arms, she gently placed her on Timmy's bed, "They were asking about daddy"

"I know, it's okay" Timmy comforted, it was too late to hide it now if daddy found them, they were both dead. The only thing left to do was to try and trust the strangers and hope they never had to go back. Zona crawled up the bed to lie next to her brother.

"Let's put a movie on, I'll go see what they have got" Barbara decided, both children were exhausted after such an emotional morning. She browsed the cabinet of videos choosing Peter Pan. It should appeal to both children and be less emotionally triggering compared to Bambi or the fox and the hound. She arrived back in the room wheeling the TV on wheels to find Daniel trying to explain the concept of a movie to the children who had never seen a television before, not closely and when they did it was football games.

Barbara pressed play on the video player settling into watch the film. Both kids gasped as the moving pictures came on screen and remained fixated on the screen until the credits rolled.

"Did you like it?" Daniel questioned, knowing the answer, both kids nodded.

"Peter is awesome did you see how he fought the pirates" Timmy said waving his arm around mimicking a sword fight.

"What about you Zona?" Barbara asked,

"Tinkerbell, she can fly from the baddies and do magic, like Doctor Mabel" Zona said,

"What about Wendy?" Daniel replied surprised she hadn't said her

"She left Nana alone" Zona said simply, in her mind leaving anyone alone was bad. That's when bad things happened. The door knocked before they could explore it more, a nurse entered holding trays of food.

"Today we have chicken nuggets, chips and sweetcorn" she announced placing the food down in front of the children. They both waited until she left before starting Timmy automatically now reaching for the fork, Zona preferring to use her fingers. Barbara watched as most the sweetcorn seemed to disappear down her cast to join the peas, in the vegetable garden that was forming under her cast.

Just as they were finishing Mabel returned

"How are my favourite patients doing?" she asked, she knew they had had a draining morning with the police and social worker visiting. Both children looked around, they had never been anyone's favourite before. "I brought pudding, have you ever had birthday cake before?" she questioned, they shook their heads no. She placed the cake wrapped up in a napkin in front of them. They both took a bite, then another.

"I like cake" Zona told them. "And chocolate, and doughnuts, and waffles, and chicken and chips," she listed, "But not sandwiches" she said her face screwing up into distaste.

"Can I have a look at your tummy?" Mabel asked Zona nodded pulling her t-shirt up exposing her bruised tummy that contrasted with the white of the dressing. "Is it sore?" she asked gently pressing, Zona nodded it hurt when she pressed her bruises. "What about your arm?" she gestured to the cast. Zona nodded again, everything hurt, all the time. "Okay I'm going to give you more medicine that will help, now I need to check under your dressings can I do that?" Mabel asked, again Zona nodded.

"Did you bring your magic?" she asked, having watched Peter Pan she was convinced magic was real and she was desperate to see more.

"Always, you have to have a bag of magic dust with you at all times as a doctor" Mabel said, she reached into her pocket where she had some bubbles, she blew the bubbles.

"Woah" Zona said popping them Timmy helped,

"And when they pop, that's when the magic is released" Mabel told them putting the bubbles away going to check Zona's wounds.

Timmy held her fingers poking out from the cast as Mabel began on her good hand. Removing the bandage, she revealed several steri-stripped cuts over her palm and fingers. They were all healing nicely, Mabel redressed the fingers knowing there was no way that Zona would keep her hand still, clean and dry without.

Next was her stomach, she was pleased to see the 3-inch wound was clean with only a slight ooze. She quickly redressed it, lastly was just checking the glue on her hairline laceration.

"All healing nicely" she said, "Timmy can I check you over next"

"Yeah" Timmy said, he was nervous but after his little sister had been so brave, he knew he had to be too.

Mabel checked his head wound first his was to the back of his head then his bruises, like Zona he was covered head to toe in bruises of various stages of healing.

"All good too, how is your pain?" she questioned,

"Fine" Timmy muttered, he had always been taught not to moan about pain,

"Great, okay I'll leave you guys alone, I have another surgery, but I'll pop back later" she promised leaving the room,

"What do you want to do this afternoon? We can read or colour or watch another film" Daniel suggested.

"Colour" Zona said, she had at least 4 more pictures to draw.

"Story, can you tell me another one about the marines" Timmy said, Daniel had ran out of books that morning and had started telling Timmy stories about heroic marines.

"Zona, were you named after the state or the battleship?" Daniel asked, Zona shrugged,

"The battleship, mammy named her after her grandfather who died there" Timmy explained, Daniel raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Do you know her name?" he asked, interested to see if he could find out any more about their history, wanting his kids to have a link to their non abusive biological parent.

"Mammy" Timmy said as if it was obvious. Barbara snorted, she'd seen that coming.

"Well okay then. The US Arizona was a battleship, made in 1915, a Pennsylvania class battleship, she served in the first world war and was in pearl harbour December 7th, 1944, when the Japanese attacked. She fought bravely but was sunk, 1,177 marines and sailors died on her. There is a museum in Hawaii now dedicated to her." Daniel explained, both kids listening intently. "I'll try trace down your grandfather if he served, they'll be a photo" he promised, "There were a lot of hero's that day" he began as he recalled all of the soldiers that had received medal of honours. Both children were enthralled but particularly Timmy. Zona listened in while she drew, taking inspiration from Peter pan as she drew her flying and Timmy fighting a pirate, then not wanting Barbara and Daniel to feel left out drew Barbara flying too and Daniel joining in the pirate fight. Hoping that it would be keep worthy Zona made sure it was coloured the best she could.

She finally finished it, tugging gently on Barbara's sleeve to get her attention,

"Yes Zona"

Zona handed her the drawing,

"Wow for me?" Barbara asked, Zona nodded, "Can you explain it to me?" Barbara asked, there were lots of colourful squiggles on it,

"That's me, you and Dr Mabel we are flying and dropping magic dust, that's Timmy and Sir fighting the pirates, and there is a unicorn and mermaids watching" Zona explained,

"I love it, it's the best drawing I have ever seen, you know where this is going to go," Barbara suggested, Zona shook her head no, expecting Barbara to tell her that it was going in the bin like everything she had brought home for daddy. "On our fridge so everyone can see what a talented little girl we have."

Zona's face lit up with pride. She reached for another piece of paper it was time to draw one next for Dr Mabel. Timmy feeling left out also got a piece of paper, he wanted a drawing on the fridge too and for someone to be proud of him.

With both kids drawing intently, the adults excused themselves to the other side of the room having a private chat about the future, how they were going to cope with both working full time and managing 2 traumatised children. After dinner Barbara again hold both kids to shower before putting them to bed. Tomorrow hopefully they'd get to go home.

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