Bride of beetlejuice asked for this one. :) Here you go, Amiga! :) Enjoy! :)

Balan Wonderworld belongs to Square Enix. I only own Chantrea.


Sweet Dreams For You

Chantrea tossed and turned as she tried to go to sleep, having been tucked into bed by her father about an hour ago, but for some reason, she just couldn't get to sleep. She sighed. It had been almost a week since Lance had adopted her and she had gone from a family that made her steal to a family that loved her and took care of her. She hugged her stuffed rabbit close to her and sighed, closing her eyes to try and go to sleep.

But it didn't work and she got up, wondering why she couldn't sleep. "Maybe I should go find Daddy, Cotton," she said to her rabbit, getting up and taking Cotton with her as she walked down the halls, looking to see if her father was still awake.

Balan was in his office finishing up some paperwork and he had just stood up from his desk when he heard footsteps and looked up to see Chantrea looking into the open door of his office. "Oh, sorry, Uncle Balan," she said. "I was looking for Daddy."

"He's in the library, but why aren't you asleep, little sunlight?" The top-hatted man asked gently.

"I can't sleep," she admitted. "I tried, but...I just can't."

Balan moved around his desk and went up to his niece, scooping her up into his arms, a gloved hand gently resting on her forehead. "Do you feel ill?" He asked, noting that her temperature was normal.

She shook her head. "No," she said truthfully.

He looked thoughtful. "Are you nervous about something?"

She shook her head again. "I just can't fall asleep," she said. "And I don't know why."

Her uncle smiled gently. "Well, let's go find your father," he said, carrying her to the library.

Lance had just finished a book that he had enjoyed and placed it aside when he saw Balan come in with Chantrea. "Balan? Chantrea?" He asked, standing up. "What's going on?"

"I can't sleep, Daddy," Chantrea told him truthfully.

Lance looked at Balan, who gave a small shrug. "She's not feeling ill," he said before looking thoughtful and then it hit him. "Chantrea, could it be because you're still getting used to living here? Where you don't have to worry about your former foster parents?"

The little girl looked thoughtful, hugging her stuffed rabbit closer. "Maybe," she said, playing with one of the rabbit's ears.

Lance nodded understandingly. Chantrea had been through so much being a foster child for so long that now, even though she didn't have to worry about being uprooted again, the fear of that happening was still no doubt present in her. "My little moonlight, can you be honest with me?" He asked.

"Yes, Daddy?" She asked.

"Back before I adopted you, when you were in the foster homes, about how long did you stay with some of the families?"

The child was quiet for a moment. "Some of them for only a week," she admitted. "When I was in the orphanage, they did a test run of me in foster homes and for a month, they tried to see how I'd do and then the directors decided to have me go into the foster care system when I was six years old."

"So for two years, you were in foster care and went through ten homes?" Balan asked. "How is that possible?"

"Some homes weren't nice," Chantrea said. "I wasn't allowed a room sometimes and they tried to take Cotton away, but I held onto him. A couple families woke me up after I had gone to bed to tell me that my social worker was there to take me to another home."

"How often did that happen?" Lance asked. "Them waking you up at night after you had gone to bed?"

"Almost every one of the families that fostered me," the child said sadly.

Balan looked sad. "That explains it," he said, making his niece look at him. "Because your night rest was often disturbed after you had been with the families for however long you were, you've gotten used to being uprooted in the middle of the night."

"Which might explain why you can't sleep right now," Lance said to his daughter before brushing a hand over her head gently.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," the child said.

"For what, my little moonlight?" He asked, holding out his hands in the gesture of asking if she wanted him to hold her and she reached for him, to which Balan handed her gently to his counterpart. "It's not your fault about what happened."

He began gently rocking her before he recalled what he had seen Iben do with her children to get them to settle down for a nap or to sleep. He also knew a warm drink could help too. "Balan, what warm drink is best for when you can't sleep?" He asked.

"Usually tea or warm milk and honey," the green-haired being replied before smiling. "Do you like warm milk and honey, Chantrea?" He asked his niece.

"I think so," she said.

"Then I'll make some up for you," he said before heading down the hallway.

Lance smiled at this and adjusted his hold on his daughter so that she was cradled in his arms like a newborn baby, her head pressed gently over where his heart was. Hearing her father's heartbeat, Chantrea snuggled closer to him as he continued to sway gently, the motion and her father's heartbeat making her start to feel sleepy.

Balan returned and they walked to the child's room where both adults sat on the bed and Balan handed the mug of warm milk to the child. "It's a bit warm, so sip it carefully," he cautioned.

She nodded. "Thank you, Uncle Balan," she said before she began drinking the warm milk, which soothed her further. Lance smiled at this before he began humming softly.

"The moon searches for the little ones,

To bid them a good night and sweet dreams,

She is watching over the children, her light shining,

Ever watchful until the sun comes to tuck her in.

My little moonlight, reach for the moon,

She is always there for you just as I will always be,

Let her lead you to the sweetest dreams of all,

Until the sun comes and wakes us with its light.

As you go to sleep now, promise me one thing,

Don't ever forget how much I love you, little one,

You brought so much joy and hope to my life,

You are special, my daughter, my little moonlight.

You are special, my daughter,...my little moonlight."

The last line was sung softly and by this time, Chantrea was barely awake, which Balan and Lance noticed. "Let's get you tucked in, little sunlight," the former said as they tucked her in. Balan then snapped his fingers and a couple Tims, one yellow with bear ears and another that was blue with bunny ears, appeared and he set them down beside the child.

At once, the two Tims snuggled closer to Chantrea, even nudging Cotton closer to her and she clung to her stuffed animal before smiling as the Tims snuggled with her. Moments later, all three were sound asleep.

Seeing this, Lance smiled and stood up, walking away with Balan following. They left the room and quietly closed the door. The tendriled being smiled and looked at his counterpart. "Thank you for helping her, Balan," he said. "It's good to know I can count someone else to be there for my daughter in case I'm needed elsewhere."

"Of course, Lance," Balan said. "Far be it from me to not help my niece when she needs it."

Lance nodded again and the two of them made sure everything was right at the theater before going to bed themselves while Chantrea slept on peacefully, lost in sweet dreams.


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GoldGuardian2418