CHAPTER 2:
DISCLAIMER: Still don't own any part of Forever, but I do own Hannah.
Author Notes: Thank you so much for the review and follows, I really appreciate it. I had a couple of reviews from Passerby that I need to address. I'm not very familiar with the layout of New York and was rushing to write the first chapter, so thank for bringing that to my attention. I'm also setting this about ten years before the show starts.
I'm trying to update this story every week or so, but with holidays coming Chapter 3 might take a little while longer. Without further ado…
Chapter 2:
Henry watched in amusement as Hannah's eyes grew in amazement. Mrs. Andrews had just left, and Henry couldn't be happier to see her go, and now he was showing Hannah around before Abe got back from running errands.
"You really live here?" She asked in awe while turning a small circle.
He gave a small laugh at her surprise. "Yes, I live here with my roommate Abraham."
"Where's he?"
"Out running errands, I think."
Walking around the shop, Hannah stopped every-once-in-a-while to run a hand across a table or gently touch something. "Dr. Morgan, what's this?" She asked pausing by a box.
He went over to her and smiled. "That is a very old Chinese puzzle box."
Her eyebrows creased in thought before she turned to him. "What's it do?"
"Nothing," he picked it up and turned it around in his hands, "the person has to figure out how to open it."
She cocked her head. "Have you?"
He set the box down. "Unfortunately, no."
Hannah, seeming to have lost interest, wondered away before turning back to him. "I have to go."
Henry looked at her strangely. "Go? Go where?" She stared at him urgently, switching from one foot to the other as it dawned on him. "Oh, go! Right this way."
Hannah padded down the stairs in her bare feet. The NYPD t-shirt she was wearing went down to almost her knees and made quiet swishing sounds every time she moved. Hannah stopped and listened for any noises that might mean Dr. Morgan or his roommate, she had been told to call him Abe, were waking up. Even though it was after midnight, she couldn't sleep, nor could she get that puzzle box out of her head. Silently she approached the box and picked it up in her hands. Turning it over, she pressed on the piece that was sticking out slightly from the bottom while at the same time trying to slide the side like a latch. A small click resonated throughout the dark room at the same time a light flipped on.
"What are you doing out of bed?" Henry asked with his hand still on the light switch. He had been sleeping lightly and awoken when Hannah passed his room.
Instead of answering, Hannah just stared at him fearfully. He sighed through his nose and strode across the room taking the box from her hands, but before he could set it back on the table he saw that the lid had opened just a tad bit.
"How did you do this?" He asked in amazement as he lifted the lid the rest of the way.
Hannah couldn't help it but she burst into tears. "I, I didn't mean to break it. H-honest." She gulped.
Henry kneeled down quickly and made shushing noises. "You didn't break it, you just figured out how to open it and I was curious. That's all."
After a few moments of silence, her tears slowly died down before stopping completely, but she still stood perfectly still and away from him. "I just pressed on the bottom and then slid the side a bit and it opened."
He looked at her in amazement. He and Abe had been trying to figure it out for months, and yet a four year old had done it in one try. He swallowed the praise he had for her after reminding himself that it was after midnight and Hannah had come down to the shop alone. "I'm very proud that you opened this, but you need to go back upstairs and into bed." He closed the lid and placed the box back on the table. "Come on, I'll tuck you in again."
Hannah started to deny her sleepiness before a yawn threatened to split her head in two. Chuckling, Henry picked up the tired little girl and she let her head rest in the crook of his neck. By the time he had carried her up the stairs she was fast asleep. Very carefully, so he wouldn't wake her up, Henry placed her back on the bed in the guest room, which they planned on decorating for her later, and tucked the covers up to her chin. Giving in to impulse he kissed her softly on the forehead before leaving the room and making sure the door was cracked slightly.
The next morning Abe and Henry were enjoying a few moments of peace before Hannah woke up.
"Oh Abe, I forgot to mention, Hannah opened up that puzzle box last night." Henry said, taking a sip of his coffee.
To say Abe was shocked was an understatement. He stared at his father dumbfounded. "She opened it?" He finally managed to get out.
Henry nodded. "She pressed on the bottom and then slid the side back. The lid popped right open."
Abe opened his mouth to reply but was cur off by a shrill scream. Both men looked at each other by running for the guest room.
Hannah struggled against the sheets that trapped her as she begged and screamed. "Stop it! M'sorry Daddy! M'sorry!"
Henry ran to her side and held down the thrashing child to the bed before he began to soothe her like he did for Abe when he was younger. "Hush Hannah, it's alright. Daddy's here, you're safe now. Hush sweetie." He kept up the words until Hannah calmed down enough for her to be picked up in his arms. "Ssh now, everything is alright. You're safe now."
"Make'em stop, make'em stop hurting me." She sobbed still trapped in her horrible nightmare.
"He's gone. I made him go away. Come on Hannah, open your eyes for me." Henry continued.
Slowly Hannah opened her glistening eyes, and tightened her grasp on Henry's neck. "Promise you won't let him hurt me anymore." She begged. "Promise."
Henry's heart broke for this little girl who still held on to her innocent view of the world, but had already seen so much. "I promise." He replied solemnly.
Abe clasped his hands together. "I think this calls for some hot chocolate. Any takers?"
"What's hot chocolate?" Hannah asked curiously, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.
Abe wiggled his eyebrows. "I guess you're just going to have to find out."
Hannah wiggled out of Henry's arms and chased after Abe who had gone back out the door.
Henry starred after them both for a minute. Abe and Hannah had hit it off almost immediately and he hoped that someday Hannah might get to know his secret. A crash followed by giggling and a groan of aggravation had him shaking out of his stupor and his mind wondering why he thought raising a little girl would be easy.