Bianca pushed open the door to Dr Stanhope's office and let Miranda go through first. She eldest daughter looked nervous, but also excited about something as well.

Dr Stanhope was quickly on his feet and shaking her hand.

"You're looking well." he said.

"Thank you." said Bianca, as the psychologist turned his attention to Miranda, inviting her to get comfortable on the large couch.

"So how have you been sleeping?" he asked directing his question to Miranda.

"Okay." said Miranda although her body language said the exact opposite.

"She was better last night." said Bianca, stepping close to put an encouraging hand on her daughter's shoulder. "She slept through until four this morning, and she didn't scream, she just came through to our bedroom and woke me so she could have a squoosh. Marissa didn't even wake up."

"Well that's something." said Dr Stanhope giving Miranda an encouraging smile. "Did you want to sit in?" the doctor added looking up to Bianca.

Miranda suddenly stiffened; clearly she didn't want her mommy to stay.

"I've actually got an appointment at the hospital." said Bianca, "But I'll be back to collect her in about an hour, so if there is anything that needs discussing…"

"That's fine." said Dr Stanhope sitting back in his chair across from Miranda. "The two of us shall get to the bottom of these bad dreams together."

"Well call me if there is anything…" said Bianca, giving the doctor a grateful smile before bending down to kiss the top of her daughter's head. "I love you." she whispered, "And I'll be back to collect you real soon."

"I love you too mommy. I'll be okay." said Miranda.

"Of course you will." said Bianca, giving her daughter a second kiss and a cuddle. "You're my big brave girl."

With that she made her reluctant departure.

…

Dr Stanhope took a deep breath as Miranda settle on the couch and looked at him expectantly.

"So," he said scooting closer, "Has the 'happy thoughts' journal helped you at bed time?"

Miranda bit her lip.

"Not really." she said, looking down shamefully. "I mean I really, really tried to think happy thoughts but I keep seeing it in my head!"

"Tell me what you see?" said Dr Stanhope.

Miranda's bottom lip wobbled and she hugged at her tummy.

"Daddy hurting mommy."

"How is he hurting her?"

"He's holding her down and she's crying and then he looks at me and I know it's my fault."

"And that is what you see; that's what wakes you; your daddy making your mommy cry?"

Miranda stares at him for a long moment. She was clearly holding something back and deciding if she should trust him enough to tell him the whole truth.

"H-he pushed her up against the window first and touches her and she screams and then he throws her on the couch and rips her shirt and she's crying and… and then he pulls off her panties and undoes his pants and climbs on top of her and she's crying and he's smiling because she's so scared and then he looks right at me…"

Dr Stanhope raised his eyebrows in surprise. That was a pretty graphic account of rape to come from a nine year old.

"Where did this come from?" he asked, worried about what the answer would be.

Miranda started crying.

"I saw it, I know I shouldn't have , but I couldn't help it."

"Shh, shh." hushed Dr Stanhope, handing her tissue from the box by his chair.

"How did you see this? And take your time…"

It took Miranda a while to pull herself together.

"We were on the train to Paris… AJ wanted to sit with Reggie and Ayesha wanted to be with Gabby so I sat with Camilla. Across the way a man was watching a film on his tablet and I could see it. It was Erica's film. I know I was too little to see it but I couldn't help it…"

"And you saw the rape scene." finished Dr Stanhope, he had been a little startled how graphic they had made that moment himself when he saw the film.

"And it won't go away." sobbed Miranda. "I try but I keep seeing it and it makes me feel sick."

"But that was just a film, and you know that films are just pretend."

"But it really happened." said Miranda.

Dr Stanhope sighed.

"Yes, it really happened." He said.

"Was it like that for mommy, really? I asked her but she won't say and… and I don't want to make her sad, because she gets sad when she remembers."

"Hey," said Dr Stanhope. "How you came into this world may not have been the happy moment of love that we all hope is shared by our parents but I don't know a little girl who has a mother who could love her more."

"I know." said Miranda. "I know my mommy loves me, and I know that it's not my fault what daddy did… but I… I can't stop seeing it in my head. When I think of my daddy I see him on top of her looking at me."

"I think we need to find you a way to replace this image with something else. I want you to keep thinking your happy thoughts at bedtime, but I think we need to include your mommy in this conversation too, because I think she is the only one who can answer some of your questions, and I think this is a safe environment for both of you to be able to open up."

"But I don't want to make my mommy sad."

"Miranda it is not your job to take care of your mommy. It is her job to take care of you and she does a very good job of that, but she can only do it if you let her."

Miranda swallowed and hugged herself tighter.

"But I hate it when she is sad."

"We all hate it when our mommies get sad." said Dr Stanhope, "But I'm sure she hates it when you are sad too."

Miranda nodded her head, in agreement and then nervously looked up at the doctor.

"I have a friend… I said I'd help him do something in secret because he didn't want to make his mom sad. Is that bad too?"

"It's not bad to be a good friend." said the doctor, letting Miranda change to a subject she felt less uncomfortable with. "But if you know that your friend is doing something wrong then you should tell him not to."

"But I don't think it's wrong." said Miranda.

With a deep breath Miranda reached inside her coat and pulled out a slightly crushed envelope.

"AJ wrote a letter to his daddy, but he doesn't want his mommy to know because it would hurt her. I thought you would post it if I asked."

Dr Stanhope took the letter from her.

"Don't you think that AJ's mommy has the right to know if AJ wants to have contact with his dad? Keeping it a secret would surely hurt her more."

"No, it's not that!" exclaimed Miranda, as if horrified by the suggestion. "He doesn't want to be with his daddy! He just wants him to leave us alone, so he writ in the letter how happy we are and how he hates that his daddy is lying and that the lady on the TV told lies too about him not wanting to be in court…"

Dr Stanhope turned the envelope over and over in his hand.

He suddenly found himself in an awkward position, his dual role of counsellor to Miranda and JR suddenly felt very uncomfortable. On one hand he knew he shouldn't be helping a small child deceive her parents but on the other he knew this letter was exactly the thing JR needed to see.

"Okay," he said eventually, "I will take this to JR but only if you promise me that your will encourage AJ to tell his mommy that he sent the letter."

"Thank you!" said Miranda giving him a smile. "I will!"

Dr Stanhope, stared at the letter once more before slipping it into the inside pocket of his jacket. It was time to focus back on Miranda. Now he knew the root of her trauma, the next step was introducing her to a few techniques to help her forget.

"Miranda," he said, leaning forward once more, "Can we have a look at you 'happy thoughts' journal, I want to try an experiment…"

…

It was getting towards the end of their session and Miranda was much more relaxed and more ready to smile as they played a silly game of Happy Trumps, where they took it in turns to think of something that was funnier, sillier or cuter than their opponents. It was an exercise in articulation and to help her concentrate on a positive focus.

"Cute baby chicks." said Dr Stanhope.

Miranda's eyes went wide as she desperately tried to think of something more adorable.

"Cute fluffy kitten!" she exclaimed.

"My chicks are all huddled together and chirping away."

"But my kitten is rolling around, playing with a ball of string…"

"My chicks are all jumping up and down trying to fly… and they are yellow and fluffy except there is one with black spots that can't jump and high as the others, but is still chirping away!"

"My kitten is white with ginger and black patches and long soft fur and she just yawned and stretched, it was the cutest thing ever!" said Miranda quickly.

"You win." said Dr Stanhope with a laugh.

Just then there was a knock and his receptionist poked her head round the door.

"You wanted me to let you know when Ms Montgomery was here to collect Miranda."

"Great, show her in." said the doctor.

Miranda who had been giggling just moments before suddenly tensed.

"Do we have to tell her?" she said nervously.

"You don't think your mommy deserves the truth?" Dr Stanhope asked.

"Okay." said Miranda, in surrender, but she looked very unhappy about the idea.

Bianca entered and looked surprised to see Miranda more withdrawn when she had left her.

"I'm sorry I'm early." she said, looking from her daughter to Dr Stanhope. "If you need longer?"

"I think you should take a seat." said the Doctor indicated to a space on the couch beside Miranda.

Bianca slowly sat down beside her daughter, a look of concern on her face. Miranda suddenly threw herself at her mommy and started crying.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry!"

"Shhh, what's wrong sweetheart." said Bianca, rocking her daughter in her arms.

Dr Stanhope gave Bianca a sad smile.

"We found the source of Miranda's bad dreams. She saw the end of the Erica film by accident."

Bianca's face dropped and her eyes widened.

"How?"

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that Miranda's head is holding onto what she saw and we need to find ways to help her replace that image with something better. I want to suggest a joint session so that she can ask questions and you can answer them in a secure environment."

"She's only nine." said Bianca, hugging her daughter tighter as the implications of the doctors words settled in.

"I know." said the doctor, "But she has to find a way to deal with this information or she will just keep having nightmares."

Bianca nodded and looked down at her sobbing daughter.

"Oh sweetheart." she sighed, kissing her and holding her tight. "It's going to be alright. We are going to make it all alright…"

…