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She needed some more reassurance, some anchoring. And Ammo had an idea of what might work. He climbed out of the bed, then set her down on her back. She let out a small squeak of protest, and he placed his hand on her tummy, holding it there firmly. “It’s all right, baby. I’m coming back.”

He grabbed the blanket that was folded on the end of the bed and laid it out flat.

Then he lifted her onto the blanket and wrapped it around her as though swaddling her tight. He picked her up once more and settled back with her on his lap, rocking her back and forth slightly. She shifted her arms around, and he thought maybe she wanted out of the blanket, but then he saw she was just getting her hand free so she could suck on her thumb. She snuggled in against his chest, and he lightly kissed the top of her head.

“Feel better, baby?” he asked.

She nodded, letting out a sweet sigh. “Much better. Thanks, Daddy.”

“You’re welcome, my baby. I’m so sorry you keep having nightmares.”

“I just kept seeing my bedroom window, but I’m unable to get out of it. I’m stuck and everything’s getting hotter and darker and smokier, and I’m coughing and coughing and coughing, and I can’t catch my breath.”

She was sounding so distressed that he wasn’t sure whether to let her keep talking or to try to distract her, but he thought maybe she should attempt to get it out.

“It felt like something was holding me down and I couldn’t move, couldn’t get out, and I just knew that I wasn’t going to make it, that I was going to die there.”

A sob worked its way through her body, and he held her even tighter. “I’m not going to let anything like that ever happen to you again. Understand? You’re safe now, and you’re always going to be safe.”

She nodded.

He reached over and grabbed Owly McOwlFace and Garfield, pressing the toys against her in the hope they would help soothe her.

Then he rocked her while she sucked her thumb and lay on his lap. Eventually, she was slumped against him, and he laid her back down on the bed, unwrapping the blanket.

To his surprise, once he was lying back in bed, she crawled over to lay on top of him. She had Owly McOwlFace in one arm and Garfield in the other as she lay on his chest.

“Daddy, hold,” she commanded.

Bossy little thing, but he wrapped his arms around her.

And that’s where she stayed for the rest of the night.

“Right, are you ready to go?” Ammo poked his head into the bedroom.

She nodded. She was dressed. She just had to say goodbye to Owly McOwlFace and Garfield before she left. She grabbed Kevin out of his cage. He’d seemed to adapt to cabin life rather well.

“I think we should leave Kevin here,” Ammo said. “I don’t think the hospital would be impressed that you brought him with you.”

“Oh, yeah, right. Okay, Kevin, we’ll be back soon, I promise.” She put Kevin back inside his cage and walked toward Ammo.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

He glanced down at her feet. “Do you think you’re missing something?”

She looked down as well. Oh, drat. She was still wearing her slippers.

“Oops. Silly me.”

She rushed into the closet to get her sneakers. When she returned, Ammo grasped hold of her waist and set her on the bed. Then he crouched down in front of her and slipped off the slippers before taking the socks and sliding them onto her feet.

“Oh, the princess treatment. I could get used to this,” she said.

“That’s good,” he told her. “Since this will be happening more often.”

He put her sneakers on and tied up the laces. Then he lifted her off the bed and grasped hold of her hand.

“Do you need to pee first?”