Title: Hallie’s Big Break

  Authors: Shelby ([email protected]) and Alex ([email protected])

  Rating: PG

  Category: Action/adventure

  Disclaimer: The only things that we own here are Hallie and a couple of doctors and nurses. Don’t sue.

 

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  Hallie was up in her room wearing a light yellow dress with little butterflies on it, her long black hair done up in spiral curls and tied up in a yellow ribbon. She sat at her little table serving tea to her dollies with the miniature china set that Jonathan had gotten for her. "Miss Muffet, it very hot," she said, handing a cup to her dolly. "We have to wait for queen Faery to arrive," she added and placed her hands neatly in her lap.

 

  Rick had just finished up helping Evelyn with the library when he realized he was late for his daughter's planned tea party. He quickly ran up the stairs and pushed open the door to her room, seeing her waiting for him with her dollies arranged neatly around her. "Sorry I'm late, sweetheart," he told her, leaning down to kiss her forehead before sitting down opposite her. "I had work to do in the library." 

 

  She got out of the chair and went over to her toy chest, getting out one of her mother's old hats and a scarf and she brought them over to him. "You're not my daddy, you're the Faery Queen," she told him. "Your magically, you need to put on your crown."

 

  He looked at her, smiling in bemusement as he took the hat and scarf from her. "My crown?" he asked, dying to burst out laughing, but he held it in, knowing he would hurt her feelings if he didn't. At her nod, he shrugged and put on the hat, hoping that his wife or his son wouldn't decide to pay a visit anytime soon. He lifted the scarf and looked at curiously. "How do you put this on?" he wondered.

 

  She climbed into his lap, taking the white floral print scarf and wrapped it once around his neck. "Now you must talk proper,  magicallies are very proper," she informed in her heaviest British accent and climbed off his lap, sitting back down in her little seat.

 

  "They are?" he asked, his smile widening into a grin. He cleared his throat and tried to affect a British accent, failing miserably. "Would you mind passing the tea, miss?" he queried, shaking his head as he wondered how he had come from serving in the French Foreign Legion to serving his daughter tea dressed as faery queen.

 

  She nodded and handed him the miniature teapot. "We have cookie too," she said and went over to her bed. She lifted the pillow and brought back five cookies that she had taken without asking, a big no-no. 

 

  Rick had been busy pouring out the tea when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her get up and walk off. He looked up, wondering what she was about to do and when he saw her take the cookies out from underneath her pillow, he frowned, not remembering giving her any that day. "Hallie, when did you get those?" he asked her.

 

  "Queen Faery, Bianca got them for me 'cause I'm not s'posed to do that," she replied as she munched on one. "You have one too and we not tell anybody. It be a secret, and I very good at secrets."

 

  He sighed. "Hallie, did you sneak some cookies without asking me or your mother today?" he wanted to know, making a mental note to start hiding them from now on. "You know you're supposed to ask first. Taking them without our permission is wrong, honey, you know that."

 

  She pursed her lips. "I did not do it, Bianca did it," she said.  "Your s'posed to be Queen Faery." Her lower lip was trembling and she was close to tears. She didn't like it when she couldn't have what she wanted and she wanted to play, not be talked to about sneaking. "I don't want talk about it now," she said and crossed her arms in utter defiance.

 

  He sighed again, knowing he had to deal with her whole attitude of blaming her imaginary friend whenever she did something that she wasn't supposed to. "All right, let's stop playing for a moment and just talk as Hallie and daddy," he began. She didn't say anything, but she didn't look too happy either. "Taking things without asking is bad. How would you feel if someone snuck into your room and took something of yours without asking your permission? I bet you'd feel pretty upset, wouldn't you?"

 

  Her bottom lip stuck out and trembled, and then she started to cry. She had a sensitive soul, and even though he wasn't angry with her, she was still upset. She crumpled to the floor and cried as though her heart would break.

 

  He knew he should be trying to get this little lesson through to her, but he couldn't stand to see her cry. He reached out and pulled her into her arms, rocking her gently. "I'm sorry, baby," he murmured into her hair. "You haven't been bad. You just need to remember to get permission from mommy and me first, that's all. I'm not angry with you."

 

  She clung to him and once she was sure he wasn't mad at her she looked up at him. "But Bianca did it daddy not me," she insisted, wiping her eyes. "We still playing?" she asked, wanting to continue as though nothing had happened.

 

  He looked down at her staring up at him with her big hazel eyes and he just melted. "Yes, we can play," he said, smiling. He hugged her. "We'd better hurry, the tea's getting cold."

 

  She smiled at him, then got down and sat back in her seat, giving the Queen Faery her cookie and her tea. "Tell me, Queen, how are your foiled subducks?" she asked. This translated as 'how are your loyal subjects,' but with her being only two and a half, getting the right words was not always easy.

 

  He laughed. "My foiled subducks?" he repeated, taking a sip of his tea. He held out his pinkie, knowing she would have something to say about it if he didn't and then set it back carefully on the plate, trying not to spill any of it. It was rather difficult to keep hold of it properly seeing as the tea set was just a little too small for his large hands. "My subjects are fine, my lady. The castle is almost built."

 

  She nodded. "That is very good, Queen," she said and took her tea holding it just the way she had seen mummy do at one of her tea gatherings. "I saw prince Faery just the other day and he told me he would teach me to fly. I got wings," she added and took a bite of her cookie.

 

  "You got wings?" he asked, smiling. "When will you start your flying lessons?" He took a cookie and was just about to take a huge bite out of it when he caught his daughter's disapproving stare and he nibbled the edge of it, grinning.

 

  She smiled. "I think tomorrow," she told him.

 

  "That's good," he replied, brushing a few crumbs away off the flowery scarf that his little girl had tied round his neck. "I hope you have fun."

 

  She nodded. "I go potty now," she told him and rose from her chair. "Queen, I go in mummy's potty 'cause that where the stool is. You stay here, I be back in moment." She left and walked down the hallway and into her parent's room. She opened the doors to the balcony, getting a chair and scooting it across the floor, which made rather a lot of noise.

 

  When she hadn't returned after a few minutes, Rick began to grow worried and he went out of his daughter's room, making his way into his and Evelyn's bedroom. The door was shut, but he could hear the sound of something scraping along the floor. "Hallie, are you in here?" he called, pushing open the door. 

 

  She was standing on the edge of the rail holding onto the side of the house ready to fly. She closed her eyes and let go.

 

  He entered the room, but there was no sign of his daughter. Suddenly, he noticed that the door that led to the balcony was wide open and he rushed forward, hoping to God that she wasn't outside, but having a sinking feeling that she was.

 

  He gasped when he caught sight of her hanging precariously on the edge of the railing and his heart almost stopped when she let go. He raced forward as fast as he could, reaching out for her as she fell and grabbed onto the bottom of her dress, stopping her descent. He reached down and pulled her back up into his arms, shaking something terrible. "Thank God you're all right," he whispered, holding her close.

 

  Hallie struggled to be let down, not fazed by this one little bit. "Daddy, I okay. I fly like faery," she said trying to wriggle free, but he held her tight. "Silly daddy, I not hurted, I a faery," she told him. "I want down, see mummy now."

 

  He didn't let her go, but carried her back into the bedroom, locking the door to the balcony behind him and putting the key into his pocket, not about to open it again anytime soon. He sat down on the bed, still breathing hard. "Sweetheart, I know you like to play at being faeries, but you have to understand that real people can't fly like that. You could have been hurt." Or killed, he added mentally, but didn't mention that part to her. 

 

  She shook her head. "But I not real person, I faery and I do it gain. Daddy, I do it gain 'cause I fly just like a faery," she said, not about to give up on this.

 

  Evie chose that moment to walk in on them and she laughed at the he husband's attire. "Well, Queen, how are your foiled subducks?" she asked, having played tea party with Hallie several times before. Then she noticed that he was shaking. "Rick?" she asked.

 

  He looked up when his wife entered the room, forgetting all about how ridiculous he must look as he held his daughter tightly, not willing to let her go just yet after a scare like that. He sighed. "Our little baby decided that it might be a fun idea to pretend to be a faery and jump off the balcony," he told her.

 

  Her eyes grew as wide as saucers and she went to them, sitting down next to Rick. "Is she hurt?" she asked feeling over her body. "Hallie Jordan O'Connell, what were you thinking? You could have gotten badly hurt from a fall like that or worse," she said sternly. 

 

  Hallie started to cry. "I sorry mummy, I want fly a like faery,” she sobbed. 

 

  Evie was not so caught by her tears. "Well, I think you need to spend some time in your bed. Daddy and I will come get you when we have a talk," she said, encouraging Rick to let her go. Their daughter ran out sobbing and after she was gone, Evie pulled him into her embrace. "What do we do with her? She has to know that what she has just done is dangerous," she told him. 

 

  "I know, I know," he muttered, bringing his arms around her and holding her close to him. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "God, if I hadn't grabbed her in time, she might...she could have-" he stopped, not even wanting to think about what might have happened had he not got to her just in time.

 

  She held him tighter, soothing him. "But you did get to her in time and now we have to figure out a way to dissuade her from doing this. Maybe keeping her in her room and explaining to her that she is being punished for doing something that could have hurt her," she suggested, trying to think of a way to help Hallie see that.

 

  "I don't know, she's tried it once, there's no telling if she'll do it again." He sighed, letting her comfort him. He realized he was a little overprotective of her, but he couldn't help it, she was his baby girl and he couldn't bear the thought of anything bad happening to her. "All I can think of is to make sure every window in the house is locked, but we can't keep that up forever. We have to try and get through to her how dangerous this really is."

 

  She nodded. "I agree, and the only thing I can think of is not letting her pretend about Bianca, who is the one she uses for all her excuses for things. If she talks about flying again, we can put her in time out," she replied, hugging him tightly.

 

~~~~~~

 

  While they were talking about her, Hallie pulled on her sandals and went outside out to the barn. Alex had told her that she could fly by jumping off the hayloft and into the hay so she climbed up the ladder and walked over to the edge. The hay was a distance away from her, but she was brave and she jumped, landing in the hay and laughing gleefully. "I fly like faeries," she said and she climbed back up the ladder, jumping again and again becoming more confident and more careless.

 

  Alex had just got back from his ride with Seti that afternoon and he was finished putting him back in the stables when he heard a familiar giggling sound coming from the hayloft. He pushed open the door and looked inside, his eyes widening in panic when he caught sight of his sister up on the beam. "Hallie, get down from there right now!" he shouted.

 

  She was having a grand old time. "I not scared, Alex, I a faery. I flying," she said and jumped, this time landing just at the edge of the haystack. She rolled off of it landing on her side, her arm hurting very badly. She didn't cry though because she was suddenly afraid of what her daddy would say if he found out what she had been doing.

 

  He ran up to her quickly and helped her sit up, noticing the look of pain that crossed her face when he touched her arm. "Look at you, you silly girl," he said, shaking his head. "Can you move your arm? Does it hurt?"

 

  She shook her head. "Not hurting," she replied, wanting to cry. She had pulled on her sweater earlier and pulled the sleeve down over her arm so that her brother couldn't get a good look at it. "Want go pet kittens," she said and went to the ladder, though she favored her arm as she made her way down.

 

  He followed her, latching onto her good arm and turning her around. "Hallie, you just jumped off that high beam and you've hurt yourself." He suddenly realized that he sounded like he was concerned about her so he changed his tone. "Not like I care or anything," he added quickly. Besides, if dad finds out I let you get hurt, he'll have my neck. Come on, let's go back to the house."

 

  She nodded her head. "But not tell daddy 'cause I s'posed be in my room. I tried to fly off balcony and made him scared," she said, cradling her arm against her as they walked back to the house.

 

  "You did what?" he asked as he led her back home. "You tried to fly off the *balcony*?" he shook his head. "I'm telling dad," he said decisively, not wanting to deal with this. He pushed her through the door of the house and yelled for his father.

 

  She ran and hid behind the couch, not wanting daddy to know that she had gone out.  

 

  "Sounds like she got out," Evie said to her husband, standing up and taking his hands pulling him with her. "I'm afraid we'll have to deal with this now."

 

  Rick nodded and they made their way down the stairs together. He frowned when he saw Alex waiting by himself.

 

  Alex snickered when he caught sight of his father dressed in his mum's old hat and scarf. "That's a good look for you, dad," he said, chuckling.

 

  Rick smiled sheepishly, finally taking them off. "Where's your sister?" he asked.

 

  Alex rolled his eyes. "She's hiding behind the sofa. She jumped off the beam in the hayloft and I think she's hurt her arm."

 

  "She did what?!" Rick exclaimed. He crouched down near the edge of the sofa. "Hallie? Sweetheart, come on out of there."

 

  "Rick, get her out of there, we need to see what's wrong," Evie said, feeling somewhat guilty for getting angry with their daughter. "Hallie, come on out baby."  

 

  Hallie shook her head stubbornly. "I not hurt, I fly like faery. I not hurt my arm," she insisted, sniffling a little.

 

  Rick sighed and grabbed onto the arm of the sofa, pulling it away from the wall so that he could get to his daughter. He picked her up, mindful of the arm she held to her chest. "Can you feel your arm, baby?" he asked anxiously. "Does it hurt you at all?" He said, motioning for his wife to come over and take a look.

 

  She shook her head. "It not hurting. I want get down and play now, have tea party with Alex." She panicked when her mother approached. "No, not touch it, put me down put me down!" She held her arm tighter to her and tried hitting her mum.

 

  He got hold of her good arm and held it. "Hallie, don't hit your mother," he said sternly. The fact that she didn't want anyone near her bad arm suggested that there might be something more seriously wrong with it. "I think we should get her to the hospital," he whispered to Evie over his daughter's head.

 

  She nodded. "Do you really think that’s necessary?" she asked as she rubbed her hand over Hallie's back. Hallie was leaning against Rick, holding her arm between him and herself and Evie knew taking her there would be very traumatic for her.

 

  "I know," he sighed, remembering the last time when the doctor had come out to their house on a home visit to see her and she'd gone absolutely ballistic. "She might have just sprained it, but if she's broken it, we're going to have to get a doctor to see to her."

 

  Meanwhile, Hallie had drifted off into a fitful sleep against him, still protective of her arm.

 

  "I'll drive us then," she said and got the keys to his Beauford, getting a blanket for Hallie and placed it over her.

 

  He carefully bundled her up in the blanket, yelling for Johnathan to get his ass out of bed and stay with Alex and then followed his wife out of the car. He got in the backseat, holding Hallie close to him as she slept, hoping she would stay that way at least until they reached the hospital.

 

  Luck was not on their side and not five minutes on the road did she wake up. "Where we going, daddy?" she asked, still holding protectively to her arm.

 

  "We're just going to see someone who's going to make your arm better, sweetheart," he told her, purposely not telling her their destination, knowing how she'd react. "It'll be okay, I promise."

 

  She watched out the window quietly until they arrived at the hospital and she held to her arm as they got out. "What's in there?" she queried, having never been there before. At least not that she had remembered.

 

  He bit his lip, wondering how to phrase that as he got her out of the car, following his wife into the accident and emergency doors. "We're just going to let someone see to your arm, honey," he told her, stroking her back soothingly and waiting while Evelyn talked to the nurse at reception. 

 

  In a moment she came back to them. "We have a wait ahead of us,” she said and took Rick's free hand leading him to the waiting room.

 

  Hallie could see toys and wanted down. When her father placed her on the floor, she ran over to a little table and sat down with another child. She laughed and played as though nothing was wrong, though she wouldn't move her arm. 

 

  Evie watched their baby girl play. "Rick, maybe we are overreacting. She seems perfectly happy," she remarked, not wanting to put her through any pain.

 

  He pulled her down into his lap and wound his arms around her, resting his forehead against hers. "Maybe we are overreacting," he admitted. "But at least this way we get to find out if there's anything really wrong with her. It's better for her to see a doctor now than to have left it only for her to wind up screaming and yelling later on because she hurts." He sighed. "Evie, do I worry too much about her?" he wondered. 

 

  She sighed, feeling safe in his arms. "I think I worry too little,” she replied and would have said more only just then, a nurse came out and called for Hallie.

 

  She looked up from playing with the baby and over at the nurse, knowing what that meant. She stood up and ran for the exit. "No hurt my arm," she said and made it past the doors and started down the hall.

 

  Rick rolled his eyes, lifting his wife out of his lap and chasing down the hall after Hallie. He pushed through the exit doors and quickly caught up with his runaway daughter, scooping her up and holding her so that she couldn't struggle, but careful not to move her arm. "Come on now, Hallie, the doctor wants to take a look at your arm," he told her, knowing there was no point in hiding it any longer since she'd already figured it out for herself.

 

  She screamed bloody murder as he carried her into the back of the hospital. "MUMMY, MUMMY, ALEX, ALEX, HELP MEEEE!" she screamed, trying to get away from her daddy. They were led to a small room and left alone for the moment. 

 

  He held onto her, rubbing her back and trying to calm her down. She had stopped struggling for now, but was sobbing her heart out and he felt terrible for putting her through this. It had to be done whether she liked it or not. He lifted her little chin to make her look up at him. "Tell you what, honey. You let the doctor take a look at you and when we get back home we'll have another tea party and you can have as many cookies as you want," he promised, trying to cheer her up.

 

  Evie smiled at them. "And mummy will come to your tea party too, and I will even let you use my fancy china," she said 

 

  She lifted her head from her father's chest. "Really?" she asked.

 

  "Really."

 

  Hallie was fine until the doctor walked in then she held to her daddy as tight as she could. "No, daddy don't let him hurt me," she said and began to cry.

 

  He hugged her tightly, rubbing her back. "Ssh, now, he's here to help you get better," he said gently, wiping away her tears.

 

  The doctor looked up from his clipboard. "Hallie O'Connell?" he asked. At Rick's nod, he sat down opposite Rick. "My name is Doctor Francis, the nurse at reception told me this young lady had rather a nasty fall today. Can you tell me what happened?"

 

  Evelyn spoke while Rick comforted their baby. "Our son told us she was in the barn. She has taken a fancy to trying to fly and he found her jumping into some hay, but she rolled off and something must have hurt her arm. She won't let either of us touch it," Evelyn said, preparing for a battle.

 

  The doctor smiled. "Trying to fly, eh?" he asked, chuckling. He bent down to speak to Hallie. "Would you mind letting me take a quick look at your arm young lady?"

 

  She shook her head frantically, but Rick held her tightly for when she started struggling. To his surprise, the doctor didn't actually touch her arm itself, but very gently pulled up her sleeve and took a close look.

 

  "Hmm, swelling around the wrist...bruises..." he muttered to himself. He looked up at her parents. "I won't be able to tell until I take an X-ray, but the fact that the swelling is around the wrist area may suggest she has a Colles fracture. What I'm going to have to do is look at the X-ray to determine how badly the broken bone has been displaced and we'll take it from there. If it is a Colle's fracture, she'll need a local anesthetic so that I can manipulate the bone ends back into position."

 

  Hallie had cried and screamed, but now she rested her head against her father's shoulder while the doctor talked to them.

 

  Evie hated this for their baby, and sighed. "Will we be able to go in with her?" she asked, hoping they would say yes, but knowing hospitals did not allow that.  

 

  He shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he replied. "I need to take the X-rays with the radiographer, but it should only take a few minutes at most. Then I will discuss with you how best to proceed. Now, if you'll bring her down to the X-ray room, please."

 

  Rick got up, carrying Hallie in the crook of his right arm and holding his wife's hand as they followed the doctor down the corridor. When they reached the room, Rick made her look at him. "All right, sweetheart, you have to go inside with the doctor so that he can take a picture of your arm, so be good, okay?"

 

  Hallie held on tight to him with her good arm. "No, no, don't let them take me, daddy nooo," she cried, not wanting them to go. "They hurt me, daddy no."

 

  Evelyn helped pry her away then she was taken away and she leaned against her husband. "Its all my fault, Rick. I shouldn't have gotten mad and sent her to her room," she said, starting to cry herself.

 

  He held her close, stroking her back and kissing her forehead. "Sssh, it's not your fault," he murmured. "She has to know sooner or later that she's not supposed to jump off balconies or haylofts. This may be a terrible way for her to learn that, but hopefully, it's a lesson that will stick." He hugged her tightly. "Now we just have to be here for her." He rocked her gently in his arms.

 

  She nodded, still hearing their daughter scream for them. "I want to go in and be with my baby, Rick. I want to hold her in my arms," she sobbed, hating this worse than anything else.

 

  "I know, honey, I know, but we have to wait until the doctor is finished," he told her. "You heard what he said, it'll only take them little while to do the X-rays, then he's going to talk to us about what they're going to do next. She'll be okay, she's a tough kid," he added, wiping away her tears.

 

~~~~~~

 

  Hallie had screamed and screamed to no end as strange people did things to her hurt arm and her daddy wasn't coming. "I want my daddy," she cried to one of the nurses who was tending to her.

 

  "You'll see your daddy soon," the nurse told her as they set about taking the X-rays. "He just needs to stay outside while we do this. We're just going to take some pictures of your hurt arm so that we can work out how to make it better."

 

  It didn't take long for them to get the X-rays sorted out and once they'd finished up with that, the nurse took her back out into the corridor and into her father's arms. "You'll have to wait back in reception for a few more minutes while Doctor Francis decides what to do next," she told them. And with that, she went back inside.

 

  Once she was in her father’s arms, Hallie cried hard. "Daddy, they hurt me. They hurt me and they not let you come see me," she sobbed. "No let take me gain, daddy," she pleaded, crying as though her little heart had broken.

 

  Evelyn held Rick's hand as they went back to the waiting room, then got in her purse and got out a wrapped cookie.

 

  "No cookie. Want go home, mummy, daddy. Home now, want home," she sobbed against her father's shoulder.

 

  He rocked her; soothing her as best she could, knowing she had to be seriously upset to refuse a cookie like that. He sighed. And it was only going to get worse if the doctor's diagnosis was correct. "Ssh, we're here now, baby," he murmured. "And we're going to stay with you." He looked over at Evie and sighed.

 

  She was starting to calm down, though she didn't let go of her daddy's neck. "Want go home, daddy," she kept saying and closed her eyes.

 

  Evie leaned her head against Rick's shoulder and rubbed her hand over their daughter's back, wishing they would just hurry up and get this over with so they could take their baby home.

 

  It had been a while since the last time they had seen the doctor, but he soon returned, sitting down in the chair next to Evie. Rick shifted slightly, listening to what he had to say.

 

  "As I suspected, I'm afraid your daughter has a fractured wrist," Doctor Francis told them. "You'll need to bring her into the operating theatre so that we can give her the anesthetic and get the bones back into place. You can stay with her until she falls asleep."

 

  Hallie woke up when she heard him. "Want mummy hold," she said and once she was in Evie's arms, she started to cry. "Go home, mummy, go home," she sobbed.

 

  She rocked her a moment then stood. "We will take you home just as soon as the doctor fixes your arm baby. Mummy and daddy will be right there with you," she promised, taking her husband's hand as they followed the doctor to the theatre.

 

  They tried to get Hallie settled on the operating table as best they could, Evie holding onto her while the nurse saw to the anesthetic. Despite Hallie trying to fight it, it wasn't long until she began getting drowsy. Rick wasn't going to leave the theatre until she fell asleep and that would be anytime soon by the looks of things. He gently stroked her hair, kissing the top of her head. "We'll be here when you wake up, I promise," he told her.

 

  She was a fighter and shook her head as the sleep tried to come.  "No, daddy, stay with me. Rock me sleep, daddy," she said reaching for him. She wanted his arms around her, needed to feel safe because so far she had not.

 

  He took her from Evie, holding her close and stroking his fingers through her hair. He rocked her in his arms, humming to her softly, smiling as she tried her best to keep her eyes open. "It's all right, Hallie," he told her gently. "You can sleep now. I've got you."

 

  She closed her eyes finally asleep, though her hold on her daddy was still tight, needing him so much.

 

  He sighed, not wanting to let her go, but the nurse was telling for him to lay her down on the operating table. He did so reluctantly, only letting go of her when the doctor gently ushered him and Evie out of the room and shut the door. He turned away, biting his lip and he reached for Evie, roughly wiping a hand over his eyes to stop the tears.

 

  She took him into her arms and held him, being his strength as he was hers. "Come on, darling, let's go get a cup of coffee," she said, knowing that it was going to take them a while to fix her wrist.

 

  He followed her into the refectory and sat down at a nearby table while she got the coffee. He sighed, placing his head in his hands, only now realizing how tired he really was. She came over to him, offering a cup and he took it gratefully, drinking deeply before motioning for her to sit beside him.

 

  She smiled and had him move his chair out, taking a seat on his lap. The refectory wasn't crowded and she wanted to be in his arms.  "I think she has learned that flying is best left for the imagination," she told him as she yawned. "I just want to get her home." She looked up at him. "How are you doing?" she asked, knowing that this had taken its toll on him.

 

  "I'm fine," he replied automatically, but when he saw her skeptical expression, he sighed. "All right, I'm worried sick about her," he admitted, tightening his arms around her waist. He looked back at the corridor where their daughter was currently being seen to and then buried his face in Evie's neck. "I just wish this was over."

 

  She stroked a hand through his hair and kissed the top of his head.  "I know I do too." That was all she could offer him right now, her words and herself. For now, that was all that was there for the both of them.

 

  It was a while later when one of the nurses came to them in the canteen. "Good news," she told them. "Doctor Francis managed to successfully get the bones back into place. He's put a slab on your daughter's wrist to immobilize it and you should leave that on for the next three or four days until the swelling goes down. Then you'll have to bring her back so that we can take another look at her wrist and put a cast on it, but for now, you can come in and see her. She's still sleeping off the anesthetic though."

 

  Evie got out of her husband's lap, waiting for him to stand before taking his hand and following the nurse to Hallie's. She was laying in a bed that looked too big for her and her arm lay over her chest. "Hallie," she said and went to her side, stroking her hair. 

 

  Rick walked over to the other side of the bed, his heart almost breaking at the sight of his tiny daughter asleep in the hospital bed, her hurt arm in a sling. He gently touched her face, wondering when the anesthetic would wear off.

 

  Hallie started to wake up and for a moment, she thought she was just in her own bed. When she remembered where she was though, she started to struggle. "No touch me, nooo," she screamed. "Mummy, daddy," she sobbed.

 

   Evie sat on the side of the bed and lifted her easily into her arms. "Shhh, mummy and daddy are right here with you."

 

  Hallie loved her mummy but she was a daddy's girl. "Daddy, daddy,” she called as she finally opened her eyes, reaching out for him.

 

  He leaned across the bed and took one of her little flailing hands, holding onto it gently. "I'm here, sweetheart, I'm right here," he told her, kissing her hand. She seemed to calm down a little at that.

 

  She did relax once she had both her parents with her. "Home now. Want home pay with my babies," she said and struggled to be put down. "I not flying gain. It make arm have owies," she added, looking at both her of parents.

 

  That was a relief to hear. Evie hated that their daughter had to learn it this way, but at least she wasn't going to attempt flying anymore.

 

  Rick smiled at that statement, rubbing his thumb over the back of Hallie's small hand. "I think you know that flying is best left to the faeries," he told her, leaning forward to nuzzle her nose with his, making her giggle.

 

  Evie smiled at the two of them. "All right, let's go home now," she said and stood.

 

  "Daddy have tea party with me?" asked Hallie.

 

  "Sure, honey," he told her, walking ahead of them as they made their way out of the hospital and back to the car outside, getting the doors unlocked. "And I believe I made you a promise about having as many cookies as you want."

 

  "Yes, I have lots of them, and I get use mummy's china." She smiled then yawned. She was quiet on the drive and once they got home, she jumped out of the car and ran to the front door. "Open up," she called out, hitting the door with her good hand.

 

  Alex ran to the door, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw his sister. "Oh wow, look at your arm!" he said, impressed at the sight of the sling and splint. He looked up when his mother and father entered the house. "Mum, Hallie has a sling! That's so great!"

 

  His sister ignored him, running straight for the kitchen.

 

  "Not so great honey," said Evie. "Hallie slow down, or you'll fall again," she called out, going after her. "Rick, why did you promise her all the cookies she could eat?" she grumbled.

 

  He laughed at that. "Hey, you bribed her too, remember?" he shouted back, walking over to the sofa to sit down heavily on it, giving Alex all the 'gory details' as he'd asked.

 

  "Wow, so she has to get a cast soon?" Alex queried at the end of their hospital story. "That's really neat. Dad, I want a cast too."

 

  Rick smiled, ruffling his hair. "I think having one kid around with a broken arm is bad enough," he told him.

 

  Hallie entered the room followed by her mother who was carrying her sterling silver tray with the china on it as well as a huge pile of cookies. 

 

  "I get to have tea party with mummy's china, and I get have many cookies as I want," Hallie told her brother. "Daddy you be Faery Queen, Alex you be Faery Prince and mummy will be my mummy," she said, sitting down on the couch beside her father and brother.

 

  Alex made a face. "The faery prince?!" he exclaimed. "No way, that's sissy stuff!"

 

  Rick grinned. "Be nice to your sister," he said. "She's just had a bad day down at the hospital, I'm sure you'll let her play this little game with us."

 

  Alex sighed, looking over at his sister who was staring back at him pleadingly. "Oh, all right!" he said, raising his hands. "But I am not wearing girly things," he added.

 

  She smiled and was satisfied with that. "Mummy, I need tea please,” she said, taking the cup from her mother and holding it as best she could with her good hand. "Alex, you have hold like this 'cause it's proper," she informed him, taking a sip without making a sound. 

 

  Evie distributed cups to her husband and son, and then pulled up a chair, taking her own cup. "Well, Hallie, shall we ask them how their foiled subducks are doing?" she prompted.

 

  Hallie smiled and reached for a cookie. "How are the foiled subducks?" she asked, looking at her father and brother very seriously.

 

  Rick smiled, lifting his cup and making sure his pinkie finger was appropriately placed. "The subducks are very well indeed, my lady," he replied. He turned to Alex. "Prince how was your day?"

 

  At first, Alex looked a little embarrassed to be seen doing this and he racked his brains for a reply. "I uh..." Suddenly, his whole face lit up. "I went out into the dragon's den today! I was supposed to capture it, but it was a really great dragon so I brought it back to the castle with me and kept it as a pet. I called it Horus."

 

  Hallie smiled. "I want see it. Does it beeve fire?" she asked as she munched on her fourth cookie, practically inhaling them. "I try fly and fell. My arm got an owie and my daddy and mummy left me with mean ones who hurt me," she said then took a sip of her tea, her face frowning little as she recalled that.

 

  Alex forgot about his dragon just then and leaned over his father to take another look at his sister's sling. "I still think that sling is so neat," he sighed. "Mum, when she gets a cast can I sign it? Last year at school, Jeremy broke his leg and he came back with a cast and all the class got to sign it, it was great!"

 

  Evie smiled at her son and reached over to wipe some crumbs from Hallie's face. "If she wants you to, you may. Hallie, I think you've had your fill of cookies,” she said, noticing that her daughter had now eaten her sixth one. 

 

  Hallie was still munching. "I have many as I want, daddy say so," she reminded. She looked up at her father. "Daddy, no more dockers, they hurt me."

 

  "No more doctors," he agreed, smiling down at her. He reached out a hand; tickling her gently and making her squirm and giggle. "Take it easy on the cookies, Hallie, if you eat too many of them, you'll turn into one, you know."

 

  She laughed. "I will not turn cookie. I be a gingerbread girl."  Suddenly she put her cup down and got up. "I run fast, you not catch me!" Then she took off climbing up the stairs, the cookies and sugar starting to take effect on her.

 

  Evie sat back. "Well, darling, I offered her my china because I knew it wouldn't make her hyper. Since the cookies were your idea, you get to play this game," told him. "Come on, Alex, help me with this and let's find something good for dinner."

 

 "Okay, mum," said Alex, jumping up off the sofa, always happy at the sound of food.

 

 Rick shook his head, grinning and made his way upstairs to search out his daughter. He found her in his and Evie's room, jumping up and down on the bed and giggling madly. "I think I caught my gingerbread girl," he said, lifting her up into his arms and nibbling on her neck.

 

  She laughed and squirmed as he nibbled on her. "Stop, that ticks, daddy," she said and sighed. "I jump more now," she said, wanting to be put down.

 

  "Okay, but let me hold you," he told her, keeping his hands on her waist while she bounced, lest she have any other accidents. "Don't tell your mother about this," he added with a grin, knowing she disapproved of their daughter using the bed as her own personal trampoline, or 'trapperleen' as Hallie put it.

 

  Hallie laughed as she jumped up and down, and then got tired of that. "I hide, you find me," she said, running off again.

 

  Rick rolled his eyes, starting to regret his idea of letting her have the cookies. "Ready or not, here I come!" he said loudly, getting up to go and look for her.

 

~~~~~~

 

  It was a few days after Hallie had gotten her sling and she was up in her room playing house with her babies. She was getting frustrated because she could only use one arm to do things with. "Shh, you go bed now. Mummy not go far," she said as she put her dolly in the little bed. She walked over to her pretend kitchen and got some plastic plates, and pretending to be doing the dishes

 

  Rick walked in at that moment, smiling when he caught sight of her trying to manage with the use of one hand. Whenever he or Evie had offered to help her, she had refused and insisted that she could do it herself, stubborn as her mother. "Hey there, sweetheart, are you ready to come with me to the doctor to see to your arm?" he asked.

 

  She ran and tried to crawl under the bed. "NOOO!" she screamed, not wanting to go.

 

  He caught up with her, lifting her up into his arms, holding her so that she couldn't flail about. "It's okay, Hallie," he told her, trying to calm her down. "They aren't going to hurt your arm, I promise. They're just going to let you do some exercises so that it can start working properly again."

 

  She still cried, not wanting to have it done. "No, you let them hurt me. I want down, I want down," she said, sobbing against his shoulder as he carried her downstairs.

 

  Rick stopped in the hallway for a moment while she cried so that he could rock her, hoping that she wouldn't tire herself out too much for the therapy. "It'll be all right," he said softly. "Daddy will be there with you this time and I won't let them hurt you."

 

  She rested her head on his shoulder, sniffling. "I want stay here, daddy," she said.

 

  "I know you do, baby, but we have to go so that your arm can get better," he told her, wiping the tears away from her little cheeks. "We have to go see the doctor today, then he will put a cast on your arm and that'll be it," he told her.

 

  She held on to him with her good arm, resigned to the fact that she was going to have to do this like it or not and for now at least she didn't fight. Once she was in the back of the car, she brightened up a little and started to sing her favorite song. "Tinkle Tinkle little tar, how wonder what are," she sang as they drove.

 

  He smiled, occasionally joining in with her and singing the correct version and it wasn't long before they pulled up outside the doctor's office. She didn't have to go back to the hospital seeing as she was only there for therapy and he opened the back door, helping her out. "Come on, little star, let's go," he said.

 

  Hallie held tight to his hand as they walked up to the building and she was fine until they had to go in, then she let go of his hand and grabbed hold of a column with her good arm. "No, not go. They hurt me, daddy, I not going in," she said, holding tight as she could

 

  He bent down, gently trying to disengage her from the column. "Come on now, Hallie, we're going to be late," he said, finally getting her free and into his arms and they made their way to the doctor's office.

 

  "Good morning, Mr. O'Connell," said Doctor Francis, getting them to take a sit. "I see this young lady is here for therapy today."

Rick nodded, sitting down in a nearby chair and placing his daughter in his lap.

 

  She squirmed. "No touch me I not let you. I bite you," she said, fully prepared to fight this time.

 

  "Hallie, don't you dare," said Rick sternly, holding her still.

 

  The doctor smiled at that. "Oh, it's perfectly all right," he told Rick. He got up from behind his desk and walked over to Hallie who eyed him suspiciously. "Hello there, Hallie, I'm not actually going to touch you, I just want you to do some little exercises with your arm," he told her.

 

  She still had it in the sling. "I do it," she said and got the snap undone, which freed her hand. "What I do with it?" she asked still not fully trusting this guy because he was the one who took her away from daddy the last time.

 

  "Well, let's start off slow," he said. "Is your arm still hurting you? Can you move it at all right now?"

 

  She tried moving it without the other hand to help and then put it down.  "Not do, it hurt me," she said. "Daddy, go home now," she said turning to him and looking up into his face.

 

  "Not just yet, sweetheart, the doctor still has some things to do," he told her, stroking her hair.

 

  Meanwhile, Doctor Francis had been writing a couple things down on his notepad. "All right, so you can't move the arm on it's own," he said. "Try moving your fingers, can you wiggle them like this?" he asked her, demonstrating with his own hand.

 

  She sighed and tried that once, then shook her head. "No hurts much. I want go home," she said and tried sliding out of her father's arms, wanting away from this place.

 

  He kept her in his lap, holding onto her gently but firmly so as to let her know not to try any funny business. "Just a little longer, baby and then we can go home," he said.

 

  The doctor smiled and went back to sit behind his desk. "Well, there doesn't seem to be any serious problems so far," he told Rick. "Because she is so young, her bones should heal faster. We can put a cast on her today and that'll be all for another six weeks."

 

  "You hear that, Hallie?" he asked her. "Your arm is fine, all we have to do today is let the nurse put some bandaged on your arm."

 

  She looked up as a nurse walked in. "No, I want go home, want home, daddy." Instead of fighting, she just cried. She was so tired of people touching her and doing things to her, and all she wanted to do was play and be left alone.

 

  "I know you do, sweetheart, but just let the nurse see to your arm and they won't bother you again," he told her soothingly, carrying her over to the table and sitting her down so that the nurse could see to her arm. He kept her still while she took the splint off and watched as she started getting everything ready.

 

  The nurse had worked with children before and had come prepared with a lollipop. "Here, sweetie, you lick on this while I fix your arm. It's going to be a little wet, but I promise it won't hurt you," she said. 

 

  Hallie took her lolly and held still while the nurse wrapped a soft cotton material around her forearm. Then she dipped some other bandages in wet goo and started to wrap that around the cotton. It was a long process, but soon it was finished. Hallie however did not like the end result. "Want off now," she said and moved to touch it. 

 

  "Not just yet, sweetheart," Rick told her, pulling her little hand away from the plaster and holding it in his. He smiled at her contentedly licking her lollipop. "See, that wasn't so bad now, was it?" he asked as they walked out to the car.

 

  She held his hand with her good one and sucked on her lolly as they went to the car. Once she was settled in the back seat, she finished off her lolly and began to sing Twinkle Star, but her way. "Tinkle Tinkle little tar wonder what are," she sang. "Daddy, you sing too," she instructed.

 

  He laughed, singing along with her, but he sang the correct words, which sometimes didn't agree with Hallie's version and this led to a few mix-ups along the way. It wasn't long before they pulled up outside the house and he got out of the driver's seat, opening the door for his daughter and taking her hand as they made their way inside the house.

 

  She was tired and she stumbled, but held tight to her father. "I almost falled down," she said as he had caught her and kept her from falling and she yawned.

 

  He smiled, stooping down to lift her up into his arms. "I think someone's about ready for a nap," he commented, getting her out of her little coat and shoes before taking her upstairs and into her bedroom. "Want me to read you a story?" he asked.

 

  She nodded, her head resting on his shoulder. "Daddy, not like this on my arm, off now please," she said softly her eyes closing.

 

  "It has to stay on until your arm mends," he told her, taking her gingerbread man picture book from the bookshelf. He took off his shoes and stretched out on the bed with her. "It won't be much longer until it gets taken off." 

 

  She snuggled up against his side. "I not tired, daddy," she told him, though she made no effort to move away from him. "Mummy make ginger bread men and I eat them," she added through a yawn. "Get up and play, daddy." She didn't make a move to get up.

 

  He had his arm around her, lifting the book so that she could see the pictures. "We can play a little later on," he told her, stroking her hair with his free hand, not expecting her to stay awake for much longer. He opened up the book and let her look at the pictures as he read to her.

 

  Try as she might, Hallie could not stay awake and the hand which and been helping to hold the book up fell away, an indication that she had already fallen asleep. 

 

  It was then that Evie walked in and she smiled at them. "How did the doctor visit go?" she asked softly as she walked over to the bed.

 

  "Better than I expected," he told her, getting out of the bed and helping her place the cover over their daughter. "She did threaten to bite the doctor, but she behaved." After they had gotten her tucked in, he pulled his wife into his arms and lowered his head to kiss her gently.

 

  She leaned into his kiss and when she broke away, she nuzzled his nose. "Do you have something in mind, Mr. O'Connell?" she asked rubbing her face against his shirt.

 

  He grinned at that. "And what exactly are you proposing, Mrs. O'Connell?" he queried, playing dumb. His hands rested on her sides, his thumbs caressing her skin beneath the fabric of her blouse and he sighed, pressing small kisses to her forehead.

 

  She smiled at him. "I think it might be wise for us to move things to our room so that our daughter can get a proper nap," she replied, walking away from him and playing hard to get.

 

  He shook his head, smiling as he tucked the covers more securely underneath his daughter's chin, bending down to kiss the top of her head. He walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him before setting off in pursuit of his wife.