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Leonard sat on the couch with his feet propped up on the ottoman, staring blankly at the flickering TV. His hand was gently running across a small head, through thin wisps of dark brown hair that flowed down his thigh and leg. Leonard glanced down and smiled slightly at the small sleeping figure.
Two weeks. Two weeks since Jocelyn had passed away suddenly and two weeks it’s been him getting used to having Jo in his life constantly. It had been a hard thing for them both to get used to at first, but they were getting there.
Leonard had taken the loss mostly in stride. It had been years since him and Jocelyn had even some sort of semblance of a relationship, but his heart broke for Jo. Yet she seemed to be handling and understanding it as well as a six year old could.
With his hospital schedule and Jim being here and helping him through this, this was the first night he and Jo were by themselves. Jim had been called away to work earlier in the evening. They had settled on pizza for dinner, a quiet game of Candy Land and Jo’s favorite movie.
Leonard sighed softly and yawned as he turned off the tv. He went over in his head how best to get them off the couch without waking Jo. He slipped his arms slowly and carefully under Jo’s tiny frame and lifted her gently. He brought her to his chest as he padded quietly down the hall.
Leonard laid Jo down on her bed softly and he pulled the covers up and tucked her in. He leaned over to her nightstand and flicked on a small lava lamp Jo liked to use as a night light, letting the faint glow dance across the walls.
Leonard walked back over and gave Jo a small kiss on her forehead, then slowly stood up and turned to leave. Leonard got to the doorway and was getting ready to close the door behind him when a tiny voice stopped him.
“Daddy?” Jo’s tiny, sleep riddled voice drifted through her room. Leonard opened Jo’s door wide and stepped back into her room.
“What is it pumpkin?” Leonard asked as he walked back over and sat down on the edge of her bed, looking to Jo with concern.
“Did you check under my bed and in my closet for monsters? Uncle Jim usually does, but he isn’t here.” Jo asked quietly as she glanced over to her closet nervously.
“Sweetheart, there’s no such thing as monsters.” Leonard stated as he placed his hand on Jo’s tiny cheek, moving her face away from the closet to look him in the eyes.
“Can… can you please just check?” Jo asked again, giving Leonard the saddest eyes she could manage, and giving her lip a tiny tremble.
“You’ve been hanging around Jim too much, kiddo. Put away the eyes and I’ll check for you and show you there’s nothing to be afraid of.” Leonard said as he got up off Jo’s bed and walked over and flicked on the room light, making them both squint at the sudden brightness.
Leonard walked back to Jo’s bed and lowered himself to the floor and took a look underneath.
“No monsters, and for good reason.” Leonard said with a small frown in his voice. “Come see for yourself Jo.” Leonard added in.
“Nooo, daddy..” Jo protested with a small whine as she pulled the blankets a little higher.
“It’s perfectly safe Jo, come see.” Leonard encouraged as he tickled Jo’s foot softly, making her giggle. Jo plucked up the courage and slid off the bed and plopped down next to Leonard.
“Look at this mess Jo, there’s no way a monster could even fit under here if it wanted to with all these boxes.” Leonard exclaimed and he stared at all the boxes stuffed underneath the bed that they still had to go through.
“I guess. But… but what about the closet?” Jo whispered as she scrambled up in bed, her courage all used up.
“I’m telling you Jo, there’s nothing in here that will hurt you.” Leonard said as he got up from the floor and walked over to the closet.
Leonard turned the handle slowly and opened the door with a creak. A large object fell out of the closet and onto his feet. Leonard jumped about ten feet in the air, clutching his chest as he tried to calm his heart.
“Daddy, what is it?” Jo asked alarmed as she watched Leonard jump, pulling the blankets up around herself.
“Nothing to be afraid of Jo, it’s just Teddy.” Leonard replied as he shoved Teddy back into the closet. “Yet again Jo, there’s absolutely no way that a monster can fit in here, you’re perfectly safe.” Leonard added while closing the closet door. “I know a little girl whose room needs a good cleaning this weekend.” Leonard added in jest.
“Aww daddy, no fair!” Jo gave a small cry and a pout as she plopped down fully on her bed.
“I know Jo, I’m sorry, I’m just a big old meanie, huh?” Leonard asked as he stalked over to Jo’s bed, wiggling his fingers.
“Daddy, no!” Jo protested as she tried to climb out of bed and away from Leonard, but she wasn’t quite fast enough. Leonard snatched Jo up in his arms and began to tickle her fiercely.
“Little girls who don’t listen to their fathers get tickles Jo, thems the rules.” Leonard said with a laugh, in between Jo’s own shrieks of laughter.
“Okay daddy, okay!” Jo wheezed out in between giggles as Leonard finally relented his tickle assault.
“That’s more like it.” Leonard said as he gave Jo a sloppy, over dramatic kiss on her cheek and laid her back in bed. “Now get some sleep Jo. In the morning we’ll make pancakes.” Leonard added in with a wink
“Yay! Thank you daddy. I love you.” Jo said sleepily as she laid her head back on the pillows and pulled the blankets up.
“I love you too baby girl.” Leonard said softly, with a small smile on his face, as he walked over and gave Jo another gentle kiss on the top if her head.
Leonard walked back to the door and turned the lights off as he carefully pulled Jo’s door halfway shut. He sighed softly to himself as he walked down the hall and got ready for bed himself, he was exhausted.
Leonard pulled off his hospital scrubs that Jo had refused to let him change out of, having pounced on him as soon as he stepped into the house, eager to show him a picture she drew earlier of Leonard, Jim, and her.
Leonard groaned quietly as he collapsed into bed, the mattress sinking slightly from the weight. Leonard grabbed a pillow and tucked it under his head, let out a sigh, and that’s the last thing he remembered. Until he heard a small scream coming from down the hallway.
“Daddy!” The small voice cried, drifting through his open door. Leonard’s eyes shot open and immediately went into doctor mode before his brain was even fully awake to comprehend what was going on. He jumped out of bed and ran down the hallway, going through different possibilities in his head.
Leonard threw Jo’s door open and turned on the light. Leonard’s heart sank as his eyes fell on Jo and her tear stained pillow.
“Daddy.” Jo whimpered out as she choked back a sob, holding out her small arms towards Leonard. Leonard let out a relieved sigh that she was in one piece, as he hurried toward Jo and took her into his arms.
“There, there baby girl, it’s okay, daddy’s here. Are you hurt?” Leonard asked as he pulled back slightly to see Jo’s small head shake as she continued to sob. Leonard took her into his arms and let her cry. When she calmed down some, Leonard pulled back again.
“What’s wrong sweetheart?” Leonard asked quietly as he rocked Jo in his arms gently, rubbing her back.
“I… I was dreaming, and mommy was there but she was asleep in the hospital, and I couldn’t wake her up, no matter how much I asked her to, just like last time. Why wouldn’t she wake up daddy?” Jo choked out as tears continued to stream down her small face.
“I don’t know baby girl, but everything is going to be okay. I’ve got you and I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” Leonard said quietly, trying to reign in his own emotions for Jo’s sake, his heart breaking all over again that his precious Jo is having to go through this aftermath.
“Promise?” Jo asked as she gazed up at Leonard’s face, tears glistening in her eyes. Leonard could see Jo pleading with her eyes. The sadness behind them of losing a parent, was all too familiar with Leonard as his heart constricted.
“I promise, Jo. I’m right here.” Leonard said, hugging Jo tight. He knew he couldn’t truly promise Jo that, but he couldn’t bear to give her any other answer.
Jo gave a small nod and buried herself into Leonard’s chest, crying herself sleepy as Leonard continued to rub her back and sing her the lullaby that he used to sing to her as a baby to get her to sleep.
“I promised I would never leave you. Then you should always know. Wherever you may go, no matter where you are. I never will be far away.” Leonard sang softly in Jo’s ear as her crying quieted and her breathing shallowed.
Leonard pulled himself from Jo slightly, trying to lay her back down, but Jo wasn’t completely asleep just yet.
“No, daddy. Don’t leave me.” Jo cried as she clung tighter to Leonard, making his heart ache once more.
“Alright sweetheart, I’m right here. What do you say we go lay down in my bed? Daddy has a hard time fitting in your bed.” Leonard said softly, remembering all the nights he’d come lay in here with Jo, his feet and legs dangling off the edge of the small bed. He winced slightly, remembering the back ache he had after the first night.
Jo gave a tiny nod as she reached her arms around Leonard’s neck. Leonard wrapped his arms around Jo and lifted her out of bed gently. Jo laid her head on Leonard’s shoulder, sniffling softly in his ear. Leonard held her close and kissed her cheek softly as he walked around her room, turning the lights off and padded back down the hallway to his room.
Leonard sat Jo down on his bed and she scrambled under the blankets and got herself comfy in the middle. Leonard laid down and got settled, and immediately Jo curled into him. Leonard wrapped himself around Jo and they both quickly found themselves asleep once more.
Leonard’s eyes cracked open as the sun shone into the bedroom just right, shining on his face. He let out a small grumble before his eyes fell on the two sleeping figures in front of him.
Jim had come home sometime after him and Jo had fallen asleep. Jo had managed to crawl over to Jim and was now laying across his chest, with Jim’s arms wrapped around Jo protectively, even in his sleep. Leonard couldn’t help the smile that crept along his face as he scooted closer to the two of them.
Jim gave a small sigh and a mumble as he moved one of his arms off of Jo’s back and wrapped it around Leonard, pulling him close. Leonard sighed contentedly as he laid his head on Jim’s shoulder and wrapped his own arm around little Jo.
He knew they had a long way to go, especially poor Jo, but he knew that they’d get there eventually, and everything would get better. It was going to take some time, and that was okay with him. He’d be there for Jo, no matter what it took, Jim too.
In the end, everything was going to be just fine, he’d make sure of it. Those were his final thoughts, he promised himself, as sleep overcame him once more.