Finding Lilibeth

Dr Michaels could see how scared Lilibeth was and smiled at the girl to try and reassure her she was ok. "Hi Lilibeth, I am glad you are awake. My name is Doctor Michaels and I am your treating doctor. You gave us all quiet the scare there. Anyone would think you like the hospital seeing we have seen a lot of you in the last two weeks. I'm sorry to say you are stuck with us again for the night. We want to keep you in overnight just to make sure you are ok. You had a nasty knock to the head" Dr Michaels told the girl. Lilibeth did not respond she just watched the doctor so she didn't have to look at any one else in the room. She was kinda glad she was staying in the hospital it meant she was safe from her supposed family.

"Dr Michaels is it ok if I stay with Lilibeth?" Darren asked. Lilibeth wanted to say no and tell the doctor she didn't want him here but Dr Michaels smiled at Darren instead saying "that would be great. We will be moving Lilibeth up to a ward for the night shortly so you can go with her" Dr Michaels told Darren. Lilibeth was still wide eyed looking at the doctor, why couldn't he say no? "Lilibeth I will be outside if you need anything just press this button" Dr Michaels told the girl but exiting the room.

Lilibeth watched the doctor leave then focused her eyes to the bed not wanting to look at anyone. She made herself as small as she could in a bed. She wanted to bury herself under the blankets and pretend she was far away but that would draw to much attention to herself. Darren notice Lilibeth making herself smaller as did Zac and Beau who had been watching Lilibeth the entire time the doctor was here. Leo and Lex had there eyes down not wanting to look at the damage they had caused there sister. They were ashamed.

"Lilibeth" Darren called out in an attempt to engage Lilibeth so he could apologise to her for what he had done. Lilibeth didn't respond at all, she didn't move either just kept looking at the bed like it was the most interesting thing she had ever seen. Darren sat next to the bed on a chair trying to be less intimidating but he was still the same height as the little girl. How had he not noticed how small she was for an 8 year old? He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts so he could focus on the task at hand which was apologising to Lilibeth and trying to get her to speak to him. Darren had realised he had only heard her voice once and that was merely a few whispers.

"Lilibeth, please look at me" Darren tried again. Once again Lilibeth didn't engage at all, in fact she made herself seem smaller which was almost impossible. Darren sighed, he knew this was his fault. He just didn't know how to fix the damage he had done. Darren buried his head in his hands which caused all sons to look at there father who looked defeated. "Lilibeth, I am so sorry" said Zac quietly. He had moved to the end of her bed and was looking at his sister.

Lilibeth wasn't going to be fooled with the word sorry. Her mother had said sorry over and over again. That didn't change anything at all, it was just part of the cycle of abuse which unfortunately Lilibeth knew all about. "Please Lilibeth let me make it up to you. I shouldn't of treated you the way I did. It was cruel and unfair of me. I was wrong and you didn't deserve that" Zac continued when Lilibeth had not engaged, his voice cracked when he attempted to stop himself sobbing. Zac had tears streaming down his face but made no move to clear them away. He knew he deserved to feel like this for what they all did, for what he had done to Lilibeth.

Darren looked up at his son Zac hearing his voice crack as he apologised to his sister. Darren nodded to his son in acknowledgement. He was glad one of his sons was apologising for what they had done. He then looked towards his daughter and saw she hadn't moved, without looking carefully he wouldn't even see her breathing. It was like she was taking shallow breaths so her body barely moved at all.

Lilibeth was counting in her head and evening out her breaths. She was panicked locked in a room with them all and trying to stop herself having another panic attack. She wouldn't fall for the apology nor the softness of Zac and her fathers voice. It was all for show while they were at the hospital and she knew it would change when they got home.

"Lilibeth, I'm sorry I didn't listen to you when you tried to tell me about what Lex said. No one, not even me would of sold you. He shouldn't of said or did what he did. I should of listened and let you explain yourself. I am sorry I let you down. Lex will be punished for hurting you. He had no right to lay a hand on you what so ever " Darren apologised seeing Lilibeth wasn't going to engage with Zac. "You are my daughter and I should of made the effort to get to know you. I didn't realise what happened with your mother either. I don't expect you to believe me but I would like the chance to get to know you" Darren stated.

Lies that was all this was. Lilibeth knew it and wondered if this was being filmed or if the doctors were listening outside. She knew now not to trust anyone because it was all fake. She just wanted to go to sleep and have this all be a dream. At least with her mum she knew the routine and didn't have to be on alert the entire time. She wished she could go back to that so she could let her small body relax.

Darren saw how tense his daughter was and frowned. He didn't know how to help her or how to reassure her she was safe when his house hadn't exactly been safe for her since she arrived. "Lilibeth you are safe with us. No one is going to hurt you again" Darren spoke softly to Lilibeth but it did nothing to lesson the tension in her body at all. Darren knew then they had a long way to go until Lilibeth felt comfortable. He hoped one day she would.