Keep the Faith

Cinderella sat down, and no sooner was the slipper tried, than it fitted like a glove. Then she drew the other slipper form her pocket and put it on, and at that moment the Fairy appeared, and touching Cinderella's clothes with her wand, made them more splendid than ever. The sisters knew then that she was the beautiful Princess of the ball, and they begged her forgiveness.

Cinderella soon married the Prince; and afterward, the sisters, whose pride had become subdued, married two noblemen of the Court.

“And they lived happily ever after.” She giggled, she loved hearing that line.

“The end?” The little girl whispered, unsure that it was really the end of the story.

He cupped her face with his hand, slightly rubbing her cheek. He smiled, “Yeah, Aimee. The end…” he murmured the last two words. He sighed; all he wanted to do was to fill this girl’s head with fairy tales and fantasies.

The girl gave an exaggerated gasp, “You know I hate that name!” she whined, legs thrashing under the thin covers. The man rolled his eyes before agreeing, sarcasm evident in his voice. He didn’t have to worry about it – she didn’t know what sarcasm was then.

He closed the story book and placed it under her pillow like she always told him to do. The little girl tugs on his sleeve, “Another one, please?” she pleaded.

“No Zero,” he said, using her silly nickname. “You have school tomorrow, get some sleep,” he insisted, reaching for the lamp to turn it off.

But she stops his hand with her own, wrapping her chubby fingers around it. “I won’t go to sleep until you tell me another one, Rardy.” Her voice was as stubborn as ever.

“Which one do you want me to tell you this time?” he mumbled, rubbing his face tiredly. He hid behind his hands, peeking through the space in between his fingers. The girl giggled, and looked up to the glow in the dark stars that she had on her ceiling.

He cracked a smile, “Alright. Peter pan it is.”

He got under the silk covers, shifted around trying to make him self comfortable. Her head landed on his shoulder, shyly wrapping his arm around him.

He smiled; he didn’t need a story book to tell her this one.

So he told her about Peter Pan and she fell asleep on his shoulder; classic seven year-old. But unlike every other night, he stayed there and watched her. He didn’t sleep – not anymore at least. But watching her was good enough rest and relaxation for him.

He started thinking about tomorrow. They had to leave yet again for tour; saving lives, as the little girl called it. He felt his fingers play with her hair, separating them into three strands before twisting them into a braid.

“Why don’t you sleep?”

His eyes snap to the girl’s face, eyes wide open in curiosity. He sighs, “I have to be awake to keep the little demons away,” he said. Then he smiles genuinely at her.

She started tracing crooked heart shapes on his chest. “You must be my guardian angel, then?” she whispered, tears starting to prickle in her eyes. The man bit the insides of his mouth. He wasn’t supposed to say that; not after what she’s been through.

“No, baby… don’t cry,” he tried to say but he got cut off.

“Thanks.” Her voice was shaky; he could tell she was trying not to cry. He told her not to and he hugged her tighter. “I will if you go to sleep?” her little hopeful voice sounded.

“Fine, sugar,” he intertwined their fingers, “Only if you do too.”

After the girl shortly agreed she said, “Gerard?”

“Yeah?”

“Keep the faith, okay?”

The next day was a blur to him. The girl in his arms the other night was gone, never to be the same girl again. She acted differently, she looked at things differently too. She no longer was that innocent little girl anymore that had to be told bed-time stories to fall asleep.

But she still called him hero. She still thought that he was her guardian angel. And she still kept the faith even though everybody tried to bring her down.

I have to be awake to keep the little demons away.

It all stayed with her; what happened five years ago and it always will.