These Lines Were Never Established

“Eyes no’s wanna ‘ee da ‘octor.” Hayley mumbled the next morning still cradling her hand nervously as Travis got dressed after making sure she was all ready to go. “Eyes no’s w’ike ‘octor’s. Dey mean ta mommy.” She sniffled, missing her mother more than ever.

Travis pulled his sweater on slowly, fluffing the collar as he watched her with sad eyes. If he could he’d take her to her mom at that exact moment, but he couldn’t. The private investigator had only been on the job for one day and neither he, nor Travis, knew where the woman was yet.

“I know but I’m a big scary giant remember? I’ll make sure they’re nice to you.” He smiled at her only getting a small whine.

No one protected her like her mommy did. Not even big scary giants like Travis. No matter how big Travis was, or how scary he was at times, he couldn’t protect her like her mom.

“I promise.” Travis tried. Telling her he promised seemed to usually work in calming her down.

“Eyes wa’n mommy.” Hayley sniffled. Travis sighed as he sat on the bed next to her, looking around the room helplessly. He didn’t know what to do in this situation. How could he prove he’d protect her, despite the fact the doctor was going to stick her with a needle.

“I don’t know where she is. I’ve been trying to get a hold of her though.” He stated. It wasn’t the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but it was only a few degrees off. He had been trying and he hadn’t been able to that was the private investigators job. “I think she’s really busy and that’s why you’re with me right now.” Hayley sniffled looking up at him timidly. “I promise I’ll protect you.” She just looked away rubbing her hand slowly, she’d obviously never been hurt too badly before.

Looking around the room Travis wasn’t sure if he should pick her up and just go or if it’d cause trouble and make it worse, make her trust him less. He needed her trust right now and that was the only thing he knew.

His eyes danced over his television cluttered with stuffed animals and paused on one. Standing he moved to the television and picked up the long tiger, it was probably as big as she was. Humming he turned towards Hayley and walked back over holding it gently. It really liked it, it was a nifty looking tiger with its long body and cartoonish looks and simple features.

“Wa’s dat?” Hayley whispered at the sight of the large stuffed animal.

“This is someone who I let protect me all the time. I don’t know his name though…” Travis smiled weakly while sitting on the bed next to her.

“Why no know?” Hayley grabbed Travis’s for arm to look at the stuffed tiger better.

“Because I don’t speak tiger.” Travis leaned down towards Hayley as she looked up at him. “Do you speak tiger?” He asked holding it out to her. Slowly she took the tiger. “I think he’s better off protecting you than me. You need him more. I got lots of little creatures to protect me.” Waving his hand at the television he smiled at her. “Think he could protect you if I can’t?”

Hayley stared at the tiger that was staring right back at her. It simply blinked as it watched her. She wasn’t sure what to do. She’d never met a tiger before. It smiled a warm smile at with a small wave. She giggled at its goofy grin, it was a lot like Travis’s goofy grin when he’d colored with her last night on the living room floor. Then, then it spoke.

“’Ee say ‘ee’s names Tito.” Hayley stated looking up at Travis with big hazel eyes

“Tito, huh?” Travis asked looking at the inanimate tiger in her grip.

“Uh-huh!” she nodded smiling at the tiger. “Eye’s Hayley.” She whispered at it as it kept smiling at her. Slowly she tucked him into her chest proving that the stuffed animal wasn’t as big as she was, it as a little bigger. “Yews pro’fes me?” She asked it as she held it close.

Travis simply watched not sure what to do now. It seemed to be a waiting game.

“’Ee say ‘ee pro’fes me.” She stated looking up at Travis.

“So we can go to the doctor now and make sure you’re all okay?” Hayley nodded hugging Tito the Tiger closer to her small little chest.

Travis sat down in the white leather chair, holding Hayley in his lap and watching her look around nervously. Rubbing her arm slowly he tried to calm himself down as well. Even with all his injuries and surgeries needles still bothered him alike, but the thought of having his adrenaline spike simply from seeing the needle he knew was going into his arm was appealing. He wasn’t sure if he was scared of the needle or excited for it. It was a twisted feeling.

Hayley turned to him, hiding her face in his stomach and holding Tito closer to her chest scared of the women walking in the small room. Travis smiled at them.

“So we’re going a DNA test?” Travis nodded weakly. “You told our receptionist a blood test, which is the best option but we could do another one if you’d like.”

“I want the best test there is.”

“Blood would be the best.”

“Then we’re going to do that one.” Travis nodded leaning back in his chair. Hayley crawled up his lap higher eyeing him. “I’m going to go first, to show you this isn’t going to hurt, okay?” He stated down at her as a terrified whine escapes her throat.

“Pom’mis no ‘urt?”

“I promise won’t hurt and I’m going to prove it by going first to show you.” Hayley nodded weakly up at him and tucked her free thumb of her uninjured hand into her mouth, her injured hand holding tightly to Tito.

As the nurse tied off his arm and tapped at the inside of his elbow to raise the veins. Travis smoothing Hayley’s hair smiling reassuringly at her as she watched the nurse horrified by what was happening. Why was she hitting him?

“It’s okay.” Travis breathed down to her as the nurse handed him an anger ball and told him to squeeze. He did as told. “It won’t hurt, look up here.” He pointed at his face once the nurse had pulled out the needle and the empty blood tube for him. “Up here.” Hayley looked up at him. “Let Tito worry about the nurse, you just look right here.” Hayley sniffled.

“Why sheee ‘it yew?” Hayley questioned gently.

“She didn’t hit me. She patted my arm to let me know they going to start.” He stated simply. “She was being nice.” Travis took in a deep breath as he felt the needle in his arm. “She was being nice.” Hayley slowly turned her head to look at the nurse, Travis turned her head back to him. “I want to know what you were drawing last night. You didn’t finish it did you?” He asked gently. Hayley shrugged.

“I no know.” She whispered

“Alright Mr. Pastrana you are done.” Hayley looked over at the nurse putting a band-aid on Travis arm. “And it’s your turn little one.” She smiled watching Hayley pale at the words. “I’ll be gentle I promise. You saw how fast it went for him, didn’t you? I’ll be just as quick and gentle with you, if not more, as I was with him.” She smiled tying off Hayley’s arm.

“Look right here Hayley. Right here” Travis stated petting her hair gently as her head turned to him. “So,” He took her face in his hands as the nurse extended Hayley’s arm and the doctor got the needle and tube ready. “How’s Tito?”

“Fine.” Hayley grumbled gasping at the prick to her arm, her whole body locking up as the nurse held her arm steady.

“You okay?” Travis asked concerned by the tears collecting in her eyes.

“Eyes no w’ike dis.” Hayley whined.

“Well that’s good, cause your done.” Travis smiled as the nurse let go of Hayley once the needle was out. “All done, and they’ll let us know.” He stated as she watched the nurse put a princess band-aid on her arm.

“Now sweetheart.” The nurse leaned down towards Hayley. “Because you were a good girl, you get a treat.” Travis bounced his knee trying to encourage Hayley to be happy. “I’ll go get it for you okay?” Hayley just tucked herself into Travis chest.

“You don’t want a treat?” Travis asked once the nurse left with a small frown on her face. “Hayley?” He asked standing up and holding her to his chest tightly. “That didn’t hurt did it?” She shook her head as she gently touched the band-aid. “I told you. I wouldn’t let her hurt you, neither would Tito.” She nodded weakly hugging Tito close to her chest.

“Alright sweetheart,” The nurse smiled as she walked back into the room with a bright smile. “What color?” She asked holding up the four different colored lollypops.

Hayley glanced up at Travis unsure if she should take one. Smiling Travis nodded for her to go ahead

“Gee’n peas?” Hayley whispered as the nurse stared her down. Smiling the nurse handed over the lollypop. “fank yew.”

“And here’s one for your little friend there.” The nurse stuck one between Hayley’s chest and Tito’s with a smile. “You two have a nice day. We’ll send the results to your house.”

“Thank you.” Travis smiled as he pulled Hayley higher up. “Can you say thank you to the nice lady?”

“Fank yew.” Hayley muttered bashfully.

With that Travis left the offices and headed out to the parking lot, only pausing to open Hayley’s lollypop when she nearly jabbed it up his nose when she couldn’t get it open herself.