[x]Story: Keep Me Safe
[x]Chapter Title: Out with the old, In with the new
[x]Rating: PG
[x]Characters: Beth Turner, Beth's mothers, whom i have called Meredith.
[x]Words: 1630
[x]Summary: Set a few weeks after Beth's kidnapping. Beth needs a new toy to keep her safe at night.
[x]Disclaimer: Not my toys, im just borrowing them =D





“Mummy, I need a new toy to sleep with” little Bethany turner said as to her mother as she tucked her into bed.

“What’s wrong with Rodger?” her mother asked, picking up said soft toy and offering him to Beth.

Beth scrunched up her nose. Roger was all wrong. He was pink, and fluffy, and a rabbit. She didn’t want a pink fluffy rabbit anymore, what she had in mind would much more easily ward off her bad dreams.

“Don’t like him” Beth said shaking her head.

Meredith let out a chuckle, she could never resist her daughter’s wishes, and even since the kidnapping, she was more susceptible to her daughters pleading eyes.

“Ok Beth, we can get you a new toy tomorrow, ok? Not get some sleep” Beth’s mother said with a smile before placing a kiss on her daughters forehead.

“Thanks mummy” Beth said with a yawn before rolling over to watch her mother exit the room, flicking the light off on her way, and partially closing the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Mummy can we go shopping now?” Beth asked as she jumped into her mother car, dumping her school bag on the seat next to her.

“Ok, but only one toy” Meredith chuckled, as she pulled out of the school parking lot.

“I only need one” Beth said smiling, knowing exactly what sort of toy she wanted.

Beth’s excitement grew as she watched her mother drive the familiar streets to her favourite toyshop. They had everything a kid could ever want, from stuffed animals, to board games, to sports toys, but Beth was only looking for one thing, she just hoped they had it.

Beth was out of the car and running into the store’s large double doors before Meredith could even ask if she remembered to lock the car door, with a smirk her mother locked her daughters door for her and followed Beth into the store.

Beth immediately began to search up and down the aisles, eyeing the toys with little more then a casual glance. Meredith was surprised at her daughters restraint, normally Beth would be pulling 10 toys down and weighing up the pro’s and con’s of each before finally convincing her mother that it was completely impossible to choose and that she needed two toys.

But this time Beth wasn’t oohing and aahing at the flashing toys, nor was she laughing at the insane amount of Barbies, this time she was on the hunt, so to say.

She made her way to the back of the store, where the soft toys lined the wall, and her face broke into a grin, yes, she would find her toy here.

At a quick glance the majority of the toys were fluffy and pink, many were soft animals, and others cartoon figures, but Beth wasn’t looking for any of them, with a frustrated harrumph she kept walking along the wall, her eyes darting to the groups of darker colours toys, because she knew the toy she wanted wouldn’t be pink.

She found a large group of black toys and giggled excitedly, she ran towards it and immediately began digging through the toys.

Meredith had to stifle a laugh as she watched her daughter, she had her tongue sticking out between her lips, a concentrated look on her face, as she rifled through stuffed toys, flinging occasional ones over her shoulder with disgust.

Beth was starting to get upset, she couldn’t find what she wanted, and she was running out of toys, she searched frantically, slight panic rising up in her throat, but as she removed a rather large black cat it revealed a sight that made Beth grin.

She lunged forwards and grabbed the toy and pulled it to her chest with a gleeful laugh.

“Have you found the one you want Beth?” Meredith asked, guessing the huge smile plastered across her daughter’s face was one of success.

“Yes, I thought they wouldn’t have it, but they did, I knew they would, they had to” Beth said no releasing the toy from her grip.

“Can I see?” Meredith asked, interested in what toy her daughter had been so anxious to find.

“Ok but you cant say its ugly or that you don’t like it or its not for me, coz I know its not normal but I want it mummy, I need this one, not another one, I need this one” Beth said in a determined tone.

Meredith was puzzled, she didn’t know why Beth was so worked up, but she readily agreed and nodded her head.

“Ok” Beth said before reaching out to pass the toy to her mother.

Just as she though. Her mother eyed it, and then her, suspiciously.

“Beth,” her mother began, but Beth cut her off.

“You said you wouldn’t tell me I couldn’t have it,” she said on the brink of tears.

“Sweetie you can have it, I’m just wondering why you want a stuffed vampire?” Meredith said giving the toy back to Beth, who immediately grabbed it and hugged it to herself.

Beth took in the appearance of her soon-to-be new toy, he had a pale face with a goofy grin, padded white fangs protruded from his lip, and he wore a black cape over a black suit. Beth smiled knowingly to herself, he wasn’t perfect, but he would do.

Closing her eyes and taking in a calming breath Beth looked up at her mother, and spoke in all honesty, “he will keep me safe” is all she said before turning on her heel and heading off towards the cash register.

Meredith was puzzled, but if Beth wanted a vampire, then she would get a vampire, if that’s what she needed to feel safe then she could get 100 vampires if she wanted, all Meredith wanted was for her daughter to feel safe again.

Meredith had seen a change in her daughter since the kidnapping, she tried to get Beth to talk about it, had taken her to a councillor, tried to get her to talk to a teacher, anyone, but she didn’t want to talk. She could see it in Beth’s eyes that the memories were still there, she knew that sometimes people that go through traumatic experiences, especially at such a young age, can ‘forget’ the memories, they lock them away, but she knew Beth hadn’t done that.

Meredith could see that Beth was still frightened when she had to go to bed, the first few nights after the ordeal Beth would start screaming before she managed to leave the room, only falling asleep if her mother was sitting with her, stroking her fingers through her hair.

But over the past few weeks Beth had got much better, much more quickly then people predicted. For a week she couldn’t sleep with the light off, the next week she could bare the light being off, but only if the door was wide open and the hall light was on, and now she didn’t need the hall light on, just the bathroom light across from her room.

Meredith was brought from her thoughts by the call of, “mummy” from the front of the shop, she chuckled at her daughters eagerness, and quickly tidied up the mess of toys Beth had made, before making her way to the counter, and her grinning daughter.

“Interesting choice there” the old lady behind the counter said, eyeing Meredith with confusion.

Meredith smiled and shrugged her shoulders, motioning to Beth who’s eyes hadn’t left the stuffed vampire as the cashier scanned the tag, the cashier returned Meredith’s smile with the understanding only a fellow mother could give, children were strange animals.

“Thank you mummy, I love him,” Beth squealed with delight at the cashier handed Meredith the receipt.

“You’re welcome darling” Meredith said before kissing her daughters head, and taking her hand as they walked out of the shop and back to the car.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That night as Beth was getting ready for bed, she had her vampire sitting in the middle of her bed, she got changed into her pyjamas, went to brush her teeth, and then told her mum she was ready to be tucked in.

Meredith found Beth ready and waiting snuggled under her covers, with her new vampire tucked safely under one arm.

“He fits in well,” Meredith said motioning to Beth’s new toy’s snug fit with her daughter’s body.

“Mummy” Beth said softly, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Yes?” Meredith replied, wondering what her daughter wanted to ask.

“What was his name?” Beth said quietly.

“What was whose name sweetheart?” Meredith asked as she moved over to sit on the side of Beth’s bed.

“The man who saved me” Beth said, looking up into her shocked mothers eyes.

This was the first Beth had spoken about the kidnapping, and the fact that she knew a man had saver her, proved what Meredith her suspected, Beth did remember the incident.

“Mick, his name is Mick” Meredith said, trying to hold back a sob.

“Thank you mummy” Beth said smiling to herself.

“You’re welcome, now get some sleep” Meredith replied before kissing Beth on the forehead and making her way to the door, she flicked off the light switch and made to leave the door half open, but Beth’s voice stopped her.

“You can close it mummy, I’m safe now” Beth said hugging her toy closer.

Her mother looked at her in bewilderment before following her daughter’s wishes and closing the door.

Beth let out a sigh and pulled the vampire from under her arm to sit on her stomach. She looked at him and spoke purposefully, “I shall call you Mick” before rolling over and hugging the toy to her chest as she let sleep claim her tired mind.



---fin---

Sooo... What did you think? Comments make me SMILE!!!
 




ALL PARTS - In Chronological order:
Out with the old, In with the new (this part) Beth is 4 years old
Cause and Effect Beth is 9 years old
Too old for this Beth is 16 years old