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"DAAADDDYYYYY!" The scream bounced off the walls in the Bunker, easily reaching Sam in the library who jolted up from his chair and quickly marched down the hall and towards his and his princess' bedroom. A quick look at his watch told him that it was well past midnight, his princess having gone to bed a few hours ago. He carefully opened the bedroom door, mindful not to frighten her any further, and took a step inside. There, on the bed, sat his babygirl bolt upright, her hair endearingly mussed from sleep and eyes wide and filled with tears.
"Oh sweetheart," his long legs carried him to the bed where he sat down, (Y/N)'s arms immediately flung around his neck. Gently he lifted her up and placed her on his lap, swaying side to side with her. (Y/N) began sobbing into his neck, her hands clung to his shirt as if she was afraid he might disappear.
"Did you have a bad dream?" Sam asked, his gentle voice rumbling in his chest. (Y/N) merely nodding, her head still buried into her Daddy's neck. Sam continued to sway and began patting her bum, something he'd discovered soothed her when she was distressed. They stayed like that for several minutes before (Y/N)'s sobs began to subside to mere sniffles, a small wet stain visible on Sam's shirt. Still holding her, Sam moved up the bed and lay down, placing his princess on his chest and his big hands stroked her back comfortingly.
"Princess, can you look at me please?"
(Y/N) shook her head vigorously, small hiccups escaping her.
"Princess, look at me." Sam's voice, though still gentle, was more forceful now, more demanding. (Y/N) lifted her head from Sam's chest and looked up at him with big, sad eyes, still red-rimmed from crying. She looked so pitiful, Sam felt his heart clench a bit. He stroked her cheek, drying the remaining tears. "Thank you, sweetheart" he murmured and smiled down at her. "Can you tell me what you dreamt about?"
Her eyes widened a bit and Sam could see that her bottom lip began trembling again. Quickly he gathered her more tightly in his arms, wrapping both arms around her in a tight embrace and kissed the top of her head. "Shhh," he shushed her gently, "Daddy needs you to be brave and tell him about you scary dream, princess. Can you do that, honey? Can you be brave for Daddy?"
She looked at him again. "Brave for Daddy?" she whispered.
Sam smiled widely. "Yes, you are, you are Daddy's brave little girl."
She looked down, hands wringing his shirt before she finally started speaking. "Daddy said he no want me no more, I'm too pushy and needy and too little…" her voice shook slightly as she spoke and she had to take several pauses to refrain from crying again. "Said he found 'nother girl… Daddy no love me… then Daddy was gone and bad men come to take me away…" She looked into Sam's eyes again, "And when I wake up Daddy was gone and I was all alone…"
Sam's heart broke as he listened to his little girl's night terrors, but he let her talk without interruption, just the occasional squeeze of his arms.
"Were you afraid Daddy had left you?" he asked. (Y/N) nodded her head, again clinging to him for dear life. "My sweet little girl…" Sam sighed, kissing her forehead. "I would never, ever leave you. Ever. You are my little girl, my sweet angel. Can you say that? Can you say 'I'm Daddy's little girl'?"
"I'm Daddy's little girl" she whispered.
"That's right. Daddy's little girl. Now, can you say 'Daddy loves me'?"
She squirmed a bit before saying "Daddy loves me".
"Yes I do, you're Daddy's biggest love. And Daddy will never let you go."
(Y/N) looked up at him, eyes filled again with tears. "Promise?" she whispered.
"Pinky promise," he stuck out his pinky and linked it with hers. (Y/N) looked at their intertwined pinkies, his dwarfing hers.
Sam leaned over her and drew up the blankets, covering the both of them, her still lying on top of his chest. "We're going back to bed, princess." Her breathing hitched and she looked imploringly up at him. Sam smiled lovingly down at her, "Yes, Daddy'll stay with you. Daddy'll be your big, scary stuffie that scares all the bad men away."
He felt how she sagged in relief, her body becoming heavier and lax.
Sam leaned over to the nightstand and turned on the unicorn night light he kept there as a backup, in case his babygirl had night terrors. He looked down at her, her eyes already drooping and thumb in her mouth. Normally he's not allow it, but just this once he'd not reprimand her for the need of extra comfort. He fleetingly wondered whether he should buy her a pacifier. A small sniffle broke his train of thoughts and his attention went back to the little girl in his arms.
"I love you, little girl. For ever and always."