Sad [Lashton AU]

Prologue

[Ashton's POV]

"This won't help," I say with tear filled eyes as I clutch onto my mother's arm.

"It will, sweetie," she soothes, running her hands through my curls.

I shake my head violently and grip onto her tighter. "It won't!"

"Honey." She kneels down so she's at my level, and she hugs me tightly, saying, "This is a house for sad children. Sad children like you. You went through something catastrophic, and these people can help you."

"It hurt you, too." I sniffle, not bothering to hug her back. "Why won't you live here with me?"

"Because it happened to you." She stands and smooths my curls, then takes my small hand in hers and leads me over to a desk with a scary looking lady behind it.

I don't pay attention to the two as they talk; I stand on my tip toes and look through the window of the only other door in the room besides the one we entered through. It looks like a living room, nothing scary, but I'm still scared.

"Okay, sweetie," my mom says, leaning down to me again and letting go of my hand to grab my shoulders. "This is it. You have to be brave for me, can you do that?"

I nod, my bottom lip trembling.

"I want my bear," I say. It's a big polar bear, and I almost always have it with me.

"You can't bring anything in here," my mom explains with a tired smile. "We went over this, remember? This place is all about new beginnings. Now, follow the nice lady inside. She'll help you. Bye, sweetie." She kisses my cheek and stands.

"You'll come to visit me, right?" I ask, grasping her hand.

"Of course. I love you, Ashton."

"I love you, too."

I watch her slowly walk away from me and go outside, and I watch her until she gets in her car and drives away, before I turn back to the scary lady.

"Come with me, honey," she says, and her voice instantly makes me think she isn't as scary as I originally thought.

"Okay."

She comes out from behind the desk and offers a hand to me, and I take it and let her lead me into the house. The sad house for sad children.