Peter was worried about his daughter. But at the same time, he was angry. Angry that those responsible for his incarceration did the very same thing to his daughter, a child! Peter didn't understand why Bella was being punished. From what he understands Bella was trying to protect him, their little family. A beta protecting their alpha. It shouldn't have to be like this.
"This way." Fenris guided Peter as they walked down a hallway.
Peter turned away from the trays of medical equipment they'd just passed in what appeared to be a surgical room. His heart had immediately lurched at the sight, and he'd silently prayed that his little girl hadn't been subjected to this place. He was almost certain that she had been, however. The mere thought is enough to make him nauseous. It took everything he had to keep moving forward.
Fenris seemed to sense something from Peter and he shot him a sympathetic look. These walls are lined with wolfsbane and mountain ash and he's unable to remain strong.
"We're close." Fenris tells Peter
Peter nodded resolutely, watching as the doctor flung open the door down the end of the hall. Before they even rounded the corner, Peter knew that he was close to where his daughter was being held. Perhaps he had a bit of a sense for these things too.
Or perhaps the connection was already strong.
As horrifying and awful as this situation was, he felt his first flutters of relief at the thought of finally releasing the girl from his hell. Bella was stubborn as hell, that's for sure. But he knew what he had to do to convince her to leave him behind.
He passed through the doorway a moment after Fenris, horrified but unsurprised to see a large cage. A much larger version of the one Peter was previously in.
The walls were completely transparent and he could see the set up clearly. The bed with the mat, no blankets or pillows, which is just cruelty on top of the others. There are papers scattered all over the floor as well as the doodles on the walls.
The conditions were better than what had been allotted to him but this was still far from humane. The very thought makes Peter's skin crawl.
It was a cage. Akin to something one might see at a zoo. There were no windows in the cavernous room around it, only darkness, closing in ominously.
This was no place for a child. His child. Peter's insides burned with rage at the thought that the girl had already spent far too long here.
Alone.
Despite the toxic view, Peter moved forward. He immediately caught sight of a small dark figure, in the back corner of the cage, with their back facing towards him. There had been a slight movement from the figure.
The world around Peter seemed to freeze. He instantly knew that this figure was his daughter. He was pretty sure that he always would have been able to tell.
And he also knew that either of their lives would never be the same.
Peter glanced towards Fenris
"It's okay Peter, you don't need to be afraid."
"I'm not afraid of my own child." Peter hissed
Fenris then took his keycard to open the door. Peter trembled but didn't move. Trying to let this unexpected reality truly sink in. Peter wanted to move forward, but the paralysis this experience brought on coupled with the knowledge that he'd been weakened by the mountain ash and wolfsbane within held him back.
Peter yearned to be closer to her. To hold her close and allow her to leave from this place. Peter desperately wanted to leave Eichen too, but he couldn't, no matter how much he wanted to.
He didn't want to overwhelm her. And, frankly, he didn't know what to say after being months apart in different cells. His throat felt as if it had seized up the second he'd laid eyes on the child.
"Oh, people like us we've gotta stick together
Keep your head up, nothing lasts forever
Here's to the damned to the lost and forgotten
It's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom
Oh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us"
The girl's low singing voice was timid. She was rocking herself back and forth in the corner.
"Hmph." said Fenris
Peter glanced over at the doctor.
"She's never sung before." Fenris said
'Let me in." Peter told the doctor
"Remember to take it slow, Peter. Her mind might not be where it was several months ago."
"LET...ME...IN." Peter repeated with a low growl.
Peter wished he knew what to say, and that there was time to say it, but he knew that getting out was the priority right now. It was a dream that suddenly felt so tangible.
Part of him— a large part of him— wanted to tear through these halls, destroying this place and everyone who had been complicit in its operations. An innocent child had spent months in a cage. Studied and mistreated. The loathing and desire for revenge flared inside. He had no tolerance or pity for people like this. They didn't deserve his mercy. There was no better reminder that there were more important things than vengeance. He couldn't let his worse impulses jeopardize whatever time he had with his daughter.
It was going to take time to prove himself but Peter had never been more determined. This, at least, was a start. There were so many things to consider. So many things to figure out. Now that it was becoming more and more real, a different sort of worry began to set in.
But, in spite of it all, he did know one thing. Something that reassured him and reminded him why he'd never given up on what was right for her. There was no doubt that she was scared right now.
Fenris waved his keycard. The door unlocked with a soft click. Fenris then took another set of keys to unlock the chains holding Peter before allowing him inside the cell.
A soft growl came from inside the cell as Peter stepped inside.The door closed behind Peter, with it locking in place. The girl flinched when the door closed but didn't turn her back around.
Even from a small distance, Peter could see the red marks on her arms, a stark contrast to her skin and he is sure that he is staring at self-inflicted wounds. Peter could still hear Bella singing to herself. He wondered if she knew he was there.
"Bella." Peter says quietly as he slowly approaches her, stepping on the papers on the ground.
It didn't seem like she had heard him, Peter looked down and caught sight of drawings on them. While peering over her, Peter could see her scribbling in the sketchpad Fenris had given her.
"Bells." Peter called again. Bella didn't move and continued to aggressively scribble in the book.
Peter knelt down behind her, eyes filled with worry.
""Kiddo." He let his arm out and let a hand rest on her shoulder.
Bella reacted hysterically as she threw the book down, grabbing Peter's arm as she turned around, knocking him down on the ground as she growled. She attempted to hold Peter down by placing her hands around his throat but her strength didn't hold.
"Bella!" Peter called out.
For the first time, their eyes met. Bags under her eyes. Her eyes were as black as night, filled with rage.
Fenris was about to call for backup from outside the cage when Peter stopped him.
"Leave it!" Peter yelled out. "Let me handle it!"
Bella was practically rabid. Peter took the upper hand, flipping his daughter off of him and wrapping his arms around her from behind. The girl was thrashing in his arms, yelling.
"It's alright!" Peter said, trying to comfort his daughter.
Bella eventually released herself from Peter's arms and went back to the corner. Peter sat up and made another attempt to approach his daughter.
"Sweetheart, it's okay. It's me! It's dad!" Peter tried to assure her.
Bella growled again and tried to slash at Peter. Peter fell back, missing the claws that were aimed for him. Peter slowly sits up and tries again. He then tries to tell her something that she would know.
"Hey, sweetheart, listen to me. Remember the bracelet with the pendant on it? The one I gave you? I had something engraved on it. It said 'Whenever we are apart, just know that you will always be in my heart.' I'm here, right now, with you."
The growling stops. Bella sniffed the air and blinked drunkenly at Peter.
Her eyes flicker to Fenris in front of her cell, who was observing them. Bella was looking doubtful and confused. She also looks like she could fall asleep at any moment. But she was still terrified.
She grew more wary and confused. There was no question that this was entirely overwhelming. Reducing the trauma seemed preferable. He wanted Bella to look back on this reunion with relief, not fear.
The past was the past, however, and the important thing was they were here now. Together.
Part of him wished that Bella had latched onto him so easily like she had before. He so wanted to wrap his arms around hers but, at the same time, he was also relieved. The room grew quiet. It seemed that neither of them quite knew what to say, and Peter didn't want to overwhelm her with too much too soon.
Perhaps it was foolish to wait, but Peter felt that the time wasn't quite right to reveal why he was there.
Peter needed time to gather his own thoughts too, and to figure out what information to share and when. He felt both anticipation and fear.
Peter proceeded to take a step forward towards her, but Bella flinched and tried to push farther away only to be pressing against the wall. Peter held his hand up in surrender, to show her that he was not going to hurt her, to prove he was truly in front of her.
"Hey." Peter said softly "It's okay. It's just me."
Bella took a whiff of the air in the room. A familiar scent filled in her nose.
"You're real?" she slurs.
Peter's stomach clenches in sympathy. He knows what it's like to not be certain about what's real or not.
"Yeah, kiddo. I'm real."
"Dad...?" Bella said in a barely audible voice.
Peter nods shakily, eyes filled with sadness as he moves closer as he cups Bella's face in his hands. Bella gasped at the sudden movements. She was startled and surprised at the same time.
Peter just stared at her. Months had passed since they'd last seen each other and Bella was almost unrecognizable. She was practically skin and bones. She had a large gash on her forehead and she looked like she hadn't slept in ages. Her skin was ice cold to the touch.
"Look at you." Peter gently rubbed the bags under Bella's eyes with his thumb as tears began to fall down her face. "Is this the price you had to pay for being locked up in here?"
Peter could feel Bella still being confused and scared. He didn't blame her. Bella didn't know how to react. Peter had so many questions but he would ask them later. Right now, he needed to be there for his daughter.
Bella's lips began to twitch, tears filling her eyes. The girl wasn't completely distraught, but she seemed disoriented and afraid. Even though it felt awkward Peter decided to take a risk. Reaching out, he used his thumb to gently brush a few of the tears from her cheek.
Peter knew he had to do something, even if he wasn't entirely sure what. Bella froze in surprise as Peter pulled her in for a much-needed hug. Bella didn't hug Peter back. She didn't move, or give any indication of how she felt about that. It could have been worse, at least.
He felt a flash of relief when Bella didn't pull away. It just meant she was starting to trust him again.
When Peter let go, his gaze remained focused solely on Bella. This was his priority now. To make sure she would leave safely.
There was another silent moment then, the next thing he knew, the girl launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around her father. Peter was taken aback, and he felt that familiar instinct to stiffen and freeze, but he fought against it. Instead, he let that familiar instinct of love and protectiveness take hold
Peter took a breath, easing into the embrace. He pulled Bella in, resting his head against her shoulder as the first tear he'd shed in several years finally escaped.
"Daddy." Bella whispered, face nestled into Peter's chest. Holding him as if she never wanted to let go.
Peter smiled. He never wanted to let go either. He hugged her tighter when Bella burst into tears.
Peter took a good look at Bella to make sure she was alright after crying.
"Are you alright?" He asked
"You're really here?"
Peter nods as he kisses her forehead.
As hard as it was to take his eyes off of Bella, it was probably a good thing that sleepiness had taken hold. Bella later fell asleep in Peter's arms. Peter adjusted himself on the ground so that the both of them could sit more comfortably.
Peter couldn't resist looking at her for a few minutes afterwards, listening to Bella's steady heartbeat and soft breaths. The fact that Bella stayed firmly attached to him as they made their painfully slow progress in the cell seemed to indicate that he felt some degree of support and attachment, at least.
The odd feeling that had been swelling inside of him all day seemed to surge as he gently reached down, brushing a few strands of brown hair from daughter's eyes.
He knew he was protective of his daughter. Relief that she was here in the same room as him. It was pleasant, despite mingling with the ongoing shock and fury and regret that this situation had brought on.
Peter was tired, and he could feel that the emotional strain was getting to him. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a long breath.
He scoffed in disgust at the thought of the regret he'd felt, surging like never before.
He'd been so wrapped up in his schemes and revenge that he'd never paused to think about what might be lost along the way. Now, it felt like the thing he wanted, the thing that was best for his daughter, was for her to be free.
There was still so much to figure out, but this felt like a start.