Lauren POV
I woke up with Camila sleeping peacefully on on my chest with her paci in her mouth and a stuffed animal under her arm. I smiled at her, glad that she was sleeping peacefully for a change.
Camila reached up and gently played with her baby hairs gently. All of the sudden, Camila's small hand tensed up and she whimpered a little.
"Shh.. I'm here Camz." I cooed. Camila shot up and looked around, "D..Demi.." she cried. She tried to get up and run to Demi, but it was early and Demi needed to sleep.
"Sweetie.. Demi's having nini time right now." She screamed and cried and kept trying to get up. "D..Demi!" She cried. "Baby..."
After a little bit of her trying to get free, I let her up because I didn't want to hold her too tight and hurt her. She ran out of the room and to Demi.
I texted Demi to tell her that Camila had a bad dream and it must have been about her and she was freaking out.
Demi POV
I'd just woken up not too long ago when Camila ran into my room crying uncontrollably.
I sat up, "Mila.. hey.. sweetheart what's wrong?" I said softly, gently taking her small hand in mine and pulling her onto my lap.
I leaned against the headboard and ran my fingers through the small girl's hair. "Tell me what's wrong sweetie.." Camila held onto my shirt and continued to cry.
"Shhh.. you gotta talk to me hun." "D..dem h..huwt chu." I was immediately concerned. "Who said that darling?" "D..da s'adows.." she whimpered.
"The shadows?" She nodded and held onto me tighter. "Awh.. sweetheart.. nobody's gonna hurt me okay?" She nodded and started to calm down and slip a lot further into her headspace.
"That's it.. it's okay." I said softly. After she was calm, I asked her, "Sweetie can I ask you a question?"
Camila didn't respond and played with the ring of her pacifier. "Milaa." I cooed, lifting Camila's chin gently and looking her in the eyes. "Camila I need you to tell me the truth okay?" She looked at me and kept suckling on her paci.
"Mila are you a little?" Camila's breath hitched in her throat and her breathing became uneven. "Hey.. sweetie. It's okay." I told her softly.
"You need to tell Lauren sweetheart.. okay?" Camila buried her face in my shirt and cried softly. "Shhh.." I cooed, picking Camila up and carrying her into Lauren's room.
Lauren rushed up to us. "Lauren.." I said softly, she looked up at me worriedly as she picked Camila up from my arms.
"Hey sweetie.. don't cry." Lauren whispered to Camila before looking back up at me. "Sit down Laur.." Lauren listened and sat down with Camila still crying softly.
I sat next to her, "Camila hun.. do you wanna tell her or do you want me to tell her." The small girl only cried harder, maybe she thought Lauren would hate her.
"Camila can I tell her?" I asked her softly, she gave in and nodded. "Camila is a little." Lauren looked down at Camila.
"Sweetie... why didn't you tell me.." She cooed. "A..acause c..chu would hate me." Lauren sighed, "Baby I would never EVER hate you or leave you or any of that. Okay?"
Camila nodded and calmed down. "See sweetie, that wasn't so hard now was it?" Camila sniffled and giggled a little, shaking her head.
"Can the other girls know babydoll?" Lauren asked Camila. She quickly shook her head and the color drained from her face as tears came to her eyes.
"Hey.. hey.. don't cry sweetie. We don't have to tell them okay?" Lauren cooed as I rubbed Camila's back, wanting to comfort her.
Lauren POV
I pulled Camila closer to me and ran my fingers through her hair as I began to hear little whimpers and sniffles from the small girl. Demi and I shared a look.
"Camz sweetie.. it's okay. They won't find out. Don't cry." I whispered softly. "Demiiii!" I heard Dinah call. "Hold on Mani, I'll be right there!" Demi called back.
"You can go Dems, I got this." I said with a smile, assuring Demi that it was alright for her to go with Dinah. "You sure?" I nodded. "Okay, Thanks Laur."
"No problem." I said with a smile as she shut the door before looking back down at Camila, who had started to cry harder at this point.
"Camz.. Don't worry baby, it can be our little secret okay?" Camila sniffled and pulled herself close to me. I was sure to hold her close against me.
"Shhh.. I'm just glad that you're alright. I was worried sweetie." I told the small girl as I sat up with her on my lap.
"I..I sowwie." "Nonono don't be sorry, you don't need to be. I promise. Okay?" "O..okay.." she sniffled as I wiped her tears. I gently kissed her cheek and held her closer.
"How about we watch a movie then have breakfast okay?" She shook her head and buried her face. "Camila. I'm not giving you the choice of whether or not to eat." I said softly, but sternly.
Camila gripped my shirt and kept her face buried, beginning to let out gentle sobs into my shirt once more. I could tell that Camila was gonna have a bit of a rough day, but I didn't mind, I'd still be there for her.
"Shhh.. let's just put a movie on for now. It's alright." I cooed, putting on toy story. A bit of the movie began and she peeked out, sniffling a little.
I wiped her eyes and smoothed her hair. By the end of the movie, Camila seemed to be okay again and I didn't want to ruin that, but I knew that she needed to eat.
Mostly because it's unhealthy for her not to, especially with her being as small as she is, and second, I can't go back on my words.
As the credits rolled onto the screen, Camila whimpered softly, as if the movie was the only thing keeping her mind occupied.
"Come on sweetie, let's go eat. Just something small okay?" I whispered and she nodded. I wrapped her up in a blanket and she took a gentle hold of my hand as I led her to the kitchen.
She stood next to me and held onto the bottom of my shirt. I gave her a small smile as I handed her a banana and a small glass of milk, "Just this, okay sweetie?"
She nervously chewed on her lip, but nodded. I grabbed myself a bowl of blackberries with sugar and a piece of toast.
"Lolo?" "Yes hun?" "C..can we eat in da wiving room?" I nodded, "Sure, as long as you pinky promise to finish your milk and banana." I told her, she nodded and held out her pinky.
I wrapped mine around hers and we went to the living room and I turned on the tv to distract Camila so she'd eat. She came through with her promise and finished her milk and banana.
I put her cup and my bowl in the sink and threw away the banana peel before we went back into the living room.
I sat down and Camz laid her head in my lap. I smiled down at her and played with her hair. "What do you wanna do today sweetie?" She shrugged.
"Do you wanna do something special Camz?" She smiled weekly and held onto my hand. I had an idea that would help to make Camila feel better.
"Okay, I'll surprise you. Let's go get ready, okay?" She nodded and we head off to get ready. I got ready quickly, but Camila seemed to struggle with it.
"Need help?" She nodded, "I dunno what to wear." "Hmm, how about you go brush your hair and then I'll pick you out something okay?"
"Okay, Thanks Lolo." SHe told me with a smile while hugging me. I hugged her back and giggled, "You're welcome sweetheart." I started looking for something for Camila to wear.
"Camz, sweetie are you finished?" She came back to me and nodded. I helped her into her outfit and handed her a pair of socks to put on before helping her with her shoes.
Once she was dressed, I pulled some of her hair from the front to the middle of the back of her head and clipped a bow in her hair. "Ready Camz?"
She nodded, "Yes!" I giggled and she held onto my hand. "Let's go tell the girls we're leaving okay?" "Yes ma'am." She nodded. I smiled at her.
I went and knocked on Dinah's door since I knew she was awake. "Hey Dems, hey Dinah I'm gonna take Camila somewhere okay?"
They both nodded, "Have fun." "Be safe" "We will, thanks girls." I told them with a smile as I walked out.
I head downstairs with Camila and saw Ally and Normani, "Hey." Ally said with a smile, causing Mani to look up.
"Hi Laur, Hey Mila." Mani said softly. "I'm taking Camz out somewhere okay? We'll be back later." I said with a smile.
They both nodded and we exchanged goodbyes and made small talk for a moment before I head out with Camila.
Camila went to sit up front with me, but I didn't want her to get hurt if something were to happen, "Camz sweetie, you aren't big enough to sit up front, I don't want anything to happen to you."
She gave me her best puppy dog eyes. "No baby, I don't want to risk it, okay?" She looked down and nodded, "Yes ma'am."
"Thank you Camila. I love you." "Welcomes an I love you too." She got in the back and buckled up and I found the location on my GPS and started the drive to the closest Build A Bear Workshop.
*Time skip*
We pulled up and Camila's eyes got wide, "Oh my goodness!"She jumped in her seat, giggling. I laughed a little and got out before opening the door.
"Come on Camz, let's go in okay?" She nodded and hugged me tight, "Thank you Lauren!" I smoothed her hair, "You're welcome cutie." I said with a smile as we walked hand in hand into the building .
When we got in, Camila looked around happily, jumping in place. We looked at all of the animals, "Pick any one you want, okay?"
"Weally?" I nodded and giggled, "Yes sweetie, any one." "Fanks!" She squealed running over to a display that had mythical creatures.
She picked up a unicorn and a dragon before skipping back over to me. "Whatcha got there?" She held up both of the animals, "The unicorn is me Wowo! A..an da dwagon is chu!"
"Awhh, why's that sweetie?" I asked her. "A..acause da dwagon pwotects da unicorn an chu pwotect me an keep me safe fwom da bad fings."
"Awhh, Camz sweetie, that's so sweet, you can get the both of them and we can make them special just for us, how's that sound?"
Camz jumped up and down, "Yes! Yes! Fank you soooo much Wowo!" I giggled and patted her head, "Calm down sweetie, let's go to the building station, okay?"
She nodded happily as we made our way over to where we could customize our animals.
*Time skip to on the way home from Build-a-Bear and lunch*
I smiled back at Camila in the back seat as she cuddled the unicorn and the dragon close to her. I bought her a bunch of little outfits and accessories for them and we both had a lot of fun.
We'd even gone to go and get lunch; I'd actually managed to get her to eat a bit for lunch, which made me happy.
Camila let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes. "You sleepy sweetheart?" She nodded and nuzzled into the stuffed animals closer.
"We'll be home soon, okay hun?" She nodded and I continued the drive home.
*Time skip to when they get home and get everything inside*
"Come on sweetie." I said softly as Camila took a hold of her hand. She yawned and held onto my hand tighter.
"Let's go get you something comfy." I said, looking through her clothes for something for her to sleep in. I picked out a oversized nightshirt.
"Here baby doll." I told her, handing her the shirt. I helped her out of her clothes and into the tshirt. Camila whimpered a little bit and wrapped her arms around me and buried her face.
"Let's go nini sweetie." I whispered to her, not expecting her to react the way she did.
She held onto my tshirt tightly and started to cry. "Awhh.. Camz, sweetheart. It's okay. I'll be right here."
"B..but I keep having scary dreams and of things I don't wanna remember and I hate to s..see them a..and bad things happen in t..the dreams b..buh they feel real..a..an I..I down't wanna sweep!" She cried, starting to sob herself into hysterics.
"Shhh, baby.." I picked her up, letting her wrap herself around me, and smoothing her hair. Carrying her over to the bed and laying down with her in my arms.
She entangled our legs and layed on my chest. "I have you baby girl, it's okay.. I'm right here and I'm not gonna go anywhere, okay?"
She only kept crying and began to have hiccups through her tears. "Shhh.. go to sleep." I cooed, holding her completely and running my fingers through her hair as I started singing to her.
Eventually, Camila calmed down and gave into her tiredness, falling asleep peacefully.
*Time Skip*
I woke up to Camz screaming and panicking, thrashing around terrified in her sleep. "OW! OW! STOP! PLEASE!" She was having a nightmare and definitely the worst that I'd ever seen.
I held both of her hands securely in the both of mine to keep her from fighting me off. "Camila.. hey..hey. Wake up. You're asleep." I told her softly and she stopped moving around as much.
She sat up in bed and looked around frantically, tears pouring from her eyes. The small girl curled into a ball and held her hands in her hands, screaming and crying.
"Camila, It's only me, no one else. You're safe. Nobody can hurt you." I whispered, picking her up and pulling her onto my lap.
When she stopped screaming, she began to hyperventilate really bad and it only got progressively worse no matter how I tried to calm her down and I couldn't help but be extremely worried and wonder what could possibly be happening in her little head.
When Camila buried her face in my shirt and continued to cry and hyperventilate, I held her close to me, but gently, and smoothed her hair, hoping that it would calm her down.
Then, I felt her go limp in my arms. "Camz..? Camila?!" I shook her gently and even poured a little water on her head, her not waking up. "Shit.."