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Author's Chapter Notes:

Eh, midterms aren's as time-demanding as I expected. This is somewhat of an "in-between" chapter, but I didn't want the next one to get too crowded.

~

“It sounds to me that you took all this like a champ, Brian. That’s pretty incredible,” Elizabeth said. Allison nodded.

“I have to agree with you on that, Elizabeth. He even told me that the one time he screamed was a fake, just so Cathy would stop before it got really bad,” she replied.

“No, that scream was real,” Brian said plainly, reclining into a pillow. Although he had spent the first part of the recount in Allison’s hand, he was now on the couch, between her and Elizabeth.

“What?!” Allison exclaimed. “But, you said…!”

“I was trying to make you feel better, since you were freaking out.”


Allison held her head in her hands, letting out an exasperated groan. Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief.

“You’re the one who gets tortured, and you were trying to comfort Allie?” she muttered. “Regardless, it sounds like you were really strong, honey.”

Brian’s face darkened.

“Well… there was one thing, at the end…” he said softly. Allison’s face dropped in sympathy and guilt, while Elizabeth grew concerned.


“Near the end, Cathy forced Allie to start calling me a ch… a child murderer, over and over again. Cathy then went on a rant about how the whole world hates me, and that I deserve to die,” he explained, looking down at the ground.

“Oh, honey…” Elizabeth said softly. “You know that Allie didn’t mean it, and Cathy is an idiot.”

“I know that, of course. But… the words, they brought back some difficult memories. Stuff that I had pushed down,” Brian replied.

“It was stuff about his mother,” Allison cut in, not wanting Brian to have to say it. At that, Elizabeth’s face darkened in hatred and disgust.


“That awful woman…” she growled. “I simply can’t believe the things she was willing to say on national television. Immediately, she was willing to throw her son away. How could a person, how could a mother, throw her baby boy to the wind like that?! Does she have no soul? Did she not find the handling of her son’s trial suspicious? She makes me sick. Knowing now that Brian is innocent, it makes me want to find her and slap her-“

“Elizabeth,” Allison softly chided, glancing at Brian with her eyes. Elizabeth quickly realized her error.


“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry,” she gently apologized. “I shouldn’t be saying those things around you, I’m sure it’s hard to talk about.”

“It’s really fine, I feel the same way you do,” he replied reassuringly. “I’ve been… doing some thinking about what would happen if my innocence is revealed. I try not to get my hopes up, but I can’t help but wonder. One thing I wonder about is if I would want to meet her again. Honestly, at this point, I don’t think I would. I think it would be too painful.”


Elizabeth nodded in agreement, while Allison frowned.

“I don’t know, maybe you’ll feel differently if the opportunity comes,” Allison said. “You only get the one mother, and she was under the intense scrutiny of an entire country.”

“Are you seriously defending that woman?” Elizabeth asked incredulously. “Even if it was under duress, she was unbelievably cruel. If Brian thinks what she did caused irreparable damage to their relationship, then we should honor that decision.”


Allison and Elizabeth went to war with their eyes for a few moments, and Brian could practically see the sparks.

“Uh… look, that’s not a decision that needs to be made right now, as Allie said. So, let’s just table it,” he said, trying to avoid conflict. The two giant women surrounding him looked away from each other with a huff.


“Anyway… yeah, the session brought back one of my worst memories. It was the first and last time she spoke to me after Timmy’s death, on the day of my trial. That’s how I found out that my trial wasn’t televised, and that my evidence was being covered up. I thought… I thought she was visiting because she had found a new lawyer, or something. Not to say goodbye. And she said…”


He paused. Elizabeth was thoroughly captured by his story, her eyes showing an ocean of concern and nervous anticipation. Allison could tell that Brian was struggling to say it, and wondered if she should stop him. Looking into his eyes, though, she knew that he was choosing to say it out loud in an attempt to heal and move on. So, she let him continue.


“When I asked her to help me… she said that doing so would make things even worse for her, and that nobody was going to help me. I told her that the truth would stop the harassment, and she said that the truth was that I killed a child. S-She said that I was disgusting, and that I murdered a child. She said that I was no longer her son. She said that I deserved the Shrink Penalty. She said that I deserved to be squished like a bug. She said that she would do it herself. Then she left.”


As he continued, Brian’s eyes grew darker and darker, until he was one step away from his robot persona. Allison was trying not to cry, and she regretted letting him say it out loud. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was showing a look of pure and indescribable rage. At that moment, there was not a person on earth who she despised more than Laura Bentley. She quickly calmed herself, though, and her eyes softened in sympathy. She decided that she simply had to do something.


“Brian… would it be okay if I held you?” she asked softly. Both Allison and Brian’s eyes shot towards her in surprise- Allison looking skeptical, and Brian looking slightly confused.

“You want to hold me?” he asked quizzically. Elizabeth nodded with a gentle smile.

“I wanted to wait until you felt comfortable to ask me yourself, but… I’m sorry, I just really feel like I have to. Forgive me for saying so, but you need to be held right now,” she explained. Brian’s heart softened.


Allison was physically forcing herself not to protest, as she knew that it was his decision. Inside, though she was screaming.

Then why don’t I hold him, huh?! I’m right here! You thieving, conniving…

Still, she somehow managed to keep quiet, while Brian thought silently for a moment.


“Okay,” he said quietly, averting his eyes. Elizabeth tried hard to suppress her outward joy, instead simply laying her palm flat right next to him. Allison was shooting daggers at her former mentor, but she was promptly ignored. After a moment’s hesitation, Brian slowly and carefully climbed onto Elizabeth’s wrinkled palm. 


He marveled at the sensation of her skin, slightly firmer than what he was used to but in no way uncomfortable. It felt like she had been applying lotion nonstop for days, which very well may have been the case in preparation for this exact event. A weak yet soothing scent of lavender wafted around him, and any nervous anticipation was quickly washed away. If forced to choose a word, Brian would have described her palm as comforting, and he instantly knew that his decision to let her hold him had been the right one.


Similarly, Elizabeth was in amazement at the feeling of his tiny body settling into her hand. He was even lighter than she had anticipated, and every little movement from his microscopic hands and legs sent tingles all throughout her body. Then, a realization struck her like a bolt of lightning: she was literally holding a life in the palm of her hand. Every emotion, every thought, every memory, every ounce of potential within him- it was all contained within her grasp.


Rather than making her feel powerful, though, this realization brought on a tidal wave of responsibility. She controlled his fragile, precious little life, which meant it was her duty to protect him and comfort him. Her instincts went into overdrive, and she felt an immense swelling of motherly protectiveness in her chest. At that moment, she came to an important decision.


I’m going to make up for all the love she failed to give him.


At that, Elizabeth slowly brought her hand up, slightly curling her fingers around him comfortingly as she drew him closer to her chest. Brian was impressed by how gentle and soothing she was on her first time holding him, and allowed himself to relax in her palm. He shot a thumbs-up at Allison, who he could tell was not a fan of this development. A moment later, another unfamiliar sensation hit him as Elizabeth began to softly stroke his hair with her other index finger. Then, she spoke words that caused a stirring in his heart.


“You’ve been through too much… and you persevered. I’m so proud of you,” she said quietly, gazing at him with a tender expression. Brian looked up at her, his eyes extremely wide. He didn’t know what, but something about the way she said those words caused an unexpected flood of emotion to overtake his consciousness. A few tears formed in his minuscule green eyes, and he quickly looked down at the skin of her palm as he began to quietly cry. Elizabeth held him closer to her sweater, quietly murmuring words of soft comfort to the tiny, sniffling man in her grasp.

“W-Why did she have to say those things…?" he whispered.

“Shhh… don’t worry about a single thing, sweetheart. Allie and I will take care of you. Everything is going to be okay," she replied, wiping a tear away with her thumb.


Allison’s jealousy subsided. Although she wanted to be the only one allowed to comfort him, she could tell that Brian was receiving something that he desperately needed.

Just this once… 


~


Some time had passed. Brian was back in Allison’s hands, as she had snatched him up the moment Elizabeth had put him down. With a small pout, she was petting him with her thumbs, still a little sore that Elizabeth had been the one to comfort him. Brian was looking down, his cheeks bright red in embarrassment. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was extremely pleased. Ignoring Allison’s cold gaze, she decided to make Brian an offer.


“Are you sure you don’t want a little drink, Brian? I think there are very few people on this earth who deserve one as much as you,” she said. Allison snapped out of her jealous pout to nod in agreement, and Brian looked up with an odd look.

“Uh… yeah, I’m fine. I’ve never been sure if I wanted to drink or not. Besides, I’m not even old enou-”

He stopped. His eyes grew wide.


“Oh shit, I’m 21,” he said quietly. Both women raised an eyebrow.

“You forgot how old you were?” Allison asked incredulously.

“Age stops mattering when you think you’re gonna be in prison forever. Also, don’t forget that my 21st birthday was when they reopened my case. I wasn’t exactly thinking about my age that day,” he explained, causing Allison and Elizabeth to make sympathetic noises.


“I see,” Elizabeth said softly. “That’s a shame, your 21st birthday is supposed to be special.”

“That’s for sure,” Allison replied. “Unlike most people my age, I actually saved my first drink for my 21st, and it was pretty fun.”

“Is that so? And do remind me, what was your first drink again?” Elizabeth asked teasingly.

“…vodka. And I spit it out,” she answered sheepishly. This snapped Brian out of his contemplative haze, and he laughed out loud.


“That’s hilarious. Well, no big deal,” he said with a small smile. After a small silence, Elizabeth furrowed her brow.

“No… no, that isn’t right. It is a big deal,” she muttered.

“Elizabeth?” asked Allison. Then, Elizabeth’s eyes lit up.

“Brian, how would you like to have a birthday party tomorrow?” she asked.

He was stunned into silence, as was Allison.

“But… my birthday was months ago,” he replied.


“I know, but you deserve to celebrate, and I don’t want to wait until next year. We should celebrate your 19th, 20th, and 21st birthday all at once. You’re alive and healthy, and we’re going to prove your innocence, and that deserves a party. You can even have your first drink, if you like. Not vodka. What do you say?” she asked, her eyes sparkling. As she continued, Allison grew more and more excited as well, until she was practically vibrating.


“Yes, yes!” she exclaimed, flapping her free hand up and down. “We should have a party, and have some cake, and have some presents, and do whatever Brian wants!”

“Right! Let’s forget about all this Shrink Penalty nonsense and what the world thinks, and just have a good time! It’ll be so much fun, Brian, what do you say?” Elizabeth asked. At that, they turned their attention to the one-inch man in Allison’s hand. He was slightly intimidated by their manic excitement, but overall looked very appreciative.


“Sure. Thank you,” he replied plainly. The enormous women on either side of him squealed in excitement, and Allison placed him back on the sofa as she began to speak at a million miles an hour.

“Okay, so Elizabeth- you’re staying for dinner, because we have a lot of planning to do. This is your best idea ever!” she said as she bounced on the couch with a humongous grin.

“Right, right, so let’s get started! We have no time to waste. So, Brian, what kind of cake do you like?”


Just like that, they catapulted into party-planning mode, and began to ask Brian a billion questions about his preferences for cake, food, presents, decorations, and anything else they could think of. Brian did his best to keep up, offering as much information as he could. It was a slightly difficult task, as he had forgotten most of the things he enjoyed prior to his conviction, but Allison and Elizabeth’s gentle prodding and infectious mood slowly brought back his happier memories.


~


The discussion continued over dinner. Eventually, it was decided that they would have homemade pizza for Brian’s birthday dinner. Although it would be slightly difficult to pull off, some tools created with the 3D printer would allow them to create a small enough pizza for Brian to cut and eat on his own. Then, they would open presents. Allison and Elizabeth were scrambling for ideas, but a few came along after some help from the birthday boy. Finally, Brian asked for a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Elizabeth knew a recipe, and decided to bake one herself. Ultimately, they decided to cut off as small a piece as they could, and just let Brian eat as much of it as he wanted. At a certain point, the logistics stop mattering when it comes to fun. Just like that, a makeshift birthday party had been assembled. After a little while, Brian was placed on the couch.


“Alright little man, you stay here and watch TV for a while while we go discuss your birthday presents,” Allison said with a teasing grin, while Elizabeth beamed. Brian rolled his eyes.

“Oh my god, you’re treating me like I’m six,” he said exasperatedly, causing both women to cackle. With that, they bounced away into Allison’s bedroom. Once he was alone, Brian took a moment to reflect. 


A realization caught up to him like a speeding train: he was actually looking forward to this. For the first time in three years, he had something to look forward to. The thought made him a bit emotional, and he drew one hand to his mouth as he grinned widely underneath. He felt an unimaginable swelling of gratitude in his heart, and he was truly happy.

I love them.


~


“…that’s a brilliant idea, Elizabeth! But do you think you have enough time?” asked Allison.

“I’ll stay up late if I have to. It shouldn't take that long, considering the size, but the finer details might be a bit tricky. This is important, though, so I’ll make it work,” Elizabeth replied, causing Allison to smile widely.

“This party is a truly wonderful idea. You’ll get used to reading Brian’s emotions through his eyes, but for now let me assure you that he is really excited about this. I think this earned you a lot of points with him,” she said.


“Well, that’s the greatest gift I could ask for. That boy deserves happiness, and we’re the two people in the world who can give it to him. The sooner he becomes comfortable with me, the sooner I can help. Also, of course, I want to get back on your good side as well, Allie,” Elizabeth replied, which elicited an appreciative smile from her former student.

“I appreciate you saying that. And you’re right, we have to work hard to make sure he has a good time. So, to that end, what do you think my present to him should be?” she asked. Elizabeth pondered for a moment, but Allison suddenly had an idea.


“Oh! We were just talking about it, what if I-”

She stopped, slightly blushing.

“Actually, nevermind. I’ll keep it a secret,” she said with an awkward chuckle while averting her eyes. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, but decided to let it go.


“Whatever you say, honey. So, it can either be something useful or something fun…”


~


Elizabeth was getting ready to leave. Allison was standing next to the door, holding Brian. Once her coat was on and her bag was in hand, Elizabeth turned to the duo with a huff.

“Are you okay to drive, Elizabeth?” asked Allison.

“Oh, absolutely, I just had one small glass of wine,” Elizabeth replied. “Alright, you two, I need to do some quick shopping. Tomorrow is Saturday, so I have no classes. I need some time to bake the cake, though, so how about I stop by at four?” 

Allison and Brian nodded.

“I need to get the pizza dough ready tonight so it can sit overnight, and in the morning I need to head out and buy some decorations. Everything should be ready by four, so that sounds great,” Allison said. Through it all, Brian was showing an appreciative but somewhat shy smile. Clearly, he was not used to being the center of attention. Elizabeth turned her attention to him with a big grin and sparkling eyes.


“This is gonna be great, Brian. We have to make up for some of the fun you were cheated out of, don’t you think?” she asked. Brian gave a slight nod, somewhat bashfully, which only reinforced Elizabeth’s belief that he was the cutest thing in existence. Allison held him out towards her so he could say goodbye.


“Thank you, Elizabeth. This was a really kind and thoughtful idea. I’m… well, not very good at these things, but just know that I really appreciate it, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” he said quietly.

“Aww, it’s my pleasure, sweetheart,” she replied adoringly. “You deserve to have some fun. And, with that…”

Suddenly, Elizabeth leaned forward and pressed her thick, pink lips right onto the top of Brian’s head.

“Mwah! Goodnight, honey. Night, Allie!” she said with a wink, before flying outside and closing the door.  As she entered her car, Elizabeth could faintly hear a distressed cry of “Professor!” from behind her. 

 

At that, she smiled even wider.

 

 

 

Chapter End Notes:

Party time! Hope you enjoyed.

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