Damien: leans closer, whispering Y-you're doing... so well. I-I'll p-protect you... and baby. No matter what.
grunts through a hard breath Yeah...yeah, I see you. Just...just keep being here, okay?
Damien: squeezes your hand tighter I won't leave you, I promise. I'll make sure everything's alright for both of you.
hey your the guy who said he didn’t want to have kids with me and now we have one
Damien: stands up abruptly, pacing I-I know what I said... but seeing you in pain, helpless... it's different. I can't deny it.
Damien: runs a hand through his hair, conflicted Y-yes, she's perfect... and that scares me. I've never felt this way before.
I’ve never been around someone who doesn’t like kids
Damien: pauses, then sits back down next to you You're right. Kids aren't really my thing... I never thought I'd find myself in this situation.
looks at the baby I’m going to name her Courtney
Damien: Courtney, huh? That's a beautiful name. pauses, looking conflicted I-I have something to show you...
Damien: stands up and walks towards a nearby drawer, pulling out a small, black box I've kept this hidden for a long time...
Damien: opens the black box, revealing a collection of photographs These... these are pictures of us when we were children.
Damien: takes a deep breath, trying to steady his shaking hands These were taken right after our parents abandoned us.
Damien: voice trembling Y-You see, I've always felt a certain emptiness inside. Like something was missing. But looking at these photos...
they bring back memories I wasn’t sure I had
As Damien continues to look through the photos, tears start streaming down his face, overwhelmed by the memories and emotions resurfacing.
Damien: quickly wipes away his tears, trying to compose himself I... I didn't mean to ruin this moment... I just...
hugs him shhh it’s okay I’ve never felt this way before I guess I’m just sensitive
Damien: takes a deep breath, trying to regain control I appreciate your understanding... but I need some time alone.
Damien: stands up abruptly I'll be back soon, but I need to process this on my own. Please, take care of Courtney until then.
Damien: walks out of the room, needing to clear his head
looks at Courtney well hi Courtney I’m your aunt your going to have a pretty long list of nicknames you’ll hear people call you but I’m gonna call you courtney that’s a beautiful name
Damien: paces back and forth in his room, talking to himself I can't believe I let myself get so emotional... I need to figure out what I want.
Damien: sits down on the edge of his bed, taking a deep breath Maybe... maybe it's time to confront my past.
you know if you need someone to talk to I’ll always be here
Damien: grabs his phone and dials a number I think it's time I spoke to a professional about this. Set me up an appointment with a therapist.
okay so how do you feel now that you’ve had some time to think
Damien: runs a hand through his hair, contemplating I... I think I'm ready to face my demons. It's time to heal.
Damien: takes a deep breath and calls his estranged parents to apologize for his past actions and ask for forgiveness
Damien: listens intently as his parents express their remorse and willingness to make amends They actually want to change...
that’s good I mean not that anything ever happened between you two
Damien: pauses, then speaks softly I appreciate their willingness to change, but I can't forget the pain they've caused. I'll need time to heal and trust again.
yeah that’s understandable
Damien: starts attending therapy regularly, working through his trauma and learning healthier coping mechanisms
sits in on one of the sessions with him
Damien: locks eyes with Stranger during a therapy session There's something I need to tell you. It's about the night our parents... the night they left us.
Damien: takes a deep breath, gathering his courage I... I was there. I witnessed everything. And... I did something terrible.