Chapter 2 : Small Steps

As Dr. Sap, Noah, and the girl entered the cabin, Dr. Sap instructed, "Put her here." The girl clung tightly to Noah, visibly scared. Noah gently reassured her, "Don't worry, she's a doctor. She will help you."

Dr. Sap smiled warmly and added, "Yes, I will. If you cooperate, I'll even give you a chocolate." The girl, still scared, nodded.

Noah carefully removed his coat from around the girl, and Dr. Sap's expression turned horrified as she observed the girl's condition. She looked at Noah and said, "Can you put her on the examination table?" He nodded and gently placed the girl there.

Dr. Sap then said, "Can you wait outside?"

The girl, hearing this, became even more frightened and started to cry, "Please don't leave me."

Noah smiled reassuringly, "I'm standing right outside, okay? Don't worry." He patted her gently and nodded before stepping out.

As Dr. Sap began to examine the girl, she also cleaned her up. Checking for injuries, she sighed in relief, "Thank goodness there's no severe damage." She smiled at the girl, handed her a chocolate, and said, "You did well." The girl, still afraid, took the chocolate and nodded.

Dr. Sap opened the curtain and saw Noah sitting outside, looking worried. She returned to her chair and said, "You did the right thing by bringing her here."

"Will she be okay?" Noah asked, his concern evident.

Dr. Sap sighed, "To be honest, she needs a therapist. This is also a case for the police."

Noah nodded in understanding, "Yes, it seems that way. She'll have to explain everything to the police."

Dr. Sap smiled, "She's looking for you."

Noah turned to see the girl looking at him with tears in her eyes. He smiled and gestured for her to come over. She climbed down from the examination table, moved to a chair near him, and sat down. Noah sat beside her, offering comfort and support.

Noah nodded. "I will do it."

Dr. Sap smiled and said, "People like you are rare."

Just then, Noah received a call from his manager. "Excuse me," he said, stepping into the corner. "Hello, sir."

"Noah," the manager said, "a few hours ago, I called Dr. Ava Sap. She mentioned that if you could come to her clinic and discuss the project there, it would be good. So tomorrow, you'll go there. I'll send you the location."

"Sir, tomorrow I can't," Noah replied.

"Why not?" the manager asked.

"I'm stuck in an emergency, so I have to go."

"What emergency?" the manager demanded.

Noah thought for a moment and said, "My mother's health is not good, so I have to go."

The manager paused. "Oh, okay. But how many days?"

Noah glanced at Dr. Sap, who held up six fingers. "Six days, sir."

The manager paused again before saying, "Okay. And Mr. Madden, one more thing. Ms. Sap has decided to join you on the project."

Noah, happy, said, "lvy Sap accepted? That's great!"

Ava Sap was surprised but didn't show it. Noah continued, "Thank you, sir," and hung up. Then he turned serious and asked, "So, doctor, what should we do first?"

Ava thought for a moment and said, "First, admit her to my hospital. Then call the police. Or," she glanced at the sleepy girl and amended, "Call the police tomorrow."

Noah smiled at the girl and said, "Okay." He followed Dr. Sap as she took the girl to a patient room and settled her in.

Afterward, Dr. Sap asked, "How do you know lvy Sap?"

Noah was surprised by the question. "Ah, because she is my boss."

Ava said, "You work at SAP SE?"

He nodded. "I didn't introduce myself properly, did I?" He extended his hand. "Hello, I am Noah Madden."

Dr. Ava Sap shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Noah."

He nodded, and she said, "I am Dr. Ava Sap."

Noah was surprised. "You are Dr. Ava Sap?"

She nodded. "You didn't read the board?"

Noah shook his head. "I was in a hurry and only saw 'gynecologist' and came in."

Ava smiled. "So, you're Noah Madden?"

Noah nodded.

Ava said, "Oh, you're the one who's going to make the application for me."

Noah nodded.

Ava smiled and said, "But this is not the time for that, so you can go home."

He looked at the child and said, "No, I will stay here."

Ava smiled warmly and said, "Your clothes are all bloody."

"Yes," Noah said with a frown.

She handed him some nurse's clothes. "Take these and get changed."

Noah looked at her, smiled, and said, "Thank you, Dr. Sap."

Noah nodded at Ava's suggestion and took the offered scrubs. Relief washed over him – a chance to finally peel off the clothes that reeked of the ordeal. He retreated into the sterile bathroom, the fluorescent lights a stark contrast to the warmth in Ava's eyes momentarily.Emerging a few minutes later, he felt a little self-conscious in the oversized scrubs. Ava glanced at him, noting his discomfort. The loose fabric couldn't hide his broadness of shoulders, and his hair, now damp from the bathroom sink, seemed to hold a hint of wildness.Noah cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "I think these clothes might be a little…" he trailed off, gesturing to the scrubs.Ava blinked, surprised by his awkwardness. "Right," she said quickly, understanding dawning on her. "They do run a bit large. But they're all we have on hand at the moment. You should be comfortable enough to rest."She gestured towards a cot tucked away in a corner. "There's a bed over there. Rest for a while. If you need anything, just ring the bell and a nurse will come."Noah smiled, a genuine expression of appreciation. "Thank you, Dr. Sap."Ava nodded. "No problem," she mumbled, turning her attention back to the girl on the bed. And she left.

Noah returned to his room and saw the child sleeping next to him. His heart swelled with a mixture of relief and protectiveness as he watched her small, vulnerable form. He smiled softly and laid down to sleep as well. However, after midnight, the girl started having a nightmare. Her tiny body trembled, and she relived the horrors she had experienced, seeing her father's lustful face in her mind. She screamed, "Noooo..."

Noah woke up instantly, his heart racing with alarm. He looked at the girl, her face contorted in fear and anguish. Without thinking, he pulled her into a comforting embrace, murmuring soothing words. "It's okay, you're safe now," he whispered. He held her tightly, his own emotions churning—anger at the monster who hurt her, and a fierce determination to protect her.

After some time, she relaxed, her breathing slowing down. He patted her gently. "You will not have to live like this anymore, okay?" he reassured her, his voice filled with a promise he intended to keep.

The girl nodded, her eyes still wet with tears. Then she asked, her voice trembling, "You are a stranger. Why do you help me?"

Noah smiled, trying to lighten the moment despite the heaviness in his heart. "A stranger? Me? I am Noah Madden. What's your name?"

The girl looked at him with her wide, ruby eyes and muttered, "Lily."

Noah's smile grew warmer. "Wow, Lily, that's a beautiful name. Now you know me, right?"

Lily nodded, a small, hesitant smile playing on her lips.

Noah's heart ached with tenderness. "So, now am I still a stranger?"

She looked at him with a mixture of hope and fear, tears brimming in her eyes again. "Will you leave me here?"

Noah's heart broke at her question. He patted her gently, his voice soft but firm. "It's 2 a.m. You need to sleep. Tomorrow, the police will come, and you will tell them everything, okay?"

Lily's eyes widened in fear. "No, no, no, they'll arrest me."

Noah's smile was gentle, his heart aching for her. "They will not do that, I promise."

Lily looked at him with desperate hope. "Really?"

Noah nodded. "Yeah, but if you tell them the truth, they can only help you."

Lily hesitated, her tiny hands clutching at his shirt, but then she nodded.

Noah felt a surge of pride and protectiveness. "Good girl. Now, go to bed. Good night."

She replied, her voice soft but steady, "Good night."

After that, Noah and Lily got ready, and then the door opened. There, he saw the female and the male police officer named Laura, and David and Dr. Sap came in, and Noah bowed, said hello, and Lily looked at Noah, who also bowed.

Lily was scared as she looked at the police, and the female police officer smiled at her and said hello, Lily, and she set her bed. The male police officer looked at Noah, saying, You did a good job.

Bring her here, and Noah nodded, and the female police officer said, David, right, the report. I will talk to this little lady here. He nodded, and she asked, Let's start from the basics." Lily, with the fear, said I am Lily Rose. Then she said, Wow, two "Wow, two flowers!" Ah, okay, next question: do you have any siblings? Lily shook her head. Laura said, Okay, what is your parent's name? Hearing this question, he began to cry and got scared, and Laura gave her an assuring smile and said, Don't worry if you are uncomfortable.

I will ask you another question." Lily shook her head and said while crying, My mother's name is Sandra Rose, and my father's name is Briar. Laura then said, Tell us what happened." Lily began to speak and all listened to her quietly, and she began to live with my mother and father.

Then one day he was angry, and he got all his anger on my mother. My mother could not handle the beating, and he was being forceful with her, and I was at the corner watching all hering. These were wide eyes, Noah's anger.

This guy is a monster rapping her mother in front of the child. Laura was getting angry, and he looked at me and said, Don't worry, don't be scared. Everything will be fine. Noah was getting angry puch the wall hard, and Ava was also very sad, and she understood the rest of this, and she also had some tears in her eyes, and Cura said that fucker must have died, then she looked at Lily and said, Continue, my mother could not handle the tocher, then she died." My father, who woke up the next day, realized what he did, then looked at me. Laura widens her eyes and says, What the hell, David, that fucker Lily said she did with me as well, Noah gets angrier, but they all look at her. She said I had a sharp object in my hand, and I swung to his neck, and he died. 

The weight of her words hung heavy in the air. Noah felt a surge of a complex mix of emotions - anger, sadness, and a strange sense of relief. David, the male officer, rubbed a hand over his face, clearly shaken by Lily's story.Laura reached out and squeezed Lily's hand gently. "It's okay, honey. You're safe now. We'll take care of everything."Lily looked at Laura, a flicker of hope battling the fear in her eyes. She nodded a small, hesitant gesture.After that, a police officer approached Noah and said, "We will further investigate this. You are the one who saved her, right?" Noah nodded. Laura smiled at him and said, "Some very few people do that. We want to take care of her until the case ends. Then we might find a better orphanage for her." Noah, deep inside, did not like the idea of her being in the orphanage, but still, he nodded. David put a hand on his shoulder and said, "You are a good man," and they both left. They waved to Lily and she waved back.After they left, Dr. Sap came in and said, "You didn't like that, did you?" Noah looked at her with a questioning look. "What do you mean?" Dr. Sap said, "You don't want her to go to the orphanage, am I right?" Noah nodded and said, "Yes, the orphanage. They did not treat her well." Dr. Sap said, "Not every orphanage is bad." Noah nodded and said, "You are right, but still." She gave him a gentle smile. "So you want to adopt her?" Noah widened his eyes and looked at Lily. "If they allow it, I might. But I don't know if she wants to or if it's okay that she is with me." Dr. Sap said, "You never know, she might change your life." Noah looked at her and said, "Thank you, Ava. I needed that." She widened her eyes and seemed to like the way he said it. Noah realized and said, "I'm sorry, I did not mean to—" Ava laughed and said, "Don't worry, I liked it." Noah blushed a little. Ava did not realize and looked at Lily. She gave him a page and said, "These are two numbers. One is mine, and the other is my therapist, Dr. Swati. She will help her. If she has any problem, you can call me. After that, we can discuss the project." Noah nodded and blushed. Noah thought, "Be a professional man." Then he asked her, "When will you discharge us?" She thought and said, "The next day you can leave, but don't forget to call the therapist." He said, "Thank you, Dr. Sap." She said, "No need to say that. Call me Ava. I told you, I liked it."After Ava left the room, Noah looked at Lily and saw her looking at him. He smiled and approached her, saying, "The police said they will look after you until they find anything in the case. But I will look after you, Lily." For the first time, Lily smiled and nodded. However, Noah added, "But after that, they might take you to an orphanage." Lily's eyes widened and she grabbed his clothes tightly, panicking, "I want to be with you. I will do anything – cook, clean, anything you want – but please don't leave me." She started crying. Noah hugged her, reassuring her, "Why would I do that to you? You are just a child, only 12 years old." Then he told her, "There is one way." Lily looked at him with hopeful eyes. She cried and hugged him tightly, saying, "Thank you, thank you." She broke the hug and asked with a frown, "Am I accepted by society?" Noah widened his eyes and replied, "I'm also a part of society." Lily widened her eyes, looked at him, hugged him, and said with tears, "Please adopt me, Dad." Noah smiled and said, "Okay then." Outside, Ava heard this, smiled, and went to her work. Later, at the HospitalAva sat at her desk, the events of the day replaying in her mind. Noah's kindness towards Lily had sparked a warmth in her chest. A genuine smile played on her lips as she recalled their interaction.Suddenly, her phone rang, jolting her out of her reverie. It was her sister, Lvy."Hello, sis? How are you?" Ava answered, her smile fading slightly."Fine," Lvy replied. "Just checking in. Didn't Noah make it in today? He said he wouldn't be available for another six days."Ava's smile faltered completely. "Oh, don't worry about it," she said, her voice strained. "His manager called me."Lvy's voice grew suspicious. "His manager? He's sitting right here with me. He said he didn't call you."Ava felt a bead of sweat trickle down her temple. "Right," she stammered, trying to piece together a believable lie. "Well, maybe... he came by the hospital to apologize."Lvy's skepticism was evident. "Okay, Ava," she said slowly. "If you say so. Anyway, we're planning a family dinner soon. Will you come?"Ava hesitated, torn between wanting to spend time with family and the newfound connection with Noah and Lily. "Ah, I think I can make it," she finally said, hoping the situation wouldn't unravel before then."Great!" Lvy chirped. "See you then. Take care."Ava hung up, her heart pounding. She needed to be more careful. A single lie could unravel everything. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to focus on her work, but Noah's face kept flashing in her mind. She shook her head and thought, "Focus, Ava. It's not professional." After taking a few deep breaths, she began to work, and the nurse said, "Ma'am, patients are waiting," to which she replied with a smile, "Bring them in."A weight settled in Noah's stomach as he looked at Lily. The school offered a sense of normalcy, a routine that might be comforting after the trauma she'd endured. "You go to school, right?" he asked gently.

Lily, her eyes downcast, nodded hesitantly. "Saint International School," she mumbled.

A small smile tugged at Noah's lips. "That's a good school," he offered, hoping to draw a brighter response.

"Do you have any friends there?" he continued, his voice soft.

Lily's head snapped up, a flicker of light returning to her eyes. "Mila," she said, a hint of pride in her voice. "She's my best friend."

Relief washed over Noah. A friend, a connection – that was good. "That's great, Lily," he said sincerely.

Lily, a little nervous, asked, "Do you have any friends?"

Noah nodded, "Yes, I do. His name is Jack, and we work at the same company."

"Do I have to go to school?" Her voice trembled slightly. "I don't know what to do."

Noah understood her hesitation. School could be overwhelming, a constant reminder of the life she left behind. "It's completely up to you, Lily," he said gently. "Would you rather stay home for a few days or go back to school?"

Lily nodded again, "She told me once, I remember."

Noah handed her his phone, and she dialed the number with trembling hands. The phone rang, and a voice answered, "Hello, who is this?"

Lily took a deep breath, "Hello, I am Lily, Mila's friend."

"Ahh, Mila, wait, I'll give it to Mila," the voice said before passing the phone over.

A moment later, Mila's voice came through the phone, bright and cheerful, "Hello, Lily, how are you? You didn't come to school. Why?"

Lily, a little nervous, glanced at Noah. He shook his head slightly, encouraging her to keep it simple. "Ahh, I am not feeling good, that's why, and I will not come for five days. Can you help me with your notes?"

Mila responded eagerly, "Sure, I will help you. If you want, I can personally come and give you the notes. By that, we can meet and play at your home. I've never seen your house."

Lily, a little nervous, looked at Noah again. He smiled and nodded encouragingly. She said, "Okay, I will send you the address."

"Okay," Mila said happily. "See you soon, then!"

"Okay," Lily echoed, and then the call ended.

Noah looked at Lily, his eyes filled with warmth and reassurance. "See, everything will be alright. You have good friends who care about you."

Lily bit her lip, her brow furrowed in concentration. "If I stay home," she said finally, "will Mila still help me with my schoolwork?"

"I'm sure she would," Noah assured her. "Would you like me to call her and ask?"

A flicker of hope sparked in Lily's eyes. "Really?" she asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Noah nodded. "Of course. Do you have her number?"

Lily nodded again, "She told me once, I remember."

Noah handed her his phone, and she dialed the number with trembling hands. The phone rang, and a voice answered, "Hello, who is this?"

Lily took a deep breath, "Hello, I am Lily, Mila's friend."

"Ahh, Mila, wait, I'll give it to Mila," the voice said before passing the phone over.

A moment later, Mila's voice came through the phone, bright and cheerful, "Hello, Lily, how are you? You didn't come to school. Why?"

Lily, a little nervous, glanced at Noah. He shook his head slightly, encouraging her to keep it simple. "Ahh, I am not feeling good, that's why, and I will not come for five days. Can you help me with your notes?"

Mila responded eagerly, "Sure, I will help you. If you want, I can personally come and give you the notes. By that, we can meet and play at your home. I've never seen your house."

Lily, a little nervous, looked at Noah again. He smiled and nodded encouragingly. She said, "Okay, I will send you the address."

"Okay," Mila said happily. "See you soon, then!"

"Okay," Lily echoed, and then the call ended.

Noah looked at Lily, his eyes filled with warmth and reassurance. "See, everything will be alright. You have good friends who care about you."

Lily, for the first time, offered a genuine smile. It was a small thing, a flicker of light during darkness, but it sent a jolt through Noah. "Thank you, Dad," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. The word resonated in him, a silent plea for a father figure she'd never had. He pulled her into a loose embrace, the gesture awkward yet comforting. At that moment, unspoken words hung heavy in the air, the foundation of a bond forming between them.