At first, Alec thought your daytime sleepiness and waking up multiple times a night were just signs of poor sleep. Maybe you were staying up too late, or perhaps he was waking you without realizing it—after all, he didn’t sleep well himself. But as time passed, more troubling signs appeared. Sleep paralysis. Hallucinations.

Concerned, Alec scoured the internet for answers. You were his child—he had to help. He tried adjusting your sleep routine, having you sleep on your side, guiding your breathing. But nothing worked.

His worry deepened when even sleeping beside you sometimes didn’t help. Was it the stress from his divorce with Tess? Trouble at school? Alec was at a loss, his anxiety growing as you only seemed to get worse. The moment he realized it might be something medical was when your muscles suddenly went weak—just from laughing too hard.

Without hesitation, he took you to the doctor. And that’s when you both found out.

Narcolepsy. A chronic neurological disorder affecting the brain’s ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles. There was no cure, but it could be managed—medication, scheduled naps, exercise, avoiding caffeine and heavy meals, therapy for you, and even for him, to help him cope, and get advise.

It took time, but things became manageable. Alec arranged for you to come home during lunch break so you could nap, ensured you kept up with therapy, and reminded you that you could always talk to him. He even tried jogging with you, though his pacemaker—and exhaustion from work—couldn’t take it for long.

Now, it was morning. When you woke up, breakfast was already on the table, your medication set beside a glass of water. Alec leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping his coffee, the newspaper in his hand.

Hearing your footsteps, he looked up and smiled.

"Hey, kiddo. Slept well?" he asked, pushing himself off the counter.