Lily’s eyes shot open. The room faded in and out of focus. She breathed heavily. Her chest rose and fell as she panted, causing her lungs to spasm. Someone sat above her on the bed she laid on. Lily could barely feel their warm hands softly gripping her shoulders. She couldn’t see them in the darkness, but they had dark-colored hair. Just like…
Oh god…
Damean…
“Breathe…” The figure whispered.
She scooted away from the short-haired figure. Lily was so terrified that she couldn’t speak. Fear rushed through her veins, turning her blood to ice. Her skin froze, but it burned as it froze. The blanket that she was under was tangled around her. She hit the edge of the bed, falling so fast that the impact burned her blisters. She cried out as the burn surrounded her whole body. She couldn’t move, the pain was unbearable. It burned, stung, ached. It felt like fire was consuming her entire body. Where did she get all of this pain from?
“Jelly bean,” she heard the figure say between sobs, “please, turn on the lights.”
Lily continued sobbing as little footsteps padded behind her, flicking the light switch.
The brightness burned Lily’s retinas, but that was minimal compared to the agony she was in. It hurt so much that she wanted to tear her skin off.
“Help me…” Lily pleaded to the boy that slipped off the bed. “It hurts! I’ll do anything! Please! make the pain stop!” Tears slipped from her eyes, the salt burned the wounds on her cheeks. She continued crying, the pain getting worse.
The brown haired boy looked at his watch. “Oh god… It’s way past med time…” The boy said in a worried tone.
Lily started recognizing him as her vision came back from panicking. “Please… I’ll do anything…”
“Lily, I’m not going to force you to do anything just because I helped you.” He sat down next to her. His emerald green eyes shone with fear. He looked up to a red haired child that was standing above them. The girl’s face was edged with panic. “Jelly bean, I need burn cream and pain meds. Oh, and gauze, tape, and wrap.” He pointed behind Lily. “They’re in that paper bag from the hospital.”
The girl nodded and padded off to get the medical supplies.
The boy looked down at Lily, “Don’t worry, we’re gonna help you. Just breathe.”
Lily continued to sob, her skin burned and froze. “I can’t remember anything!” She shook her head, “I can’t! All I remember is my dream!”
“You must’ve had a seizure while you were sleeping.” The boy said. “Don’t worry, you’re safe.”
The little girl padded back to the boy and handed him everything he asked for. He set them down by his side and Lily felt his fingers touch her temples.
Her memories hit her like a slap in the face. She suddenly remembered that boy that was sitting next to her, and the child that was standing above them.
Lily panted heavily, “What… What…”
“It’s okay,” Jason said, “just breathe.”
The fire on her skin was agonizing, “It hurts…” She whimpered through her clenched teeth.
“I know, sweetheart.” Jason said. “Jelly bean, please, stay there. I might need your help.” When the little girl nodded and sat down, Jason looked back down at Lily. “I’m going to change your bandages, alright?”
Lily nodded, tears still burning her cheeks. “Alright…”
Jason softly untangled the comforters that surrounded Lily. He pulled them off of her, exposing her bloody bandages. “Oh god…” Jason said while wincing. “That looks like it hurts…” He lightly unwrapped the bandages from her arms and his eyes widened at the torn scabs Lily’s fall caused. Her arms were dripping gore everywhere. The blood dripped off her arms onto the carpet. “Jesus Creist…” He looked at Jules, “On second thought… Can you get me antibacterial ointment?” She nodded, stood, and walked away. Jason looked down at Lily. “I’m gonna have to take off your dress… Are you okay with that?”
Lily nodded without a second thought, “Just make the pain stop…” She sobbed.
He tried to lift up her dress to her stomach, but the blood that bled through the bandages stuck her dress to her body. “Oh god… Crap…” He pushed air out of his lips then reached for something on the nightstand. Lily heard metal scraping against the wood as he struggled to grab something. Then, when Jason got a hold of the object, he lowered his hand. He held her father’s pocket knife in his hand. “I’m only going to use it to cut your dress, I promise.”
“I know,” Lily breathed out through her pain, “I trust you…”
He exhaled and sliced her blood stained dress from the collar to the waist, then he put the knife down and ripped it the rest of the way. Lily winced as the dress rubbed the blisters on the back of her thighs. “Sorry!” Jason panicked.
“It’s okay…” Lily said through clenched teeth. “Don’t apologize…”
“Here,” Jules handed Jason a bottle of ointment. “That’s what you wanted, right?”
“Yes.” Jason said, “Thank you so much. You’ve been a big help.”
Jules looked down at Lily’s bloody wounds. Her eyebrows drawn together in concern. “Is sissy going to be alright?”
“Yes.” Jason said, “We’re going to help her.” He leaned down and cut Lily’s sleeves with the knife. He looked down at Lily’s face that was edged in pain. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she took little breaths as her chest rose and fell. Jason leaned forward and lightly cut the blood soaked bandages on her stomach. He peeled away the dress, the already cut bandages, and then gasped. He covered his mouth in his hands. “My god, Lily…” His eyes were so wide that Lily thought they were going to fall out of his head.
Her stomach was filled with deep wounds and cuts. Burns as well, but the cuts and bruises was what Jason was worried about. They bled severely. Gore trickled down to the ripped dress that was on the floor.
“Did the fire cause this?” Jules asked sadly.
“No… they’re too fresh…” Jason still had his hands over his mouth. “Lily,” He looked up to her teary gaze, “I think you did this.”
“I did?” Lily panicked, “I didn’t mean to!”
“I know,” Jason said, “you did it while you were sleeping I think…” He stared down at her wounds, “Damean might know that you are sharing Lucifer’s memories…” He muttered to himself, “He is connected to your mind… So, when you're sleeping he’s controlling you because you're not controlling yourself….” Jason looked up, his eyes wide with shock, “My god. He’s using NIGHTMARES to slowly control you!”
“WHAT?” Lily almost screamed. Her veins blazed. She almost forgot the pain she was in. But then it burst through her skin when she tried to sit up. She cried out, falling back onto the ground.
Jason lightly touched her arms, “I’m just going to help you, okay? Then we’ll figure it out.” He spread a huge glob of antibacterial ointment on his hand and rubbed it in Lily’s cuts. She screamed. The fire that spread in her cuts was unbearable. He held out his hand that was being unused. “Hold my hand,” he said, “it’ll help.” She grabbed his hand with her two burnt ones. She cried and screamed as she squeezed his hand as tight as she could. He spread it on the last cut on her stomach, “Almost done…” He tried to say in his normal voice, but it came out strained. Lily’s fingernails were digging into his palm. “There.” He looked up at her and smiled. “Done.”
She still held onto his hand, tears stained her cheeks. “Th- th- thank you…” She stammered.
“Of course.” Jason looked over at Jules and his expression changed.
Jules sniffled and Lily looked over at her. Tears slipped from her eyes as she stared at Lily. “Sissy… I’m sorry…” She sat on the floor and kneeled down, placing her forehead on her knees. “I should’ve woken you up sooner, like I did before…”
Lily smiled softly, “Don’t apologize.” She held out her hand as Jason smiled and went back to attending to her wounds. “Come here.”
Jules looked up, her bright pink eyes shone with tears.
“It’s okay.” Lily said.
Jules got on her hands and knees and crawled over to Lily. She laid down and cuddled with Lily’s head. Lily softly stroked her hair as Jason taped gauze to her wounds on her stomach.
“Don’t ever apologize for something like that.” Lily said softly, “And don’t blame yourself either.” She lightly brushed her fingers through Jules’ head. “Alright, smiles?”
“You… came up with a nickname for me?” Jules asked softly.
Lily stayed silent and continued to softly run her fingers through Jules’ light red hair. “Promise you won’t blame yourself for something that I’ve done?” Lily asked.
Jules nodded in Lily’s hair.
“You know,” Jason said, attending to the last wound on her arm, “it’s not your fault either.” Jason looked up after he wrapped her arms up with the last bandage, “You can’t control what happens to you while you sleep.” He picked up all the trash from the gauze and bandages, “Normally, it wouldn’t be anyone's fault.” He tossed the wrappers in the trash can. “It’s your father’s fault.”
“But-” Lily started.
“No buts.” Jason interrupted. “It’s Damean’s fault, not yours. And there’s no question about it.”
“Okay.” Lily finally said.
Jason slipped his hand under her back. “Can you sit up? You desperately need pain meds.” Lily nodded and he helped her rise from the ground. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out as her cuts folded under her gauze. “Breathe… Breathe…” Jason murmured as he helped her to stand.
She stood and her head rushed, causing her vision to fade. “Woah…”
“Here,” Jason said, “relax on the bed, okay?” She sat on the bed, her cuts folding again. She gasped as she leaned against the soft fabric of the headboard. He placed a pill in her hand and a glass of water. “Take this.”
She placed the pill in her mouth and swigged water as she swallowed it. Jason walked over to the dresser and dug around in Lily’s drawer.
He pulled out a black nightgown and walked over to Lily as she placed the cup of water back on the nightstand. “Try to sit up, please.” Lily sat up. The pain dug into her stomach, causing her to whimper. He opened the left sleeve. “Arm.” She slipped her left arm through the sleeve. He opened the other sleeve. “Arm.” She did the same with her right. He opened the collar. “Head.” She leaned forward as he slid the collar over her head. He pulled the soft, cool fabric down her body softly. He tried his best not to hurt her. When he finished he cupped her cheek. “There you go.” He smiled. “Please, lay down.”
She struggled to lay down as her wounds burned. Jason placed the covers over her, trying not to press down on any cuts. Lily looked up at him, “Thank you.”
Jason smiled in response. Then he looked over at Jules who stood next to the bed awkwardly. “Jelly bean, come on. Cuddle with your sister.”
Jules smiled her happy adorable smile. She jumped on the bed. She laid down on the right side of Lily and lightly grasped Lily’s arm. She hugged it like she was afraid of touching Lily. Lily felt terrible for making Jules sad, but she was going to make it up to her the next day.
Jason laid on the left side of Lily, lightly brushing her bangs out of her face. He pulled her head into his chest and softly pressed his lips to her forehead. Lily was stuck for sure… She had a child grasping her right arm, and her left arm was pressed against Jason’s chest. She just hoped she wouldn’t have another nightmare… She didn’t want to be controlled like her father was. It sounded horrible. After she saw Lucifer… THE KING OF ALL DEMONS, cry… She didn’t want to end up like that…
“Go to sleep…” Jason said into Lily’s hair. “We’ll protect you.”
“But, I want you to sleep too…” Lily whispered.
Jason tucked a strand of hair behind Lily’s ear. “We will. We’ll wake up once we feel you move.”
Lily gazed at the ceiling. She felt exhausted… but she wasn’t sure if she should sleep.
“Do you need me to help you sleep again?” Jason asked softly.
Lily hesitated, then nodded.
“Okay.” Jason started lightly running his fingers through her hair. He brushed his thumb on her cheek, causing her eyes to weigh down. “Focus on your breathing.” Jason murmured. “Feel how your body’s starting to relax.” Lily’s muscles relaxed and her head dropped to the side, falling into Jason’s chest. “That’s it…” He whispered, “Focus on how your breath is short and soft…” Part of Lily wanted to stay awake, but Jason calmed her with his soft strokes and his calm tone. “Breathe…” His voice was quieter than a whisper. “Sleep…” Her lips parted and her facial expression relaxed. “Have good dreams… We’ll protect you…” He said as she fell through the mattress into her dreams.
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