Doorbell

Doorbell
Hera POV

The first light of morning creeps through the curtains, painting the room in shadows that don't quite chase away the night.

I barely slept throughout the night.

How could I?

Lily and I ended up in her bed sometime after midnight, after another nightmare jolted her awake.

Her tiny fists clutched my shirt as she whimpered without words, as if I was the only thing keeping her grounded.

I held her throughout the night, rocking her like a baby.

When I hear the doorbell ring softly, I slip out of bed carefully, tucking the blanket around Lily's shoulders.

For a moment, she stirs, eyes fluttering open but doesn't wake fully.

I pull on a hoodie over my tank top, the jeans from yesterday and head downstairs.

I find Nyx in the kitchen, already brewing coffee.

Her dark hair tied back in a messy bun. The bags under her eyes tell me she didn't have it easy last night.

"Hey," she says, pouring a mug and sliding it my way.

"How is Lily?"

I wrap my hands around the mug, the heat seeping into my palms.

"Better than yesterday but still not talking." The words taste bitter on my tongue .

Lily's silence isn't just shyness.

It's a wall she has built from all the hell we have dragged her through. My chest aches for her and I find it hard to breathe.

She is a child for crying out loud. She should be chattering about cartoons and pancakes, not locking her fears away where we can't reach.

“ She doesn't deserve this.” Nyx murmurs.

“ Hell she doesn't. I feel guilty for not protecting her.” I whisper.

“ Hera, you can't fix everything on your own. It's impossible to do that.” Nyx says in an attempt to console me.

“ I should have at least protected her before trying to fix the world,Nyx. What's the need of having a peaceful world when my daughter is broken?”

“ Hera, stop.” Nyx says, a pleading look on her face.

“ Lily will get better. You did everything to protect everyone.” I look away, unable to say a world. That might be true but still, I feel like a failure.

“ Where is my brother?” Nyx asks.

I glance toward the stairs, where his bedroom door is still shut. He slipped out of the house in the middle of the night when Lily was having nightmares.

His shoulders were hunched like a man carrying the world. I could tell he was blaming himself for what happened to Lily and couldn't bear to see her suffering. Even someone strong like him can break, especially when it has something to do with children.

"He left early. Club stuff, probably." A lie, half-true.

Nyx sips her coffee, her eyes pinned on my face. "You okay?"

I'm not okay, but I nod anyway, forcing a smile that doesn't reach my eyes.

"Gotta be. Thanks for coming at such short notice.” I say. I had texted her in the crack of dawn asking her to come keep lily company as I handle stuff.

She waves it off, but pulls me into a quick hug.

"Family sticks together always.Go handle what you need to. I'll take care of my niece.”

I head back upstairs to check on Lily one last time before I leave.

I find her seated up, rubbing her eyes with balled fists.

When she sees me, her face crumples, and before I can say a word, she is scrambling off the bed, bare feet pattering across the floor. She slams into my legs, arms wrapping tight around my knees and face buried in my thigh. Her grip is iron as her body shakes with silent sobs.

My heart shatters, pieces scattering like glass in my chest. I drop to my knees right there, pulling her into my arms, cradling her close.

She doesn't say a word, just quiet and wrenching cries that tear at me deeper than any scream.

Tears burn my eyes but I push them back. We can't all be a crying mess. One needs to be the bigger person and console the other. I chose to be that.

“Hey, princess," I whisper, my voice cracking.

“ I'm here with you. I've got you baby.”

Lily clings harder, like if she lets go, I'll vanish. The fear in her actions hits me like a wave and I feel like I'm drowning in guilt.

This is our fault.Mason and me.

I pull back just enough to cup her face, my thumbs brushing away her tears.

Her big eyes meet mine in a silent plea.

"I'm not going anywhere, baby," I say softly, forcing the words out.

"I'll be back soon, I promise. But I have to go take care of the bad people who hurt you. I have to make sure they never, ever do it again. Okay”

She shakes her head, her lips trembling.

Even without saying it out loud, the message is Beth clear. She doesn't want me to leave.

I kiss her forehead, then her cheeks, tasting salt.

"Aunt Nyx is here. She is going to play games, make pancakes, remember how she does the funny shapes?

She will stay with you and I'll be back before you know it. Then I'll stay with you for as long as you want.”

For a long moment, she just stares, searching my face like she is memorizing it.

Then her grip loosens and she nods in understanding.

I hug her one more time then take her hand and head downstairs together.

Nyx scoops her up at the bottom, distracting with a goofy face that pulls a ghost of a smile from Lily. "Ready for chocolate chip towers?" Nyx asks, and Lily nods against her shoulder. I blow a kiss and slip out the door before I lose it.

The drive to the outskirts of Chicago is a blur. My hands grip the wheel too tight, knuckles white, mind replaying the damage Finn and Helena have done to my precious little baby and my family. The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

They will pay dearly for what they have done.