Let Me Go

Chapter Fourteen

Luke's POV

Exhaustion is weighing my body down like no other tonight. From lack of sugar and the heaviness of the past few days, I'm more than willing to curl up in a chair and call it night.

This cute little bird has captured the attention of all my brothers, even the Toma team it seems, and we are all super curious about her. More than once I found myself drifting off into a daydream, only to forcefully pull myself out of it in order to listen to what was being said. It's not everyday that you learn one of your friends can communicate with the dead. I didn't want to miss a minute of it.

I'm staying with North. He seemed reluctant to leave the little bird. I thought it would have been better for Raven to stay since he is the one that can communicate with her, but North told Raven he had it under control. Raven wanted to get some things squared away first anyways before they started their assignment with us. He said he would be taking the most shifts. It made sense since he had an advantage that none of us had. Sang would be able to relay anything that happened to Raven and he could handle it. Plus, he would be able to help her figure out why her spirit was here.

The reasonings were still a little fuzzy to me. I understood the gist of what they had been saying earlier, but it didn't make sense. Maybe because I didn't want to believe that Sang was lost to us. I had to have faith that life couldn't really be that cruel. Especially to someone like her. She seemed too pure, too innocent, to have her life taken from her at such a young age. She hasn't even gotten to really live, to experience what the world has to offer. That mother of hers has had her locked away practically her entire life. I'm surprised she even allowed Kota the amount of trust that she did.

What does that say about Kota's character?

I'm honestly happy that it was Kota who found her. If I'm being truthful with myself, if it had been anyone else, I'm not so sure that we would have developed a relationship with her. I think she would have run off as soon as Max had gotten off of her with any of the others. Kota was just the right person at that moment for her. Now he has brought her into our family and we will protect her at all costs.

Maybe even go as far as to make sure that family of hers can never cause her harm again. I'll have to speak to the rest of my brothers. See if they are willing to exact a little revenge in the name of our cupcake. I don't think I will have to convince them too much. Though we will have to keep it away from our elders. Mr. B and Doc may have some choice words for what I have planned, ultimately though, I think they would approve. Even if it is never said aloud.

I've just closed my eyes and began to drift off when chaos erupts in the room. Machines blaring and North yelling for a nurse, doctor, someone to get in here to help. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the low light, but what I see has my own heart stopping.

There thrashing on the bed is Sang. Sweat coats her skin and whimpers are escaping her lips. The sound alone would break anyone. Coupled with the torment you can plainly see on her face? Yeah, I just want to wrap the little cupcake into my arms and never let her go. I don't know what is going on, but it's clearly having a negative effect on Sang.

"Move. Everyone, get out of the way. North calm down," Doc bellows while rushing to Sang's side. I thought he had gone home, but I should have known better. The man hasn't left the hospital since she has come in, he won't start now. Not even if the rest of us are here.

Doc looks over the machines. Holds her fingers to her wrist. Checks other vitals before turning to us.

"The good thing is that she is showing more signs of life. Her pulse continues to strengthen as well as her brainwaves." He stops, leaving us hanging, his eyes going back to Sang as another whimper escapes.

"But?" North demands. Boy has no quiet setting. Always so gruff and loud. Even when he doesn't mean to come across as such. I'm just glad to hear his voice at all. Swear to God, I thought he was a mute when he first came to live with us. Stupid boy wouldn't utter a thing to Uncle or me. I even learned sign language in order to communicate with him. Turns out he was just a moody bastard that took a bit to warm up to people. He still doesn't talk much. Only when he is yelling, his way of showing he cares, or has something important to tell you. Sometimes those things overlap and he yells his cares in your face. But I love the stupid guy. The Academy brought me my brother and I couldn't be more grateful to have him in my life. Wouldn't change a thing about the grump. Except maybe his hatred for my candy stashes.

Sean takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before continuing. "We have a long way to go. She's fighting on two fronts it seems like. Physically and mentally. Whatever she faced in that house of horrors wasn't pretty and she is struggling to cope. I don't know if she is reliving the nightmares or is having a regular one. Whatever is happening is taking a toll on her body along with the damage it has already sustained. There is no way for us to keep her calm in order for her to allow her wounds to heal."

"We can't talk to her? Let her know she isn't alone?" I ask aloud. We know she can hear us, as demonstrated earlier with our little interrogation with Raven. He didn't have to relay our questions to her, she was able to hear us just fine. It was just us who couldn't hear her. It makes sense to talk to her. Maybe allow our voices to offer her comfort in her darkest moments.

"Yeah, that will probably work. Just until she calms down. We need our sleep as well."

The nurses exit the room, leaving North, Sean, and me in the room with our little bird. She is still whimpering, but the convulses have died down. I don't know what it means, but I don't take my eyes off of her. Just waiting for something dreadful to happen. I can't imagine what we would do if things took a turn for the worse. How Kota would cope. It's something I don't want to fantasize about at all.

Though I do have one concerning thing that has me wondering.

"If Sang is a ghost, then why is she dreaming in the first place?"

North and Sean both look to me in question before turning their attention back to Sang. Confusion written on their faces, much like I'm sure is showing on mine as well.

Do ghosts sleep? Or did her spirit enter back into her body? And if so, does that mean we have more hope now, a chance that she will wake up soon?