Speechless | Wilbur & Niki Angst

Flashbacks

TW: Waterboarding/drowning, panic attack, electrocution 

A/N: Thank you all sosoosososossosososososososososososososossoossoo much for all of the support, it means the world, really. Enjoy the chapter :)

 Niki fell into the lake with a splash. The water chilled her to her bones. Frantically, she swam her way up to the surface. Everyone was laughing, laughing at her. Tommy was struggling to stand, his face as red as a tomato. Phil was trying to keep his composure, and failing miserably. Techno was still simply standing there, though a smile had crept onto his face. And Wilbur... Wait, where was Wilbur? Looking around desperately, her eyes hopelessly searching the seemingly endless expanse of water.

-

"Come on little kitten." The guard leered, lowering his taser into the water once again. "No need to be scared." Her head gets forced under, her lungs screaming for air. "You just have to swim." Another shock. Opening her mouth in a nearly soundless scream, she loses her precious breath.

Her head finally breaks through the surface. Gasping, she inhales the precious oxygen. Wilbur's eyes were on her, fighting desperately to get to the struggling cat. Back under. Niki's limbs were getting tired; the combination of treading water, getting electrocuted, and the lack of air getting to her.

Another shock. Niki writhed in the water, her attempts at escaping in vain. The darkness was encasing her, mocking her with the silence. The darkness should have been peaceful. The darkness was supposed to be her safe space, where no guard would ever touch her. The darkness was where she could slip into the shadows, becoming invisible to all of the dangers. The shadows were supposed to be her friends, not this taunting mass of hellish gloom.

Finally, the pressure was released, and she surged to the surface. Gasping for air, she begged for mercy. She didn't want to be tormented by this abyss, this endless nothing. The pleas fell on empty ears. The guard simply smiled, and forced her back under.

-

Niki flailed in the water, the movements barely keeping her afloat. Her breaths came out raspy and uneven, heavily contrasting the smiling face that was there a moment earlier. No one was laughing anymore.

"Niki!" Phil cried, trying to snap the poor girl out of her frantic state. Wilbur was trying his best to keep her head out of the water, though he kept getting pushed away by her thrashing limbs. Deciding to change tactics, the eagle shouted to the agitated boy, "Will!" The siren hybrid looked up, "Move over, mate." Hesitantly, the young male he complied.

Slipping into the water, Phil carefully slipped one of his arms around Niki's waist, the other gripping the dock.

"Niki, I'm not going to hurt you. I-I don't know what you've gone through, so I won't pretend. Wilbur is right here, OK? I'm not going to hurt you. You can get through this, alright?" He continued to comfort her, and slowly, her eyes came back into focus. "I'm going to get you out of the water, OK?" She nodded shakily.

Lifting her out gently, he set her down on the wood of the dock. As soon as her feet hit dry ground, she was embraced by Wilbur, who had gotten out moments before. The boy mouthed something to her, and she nodded. He hugged her tighter. 

Ok, quick thing: my family and I are going on vacation, so I might not update as much this next week. After that, my schedule will (hopefully) go back to normal. As always, hope you have a great day/night, bye!