The deep

My head is below water

Disclaimer: This chapter contains adult themes and graphic language, as well as suicidal thoughts, and self-deprecating speech. not for readers under the age of 18.

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Ambrose was at the staircase within seconds, his blood ran cold when he beheld the sight in front of him.

There she was, the female who had him questioning if he was awake or asleep throughout that strange night.

She was at the bottom of the stairs, with a head wound bleeding profusely, gripping her leg, and pain etched onto her face.

Panic overtook him as he saw her starting to lose consciousness. He was by her side in an instant. Cradling her head and trying to keep her from passing out.

"Lilith, don't close your eyes, stay with me" he begged. He kept padding her face with his hand to keep her conscious.

"Come on, that's it, keep them open" he spoke to her like that for a couple of seconds until her eyes seemed to focus again. She moaned a bit and tried to sit up.

"No, don't move, your head and leg is injured, just keep still, I'm right here" he held her in that position for a while, trying his best not to move, the blood from her head covered all his hands as he put pressure on the wound.

Then he laid her head down softly and ran for his first aid kit. The day was starting off with a bang then, with more chaos than normal.

"Come on, put your arms around my neck" She made no protest and he lifted her off the floor, walked over to the living room, and set her down. He had treated the wound on her head and strapped her leg.

She hadn't said anything, only let out a couple of pained moans every now and then. "I'm going to take you to the hospital" he stated firmly, but just as he was about to turn to go and dress himself and get Lucy, she yelped out, panic overtaking her voice.

"No, no hospitals, please" she begged with everything inside her, her eyes pleading and brimming with tears. He was confused, awestruck by the denial of help, but the strain in her features softened his growing impatience.

Ambrose strode back over to her, eyes fixated on those pools of dark blue, her eyes drew him in closer, such sorrow, he needed some answers. "What happened?" he asked simply.

Lilith swallowed hard, "my foot slipped out from underneath me" was all she said.

Ambrose surveyed her, she was clothed in the same garments he had given her, but her hair had been washed and blown out, "You were leaving, weren't you?" she raised her eyes to meet his, they were determined and focused on his own.

"I was... I don't want to be a burden" Her shoulders stiffened but she held his gaze.

"You aren't a burden, gods... you could've at least waited for me to give you a ride, and you're wearing practically nothing, you'd die from the cold, the house is heated, but the cold would kill you" he realized his words were poorly chosen only after they were said.

"Well whatever, I don't care about that, I am fine, I don't need you saving me constantly" she bit back, but he held his tongue, he could see she was fighting a battle inside her, and by the looks of it, she was losing, so he sighed.

"Okay, fine, but why can't I take you to the hospital, you are clearly badly hurt?" she fought back tears and straightened her posture.

"Because, I can't go, please just don't press me on it, I just can't" Her voice was calm, but by the look on his face, he still seemed like he was going to take her regardless.

"If you want me gone, just take me up to the road, I'll figure it out from there" Ambrose said nothing. He only arched a brow and stared in disbelief.

"What?" she demanded, anger rising inside, he had such a stupid grin on his face, that she wanted to punch it right off.

"Do you even have a phone, money... shoes?" her eyes fell, telling him exactly what he thought, "do you have anywhere to go, and most importantly, can you walk?" her eyes shot to her leg, and her face grew grim.

"No" she admitted in defeat.

"So stop arguing, stop being so stubborn, and let me help". He watched her, but her eyes never left the ground, so he continued.

"I don't know you, I don't know your pain or what had to have gone so horribly wrong for you to end up in the ocean outside my house trying to end it all, I don't pretend to understand your circumstances, but... I can see that you are in trouble". She sniffled but stayed silent.

"Now you asked me not to go to the hospital. I don't understand why, but I respect that. I will never just let someone in need go and wander into the streets without knowing that you'll be safe, and able to do so. So just stay here until you feel better, I can help, let me help you" Ambrose didn't know where that came from, but he didn't feel comfortable just letting her limp away, left to her own devices without even proper clothes to keep her warm.

His heart ached at the thought, and he would not let her damage herself further.

His mother taught him better than that, "Is that agreeable. Could you live with it? because it's either that or the hospital". Her face shot up with reckless speed, and she met his gaze.

"No... I'll stay, just no hospitals" Her agreement wasn't one of outright acceptance, but simply because it was the only other option she could face, to go to the hospital could prove to be even worse than her current injuries. So she'd agreed with reluctance, at least here she could figure out her plan, strategize, and hopefully get her head back on track.

"Good then that's settled, I'll get you some water and painkillers" he stated firmly as he stood up, Lilith's gaze automatically traveled from his bare legs, up to his undergarments. She hadn't noticed his attire before and realized that he must still have been sleeping.

She obviously stared too long without thinking because Ambrose went rigid and she accidentally allowed her gaze to slide up to his torso, and then to his face, which had turned completely red in the process.

She tore her eyes away from his at once and had to breathe deeply to focus her mind.

"I'm... I'm gonna go put some clothes on" he stammered a bit, but did not move.

Lilith closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip to keep herself from looking like a damned fool even more than she already did.

She nodded her head and he sped away, she hated herself for doing that to him, he probably didn't even realize that he had only his underwear on because she was so fucking clumsy that she couldn't walk down the stairs properly, and had to wake him with her screams.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked herself out loud after he left, and let her face fall into her hands, her head stung at the impact and she winced at the throbbing pain.