Fates Intertwined

31. | Panic

The past few days, the group was busy. Though they had finally been moved into proper quarters, Nara was hung up in the girls, Lina was busy practicing, and the boys were stuck in paperwork. Aurora didn't understand why they were so serious about their newfound jobs. They'd be leaving the second Lina finished her performance.

Aurora leaned over the sink, her gaze settling on the snow globe that sat on the side of the sink. She was thinking back to what Hypnos had said to her.

"Even if I did, Van Helsing won't stop until he has you. It's a miracle he hasn't now, what with all his military access. Van Helsing has wanted you since the day you were born, Aurie."

"When you were born, some of your ancestral magic reincarnated with you. It's why your hair is white."

"You are more important to Van Helsing than she is. He won't go after her until he has you and you're under his finger...So, the best thing for you to do is find her before he finds you."

She never understood Van Helsing's fascination with her. It was almost as if she were his favorite. His favorite experiment to toy with. To torture.

She felt her hand begin to shake. She closed her eyes in an attempt to close her eyes, but when she did, all she saw was flashes. Of him. Of the pain. Of the feel of rubber beneath her as she was strapped down to a table, a belt in her mouth as they shocked her over and over again until she was crying.

Her breathing became heavy. She had done such a good job at pushing away the memories. Why resurface now?

When she closed her eyes, all she could see was Van Helsing, grinning down at her. The amount of times he had injected her with the serum to put her under his control. The way he'd lock her in a closed room, in the dark, and leave her there no matter how loud she screamed.

She wasn't unfamiliar with panic attacks. She had had many while being trapped in Hydra. But she had learned the ways to keep herself calm, to stop them from triggering, or at least getting so bad to the point she was passing out.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. There was a voice, but she couldn't hear it. She felt her head swim, her body heavy. All she could hear was her blood pumping through her veins.

She felt herself sway, but she was caught. She stumbled into the wall, sliding down. A figure appeared in front of her. She could faintly see the familiar features of Nara, her lips moving, before she was rushing out the door.

Aurora tried to call for her, reaching for her, but no words escaped her lips. She couldn't talk. She couldn't even get air into her lungs.

She collapsed on her side, curling into a ball with her hands over her head. Like she had done a thousand times before.

She felt herself being lifted and the panic set in. No. He's back. He's come to kill you.

She felt a soft, warm touch on her cheek, different from the cold feel of Van Helsing's, and she peeled open her eyes. The second her eyes met the familiar brown before her, she was jumping into his arms. Her head fell against his shoulder, her tears staining the white shirt he sported. She relied on the soothing touch of his hand running over the back of her head, through her hair.

All he did was hold her, running a soothing hand through her hair and rocking them back and forth. She focused on the warmth that radiated off him, that spread through her instead of the fact that she couldn't breathe, instead of the memories.

All there was was him. And in that moment, that was all she needed.

***

"I told you, I'm fine." Aurora expressed for the thousandth time from the top of the student desk in Zyran's "classroom".

"You were on the verge of passing out." Zyran deadpanned, leaning against the front of the desk.

"But I didn't."

"And if Nara hadn't found you, you would've."

"I don't see what the big deal is. It was a minor panic attack."

His eyes bugged. "Minor? You call that minor?"

"Zyran." Nara finally spoke from her spot against the wall. She had refused to leave, despite Zyran and Aurora's efforts.

He ignored her. "Since you got out, you haven't told us anything about Hydra, and now you're having panic attacks in bathrooms."

"If I wanted to talk about it, I would." Aurora shrugged.

"Don't you think you should?" Aurora narrowed her eyes. She didn't like where this conversation was heading, and she wanted it over.

Thankfully, Nara cut in. "Guys," Their heads snapped to her. "Lina's performance is tonight. We can't miss it, or she might literally murder us. And if Aurora doesn't want to talk about her trauma, don't force her to. Lina doesn't talk about her trauma, either."

"That's different—"

"Is it?" She interrupted. "Because to me, it looks like the exact same thing. Lina dealt with panic attacks. Granted they weren't as out in the open, but she still had them all the same. And you never bothered her about them. Aurora will open up about Hydra when she's ready, but if you push her, then she's never going to open up. And maybe, just maybe, if she can find someone to relate to, then she can learn to open up and tell her story with someone like her."

There's no one like me sat on the tip of Aurora's tongue, but she bit her tongue to keep it in.

Zyran sighed before turning back to Aurora. "Fine. I'm sorry for trying to force you to tell me about it."

Aurora only nodded her head. Nara clapped her hands. "Alrighty. Let's get a move on. Show starts at eight and Mama wants her some good seats." She announced as she walked to the door.

Aurora turned to Zyran confused, who looked the least bit surprised in the slightest. "Mama?"

"It's Nara being Nara." He sighed, and the two followed after her out of the room.