Tridents, butterflies and absolute freedom. (Book 5)

Lily

I woke slowly, bleary eyed and yawning. I wasn't awoken by nightmares, by flashbacks or fear. I was woken by crying. I sighed and slowly sat up on the sofa groaning when my back shot with pain. That's the last time I tease York about punching like a girl- he made me pay for it with press ups.

Finn sat up next to me "I'll go?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah of course."

"Ok."

If my back and legs didn't sort themselves out in a few of days it looked like I'd be off to the hospital since I'd already been to the doctors. That sounded exactly how I wanted to spend a Monday. But I suppose today was Friday, I still had time...or at least I thought so?

"I know," I heard Finn sigh as he yawned "Daddy's taking too long, it's too early in the morning?"

I burrowed back under the covers. I could get used to this. Well, I could if it meant Finn didn't have to take up what I didn't. He put a bottle in Nova's mouth and sat on the edge of the sofa.

"Did you sleep okay?" He mumbled

I nodded "Fine."

"Good!"

I giggled "Did you?"

"Um, apart from the couple of times Nova decided to get me up?"

It was three times- I decided Finn had done his fair share of night feeds in the past week or so which meant when Nova was whimpering at 3 this morning, I got up. I wasn't going to tell him that though because then he'd warn me I was overdoing it and he'd tell my mom and then she'd shout at me that for provoking my symptoms to get worse. Yeah, if anything, getting a lecture from my mom was still something I tried to avoid.

"I'll do night feeds next?"

He rolled his eyes "Lil, you need to make sure you're ok first."

"Okay." I sighed

He smiled gently lifting Nova on to his shoulder "It's true."

"Maybe."

I strained to reach the coffee table and handed him a cloth "Here."

He opened his mouth to thank me until his face went straight "Um, too late."

"Oh." I giggled "I'll take her- you um, get a change of clothes?"

He handed me the baby and dabbed his shoulder with the cloth.

"Did you throw up all over daddy sweetheart?" I muttered, grinning, and stroking her hand

He smirked "You're not funny?"

"I'm laughing?"

"Just wait until she's sick on you again."

"I look forward to it."

I giggled as he rolled his eyes and went up the few steps to the corridor.

I heaved myself to sit up and sat Nova on my lap, smoothing down the sticky up part of her hair. She turned and grinned.

I smiled "What?"

It'd been about four months since she was born. I was allowed to be fussy- she was completely unexpected. That was...ten months since the games, Nova had been born a month early but she was okay and I was okay and I suppose my life was finally no longer in turmoil. It was peacetime- only now it would last forever. I glanced around the room warmly lit by the fire: that frame Charlie got Finn for Christmas just before Fliss was born hung over the mantle. There was a good few more pictures in it now even if the frame itself was scuffed and chipped and slightly black around the right side from fire damage, and it probably needed varnishing at some point. Pancake was fast asleep on the crazy patterned rug that I loved and Finn hated...I like it so that's kind of it. The arm chair next to the fire needed stuffing and that hole in the right corner wanted patching up. That same chair where Finn pleaded with me to find out what sex Fliss was and my answer didn't change so he finally accepted defeat. The kitchen was against the wall from the fire to the end of the room with it's oak and white units that was still too small for a family of four: never mind what is a family of five- of course Annie made us a family of six- and when my mom and dad came round on Sundays that was eight- add the dog that was nine.... I didn't mind though because the majority of these were all cosmetic things and I could deal with the kitchen since I didn't tend to do any particularly fancy cooking. This was home and home meant everything to me. I heard someone shuffle around in the corridor. It wasn't Finn- I don't think?

Fliss crept down the stairs "Mom I'm freaking out!"

"Why?"

"I forgot to finish my essay and it has to be in today!"

She skidded down through the room in her pyjamas and grabbed her backpack.

I frowned "Ah right?"

"How could I forget though?!"

I never really had this problem. I was mostly schooled by Francine in my many visits to the hospital. I hated my actual school because I didn't have any friends and the teachers greatly undermined my intelligence. I started injecting myself with a good few centilitres of morphling- enough to get me in hospital but not enough to do me much damage: until my mom found out. When I moved to 12 I made an effort to be as bad as possible: until my mom threatened to bring me back....I smiled, shaking my head. I suppose I wasn't much help. I didn't even start the work to finish it.

"Fliss, it's half five in the morning- I'll write you a note or something?"

"Mom, it's Ms.Argden: she hates me- that won't work, I'll just have to finish it." She groaned "And I have a science presentation today and that's on top of an exam today to see what set I go in for my final year and-"

"Felicity, calm down, it'll be ok: no matter what set you're in, you'll be fine?"

"Ok-" she agreed as she started to write at the dining table "Are you any better?"

I lied "A little better I guess."

"Good- argh I just wrote "better" in my sentence!" She growled scribbling it out.

I smiled "Sorry?"

"It's ok- what's dad doing in Charlie's room?"

"Our clothes are in there while grandma and grandad stay here."

"Oh," she grimaced "Was Nova sick on him?"

"Yup."

"Ew."

I giggled "You were too quite a while ago, I don't know what the big deal is?"

She screwed up her face "Thanks."

Nova started whimpering. I offered her my index finger and she took it, yawning.

"If you're tired now baby that must mean daddy is absolutely shattered with you keeping him up at night?"

"Pretty much." Finn mumbled pulling me onto his lap. His eyes widened at Fliss "What are you doing up?"

"Home work that's due today."

"Oh dear?"

"Yup."

The clock on the far wall tolled for Six AM. The little government-standardised TV screen on the far wall next to the corridor flickered on:

'Today's headlines'

Finn gently kissed the side of my head as I read them. Every morning this same thing happened. I loved that it really was every morning without fail.

Austerity measures put in place for universal standards for education

I suppose that was better for 12 then.

Also being proposed in today's government review is a National Health Service

Also good.

BREAKING NEWS: The parents of tribute Freedom Falks seek an appeal to charge victor Lily Juniper Odair with murder.

I jumped startled. Wake up. WAKE UP!

Finn sat up sharply "WHAT?!"

But this wasn't a nightmare. This was real.