a book of parent!phan

19. just a dream.

Lily woke up.

At first, she wasn't quite sure what was going on, but it was traumatizing. She shot up from bed, panting heavily, her mind a roar of panic. Lily's eyes were slick with tears. She was trembling, and for a moment, she was still in the dark room, the only sound she could hear was the thumping of her heart. Then, she squeezed her eyes shut and wailed into her hands. Tears bursted from her eyes. A nightmare.

She could see the image clear in her head.

Phil, laying on the cold pavement, his eyes glossy and lifeless, compared to the bright, lively shine they always showed. His lips parted slightly, unmotionless, the same lips that kissed her head every time he hugged her. Red, thick, blood trickled from the ebony hair that Lily would toy with while he was napping.

It was too much.

"Papa,"  she cried brokenly into her hands, repeating the homely word over and over. She could see the image every time she closed her eyes.

Her mind raced, and she gave a broken gasp, her eyes shooting open.

Dad.

Dan was in the horrifying scene, his skin pale white, his eyes showing an unimaginable pain. It broke Lily's heart, over and over, the way his red eyes were clouded with tears, and how his shaking hands reached up to cover his gaping mouth.

"No, no, no," she sobbed to herself, her hands gripping at her hair, her soft wails breaking the silent hum of the night. "I-I can't," gasped Lily, her throat tightening. Her head wouldn't stop roaring, panic flashing before her eyes.

"Papa," she cried, breaking out of the attack, scrambling out of bed, her head thumping. She stumbled out of her door and through her parents', unaware of her uncontrollable gasps of fear.

"Papa," she whispered, walking to their bed. She sobbed, calling him, relishing the fact that she could coo his name.

Phil stirred, sitting up quickly. "Lily?"

Lily threw herself at him, her legs buckling underneath her, and she couldn't help but call him over and over, despite him being right next to her.

"What is it, baby?" whispered Phil, holding her as she cried silently.

"Papa, you were d-dead," she breathed, wiping the tears furiously from her cheeks with his shirt.

"Lily?" Dan had woken up, too, and he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"I'm here, baby, I'm here," coaxed Phil, cradling Lily in his lap.

"She had a nightmare, Dan," muttered Phil, cooing and tutting at Lily comfortingly.

Lily leaned back from Phil's lap, took one look into Dan's eyes, and cried. She shook the image of her dad so torn, so horrified, from her mind, and held out her arms. Dan held her close, peppering her cheek with kisses.

"Daddy, you were- you were," Lily couldn't make out full sentences, and fear flashed in her eyes once more as she fell into a state of panic again. "Papa was dead and I never want to see it ever again, please-no-"

"Lily, baby, you're alright, you're okay-" Phil coaxed Lily into his neck, rubbing her back, calming her as she listened to his voice comfort her. "It was just a dream, angel, we're here."

Dan, just as overwhelmed as Lily, had to wipe away a few tears from his eyes. How would a dream terrorize Lily so much? He knew how vivid dreams were, and how real it must've seemed to Lily.

As Lily fell asleep in between them. her cheeks stained with tears, Dan and Phil exchanged knowing looks to each other as he caressed her forehead.

They knew just how much Lily loved them. Because real love did terrible things, sometimes. But all that mattered was that they were safe and sound, but most importantly, together.

-

a/n: hi! its an update! oh god ive been having such terrible nightmares lately due to anxiety, where i just wake up and cry for hours, which inspired this I guess, but nightmares are so so horrific. i cried while writing this wow. anyways i hope it was okay writing always makes me happy so thats good