The family ties of Lily Juniper Abernathy (book 3)

Chapter 20

I glanced up from the book I was reading and watched Finn and Charlie roll across the floor, wrestling each other. He squealed with laughter as Finn tickled him. I smiled and went back to it as there was a gentle tap on the door.

"I'll get it!" I watched him skip to the door and fumble with the handle

"Want some help?" Finn offered

"No thanks, I got it?"

"Alright?" He chuckled coming over and putting his arm around me. I laid my head on his shoulder and sighed. I was tired, I think everyone was from the travelling round (With a grand acceptation for the four year old in our party.) I closed my eyes and yawned. Finn plucked the book from my hands and pulled me onto him cradling me and gently nuzzling into my neck "Tired?"

I nodded "Yeah, think I might need food, shower then bed."

I heard him yawn "I think I'll join you?"

I blinked and grinned "In the shower too?"

"Well, that's not what I meant but-" he kissed my cheek and whispered flirtily "If that's what you want?"

Ugh. Why did he have to talk like that and make me go all weird?

Charlie finally got the door open "Hi grandma?"

"Hi!" There was a concerned pause "Are mommy and Daddy not in here?"

He nodded vigorously "Yeah, come in?"

Annie smiled at is both "Hey?"

"Hi." I yawned

"Do you want me to take Charlie off you for an hour until dinner? Give you both a chance to sleep?"

Finn nodded "Yeah sure?"

"YAY!" He cheered punching the air and following Annie out

"I didn't think we were that boring?" He chuckled

I shrugged "We must be?"

He pulled the duvet off the bed in the corner and tucked us both under it.

He drew my hair back and kissed my temple "Love you?"

"Love you too?"

The world around me blurred as I went to sleep. As it re-focused in my warped mind I was at home with Finn and Charlie, it was raining so the three of us were sat on the sofa. Charlie talking to us as Finn kissed my hair...and then bombs started falling and I was watching me and my family get crushed. My own screams echoed. It zoomed in on the plane, the bleeding corpse of Zanna tied to the pilot seat with "Adaam, eyes gouged out, in the one beside.

I jumped awake at the horror and gore, sat bolt upright, automatically gripping my hands to my sides and clamping my arms around my stomach. Finn pulled me into his chest "You okay?"

I took a few deep breaths and eventually formed the word 'yeah'

He gently ran his hand through my hair a few times gently stroking the back of my head as he did "That's okay then?" He paused as the concern slithered onto his face "Lil, what was it about?"

I frowned "The bombings...and...the people in the plane dropping them?"

He frowned too "Why? Was it Kair?"

I shook my head "All I saw were..."

I then shook my head in disbelief trying to clear my mind of it's insanity.

"Who was it?"

"Zanna and Adaam....they were dead."

He sighed "Lily, you're mumbling?"

I swallowed hard and said a little louder "It- it was- Adaam and Zanna's corpses."

He just continued to look at me.

"...in the Cockpit."

He was still looking

"And...Adaam's eyes...were..."

I broke down in tears and he took me into his arms

"Shh, Lil, it's- listen- you'll get through this, I know you will. And- and- and," he tapped up my chin and stroking a tear away from my cheek as he whispered "And we'll both get through what we saw in that arena, we'll do it together, I swear to you."

I sniffed "Come on Finn, we have to be honest, by now there's no hope of me making a full recovery- I was messed up before I even set foot in,that arena..."

He sighed hard and I thought I'd won until he put his forehead to mine and he cradled me and whispered "Me and you are still here, for Charlie, and we have each other?" He kissed my forehead hard "Right?"

"Right." - I had to admit it, he had a point.

I sighed "I'm going to try again?"

I got down with him and attempted sleep. It must've worked because I was gently awoken by him, just, normally.

"I would've let you sleep but then you would've missed dinner?"

I sat up dragging my hand through my hair "Ok, I'm coming?"

I combed it back into and ponytail and as I put on my shoes he kissed the back of my head before heading for the door. I followed and he slowly hooked his arm around my waist like he was unsure. He must've seen my confusion as he whispered "I didn't want to startle you?"

"Oh."

We got into the hotel's dinning room. Me and him exchanged looks when we saw the hotel manager and the staff constructing something out of rusty corrugated iron.

"What are they building?" I asked Annie once we got to the table.

She took a long pause before mumbling "A bomb shelter."

My eyes widened "Why? They won't come here will they?"

I just managed to control the flinch when Finn took my hand under the table and gave it a squeeze.

Annie shrugged "I wouldn't think so, but I suppose the manager isn't taking any chances?"

I nodded- no need to panic for now then? But, if they were still building one to be on the safe side that meant it could happen?

I closed my eyes for a few seconds-I needed to stop thinking about everything and focus on what was going on more immediately.

"Hi mommy." Charlie sang sticking his fork into his food.

"Hi sweetheart, you okay?"

He nodded grinning. Charlie and Finn and our new baby would be my focus: that was it. I was letting everything else go.