Time Stopped for You

Whats the truth?

"Harlow," I'm gently shaken awake by nurse Mari.
"Hmm?" I barely open my eyes.
"The doctors want to take another blood sample, is that alright?" She takes a step back as I sit up.
I rub the sleep out of my eyes, "Yeah that's fine."
"They'll be in then in about ten minutes," she smiles ruffling my hair. "You two are cute, I'm happy for you."
"T-thanks," I look away. She giggles as she leaves the room.
I look over at Mephisto, "time to wake up dumbass." I poke his nose, he tries to hide a smile as he sits up. "I'm getting more blood taken."
"They're monitoring how your body is going adapt," he yawns standing up, "today is going to be most amusing."
"If you get punched I'm not standing up for you this time," I stick my tongue out at him.
He shrugs it off, " I know you're lying princess."
The doctors come in with nurses, it doesn't take long for them to get the blood they need.
"We'll have your results back by tonight," the doctor smiles, but it's fake. They're worried, they want me to be human it's obvious. They nod at Mephisto as they leave, so the doctors know about him...
"Are you afraid darling?" He looks over at me his expression unreadable, "you could be a demon."
"I heard what happened to people who survived this long...it wasn't pretty," I sigh patting the bed, Mephisto sits down, "But they were still being tested on and I'm not."
"Yes I've witnessed some of the failed experiments," he looks away from me thinking back. "Let's say I'm glad we found you."
The nurse brings me food and pills, she said my guests will be allowed in soon. I can actually eat most of my food without my stomach immediately wanting to kill itself afterwards. I think my physical therapy will start soon too.
"So tell me." I move my tray out of the way and put my hands on Mephisto's shoulders, "what exactly are you going to tell my mother?"
"Oh the possibilities are endless really," he grins wickedly at me.
"I swear to god I will literally strangle you in your sleep," I mutter to myself thinking of all the ways this could end horribly.
"Worried?" He laughs, "I think in my couple hundred years I've managed learning how to handle things."
"Worried doesn't even begin to describe it," I stick my tongue out at him briefly.
I hear them coming, I wave as they walk in. Rex still won't look at me and Cara looks exhausted. My mom is missing, she must be running a little behind, they do leave soon probably packing up.
I look at Mephisto, and can already tell he is going to enjoy this waaaay too much.
"I guess your little stalker is back," Rex mutters under his breath, but it's loud enough we hear it as intended I'm sure.
"How crude," Mephisto shakes his head, "and good morning to you Miss Cara."
"Oh, um good morning Sir Pheles," Cara bows her head briefly and then takes a step towards us. "I um I'm sorry I thought you were a creep, thank you for taking care of my friend."
This time she does a full bow and a smile takes over her exhausted expression, "I'm just so glad she's ok."
"No worries at all, and please call me Mephisto," he smiles and looks from me to Cara, "Really my pleasure."
Rex is making a multitude of disgruntled faces, but to his own keeps his mouth shut. My mother knocks on the door before coming in, "sorry I'm late I was checking our flights and things."
"Mom!" I grin inviting her for a hug, Mephisto stands up to give her space. She squeezes me gently I think still afraid I might break.
She nods at Mephisto taking a seat in one of the empty chairs, my friends do the same and Mephisto of course sits right back beside me on my bed.
"I would like to properly introduce myself Miss Trenston," Mephisto sticks a hand out to her which she takes. "I work alongside the Vatican to run this school of exorcists, my identity generally remains unknown to those outside my branch. My true name is Samael, demon king of time." He shakes her hand, his signature grin spreading across his face.
"Oh dear," my mom looks a little pale, however she keeps a firm handshake. "Well Samael, thank you for sharing that."
Cara though I think is trying not to shake like a leaf, but she keeps a straight face. Rex on the other hand looks ready to explode, which in truth has become the new normal.
"Harley you knew about this?" Rex turns his attention to me as Mephisto repositions himself and talks to my mom quietly.
"Kinda..." I frown a little bit looking at all of them, "you sort of figure it out if you work with him long enough..."
"What the fuck Harley," Rex looks at my mom like he's hopeless, "Are you not going to say anything?"
My mom stops talking and gives Rex the mom look, we all know what the mom look means, "Rex he's on our side, what am I going to say?"
"Are you serious right now?" Rex throws his hands up in the air. "Jee maybe it's his fault for this, or oh I dunno what the fuck?"
"Rex watch your language seriously," my mom smacks his hand gently. "This is our last day with Harley at least be civil."
"Well really I think it's great, a little scary but great," Cara buts in moving around to my side of the bed. "At least we know our Harley bug is gonna be safe," she squeezes me in her signature over the shoulder type of hug.
"Unbelievable," Rex mutters crossing his arms. "Why's he telling us anyway?"
Rex has to be on a roll of asking the worst questions, I hide my face in Cara's arms expecting this to turn into a fit of yelling.
"Oh I'm so glad you asked," I can hear the pleasure in Mephisto's voice. Its almost sickening how much joy he is getting out of this.
"I've asked Harlow to enter a relationship with me," He glances over to my mom, "with your blessing of course."
"For fucks sake you have to be joking?" Rex growls at him. "You expect me to believe she would say yes to that?"
"Quite frankly it doesn't matter to me what you believe," Mephisto chuckles looking back at me. "Are you planning to hide behind her all day darling?"
I peek out over Cara's arm, "um maybe."
"If that's what makes her happy you have my blessing," my mom laughs a little, my cheeks have to be burning.
Cara shakes me off and steps back so I can't hide, she looks between the two of us a little dumb founded and shakes her head.
"Well princess?" Mephisto peers over at me, he leans back on his hands a little so he can look me in the eyes. "Does that make you happy?"
I stick my tongue out at him making him laugh, I can't tell if Rex looks more angry or hurt.
"So what you lied?" Rex finally looks at me, "all that stuff about him being a creep?"
"Well no," I put my hand on Mephisto's shoulder and give it a squeeze. "He definitely was a creep, but he still has been taking care of me."
"And? He asked you out after you almost died? How romantic," Rex snorts and starts towards the door, "I can't deal with this right now."
I sigh squeezing Mephisto's shoulder again before dropping my hand back to my lap.
"He'll come around, really he will," my mom tries to assure me, but the uncertainty in her voice creeps out.
"I'll go talk to him, not like he likes me anyway," Cara sighs waving at me before she opens the door, "we'll come back to say goodbye tonight I promise."
"Thanks," I smile at her. I hope her the best maybe she can finally get Rex to see her now, once I'm better I'll have to visit them back home.
"Now that we're alone I suppose I should inform of your daughters situation," Mephisto takes his hat off and puts it on his lap, "I was telling you that we were still waiting for her DNA and blood tests to come back, and now they have."
My moms eyes go a little wide, "you better not have asked my blessing to date her just to tell me bad news."
"Her biology has been altered by the experiments Lucifer was doing," he sighs tightening his grip on the rim of his hat. "It seems her body is currently in a state between demon and human."
"I see," my mom rubs her face and turns her gaze to the floor. "What's the outcome of that then?"
"We aren't certain really," he looks over at me. I take note of the worry in his eyes, "previous victims of my brothers testing had more injections than she has, none of them survived. It's really up to her body to accept the changes or fight them now."
"My babies going to be a demon?" My mother looks horrified at the thought. "That would be such a cruel fate."
"Not a full demon, somewhere in between really," Mephisto acts like that is somehow going to be make her feel better. Clearly it doesn't.
"If anything changes after you leave, I will send someone to get you here as soon as possible. You have my word," Mephisto bows his head towards her, a little surge of warmth for him surges in my chest. I lean over and wrap my arms around him, I rest my head on his back.
"Thank you," my mom croaks it out, she must be holding back tears. It is rather ironic all I've been through, the torture from demons and yet one of them has been so kind. "I guess I better go round up the toddlers," she tries to laugh, it sounds forced.
"You will come see me tonight right?" I mumble mixed feelings coursing through me. I want to be happy, but with everything going on it's so hard.
"Of course I will Harley," she pats my hand despite me still clinging to Mephisto.
I hear her small heels clicking on the floor as she leaves, I let out a deep sigh. Of relief or nervousness I can't say.

We sit in silence what feels like forever, nurse Mari enters the room with her normal bubbly personality to shake us out of it.
"Your results are in Harley," she waves a folder at me sounding a little more solemn than usual.
"Good? Bad or ugly?" I do my best to put on a brave face but I think it's more of a scowl.
"All of the above?" She takes seat in one of the chairs crossing her legs and opens the file. "It looks like you counts are good, no deficiencies either despite being so under weight. That brings me to the next point."
She passes my folder to Mephisto and I finally release him from my hug, he sets his hat on the table and proceeds to read over my report.
"Well princess, it seems we will be going to the Vatican once you're well," he shuts the file and hands it back to Mari. She offers me a weak smile.
"I need a little more info," I shrug not really grasping what is going on.
"Your body is adapting to the changes rather than fighting them," Mephisto stares anywhere but at me. "I better have you talk with Rin."
"Rin?" I frown trying to remember which one of my students he was. "Isn't that Satans boy?"
"Yes," he nods a frown of his own forming. "There is going to be much to discuss with the Vatican in the coming days, I'm afraid I might not get to be with you as much as I would prefer."
"Oh...." I sigh reaching for his hand.
"I'm going to see if I can adjust your family's time here, I would prefer you not to be alone for this. And I'm afraid I will be needing your mothers testimony I'm sure."
"So it's pretty bad then huh?" He squeezes my hand in response to my question.
"Let's just enjoy the rest of the evening while we can," he picks his hat up and puts it on my head with a forced smile.