"Kai." I carefully closed the door, behind which Lyssa was sleeping.

Thank goodness he was passing by so I didn't have to look all over the house for someone.

"Shit, what the hell happened to you?" He frowned and walked closer to me. "Were you there all night?" He looked at the door behind me.

"I need you to look after her for a while. If anything happens, call me. It won't be long, I just need to shower and get her food."

"And when was the last time you slept or ate?" He grabbed my shoulder. "You should rest."

"I'll be fine. Just watch her. Could you do that?"

"Yes, of course. Take your time, I'll take care of her." He tried to smile and took his hand off my shoulder. He walked past me and quietly entered her room, closing the door behind him.

I breathed heavily as I started walking to my room.

I didn't sleep all night. I coulnd't. The feeling that I wouldn't wake up if she needed me kept me awake. I just closed my eyes and listened to her breathing.

Every hour she looks worse and worse. She muttered something under her breath, squeezed my hand hard and dug her nails into my skin, on which is still visible.

She woke up screaming a couple of times, but I immediately calmed her down.

Luna was with her once, when she noticed that I had no plans on leaving her, she assured me that she is going to get something from Nyx.

But if my plan works, Nyx won't be needed.

Before I got into the shower, my cell phone started ringing. I picked it up and Simon spoke from the other side.

"I have his number, I already sent it to you." As soon as he spoke, a message beeped.

"Thank you, I owe you one." I said tiredly.

"Are you okay? You sound weird."

"A little tired but I'll be fine. I was just about to go take a shower, do you need anything else?" I ran my hands over my face.

"I take it you don't have time to meet now, but when you do, call me. Long time no see."

"Sure, see you later." I hung up and opened his message. I dialed the number and waited for him to pick it up.

I'm not in the mood to argue with him, I have a shower waiting for me. He either helps or he doesn't. If not, I don't know what I have left.

"Yes." I heard his voice from the other side.

"Charles Murphy?"

"Who is asking?"

"We have a mutual acquaintance. We met at her apartment after she was injured." On the other side, I heard a rustle and a door close, and only then did he speak again.

"What you want?"

"She took out the chip." He remained silent. "I take it you know what that means. Now we have two options..."

"I'm on my way." He cut me off and immediately hang up.

That was fast and unexpected, but I'll take it.

*****

I got out of the shower in a towel and to my surprise Luna was sitting on my bed.

"Do you need anything?" She looked up at me when I spoke.

"I didn't get anything from her. I don't know what we're going to do."

"I have a plan." I walked past her to the closet and picked out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt so I could sit more comfortably next to Lyssa.

"What plan?"

"Charles Murphy."

"Are you crazy?" She stood up and appeared next to me. "Bringing him here when Nyx is here? It doesn't matter how much he cares about Eris, he's still one of the main white snakes. If he finds her here...."

"If." I cut her off. "He has no reason to be here looking for her. He'll help us save Eris and get out."

"And if not?"

"Then I'll find another way." I walked past her to the door and opened it for her. "Go check on Eris with Kai, I'll be right there."

"This is a stupid idea." She went to the door.

"It's the only one we have." I closed the door behind her and started changing.

I turned off the volume on my phone so it wouldn't wake Lyssa and headed back to her.

I found Luna by Lyssa, holding her hand and whispering something while Kai sat in a chair looking out the window. When he noticed me, he stood up and walked over to me.

"I'll take care of today's meeting. But nothing will be planned without you. I know how it goes." He patted me on the shoulder as he walked past me out of the room.

I stopped next to Luna. "She'll be alright."

"It's my fault." She whispered.

"Yeah it is." She looked at me. "It's your fault that everyone in the white snakes is mad and that they have people chipped like dogs. Plus a poison that'll slowly kill them. Sounds like it's really your fault to me." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"But if I hadn't run away..." She stood up, and only then did I notice the tears in her eyes.

"Eventually someone else would." I interrupted her.

"But if she di..."

"That won't happen." I interrupted her again and grabbed her shoulders. "I'll make sure she gets over it."

She came even closer to me and hugged me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and spoke again. "Thank you."

If only she knew that I'm not doing this for her, but for myself. I can't let Lyssa die.

"My heart is about to melt." We both pulled away and looked at Lyssa who was grinning from ear to ear even though she was in pain. "No, don't stop on my account. Hug again, it was sweet."

"Bitch." Luna laughed and wiped away her tears.

"I love you too."

While the two of them were insulting each other, I noticed that her skin had turned red. I walked up to her and put my hand on her forehead.

"You're burning up."

"You too." She winked at me.

"Really? Now?" I raised an eyebrow and turned to Luna. "Can you bring a bowl of cold water and some little rag?" She just nodded and disappeared from the room.

Meanwhile, as Luna went to the kitchen, I climbed into Lyssa's bed and put my arm around her. "How are you feeling?"

"Like my insides are made of chocolate and they're melting from the heat." She rested her head on my chest and snuggled closer to me. "You have a nice chest."

"And you're starting to get delusional." I laughed.

"Thank you for staying with me." She raised her head towards me, which must have cost her all her strength.

"You begged." I smiled.

"And you said I was delusional." She laughed and put her head back on my chest.

I wanted to argue with her, but I don't care what she says. I saw her smile.

Before long, Luna returned with a bowl and placed it next to me. After that she just smiled and left the room. I don't want to know what went through her head.

I soaked the rag in water and wring it out before placing it on her forehead.

"Better?"

"A lot." She moaned. "Can I ask you for something?"

"If that's your deathbed wish, then no. You're not dying."

"You're the only one who thinks I'll survive."

"Luna..."

"She doesn't believe it." She cut me off. "I can see it. But that's okay. Now, when I die...."

"You won't die." I interrupted her.

"Just listen to me, please. Find where my family is buried. I want to be with them. Maybe send someone with flowers once in a while."

"Lyssa, I won't allow..."

"Just do it." She cut me off. "And if Luna ever goes crazy and tries to go after the white snakes, stop her. She can't do it on her own." She continued talking, but I was just thinking about how she accepted that she was going to die. "And don't be hard on Finn."

"Any more wishes?"

"Yeah. Go shirtless more often. The world should see your chest." We both laughed at that.

While Lyssa rested, I re-wetted the cloth a few times and applied it to her forehead again. And each time her pain seemed to lessen.

"Killian?" After a long moment she spoke.

"Yes?"

"Do you regret that kiss?" I smiled when I heard her question.

"I thought it was the poison."

"Nope, just me."

"Then no, I don't regret it."

"That's...That's...good." She started to cough, so she put her hand in front of her mouth. But when she pulled it away, we both saw blood.

"Lyssa." I carefully pulled away from her so I could examine her face.

Her gaze was locked on her hand, which was covered in blood.

"Don't worry." I grabbed her hand and put it on the bed so she wouldn't look at it. I cupped her face in my hands and she finally looked at me.

Her face was even whiter, but still burning.

"I'm not ready to die." Tears appeared in her eyes. "There are so many things I've never tried." Her voice broke mid-sentence.

"Why don't you tell me about them, huh? Tell me about those things."

"Have a picnic. Find a band I like. Adopt my own dog. And I want my own house. With a stupid white fence and a swimming pool. It would have one huge wall that would be covered in glass. And the inside would be comfortable. So that I'd felt at home there. I want to live my life." Tears ran down her cheeks, but I wiped them away.

"And you will. Trust me, you will."

Before either of us could say anything again, the door flew open and Charles was standing in it.

His gaze fell on Lyssa and he immediately ran towards her.

"No." She was pulling away from him. "Go away. No."

I don't know if he thinks she's hallucinating or not.

"I called him." I tried to calm her down. "Can you help her?" I turned to him and he took out of his pocket a small bottle containing a black liquid. It seemed more like another poison than an antidote. "Is that supposed to help her?" I stopped him before he gave it to her.

"You can't pick right now Acker." He tried to bring it closer to her mouth, but Lyssa ducked. "Please Eris. I want to help you."

"You never wanted to, why would you start now?"

"You will have a shred of sense." He turned to me and handed me the bottle. "Why would I want to kill her when she's already dying?"

I took it from his hands and turned to Lyssa. "Do you trust me?" Her gaze was still on Charles, so I grabbed her chin and forced her to look at me. "Lyssa. Do you trust me?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." She said quietly.

I sat closer to her and leaned her against my chest. I put the bottle to her lips and she opened her mouth. I tipped it over and the liquid poured into her mouth.

"How long will it take?" I looked at Charles.

"Hours. Her body needs to get rid of the poison. She should rest and you make sure she has enough water. She's going to need a lot of it."

"Thank you."

"I didn't do it for you." He straightened up and started walking away from the room. "And one more thing." He pulled another bottle from his pocket and placed it on the table next to the door. "You'll need Nyx if you want to get rid of the management." With those words he disappeared from the room.

How the hell did he know we had Nyx? Or that she needs an antidote? He couldn't have guessed it. It's not possible. So how did he know then?

While his steps were moving away, others were coming closer. Luna appeared in the doorway.

"She'll be alright." I told her, and I could almost see what kind of stone fell from her heart.

"You knew she would." Tears began to run down her cheek.

"We both know we won't get rid of her that easily."

"It's true." She laughed through her tears. "She won't go down easy."

"Never." We both looked at Lyssa who whispered it.

"I'll go tell the others that she'll be fine." She smiled through her tears and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"I told you that you'd be fine. You just had to trust me." I whispered more to myself than to her. I don't know if she perceives me at all.

I slid down a little lower and covered myself with the duvet. I pulled Lyssa closer to me and buried my head in her hair.

Now I can finally sleep peacefully.

*****

Hope you enjoyed. <3