Diane had run around the village crying and blaming people for Lily's death. In the end, she came back home, ashamed of her actions and feeling it was her fault, that Lily had died. Tony took her in his arms, reassuring her she hadn't failed.
"Diane... you are not responsible for this. You've done everything in your power to support her, she was just unlucky, like Misbah told ya. Listen, you are a great mum, aunt and wife. I love ya. We all love ya." Diane's sobs intensified and Tony held his wife even more tight.
"Thank you Tony, but...", Diane couldn't manage to get the words out, shivering and sobbing. "I just... I was supposed to keep her safe", she cried out while collapsing to the floor. Lily's face kept appearing in her head, her voice in her ears, wishing she could only hug her once again.
I should've checked her arms, I should have stayed with her, when she was visibly feeling miserable... I'm a bad mother.
Scott and Sinead stood across the room, watching the scene, feeling helpless. Tony noticed and made a gesture to send them in their rooms.
"Diane. Diane! Please. Come on, get up again, I'm here", tony approached her while kneeling down beside her, but she wouldn't react. "Love please. Look at me!", he rubbed her back gently, trying to get through to Diane, who lay there looking so fragile and broken, weeping. He hadn't ever seen her like this and knowing he couldn't do anything to make her feel better was the worst. He knew from the time he had lost Grace that there was nothing he could do other than just stay with her. So he did; sat there for ours just rubbing Diane's back and allow her to cry it out.
Oh Lily, what have you done! Does your auntie Di deserve this? She was so desperate to help you, but you rejected her! I know you were in pain, but this... it's too much!, he thought as some tears started to make their way down his face. Tony started to stroke Diane's head- both, to calm her as well as himself until they eventually fell asleep.
A few hours later, Tony woke up, because of his back hurting from sitting so uncomfortably on the floor. He looked at his Diane, sleeping, but still looking so sad it broke his heart and decided to take her upstairs. He gently wrapped his arms around her body, lifted her up, so her head would lay against his chest, and carried her to the bed, where he carefully laid her down, covering her with the blanket. "My love, it's gonna be okay", he whispered while caressing her face affectionately. After that, Tony went to sleep himself on the other side of the bed.
Diane's sleep was rather restless, she tossed and turned and tossed and turned with this scene in her head, when they found Lily, playing on repeat in her dream. How they stepped into the bathroom, seeing the collapsed Lily on the floor with Tony and Prince doing CPR even though she was long gone. Diane was in shock, it was like the world stopped around her, her brain couldn't process what was happening until Tony took her in his arms and she started to scream "No, no, Lily, no. This isn't happening!" and buried her head into Tony. She felt her heart being torn apart into a million pieces. A part of her died with Lily. Could she have saved Lily? Was it her fault? Babs would be furious! She was the worst mother on earth. And the memory kept playing all over again, terrorizing her until she couldn't bear it anymore and Diane suddenly was startled screaming, crying, shivering and sweating. "Lily, no!"
"Shhh. Diane, it's alright, I'm here! I'm here", Tony immediately hugged her and tried to sooth her back to sleep. "Shh. Shh. You're safe."
"But she isn't Tony!", Diane cried out. "I know. I know. Di, please, you need to rest."
"Daddy? Why was mommy screaming? Is she in pain?", Dee Dee had come to the bedroom with her Teddybear, looking anxious. "Sweetheart. Everything's fine. Mommy was only having a nightmare. I'll take care of her, you can go back to sleep, alright?" Dee Dee nodded tiredly and Tony kissed her forehead before she went back to her room.
"Look Diane, you've woken up the kids. Maybe I should go after her and-"
"No, no, no Tony don't leave me alone!", Diane interrupted him, fastening her grip around his arm. Her breathing was short and irregular. "Okay, okay. I'll stay with you, just try to calm down, will ya?" He snuggled up with Diane, kissing her cheek and holding her pressed against his body, so her breathing would adapt to his.
She felt her heart beating slower after a while, but the mental tension wouldn't go away. For hours, the only thing she could do was stare at the wall and disconnect from herself to get a break from the persistent physical pain in her chest that stayed with her ever since she had to watch Lily die.