Part 12

Lucy's ears rang as she laid flat on the cold, shaking ground below her. She came to when the ringing died down and was replaced with the deafened sound of someone's voice. Stirring and trying to distinguish what the voice was telling her, Lucy parted open her eyes just enough to see the flash of blurry images falling before her. She groaned as the large smash from the images hit the hard ground and the shaking became worse. Closing her eyes, she could not handle all the chaos and noise around her. She felt her stomach twist and turn as the ringing returned and her headache worsened. Suddenly, she was shoved to her side roughly so she was laying on her back instead. Lucy gasped, coughing for air and letting the dust escape her fragile lungs as the voice returned once again, this time a little louder and clearer than before.

"-cy! Lu… cy! Lucy!"

Her eyes opened at the sound of her name and suddenly felt a rush of cool air run through her veins, encompassing her whole body. She moved her fingers enough so they rubbed against the skin of her hands. They were icy to the touch and caused her to shudder enough that she pulled back immediately. She whimpered and shivered vigorously as her whole body began to freeze over. Suddenly, relief. The icy cold feeling began to permeate throughout her body and replaced the pain she felt all over. Her body's aches were vanishing along with that annoying ringing in her ears. She let out a soft sigh, enjoying the peace and slight bliss this sensation brought her as Lucy laid on the ground.

After a few moments of recovering, she opened her eyes fully. She was hit hard with the realization of what was happening around her. The ceiling of the cavern was raining down in broken pieces and hitting the ground around her so hard that it shook the entire cave. Then she remembered.

'Phil!'

She sat up quickly and was met with a dark figure looming right beside her. Lucy flinched, feeling fear rush through her, worrying it was the demon or one of the monsters, but instead felt her heart stop with worry for another reason.

"Phil!" She screamed over the rocks falling around her.

Lucy's eyes widened as she saw Phil's body crouched over her. He held his arms out and around her in a protective stance as her body was in his shadow. Tears formed in her eyes as she saw his body disintegrating before her. The edges of his arms were fading off along with sections of his legs and torso. When Phil heard Lucy call to him, he let out a sigh and looked up at her, staring into her eyes and even deeper into her soul.

"Thank goodness you're alright. I was so worried I didn't make it in time." Phil breathed out, his voice trembling as his sobs choked him up.

Lucy's eyes widened in horror when she saw Phil's state. Part of his head was missing enough so that he had only a single watery eye at this point. He gave her a sad smile as a loose tear slipped down his cheeks. Lucy stared at him, too stunned to speak but also not knowing what to say.

'What happened?' She wondered to herself as she tried to remember before gasping as the memories flooded back to her, Phil flinging himself at Lucy as the dynamite went off, taking the hit for Lucy while she passed out from the deafening noise.

"Oh no! Phil! You-You're hurt! L-Look at you!" She panicked out and reached towards him.

Grabbing his arm with her hand, she felt it suddenly get dragged down by gravity. Her voice caught in her throat and her eyes locked on to the newly faded section left by her touch. She gasped and whimpered, biting her lip as she stared at the damage.

Phil just stared down at her until he saw her begin to cry. Sighing gently, he put on a warm smile and lowered his head enough so Lucy glanced up to him.

"Lucy… We did it…" He murmured out softly while she watched the edges of his body becoming smaller and smaller.

Flinching at this, she took his word for it and looked around the room that they were sitting beside the edge of. The demon had left, cursing to itself and seething with anger while the creatures it controlled groaned and staggered back and forth, unsure of what to do. Their sense of hearing was impaired by the explosion and had no direction. Slowly glancing back, she stared at Phil's fading body.

"Ph-Phil! What's happening to you?! How-how do I fix it?!" She asked anxiously, trying to rack her brain and think of what to do as she hit herself on the head with her fists.

Phil reached down and grabbed her wrists, pulling them away so she wasn't hitting herself anymore. He kept on that same warm smile and stared into her eyes.

"Lucy. There isn't anything you can do. I chose to do this on my own accord. I used all of my energy to manifest my body so it was physical enough to take the hit for you. The rest of my life force I gave to you so your injuries would go away and you wouldn't hurt anymore." He explained calmly and softly.

After a few moments he took in a deep breath and glanced up at the ceiling, tears falling from his face. He saw the rocks falling from the ceiling and landing on the creatures around them, releasing their spirits while the large fire burned up the bodies stuck on the walls around the demonic room. He watched as the moaning spirits floated off and disappeared from the cave, crying for joy when they realized they were free. One spirit caught his eye as it ascended. "It's time for me to go."

Lucy jumped at his sudden words. She stopped trying to think of how to help and began to worry, feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness and dread overcome her.

"N-No! Phil! You-you can't go! You'll-you'll be fine and heal up! I'll ask Mama and the others! They'll know something! Anything!" She croaked out as Phil placed a hand upon her head, patting it gently as he grinned down at her. She sobbed, hiccupping at his warm aura and content demeanor. "D-Don't leave me…" She whimpered out, bring her hands to her face as she cried in them. "You're my friend…"

Phil nodded at her, smiling sweetly as he held out a hand towards Lucy while he stood up.

"Yes, and we always will be friends Lucy."

She sniffled and glanced up at him. With a long face, she reluctantly placed her hand in his, afraid it would vanish when she touched him. Phil just smiled and led her along, back towards the tunnels they were walking through before. The memories of the cave washed over Phil like tidal waves. He remembered how long he had endured these tunnels and witnessed so many murders by that demonic being, recalling all that anger and hatred he felt when he could do nothing up until tonight. Peace. Content. Relief. Happiness.

Phil stopped leading them. Standing in place. His smile remained plastered on his face as he held Lucy's hand and felt his whole spirit begin to lift like a cloud floating in the sky.

"Lucy… Don't give up on the dead. Even in the afterlife, we still have a voice that needs to be heard. People like you Lucy, with your special gift, are the only ones we can rely on to pass on the message and to communicate with the living. You are the bridge to gap between the two dimensions. I know this isn't what you want to hear right now and I have no right to say this, but never lose your gift. Never let it fade. It's too precious and valuable to let it go to waste. You have the opportunity to help so many people…"

Lucy continued to sob, holding on to his hand tightly, refusing to let go. She held up one arm to her eyes as she listened to Phil, at a loss for words and air as the air grew tight around them. After a few moments, Phil squeezed her hand enough to get her attention. She looked up and watched as Phil slowly turned to look back at her. Tears running down his face like a waterfall, he smiled past his sadness with a broken smile of pure happiness.

"Thank you Sweetheart."

…

Marissa, in her Body form, and Slender ran towards the cave as the vibrations and shaking grew more intense. Slender skidded to a stop and pulled Body back so she wouldn't fall into the collapsing pit as the cave collapsed in itself. Body screamed and called out for Lucy, trying to break free from Slender's tight grip.

"Let me go! I need to save my daughter!" She screamed in hatred before turning back to see the dust blanket the entire area and the noise eventually stop. "Lucy!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as the collapsing cave eventually stopped.

The two stopped and panted for a few moments, watching the dust settle and seeing the damage done. There was no longer an entrance, nor a cave to enter into at all. They felt their heart sink before hearing a soft coughing and quiet footsteps scamper towards them.

"Lucy!" They cried out and Body ran over towards her.

Lucy was staring down at the ground solemnly. She sniveled and wiped her eyes as she slowly walked over, thinking of what Phil said to her. She didn't notice her mother until she was pulled into a hug.

"Oh Lucy! You scared me! Are you alright?! What happened?! Where did you go!?" Body asked her and held Lucy close in her arms, never letting up even a little as she kissed her on the head.

All this affection and attention startled Lucy. At first she thought her mother would reprimand her, until she realized that her mom was embracing her in a loving manner. She stared at her mom stunned before forcing a small smile and hugging her back.

"Mama! I was so scared!" She began to cry a little, thinking back to what Phil told her.

'…what I know for sure is that your mother loves you in her own way. She and you just… don't realize it yet because you two can't understand each other. You're two completely different people and have separate ways of communicating and expressing yourselves. I'm sure that with time and wisdom things will get better between you two. You just have to have faith in her.'

"It's alright Lucy! We'll figure this out!" She told her, softly stroking her hair to comfort Lucy as the two sobbed and held each other tight.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Mama." Lucy whispered when the two had calmed down after a few minutes. "I'm not hurt though. I was able to climb through a small tunnel and out of the cave."

Body shook her head. "I don't care. As long as you're alright." She murmured softly.

Burying her face in her daughter's hair, Body murmured softly to her. "From now on, things will be different. I'll be there for you like I should have been… I promise."

Lucy's eyes widened but soon saw her mother was sincere. She nodded and hugged her back tightly. "Yeah! I'll try to be better too! I-I promise also!"

Slender watched as they pulled back and smiled at each other with nothing but love in their eyes. He smiled and nodded to himself.

'Good… They're finally understanding each other.' He thought to himself.

Body stood up and held out a hand down towards Lucy.

"Come on. Let's go back together."

Lucy stared intently at her mother's hands. Swallowing heavily, she slowly reached out and took her hand in hers. She felt her mother's soft, warm hands cup her own and felt an immediate sense of content spread throughout her. Lucy smiled up at her mom and nodded, walking back to the Creepypasta house while Slender led them.

As they left the remains of the cavern, a single figure watched them slowly disappear. A smile formed on their face as they watched Lucy and her mother holding hands.

"I told you it would work out eventually. I'm so happy for you…."

Lucy smiled up at her mom before perking up a little. She glanced back towards the cave to see a figure fading off completely, a single smile radiated as it spoke.

"I'll always be there for you…"

Lucy felt her heart sink as she frowned down at the ground when it was gone, but soon after was replaced with a kind feeling of reassurance and support. She walked beside her mother and squeezed her hand for comfort, not wanting to cry and ruin their little moment.

As they saw the house in the distance, Lucy frowned and glanced away anxiously. Body noticed this and raised a brow.

"Something bugging you Lucy?"

Lucy pouted a little and shrugged slightly, unsure if she should ask. "I don't know…"

"What is it? You can tell me."

"…"

"….?"

"Mama?"

"Yes?"

"Who is my father?" She looked up into her mother's eyes curiously and innocently.

Body froze, her body stiffening as her daughter's question reverberated throughout her mind. She swallowed heavily and frowned, looking away as a painful expression formed on her face. Lucy stared up at her, expecting an answer.

"That's a story for another day… I'm tired and I'm sure you are too." Was all she said before she refused to make eye contact with Lucy anymore.

Lucy looked up at her confused, before nodding and shrugging it off. "Alright. If you say so Mama." She said, not noticing the awkward atmosphere as she continued along. 'Things will be better now… You were right Phil…' She thought before glancing back one last time. 'I hope you're okay and we get to meet again soon.'