LONGVIEW

Her vision was a blur.

That and also the room was dark with no lighting. She tried to move, but that proved to be futile. The area around her stomach jolted a ping of pain across her nervous system. Hissing, she reached out with one hand to feel the wound. She also took notice that these weren't her clothes or even her room. Looking around she saw electronic equipment around her, specifically a heartbeat monitor. Also taking notice was the injected syringe on her left arm. Finally realizing where she was, Lyra laid her head back on the pillow and groaned with absolute frustration at the situation in hand.

As far as she knew she should be dead. Burning in sweet old hell alongside all the scumbags she's gladly sent there. Instead she still lives. Alive and forever more miserable and hateful of the world around her. Same world that took everything from her, but not her desire to die. Then again that was her fighting against fate.

Lyra ain't dying just yet, not until they all died first.

Maybe God hadn't fully abandoned her and is teaching her a lesson.

Well lesson learned, she'll wear some goddamn armor the next time she attempts an armed interrogation. Lucky her, but fuck that guy. May he join the others in the lake of fire. That though alone made Lyra smile, killing them is one thing, knowing that their suffering is eternal is satisfactory to the young vigilante.

"Crap... I'm thirsty."

She looked around for a water bottle or cup, but nothing on sight.

"Fucking shit." Lyra exclaimed.

Staying quiet she tried to recreate the scene of her stabbing, work back on everything that went so wrong real quick. She was sloppy, blame the booze on that one. Never again will she drink on the job. Gotta get serious again and not waste time on her family drama.

Speaking of family…

"Fuck I got to get out of here." Lyra began to panic.

She didn't want to see them. Didn't want to hear them. Didn't want them to see her like this. Mom, Dad, the girls, Lyra is mortified of the fear they will display to her at that moment. Better to run away than to face the errors you've caused along the way.

Her strength was gone and the piercing pain in her stomach shot out and dropped her back down.

"Fuck." Lyra cried.

She was too wounded to even get up. She was trapped here and now had to face the consequences. Lyra looked at a clock to see the time and it read three in the morning. Some time has passed, she must have barely been out of surgery for a few hours if she had to guess. It was still night if only she could get up from this damn bed and high tail it out of this building.

Other than the concerned family she also had to worry about the curious police that may have some questions for her.

What happened to her gun and knife? Shit, maybe whoever came to her rescue must have seen them and handed them over. They're going to ask her about them and the dead drug dealer that was not too far from her. The heart beat monitor was tracking Lyra's pulse and she was steadily rising as the adrenaline of fear took over. She wasn't going to hell yet, but jail was now a possibility.

No. She can't give up that easily. Her mission still stands, these are just new obstacles to get through. All she needs is to have a clear mind and one hell of a silver tongue to bullshit her way past the family and cops that will all be questioning her whereabouts and reasons.

"But the fucking gun...how do I explain that fucking gun?" Lyra muttered.

"You look terrible."

Lyra's head snapped up at the sound of that voice. A voice she would never hear again outside of pre recorded videos. Her eyes were shook with fear at what she was seeing in front of her. Her heartbeat had just exploded and the monitor began to beep repeatedly as the pulse had gone past 120. Her face went pale as she saw him standing there with hands in pockets and a concerned face.

"...L-Lemy?"

Lyra saw him there as clear as day and night. Same clothes when he died, same stains where he had bleed, same concerned nature he had for everyone in the family, especially her.

"Lyra are you hurt?" He asked again and it was all real to her eyes and ears.

"W-W-Why? What...you... you." Lyra started to cry as he stood there.

"What is it?" Lemy tilted his head in confusion.

Lyra broke down as her cries consumed the room and echoed out the hallway beyond. He was dead, Lemy was dead, yet here he was speaking to her again as if all was normal. As if the last month of her life hadn't been complete turned into a complete hell and she hadn't lost her mind afterwards. A nurse came by and entered the room, having been alerted by the monitor. Lyra was too consumed by her misery to take notice and continued on crying hysterically.

"Hey ma'am is everything alright? Is something hurting?" He cautiously approached her.

Her pulse rate was off the charts and was now a sobbing mess, he needed to get another of the senior nurses to assist as it appears that she may be unstable by the look of it alone. Paging for assistance he approached the teenager and reached for her shoulder to get her attention. Lyra felt a touch and shot up her arm defensively, she saw a young man right next to her and although he was speaking to her, Lyra was tuned out as she looked back at the spot where he was standing.

He was not there anymore.

"Lemy? Lemy!" Lyra began to scream out his name.

She tried to get out of the bed, but the nurse held her back, "Please don't ma'am you'll reopen your wound."

"Please come back!" Lyra shouted out as she thrashed against his strength.

He tried to restrain her, but this girl's raw strength was a mystery to him. She was deeply unstable and needed to be sedated or risk further injury. Another orderly came in to witness the struggle.

"What's going on Jerry?"

"She needs sedation right now, Erica!" He grabbed Lyra's wrists as the struggle continued between them.

Lyra desperately tried to get loose of his grip and flee the room and search for him. The other nurse came back with a syringe and ordered her coworker to grab her tightly in order to administer the shot to put her to sleep. Lyra was erratic as the syringe was injected on her upper arm. Previous battle experience kicking in, she headbutted him from behind multiple times, busting his lip open. Using her depleting strength she threw herself and him to the floor and the crash allowed her to finally get loose. Getting to her seat she got blocked by the woman, but Lyra didn't hold back and punched her directly on the nose. The other nurse still on the floor grabbed her foot which Lyra responded with her stompin on his face with the other.

Now free she ran out the room with the dosage already taken effect, but her intense adrenaline managed to show some resistance to it.

Regardless, the world around her began to slow down rapidly as the walls of the white lonely corridor twisted into a spiral the more she stumbled her way forward. Her muscles' strength depleted and her eyeballs became heavy as her brain was slowly shutting down, yet her own willpower was allowing her to keep advancing until she found him. She could hear voices behind her, coming to get her, but seeing him again was all on her damaged mind.

He's dead. That is what she knew and accepted as truth, but right now she can tell all of logic and realism to go fucking die because she didn't care about the facts. Just seeing him again in full physical form was all she needed at the moment.

The corridor began to dim out as her vision started to give out and her body slowly accepted defeat, yet she pressed on.

"Lemy?" Her weak voice cried out for him, "Don't go, I need to...talk...you."

Reaching an open area with an office and other medical rooms she stumbled ahead catching the attention of another orderly speaking with an elderly custodian. As he approached her, Lyra grabbed the closest item; a shiny bedpan and struck him across the face. The custodian yelled for help to which Lyra threw the bedpan at him, albeit missing his head by a foot or two and turned the corner to flee.

"Lyra?"

Hearing his beloved voice, Lyra saw him standing ahead of her. Same clothes, same blood, but now sporting a mortified and scared face as he stared back at her with wide eyes. Lyra with all her remaining strength gave out a gleeful laugh mixed with painful sadness as she ran towards him. Falling on her knees she grabbed a hold of his shoulders, fearful that he would disappear again and lowered her head to his chest as she cried out more.

He was dead, but right now he was alive. Just for this one time he was all and well before her heartbroken eyes.

He said nothing back as he continued to look at her with deep fear.

"It's okay. I'm fine, Lemy. I'm fine." Lyra touched his face feeling his skin, all flesh and real to her, "I missed you, I'm so fucked up without you. I...can't live without you, but...heaven is locked for me...stay up there...where you belong, not...down where I'm going…"

"What are you... Lyra?" He spoke up confused at her words.

"I'm so close Lemy." Lyra gave him a crazed look while still having a loving tone, "They're so close I can hear their hearts beating in fear. I'm going to find them...and kill them for you. Spill their blood to the earth. All of them, Lemy...all of them. I will avenge you."

At that moment Lincoln appeared ahead of them both and stood in place, shocked at the scene he was witnessing as a group of doctors and nurses ran up from the opposite direction and restrained the delusional teenager as they pried her off the young girl she was holding on to.

"Lupa are you okay?" Lincoln ran up to her daughter as she stood petrified in place.

"I...she…" Lupa was at a loss for words while Lincoln hugged her.

Lupa and Lincoln had opted to stay at the hospital and wait till morning to see Lyra once visiting hours were available. Another person that made her way towards them both had also chosen said option.

"Lyra?" Luna cried out as she heard her daughter scream ahead .

"Lincoln where is she, what happened?" She asked as he continued to comfort Lupa.

Luna too had chosen to stay overnight after hearing the news. After much begging Lincoln assured Sam that he'll watch over her, him too concerned for Luna's emotional well-being even though he himself was deeply a mess as well. Same case with Lupa who had forced Lincoln and Lynn to allow her to come to the hospital. Despite the animosity, she was genuinely concerned for her sister and wished to see her even if Lyra did hate her, Lupa had to see her.

It was a rough night for all three of them, all refusing to sleep as their thoughts were plagued by terrible thoughts and worst; that the events of that night would once again come to be.

"Lyra, she...I don't know what's going on…I just saw her in front of Lupa." Lincoln explained the situation to Luna as Lupa remained quiet.

Luna kneeled down and grabbed Lupa by the shoulders, "Lupa, what was Lyra doing? Did she say anything to you? Did she hurt you?"

Lupa at the moment was too focused on the one sided conversation that she had witnessed from her sister. Having heard everything that Lyra had told her or Lemy as she had called her. Lyra had called her Lemy and said words she still had a hard time believing.

"I was...just walking then I...heard her." Lupa spoke up albeit shaken from the encounter.

"I followed her voice and... there she was. She...was out of it, drugged out I guess…" Lupa concluded.

Lincoln gave her a reassuring hug as Luna stood back up and anxiously paced around. The night was half over, yet it felt eternal for this family. All three of them have been through the ringer and Lyra's attack was another layer of emotional pain that none of them can bear to carry any further. After making sure that his daughter was fully okay, Lincoln focused his attention on Luna who couldn't stop mumbling to herself and already allowed her eyes to water up. In another time Lincoln wouldn't even bother to give her the time of day, but right now they needed each other, no time or space for pettiness over a broken past. Lyra needed them and they needed to be strong for her.

"Luna...she..she's going to be okay." Lincoln told her to which Luna snapped at him.

"She almost died Lincoln! Lyra almost died, alone without us. I don't…I can't live through this again...I just don't want it again. Lemy...he's gone, our son...is dead...not...her...too."

Lincoln's throat and heart swelled up as Luna sobbed her heart out, him ready to join her, but restraining himself the best he could. Their son passed away almost a month ago in the most gruesome way possible and everyday it wasn't getting better for any of them. Their family was broken , yet he believed that somehow they could prevail from this tragedy, if only it were so easy. If only life wasn't being so cruel to them and gave them the opportunity to find the exit.

"Lyra won't die, Luna. She will not die." Lincoln promised her as Luna looked him in the eyes with anguish, "She has always been strong, better than any of us. I don't know what she was doing out tonight, but our daughter isn't going down without a fight."

Seeing Luna still a quivering mess, for the first time in a very long time he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to himself. Luna said nothing and welcomed his warm embrace as she rested her aching head on his chest. Her sobs had decreased, yet her heart was full of intense pain, but so was Lincoln's and they bonded over that sentiment.

"We're not going to lose her too. I pray to God every night not to take her too." Lincoln whispered to her.

"I can't Lincoln, I...take me not her!" Luna sobbed.

"No, don't say that!" Lincoln was shocked at her wishes.

"I fucking mean it!" She let go of him, the manifestation of all her pain spouted in that single sentence.

"I don't deserve her. I didn't deserve Lemy either. I'm a useless bitch that had no right to become a mother! I want to end it all, it's too much, I don't want any of this. She'll never love me, my life is a fucking meaningless existence without them both, without you too!" Luna said, finally allowing her inner thoughts to resurface.

"For fucks sake Luna...why are you always so…" Lincoln failed to finish his response as he felt his shirt tugged from behind.

Looking back, Lupa held his shirt by the tip with a balled fist. Lupa looked pale, dazed and emotionally hurt as if her mind wasn't all there. Something was off about her, did Lyra's erratic appearance affect her that bad? Lincoln ignored Luna and focused all his attention on his traumatized daughter.

"Lupa what's wrong? Do you need something?" The young girl appeared beyond spooked and his fatherly instincts kicked in as he grabbed her hands assuring her that he was here for her.

"Dad, I want to go home, please?" Lupa's demeanor was a far cry of her common self, a terrified little girl was all that remained from that hollow shell and it hurt Lincoln so much to see her in such a state of being.

Nothing wanting to leave Lyra, but understanding Lupa's needs, Lincoln sighed and turned back to Luna.

"I'm leaving. Please stop this crazy talk, it's not over yet, just talk to her." Luna was ready to argue with him, but Lincoln grabbed her from the hand and placed his forehead on hers, "I know that she wants nothing to do with you. Show her that you still care, stay here for her, go speak to her when she's ready to be seen, she's not going anywhere. It's time for the two of you to speak."

"I'm scared, Linc." Luna whimpered.

"I've been scared since that night." Lincoln admitted to her, Lupa silently listening to them both as she waited for their departure.

"I failed Lemy as a father and I'm never getting that back. Luna, please show Lyra that you are still her mother. I beg you to try, just try okay." Lincoln let go of her as Luna said nothing, only looking at the ground in deep contemplation.

"For Lemy?" He finally said.

Luna looked at him with a fragile expression of remorse, but also agreement, "For... L-Lemy."

"Look after her."

He held her hand one last time, giving it a tight squeeze as he and Lupa walked away from the waiting room and to the parking lot, leaving the rocker all alone with just her thoughts; all which were fighting for control on what to do next. Looking back at the corridor where her daughter was located, Luna swallowed some air as she trembled at the idea of their eventual talk. She needed to do this, yet her fears were at an all time high and spirits at an all time low. Taking a seat she looked back at his words and while extremely tired after all the distress of this hectic night, she managed a small smile against it all.

"Thanks Linc." Luna whispered, joyful that they two were at least not on terrible terms anymore.

The sun rose and Lyra was highly sedated throughout the remainder of her stay. Luna on her part couldn't sleep, only thinking about her daughter and all the events that had led up to this point. At the moment she slept on her seat having mentally exhausted herself. As she dreamt of a better time in her life, one with both of her two kids, a swift kick on her foot abruptly woke her up.

"Got you some coffee." Lynn stood in front of her, two cups in hands.

Luna accepted the drink and slowly drank the hot liquid. Lynn crossed one arm over her chest and simply stared at her older sister with disinterest.

"Tried searching for beer or blow, but apparently hospitals don't offer those." Lynn mockingly told her.

Luna bit her tongue, not in the mood to start a bitchy cat fight with Lynn this damn early. The coffee was good but odd for someone who always woke up to a hangover, but this time however Luna did none of that, and hasn't really done anything like that since returning home. Looking around and aside from other early patients checking in, it was just them two at the moment.

"Where's Linc?" Luna asked.

"He'll come by later. Had to take Lupa to the therapist for her weekly sessions." Lynn explained.

"Oh...how...how is she?" Luna asked.

"She's so messed up right now." Lynn sighed before taking a seat next to her, "That girl is going through so much and that damn Lucy believes that everything is okay. Call's it normal according to the so-called fucking spirits she talks with."

She angrily looked at Luna, "Seriously what the fuck is wrong with you all? Am I the only one worried for your kids, your responsibilities? Always looking after them when it should be you lazy 'rather skip town' fucking bunch?"

Luna didn't answer, shamefully staring at her cup. That silent response was all Lynn needed to hear to prove a point. Facepalming with a groan Lynn wasn't going to grill her any further about how bad of a shit tier parent she has been, right now as much as she dislikes it, Luna needed her familial support. A bit hesitant at first Lynn uncomfortably shifted about in her seat as Luna continued to look dejected.

"...I'm glad that... you're actually here, you know." Lynn muttered loud enough for Luna to hear her.

"... I'm surprised myself too." Luna replied.

Both estranged sisters sat through more uncomfortable silence. Neither sure on how to carry on any further conversation. Just like Lincoln, Lynn was equally furious at Luna running away from her responsibilities as a mother. Lynn had promised to break Luna's jaw if they ever saw each other again, luckily Lyra had beaten her to the punch. Now here they were sitting side by side unsure of what the future held for this dysfunctional family of theirs.

"Lyra is a tough girl. She fought her way to the front of this building while drugged, that girl will survive anything." Lynn said.

"I don't think I can though." Luna felt utterly useless and defeated.

"Well you fucking better." Lynn scoffed at her display of weakness, "You made it this far, you going to call it quits already? Quit on her when she may need you the most?"

"Lynn...my daughter hates me." It hurt Luna to the core to say those words.

"Rather me that night than my…innocent baby boy."

Lynn has always been a tough girl, fierce and strong, but even she was swelling up with painful sadness as she listened to Luna; a woman that she had lost all respect for, wail in misery. Her heart strings played the perfect tunes as she imagined herself in the same scenario with Lacy and that thought by itself stung her more than any other sports injury she had ever been afflicted with. Fighting back tears, Lynn sniffed hard to contain her tough expression before her broken sister.

"Nobody, none of us, not even you deserve such a death. Lemy...God bless his soul, he...your son died a hero. Those fucking animals would have done much worse to Lupa if he had not fought them off. Luna, you being around...honestly I don't know if that would have truly changed what happened. The past is set, but the future...your future with Lyra is still being played out, that game ain't over yet. You can still hit a home run." Lynn spoke from the heart with absolute honesty, making sure that each word was meaningful to her sister's heart.

"Now go in there and be a mother." She ordered.

Lyra was fast asleep or simply too doped on medication to even move her eyelids, but relaxed she was and Luna could only look at her from the entrance of the room, too fearful to approach any further. Feeling the urge to back away, Luna forcefully took one step in before allowing her entire body to enter the room. Seeing her so calm and peaceful was strange for her, Luna fully expected Lyra to wake up and strangle her to death.

It was pathetic as well as horrible to be afraid of her own child, but this child in particular had every right to want her dead and Luna couldn't agree more.

Slowly approaching her, Luna's heart beats increased in fear and anticipation. For over a minute she stood frozen in place hovering over Lyra's sleeping body, extremely cautious to not wake her up and summon her wrath Looking at her arms Luna was shocked to see the many scars Lyra bore. The doctors were concerned by the number of previous injuries she carried on her; bruises, scars, a dislocated shoulder and a fractured rib. What had she been doing to herself? Luna hadn't a clue, she didn't even know what Lyra was like before the change, how could she even attempt to understand her now? She truly was a terrible mother.

"I'm so happy that you're okay." Luna finally spoke up as she grabbed a chair and sat right next to Lyra.

"So much has happened to us all, we're all lost without your brother... Lincoln, he told me about you two and...well, I would be a massive hypocrite to be opposed. You two really loved each other, just like your father and I did a long, long time ago." Luna seldomly told her as old memories came back to her.

"Lyra... please come back to us. If not me then back to your sisters, they all miss you, need you. Lupa is...she can't take much more, she needs you. I need you...my songbird. I need you back. I want...Lemy back. I failed you, failed him, failed myself and this is now our miserable outcome. Lyra, I know I've said this before so many times already…"

Luna reached for her daughter's hand and with a firm grip held on to it. Not wanting to ever let go again.

"I'm sorry for leaving you two. I really thought that I had a future out there, I...I saw you two as a...as a pair of anchors... holding me back and I'm..so disgusted with myself. I...I... don't deserve your forgiveness, not at all, but I'm here now. Rather live on by your side even if the love is gone, than to leave again." Luna cried as she felt Lyra squeeze her hand, whether she could hear her or not, it gave Luna a semblance of hope.

"I'm never going to abandon you ever again. I failed to protect Lemy, but I promise to protect you from this cruel world. I love you Songbird. I love you both."

Outside the room with hands in his pockets and leaning against the wall, Lincoln stood by the doorway hidden from view. Listening to Luna brought him a whirlpool of emotions, if only he could have had the opportunity to say the same to his son. Where he failed, he deeply hoped that Luna would succeed him.

Closing his eyes he gave out a short prayer, "Lord Almighty, please save them both. Help them fix their bonds, please. In your holy name allow them both to find the strength to embrace each other and not drift away even further from their love. Amen."

It was all new to him, but lately he had been praying every so often, the majority of the time asking God to look after Lyra and Lips and to forgive them for their past actions. He even kept Lyra's old bible on his night stand, reading from it when he felt lost and hopeless. This was a big change in his life and it felt strange, but he didn't complain at all about it and allowed it to happen. He was far from perfect and Lyra was proof of how easily one could fall from grace, so he tried and tried, no matter how many times he did not want to fail any of them.

Walking back to the waiting room he was met by Lynn and Luan as well as a pair of familiar faces.

"Hey there." Lincoln made his presence known.

"Linc." Luan reached over and hugged him, "It's all going to be just fine."

"I know, I know."

Letting go he paid his full attention to the two men patiently waiting for their turn to speak. Not even 10 in the morning and the police was finally involved, took them long enough.

"Mr. Loud."

"Detectives."

Gibson and Kellerman had been informed of the assault and seeing that it coincided with other cases, they decided to pay the hospital a visit. That and Liby had called the detective to inform them of the crime against her cousin. All they could hope for was for accurate facts and cooperation now.

"Sorry for the girl, is she going to make it?" Kellerman asked..

"Lyra will live." Lincoln answered them, feeling a bit offended at the notion.

"How soon can she be ready to be interviewed? She was part of a crime scene after all." Gibson asked Lincoln.

"She's sedated at the moment. Went...crazy last night, had a rampage and attacked the hospital staff." Lincoln confessed which surprised the detectives.

"I'm so tired of everything that has been going on, detectives. My family is falling apart." Lincoln sighed.

As they all conversed in the lobby a stranger walked in and looked around for someone until seeing the Loud family and the police detectives, he approached them with curiosity. Everyone in that circle took notice of the new individual and all eyes were set on him.

"Excuse me are you all her for the girl that came in last night? The one that got stabbed?" He asked.

This man was in appearance the oldest of them all, probably in his sixties, yet had a large imposing body that would make anyone question his age at all, a wrestler's body if one had to guess. Also the fact that he was Latino, if not for the skin color then his accent that gave it away. Another thing that was quick to notice was his baseball cap with the insignia of the Marine Corps.

A veteran.

"Wait...do I know you?" Kellerman asked.

"Well of course detective, you two were searching for a murder weapon at my shop. Still searching for that .357?" The man said.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but why are you asking about Lyra? What do you know about her?" Lincoln cut to the chase as Lynn and Luan also wanted answers.

"My apologies Mr. Loud. Ladies. Detectives. Name's Francisco Castillo, you can all call me Frank, I was the one who found the girl and brought her to the hospital. Is she going to be okay?"

Bite my lip and close my eyes

Take me away to paradise

I'm so damn bored, I'm going blind

And I smell like shit

I got no motivation

Where is my motivation?

No time for no motivation

Smoking my inspiration