After a while, Boreal and Dr. Richards had bowed out of the bathroom leaving Marisa alone to care for her child. Marisa stared lovingly upon her baby's face, as her hand cupped the side of Lyra's face, her thumb slowly brushing back and forth.
The water dripped from the faucet of the bathtub into the body of water, it was chilled to bring down Lyra's dangerous temperature. Marisa knew they would have to get out of the water soon, Lyra needed to be changed and put into bed.
The golden monkey placed Pantalimion onto a soft towel nearby where he lay sleeping mirroring Lyra, he watched over the younger daemon as he glanced and cried towards Marisa and Lyra in the bathtub feeling all sorts of emotions.
Marisa noted Lyra let out another shiver, she noted the paleness of her child's face gazing upon her. Lyra needed her, Marisa brought Lyra close to her chest holding her tight. Marisa shook with worry and possessiveness as she leaned her head upon Lyra's warm head and wet hair.
"I'm here, I've got you…..Mama…..Mama will make everything better, I swear" Marisa murmured reassuringly, it wasn't clear if she said so for Lyra or to reassure herself. She was making promises even though Lyra couldn't hear her through her fever and sleep.
After a minute or two of holding Lyra close to her Marisa then carefully raised herself up in the bathtub hoisting and carrying Lyra within her arms slightly struggling to carry the girl. However she managed, Marisa placed Lyra down upon a stool against the wall and sink while she fetched a dry fluffy towel to dry herself and Lyra.
Fresh pajamas were left by Boreal from the bag of clothes he had purchased for Lyra, Marisa very carefully dried Lyra and changed her into them. She took care of her child, drying her hair the best she could with the towel before she called for Boreal and the doctor's help.
She opened the bathroom door for them asking them for help carrying Lyra into the guest bedroom they had been sleeping in. Boreal carefully scooped Lyra into his arms, being extra careful after Marisa gave him a sharp look and watched his every move as he carried the girl into the bedroom.
The golden monkey was careful as they carried Pan, he held the younger daemon close, hugging them in his arms as he stayed out of sight of the doctor before hiding under the bed for the time being.
Marisa quickly went ahead turning down the bedsheets for Lyra to be tucked in, Boreal placed Lyra down into the bed where Marisa brought up the covers to Lyra's chest. Dr. Richards waited within the bedroom until Lyra was settled before he started examining Lyra further.
Marisa stood next to Dr. Richards, she was still slightly wet from the bathtub. She watched the man check Lyra's lungs listening to her breathing as best he could since Lyra was sleeping.
Boreal stared at Marisa coming up to her, putting himself in front of her view of Lyra "Marisa, you're still wet. Perhaps you should change clothes"
Marisa not moving her gaze from her ailing child being examined by the doctor "I will once I know Lyra will be alright" she dismisses him completely focused on her child.
Boreal frustratingly sighed at the stubborn mother, before he then cleared his throat directed towards the doctor.
"Will she be alright Dr. Richards?"
The doctor moved his stethoscope once more upon Lyra's chest before removing the stethoscope from his ears to respond. Lyra's breathing is steep and crackling.
"I believe your daughter has the flu, it's common among adolescents and adults. With the flu, it's best to let it run its course. It's important that she is monitored and gets plenty of rest and fluids."
"What would one need to do to help her get better?" Marisa quickly asked, desperately needing the information to help her child.
"I'm going to suggest cough medicine based on the sound of her lungs at the moment as well as some Dioralyte to replace the fluids she's lost. She appears to be a bit dehydrated, it's going to be important to make sure her fever doesn't spike again. Both can be picked up at the pharmacy without a prescription. Don't worry. In a couple of days with some care, Lyra should be on the mend" Dr. Richards reassured the worried mother, informing her of the necessary information so the mother could care for the child.
Boreal then took out his phone, typing on his notes app the necessary things he would need to purchase for Lyra knowing he would be having to go to the shops to buy them. He then turned to Marisa with a smirk upon his face "See, Lyra will be just fine" pleased with himself, Marisa didn't even glance his way as she suppressed a glare gripping the bed sheets for a moment in her fist before releasing her hand.
Marisa stared at Lyra's sleeping face, her chest going up and down with her slightly troubled breathing, her worry eased at the doctor's words. Lyra was going to need caring for in the next couple of days and she would have to be up to the task. Whatever Lyra needed she would get, she would make sure she got better.
"I'm going to make sure of it. Thank you Dr. Richards" Marisa thanked the doctor surprisingly genuinely for his help, it was polarizing how the doctor treated her as opposed to doctors from their world.
Talking to women as if they wouldn't understand or weren't privy to certain knowledge, was a breath of fresh air and eased her mind when she was mentally panicking over Lyra.
Dr. Richards smiled politely and gathered his instruments and tools into his bag before Boreal with a false smile thanked the man, handed him a check, and showed him out.
Once Boreal had come back upstairs, Marisa had since changed out of her wet clothes into comfortable clothes of this world, taking Boreal aback at how domestic the woman looked.
To Boreal it made him feel pleased to see the woman he desired in his home wearing demure clothing, it felt intimate. It calmed his inner frustration over the stress of having Lyra thrown in between them, he would have to live with it.
Boreal approached Marisa who was currently sitting on the edge of the bed watching Lyra sleep, with the golden monkey now upon the bed curled around the girl's daemon. He would occasionally pet the younger daemon affectionately with soft eyes as he slept in his clutches.
Marisa turned her head to acknowledge him as he spoke.
"I believe it's best I head to the shops to grab the supplies Lyra needs. In case the boy returns while I am out, I trust you would be able to handle it" Boreal made eye contact with Marisa, who smiled very slightly towards him.
"Of course, do you doubt me?"
"Never" Boreal made a silently pleased expression before saying he would be back in a while before leaving Marisa and Lyra.
Once Boreal had peeled his tesla out of the driveway, Marisa breathed in, sighing at the situation, her slight soft smile disappearing from her face. Slightly disgusted she has to pretend around the man to bend him to her will, she wouldn't be able to last for long however Lyra needed to recover so she would have to adjust for now.
Right now Lyra needed her, she would be here by her side. Marisa then took her hand and pressed the back of it against Lyra's forehead checking her fever. It was still warm, warmer than Marisa would have liked; she frowned her eyebrows creasing.
"Lyra" Marisa sighed worried about her child, she dreaded seeing Lyra in such a state. It brought her a low-bearing pain she never felt before, a dread for another person.
She bowed her head towards her lap as she lowered her hand from Lyra's head in defeat, her daemon who had sat upon the bed next to her let out a noise. After a couple of minutes of silence and waiting for Boreal to return, Lyra let out a murmur.
Marisa lifted her head when she heard it, Lyra's head dipped to the right a little upon the pillow as she mumbled a little louder. Marisa scooted closer to Lyra, eyeing the girl as she mumbled some more as her head shifted again.
"Lyra?" Marisa softly called out, Lyra's eyelids moved as Lyra breathed in a bit raspy from the flu she kept her eyes mostly closed.
"A….Alice?" Lyra innocently called out, out of it still fever-ridden. Marisa hadn't recognized the name and became slightly jealous of the person the name belonged to. To be called for by her daughter while in such a delicate state, it should be for her.
"No..no Lyra, it's mother"
"Mother?" Lyra whispered trying to think through her fever, nothing was connecting for her for she was far too out of it.
"Yes" Marisa smiled softly with moist eyes at Lyra calling for her, she then brushed some of Lyra's hair through her fingers soothingly.
"Pan?" Lyra called sleepily for her daemon believing herself dreaming, she sought out the one dependable comfort she knew which was a part of herself.
"He's just here darling" Marisa glanced over to where her own daemon and her child's daemon were curled up together, gesturing to Lyra that her daemon was safe. That she was safe with her mother.
"Want Pan" Lyra asked, exhausted and out of breath for a moment, almost dozing off to sleep fully once more. Marisa then glanced towards her daemon who lifted his head to meet her gaze, she snapped her head in Lyra's direction ordering him to bring Pan over.
The golden monkey nearly whined before Marisa gave him a threatening look before he went closer to Lyra with Pan in his arms before gently placing Pan on Lyra's chest without touching Lyra.
Pan sensing Lyra being so close melted into Lyra and curled close to her neck snuggling in his sleep, Lyra sighed with slight relief before noticing someone grabbed her hand.
Marisa held Lyra's hand in hers desperate for the contact of some kind between her and her child, Lyra didn't register anything around her being fever-ridden within her mind. The affection was foreign to her nonetheless for no one, even Alice, had shown her such love before.
"I'm right here darling. It's alright, you need your rest. Your mama is here and I'll take care of you" Marisa softly reassured her child, seeing Lyra exhausted and in a vulnerable state her heart melted when through her closed eyes Lyra relaxed and grasped her hand in return clinging to her mother.
Marisa felt in her soul that she made the right choice leaving the magisterium for Lyra.
At that moment she knew, deep down through everything they had been through that her daughter did love her back.