XXXIV.

LIGHTS OUT

Liby sat in her room despondent. Her heart aching, her head aching, too much happening for her liking. Last night her younger sister Lupa did the unspeakable and it got her sent to the hospital under intensive care. Thank God, they reached the emergency room on time or else...This latest round of personal tragedy had halted all if any investigation she held on too. As much as she desired to solve Lemy's case, she needed a break, a serious mental break or risk becoming the latest victim in a lineage of sorrow this family was unfortunately creating.

Her grades were plummeting as was her once high spirits. School was an afterthought in comparison to the real issues dwelling in her mind. From Lemy's violent death to Lyra's change in demenear and whereabouts that led to her stabbing, Lupa's attempted suicide; all incidents folllwing each other in a perfect chronological order. It was starting to feel too coincidental.

Taking out her trustee detective notebook, she flipped pages until landing on the ones containing all known information she had been collecting throughout this summer.

"This can't be all connected. Not in the way I'm thinking of it as, can it?" She murmured, scanning all written notes of hers with acute precision.

It was so far-fetched. Just thinking about it was already such an abysmal breach of trust for the young sleuth. But the more she checked the boxes, the more the previous coincidences began to take up solid forms and she was not liking it, not one bit at all.

Back Home…

The tension was high as all inhabitants dwelled in their own thoughts for the hospitalized young girl. Everyone was trying their best to carry on with their daily tasks and routines, but it was still a hard thing to simply ignore, especially for a young brunette turned vigilante. The harrowing imagery of Lupa, unconscious and bleeding out from her self-inflicted wounds had left a permanent bad taste in her mouth. She jumped out of bed and crawled over to her trash bin and held her head down low, retching as hard as she could to get the rancid salivation out of her.

Spitting out the remaining chunks of bile, her tears began to wash out. Sitting flat on the ground, Lyra curled herself up and hid her face from the world. Unable to bear the brunt of her actions she felt hopeless and above all, guilty of her sins.

Lyra was too consumed by her guilt-ridden mind to take notice of her bedroom door opening and closing and neither of the presence standing before her.

Lincoln felt absolutely pity for her. No, pity was not the correct phrase to use, he was highly empathetic to her plight for he was sharing the same misery that played them all. Kneeling down, he sat cross legged next to her and sighed in frustration at this painful dilemma. No words said between the two. Just a painful heartache that wouldn't stop imploding.

"I'm sorry for failing you all." Lincoln spoek first, eyes away from her and staring directly ahead, "I should have tried better from the very beginning. You held this family together while I did nothing in return."

"...I did." Lyra acknowledged, her face still hidden in her arms. Her confirmation of his terrible parenting only made LIncoln hate himself much more, but it was a punishment he wanted sentenced upon him.

"...But that's not me anymore…I threw it all away." Lyra lifted her head high enough for her watery, blue eyes to be seen, "I hate the whole world. I hate the bastards that killed Lemy, I hated you and mom for the longest, I hated Lupa for dragging him along towards the path of his death…But right now, I fucking hate myself for what I have become."

Lincoln raised his arm up, the intention was clear, but he gave up on the last possible second and simply sighed in defeat. There was much to be asked, but was it really the best time right now to be asking? Who honestly knew when they would be alone and this intimate ever again, right?

"Lupa will live on, it's stupid to hold the life of a person into a promise I know, but I do have faith that she'll recover if we're all together for her." Lincoln gave a half-smile to his daughter, too, which she raised her head up high, resting it against the wall behind her.

"I should have apologized long ago." She stated.

"I'm sure she'll forgive you, but…first forgive yourself." Lincoln added.

Forgive herself? Now that was a funny statement. If she wasn't crying out a whole river she would have scoffed at that idea, properly laughed at his face with pure bitterness. Forgive herself? For what exactly? For the people she has killed? For the family she has torn apart? For the sin of loving her own brother? No, it was too late for that, but…for Lupa…perphaps there was a miniscule crack in her stoneheart that desired it more than anything else, more than her murderous vengeance.

"If you say so…"

"Lyra…where were you last night?" Her ears picked up his shift in tone, it wasn't malicious nor scolding. On the contrary her father sounded deeply concerned and somewhat fearful to a minimal extent.

"Your trip to the hospital those many weeks back was due to a stabbing, yet you had much more scars and bruises all over your body. Much more injuries that you had been accumulating for the past weeks as the doctors had stated." Lincoln was now facing her, fatherly eyes examining his daughter, "Have you been searching for them?"

Lyra wanted nothing more than to leave the room, flee the house even. He had managed to figure her out, curse her moment of weakness for allowing her inner thoughts to be publicly exposed in such a sporadic display of behavior. She wanted to ignore his question and simply walk out, but she was tired, too exhausted to keep on running from everyone who still gave a full crap about her.

"I am." Lyra confessed.

Later That Night…

Luna drank her first beer in weeks, it was both tasteless and reshesing. Her niece was currently hospitalized for an attempt on her own life and Lyra, her last remaining child was on the verge of a second mental breakdown, too much on a single night. Just when things were just appearing to get back to some semblance of normality tragedy strikes once more. What a sick joke this was all turning out to be.

Sam had gone out to buy some takeout, neither were in the mood to cook. Luna leaned against the counter, beer can in hand, visualizing all the events thus far.

The only true silver-lining to all of this was having Lyra latch on to her for dear life. It was such a surprise, her daughter seeking her out as the shoulder she needed to cry on, then again, Lyra would have gone for the closest person to her if not Luna. How cruel were the fates to them all.

Tossing her can to the sink, the brownish liquid pouring out and down the drain, Luna walked over to her bed and laid down, "I need to be there for her…"

She should but she wasn't there at the moment. Lincoln and the girls had asked her to stay put until further notice, which infuriated her to no end. They were starting to make progress, as little as it may seem, she could see it, sense it even, Lyra still believed in her and that was all the motivation she required to win back her love. But apparently the others were still wary of her it seems. She sighed in defeat, after many years of being the alcoholic, neglectful problem child it made all the sense in the world for the family she left behind to keep her at arms length away. Call it probation; she sure remembers those days back in juvie.

"Shit...this drink is strong." Luna groaned as she massaged her sides, "I hope Sam brings Mexican tonight."

A knock at her door brought her from her tranced thoughts. Getting up and approaching she reached for the handle. Expecting Sam who simply needed help with the food Luna opened the door and was met by a different individual instead.

One of the two detectives who'd been assigned to her son's case stood outside the door. The younger Caucasian one minus his older partner stood by the door, cigarette in hand. He appeared relaxed as he could be, that irked her; deceased son and unhinged daughter yet, this man dared stand around acting like all was fine and dandy in the world?

Flicking the cigarette away he focused his attention to her, "Ms. Loud I have some questions to ask, it relates to the homicide case of your son."

"Finally doing your job?" Luna sneered back.

"The department's hands have been full, but whatever you choose to share may help get us to the next step." Luna looked at him with mistrust, the police had done the minimum to solve Lemy's case, she didn't feel the urge to comply, but in her heart she still wanted justice.

"This may also relate to your daughter as well." His eyes glimmered with assertion.

"My partner and I have been giving some very interesting thoughts in regards to Lyra's recent behavior by an anonymous source." Kellerman pressed some more.

Luna said nothing back, the mention of Lyra shifted her entire demeanor around to one of worrisome. Was this related to her attack those weeks back? It had been on the back of her mind for some time now, but had been denying it's actual possibility. It was a fear like no other and this man before her was being vague about it. She wants to be there for Lyra. Love and protect her. Even if it means protecting her from herself.

"Sure, come inside."

A Random House Party…

The mood was vibrant, all teens and adults mingling about, some drunk, others high, most of them hooking up for a lovely one-night-stand. Terry leaned against the wall by the far corner of the room observing all party goers present with drink in hand. Another night full of callous teenage debauchery all the while one of her closest friends was prowling the streets with guns in hand and murder on her mind.

Terry was well aware of the incident that had occurred with Lyra's youngest cousin, or sister for that matter. It sucked that all this emotional bullshit kept on piling on top of the already mentally damaged young woman. Life wasn't fair at all. Why couldn't life or God himself if he was real just leave her be? Why so much tragedy in a span of a few months? What kind of fucked up message was that?

She wanted to be there for her, hold Lyra tight and tell her it was all going to be alright. But what could she do that her own family had already tried to imbue into her? Their friendship was strong, she fully believed it. Panther and Sonnette would have been outraged at her actions and would immediately turn her in, but Terry on the other hand?

Here she was seeking out answers, names, locations and whatever kind of tips she could lay her hands on. All to help Lyra, because she cares about her, deeply cared for that amazing, strong-willed girl that accepted her friendship without hesitation. That beautiful brunette that could turn the whole world upside down with her raw passion. It was all for her.

"Terry what's up." Quick's raspy voice caught her off guard, it shouldn't have, she was here to collect his newfound information he supposedly possessed.

"How's the party?" Terry motioned around them, they blended perfectly into the background.

"Just chilling as always. I don't mind a few shots before we get down to business though." Quick said.

"Pass. I'm just here to kick back and vibe with the zone. And for you to hand over what you know." Terry remarked.

Quick shrugged and immediately began to light up a smoke for his troubles, it already appeared as an addiction, "Sure…word has spread, 10 grand for Ms.Trigger Finger's head, dead or alive, whichever comes first. She did a real number on the poor fuck. Must have been the first time he got up close to death's face and found out it's a woman."

Terry gulped her entire cup empty and absorbed the news. Lyra had failed to finish the job, to finish him off and now she was the one being hunted. She needed to warn her, protect her at all costs and to a greater extent her family as well. Despite the festive nature of the atmosphere around them her mood dropped and the pings in her heart increased at the fear of losing her.

"This can't be all can't it?" Terry asked.

Understanding, Quick resumed speaking some more, "There's this dilapidated big house up north, most likely a stash house for drugs or money. Not much but it sure could cripple their operations some more if she targets them."

After the rendezvous had concluded, Quick disappeared into the crowd as Terry stood in place, mulling over all this new information. She didn't notice a certain individual approaching her, she was too deep in thought to acknowledge surroundings.

"Well holy shit, Terry? You looking extra fine tonight." Terry looked up, she recognized that voice, a voice belonging to an old fling of her's.

"Keith? Fancy seeing you here." Terry smiled, it had felt like an eternity since they last saw each other, "You sure haven't changed much, then again all of the lights aren't switched on to see that ugly mug of yours."

"I'm still good looking. And you especially know this fact." Keith proudly spoke.

Terry rolled her eyes, Keith was still the same charming bastard that always kept her company in and out of bed. He leaned in closer, placed his arm against the wall and above her, she already knew his game plan.

"So, it's been a while don't ya think?"

"Sure has."

"There's a second floor."

"You don't say?"

Their old flirting habits couldn't be contained, even though her heart wasn't all in for it, her mind minded an outlet to distract her from all these recent events and reminders. Also, it really had been a while, she came for information and might now get some fun to add tonight.

"It's been two years. I hope you haven't forgetting how fucking wild I can get." She whispered seductively into his ear.

"You, hopping up and down on my dick is all the motivation I need." Keith hungrily eyed her

Both teens rushed up the stairs like the pair of hormonal teenagers that they actually were, unaware that they had been watched the whole time by a third individual, perfectly blending amongst the sea of loud, drunk party guests.

After the lights go out on you

After your worthless life is through

I will remember how you scream

I can't afford to care

I can't afford to care