After hours of tossing and turning, Lauryn finally got to sleep. The lies she had to come up with on the spot had exhausted her, and it wasn't over yet since she knew Draco wasn't fully convinced. She could expect an irritatingly close watch from him for as long as she continued this charade. Plus, she felt awful about lying to Draco. His feelings for her made everything more complicating and confusing. Her body decided that instead of letting her sleep it off, it would torture her by making her wallow in guilt. She dropped off at around 3:oo a.m. and awoke with a start at the sound of the phone ringing. Cursing silently, she got up and answered it.

"Hello?" she muttered, in a voice that would let the speaker know that they had clearly woke her up.

"Hi sweetheart. How are you feeling?" Lauryn sat up in her bed.

"I'm okay, Mom. How are you and Daddy?" She asked anxiously. Her dad had diabetes and his health was fluctuating.

"We're doing fine, honey, just fine. How's everything on your end?" her mother asked kindly. She could hear the strain in her daughter's voice.

Lauryn was aware that she sounded tired and tried to mask it. "Oh, as well as it could be I guess, with a war going on and all." She said cheerily, hoping she sounded better than she thought.

"Well, your father and I were wondering how you were getting along, since we don't get to talk much anymore." Lauryn's face fell as she realized how lonely her mother was. Their friends didn't come around much anymore since her father's condition.

" Well, maybe when Daddy's better, you guys could come and visit me." Lauryn's voice was hopeful, since it had been almost a year since she had seen them. Her position in the Alliance had made it difficult for her to leave.

Her mother sighed, then took a deep breath and told Lauryn the truth. " The doctor thinks we shouldn't hope for that anymore."

Tears raced down Lauryn's face but she brushed them away impatiently. "When did he say this?"

"About a month after your father's relapse. He said your father's condition was worsening much too fast to expect it to change." Tread lightly, her mother thought to herself. Don't give her too much at one time.

"But that was over six months ago! Why didn't he call me? Why didn't you?" Questions exploded in Lauryn's mind as she realized how long her father had been in pain.

" Calm down, sweetie. I wanted to, but the doctor and the Alliance didn't want you to know just yet. They felt that it might hinder your performance at work." She regretted the last part as soon as it came out of her mouth.

"I'M A... I'm a professional, Mom. But you know what? I will take this up with them. It's not your fault. I'm sorry I started yelling." She didn't need to lose someone in her corner over this.

"Its fine, Lauryn. I'm too old for you to hurt my feelings." Her mother joked, trying to bring mirth into her voice. Lauryn noticed it and followed suit.

"Sure, mom." She laughed, clinching the deal. Whenever the Santiaga women touched an uncomfortable subject, they joked their way out of it. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Today was a good day.

"Well, I guess I will talk to you later then." Said Lauryn in a pseudo- cheery voice.