Things have been going smoothly with this fic. I really enjoy it. Hopefully you guys do too.

Blood Ties

Chapter Three

Crashes, fire and screams.

These were all the sounds she could hear. That and the sounds of Cerberion's barks and growls. Her vision wasn't clear. Though, she owed that to the bastards tossing her around, treating her like the toy bully would take from a younger kid and break.

Everything hurt. The sounds were the only things that could distract her from the pain. But Cerberion grew quiet, and the pain was all that was left. She kept fading in and out of consciousness. Silhouettes grew further away, and the light from the fire grew stronger. However, before she lost consciousness, she heard a new noise.

A crash. Loud, quick footsteps. And a strong voice.

"Over here!" She heard over the fire, the sound of cracking wood following.

Large gold eyes opened, staring up at a white ceiling. Her body felt numb, the exception being what she felt on her face. It was much quieter in here. She heard an occasional beep every few seconds, but other than that, the entire room was quiet.

Is this...a hospital? She wondered, her mind barely awake. It was hard to keep her eyes open, but she still let her gaze wander.

The room was sterile and white, with windows on the wall right of her. It wasn't a large room, but she was the only patient their. Her gaze hardened and down. She saw some of the gauze wrapped around her body, making her squeeze her eyes shut.

Tears began to well up behind her eyelids. It wasn't a dream then? Mom was...?

The sound of a door opening made her shift her gaze. Coming into view was a green-scaled demon in a white coat.

"Ah, Lady Lilithein. You're awake!" He said, his voice cheerful. "That's good to see! Your Uncle Kalego has been worried about you. He's been coming in everyday to check on you. He'll be relieved to hear that you're awake."

Lilithein's eyes widened slightly, giving the doctor a confused stare. She didn't have the stamina to talk, but the mention of her uncle's name made her want to. Uncle Kalego... that's right. He was coming for dinner. Does that mean he-?

"Well then," the doctor said, still smiling, "I better give him a call. I'll have a nurse come in and check your vitals," he said, leaving the room.

Lilithein blinked, staring up at the ceiling. Everyday? I've been in here for days? How many? And where's my mom? Why did the doctor only mention my uncle?

Around the same time, Naberius Kalego was preparing his niece's new bedroom. The Chair-Demon sent Opera to help him put everything together, which thankfully sped up the process. Usually, Kalego would loathe having to work with Opera, but he couldn't deny that their assistance was welcome.

The professor had turned his home office into a bedroom. It had an actual closet space, and he rarely used it. Even when he brought his work home with him. It worked because his desk would be Lilithein's homework area. However, there were several boxes and bags he had to go through so the room would be ready for furniture. Thanks to Opera, that only took half the morning.

Kalego wiped his face with a wash cloth. He had intended to move on to looking for furniture, but Opera wanted to paint the walls first. He didn't think it was necessary, but his former upperclassman just got in his face, towering over him as he spoke.

"Is this supposed to be her space or not, Kalego? Lilithein should feel at home here," they said, holding a paint roller.

Kalego held his ground, as he didn't want a pink-walled room in his house. The two had a bit of back and forth on colors and patterns. After a few hours, the two eventually agreed that the walls should at least be painted white, and leave the option of painting open for Lilithein. Of course, Opera took this as an opportunity to mess with him by splashing him with paint, but at least the room looked a little more inviting.

He sighed to himself, turning the faucet on again and scrubbing his hands. He would never admit it, but Opera's antics were turning into a decent distraction. Too much silence made him think about Helena and start a parade of questions, most of them starting with the word "why." It was starting to get to him, and he knew that he was driving himself crazy by trying to figure out why this all happened. However, despite that conscious awareness, he found his mind wandering many times over the last few days.

Kalego turned off the water and looked into the bathroom mirror, his eyes narrowing. He was approved to be Lilithein's legal guardian. That he accepted. As much as he didn't like dealing with kids outside of work, he hated the thought of Lilithein's education being taken from her even more. Since becoming her guardian, he felt on edge, and the questions would pop up before he knew it.

Opera barged in then, their intimidating presence more welcome than Kalego's ever repeating train of thought. "We should eat before we head out. Are Devi Clubs alright with you, Kalego?" They asked him.

The hell-cat received a nod, and they went to make the sandwiches. The two had a brief lunch together, Opera watching Kalego with a stern eye. Lord Sullivan had asked them to keep an eye on Kalego, and make sure he was doing alright. The Chair-Demon was concerned that the events may take a heavy toll on Kalego's mind. Considering everything that happened in a short span of time, they felt the same way. And where Opera was still assessing him, they knew that Kalego wasn't his normal self at the moment.

They finished lunch and began getting ready to go out. The two had discussed plans for Lilithein's bedroom, with Opera wanting to add a few things to Kalego's already-long shopping list.

"You should really think about more than just the essentials, Kalego," Opera said, their cat ears down and twitching. "You're taking in a teenager, after all. She would feel much more at home if her room was decorated a little," they pointed out, speaking civilly with the teacher for a change.

Kalego gave Opera a raised brow. "And how should it be decorated, Senpai? I know nothing about her tastes. It would be better to do that after she moves in," he said, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. "Besides, the fire destroyed all of her clothes. I'll think about what she wants after I get what she needs."

Before Opera could comment, the phone in the living room started ringing. Kalego walked passed his former upperclassman and picked it up. "Hello?" There was a short silence before Kalego spoke again. "Speaking," he said.

Opera watched Kalego intently, their ears perking up when they saw Kalego's eyes widen. "Thank you. I'll be there soon," he said before hanging up.

Kalego strode towards Opera, grabbing his black coat and putting it on as he walked out.

"What's happening with Lilithein?" Opera asked, their voice level and their ears raised somewhat.

The teacher looked back at them. "She woke up," he said.

Opera followed close behind him before expanding their wings. "Looks like shopping is being put off," they said.

They received a grunt before the two took to the sky.

The flight to the hospital was silent, Opera noting every twitch Kalego had made along the way. When they got there, Opera half expected to be left behind, but Kalego not only allowed their presence, but even insisted on it.

"Strange," Opera said in the elevator, "You're usually more coy when you want me around. I've never seen you this straightforward before."

Kalego sighed, narrowing his gaze on them. "I wasn't the only demon my sister wanted Lilithein to meet. Besides, at least with you it won't be that awkward," he said, turning his gaze forward.

The elevator doors opened to the thirteenth floor and Kalego led Opera to Lilithein's room. Her doctor was waiting by the door, clipboard in hand, and a healthy grin on his face. A grin that grew at the sight of the professor.

"Lord Kalego, thank you for coming so promptly!" The doctor said before looking through the windows to Lilithein's room. Kalego and Opera did the same, the cat's ears lowering on their head at the sight. "Her vitals are strong, but she still needs the oxygen mask," he informed the teacher, smiling still.

"Is she aware of her surroundings?" Kalego asked, narrowing his eyes and turning his head slightly to see the doctor.

The green-scaled demon nodded, his smile faltering. "Yes. And a bit more, I'm afraid." The former classmates stared as the demon sighed. "Victims of trauma either remember nothing or they remember everything that happened to them," he added as the pair looked back at him.

The doctor shook his head and smiled at them. "But she'll be happy to you, Lord Kalego. Having the closest people in her life around her will help both her mental and physical recovery," he said, opening the door.

Kalego's teeth grit together, his fists tightened, and he glared at the ground. A reaction Opera took note of. Kalego...don't tell me you're actually-

"Lady Lilithein!" The doctor called, interrupting Opera's train of thought. "Your uncle's here! Isn't that great? He even brought a friend with him." He said, presenting the pair to her.

The pair approached her, and her head turned to face them. Opera's expression was neutral as ever, while Kalego's was attempting to look calm in front of her. Opera saw the girl's eyes soften, her eyes stained from tears.

They reached her side, Kalego standing by the upper portion of the bed while Opera stood beside him. A silence started to brew, but before it could drag on for too long, Kalego took a breath and spoke to his niece.

"Hello Lilithein," he said, staring into her eyes.

The girl's eyes widened a fraction then softened again. "...I remember you..."

This one was a little shorter, but perhaps that's a good thing. Can't wait for the next one.