Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Eight
Chad chuckled as he looked into John's room to check on him, shaking his head when he saw that Claire was tucked securely under his arm and practically glued to her Fiancé's chest. He knew that those teens were rarely apart, and when they were, they both seemed lost. "Sleep well." He whispered, lifting Willow onto his hips and pulling the door a little more closed.
John whimpered in his sleep, his muscles tightening as he curled around Claire. "No…" He moaned, the fear of his dream still too real. "Don't… take her…"
Claire brushed her hand through his hair, gently kissing his face to wake him. "I'm okay." She smiled, looking into his eyes and watching the yellow fade back to brown. "I wonder why your eyes change so much."
John shrugged, sitting up and pulling on a ratty old hoodie. "I'm not really sure…" He yawned, brushing a kiss over her temple before he stood. "Around the time they started doing it a lot, Jacob was paying a lot of attention to me; but I'm not sure why."
He rolled his shoulders, popping his neck and wincing when it caused him pain. "Fuck!" He rubbed the back of his neck, leaving his room to walk down to the kitchen. He scrubbed a hand over his jaw, yawning as the fog started to clear from his mind.
"Good morning." Jan smiled, patting his back as she placed a cup of coffee in front of him. "How're you feeling?"
"Like I was just sedated and walked through a cloud." He flinched as one of the quads started to cry, standing from the counter and walking back up the stairs to the little nursery.
He picked up Violet, opening the little fridge they kept in the room and warming up a bottle of Jade's breast milk in some warm water. "Shhh…" He cooed, bouncing the babe in his arms as he reached for the bottle. "Lullaby, and good night, in the skies stars are bright. May the moon's silvery beams bring you sweet dreams. Close your eyes now and rest, may these hours be blessed. 'Til the sky's bright with dawn, when you wake with a yawn. Lullaby, and good night, you are mother's delight. I'll protect you from harm, and you'll wake in my arms. Sleepyhead, close your eyes, for I'm right beside you. Guardian angels are near, so sleep without fear. Lullaby, and good night, with roses bedight. Lilies o'er head, lay thee down in thy bed. Lullaby, and good night, you are mother's delight. I'll protect you from harm, and you'll wake in my arms. Lullaby, and sleep tight, my darling sleeping. On sheets white as cream, with a head full of dreams. Sleepyhead, close your eyes, I'm right beside you. Lay thee down now and rest, may your slumber be blessed. Go to sleep, little one, think of puppies and kittens. Go to sleep, little one, think of butterflies in spring. Go to sleep, little one, think of sunny bright mornings. Hush, darling one, sleep through the night, Sleep through the night, Sleep through the night." The lyrics were clumsy in his throat, the effects of being hanged still obvious in his voice and power, but Violet didn't seem to mind.
She took the bottle in her mouth, blinking her bright green eyes at him as he sang. This is my uncle John… She thought, staring up at him. She knew he was safe, even if the house got too loud at times, or she didn't feel good, uncle John would always be there. She didn't know where he'd gone for so long, but she knew that he didn't look the same. She clasped his finger in her hand, slowly closing her eyes as he fed her and sang. This is my uncle John… and I love him…