"Lily?"
Mentally, the turtle rolled her eyes…
'I'm never going to finish this book…'
Placing 'The Amber Spyglass' aside, atop 'The Tiger in the Well' and 'Clockwork', she looked up at her father.
"Yes?"
"Could you check on Gabriel? He's been out of it lately…"
"Of course."
Her slight irritation was gone.
Her brother might be hurt, and she needed to know why.
Moving the tense muscles of her neck, the violet-banded she-turtle headed off in search of her sibling.
"Gabe?"
"Lily?"
She peeked into the lab, smiling at the confused, curious of her younger brother.
"Hey, bro. How are you doing?"
"Alright, I guess…"
He always tried to hide things from her, but never succeeded.
She was a ninja of perception, a kunoichi gifted in the art of looking beneath the underneath.
Secrets might be locked up, but she always knew they were there.
She herself had secrets, but no one to try and unearth them…
"You look tired…Come on. You need a rest."
"But…"
"Whatever you're doing can wait."
Pulling him along, Lily settled him into his bed…
"Lil-."
"Sh…" She soothed, dimming the light…
"Just relax."
He was already drifting off, cuddling into his covers…
"B-But…"
Her soft singing voice seemed to wash away all his protests…
"Hush now, my baby/Be still love, don't cry/Sleep like you're rocked by the stream/Sleep and remember/My lullaby/And I'll be with you when you dream…"
His breathing began to slow, and she carefully stroked his forehead…
"Drift on a river/That flows through my arms/Drift as I'm singing to you/I see you smiling/So peaceful and calm/And holding you, I'm smiling, too/Here in my arms/Safe from all harm/Holding you, I'm smiling, too…"
She smiled as he sleepily nuzzled into his pillow, already drifting…
"Hush now, my baby/Be still, love, don't cry/Sleep like you're rocked by the stream/Sleep and remember this river lullaby/And I'll be with you when you dream…"
He was almost gone…
"I'll be with you when you dream…"
Happy that he was asleep, she looked up at the clock and sighed.
'Time to make dinner…'
Never a moment's rest…