When Lilli woke up the next morning, Ivan was still asleep. He was curled up in a little ball, clutching to his chest his precious scarf that he'd begged Lilli to give back to him as soon as it was done going through the laundry cycle. Lilli smiled and brushed her hand across his forehead. Ivan was so cute…
She decided to let him sleep in, since it wouldn't be very helpful for him to be in the kitchen eating breakfast when Vash arrived. She went downstairs to make some coffee for herself and her older brother, feeling the need for some caffeine after the long night she'd had taking care of Ivan. Vash was already sitting at the table, still wearing the pajamas she'd made for him. "Good morning, Vash," she said sleepily, "I'm going to make some coffee, would you like some?"
"Sure, thanks." Vash grinned, biting into a breakfast pastry. "You look tired, little sister. Long night?"
She shrugged. "Couldn't sleep," she replied casually, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible. She poured some water in the coffee pot and put it on to boil, getting out two mugs, along with some filters and coffee grounds. Yawning into the back of her hand, she got an apple from the bowl on the table and bit into it, sitting across from Vash.
"You sure you're all right?" Vash asked her, the slightest tone of concern in his voice. "Because… you didn't put the lid on the coffee pot."
"Oh no!" Lilli slapped her forehead, feeling the heat rush to her cheeks. She ran to put the lid on the heating water, looking at Vash with an embarrassed smile. "Yes, I'm fine," she sighed, "just very tired." Suddenly she realized how she could get Ivan some help for his condition. "You know, I think once I make the coffee I might head back to bed, unless you need anything."
"No, I'm fine, you go rest." Lilli nodded gratefully and poured the coffee, putting some milk and sugar into Vash's cup and handed it to him before heading up the stairs to her room. She got inside and closed the door behind her, praying Vash wouldn't come in. He probably wouldn't disturb his little sister's rest, hopefully.
"Ivan," she whispered, "can you wake up? It's Lilli… It's- Sunflower…"
"Hullo?" Coming from the closet was a voice that sounded like Ivan's, but deeper and without that warm, childish tone to it. "Come in." She opened the closet door tentatively, her hands shaking and sweating, and when she saw Ivan, her heart dropped to her stomach. He was leaning back against the closet wall, holding the knife Lilli kept there for self-defense. How could she have been stupid enough to leave it there with Ivan?
His face was very pale, sweat running down his forehead from his hairline, and his eyes were glowing unnaturally; they looked glazed, feverish. "Sunflower?" His eyes looked right at her, but they didn't seem to recognize her like they had before. He tapped his knife against his palm, which was dripping with blood. Lilli felt sick. He had hurt himself.
"You called?" Ivan drawled out, his eyes wild and crazed. This was the "other self" he had told her about. She backed away slowly.
"Ivan, I can see you're not… well… right now, can you lie down and go to sleep, maybe you'll feel better." She gulped and continued backing away, searching under her bed for something she could use as a weapon. She couldn't bear the thought of hurting him, and she didn't think she had it in her to kill him, not sweet, childlike, but-unfortunately-schizophrenic Ivan. But if she didn't do something, he could seriously injure or even kill her. The knife in his hand was not meant for merely cutting fabric or chopping up bread and vegetables. It was the one Vash taught her how to stab with.
At last, she found her hardcover, thickly-bound copy of King Arthur and His Knights, holding it behind her as she slowly approached her potential killer. "Ivan," she cooed softly, hoping to soothe him, "if you sit quiet, I'll read you a story."
Ivan cocked his head and gave a twisted grin, stepping even further with the knife, which glistened with his own blood. "Kol…kol…kol…kol…" he chanted in a voice that nearly scared the wits out of Lilli. His violet eyes were almost red, and suddenly he grabbed his head. "Shut up, I know what I'm doing!" he hissed to the air, and Lilli shuddered. He's talking to the voices in his head, she realized.
Ivan suddenly sank to his knees, shivering and crying. "Stop it, please, go away!" He waved the knife in the air and held his head in his other hand, tears running down his face. The sight tore Lilli to shreds, but she knew this was her chance. Tiptoeing slowly and creeping behind him, she whacked him in the back of the head with her book, right in the spot where Vash taught her to knock somebody out.
Ivan fell unconscious, and Lilli's heart caught in her throat. "I'm sorry, Ivan," she whispered, tearing up, and pulled out her cell phone, exiting her room and locking the door. "I'm doing this to help you," she added, hoping that maybe Ivan, the true Ivan, heard her.
The person on the other end up the line picked up and she requested for an ambulance for a mental patient. She just hoped they wouldn't keep him there long term. She was starting to like him so, so much. After she got off the phone, being assured that help was on its way, she knew she'd have to face facts with Vash. God, it would have been so much easier if Ivan hadn't snapped and she could just take him to the doctor and he'd act like a civilized being. But no, things were never simple with Ivan Braginski, were they?
Sobbing, sniffling as tears ran down her cheeks, she descended the stairs and approached Vash. He turned to her and, seeing the tears, instantly held her close like he'd done when she was little and had nightmares. "Lilli, what's wrong, please tell me," he begged. He couldn't bear to see his little sister like this.
The sirens were approaching now. "Ivan Braginski is here," she finally blurted out, "and he needs our help."