A/N: Hey sorry, it's been a while since I've last updated but School can do that to ya -_-

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to SQUARE ENIX!

Three: Paranoia

I was the never the girl to believe in romance.

Romance is something that can only be found in books, fairy tails. Like when the young and handsome Prince sweeps the beautiful and perfect young Princess off their her feet, and they both run away to elope and live happily ever after. Blah. Blah. Blah.

Now, reality speaking?

You fall in love, get married, have a few kids, then your husband only cares about his job and complains to you when you've had a bad day, and the only romance you'd get is from having sex with your husband. However, I don't think sex is romantic at all...

Mum's never told me about it in full detail.

YES, I know what sex is and what you do if that's what your asking, but...Mum just hasn't told me enough about it for me to prepare myself. She had been to busy looking after Nora and herself, of course I've never blamed her. Daddy cared less at the time, being the President of Shinra's electric company and all, and he still cares less...even more.

Mum's gone...and sometimes ..it feels like Daddy's becoming more and more distant from Nora and I each day.

I don't know how long I've sat up in bed staring blankly at the ghostly white walls of my bedroom that seemed to glow under the moonlight that invaded my room through my open window. I always slept with my window open, so that I could have light to draw or paint on nights like this. However, tonight...I didn't feel much like drawing, and that wasn't like me.

I let out an inward sigh before I allow my head to fall back on my pillows, I push away the strands of hair that fell over my eyes, wincing when I accidently jabbed my eye with one of my fingers. That hurt like hell, and it caused my eye to start throbbing instantly. Just great.

I sigh again before I listen to the harsh breeze outside my window, slowly closing my eyes, allowing the natural sounds of nature illuminate me...

"MUM!"

My footsteps thudded loudly against the hard tiled floors, nurses in pale uniforms fly by me in a blur as I run past them, my hair bouncing up and down my shoulders as I continue to run, my heart in my throat, and my veins full with adrenaline.

I had no idea what was going on, but I know that I didn't have much time.

"MUM!" I shouted again, I felt like I was floating from how fast I was running. My pleads for air could be heard from miles away, but I kept running.

I couldn't have gotten to Mum's room any sooner. I nearly fell on my face when I came to a halt by her bedside. I swallowed hard, taking in the view of my beloved mother. Her soft brown eyes looked up at me warmly, but the beautiful glow she'd always have to them were gone...her skin was as pale as the bed sheets that cascaded around her, making her hair look like an even darker red.

Almost like the shade of blood.

My stomach churned at that thought.

"Nam...ine..." Mum wheezed, her voice was hoarse and nowhere near to its soft melody, she grabbed my hand to hold in hers, it felt like ice.

Slowly, I crouched down on my knees so that I was more eye level with her, placing my other hand over ours.

"Your freezing Mum..." I whispered, a bit relaxed that the beeping of the monitor that was recording Mum's heart was still going, I had this awful feeling that it would go flat at any moment. No matter how many times I've tried pushing it away, it just came back to haunt me.

"Help...her..." Mum said as if I had never spoke.

I looked at her completely baffled.

"Help her?" I echoed. "Who Mum?" I reached up a hand to brush Mum's bangs out from her eyes, my heart sank in my chest when I noticed a patch of blood sprouting a bit lower from her hairline.

Gasping I reached for the button that would call the nurses but Mum's hand clasped my wrist tightly in an iron grip. I cried out in surprise before looking at her, her eyes still weak, but they're was a stern look to them. The blood on her forehead was now slowly starting to leak down her face, dropping from her chin and splattering onto my hand.

I nearly screamed as the droplets of my mothers blood turned black and burnt my skin as if it were some acid. More blood started to break through the surface of Mum's ghostly white skin. I cried out in terror as her grip got even tighter, as if she were trying to break my wrist, crushing my bones to dust.

"Nora...don't let her die...save her Namine...nobody could save me..."

I shot up in my bed panting loudly as If I'd run miles, my heart pounding against my rib cage and my entire body was slick with cold sweat. I ran a trembling hand through my bangs.

It was only a dream.

But Mum was still gone, and Nora's life was still at risk.

Swallowing hard, I made my way over to the bathroom. Splashing cold water to calm my nerves, but it wasn't as helpful as I hoped for.

"Nora...don't let her die...save her Namine...nobody could save me..."

My stomach turned violently at Mum's words, and for a moment I thought I was going to vomit, but the turning of my stomach only lasted a second or two...

Groaning when I glanced over at the clock that sat by counter near the sink.

Three thirty am.

I blindly reached for a towel to wipe my face with. I had no memory of dozing off after poking myself in the eye from pushing my hair out of my face. Maybe I was more tiered then I thought.

"Help...her..."

Nora.

She had to be talking about Nora. Who else would she be asking me to help?

I swallowed again, slowly making my way down the dark hallway, my hands sliding past the cold walls to guide me to Nora's room. It was so dark that I've missed a box still laying around, which ended up making contact with my foot, causing me to sail forwards, falling onto the hard wooden floors on my elbows and knees.

The box clattered loudly, I scowled knowing right away it was a new box of wine.

I hardly gotten up to my feet when Dad's bedroom door slammed open.

"What the hell are you doing!?" He snarled. His blue eyes colder then stone, his blonde hair all tangled, his clothes all rumbled it was hard to tell if he were sober our not since he'd just gotten out of bed, it wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't.

"Oh, I'm fine, Thank you!" I growled as I shot up to my feet, quickly checking my bare legs to see if there were any glass. There wasn't. "I just happened to trip over YOUR box of wine!"

Dad scowled at me before he flicked the switch to the light of the hallway, I squinted my eyes as they were blinded by the bright lights trying to adjust.

"Maybe you should pay more attention!" Dad hissed.

Pay more attention?

"Are you SERIOUS?" I nearly shouted. "That could have been Nora!"

Dad shrugged as if we were talking about the weather or something simple like that. "So?"

I wanted to punch him. Kick him. Tear his hair out from his head.

"So? SO!? What the hell is THAT suppose to mean!? Dad, she could DIE! LIKE MUM!" I said trying to keep my voice down so I wouldn't wake Nora, but it was already to late for that.

Dad just stared at me as if I had grown a pair of wings.

I sighed loudly, not wanting to put up with his idiotic state.

"Look...all I ask is for you to watch were you're keeping things...for Nora's sake...please..." I said, my voice softening a little. My eyes started to burn as they filled up with tears.

Before Dad could say anything, the door to Nora's room creaked open.

"Namie?" She asked in a soft voice, her little head poked out from the door before her little figure itself stepped out of her room and out of the hallway. The sleeves of her nightie were starting to fall of her little shoulder, she looked up at me then at Dad with wide blue eyes as her thin arms cradled her favorite orange cat stuffed animal.

She looked so fragile, and it made my stomach flutter when I noticed a large purple and black bruise on her left cheek. People who suffer of Hemophilia tend to bruise easier as well.

"Nora...where did you get that bruise?" I asked trying to hide the concern in my voice so I wouldn't frighten her. She looked at me curiously as I knelt down besides her to gently trace the discolored patch of skin on her left cheek. She arched her shoulders in a little shrug.

"I dunno! Did you fall?" She asked eyeing the box of dad's wine that was tipped over. Dad scowled at that before he returned back to his bedroom, slamming his door shut loudly behind him. I sighed before pulling Nora into a hug, she was so kind and always worrying for others instead of herself. She'd never ask if she was going to be okay when she was diagnosed with Hemophilia, and that really tugged at my heartstrings.

"I'm alright, Kitty...lets get back to bed...it's late." I replied as I scooped her up in my arms before walking back into her room. There was no way I could get back to sleep alone tonight, I wanted to sleep knowing Nora was alright, and by my side. This wouldn't have been the first time I've slept with Nora in her bedroom. And it certainly wouldn't be the last.

She smiled at me tiredly as I gently laid her down in her bed before crawling in next to her. I felt a little smile tug at the corner of my lips as her little legs tangled themselves with mine, and she scooted her little body closer to my larger one, sharing warmth.

"Night Namie..." She said fallowed by a soft yawn that sounded more like a sigh. "Sweet dreams!"

I held her closely to me, as if she were about to vanish at any moment.

"Goodnight kitty-cat...wake me if you have to use the bathroom."

Nora nodded before she fell asleep, but it took me hours before I finally drifted off.

I couldn't risk her falling and cutting herself like Mum did before she died, it was being protective.

However at the same time, it was also Paranoia.

But...what else am I suppose to do?

A/N: Poor Namine :( I apologize if this is slow moving but I promise I have a plan and the story will pick up soon! :D