What Made Her Strong

So Lucy Brooks is currently being hospitalized, huh? It's just one misfortune after another with me, isn't it?

Morgan and I tailed shyly and awkwardly behind Jeremy and Niall as we walked down the hospital halls. (At this point I was concealing my book in the surprisingly large and convenient inside pocket of my jacket.) The halls were filled with busy nurses and doctors rushing about, pushing patients around on stretchers, or simply looking stressed out in general. Jeremy had previously received permission from the lady at the front desk for us to see Lucy, so as soon as we arrived at a certain room, we didn't have to wait to enter.

"Room #603...Lucy Amelia Brooks."

Niall whispered this the moment we entered the room. Lying peacefully on the bed, hooked up to an oxygen adapter, was a young teenage girl. She had beautiful black hair that spread out on the pillows her head was resting on. The machine hooked up to her was emitting sharp, beeping sounds at a steady pace, and the green line on the screen shot up every second or so. I wasn't sure if this was good or bad.

"We meet again, sweet Lucy..."

Niall spoke with an endearing voice as he neared the young girl, soon to claim the seat beside her bed. "It has been a while, huh? I missed you, ya know. So did Reiha. She missed you a lot."

"Uh, N-"

"Shut up, Hanako."

I had only planned to ask Niall a simple question, but Jeremy cut me off anyway, shooting me a look that said, "just let Niall have this moment to talk to Lucy". I sighed heavily and stood back with him and Morgan as Niall continued to talk to the sleeping girl.

"Lucy..." Niall carefully picked up her hand and rubbed it tenderly in his grasp. "I wish you were awake so I could just explain everything to you. Reiha didn't leave because she hated you. She left because...because of how attached to you she was. She loved you like a daughter, but she knew her purpose, and she stuck to it. Or at least, she thought she knew her purpose. But I believe that she did it for a good reason. I know it made sound absurd, but trust me, okay?" He took in a sharp breath through his nose, giving Lucy's hand a gentle squeeze. "Lucy...I'm so sorry...Reiha isn't here. She didn't come to see you. But you see...there's a good reason for that, too. How do I put this...? Lucy, Reiha is..."

Why is he telling her this if she's not even awake? I felt my spirits sinking. He's just going to break his own heart again.

"Reiha has passed on to a better life," Niall breathed, a small smile stretching across his face. "She's gone, but don't be sad. Because I'm sure, that in her last moments, she thought of you. I'm sure of it. But I bet...that she also thought of how sad she was not being able to say goodbye to you. And I'm sorry, Lucy. But everything I am saying is true. People say that Reiha could never imagine...or dream...or love. But we both know that isn't quite true. Reiha had a very small heart. And her heart was locked up. Not just anyone could figure out the code to unlock it. You were one of the few that could do that, so feel special, okay?" He slowly lifted his hand and wiped away a tear that was running down the girl's cheek.

A tear.

"Niall..."

Lucy's eyelids opened slightly, and we were soon staring at the bright, amber light she had hidden behind them. She stared at Niall with a loving expression, sympathy and heartbreak dawning on her kind face. Her quivering hands took Niall's hand and held it.

"Is she...is Reiha...really gone?"

"I'm so sorry."

I noticed small, dark spots begin to appear on the white bed sheets as the heavyhearted demon's tears began to flow. "I couldn't...I couldn't do anything...I was useless."

"Please don't cry," Lucy whispered. "I hate seeing you cry, Niall, especially since the Niall I knew used to be so happy and carefree."

"Well that Niall was a fake," he said seriously. "I hid my true self behind my smile. But I guess....being around you and Reiha...did make me happy. Even still, I'm different now. I'm not hiding anymore. Not one more insincere smile."

"That's a lie."

All eyes in the room fell on me.

"Niall, I know for certain that's a lie. And I don't think you should lie to Lucy. You always smile at me and tell me that everything is okay, but I knew from the start that you were lying every time. And I'm tired of it. I want the truth from you."

Niall clenched the bed sheets and closed his eyes thoughtfully, but he wasn't the first to say something.

"Niall...who are your friends?"

"Oh...that's right..." The demon laughed softly. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce them. Well, you know Jeremy. The other boys are Morgan and Hanako."

She smiled brightly at us. "It's so nice to meet you both," she said. "Any friends of Niall are friends of mine."

"You're too kind," I said shyly. "And very pretty."

"Yeah, what he said," Morgan added.

The idiot...

"Now, about what I said, Niall. Can you-"

"Can we save this for another time, master Hanako?"

The sound of his voice calling me 'master' for the first time in a long time was enough to shut me up. I was clearly being inconsiderate and selfish about my own feelings, while a girl Niall cared deeply about was lying on a bed...in grave condition...right in front of us.

"I'm sorry."

Niall said not a word on the subject after this, but instead returned his attention to Lucy. "So how are you feeling? I mean, besides the obvious answer, how do you-"

"I'm okay, Niall," she interrupted. "More importantly, seeing as Jeremy is here, I want to ask you something."

This caught Jeremy's attention. "Yeah? What is it, Lucy?"

"You most likely visited my mother's coffeehouse today, didn't you?"

Jeremy chuckled at this, and he gave Lucy a cheerful nod. "Ha, you know me so well. Yeah, we stopped by. I always do when I come to Aobasani."

"And how is she doing?"

"She's doing great," he replied. "You don't need to worry about your mother."

Lucy let out a sigh of relief as she let her head sink into the cushion of her pillows. "Thank you."

"You'll be fine, Lucy..." said Niall. "You just need time. You just...need to rest."

"Niall, I've been in the hospital for 5 years...the reason you're here is because word got out my condition is worse...isn't that right?"

Everything was silent. Painfully silent. No one spoke, but I could clearly hear Niall's heavy, panicked breathing. It was as if he knew what Lucy said was true, but every nerve in his body was trying to get him to deny it. To put it simply, he wasn't taking it well.

"You will...be fine...I won't...I won't let you die..."

"Niall, there's nothing you can do about it, and that's okay." Lucy placed her hand against Niall's cheek and lifted it slightly, so that the two were looking into each other's eyes. She took in a deep breath, and suddenly, the machine she was hooked up to began to act strangely. And so did she.

"Wh-what's happening?!" I demanded, my eyes now fixed on the green line on the screen that had begun to shoot up even higher than before, and at a much faster pace. "That can't be good..."

Lucy began to choke on air, and she flailed her arms desperately, until soon she grabbed Niall's shirt and hugged him tightly.

"Somebody get a doctor in here!!" Niall shouted, his voice deep with urgency. Jeremy immediately rushed out of the room to do as Niall had ordered. "Hang in there, Lucy!"

"Niall..." She gasped for breath, tears now streaming down her pale face. "I w-want you to know...I cared for Reiha. I-I know...she was happy...and she...she made me happy. That's all I c-cared about...and I'm happy...that I could see you one last time, Niall. Do me a favor...and take...take care of yourself..."

After this message was made with intense struggle on her part, Lucy released Niall and fell on her back, her eyes still wide open, nearly lifeless now. Niall's own eyes filled with tears, and he began to shake Lucy, screaming at her to wake up. Not a second later, three doctors burst into the room and demanded of us to leave at once. We had no choice but to do so.

+++

"You know, I never did like hospitals..." Morgan said, my guess trying to break the silence, but to my knowledge no one was really in the mood to talk.

"What kind of a statement is that?" Jeremy snapped. "Why don't you just keep your mouth shut, Carrot-top."

Jeremy was sitting on a park bench beside Niall, who was still crying into his hands, heartbroken after being given the news of Lucy's death.

"Lucy Amelia Brooks. Current status report: deceased. Time of death: April 18, 2014–3:37 p.m.."

Had I been given more time to know her, I'm sure I would've been shedding a few tears myself, but I wasn't. I let Niall do that for me.

"I've lost...too many important people in my life. I'm just so done with all of this...I'm so done with humanity. I just want it to stop...can't it all just stop...?"

I couldn't stand listening to him in this emotionally wrecked state he was in, so I made a bold decision. I shoved Jeremy aside and threw my arms around Niall's neck, then pressed his head until his chin was resting against my back. Shocked by my unexplained action, he stopped crying, just as I'd hoped he would.

"There ya go..." I felt his hands clutch my shirt as he struggled to fight back his tears. "There ya go, you can do it. No more crying. Good Niall..."

"...thank you, Hanako...you really are a good friend....."

I was honestly thrilled he called me his friend just then, but I still couldn't help but feel guilty for his suffering. Even though I wasn't responsible for Lucy's death, I was indeed the one responsible for Reiha's. If I could have just controlled my powers, she would've survived, and she would've been able to be by Lucy's bed as the young girl lived her final moments. I was sure that was all either of them wanted. And I...I took that from them.

With this thought painfully lingering in my mind, I held Niall closer, almost feeling afraid that he would slip away from me, too. Niall meant a lot to me. So did Jeremy. And most certainly, so did Morgan. These three were my friends, and the last thing I wanted was to see any of them get hurt. Physically, or emotionally. I hoped that one day, I could be strong enough and be the ones protecting them instead. I was tired of hiding and letting them fight all my battles for me.

"I will fight for you, Niall..."

"Hanako?"

"I'll fight for all of you guys. I'll protect you. I'll make sure no one hurts you. Okay?"

All this time I've been complaining, to myself, about how miserable I am, and how I wish things would just go my way. But in reality, I should be grateful. To Niall, and to Jeremy. Without them, I would most certainly be dead right now, and that means Morgan would be left alone. I don't think I could handle that.

Jeremy said he would protect me. Niall said he would protect me. Morgan said he would always stay by my side. What more do I need? If they really do what they say they're going to do, I should trust them and just be content. Living around them couldn't be so bad, could it? No matter how long it takes, I know I can do it. My life has taken a complete turn in these passed couple of days, and now I know I can't handle any more of it alone. But I finally realize that I don't need to face it alone.

I made a promise to you, remember, Reiha? I promised I would do my best to protect all of your brothers and sisters. Well, even though she wasn't your sister, I'm sorry. About Lucy. If you were alive, I'm sure you'd kill me. But instead, I'll continue to live up to my promise.