Neither (The Noctalis Chronicles 3)

She runs out of the school building at lunch and I grab her arm, pulling her into my chest. She doesn't say anything, and I don't either. I hold her until she takes a deep breath, her entire body shaking.

“She's been admitted, but I don't know anything else. I've texted Dad, but he hasn't messaged me back. I don't know what to do.”

“No news is good news,” I say, using a phrase I picked up recently.

“I want to kill every single one of them. It's so hard not to. I just want them all to die.” I know. I've seen the images in her head of blood, death and fire. They do not disturb me, but they do her. I wish I could push them away and give her beautiful images of mountains, beaches and sunshine.

“I wish I had something better to say. We will see her this afternoon.” She nods against my chest.

“Are you okay?” Texas is right behind us with Viktor. Ava hasn't told her about her mother yet.

“My mom's not doing well. I just don't know what to do.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“She asked me to go to school. How could I say no?”

Texas looks at Ava, as if she wants to say something. I catch Viktor's eye, but he is concentrating on Texas. She swallows and reconsiders.

“There are some times when you have to listen to your parents. When they tell you go to bed or eat your vegetables or not try to do gymnastics on the couch because you'll break your grandmother's lamp that she brought all the way from her honeymoon in Europe, you listen. This is not one of those times. If it was my mother, I'd be there. I know she and I don't get along that well, but she's my mom and I love her. We don't have half the connection you guys do. So get your ass to that hospital right now. I don't want to see your face back here. Go.” She points to the parking lot.

For a moment, Ava imagines breaking Texas' neck, but then she dives at her, giving her a crushing hug. “I love you, Texas Sarsaparilla Anne Hamilton. I freaking love you. Keep an eye on Jamie.”

“I know. I love you, too. Tell Claire I said hi and get better. Viktor and I will take care of Jamie.”

Ava grabs my hand and marches to her car, resolved.

“I don't know why it took someone else to tell me it's okay for it to be okay. I shouldn't need Tex to tell me that. I should be ballsy enough to do it on my own. I feel like I'm not myself anymore. I don't know this girl I've become.” She starts the car and pulls out of the lot without looking back.

“I do. She's the exact same girl that met me in the cemetery that night and kept coming back even though I told her I would kill her. She's the girl I adore. She's you.”

“You always say the right thing. I think you come up with this stuff ahead of time and then whip it out when I need it. I love you.” She's said it several times today.

She breaks a few driving laws getting to the hospital, but there are no police around. I take her hand as we walk into the hospital.

“I have no idea where she'd be. Last time she came she was in the ER, but they've probably moved her to a room by now.”

She goes up to the desk and asks for her mother's room.

“Are you Ava?” the young nurse in yellow scrubs asks.

“Yes. Could you tell me where she is?”

“Sure, sweetheart. She's in room 203. Just down the hall and hang a left,” she says, pointing.

“Thank you,” Ava says, rushing down the hallway to the room. She pauses for a second outside the door and takes a deep breath. I try to let go of her hand, but she won't let me.

“I need you,” she says, so we walk in the room together. Claire is propped on a hospital bed, her eyes closed, and a heart monitor softly beeping next to her. There is an IV in her arm as well and oxygen line in her nose.

“Ava? What are you doing here?” Sam is slumped over in a chair, his head resting on one of his hands.

“I had to come and see her,” she says, her chin rising in anticipation of his disapproval. He rubs his eyes, trying to become fully awake. He looks at Claire before turning his attention back to Ava.

“I'm not happy, but I understand. I knew you'd be here by the end of the day. Do you need a note?”

“No, I already forged one,” Ava says, her tension easing the tiniest bit.

“Clever girl,” Sam says with a brief smile. “Looks like you're a partner in crime, Peter.”

“Your daughter can be very persuasive,” I say. Sam chuckles.

“She can. So can her mother.” He brushes Claire's arm.

“How is she?” Ava asks.

“Looks like she had a cold that's turned into pneumonia. They've got her on antibiotics and we'll see. They want to keep her here.” I get out the only other available chair for Ava and stand next to it.

“Do you want to sit, Peter? I'm sure they can get another chair.”

“I'm fine, thank you.” The hum of the hospital is loud to me. I am not used to it. In addition, I get every single thought from Ava's head. There is a lot of noise that I want to quiet, but I will put up with it for her.

Nurses rush to and fro, their soft shoes barely making any noise on the linoleum. One pauses in the doorway and comes in, first pumping hand sanitizer into her palms.

“How are we doing? Well, this must be Ava.” The woman is thirtyish, slim and has a warm smile. Her blood smells warm and full. Healthy.

“Hi,” Ava says.

“I'm Jenna, your mom's day nurse. And who is this handsome young man?”

“This is Peter,” Ava says, but in her head she's laughing at the woman calling me a young man.

“Well, well,” Jenna says, moving to the machinery hooked up to Claire. We did not have the medical technology they have now when I was alive. It is a marvel what humans are able to accomplish. I am astonished by it all the time.

She wakes Claire by gently rubbing her shoulder.

“Wake up, darling. Just gotta check your vitals.” Claire rouses slowly, pulling at the oxygen tube.

“Whoa, don't mess with that,” Jenna says, taking her hands away. Claire's eyes open and she looks startled for a moment. Like a child.

“What? Oh, Ava. What time is it?”

“It's twelve-thirty sleeping beauty. Can you go ahead and lift that arm for me?” Claire lifts her arm and Jenna starts to take her blood pressure.

“You should be in school.”

“There are some things that are more important than school. Besides, I'm almost done.”

“I should be a mean mommy and make you go back.”

“But you're not going to,” Ava finishes, and Jenna laughs.