darker_london | Worry (Peter, Lydia, Liz)

Dampness hung in the air and it coated Peter's lungs as he breathed. It was dark...so dark he couldn't see a thing, though the wet air was so thick it felt like he was walking through wet cotton as he made his way forward-

When Peter woke up, it was to find his elder sister watching over him. She was sitting on a chair beside his bed, and when Peter opened his eyes, Liz scooted closer to him. "Hmmmwet."

Liz raised an eyebrow at him and she gave him a funny look. "Who's wet? Peter, were you having a naughty dream?"

Peter, who was regaining his wits, gave his sister a withering look. "No. It was...dark. Dark and useless." Peter sat up more in the bed and then he looked around himself, slight alarm leaking into his features. "Am...I in the hospital!?"

Liz nodded. "Little bit. The last seizure you had pretty much took it out of you. You didn't wake up. Thomas got you here and they ran all sorts of tests and everything's okay, thank goodness. Except you keep having seizures and no one can tell us anything about why. Abby hooked you up to a thing which mapped brainwaves because you were even having them in your sleep. It looked kind of pretty on the screen, but..." Liz sighed and she reached out to place her hand on her brother's forehead. "-I don't like it, Peter."

"I don't have time to worry about it," Peter replied, though his voice was soft and kind because he didn't want Liz to think he was angry because she was worried about it. "How long as I asleep? No...not important. Has anyone found anything?"

"No one has found anything, Peter. Though Zoe has been doing some research on other disappearences and Thomas has been calling people. And you were asleep for about twenty hours. Did...did you have any dreams?"

"Just...darkness. Wet. Nothing. Fuck, Liz." Peter raised his hands up and he covered his face. He could feel the stubble which had erupted in earnest all over his features. It itched, but he didn't have time to shave. "Why is it my kids? Hmmm? Why do...whomever this happens to be this time...why do they come at me through my kids?!"

"Peter..." Liz reached out and she gently touched his arm. They had no idea if this even had anything to do with Tasha being Peter's. It could be about her being a cop, or being Russian, or being human...who knew. And how it had happened wasn't exactly illuminating. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "I wish I knew more. Thomas is probably with his husband. He went out looking with Stephie last night, and I think he needed some family time before coming back. He'll come back this evening and he'll probably take you out again if you want..."

Peter sighed and he felt like ripping out his hair. "This is so fucking frustrating."

"I know, Peter. Hope is going insane too. She even asked Carys to help. Carys, ever the charmer, told her to get stuffed."

"Tell Carys to go home," Peter groaned, though he knew Liz would be aware that he didn't mean it. "She's unpleasant."

"I could get you some tea. Would that be more pleasant?"

Peter grumbled, but he did love tea... "I think...Liz, could you get me my files? I'd like to do some research there. If I have to stay here, I'd still like to be doing something. I slept long enough already."

"Alright, Peter. But I'm getting you tea as well. And something to ea-" Liz looked up, having been interrupted from her quest to feed her little brother by a thin form appearing in the doorway. "Lydia."

"Hey." Lydia waved at them both and then she felt like an idiot. She shoved her hands in her pockets and she looked saddened. "I skipped school, don't get mad."

"I'm not mad," Peter answered, reaching his hand out to her. If he wasn't researching, comforting his other kids certainly was not a waste of time. "How are you, Little Girl?"

Lydia looked up at him sadly as he used the nickname he hadn't called her in years now. Now that she wasn't a little girl anymore. "Shitty," she answered honestly. She knew her father didn't mind that she swore, even if he didn't particularly care for it. There were so many other things in life to be worried about, language was not on the top of his list. "I miss Tasha."

Lydia crawled into her father's bed and she moved up next to him so she could lean on his arm. Tasha and Lydia shared a pretty close and special relationship and having her sister missing was quite upsetting. "I remember what Svetlana did to me, you know? And I hope that isn't happening to her."

Peter squeezed his eyes closed against the unbidden images that brought about, and he pulled Lydia close to him so he could wrap his arms around her. "I hope so too, Little Girl." He planted a kiss on her head and then Liz laid her hands on Lydia's back. And for a moment in time, it was the way it used to be. Just Peter, Liz and Lydia; a trio of people trying to figure out how they were going to fit in to the supernatural world London had to offer. They were still wondering, even now. The only difference was that they were no longer alone.