Devil's Spawn

Post Traumatic Amnesia

With shaking hands, Hilda set a plate of almond cookies (without cyanide), cinnamon sugar donuts, and scones on the table alongside a jar of raspberry jam, homemade clotted cream, and a steaming pot of Earl Grey tea. "She bakes when she's upset." Zelda explained as Dr. Black's eyebrows raised.

Zelda lit a cigarette and rubbed her temples, "We just managed to wake Lilith up from a coma, I'm really not interested in sedating her again - however, we cannot risk her harming herself or others. As we speak, Ambrose is working on boarding up the windows in her room and removing absolutely everything else. The only things available to her will be her bed. Even the medical supplies will be kept outside her room to ensure none of us end up with a needle in our necks." She took another inhale and slowly exhaled, turning her gaze to the doctor. "Tell me, Dr. Black, what are we to do about this post traumatic amnesia?"

Penelope Black took a long sip of her tea and spread some jam on a scone, topping it with a dollop of clotted cream; "So sorry, I just absolutely love this British tradition, though I never know if the jam goes below the cream or on top of it?"

Zelda smiled, thankful for this moment of reprieve from their horrific situation; "Hildy and I never agree. I think you've done it correctly but..."

"The jam always goes on the top!" Hilda interrupted her, smiling nervously and grabbing a donut to snack on.

"Indeed." Penny took a bite and licked cream from her lips under Zelda's watchful eye. "As I mentioned, post-traumatic amnesia or PTA, can occur after a patient has been in a coma and is often brought on by head injuries but can also be triggered by emotional trauma. It's clear that Lilith has had her fair share of trauma, both physical and emotional, it's likely that the coma has reset her system in an attempt to bury some of that trauma. Have the past few months been particularly difficult?"

"I would say so, yes." Zelda dunked a cookie in her tea, attempting to eat something in hopes of calming her stomach down. "So what can we do about it?"

"The severity of Lilith's PTA and the course of action moving forward will be determined by how long the PTA lasts. Typically this amnesia lasts three to four times longer than the preceding coma - so if Lilith was in a coma for a month, it's likely to take upwards of three to four months before we will begin to see signs of recovery. Which means that the damage will be severe and full recovery will take more than a year. She is also likely to exhibit permanent deficits in memory and cognitive function...for the rest of her life."

The cookie fell from Zelda's fingers and landed in her tea, splashing it all over the table but she didn't move. Her brow furrowed deeply and she shook her head. "No. That will not do. That will not do in the least. There must be something else, Penelope! She's just given birth to what could grow to become the Antichrist, we have plans to find the Spear of Longinus, she's finally just become the Queen of Hell, and I....." Zelda swallowed that she had confessed her love, feeling foolish.

Penelope Black reached over and rested her hand on Zelda's arm comfortingly; "I am just explaining what the typical prognosis is for a patient with PTA, Zelda. What I can't tell you is how a witch...not just a witch...will react as I have never encountered a magical patient suffering from PTA in my career."

Hilda scooped up Zelda's ruined tea and replaced it with a fresh cup, "So there's some hope then, Penny?"

Penelope nodeed. "There's always hope, Hilda." She squeezed Zelda's arm gently then pulled back to take another bite of scone.

"And in the meantime? What do we do in the meantime?" Zelda's cigarette burned bright as she took another drag, ashing into a nearby ashtray.

"Treatment for PTA includes some pharmaceuticals we can try, limiting stimulation in her environment, and helping to keep her calm so that her anxiety around her disorientation doesn't become what we saw today. To be honest, I'm out of my depth here. How can I predict the neuropsychological effects of a coma on the first woman ever created? I would assume that her biology would actually be the most likely to recover completely from this since it is unaffected by millenias of evolution but, she has also been experiencing trauma just as long." Penelope sighed and shook her head, taking a sip of her tea. "At this point, it's anyone's guess."

"Satan in Hell!" Zelda slammed her hands on the table and pushed off her stool to pace the kitchen. "That was most unhelpful."

"Zelds..." Penelope silenced Hilda gently and stood, moving to get in Zelda's way, grabbing her by the arms and holding her still. The High Priestess arched a brow, forced to look into Penelope's smokey grey-blue eyes.

"I know how you feel about her." Penny's voice was low and her gaze empathetic. "I'm not only a neurologist, I'm telepathic. You need to take care of yourself right now, Zelda, you too have suffered trauma. Allow me to take care of Lilith's medical needs for the time being and have hope."

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable by the level of intensity emitting from the other witches, Hilda interrupted; "Zelds, why don't you look after the details of little bat's naming ceremony? Penny can take care of Lilith, Ambrose will look after the students, and I will support wherever needed. But first, maybe a bath and a good night's rest?"

With a plan in place, Zelda felt somewhat better, but she leaned forward and hissed softly, "I would kindly ask you to remain out of my thoughts so long as you are a guest in my home. If I want you knowing my thoughts, I will tell them to you."

"Yes, of course. My apologies." Penelope released the fiery witch and returned to her spot next to Hilda, finishing off her scone.

"I think I will have a bath, sister. I bid you both goodnight." With a curt nod, Zelda turned on her heel and sauntered upstairs.

She stopped into her room where Hilda had taken their baby demoness. "Little bat, your Mama didn't mean it...she's not in control of herself." Tenderly, she stroked the babe's cheek, her eyes filling to see the slight purple of bruising around the lamia's neck. The babe cooed softly at Zelda's touch, flexing her talons. "Until your Mama is herself again, I don't think it's safe for you here, precious." Leaning down, she pressed a soft kiss to the devil spawn's brow.

Running her bath, Zelda's mind whirled with possible solutions. Samhain and the naming ceremony was two nights away, she was confident the babe would be safe until then, but if Lilith was still not herself, another solution would need to be found. Disrobing and settling into the bath, she sighed, her own bruises and scrapes aching as water cleaned them. Pouring some bubbles into the bath, Zelda lit some candles and leaned back to enjoy her solitude.

Lilith was wearing the same beautiful white lace gown she'd been wearing in the clearing, her long, dark mane flowing freely over her shoulders, topped by the flower crown Zelda had placed on her head. This time, Zelda couldn't move or speak but she watched as Lilith floated over to her and she ached to reach out. As she watched, Lilith sat on the edge of the bathtub and reached out to caress Zelda's face tenderly; "Your doctor is right, Zelda. My physical form has nearly healed but giving birth to Lucifer's child, after all he's done and all that has happened, broke me."

The spectre of her lover dragged her hand through the water, watching it quake and move. "She's so beautiful, isn't she?" Another long moment passed and Zelda wished desperately that she could reach out and touch Lilith. "Have hope my darling Spellman, your love is the light that will guide me out of the darkness..." Lilith turned to walk away, her image shimmering and disappearing but just before she vanished completely, she called over her shoulder;

"I want you to name her Deianeira."

Zelda's eyes flew open as she uttered the meaning of the babe's name; "Man-destroyer."