Ghost Bird Fanfiction: Sang's Lyric, The Story of Sang Sorenson's Mother

In and Out

(A/N- I know this part is short, forgive me... I wanted to reunite the guys with Lyric! Please comment and let me know what you think!) 

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I need you.

It was as if I conjured him as soon as the idea crossed my mind.

"Hey Crash."

I blinked, surprised, looking around the room where I was sitting between Kell and James.

Taylor stood in the frame of the door, watching me closely, a small sad smile on his lips.

"Hi, Tex," I answered, giving him a wobbly smile.

He took one step toward me, and I stood up. He shook his head at me, but opened his arms and scooped me up, lifting me until my feet came off the floor.

"I'm sorry I didn't stop him," he choked, and I felt his knees give way until we ended up on the floor, me splayed gracelessly across his lap while he embraced me tightly, raining kisses on my head, my forehead, anywhere he could reach. "God, Lyric. I'm so sorry." 


"It's not your fault," I told him, my mind threatening to shut off, shut down, wink out like stars in the morning. "If you believe anything, please believe that."


I felt other arms enfold me and I wiggled an arm free to grasp the other boys. "It's not your fault," I told them quietly. "You're here. We're together. None of this was your fault."


I heard a sniff and a sigh, an in-drawn breath released. "I won't forgive myself, Lyric," Taylor answered. "I can't."

I heard a throat cleared and I looked up, I saw Constance and an older man, someone I didn't recognize staring at me kindly. My heart started to pound and my breath got shallower.

"Lyric," Kell's voice was deep and calm, and though Taylor continued to hold me in his arms, he took my face between his palms. "Look at me, Priya. In and out. Breathe with me."


"Remember, Crash?" Taylor reminded me, his hand started at the top of my head. "Breath in," I took a deep breath through my nose at his direction, and as he stroked down my head. "Breath out."  I let the air out through my mouth.

I felt my hands gathered and knew it was James. He began touching my fingertips with his fingertips and I realized he was counting with me. "One, two, three." Breath in. "One, two, three." Breath out.

"This is Dr. Roberts," Taylor told me. "He's a friend and he's going to help us." 
I stared into Kell's dark eyes, letting Taylor's words sink in.

Kell raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to answer. I gave him a slight nod.

"We have a decision to make," Dr. Roberts said. "Dr. Mason here has confirmed that you were raped, but you are now officially in state custody."


I watched Kell absorb the information, and his eyes shot quickly to Dr. Roberts before focusing back on mine.

"She's not going anywhere but with us," I heard James say and then he squeezed my hands.

I could feel my anxiety rising again, my mind starting to create a shadow or cloud over me, wanting to suck me back into safety. I fought against it, trying to stay present.

"You're staying with us," James told me and I turned my face to his.

He was completely pale, his beautiful eyes bloodshot and weary. "You. Stay. With. Us," he said, infusing every word with purpose.

I nodded my head and the shadows retreated.

"I want to go away," I told James, before clearing my throat, and shifting my body slightly to look at Dr. Roberts. "Please. I don't want to stay here anymore. I don't want to..." My voice shook and I took another breath, feeling Taylor's hand on my head. "Can we just go somewhere?"


Kell, James, and Taylor all exchanged looks before turning their heads toward Constance and Dr. Roberts.

"All right," Constance answered, and I noted the exhaustion in her voice. "I guess the question is; do you want to go to Texas or South Carolina?"

I saw Taylor's face pale slightly at the mention of Texas. "South Carolina," I said quietly. "They have scorpions in Texas."