Her.

Chapter XIV

Everything hurt. That was easy to say.

And then there was the fact that she didn't know what else to do, how to amend things with Erik or how to care for her father? Would her father even be okay? Was that the letters he was getting, there was a possibility that a doctor was telling him that he needed some sort of treatment for some illness? Had Henry known he was sick the whole time, or was this such a new development that even he didn't know? Haya couldn't believe what had happened, for her father and the man she cared deeply for were both in the same room, and she was outside. She was left completely in the dark, and what murder it was! They were whispering so listening in was futile. Erik probably knew she was against the door anyways, it's not like she had wanted to leave.

It felt like hours had passed by when the door emitted a wanting knock, telling Haya that she should remove herself from its threshold. It had only truly been an hour later. So, with a jump, Haya stood and flattened out her dress and hair before the door opened to the room and Erik came out disheveled.

"Is he alright? Is he going to be alright?" She asked twice, her stammering and stuttering as she worried over her father and cowered in Erik's beautiful presence.

Erik inhaled deeply before unbuttoning the first button of his shirt and loosening the collar.

"I can't say just yet, Haya."

"Alright... Would you mind, for just a few hours, attempting to find out... I already lost one man I care for, I can't lose another," she said ashamedly, her words stinging and plunging into Erik's heart.

Even if he had a horribly small one, that didn't mean she cared not to have it. No, Haya wanted every single part of Erik, yet she knew that was a horribly unattainable mission at that point.

"I'll stay a little bit to attempt to diagnose him, maybe find a few more symptoms. Right now, I've got a few things that may help him, and a few possibilities of his sickness."

He seemed to ignore her statement until she repeated it, "I can't lose you both." Her words faltered, her jaw quivered, and she started to shake as tears streamed down her dark cheeks. "I can't!"

Haya attempted to run, but Erik pulled her into a hug and tried to calm her down. He could feel her heart beating in his chest, and the heat from her sobbing was emitting through his thin shirt.

"You haven't lost me, Haya," he whispered softly, kissing her hairline and lightly embracing her. He didn't know what else to say for her, as he knew that Henry being sick would be severely detrimental to her mental health, as unstable as he'd probably already made it. It hurt to admit he'd caused her pain, but he was hoping she would move on... Not dwell in his stupid presence.

"Come on, you should spend a lot of time with him, just in case..."

"Erik!" She shrieked, horrified at the thought Henry would die.

"Now, now, now, listen!" Erik told her gently, "I said 'just in case.' I'm hoping he pulls through as much as you do, okay? I want him to get better, and I'll do all in my power to make sure that he lives," Erik whispered to her vehemently, wiping away her tears and then clutching the doorknob. "Come now."

She nodded timidly and stepped into the room, where her father lie calmly in his bed, his coughing finally at a rest.

"Oh, papa," she said and hurried to him, her dress falling behind her.

She was wearing a dark blue one that day, her favorite one had you asked her. It was just the way her skin made the dress look like a beautiful sapphire that stuck out to her. Haya felt beautiful in it, and so she'd worn it in hopes to improve her mood. But the dress had been battered that day with her father's illness and traveling to find Erik. As long as her father got better, she would be happy... They could always get a new one, anyways. That one, her mother nor herself had made... She'd bought it on a whim, very uncharacteristically of herself. She liked making her own clothes, but she'd chosen not to in that case.

"Hello, darling... have a look see, I'm just fine, alright?" Henry asked her, motioning to the whole of his body.

Haya let out a soft giggle that unbeknownst to her, thoroughly warmed Erik's heart. He even smiled as she whispered excitedly to her father.

"Show Erik the guest room, won't you? I'm sure with me having that fit you'll have connived him into looking after me," Henry jested lightly, hating the idea of being taken care of.

"I just want you to heal, Henry," Erik said with a bit of cheek, "So that way I don't have to lug you around!"

"Lug me! Hah! I recall a lot of lugging you around, old friend," Henry bantered back.

"Mhm, you seem to have your recollection askew, I'll be settling in now."

Erik gathered his belongings and followed Haya into the guest room she was giving him for the night.

"This means a lot to me, Erik... You mean a lot to me," she whispered as she leaned against his doorframe, crossing her arms around herself as to keep warm.

"I appreciate the sentiment, yet I must refrain from commenting upon it. Though, I am rather happy to help you and your amazing father. He was always a good friend," Erik replied with a sheer reality that made Haya want to cry yet again.

"Thank you," she replied hollowly.

Erik couldn't stand her voice, and on an impulse, he hugged her before saying his last goodnight and closing the door to his temporary room.

"Goodnight," Haya said stupidly before wishing her father the same and heading to a very easily-sleeping night.