Her.

Chapter XV

It was a week later, and there was no improvement in Henry's condition. If anything, the man had gotten sicker by the day. He began to cough as frequently as he breathed, and he hardly ate anything anymore. The man didn't even look alive enough to do much besides sit up, but he could hardly do that. His lack of appetite hindered him as much as the sickness did, and his shallow breathing could be heard through the whole house because of how hard it was to do so. Henry looked very depressed, and his condition seemed bleak.

It had gotten to the point where Erik was almost living there... And that's where Haya realized that he needed to stay. If he truly wanted to help her and her father, then he needed to live with them until he healed... Because Haya refused to believe that her father would die.

No, Haya knew that Henry was strong and would make it through whatever it was they needed to get through. The sickness couldn't kill him. It just could not do such a thing, besides, what was pneumonia compared to her father? Nothing, that's what.

Erik had told her that it was pneumonia only a day after he'd stayed overnight, and Haya felt awful. How had he even gotten such a thing in the nice weather they'd been having? She didn't truly understand the disease well either, so that played a factor in her ignorance to it. Haya just knew that Erik was doing everything he could to help Henry, and he was also being a good friend to Haya. They hadn't crossed any lines of any kind, even with speaking, and Haya seemed to be able to maintain that well enough. Though she hated it, she understood why it was needed in that time.

Anyways, Haya went to Erik the morning she decided to ask if he would stay and knocked on his door, just before breakfast. He answered quickly enough, smiling as she awaited him.

"Breakfast is ready, I assume correctly?" Erik said as he closed the door softly and walked to the table with Haya.

"Yes, but I had a question I wished to ask you, Erik."

He nodded as they soon reached the table.

"Well... For my father's benefit as you stay here a good amount of time anyways... I was wondering if you'd make the stay permanently until he healed. You can get your things today, and you'll just stay until Papa gets better. Would you? It would make me feel better if I knew you were getting solid meals and were here in a horrid case something goes astray."

Erik seemed taken by the question and its diplomacy, for it really did sound as though she needed him there to help with her father. It truly was simply for her father anyways. And she was right. If something drastic happened to Henry and Erik wasn't there, something awful could happen that would be worse than what he feels now. Then he would blame himself... Easily for such an occurrence. Erik couldn't bare Haya blaming him either.

"It is a logical inquisition, and I shall be obliging to your request. He needs me more than he will ever admit to you, Haya," Erik tried to tell her gently.

"What do you mean?"

Erik set his fork down and swallowed, his throat dry at trying to tell her what he knew. It wasn't entirely an easy thing to tell someone who was so attached to their father... And who had already lost their mother.

"Your father isn't doing well at all, and he is in constant need of me for many things. Such as medicines and things that his young daughter can't and should never do for him," Erik told her blatantly, his bold statement stabbing Haya as though someone pushed a blade into her abdomen.

"He's that sick?" She asked through tears.

"Yes," Erik breathed out, the answer hurting him as much as it hurt Haya to hear. "You know... If it helps at all... If your father does pass, he will be with your mother again. From what he's been telling me lately, she was the most lovely woman."