Fragile Heart, Fragile Mind

Medicine Pt.2

Dinah POV

Lauren sat up quickly, having been startled awake by the sound. She looked around confused and chewed on her hand.

"It's okay, lay back down. I'm gonna go check on the girls," I said softly. Lauren complied due to her half-asleep state, allowing me to tuck her back into bed and leave the room just as she fell back asleep.

As I closed the door and started down the stairs, I heard Camila in distress. My concern increased and I found myself going down the stairs faster. I looked around the room to try and determine what happened.

I approached Demi, who was on the floor with Camila, who was having a rather serious panic attack, "Hey, what happened?"

Demi rocked Camila gently, "She tripped and accidentally broke that vase over there. We told her it was okay and no one would be upset with her, but she panicked and right now we're just trying to calm down together," Demi explained calmly as she continued rocking Camila and playing with her hair.

I frowned, "Aww... Mila, it's okay."

I looked back over at Dems, "Do you need me to get you anything?"

"Umm, no thank you," she responded.

"Okay, let me know if you need me to grab anything for you or Mila," I told her.

She smiled, "For sure, I'm about to move to the couch with her, you can sit with us if you like, I'm sure Mila would feel better." I nodded, taking a seat on the couch between Ally and Demi, who pulled Camila into her embrace.

I got situated and looked over at Camila, rubbing her arm gently, "Hey, Mila. You're alright, you're doing a great job." Camila was starting to properly calm down now, remaining buried in Demi's arms. Only moments of comfortable silence passed before we noticed that Camila had once again, fallen asleep.

Mani sighed, "God, I'm worried about her..."

Ally nodded, "Me too." I was worried about Camila as well, she definitely had been having a tough time lately and I was growing increasingly worried that I didn't know what I could do to help.

"Is Lauren asleep?" Ally asked me.

I nodded, "Yeah, she woke up for a moment, but she fell right back asleep once I laid her down."

"Poor thing, she really doesn't feel well, huh?" Ally asked.

"Yeah, she had that medicine earlier so hopefully she starts feeling better soon," I explained.

"I think I'm actually gonna head back upstairs with Lauren just to be safe," I told the girls.

"Okay, take care," Demi said with a smile which I returned before heading back upstairs to my room. I got into bed, careful not to wake Lauren so that she could rest, and watched Netflix on my phone with the volume low. A couple of episodes of AHS passed before I started to feel sleepy and gave in to the urge to close my eyes and get some rest.

*Time Skip Next Morning*

No One POV

Faint voices woke Camila in the middle of the night. She looked around the dark room. The room was partially lit by the tv, but the corners of the room remained engulfed in shadows. Camila felt her heart sink when she heard the voices say they were going to take Lauren.

They wouldn't... they couldn't... but Camila was unable to convince herself as the shadows in the corners took form and began closing in. Her chest felt tight as she gripped the sheets in terror. She couldn't let them take Lauren.

Camila picked Lauren up and ran with her, hiding in a closet, holding the girl close and sobbing. Lauren screamed as Camila ran out of the room with her, waking Dinah. Dinah caught a glimpse of Camila turning the hall with Lauren and followed quickly. She heard a door slam and ran in the direction of the sound.

Dinah found herself in front of a closet and opened it. Lauren was curled in a little ball crying as Camila held onto her, rocking back and forth sobbing and hyperventilating. Dinah needed someone. Dinah reached for her phone, calling Demi.

D: Hello?
Dj: Demi I need you in the spare room by my room now, please...
D: Coming. What is it?
Dj: Mila...

Demi walked into the room and hung up her phone. Her face softened when she saw the scene.

"Um... get Laur," she instructed.

I picked Lauren up, Camila clinging onto her and fighting against me, "N No!" She screamed through her tears. I successfully took Lauren into my arms and Camila curled into a ball, rocking herself as she sobbed, losing any control over her breathing that she had managed to maintain.

Demi wrapped her arms around Camila, picked her up, and carried her back into Dinah's room, Dinah following close behind with Lauren. Dinah worked to calm Lauren down by bouncing her on her hip while walking in circles while Demi made efforts to calm Camila down.

Demi held the crying girl on her lap, rocked her, and ran her fingers through her hair, "Shhh..." she cooed. Mila hiccuped through her cries as Demi worked to soothe her. Demi and Dinah wondered what was happening in Camila's head. Both of them would have been correct in their assumption that Camila had suffered a psychotic break.

Over the next hour, both Camila and Lauren calmed down and Camila had fallen back asleep. Lauren was shivering though and it was concerning Dinah, who had the small girl on her lap. She decided to take her temperature again. She carried Lauren to her bathroom and set her down on the counter. Dinah pulled out the thermometer and Lauren complied with having her temperature taken. A series of beeps interrupted the silence. Dinah looked down at the thermometer: 105.1

It was too soon to give her another dose of medicine. Dinah wet a washcloth and spun it around to cool it off. She carried Lauren back to bed and tucked her in, and placed the cool washcloth on her forehead.

Just as Dinah and Demi were watching over Lauren worriedly and Dinah was wondering if she should take Lauren to the hospital, Lauren began shaking violently and her eyes rolled back into her head.

"Grab your keys!" Dinah exclaimed, scooping the small girl up in her arms as she convulsed. Demi picked up Camila and rushed downstairs, Dinah close behind her with Lauren in her arms. Demi grabbed her keys and they slipped their shoes on. They ran out to Demi's car and loaded up, speeding to the hospital.