The room stayed dark.
Quiet.
Only the faint light near the bed remained on.
Lillian still sat beside Sebastian.
Exactly where she had been for hours.
The damp cloth rested in her hand again.
Cool water dripping slowly from the edges.
She pressed it gently against Sebastian's forehead.
His skin was still burning.
Too hot.
Far too hot.
Her expression tightened slightly.
"…Sebastian."
No response.
Just another uneven breath leaving him.
His chest rose sharply.
Then fell again.
Like breathing itself exhausted him.
Lillian carefully moved the cloth lower.
Across his neck.
Trying to cool him down.
Sebastian suddenly shivered again.
Hard.
A weak groan leaving him.
Lillian immediately moved her free hand into his hair.
"Shh…"
His brows pulled together tightly.
Another restless movement.
The sheets twisted slightly beneath him.
Like he couldn't get comfortable.
Couldn't settle.
His breathing sped up again.
And then—
"…sorry…"
The word was barely audible.
Lillian froze slightly.
Her eyes lifted to him immediately.
Sebastian's head shifted weakly against the pillow.
Still asleep.
Still trapped somewhere between fever and exhaustion.
"…I said I'm sorry…"
His voice sounded smaller like this.
Younger.
Broken.
Lillian's chest tightened painfully.
"Sebastian…"
His fingers curled weakly into the sheets.
"…please…"
The word cracked halfway through.
"Don't lock me in there…"
Lillian went completely still.
The room suddenly felt colder.
He shifted weakly again.
Breathing faster now.
Like the memory itself frightened him even unconscious.
"I'll be quiet…"
Another shaky breath.
"I promise…"
Lillian swallowed hard.
Her hand stayed in his hair.
Slow strokes.
Gentle.
"You're okay," she whispered softly.
"You're not there anymore."
Sebastian flinched suddenly.
Hard enough that the bed shifted slightly.
Both arms instinctively came upward.
Protecting his head.
Even asleep.
Lillian's eyes widened slightly.
And then she understood.
Not fully.
But enough.
The bruise on his cheek.
The fear.
The way he recoiled from her when she first touched him.
Her stomach twisted painfully.
"…Oh, Sebastian…"
Another restless breath escaped him.
"…didn't mean to…"
Lillian leaned closer immediately.
"No one's hurting you," she whispered gently.
"You're safe."
His breathing shook unevenly.
But slowly—
very slowly—
his arms lowered again.
Lillian kept stroking his hair carefully.
Trying to ground him even through the fever.
The room fell quiet again.
Only for a few minutes.
Then another cough hit him.
Violent.
Deep.
His whole body jerked with it.
Lillian immediately helped him sit slightly forward.
"I've got you—."
Another cough tore through him.
Wet.
Painful.
He winced weakly even unconscious.
Lillian's chest tightened painfully.
When it finally stopped, she carefully wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth again.
"…God…"
Her voice barely came out.
She eased him back down slowly.
Sebastian's breathing stayed rough.
But calmer again.
For now.
Lillian sat back beside him.
Exhaustion pulling at her too now.
But she ignored it.
Because every time she looked away—
something happened.
A quiet knock interrupted the silence.
Lillian looked up immediately.
The door opened slightly.
Chloe stepped inside quietly.
She stopped the moment she saw them.
Lillian still beside the bed.
Still awake.
Sebastian pale beneath dim light.
"…You haven't slept," Chloe said softly.
Lillian looked back at Sebastian.
"…Neither has he."
Chloe's expression shifted slightly.
Then she moved closer.
Her eyes landed on Sebastian immediately.
The damp hair.
The flushed skin.
The visible exhaustion.
"…How is he?"
Lillian hesitated.
Then quietly:
"Worse."
Chloe frowned immediately.
"What happened?"
Lillian looked down at the cloth in her hands.
"…He's talking in his sleep."
Chloe stayed quiet.
Listening.
Lillian swallowed slightly.
"He kept apologising."
Something flickered across Chloe's expression.
Then Lillian continued quietly.
"He said not to lock him in there again."
Silence.
Heavy.
Chloe slowly looked toward Sebastian.
Then at the bruises Lillian had noticed earlier.
"…Jesus…"
Lillian's fingers tightened slightly around the cloth.
"He covered his head while he was asleep."
Chloe looked disturbed now.
Actually disturbed.
"…You think Charlotte—."
"I don't know," Lillian whispered quickly.
But her expression said otherwise.
The room stayed quiet again.
Chloe looked toward Sebastian for a long moment.
"…What kind of family does that to someone…"
Lillian didn't answer.
Because she didn't know.
And maybe she didn't want to.
Sebastian shifted again suddenly.
A weak sound leaving him.
Lillian immediately leaned closer.
"I'm here."
His eyes opened slightly this time.
Barely.
unfocused.
Heavy with fever.
But awake.
For a second he just stared ahead blankly.
Disoriented.
Then his gaze found her.
"…Lillian…"
Her expression softened instantly.
"Yes."
His breathing hitched slightly.
Like even saying her name exhausted him.
He looked around weakly.
The unfamiliar room.
The soft light.
Then back at her.
Confusion flickered briefly across his face.
"…You stayed…"
The words sounded almost surprised.
Lillian's chest tightened painfully again.
"Of course I stayed."
Sebastian stared at her weakly for another second.
Then quietly—
"…Sorry."
Lillian froze.
Chloe looked away slightly.
Sebastian's eyes were already drifting again.
Barely able to stay open.
"…For this…"
His voice cracked faintly.
"…for causing problems…"
Lillian immediately shook her head.
"No."
Firm.
Immediate.
Sebastian looked confused by the response.
Lillian leaned closer carefully.
"You don't apologise for this."
Silence.
His breathing stayed rough.
But he kept looking at her.
Like he didn't understand the words.
Like no one had ever said them before.
Lillian brushed damp hair away from his forehead gently.
"None of this is your fault."
Sebastian's eyes lowered slightly.
His body looked exhausted.
Completely exhausted.
Like even existing took too much energy now.
Then another shiver passed through him.
Lillian immediately adjusted the blanket around him carefully.
"It's okay," she whispered softly.
Sebastian's eyes slowly started closing again.
Too tired to stay awake.
Too sick.
But before he fully drifted off—
his hand moved weakly.
Fingers brushing against her sleeve.
Holding lightly.
Lillian looked down at it immediately.
Then back at him.
"…I'm here," she whispered again.
His grip loosened slightly.
Not fully.
Just enough.
And then—
for the first time since she had found him—
his body relaxed.
Really relaxed.
His shoulders loosened slightly against the pillows.
The tension left his face.
Even his breathing softened.
Still rough.
Still sick.
But calmer.
Safer.
Lillian slowly moved her fingers through his hair again.
Gentle.
Steady.
And Sebastian unconsciously leaned into the touch.
Just slightly.
But enough.
Like his body finally understood it was safe to rest.
Lillian felt her chest tighten painfully again.
Because no one should have looked this relieved just to be comforted.
She kept stroking his hair quietly.
Watching him.
Staying close.
And even asleep—
Sebastian didn't let go of her sleeve.