"Hey, Em. How're you feeling?" Darcy asked as she walked into the livingroom.

Emily still lay, sprawled out on the floor. She felt more tired than earlier.

"Em?"

Emily looked at her mom with her eyes. She didn't move. "I'm fine, mom." She grumbled. She didn't feel fine but she didn't want to tell her that.

"You sure? You look pale again. Were you doing things you weren't supposed to?" Darcy sat down. She looked hard at Emily.

"Yes, mom! Oh, my God!" Emily sounded annoyed.

Darcy opened her mouth to say something but a sound distracted her.

A scream, a crash, then a groan.

Darcy turned and darted down the hall.

Emily tried to sit up, but she couldn't. She had no energy. Her gut wanted to move to see if everyone was ok, her body said otherwise.

Darcy ran into her mother's room and seen Victor on the floor, buried by clothes and boxes. Darcy's mouth dropped open. She looked at Sísele who was sitting on her bed laughing.

"You're funny." Sísele said, laughing, waving her hand in the air toward Victor.

Victor nodded. "Yes. I'm funny. Thank you Sísele." He said. He wiggled around under the pile.

Darcy started laughing. "What are you doing under there?" She asked.

"Well, your mom wanted her suitcase. Which happened to be in the closet." Victor answered, still wiggling.

"Ohh." Darcy nodded. "Yeah, I usually talk her into using one of her other bags."

Victor stopped moving and looked at his wife. He didn't seem impressed.

Sísele still laughed.

Darcy walked over and started to toss some boxes back into the closet.

"No, no! I made it this far. May as well grab the suitcase." Victor cried.

"No. You'll never get to it." Darcy continued to fish her husband out from the mess. "Mom, you're going to have to use a different bag. Your suitcase is too big for just a weekend."

Sísele stopped laughing. "Well, why I buy it then? If I'm not gonna ushe it then why'd I buy it?"

Darcy sighed. "Mom, you don't need it. What else do you want to fall on Vic?"

"Everything. Get the shuitcashe."

"No, mom. Use your duffle bag, right there. It's small enough for the weekend and it's light." Darcy managed to move enough stuff off of Victor so that he can crawl out. She started to make a new, messier, pile.

"Don't even get to your housh and you kick me out." Sísele grumbled.

Victor walked across the room and grabbed a brown leather duffle bag. He opened it and put it on the foot of Sísele's bed. "There you go Sísele." He exhaled a breath of triumph.

"Shmart ash!" Sísele snapped. She snatched her small duffle bag and clutched it to her lap.

Victor gaped at Sísele. He didn't know what to say.

Sísele started laughing again.

Victor smiled and walked out of the room shaking his head.

Darcy stayed with her mom to help her find some clothes.

"You feeling okay, Em?" Victor asked.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Don't start, dad!" Emily growled.

Victor looked at her, puzzled. He was concerned. This wasn't like Emily at all. She seemed fine when he came in and now she looked pale and fatigued.

"Look, Em, I know it's annoying having us smother you all the time. But we're worried about you." Victor explained.

Emily rolled her eyes. "You ever think that maybe that's why I'm tired? I have to answer all the same questions over and over. It's beyond annoying, dad!" Emily spit out her words. She was tired, breathless and crabby. She wanted to go home and go to bed. Emily thought that was strange but she wasn't about to prove her parents right. She wanted to show them she was fine.

"Alright. How 'bout this..." Victor thought for a moment. "How 'bout I stop checking on you every ten minutes IF you promise to be honest with me about how you're feeling?"

Emily thought for a moment. She flicked her eyes to her dad and stared at him as if she was studying his face.

"I won't tell your mom about how you're feeling unless it's REALLY important."

Emily looked away. She didn't answer.

"Ten seconds and the offer is gone." Victor warned. "Ten...Nine...Eight...Seven...Six...Five...Four...Three..."

"Okay, okay." Emily barked. "Just stop asking me how I'm doing everytime you look at me." Emily frowned.

Victor gave a triumphant grin. If he could run around in circles waving his clasped hands in the air, he would. He wanted to. "Alright, then." He chimed.

Emily scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, mom's ready. Let's go." Darcy walked into the livingroom carrying Sísele's bag.

Emily sighed and tried to find some strength to pick herself up. Her body felt like an anvil. A deadweight. She tried to lift her right arm to roll over, but it was difficult. She frowned at herself. She didn't understand why she felt so lethargic. Emily took a couple of deep breaths and threw herself onto her side.

"Okay, I can take Emily with me and you can take your mother." Victor suggested. He stood up from the couch and stretched his back.

"I go with Emily." Sísele said from the hall.

Darcy smiled. She raised her eyebrows at Victor. "I'll take Emily and mom. You go do what you do."

Victor smiled. He looked at Emily.

Emily managed to get onto her hands and knees and struggled to find strength to stand. She took a few deep breaths, again, and forced herself. She lifted he right knee and planted her foot on the ground. She pushed her torso away from the floor with her hands and put her right hand on her right knee. Her brain started to burn. Her eyes felt like they were punched into her skull. The room went black.

"Emily!?" Victor cried out.

Emily became weak and fell over onto her side.

Victor rushed over to her. He touched her face and noticed she had a fever.

"Emily!?" Darcy screeched. She dropped Sísele's bag on the floor and darted across the room.

Sísele tried to run but she couldn't. Her old legs were tired from a lifetime of work in the gardens. She rushed into the livingroom to see what the commotion was about. She gasped. She seen Emily on the floor, limp, pale and unresponsive.

"Just get her into the car, Vic!" Darcy demanded. "We're not waiting for an ambulance."

"We should call them. What if something happens on the way?" Victor argued.

"What if something happens while we're waiting?!" Darcy snapped. She glared at her husband with ferocity. "Get her in the car!" She growled. Darcy grit her teeth together as if to keep herself from biting him. "I will call the hospital. You drive." Darcy looked at her mom. "Sorry mom. You're going to have to wait to come over. I'll call you when we know something."

"No!" Sísele demanded. "I am coming! My bag is packed."

Darcy wasn't in the mood to argue. "If you're coming then get in my car, mom!" She put her hand on Victor's shoulder and stood up.

Victor pushed his arms under Emily's neck and knees. He lifted her up and cradled her close. He could tell she was still breathing. A feeling of relief shook through his body like an earthquake. She was still breathing. He tensed again. She was still unconscious. He turned and rushed out of the house. Darcy was close behind him.

Darcy ran around Victor and opened the car door for him. Victor slipped her in and buckled her.

Sísele wasn't too far behind. She climbed into the backseat beside Emily. "Lie her down!" She ordered.

Victor paused to look at Sísele. He pushed the buckle down and gently layed Emily down. Sísele guided Emily's head and put it on her lap.

"Yes! Hello??" Darcy nearly hollered on the phone."Put me through to emergency, please! We're on our way to the hospital." She was silent for a few minutes.

Sísele started humming. She stroked Emily's hair and offered a supportive smile to her unconscious granddaughter.

Victor closed the door and opened the drivers door. "Let's go!" He hollered at Darcy.

Darcy looked at him and ran around the car. She threw open the passenger door and dove in. Darcy slammed the door shut and fought with her belt to buckle. "Hello!!" Darcy barked into the phone. "We're en route to the hospital! My daughter fainted about five minutes ago. She's not responding. We're bringing her in to emergency." Darcy was talking fast.

Victor had started the car and backed out of the driveway.

Sísele continued to hum calmly. Soon, her humming turned into singing. Victor recognized the song Sísele sang. It was a lullaby he heard growing up. It was like a magical fog enveloped his body. He started to relax. All fears had slowly left his mind. He started to better focus on driving. His stomach wrenched. His heart pounded in his chest. He choked on his saliva. But a sense of serenity still filled his body. He took a deep breath and it felt like it was fresh and cool. He found a sense of calmness in his moment of panic.

Sísele continued to sing the lullaby to Emily. She stared at Victor as she sang and continued to stroke Emily's hair.

Darcy hung up the phone. "They said they'll get set up for her."

Victor didn't say anything. He hadn't heard a thing she said since Sísele started singing. The world whirred past him as he drove down the highway. He didn't notice.

Sísele sang gently in the backseat. Darcy didn't seem to notice her. Her mind was set on her daughter. She was frantic. Her mind was everywhere. Sísele kept singing.

They arrived at the hospital twenty minutes later. Emily still hadn't regained consciousness. Victor threw open the back door and ripped the buckle off Emily. He scooped her out and into his arms. He ran around the car where nurses had greeted him with a gurney. He lied Emily down gently and rubbed her head before the nurses ran into the emergency room with her. Darcy ran close behind them. Victor stayed behind. He had to move the car. He wanted to cry from his fear but he could still hear the lullaby Sísele sang. He swallowed hard and ran back to the car.

Sísele stayed in the back seat. Her face held a look of sadness. She swallowed back a sob but allowed a whimper to escape.

"Can you tell me what happened?" A nurse asked Darcy. She stopped her from following the gurney.

Darcy stretched her neck to look past the nurse. "Ah-b. Dah..." She stammered. She closed her eyes tight and shook her head. She opened her eyes and looked at the nurse. "What?"

"Can you tell me what happened?" The nurse asked slowly.

Darcy didn't answer. She watched Emily be pushed through doors and disappear.

"I need to tell the doctor." The nurse urged. She touched Darcy's elbow.

Darcy looked at the nurse. "I-I don't know." She shook her head. "She was getting up off the floor and she just...Fell over."

"Okay, did she hit her head on anything?"

"No."

"Are you sure? Did she hit her head on the floor?"

"No. No. I mean...Not really." Darcy was having difficulties articulating what she witnessed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "She was laying on the floor. She rolled over to get up. She got up onto one knee and she fell over. She rolled-like. Her head was the last to touch the floor. There was nothing there."

"Okay, but did she hit her head on the floor hard?" The nurse asked assertively.

"No." Darcy shook her head. "The floor has rug."

"Okay. Did she do anything to over-exerted herself?"

"No. At least....She shouldn't have. She was here last night." Darcy hugged herself. "The doctor said she had the flu. She was supposed to rest today."

"Okay." The nurse said. "I'll go let the doctor know. Why don't you go sit in the waiting area while we look her over. We'll come get you when we're finished." The nurse touched Darcy's elbow again. She gestured her toward a hall that lead to the waiting room.

Darcy hesitated.

"I know this is scary. But I need you to go this way so I can tell the doctor what you told me."

Darcy nodded. She let her head drop and she walked down the hall. She felt like her heart stopped beating. Although she was aware she was breathing, it felt like she was holding her breath. Darcy didn't know where her mother or Victor were, she assumed she would find them in the waiting room.

The bright lights seemed to be blinding. Darcy walked, not noticing anything around her. Emily hadn't woken up and now she has to wait even longer. She felt like one of her limbs had been ripped off her body, not being able to see her.

Darcy walked into the waiting area. She didn't bother to look around. Her body felt weak. And then, she heard it. The lullaby her mother sang in the car. How did she know that song? That song came from Victor's family line. She listened to her mother singing in her mind as she tried calm herself.