Wide Awake [Tag Helena]

Liam had been asleep for a few days now, no one being able to get him to respond. He slept peacefully to anyone who saw him. His mind was empty in his sleep. Belle and Rose took care of him when they could, cleaning him with their magic and making sure he was fed. Of course, none of them dared to ask Helena to move or leave. She had as much right to be there as any of them did. 

"Helena... sweetheart, have you slept at all?" Belle asked, sitting on the end of Liam's bed and reaching for the girls hand. She gave it a soft squeeze and a sad smile. "I'll go get you some different clothes to wear... We just washed a load of Liam's. You like wearing his things, right?" She asked, though she knew the answer. She nodded and got up, leaving the room and quietly shutting the door behind her to leave the two alone. 

A few moments of silence passed before a few twitches came to Liam's fingers. Subtle, but noticeable from his motionless frame. He groaned slightly, his brows taking a crease.

When Helena came to visit, she wanted to spend the whole day with Liam after a day of getting back from the hellish place. She knew that he wasn't feeling well, not physically but mentally more than anything. Wanting to cheer him up and be his rock, it didn't take long to convince her parents to let her out. However, when she came into the house and Lizzy telling her that he was still sleeping even though it was practically the afternoon, Helena felt worried. 

She went into his room, finding it odd, but assume that he felt extremely tired, when he didn't stir when she walked in, and tried to wake him up. However, he didn't move or wake when she shook him fiercely. She ran out, going straight to his parents in a panic. When they moved back in the room, both Belle and Flynn trying anything that they could to wake their son, Helena stayed by Liam's side.  She pulled a chair next to his bed and wrapped her arms around one of his, her tears streaming down her cheek. 

Since then, while Belle and Rosie helped him as much as they could, Jasper and especially Lizzy came in as mental support for Helena and seeing if Liam would wake up. Lizzy managed to convince Helena to eat something during the days but that was about it. Helena looked up as Belle spoke to her, her eyes dulled with sadness, and didn't respond to the sleeping part but nodded softly as she offered a changed of clothes. She turned her head back to Liam's sleeping face and softly kissed his knuckles and the top of his hand before cuddling it close to her chest, closing her eyes. She opened her eyes when his fingers started to twitch, her lips parting in a small gasp before looking at his face. "L-liam?!" She gasped softly, her voice coming out as a high pitched squeak from the lack of vocal activity, placing her hand on his cheek softly.

Liam swallowed roughly, his throat feeling dry. He could hear a voice, but he couldn't place whom it belonged. He felt like he should, though. He flexed his fingers a bit, feeling how stiff they were. He felt a soft hand holding his own. Maybe it belonged to that voice. It was a nice voice. Soft and sweet and angelic. Who was she calling? He leaned towards the touch on his cheek and tried to sort things out in his head before he slowly cracked his eyes open. His vision blurred for a moment before focusing on the blonde girl beside him. She was beautiful, despite the obvious faults to her makeup from crying. Why was she wearing makeup? She didn't need it. 

"...Who's Liam?" He asked, his voice husky and scratchy from how long it had been out of commission. He had a strong feeling that he should remember that name. He should remember her. But, he was drawing a blank. As he looked around, he took note that he had no idea where he was, no matter how familiar it all seemed. He didn't even know why he was there in the first place. The worst part was that he didn't know who he was at all.

As Liam started to move, Helena's smile started to show again. She nearly wanted to scream out in relief when he was moving, responding to her touch. When he cracked his eyes open, she didn't waste anytime to pull him into a hug, her arms wrapping around his neck tightly and her face buried in the nape of his neck. "You're O.K..." She whispered softly and went to repeat it again until he asked the question. She pulled back with a smile, assuming he was playing a joke on her, but it soon fell when she looked into his golden eyes. They lacked the joking quality he always had with him and they looked utterly confused. As she watched him look around and his arms didn't wrap around her like they normally would, she could easily connect the dots together. 

"Y-you... don't... r-remember..." She whispered softly, feeling the tears come back all over again. Her arms shook softly as they moved away from him and she quickly stood up, heading for the door. 
"B-B-Belle? Belle!" She called down the hallway as she opened the door. She stepped away from Liam's view, her breath hitched in a sob as tears flowed down her cheeks when she leaned against the wall.

Liam furrowed his brows when she hugged him. She seemed to know who he was. Maybe she could tell him. But, as she pulled back and started to cry, his heart sank. "H-Hey... Don't..." he tried to soothe her, but he didn't have the chance when she practically ran from him. He sat up and frowned, rubbed the back of his neck and trying to see her. 

Belle hurried back when she heard Helena call for her so frantically. "Helena, what's wrong, sweetheart?" She asked, touching the girl's cheek. She then looked into the room and froze, her eyes going wide. "You're awake," She sighed in relief and hurried over to him, hugging him. Liam jumped, startled to be grabbed up in a hug. "Yeah... I'm awake," He mumbled, piecing together that he must have been sleeping a while. Belle leaned back and cupped his face, smiling brightly until she too saw the confused expression he had to his eyes. She knew that look far too well. She shook her head. "What's your name?" She questioned. He stared at her for a long moment. "...Liam?" he asked, unsure. Belle pursed her lips. "How old are you?" She pressed. "I... Uhm..." he looked concerned now, simply because of the more threatening look Belle had, simply because she was angry at Hades. "Who am I?" Belle finally questioned. "I don't know," He answered honestly. "I... I don't know who you are," He said apologetically, moving her hands away from him. 

Belle shook her head and stood up, keeping the tears from her eyes. "Flynn!" she called, moving back out to where Helena was. "Will someone tell me what's going on? Why is she crying?" He practically whimpered. "Helena... Sweetheart," Belle sighed and brought the girl into a hug. "It will be okay. The same thing happened to Flynn... His memories will come back. There's no way he could truly forget you," She whispered near the girls ear.

As Belle came over, Helena tried to explain but found herself that she couldn't. Fortunately, Belle looked into the room and hurried in. Helena leaned against the wall next to the door as she listened to Belle asked Liam questions. When he couldn't even tell her how old he was or he even told his own mother that he didn't know her, Helena turned away from the door once more, choking in a sob. When Belle pulled her into a hug, Helena could only shake her head. 

Both Flynn and Lizzy looked at each other with concern when Helena called for Belle and already started their way over to Liam's room. When Belle called for Flynn, Flynn quickened his pace into a jog, Liz right behind him. "What's wrong?" Liz asked her mother, her brows in concern. Flynn moved past Belle when he saw that familiar look on her face and went into Liam's room. He sighed, knowing exactly why Belle and Helena were so upset, and sat down on the edge of Liam's bed. 

"Hey bud... I'm so glad you're awake..." Flynn started with a calm smile, placing a comforting hand on  Liam's shoulder. From his experience, he knew the best thing for his son to help him get his memory back was patience and guidance. "I... know this is all too confusing for you... But you need to trust me, alright? You're probably going to want to throw me out the window with how frustrating I'm going to be, but believe me, it'll only help..."

Belle hugged Helena and rubbed her back gently. "Helena... Shh... Liam is still in there. We just have to get to him. Please. We're going to need your help. You've been such an important part of his life since he was able to talk -- which was practically the day he was born... He needs you, Helena. You need to be strong," She whispered. "I had to do the same thing for Flynn... And I got him back. It wasn't easy. I almost gave up. But I'm glad I didn't," She said gently. She looked towards Lizzy and sighed. "Liam... Hades did something to his memories. He can't remember anything," she answered honestly. 

Liam looked towards the man who entered and pursed his lips. He was comforted by the man, but the draw to know who he was only bit at his mind. "Who are you?" He asked softly, though the sound of the blonde girl crying in the hallway was gnawing at him. "I need to talk to her..." he whispered, frowning and looking towards the door.

"B-but I'm not as strong as you a-and what if I can't help, making everything worse?!" Helena whimpered, pushing back the blonde strands from her face as she tried to control herself. But, all she could think of what happened to Liam was all her fault. If he hadn't loved her or if she just stayed away from him, Hades would have left him alone. Even though Chris was paralyzed by Hades even though he wasn't directly connected to Hercules or Megara in any way, Helena's logic was no longer in tact. Elizabeth pursed her lips at this troubling news but didn't go inside, already knowing her father was in there trying to help. Instead, she tried to comfort her mother and Helena, trying to look at the bright side. 

"I am your Father. The woman that just came in here is your mother. And the girl outside crying... is your fiance... Helena." Flynn explained to him calmly, a smile tugging at his lips as he remembered only focusing on Belle when he first awoke. "Talking to her will only make it worse, Liam. It'll be easier when she's... calm."

"Helena..." Belle pursed her lips, seeing the girls logic wasn't working correctly. She knew this type of breakdown. She quickly brought about her magic to help ease the girls anxiety and calm her down. "Helena... That boy loves you more than anything. He has never once in his whole life shut up about you -- even in his sleep he would ramble on about you," she smiled sadly. "He needs to remember who you are. He needs to remember the girl he stared at in math class all throughout middle school and the girl he made a little shrine to in his closet out of all the pictures he's ever taken of you in his life," she giggled a bit and wiped the girls cheeks. "Helena... You are the most important thing to him. Without you, I'm sure what's left of him anymore. He needs you more than he needs any of us. Please... I know you don't want to lose him. Don't let him lose himself," she pleaded. "Just... talk to him. Tell him about your childhood. Tell him about your memories of him. Anything."

Liam smiled sadly when he was told who his own parents were. As a name was given to the girl outside, he cast his eyes towards the door and shook his head. "But she's crying. I can't let my... fiance... stay out there and cry over me. Even If I barely remember my own name, I do know that she's important. I may be a bit brain damaged right now, but I'm not stupid."

As Belle calmed her down, Helena listened to her steadily. She smiled softly at everything that Belle said, the memories flowing into her mind now. When she asked Helena to talk to Liam, a huge part of her didn't want to. She shook her head softly. "You're his family..." Helena whispered softly, looking at both Belle and Lizzy. "You're much more important than me... He can... forget about me... easily..." 

Flynn sighed softly as Liam pushed the idea of talking to Helena. "I know, Liam... But would you rather her in here without any tears talking to you or you trying to talk to her while she's bursting into tears? Time and patience is key here..."

Belle shook her head. "Helena... I don't know if you remember, but he always has. On Flynn and my own wedding day... He was just one years old and he wouldn't shut his mouth about how you kissed him on the cheek. He can remember you from way back then, Helena... I don't think it's possible for him to forget you. Not truly. This is just magic and from his injury. If you leave him now, and he does manage to get his memories back, think about the pain you would put him in," Belle pointed out. 

Liam shook his head and pursed his lips in a tight line. He could hear Helena and Belle talking. Hearing how his mom fought to have the girl stay there only made him know he needed her. He couldn't let her leave. "Crying or not, I don't care. I need her," He muttered and got up then, trying to make his legs work correctly after the time in bed. He gained balance and walked outside the room. Belle looked over at him and frowned a bit, not liking that he was out of bed with his head in the shape it was obviously in. But, as he moved past her and hugged Helena, she didn't object. 

"I'm sorry..." He whispered. "I'm sorry I can't remember... I want to. I want to know who you are. Why when I look at you, everything inside of me screams its head off for me to know you... You are the only person I recognize in the slightest... Please don't go," He whimpered the last part like a small child.

As Belle tried to convince her, Helena surprisingly did remember that day. She remembered how much she enjoyed playing with him than any other at the wedding and how he followed her around anywhere that she went. "But-." Helena went to protest before looking at Liam when he came out into the hallway. She gasped softly as Liam hugged her, despite completely forgetting about her. 

The tears were already falling down her cheek as he spoke, wanting her to stay. How she wanted to feel contradicted, wanting to stay with him, be with him, help him through this, and be together normal  again. But, if she did that, she would have that constant pain of being selfish, putting him in danger constantly. Hades was ruthless and would do everything in his power to get what he wanted. She didn't want that for Liam and if she had to be the bitch that left him for his own sake, she would. "I-I... I can't..." She whispered softly, untying his arms around her and stepping away from him. "I-I'm sorry..." She shook her head as she backed away before turning and running out. Flynn leaned against the doorway and sighed softly when Helena pushed away from Liam. Lizzy bit her bottom lip before running out after her. "Lena, wait!"

"Helena, wait!" Liam pleaded when she took off. He tried to chase her, but found the fast movement threw off his balance and caused him to hit the ground roughly. "Please...!" He whimpered, his vision blurred with tears he couldn't explain. He groaned and pushed himself back up as he tried to go after her only to hit the ground a few feet away and feel his vision blacking out. 

"Liam...?" Belle asked, moving over to him as she noted he wasn't trying to get up anymore. "Dammit," She sighed and lifted him up. She carried him back to his bedroom and laid him onto the bed, brushing his bangs from his forehead so she could kiss it. "We can't just let her leave him like this, Flynn," Belle muttered. "You know she takes up every inch of his mind... Without her, I don't know if we'll be able to bring him back," she whispered.

"Liam! Don't run! You-!" Flynn started as Liam started to go after her but as he fell to the ground, he only sighed. He brushed his hair back as Belle carried Liam back into the bedroom. He stood next to Belle when she laid him back on the bed. He scratched his head in a thought process as Belle spoke, nodding in agreement. "I know... I know Belle... I'll have to probably talk to Hercules, see if he can convince her or try to come up with a plan to help. But... in the mean time, we have to keep helping him remember something..."

Belle shook her head and ran her hands back through her hair. "Flynn... What the hell can we help him remember?" She questioned. "Between the both of us, we know about the same amount about him -- and that's not much. He's never been open. Except with Helena. What does he say when he talks about school? I saw Helena. I talked to Helena. I changed Helena's answered on her test so she wouldn't let herself fail just to look dumb for the pretty boys," Belle muttered. "He's always been able to take care of himself. And the one time he can't, we can't help. She is the only one who can, and she won't do it because she thinks he's better off without her," She groaned in aggravation and huffed, leaning her forehead against Flynn's chest. "If you dare say she sounds like me I will personally gouge your eyes out and make you look at your ass."

Flynn allowed Belle rambled until the end, letting her blow off her nerves. "I know Belle... We'll figure something out..." He whispered, talking about helping him remember. Liam, just like his older brother, both end up gaining the silent trait from Flynn. They wouldn't speak openly about their problems, feelings, daily tasks, unless it was that important in their lives. Both of those factors being Arianne and Helena. Only the girls were open with Belle and Flynn, telling all about their ups and downs about life, being just as animated as their mother. He felt a smile tugged the corner of his lips as she threaten him. "Me? Say I told you so? Never." He joked softly, soothing down her hair. 

"Sorry... I couldn't stop her..." Liz said as she walked back into the room. She furrowed her brows in concern as she sat on Liam's bed. "Is Li gonna be o.k?" She asked softly, looking at her parents.

Belle slid her arms around him and sighed heavily. Just when she'd thought things would get better, they'd taken a down spiral. Why were they even mixed up with all of this? She wouldn't point a finger at Helena. The girl did more for Liam than she ever had bad in Belle's eyes, and that was saying something. She looked over at Elizabeth when the girl came into the room and smiled sadly as she mentioned not having gotten Helena. "It's alright, Lizzy... She'll come around. She has to. She's smarter than I ever was," She sighed and nuzzled her head against Flynn's chest affectionately. 

Liam stirred slightly, but it was obvious he was still sleeping. He mumbled in his sleep, the blonde girl's name on his lips as he fidgeted a bit. Belle frowned, sad for her son to not have Helena there with him. It was selfish of Helena to run off when Liam had never run away from her. He'd always been there for her, even when she forgot he existed. Of course, Belle knew the girl thought she was being selfless. Either way, it was all a mess. 

She moved away from Flynn then and laid down next to Liam on the bed. She caressed his cheek to get him to quiet down before she started to sing a soft lullaby to him -- the same one she'd sang to all of her children when they were little. Liam, despite having no memory, moved closer to her, curling closer to his mother in his sleep. Belle smiled sadly and kissed the top of her head as she continued to sing.