Lullaby for a Stormy Night

Thunder cracked overhead and lightning flashed, causing Erin to scream. She hugged her Latias plush, climbing out of her bed and to her parents' room. One lump on the right side of the bed could be seen, moving up and down steadily. Erin let out a soft whine when she realised her mother was nowhere to be seen until she heard a soft melody weaving its way through the low rolls of thunder. The little girl turned and headed for the living room, greeted by the sight of her mother playing the piano. "Mama..." Erin whined, attracting her attention. Summer smiled gently and patted the love seat that stood next to piano bench. Not missing a beat, Erin climbed up into the nest of blankets and pillows that covered the small sofa. "I'm scared, Mama..." "I know, dear." Summers words were meek as she petted Erin's head. "Storms are scary." "But you're not scared..." Erin jutted her lip out in a pout but was soon startled by another clap of thunder. She let out a shrill scream, clinging to the plush. Summer winced slightly but a smile formed on her lips. "Want to know a secret, Rinrin?" Erin pouted at her mother's use of her pet name but nodded. "Don't tell Daddy, okay?" Summer closed one eye and pushed her finger to her lips, the little girl's eyes sparkling as she nodded. "Mommy used to be afraid of storms just like you. Erin's eyes grew wide and she shook her head. "No." Her mother, the fearless Top Ranger, savior of Oblivia and head of the Ranger Union, afraid of storms? "It's true." Summer gave a nod as she placed her hands back on the piano, beginning to play a soft melody. "They even scared me while I was still in Oblivia." Erin's eyes grew wider. "But Mommy isn't afraid of anything! She save Oblivia!" the little girl protested. She'd had been and Summer recount the tale so many times it was burned into her memory. Her mother had never mentioned being afraid of storms until now. "I did, but I was scared; really scared. I hate to get over my fear." A sad smile came to Summer's face as she spoke. Erin frowned and climbed onto the piano bench and snuggled her mother. "Is Mama thinking 'bout Grammy Lark?" The question was innocent enough, but it was enough to make Summer's eyes mist over; Erin saw it in a flash of lightning. The Ranger gave a nod. "Yeah. Grammy Lark made mommy feel better during storms when she was younger." She put on a smile and Erin returned it. She had never met her grandmother due to Lark being dead. The little girl couldn't really understand what that meant other than her grandmother was in heaven. "In fact, this was the song she played..." Silence fell as Summer continued to play the lullaby that Erin had become so familiar with on stormy nights. It was a soft melody, only a few bars that repeated nonstop. It was hard to hear over the thunder, but it was enough to distract the little girl from the raging storm until she fell asleep, a content smile on her face. ------ Summer pulled a blanket over her daughter, a sad smile on her face. Though she no longer suffered severe flashbacks, the memories of the fire that had took her family never left her. She was no longer afraid, but she still lived in dread of the next storm to hit Almia. She closed her eyes as a few tears trickled down her her cheeks, soft fingers wiping them away. The scent of lilac made itself known and Summer put her hand over her cheek. A faint warmth resided there and she sighed  as the warmth soon faded. She laid on the couch and wrapped her arms around a battered Latias plush, closing her eyes. She felt the blanket pulled over her shoulders in her last moments of consciousness, followed by a soft kiss to her forehead. She saw a flash of white fabric, then darkness.