Athena sat at the hotel rooms desk typing on her computer. She was typing up the report from earlier that day. Mr. Schneider wanted her to keep a diary each day about whatever happened at the asylum. It was just a precaution in case something happened to her and they needed proof. It was dark thinking, but they had to think of this. 

When she was almost done, she felt strong arms wrap around her shoulders and a kiss being planted on her exposed shoulder. She smiled and sighed. "Celso, I need to finish this."

"I know," Celso mumbled against her skin. "I'm bored."

Athena laughed and closed her computer. She turned around in her chair and looked at Celso who was knelt down in front of her. She ruffled his hair and stood up. Before she could pass him, he grabbed her by the waist and pushed her down on the bed. Athena squealed and laughed. She smiled at Celso as he climbed over her and started to place kisses down her throat and up to her lips. 

Athena wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. They both jumped when they heard a knock at the door. Celso growled and Athena rolled her eyes. She wiggled out from under Celso and walked over to the door. She opened it up to see Derek standing there with a worried expression on his face.

"Derek?" Athena asked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I think we have a problem," he told her.

Athena ushered him in and closed the door behind him. "What do you mean?" 

"I was looking through the photos that I had taken today and I noticed a lot of unrest in that place." He sat down in the chair by the desk and sighed. "Athena, it's worse than Effie. I know you have Celso to protect you, but I'm still worried. I don't want a repeat of the last time."

"I don't either, Derek," Athena sighed. She lowered herself onto the bed next to Celso. "I have to do this. Just tell me the parts of the asylum that I need to avoid and I'll stay away from them. Nothing will happen to me if I do that."

Derek shook his head slowly. "It won't be that easy. Most of the spirits travel throughout the building. One of them - the man in the bathtub for an example - followed me around the whole time. I have him in a lot of different pictures in different rooms."

"The spirits that you see in your pictures won't do anything to Athena," Celso piped up. He clasped his hand to Athena's. "We just need to worry about the demons living in the asylum. They're the one's who will hurt her - or you, Derek. From what I have heard about this spirit from the Sarton Asylum, was mostly an unrested soul who was in for revenge. She wasn't a demon, so it was easier to defeat her with just an exorcism. I'm not saying that Effie wasn't a problem because obviously, she was." He squeezed Athena's hand. 

"I just want my sister to be safe," Derek pleaded to him.

Celso nodded. "I know and I will do everything in my power to protect her. I promise."

Athena smiled at Celso. She leaned her head against his shoulder. 

Derek nodded and ran his hands through his hair. "I believe you, Celso. I just don't know if I want to go back to the asylum."

"None of us do," Athena said. She looked up at Celso and noticed the hard look in his eyes. She squeezed his hand and made him look at her. She gave him a smile to try to reassure him. He gave her a small smile back.

Derek cleared his throat and stood up. He stretched his arms up and out. "Well, I'm going to bed. Goodnight, guys." 

"Goodnight, Derek," Athena followed Derek towards the door and closed it behind him. She then turned back to Celso and flopped down on the bed. "It's been a long day." She laid on her stomach and rested her head down on her folded arms. 

Celso laid down beside her. "I know. You need some sleep." He climbed underneath the covers and motioned for her to come beside him. 

She smiled and climbed underneath the covers. She snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes. Soon, she was fast asleep. 

  ☆ 

Hands pushed her down and held her. She fought them as hard as she could, but couldn't get away from them.  

She was pushed into a tub and a large slab was placed above her trapping her in the tub. She banged her hands against the slab, but it wouldn't budge. 

Water started to flow into the tub from a hole in the corner. She tried blocking the hole with her foot, but water still spurted in. She started to hit her heel against the hole and tried to break through it, but instead a sharp pain went through her heel. She screamed in pain and held her foot. 

The water kept coming in and the temperature of the water rose higher and higher until it was scolding hot. Her skin burned and turned red. She screamed out and began to hit and push the slab, but it still wouldn't budge. 

The water rose to her knees. She felt the skin from her feet and the underside of her legs burn off. The pain was unbearable. She kept screaming until her throat was raw, but she still screamed. 

It was getting harder and harder to breathe from the lack of oxygen. The water was now up to her shoulders. She pressed her face up against the slab and tried to get away from the water, but no matter where she went, they water was sure to reach her. The scolding water had almost burned all of her skin off. She could see some pieces of skin floating at the top of the water. 

Suddenly, the tub started to shake roughly. The tub around her cracked and broke underneath her. She fell on the floor and screamed in agony. Her skin was red and patches of it were missing.  

"Athena!" she heard someone call out to her. She turned around and tried to find out where the voice was coming from, but couldn't find the source.

"Athena!"

"Athena!"

The floor started to shake around her. She brought her knees up to her chest and waited for whatever was going to happen to her. She closed her eyes and heard her name being called again. 

"Athena!"

She opened her eyes to see that she was still sitting on the bed in her hotel room. She jumped as two hands gripped her shoulders. She fell off the bed and landed on her side. 

"Athena!" Celso's head peeked over the side of the bed and he climbed down beside her. He cautiously reached out to her and when she didn't flinch, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her towards him. He sat her on his lap and leaned against the bed for support. 

Athena let him pull her as she checked her legs, back, and arms. Her skin was still there and back to its normal color. She sighed with relief and folded into Celso. He rocked back and forth and tried to calm her down by saying encouraging words in her ear, but she wasn't listening to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head into his chest. 

It was just a dream, but it seemed so real. The pain was real. The images were real. Everything seemed real. She hated these dreams. This one was worse than the one with Effie. It was like she was one of the patients being punished for something they did. 

Athena hoped that that never truly happened to them. 

"Athena," Celso whispered into her ear. "It was just a dream. It's alright."

Athena nodded. "It just seemed so real." She snuggled closer to him. 

"I know." Celso paused. "I'm sorry." 

They were silent for a while just sitting there. Athena finally spoke up, "I don't want to go back, Celso."

"I know you don't," Celso said. "But it's your job."

"I'll quit."

Celso chuckled. "I have no doubt that you will, but remember what I keep telling you. You have nothing to fear. I will protect you and I won't let anything hurt you. They would have to kill me to get to you."

Athena looked up at him and smiled. "I hope they don't kill you."

Celso planted a kiss on her forehead. "Me neither." He picked her up and placed her back on the bed. "Let's go back to sleep. We still have a few hours of sleep left."