Bury all your secrets in my skin

2.Incubation phase

"... I can't believe she's back." Camila murmured from the opposite side of Ava's bed.

All Beatrice could do was nod, her eyes never leaving the sleeping face of the Halo bearer as though she might vanish if she looked away for even a second. She wondered if she was in shock. The entire drive back to the Cradle, her eyes had been fixed on Ava. Her mind reeled with questions, but all she really wanted was for Ava to wake up.

"...Bea?"

Beatrice snapped her attention back to Camila, blinking, "Sorry, missed that."

"Your shoulder?" She said with a patient smile, "Maybe you should get it looked at?"

The sister warrior frowned, turning her gaze to her blood-soaked right sleeve. That's right, she'd been bitten. With everything that had happened Beatrice had forgotten about that, but she wasn't about to leave Ava's side, not for anything.

"It's fine. I'll deal with it."

"But..."

"It's fine." She said firmly.

Camila looked a little hurt at her terse tone, Beatrice felt a sting of guilt.

"I promise I'll clean and wrap it, Cam." She whispered softly, "I just ..." Beatrice's eyes drifted back to Ava, "I just need a moment."

"Okay, Bea." Camila placed a hand on the sister warrior's good shoulder before leaving the room.

Alone with Ava at last, Beatrice finally allowed herself to reach out and touch, gently taking the unconscious Halo bearer's hand and interlacing their fingers. Stroking her thumb over the back of Ava's hand, she could scarcely believe she had this opportunity again. Looking up at Ava's beautiful face, she sighed, drinking her in and allowing her gaze to trace along the relaxed brow, down to the slightly ajar full lips. She looked a little older, Beatrice wondered how long it had been for her.

Ava murmured softly in her sleep, shifting a little closer and Beatrice yawned.

It was dark, and it was hot, almost unbearably so... nevertheless, as though by some strange impulse drawing her forward, Beatrice moved through the void. She couldn't even see her own hand in front of her, the darkness was so complete. Looking down at her feet, the sister warrior could feel the floor with each step, though there was no change in the black.

Beatrice didn't know where she was going, or why, but with every step, her sense of dread inexplicably grew.

"Bea..."

Something about the darkness wasn't right, like it was some sort of living, breathing creature, luring her onwards.

"Beatrice?"

The worried voice and a hand on her shoulder shook her out of the strange nightmare. She struggled awake, the black was sticky, like molasses, trying to hold her down. She forced her eyes open, lifting her head from the cradle of her arms.

"Ava...?" Beatrice whispered, blinking at the soft glow of the bedside lamp, dark chocolate eyes looking back at her.

"I think you were having a nightmare..." A soft frown was tugging at the corners of the Halo bearer's mouth as she searched Beatrice's face, "Are you okay?" She gently touched the sister warrior's cheek, "You're burning up."

Beatrice barely paid attention to what Ava was saying, unable to get past the fact that Ava was awake, she was here, talking to her.

"Hi."