The Grey. *-(A SciFi Thriller)-*

Part VI: Sabrina

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When Sabrina finally woke, there was a familiar smell in the air. It wasn't the pungent sickly smell of the decaying kitchen mess, but something much more pleasant. Something sweet.

Her eyes opened weakly, letting the morning light in, and she felt a slight tug on her arm. She turned to see a clear, white tube coming from her arm and trailing to a clear bag hanging from above her shoulder.

She was able to sit up, much to her surprise, and found herself in her own bedroom. She breathed in again, and was hit with a warm cinnamon sweet embrace. Her mouth was watering.

It was Red who walked around the corner, holding a plate with still-steaming cinnamon rolls piled high on a white plate. His eyes widened as he saw her there, and Sabrina half expected him to drop them.

"Am I... Am I dead?" Sabrina spoke, her voice dry and shaking.

Red's mouth was open, his bottom silver-plated teeth just catching the dim morning light.

Finally, he shook his head. He placed the plate on her bedside table and slowly sat on the edge of her bed, close to her covered feet. She wanted to touch him - to kiss him, to hug him, anything to make sure he was real. There were so many things she wanted to say to him but every single time she started, the words seemed to overlap and catch in her throat.

It was Red who spoke first. He gestured to the table.

"It's an old recipe. I found someone Downtown who could make it. They're too sweet for me but I thought ya might like 'em. When... When you 'woke."

Sabrina reached, grabbing the top roll. Sweet, yellow-white frosting delicately dripping down the golden brown sides in perfect little drops. When it hit her tongue - it hit her with a sudden ecstasy, reminding her of her first Sage trip as she felt the sugar sweetness roll through her entire body. It was gone in two bites.

Sabrina looked up to see a soft smile on Red's face, and tiny butterflies unwound the bitter thorns in her stomach and throat. He seemed so tired, with deep lines of worry criss-crossing over his pale pointed face. He was wearing the same loose necked black knitted sweater she had seen him wear time and time again, and his sharp white collarbones just peeked over the frayed collar.

He must have caught her staring though as when he caught her eyes, he fidgeted with his sleeves anxiously, pulling them over his palms.

"I'm sorry..." Red started, "I'm sorry for leaving ya here by yourself for so long. I thought... I thought you'd be okay with the food an' everything."

Sabrina shook her head frantically.

"No. No, no, no," she spoke.

She leaned forward to him, putting his head between her two clammy hands, pulling the IV tight on her arm. She stared desperately into his widened eyes.

"No apologizing," she continued, "I thought... I thought she killed you.... I thought I killed you."

Sabrina watched as Red shut his eyes, turning away from her.

"Then... Then I guess we're even," he said, shaking his head as he carefully lowered her arms to her lap.

Sabrina watched as he removed the IV from her arm, carefully bandaging the entry wound, his slender fingers shaking in concentration.

"You needed fluids," he mumbled as he placed the bag and tubes in a neat pile on her nightstand. "You weren't... You weren't movin'."

There was a long moment of silence as they both sat on her bed. She searched his face as he seemed to search hers. There were no words as Sabrina listened to the tiny hum of a drone pass by her window. He was really here.

"I... I have to talk to you about somethin'," Red finally spoke, "As much as I don't wanna leave ya here again by yourself, I might not be here for a while."

"No... Please..." Sabrina began.

"Listen," Red said, putting his hands on hers, "There might be a way.... A way for me to find a cure. Something to keep you safe at night. Listen."

But Sabrina couldn't listen. As Red began to tell of his grand plans on infiltrating Optica, of saving her and Ami and all the rest of them, her ears filled with the familiar drone buzz, drowning him out. She watched his excitement, his passionate erratic gestures as he walked around her room, and she wished that she could join him. But she was numb again, and a delicate familiar daydream of dancing in the forest filled her thoughts, only this time Red was with her, and she couldn't help but smile.

Red seemed to take her peaceful expression as further encouragement as he pulled her to him in a warm embrace. She surrendered, her cheek against his, breathing in his familiar warm scent. It was in that moment that she wanted to stay, there with him, warm and safe, but a tiny tear at the corner of her eye betrayed her.

"Then... Then we could finally be together," Red whispered.