Chapter 9: Rest

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Illika

My eyes flutter open, and I wince.

A bright light shimmers through some mesh curtains and illuminates the room, which is white and clean and filled with medical equipment. Monitors beep as a bag hanging from a stand drips some kind of fluid down a tube, which is run through a line and needle that is dug into my hand.

For a moment, I am confused, unsure, and unaware of where I am or why, but then it all comes back. Asahi and Akihiko, the abandoned building, my injured arm.

I glance, almost too quickly, at my left arm. It is completely bandaged from fingertips to the shoulder, but at least it appears I still have my arm, though I guess I won't know how much until it's unwrapped. I still can't feel it, but at least the rest of my body has sensation. Granted, the rest of me feels as if I've been hit by a freight train, and my throat is still dry and scratchy.

I glimpse around the room, which is unrecognizable. This isn't the medical bay that I've seen before that is furnished with several beds and medical cabinets. No, this looks more like a single suite equipped with more intricate equipment like the ones in hospitals.

Am I in the hospital?

There's no way. No matter how bad my injuries were, there's no way they would have taken me to a hospital. That would've been stupid. Right?

My thoughts are interrupted as a bright and chipper voice speaks. "Thank God. You're awake."

I turn my head, my eyes meeting the golden set of Toga's eyes. She is seated next to my bed, smiling. Has she been there the whole time? If so, how did I miss her? My head is still kind of groggy.

"Welcome back," she says, tucking a section of my blanket. "Don't move around too much. Dr. Garaki has you all bandaged up, and has you on some antibiotics to help with any infections."

I open my mouth to talk, but all that comes out is a scratchy whisper. Toga notices and grabs a cup with a straw. She holds it to my lips and I take a sip. Cool and refreshing water flows up the straw and rolls down my throat, soothing it.

"Should probably take it easy on the talking," she instructs, pulling the cup back. "Or at least drink some water. Are you in any pain or discomfort?"

I shake my head, then gather my courage to speak again. All I can manage is a small and croaky whisper. "Where is everyone?"

"Well, after the whole rendezvous, the guys came and brought you back here." She motions at the room. "It's a private ICU unit in the medical wing. Doesn't get used often." She looks at me, smiling warmly. "I thought it was a wasted space, but I'm glad we have it."

She looks at me a bit longer, her eyes fighting their best to not show her worry, but I still see it. It is written in her stare and masks her young features, but before I can say anything else, she turns, clearing her throat. "After that, they all kind of went off to their own rooms and crashed."

Poor guys. They must have been exhausted.

"Are they still asleep?"

She shakes her head. "No. They're all up and sputtering around somewhere." Her eyes once again meet mine. "And they should be up and moving. You've been asleep for almost forty-eight hours."

My eyes widen. "What? I've been asleep for how long? Forty-eight hours? I've been asleep for almost two whole days?"

I try to sit up, but between my body screaming at me in protest, and Toga jumping to her feet and placing a hand on my shoulder, I stop. She helps to lower me back down as I wince.

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