Crimson Tide: Betrayal

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Love

"I'm sorry, Enterprise," Belfast murmurs, her voice tinged with regret.

Taking a deep breath, Enterprise steadies herself, not daring to avert her gaze from the control panel. "What are you sorry for, Belfast?"

"Enterprise! You're bleeding," Belfast answers urgently her voice laced with worry. "Did you hit your head? I'm sorry that I didn't notice earlier." She takes Enterprise into a gentle hug.

Belfast proceeds to inspect the wound more closely, her fingers tracing the line of blood. "We need to clean and bandage this in this instant!" she insists, her tone firm yet caring.

Enterprise offers a reassuring smile, though her eyes betray a hint of concern. "It's nothing, Belfast. Just a scratch," she assures, brushing off the injury as inconsequential.

But Belfast isn't easily dissuaded. "You call this "just a scratch"!! Your whole hair is covered in blood!" Belfast trails off, her voice filled with anger and concern.

Enterprise reaches up to touch her hair, feeling the sticky warmth of the blood coating her locks. "I must have hit my head harder than I thought," she admits, feeling slight discomfort.

Belfast's expression tightened with worry as she helped Enterprise clean the blood from her hair. "We need to make sure you didn't suffer a concussion," she says firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

With a steadying breath, Enterprise pushed aside her doubts and chose to trust Belfast. It's a decision born not out of blind faith, but out of the deep-seated love and connection she shared with her companion. Despite the risks, despite the lingering shadows of suspicion, Enterprise knew that she couldn't let fear dictate her actions.

"I trust you, Belfast," Enterprise said softly, her voice carrying a note of determination. "No matter what happens, I believe in us. I believe in our bond." Belfast's eyes soften as she meets Enterprise's gaze, a silent reassurance passing between them.

Pulling her hand away from her hair, she sees the telltale smear of crimson staining her skin. The realization hits her like a punch to the gut, the weight of the situation is slowly settling in.

The sight of it sends a surge of alarm coursing through Enterprise's veins, banishing any remnants of numbness or detachment. Suddenly, she's acutely aware of the pain throbbing at her temple, the metallic tang of blood filling her senses. How had she not noticed sooner? How did she allow herself to become so consumed by the chaos around her that she failed to register her injuries?

Grimacing against the pain, Enterprise pressed a trembling hand to her temple, feeling the warmth of her blood seeping through her fingers. It's a stark reminder of the dangers they face, a sobering wake-up call amid their turbulent reality.

Belfast continued to inspect Enterprise's head, carefully running her fingers through her hair, while searching for the wound. She felt a pang of concern as she noticed the blood running down Enterprise's hair more and more.

Belfast looked at Enterprise with worry etched on her face. "Enterprise, how did this happen?" she asked softly, her fingers still gently probing for the source of the blood.

Enterprise furrowed her brow, trying to recall the events. "I'm not sure," she admitted, feeling a dull ache in her head. "I think... I think..."

Belfast continued to examine Enterprise's head, her fingers delicately tracing the contours of her scalp. As she worked, her mind raced, piecing together the events that led to Enterprise's injury.

"It must have been when you were trying to hide," Belfast concluded. "The window... you must have hit it when you were crouched down, trying to avoid being seen."