When sierra finally began to regain consciousness, she struggled to focus her eyes and her thoughts. The furthest thing from her mind was remembering what had happened. Her immediate thoughts veered towards her body and surroundings. Everything felt sluggish and dull. She felt heavy – really heavy. She blinked and groaned as she tried to move a little, struggling to understand what she was seeing.
The ceiling above her was white, large and lit with down-lights. The light directly above her was stronger – two fluorescent tubes – but, thankfully, it was off. She was in some sort of cubical similar to those found in hospitals, but something didn't seem quite right about that analogy. She started struggling to sit up, but her body wasn't quite ready to listen to her yet.
"Shhh... take it easy, tiger," Adam crooned when he realised that she was awake. He spun in his office chair, then got up and walked over to her.
"Where am I?" Sierra asked, her throat raspy and dry.
Adam poured some water into a cup and helped her to swallow it.
"You're home – in the lab's sick bay. How do you feel?" he asked.
"Like I got hit by a truck?" Sierra grumbled.
It was true. The more conscious she became, the more she realised how stiff and sore she was. Her whole body was aching dully like it had suffered major trauma.
Adam looked concerned.
"You should be okay..." He mused. "I checked out all your vitals when you came in."
He stepped off to the side and started punching buttons on the scanner's command panel. A moment later it's arm started running over the full length of Sierra's body. She closed her eyes and tried to recoup while it completed its run, memories of what had happened suddenly flooding back to her.
"Wow!" Adam remarked under his breath once the scanner had completed its tour of her body.
Sierra stiffened and looked at him questioningly.
"Do you want the good news, or the bad news?" he asked evasively.
Sierra scowled at him.
"Spill it!"
"Well the good news is that you shouldn't be breaking anything again soon," Adam informed her. "Your bone density has increased by thirty per cent. There is also a significant increase in your muscle density."
She blinked at him in disbelief, not quite sure what to make of the information.
Okay, that's pretty huge. Then what the hell is the bad news?
"The bad new is that you might never want to get on a scale again..." Adam quipped with a soft smile.
Sierra scowled at him, not quite in the mood for humour. She struggled to sit up – and this time she succeeded.
"So you're basically saying I'm fine? Tougher or something like that, but fine?" she mused.
Adam nodded.
"I can deal with that," she replied, feeling more confident.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and looked at her toes contemplatively.
"Shouldn't I... look a little different right now?" she mused.
"Uh... well, you were apparently not quite as big as the other guy, but it's still pretty hard to carry a rhinoceros around," Adam informed her.
"I had Karina inject you with a transition serum," Kalko announced as he made his way over on crutches. His right leg was in a full cast.
"We needed to get you out of there, and besides being heavy, you were a little bulky for the jet. You broke a few needles though," he informed her bluntly.
He stepped in front of her, his eyes flickering up to meet hers boldly.
"I told you I don't like recklessness in my team," he observed sternly, catching Sierra off-guard.
"I... You also told me to stop holding back!" she grumbled defensively.
A little smile eased over his lips.
"I did, didn't I?"
He looked proud. Sierra was stunned.
"Thank you for saving my backside out there," he muttered awkwardly.
"Sure – just don't make me regret it," she shot back with a wry smile.
"Adam, you've got to wake her up now or you're going to have a wolf scratching at the door by morning," Devon grumbled as he walked into the lab.
He saw Sierra sitting and his face lit up.
"You're awake! Finally! Thank goodness!" he remarked as he approached. "I mean, I always knew dogs were needy and protective, but sheesh!"
Finally?
Sierra blinked at first Devon, then Adam, as her mind started to race for understanding.
"Exactly how long was I out for this time?" she asked.
Adam shrugged. "Two days?"
"Two days?!" Sierra exclaimed in surprise. "Two whole freaking days?" she reiterated as she tried to grasp the concept.
"Yep – two days of sheer torture for me," Devon remarked as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and started dialling. He checked that it was ringing, then handed her the phone.
"Speak to that mutt before I fly back just to kill him," he grumbled with a hint of affection.
Sierra took the phone, gratitude shining in her eyes, and held it up to her ear.
"What did you tell him?" she asked while she waited for Jason to pick up.
Devon shrugged. "The truth – you touched something really big and it's been taking you a while to recover."
Jason's voice came on the line.
"Devon? Is she okay? What's going on over there?"
Sierra mouthed 'thanks' to her old friend then turned her focus to Jason.
"It's me. I'm fine. I just woke up a few minutes ago."
There was a massive sigh of relief on the other end of the line.
"Thank god! I've been totally freaking out!" he confessed.
"Er... that doesn't begin to describe it," a voice in the background noted.
Sierra recognised it straight away as Jason's teenage brother Darren.
"Get out of my room, you spaz!" Jason demanded.
"Fine – I'll just listen through the walls like I usually do. You guys have some pretty 'interesting' calls now and then," Darren remarked.
"Yeah, they really do," Devon agreed with a smirk.
Sierra heard scuffling on the other end of the line. Adam and Kalko looked confused. Adam shrugged and the two of them left the room to give her some privacy. Apparently the sentiment was lost on Devon, because he just leaned back against the counters, arms folded comfortably while he waited and listened in. She heard Jason retrieve the phone and flop down onto his bed.
"Sorry about that," he apologized, "I swear, I had no idea he's been listening in."
"I understand," Sierra replied amiably. There was little point in getting upset when half a dozen other people had already overheard their last phone conversation.
"So you're really alright?" Jason asked earnestly.
Yeah - actually better than alright because I'm apparently virtually unbreakable now. Our resident doctor here says my bones are so thick after this last transformation that I won't be fracturing anything again soon."
"Wow, babe, that's intense. Did it hurt?"
"I passed out in the early stages," she replied, not wanting to dwell on the memory too much.
But what I do remember hurt like a bi-atch!
"I've been so worried about you. I got that message from you saying we'd be chatting soon and then nothing for five days! You can't do that to me!" Jason complained, a slight smirk creeping into his voice, "my libido can't handle the suspense..."
Sierra grinned.
"Well that'll have to wait a little longer, I'm afraid. I'll call you from my room tonight - when I'm alone."
She glanced at Devon meaningfully and he pretended innocence.
"I can't wait! I mean that literally - I seriously can't wait that long. Man it's so good just hearing your voice again. I really wanna spend some quality time just talking to you... and of course that other kinda talk too," he told her. "Cant you get off early or something?"
Sierra smiled to herself. She understood exactly how he felt.
"I'll see what I can do," she promised.
"Great. I'll be here waiting..." he replied, "all night... until you finally call me..." he hinted.
She laughed.
"Wild horses couldn't stop me," she promised.
"Chat later then," he replied, his voice filled with longing.
"Yeah - I'll call you as soon as I can," Sierra promised.
They hung up and she sat a while, feeling the inward tug of her heart yearning for Jason's proximity.
"You know, you walk around like this big badass, kicking butt and saving lives and what not, but you're actually just a big softy," Devon teased.
Sierra laughed and opened his text messages.
"Yeah, I'm about as badass as you are - a guy who pretends to be a renegade from his pride but still chats to his 'mommy'," she shot back gamely as she flashed the evidence for her accusation in his face.
"Oooh, does your mother pay for your phone bill too?" Senka asked, surprising them both as she entered the lab right then.
Devon went bright red with embarrassment. He looked like he wanted to melt into the floor.
"It's just till my first pay cheque comes through," he mumbled defensively as he snatched his phone back and made a quick exit.
Of course! That's where he's been getting the money. He couldn't exactly ask for severance pay from the family business after what he did...
Sierra cringed for her old friend, but couldn't wipe the smirk from her face despite her compassion.
Senka watched him go, curiosity dancing over her face when she turned back to Sierra and approached.
"Is he really in contact with his mother?" she asked earnestly.
"Yeah, he is," Sierra replied honestly.
"I thought you were just joking with him," the were-cat mused. "That is... sweet," she concluded with a soft twinkle in her eyes.
"Yeah, well, Devon is actually a pretty sweet guy," Sierra informed her. "I know he can come across as..." she paused, not quite sure what words to use considering she'd promised to help Devon out.
"A flirt? A womaniser?" Senka supplied. "Is there any other kind of tomcat?"
"Er... yeah... I won't lie - he's been both of those things in the past, but he has his reasons for it. You need to get to know him to understand him properly. Besides, I really think he's ready to change - for the right woman," Sierra hinted.
Senka stared at the door after Devon and crossed her arms defensively. Then her posture softened a little and she almost sighed.
"Well I have never met a male cat who keeps in touch with his family, so I guess anything is possible. Maybe we will witness such a miracle if he meets this woman you talk of," she mused.
Sierra stared at her in disbelief.
You can NOT be that oblivious!
She watched Senka shrug the issue aside and turn her attention to another matter, her eyes fluttering over Sierra's body as if assessing her state of health.
"Well you are looking better than the men in the dungeons at least," she remarked. "We were a bit worried when you did not wake as soon as you have before."
Confusion flashed over Sierra's face.
"Yeah, I'm feeling better... what men?" she asked curiously. "Wait - we have a dungeon?"
A smile creased the corners of Senka's eyes.
"That is what we call it. Perhaps once it even was a dungeon. Now it is more of a holding area for feral creatures. It is under the garages, through the small door on the left of the courtyard."
"I always thought that was just some sort of little storage room," Sierra admitted.
Senka glanced at her watch.
"I should get going. I just came to check on you," she admitted. "I have combat training in five minutes," she elaborated.
"What? Kal's still teaching in his condition?"
Senka smiled mysteriously.
"Of course not! Who do you think does his job when he is away?" she hinted.
"Oh!" Sierra replied as understanding dawned on her. "Who is scheduled next then?"
The feline's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Ken and Devon," she answered as she headed for the door. She paused and glanced back over her shoulder.
"They are both so nervous around me that it is like toying with mice - it is the most fun I've had in years," she admitted.
Sierra laughed as she watched the were-cat disappear through the door.
Yeah... Devon is definitely WAY out of his league...