The chirp of her omnitool made Kasumi groan as she forced her eyes open through the mild haze of the pain medication. It chirped again, an annoying little cricket sound. Why by the stars had she picked that obnoxious sound?
Because it annoys you and you'll answer it, Goto, that's why.
She lifted her arm, wincing as the motion tugged on bruised and sore muscles and flicked the answer call.
"Hello?"
Garrus's voice echoed hollowly across the comm connection, so quiet that for a moment she didn't recognize it. "Kasumi?"
A painful shiver ran through her as she rolled over in the hospital bed to stare at the ceiling, her heart hammering in sudden anger. She couldn't completely keep the sarcastic venom from her voice "Garrus. I thought you never wanted to speak to me again."
"We found him. He's alive."
The words hit her like a bolt of lighting. Pain blazed across her middle as she sat up in bed and Kasumi felt all the air from her lungs leave her in a whoosh. She coughed as she tried to stay still, and focus on her omnitool, jamming the button to bring up it up as a video call
"Garrus? What ... where? Where is he? If this is some kind of sick joke I'll—"
"They are medevacing him to the Ascalon's Pride. I was just told," Garrus said, cutting her off, even as he looked away from the screen for a moment. She didn't read turian expressions at all well, but he seemed almost ashamed. "And ... I thought you should know."
Kasumi throat closed up as her emotions surged and she put her hand over her mouth as she tried to contain the maelstrom of grief that raged for the last five days.
Garrus looked back at the screen as his voice took a ghost of his old humor. "Since I assume that you'll be going to see him as soon as you can hack the locks on the doors and steal a shuttle, I thought I would save you the trouble. Alenko's on his way. If a Spectre can't get you in there without any questions, no one can."
She wiped at one eye, trying to stop the tears before they could start. "Garrus. I don't know what to say."
"Let's start with I'm sorry. I was angry and it wasn't your fault. We both wanted to be there for him, and I shouldn't have blamed you," Garrus said looking down and rubbing his neck with one hand. "It wasn't fair, and I hope we can start over. Though, I need to warn you. He's in bad shape. I don't know exactly how bad, but it's not going to be pretty."
"I don't think either of us have been particularly cleared headed lately. I'm sorry too." The door chimed on her room, and she looked up. "I need to go. That might be Kaidan. We'll ... talk soon."
"We will. I'll be on the Pride in about six hours, if you are still there."
Kasumi nodded and closed the connection and turned to the door as she started to pull the covers back. "Come in!"
The nurse who had been keeping an eye on Kasumi stuck her head into the room, brown bangs dangling into her eyes. "Miss Nakamura, there is someone to see you. Do you want me to send him in?"
Kasumi paused, confused at the form of address for a moment before the name of her current cover ID clicked into place in her mind. "Yes, please do."
The young woman nodded and turned back, saying something to someone just out of sight, while Kasumi focused on getting her feet on the floor. Every motion hurt, as even the slightest stretch would bolts of fire throbbing through her midsection. She hissed as she twisted wrong, the sharpness of the pain making the world spin and tilt for a moment.
"I think you better let me help you," said a familiar voice.
Kasumi flinched. She had to have missed the door opening, and hurriedly shot back as she tried to cover her surprise. "Then don't just stand there, Big K, and give me a hand. We have somewhere to be."
Kaidan hurried around the bed till he was facing her and held out his hands to her. "I don't suppose there is any chance of me convincing you to give it a day or two, is there?"
"Nope. Not even a little." She grabbed his hands, squeezing tightly as she lowered herself to the floor.
"I had to try, you know that," he said holding her steady, even as her knees wobbled.
Kasumi gritted her teeth and locked her knees. "I know. Just like you know there is no way I'm waiting here."
"Alright, alright. Though you aren't going to be able to walk there right now, either."
Kasumi felt an uncharacteristic flash of temper surge to the top of her mind as she snapped, "Alenko, I am going, you aren't stopping me."
"I'm not planning on even trying. But you can't walk, so lets sit you back down, and I will go get you a wheelchair, okay?" he responded evenly. "And I'll see if we can't find you some clothes that aren't hospital issued."
The wind fell out of her sails and she didn't fight as he helped her sit back down on the edge of the bed. Being angry was just too exhausting right now.
She closed her eyes as Kaidan left and fastened on that little spark that was telling her it was going to work out. Not sure how, not sure what would happen on the way, but it would work out. It was a fragile light to hold up, but right now it was the only thing she had to work with. Hope is like that.
The door hissed open again a few minute later to frustrated voices.
"Major, I must insist, Ms. Nakamura is not ready to be released yet!"
"Doctor, she is technically not being released, she is being transferred to the Pride. That's all."
"Under whose authority? Because I won't authorize any such transfer, Major Alenko."
Kasumi looked from the bed to the two of them. Doctor Karen Sells was short, blonde, and standing directly in Kaidan's way. The doctors arms were crossed as she held her ground, and she didn't look like anything short of a krogan would move her.
"Under my authority, Doctor. She's needed on the Pride, and she will continue to be treated there as well," he tried again, keeping his tone reasonable, though Kasumi could tell he was frustrated by the way his brow had crinkled, the tightness around his eyes.
"I don't know who you think you are, but you are not taking my patient without my consent, and if you try, I'll call security," Doctor Sells said, digging in her heels defiantly as she leaned down to put her hands on the arms of the wheelchair, and keeping Kaidan from trying to go around her.
"Doctor, it's alright. I need to get to the Pride," Kasumi started but stopped as Doctor Sells spun and pointed at her.
"You shouldn't even be vertical right now, Ms. Nakamura. I spent seven hours putting you back together in surgery, and while I'm very good at what I do, I'm still chalking the fact you are alive and breathing to be a miracle."
"Doctor Sells, it'll be a miracle if you think you can keep," Kaidan's face twitched in a half-smile as he remember her name as he continued, "Ms. Nakamura here a moment longer than she wants to. And the reason I'm here at all is because a mutual friend assumed she be attempting to check herself out."
"And I can't approve that," Doctor Sells replied sharply. "You would have to get me a damn order from the Citadel Council to allow this."
Kaidan and Kasumi shared a look, and she felt a smile break across her face.
"Kaidan, you won't ever get a more straight line than that."
He turned to Dr. Sells, who was looking between them, wariness in her features now. "Dr. Karen Sells, my name is Spectre Kaidan Alenko. On Council Spectre authority, I'm authorizing the immediate release of Ms. Nakamura from this facility."
Dr. Sells mouth dropped into a little "o" of surprise as she just stared him. Kaiden expression turned exceedingly smug. Way too smug to let slide.
"Alright Big K, the moments passed," Kasumi said, snapping her fingers. "Chair, now."
"You couldn't have let me bask for two minutes?" asked Kaidan, the resignation heavy in his voice as wheel the chair around for her.
"After you get me to the Pride, yes," Kasumi sniped back, starting to feel a bit like your old self. She softened her tone with a little smile. " Sorry, just … really on edge here."
"It's alright," He said taking her hands and helping her down. Pain gouged at her again as she settled into the seat, and Kasumi grabbed onto the arms of the wheelchair so hard her knuckles went white.
"Kasumi!"
She snapped her eyes back open. When had she closed them? She starred fuzzily up at the two people standing over her, not recognizing them for several long moments.
"I told you she shouldn't be moving around!" the woman snapped as she touched Kasumi's neck.
"And I told you, she'd check herself if I don't. You don't know her like I do," answered the man, his tone defensive and … worried?
"Kaidan, what happened?" Kasumi said, her words coming out slurred.
"You passed out. Dr. Sells gave you some medication, how are you feeling?"
Kasumi focused on his eyes, her own dark eyes, boring into his like laser drills. "I'm feeling like I'm not where I need to be, K."
His expression softened and he looked back up the doctor, who frowned but finally nodded. "Give me ten minutes to get what I need."
Kaidan starred the doctor, seemingly rendered mute for a moment. "Get what you need?"
Dr. Sells crossed the room at a brisk walk. "If you insist on moving my patient, and she is insisting on being moved, I'm coming with you."
Kasumi felt a brittle little smile come across her face. "Then doctor, I think you better pack your things. We are going for a ride."
Author Note: Thanks for reading! When I wrote Hope Chest, it was for a competition working under certain constraints, namely Shepard as a Control Ending. I enjoyed it, but I have to be honest, control has never been my ending. And I loved the feelings from Hope Chest and wanted to explore it more.
That, and I needed something fluffy to write. I needed it. NEEDED IT. So, I hope you enjoy this. No planned posting dates, just when I get a chapter done. Enjoy!