Chapter 2

Cora was still wandering around the city at around midday. It was a warm day and the sun shone irritably on her soft skin tone. She almost fainted three times, but she kept walking, if she went back home, she would only start crying again, a situation she didn't want to face. it almost killed her just to imagine her parents faces. So, though in silent pain, she kept walking. She recognised where she was, and if she was right, Cora would be at the city hospice soon. As the hospice came into sight, She stopped walking.

"why does this always happen to me?" she grumbled and crossed the street. No way in hell was she going to ask for help from complete strangers. Especially strangers that called her "sweetheart" or "honey". I mean, she was a seventeen year old who spent most of her life looking after kids, not being looked after by grown ups. Cora realised she was thinking out loud, and quickly stopped speaking. She shook her head. I'm not crazy, she told herself firmly. As she marched on she began to feel slightly lightheaded. She needed to sit down. There was a diner ahead of her. It was free for all person's under the age of 18. Score, she thought. She stumbled down the road towards the diner, her leg's feeling like heated jelly. As she tumbled in the waiters all gave her perplexed looks. Cora breathed heavily, starting to feel faint again. She looked at the window at the side of her. Her face was extremely flushed and her eyes were heavy. She looked tired and ill. She practiced smiling in the window for a few seconds before facing the waiter in front of her.

"hi, I'm here for the kid's meal," she stammered. The waiter raised an eyebrow at her. But reluctantly he scribbled down notes and led her to a table. As Cora stumbled behind him though, her vision began to fade and she felt dizzier than if she had taken a piggy back ride while Astro was flying. Her legs seemed to collapse under her and then all she remember was people shouting for an ambulance.

The sky...sunset? why am I looking at a sunset? Oh but it looks so pretty. Wait, Cora what the hell are you saying? You sound like Widget. Where's Zane? Where's Astro? I wish they'd get here soon. Wait, where'd the sunset go? Tunnels? Darkness, moaning, god if this is what the "road to heaven" looks like I don't wanna go. Astro? What are you doing here? Oh wait, you're not Astro, your that Toby kid aren't you? What's going on where are we? What's that sound? They said Cora right? Yes it's me! where are you? What's going on?

Beeping. That's what Cora heard. she hadn't opened her eyes yet, they felt too heavy. She didn't feel dizzy anymore though, so that was a plus. And she felt oddly relaxed, as if someone had given her one too many shots of heroin. It seemed that part of whatever she was lying on had something on it, there was a bit more pressure than normal on a different part of the bed. And it became apparent to Cora that someone had been asking her name softly. There were quiet murmurs in the background of the mixture of beeping and names. As Cora managed to pull her eyes into a squint she saw her mum above her with a loving smile on her face.

"your okay Cora?" she asked. Cora held her head and nodded as she pulled herself into a sitting position. Dr Tenma was talking to a nurse seriously near the door, which meant Astro must be there too. Cora glanced around. He wasn't here. A feeling of relief washed over her like a warm bath. Cora's father was sitting on the couch next to Cora's bed, he was asleep. Cora smiled at him, it wasn't very surprising.

"what were you doing sweetpea? Astro told us you were still in your room when he left, he said you wanted to be left alone," Cora snapped her head back to her mum. She felt a smile creep over her lips. Even when she was mad at him, it seemed, Astro still did what she asked.

"I'll have to thank him later," she joked. her face fell when her mother gave her a disappointed expression.

"sorry mum, I didn't want you to worry about me, I can handle myself," she explained. Cora's mum shook her head. her face fell and she stood up, trudging out of the room in sadness. Cora watched her leave. She had definitely said something wrong. Dr Tenma soon stopped talking to the nurse, he had a serious expression on, and Cora expected the worst. She moved over a bit so Dr Tenma could sit down next to her, which he did. He looked as if something had gone opposite to his plan, like how Astro said he looked before he left.

"hi, sir," Cora muttered.

"Cora why did you go off like that?" Dr Tenma asked. "I'm not your father, so I'm not going to tell you off, for Toby's sake,"

"it's Astro," Cora corrected. Dr Tenma smiled warmly.

"for Astro's sake, I want to understand, you know how much he worries about you," he cooed, turning Cora so she would face him.

"I don't care what Astro wants, Bill. He should stop worrying about me. all he..." she stopped, "all anyone wants to do is replace me, the same way you replaced Toby," she explained, staring into space, "but I don't want to be replaced, not if it means being artificial, this is the way the world wanted me to go, and that's the way it should stay," she concluded with a sincere smile. Dr Tenma smiled back.

"your a brave girl," he commented. Cora mouthed "thanks" and Dr Tenma stood up and left the room, "get some rest, you need it," he advised. Cora nodded and lay down on her pillow.

About five hours later, Cora felt herself drift into consciousness. She felt groggy and tired, but much more refreshed than earlier. The EKG was still blipping annoyingly and there was heavy breathing around her, as if someone was sleeping. Cora sat up and glanced around. What she saw made her smile. Astro was sleeping peacefully next to her bed, his arms crossed and his stance relaxed. For once. The lights in the entire ICU were off, almost all of them. but her room was still dimly lit by a lamp on the corner table. Dr Tenma's figure was sitting next to it. he was watching Astro with pride and yet wonder.

"what?" Cora asked him. Dr Tenma's trance like state snapped off and he looked up at Cora's wide eyes. he smiled.

"he's only been asleep for about fifteen minutes, since you went to sleep he's been sitting by you, talking softly to you, watching you. He really cares about you. But he seems sad," he explained, "did anything happen?" he added. Cora felt herself go red with embarrassment.

"I needed to get him to leave me be. The more he's around me the more I'll not accept what's coming to me," she told him, "so I shouted at him," she found her voice break. She didn't say anything for a while after that. She swallowed and cleared her throat. She looked at Astro. He had changed a lot over the years. His face was more defined and his voice had broken about a year before. he was a bit taller than Cora now. So much so that Cora had to look up at him now.

"how does he age?" she asked, mystified when she realised he had actually grown. Dr Tenma seemed as though he didn't fully understand either.

"he's becoming more and more human every day, that blue core energy has created a heartbeat. Since you first met him, he's gained veins and arteries. Somehow the mechanical parts of him are slowly manifesting into human tributes," Dr Tenma explained.

"does that mean he can get sick now? Like my panceetic, panceat,"

"pancreatic cancer. How can you not pronounce that?" Dr Tenma chuckled. Cora blushed. Suddenly her stomach began to feel like she had just been stabbed in the guts by a battle axe. Astro's eyes shot open. Cora yelped in pain and cringed onto her side, breathing hard. She felt extremely hot and yet she was shivering like a crazy person. Astro ran to her.

"Cora? Cora talk to me," he ordered. Cora felt tears in her eyes as she stared up at Astro's anxious face. Astro felt her forehead and placed his hand on her cheek. Cora managed to say "I'm sorry," before the pain overwhelmed her and she passed out. Doctors ran in fast and shoved Dr Tenma and Astro out as they performed procedures and moved her out to an operation room. Astro's hands clenched and unclenched. Dr Tenma placed a hand on his shoulder.

"she'll be fine, she's a strong girl," he assured as the doctors disappeared through a pair of swinging double doors.