Short chapter this time, so sorry. There's more, though. Keep talking to me, people.
Disclamer: I own only Riven
K.S.
Riven was crying.
Natasha Romanoff was holding Riven in her arms, cradling her friend's spiky head. Nat's eyes were soft with sympathy as Riven's body convulsed, knees jerking and feet kicking. Riven's eyes rolled back in her head and she gasped. Finally, the spasm ended and she blinked tear-bright grey eyes at Nat.
"Crap," she whispered. Nat stroked sweat-drenched black locks off Riven's forehead. Riven whimpered a little, and Nat hugged her closer.
"Did anyone see?" Riven whispered, and Nat shook her head, red hair swirling around her shoulders.
"No. You had the chat monitor turned off when it happened. I don't know how you managed to call me, but by the time I got here, I think you'd dislocated your shoulder."
Riven closed her eyes as her body spasmed again. "I hate these migraines," she breathed, swallowing a cry of pain.
Nat eyed her friend's shoulder. "I know. What did you land on when your legs gave out?"
Riven's head thrashed for a moment, and Nat tightened her grip, pinning Riven in place. Riven gasped, then clapped a hand over her own mouth to stifle a shriek. Nat gently stroked Riven's dark hair, eyes soft and face full of compassion.
Riven bit her lip until it bled, then took her hand away from her mouth. "I landed on. . . on the. . ." Her arm flailed, fingers scrabbling across the tiled floor of her laboratory, and for a moment Nat thought it was another spasm. Then she saw the blood smear on the leg of an overturned chair. Nat's mouth tightened, and she combed through Riven's hair, searching for the wound.
She finds it. Blood oozed from a cut on the back of Riven's skull. Nat winced, digging a napkin out of her pocket. She'd picked up several at lunch, and somehow this one had stayed with her.
Nat gently cleaned the bleeding split in Riven's scalp as the younger woman thrashes on the floor. Finally, Riven's body went slack, and she sighed soflty.
"You all right?" Nat asked.
"Yeah," Riven said softly. "I think it's over. Finally."
Nat shook her head, worried. "This is, what. . . the third in sixth months?"
Riven glanced away. "The fourth."
Nat's dark eyes widened. "When was the third?"
Riven bit her lip again. Hesitantly, she whispered, "Two weeks ago."
Nat closed her eyes. "Oh, no, Riven. When we were in Rome?"
She nodded. Nat helped her sit up, and hugged her hard. "I'm so sorry, Riv," Nat whispered.
Riven shook her head, and wished she hadn't. "It's not your fault," she said.
Nat held her at arms length, staring sternly into Riven's eyes. "They're getting worse, aren't they?"
Riven nodded. "I don't know why. Hell, I don't know why I have this kind of migraine in the first place. I've run every test I could think of, and I've got no answers."
Nat shook her head again. "Oh, Riv," she sighed. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up. I still have to fix your shoulder."
Riven winced a little at the thought. Nat led her out of the laboratory and the doors hissed shut.
Ouch, I'm such a mean author. How can I do this to my characters? Ch4 makes up for it, so don't hate me too much. Read and review, as always. K.S.
