And on again, off again…wait, now that song's stuck. Oh, well, I guess I can just get on with it. The end is kinda crappy, and I apologize in advance for it. I just can't get my brain to function today. But enough about me, time to return to the medlab.

Second Chances

Chapter Ten: Awakening

When Andi woke up some three hours later, all of her team were standing around her. That, and she still had a killer headache. She tried to sit up, but instantly regretted it in favor of keeping her equilibrium.

"Easy, Ann." Bryan said as he pushed her back down. "That doctor says you're not supposed to leave."

"What happened to me?" Andi groaned as she rubbed her temples. "The last thing I remember was flying."

"You didn't fly." Mitch said. "One of the other agents carried you in here. Do you remember?"

"No." Andi said. "I know who you are, but nothing after the session this morning."

"Then don't push it." Regan said. "It'll come back eventually."

"How did you find out?" Andi asked.

"That mystery hero of yours interrupted one of the office meetings, and Zartan called us in here." Kristen said. "You were already out of it when we got here, and there were monitors all over the place."

"Mindbender took those off a while back." Ry explained. "Why do you think you passed out?"

"I think I overdid it and caused a surge or something." Andi said softly. "Like I said, I can't remember anything."

"That's okay." Regan said. "Maybe if you rest up here and stay in bed you can go home tomorrow."

"Observation, right?" Andi asked.

"Good guess." Neal said. "Are you sure you won't go stir-crazy in here?"

"This place isn't as creepy." Andi said. "I'll be fine as long as someone can get my book bag."

"The big blue one, right?" Ry asked.

"Yeah." Andi sighed. "Clover might know where I left it. Although, I think it's in the closet."

"I'll check for ya." Kristen said. "I'm going to see if I can catch a ride."

"Did you get the skin thing worked out?" Andi asked.

"Yeah." Kristen said. "Some kind of lotion that bocks the sun. Rubs in like foundation, too. Anyway, I'll go see if the Bikers have left yet."

"Good luck!" Andi said, wincing at the sound of her own voice.

"Relax, Ann." Ry said. "You won't get better until you get some sleep."

"I slept for the past three hours, Ry." Andi chided. "I want to do something else."

"There's one of those roll-away trays over here." Neal said.

"And I have the cards we used last time." Regan said. "But we need more."

"For what?" Mitch asked.

"Egyptian Rat." Regan said.

"Please no!" Mitch begged. "I'll give you my digi-soccer game if you stop!"

"No." Regan said. "No deal."

"I think there's a deck in my back." Andi said. "Why don't we wait on Kristen."

"Works for me." Ry said.

Half and hour later…

"This bites." Mitch pouted. He had already lost his cards.

"Don't hark on me just because you suck." Kristen glared as she laid another card down.

"Ha!" Regan said triumphantly as she slapped the deck.

"Ow!" Neal shrieked. "Andi, you need to trim those claws of yours!"

"Sorry, but you were in the way." Andi said.

"I didn't feel anything." Ry said as he put one of his last four on the ground.

"Mine!" Andi shouted as she slapped.

"Kris!" Regan shouted.

"Sorry!" Kris apologized.

"See!" Andi pointed. "It's not just me."

"See what I mean." Mitch said.

"Yeah." Neal said. "I'm sitting this out, my hand hurts too much."

"Suit yourself." Regan said as Zanya walked in.

"And we don't even have to divide his cards up." Kristen said. "You wanna join in, Zanya?"

"Okay," Zanya said "this is Rat, right?"

"Yeah." Ry said. "You know how to play?"

"Yes." Zanya said.

"Then take Neal's set and lay one down." Andi said. "But don't look at it."

"I know how to play cards." Zanya said as she laid a king on the table.

"Three shot, Ry." Regan said.

"I know that!" Ry said. "Let's just play."

Five minutes and several shrieks of agony later, Mindbender chased the "visitors" out of the lab, leaving Andi alone with her thoughts and books. The next morning, he returned to find her solving a giant crossword puzzle. On the ceiling tiles.

"What have you done to my roof?" He shouted.

"I put the crossword puzzle from the TV guide on the roof and am solving it." Andi replied.

"At five in the morning?" He glared.

"I got bored."

"Did you sleep at all?"

"I don't need much sleep."

"Fine!" Mindbender groaned. "Your handler is here."

"And where are my clothes?" She asked.

"Not my problem." Mindbender said and pointed to the door. "OUT!"

"Fine!" She groaned. Not long after, she found a shirt and a pair of generic gray sweatpants—even though they could double for footy pajama pants—and made herself presentable to leave. She was back on base before eight a.m.