Distorted lights. Muffled voices. Dark. Can't see. Dark. Dull Pain. Can't move. Dull Pain. Dark.
Waves upon waves of painful frigidness flowed through his body. He couldn't breathe. It hurt to breathe. Lights above his head rushed by at incomprehensible speed and yet he barely gave any of it thought. Words reached his ears every once in a while.
"Trauma…too late…. bleeding…can't stop."
"Thrax?" Small fingers wrapped around his. "Can you hear me?" He tried to respond but his mouth refused to cooperate.
Warped faces loomed above his own. And then sudden clarity came back to him. The dull pain turned sharp and mind-blowingly agonizing, comparable to when he had fallen into the alcohol. An aged cell stood above him, his face partially masked with several other cells, also masked.
The small hand squeezed his again. His eyes slid groggily to his left to land on Grace.
"Grace you have to leave. I'm sorry but we need room. We'll call you when we're done."
She nodded. The movement of her head moving looked fake to him.
I'm dying. Wow.
"Okay." Her hands for once warmer than his disappeared.
"Let-me… die."
She stopped dead in her tracks.
"Get him oxygen and then put him under." The doctor barked.
The warm hands returned to his. "I'm staying at least until he's asleep."
Fuzzily Thrax wished he could see her clearer, but all he saw was a faint outline of her body and face. A solid tube pushed its way down his throat making him gag. His hand shot up in reflex to stop who ever it was trying to choke him.
"No!" The sudden word scared him, making him jump and sending fresh stabs of agony throughout his body as her hands held his glowing claw back away from the face of a nurse.
My finger…I can't burn her. He tried to focus as much of his waning attention as possible to his glowing claw in an effort to not burn her.
"It's to help you. That's all." Her free hand brushed the side of his face. "You're going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay." Her voice and touch faded.
…..
Several days later
He slowly came to, not recognizing the room he was in. This isn't Jones's place. A repetitive whoosh was some where off to his left. Judging by the timing of the whoosh and the air that inflated his lungs he guessed he was on some form of life support. Damn. I'm in the hospital. It hurt to move so he didn't try. Attempting to see as far to either side of him as he could without moving, he saw Grace curled, asleep in a recliner chair by his left side. Next to the breathing machine…how can she sleep through that? It's loud as hell. The answer came as quickly as the question. She's a nurse. She's used to it.
He shifted his weight and groaned, regretting his movement. Everything hurt.
Grace woke, having heard him. At seeing him awake she sat up immediately. "Hey."
Irritatingly he couldn't answer her due to the tube taped to his mouth. From her expression she knew he was annoyed at the disadvantage.
"It's okay. You shouldn't speak anyways. You need to rest."
The door opened and Leah appeared. "He's awake." She sounded like she couldn't believe it.
Exhaustion threatened to take him out of reality again. The warm hand reappeared in his cold one. He tried hard to force his eyes to stay open and turn to her.
"Don't make yourself stay awake if you can't." She moved to his bed, sitting cross-legged she took his hand again and started to gently massage it. It hurt his joints but he let her do it anyway, hoping maybe the pain would lessen as time went on.
Taking her advice, he stopped fighting the tiredness and let the darkness consume him.
….
Cerebellum Hospital
7:24am
He woke up with a raging headache, one that encircled his head and spread down his back and shoulders. His room was dark, which he was grateful for, it lessened the pain a little. The numb frigid feeling had returned, filling every part of his body. He shivered, wishing the fire would return. What ever Vinícius had done to him, it seemed to have destroyed his inner flame. He's Death.
Painfully he dragged his right hand across his torso to feel where Vinícius had stabbed him. The membrane was raw under the bandages.
"S'up." Jones appeared with a take-out box and drink. "Decided to come and keep you company til Grace gets off her shift."
It wasn't until the cell had appeared and started talking that Thrax realized the tube was gone from his throat. He decided to take a risk and attempt to sit up. I'm going to regret this. He wasn't disappointed.
"Whoa, whoa, hey. Lay down. You're gonna hurt yourself."
He shot the cell a glare who took the silent threat for what it was.
"Just be careful, alright? I don't need Grace kicking my ass." The cell sat next to him in the same chair Grace had been using. "Are you feeling any better?"
Thrax made a face. "I've been better." His voice was hoarse.
"Haven't we all," Jones muttered. "We're out looking for your fri-that-the bacteria. And on more of a gossip note, Genix has disappeared too." The cell's face pinched in confusion. "It's weird I could have sworn he changed for a split second or something at the conference."
"He's metamorphosing."
Jones choked on his sandwich. "What?"
Thrax merely stared at him. "You heard me."
"Into what, what are you talking about? Like cancer?"
"No, not like cancer because Vinícius isn't cancer." The talking was starting to take the wind out of him.
"Then what is he?" The cop demanded. "You know, I know you do."
"Do you mind Jones?" Thrax snapped, though his weak voice made him sound less authoritative. "I just got my insides rearranged."
Jones sat back, his narrowed eyes saying he didn't want to drop the interrogation but being a decent guy, he wasn't going to push it. "Fine. Get better and then we'll continue this conversation."
Silence.
"Hantavirus." Thrax grimaced as he laid his head against the wall.
"Huh?"
Thrax rolled his eyes; annoyed he had to repeat himself. "Hantavirus. That's what Vinícius is."
"And that is?"
Thrax was thinking about answering but was saved by the door opening. Leah and Colonic walked in.
Thrax groaned inwardly. He had hoped he wouldn't have to deal with any embarrassing thank-you-thank-you scenes. He just wanted to heal and go back to hiding in Jones's apartment.
Just as he was readying himself to deal with the receptionist and her boss, the chief squeezed in too. Damn.
Leah was studying him. "Are you supposed to be sitting up?"
"I don't know." He retorted annoyed at the question. "Why?"
"Leah." Jones cut in. "He's fine."
An awkward silence ensued. Then Colonic took a step forward.
"You didn't have to do what you did." He murmured. "But I'll be forever grateful that you did."
Thrax couldn't think of anything to say at first. Several things came to mind but they all sounded either stupid or cheesy aka stupid.
"It would have killed you." He finally answered. Embarrassment heated his face, breaking some of the ice he felt under his skin. "Frank needs you."
The mayor gave a waned smile. "It seems he needs you too."
Not thinking Thrax gave a halfhearted shrug and then bit his tongue at the pain that clawed his insides. The chief cleared his throat.
"Er-in light of your actions…FPD and the Hall have decided you have freedom here." The large cell scratched his head awkwardly. And then as if he thought Thrax got the wrong impression of what he was being told, his tone got severe. "But if you so much as sneeze wrong-"
"Charlie." Colonic intervened gently. "I think he gets it."
"Right." The chief had the decency to look apologetic.
The mayor returned his attention to Thrax and Jones who he noticed was glowering at his own boss. He raised his eyebrows slightly when the cop saw him staring at him. Jones backed down. "We'll leave you to rest. You need it. I'll come by later."
Thrax watched the three leave, an odd emotion taking over his senses, one he didn't immediately understand.
"Must be kinda strange to have friends who care, huh?" Jones pulled his shoes off before stretching his legs out to rest his feet on the edge of Thrax's bed.
"Friends." Thrax echoed.
"Mmm." Jones swiped the remote to the TV. "Let's see what's polluting the TV today, shall we?"
….
Later
11:58am
"So he's a Hantavirus."
Thrax focused on his hands, flexing his fingers. "Jones can't keep quiet can he?"
Grace grinned. "He's in the hospital library right now, reading everything he can get his hands on." Her smile faded. "Ozzy is a good cop. Gung-ho at times, but a good cop."
"Yeah." Thrax agreed softly. "He is. Kicked my ass on Frank's kid's eyeball." His golden eyes flickered to Grace. "Don't tell him I said that. I'll deny it if you do."
She grinned again. "No promises." Then she cocked her head. "Your memory really is coming back?"
"Pieces." He looked away. "They are more like dreams."
Grace frowned, remembering something. "You said you don't trust Cassie Kid. Why?"
He glanced at her and then resumed obsessively playing with his hands. "All she wants to know is what my plans are when I regain my memories. The past month I haven't said jack shit to her because of it. As far as she knows my memory is still wiped clean."
"Do you remember who referred her to you?"
He shook his head. "I was in the interrogation room when she walked in at the precinct."
"When are you supposed to see her ag-?"
The door opened and none other than Dr. Kid came in.
"Shit." Thrax hissed under his breath, loud enough for Grace to hear.
She studied him, his demeanor changing before her eyes. He's afraid of her. Not that he'd ever admit it.
"Hello. I figured I drop by and see how things were. Maybe ask a few questions if you are up to it."
Thrax didn't answer her, just jerked his head. Kid took that as a positive and set her mountain of folders down on the small rolling table.
"Grace. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"Sorry. I can't." Grace sat back and made herself more comfortable. Thrax glanced at her in surprise. She shot him a quick look before turning back to Cassie Kid. "He's under strict observation due to his injuries. He can't be left alone."
The petite cell narrowed her eyes and then gave an airy laugh. "He won't be alone. He'll be with me."
"I'm sorry. I wasn't specific enough. Authorized personnel meaning me, an ICU nurse." Grace studied Kid. "I'd be happy to find Doc Rogers for you, so you can have this conversation all over again with him."
For a long moment it didn't appear Kid was going to budge but then she breathed a sigh. "What he and I speak of is confidential Estrogen. I suppose he and I can reconvene when he's discharged."
Grace studied her nails. "Don't tell me that. He's your client."
Kid's jaw cracked. Then she gathered her papers and folders. "FPD will tell me when you are discharged. Then we can set a date to meet." Then she was gone.
After a moment of silence, Grace sat up straighter. "Are you mad at me?"
Thrax looked at her like she was nuts. "Why would I be mad? Thanks for getting rid of her."
"I never did like her. She was always bit of a snob, even in high school."
"You? Not liking someone? No way."
"Listen there sparky." Her smile returned. "You being physically incapacitated won't save you from an ass kicking if you keep it up."
"Yeah sure." He sounded bored.
Her eyes narrowed as she stood and stretched. Then she leaned down on her hands on the bed. "I'm warning you-"
Forcing himself not to think about it or the consequences, he kissed her. She drew back the moment he did, an odd look on her face as she observed him. Just as he thought maybe he royally screwed that up, she leaned forward again, her hand coming to a rest on the side of his face and she kissed back, harder. Then she broke away but rested her forehead against his.
"I need a drink, want one?"
….
Disappointingly his drink turned out to be some high protein shake. Grace didn't hide her amusement at his put-off expression. "You can't have alcohol."
"Who says?"
"Well." She seriously considered his question. "For one this is a hospital and there is a no drinking rule. Two, you can't have anything that even resembles anything other than what I just gave you due to your current condition and three, I'm an evil SOB."
"That you are." He muttered.
She cracked the top of her drink, the spirals of a sweet odor wafted under his nose, tantalizing him. When I'm mobile she's going to regret tonight.
Some time went by before she spoke. "When I was six my dad took me and Leah up to the Brain. I remember the mayor some scruffy dude Winston, turned on the optical feed. Frank was with Shaine laying outside, staring at lights in the sky. Frank called them stars. Every once in a while I'd see one of those lights-stars shoot across the sky. It fascinated me. I wished for years that I'd see something like that here. Then I realized I did, every day." She glanced at him and then looked up and pointed from the small balcony they were sitting on.
Far above electrical impulses spider webbed downward and out, spreading across their sky. "Neuron messages." She said absently. "Some scientist said that they could be translated. Those gypsy fortunetellers, claim they use the neuron messages to tell people their fate. Down on the bowels they make a fortune off of the shmucks who take a ride down the urethra. I decided to try them once and…" She paused. "-And I got a strange reading. One I didn't understand until I saw you in Leah's bathtub. She told me 'He would be coming.' I asked her who but she only said 'He would change my life, my feelings towards life, and make me whole again." She was staring at him now. "I think she meant you."
Thrax found he couldn't look away from her, lost for words. Then.
"She wasn't aiming very high. A virus? One who almost killed you?"
Grace tsked. "That's ancient history Thrax, especially after the Cerebellum Hall incident." Her eyes travelled to where she knew he was bandaged. She reached out carefully and lightly touched the padding. "I guess after my long ass monologue, what I'm trying to say is…I-I think I love you."
His stomach flipped. I-I think I love you. I-I think I love you
On his end he didn't think. He knew. He had known. He knew the day she told him off about his shitty attitude and how that would kill him first before anything else. To hear her say it out loud made him feel as if he didn't deserve to hear it. She deserved it, one hundred percent, but him? He was a killer. It didn't matter if he reformed now. The lives he had taken, not just the humans but also the thousands of lives within that human-those humans he could never make up for that. She deserved better. She deserved much better.
"Same." He murmured. "Though I've known longer than you…but." He trailed off, knowing his next words were going to set her off. "Grace. You deserve more. A lot more than… here it goes…Me."
She was silent for a long moment. "Don't you think that's up for me to decide?" She wasn't angry which surprised him. He was used to dealing with the irrational females. Like Spyrah… high maintenance brat
"You'd be stigmatized, Leah would be stigmatized. Colonic, Jones. You'd all be screwed over because of me. I don't want that for you, any of you."
She watched him blankly and then glanced at her watch. "You don't get it do you."
Something about her tone made him pause. "Get what?"
A grin popped on her face. "It's 1 o'clock. I want you to see something."
…
While he chewed his tongue to ignore the pain of moving around, Grace flipped the TV channel to the news and then flopped into the recliner. "Just wait for it."
They waited, Thrax with a little less patience than her, though he was inwardly happy he didn't show it to her. His mind was just rotating back to the kiss they shared when the news anchor came back on screen with his co-host.
"And now we bring a confirmation to our viewers about the health status of the virus who saved our mayor on Monday. As you all may remember this particular virus terrorized the City of Frank some months ago, and even managed to almost kill Frank while masquerading as a common cold. Then about a month and two weeks ago, just when we all thought we were safe again, the virus reappeared with no memory we were told. On Monday, in contrary to what we thought we knew, this same virus saved our mayor Tom Colonic from an assassination attempt. The virus has since been recuperating in a local hospital, having survived his injuries caused by the assassin and is doing well we've been told. In light of all this, we have to ask ourselves if strangely enough and despite our concerns and fears, if we are in debt of this heroic cell."
Grace turned the TV off. "See? I told you something would happen to change their minds." She came over and sat on the bed, closer Thrax noticed than all the times before. She's serious about this. "So. Don't you think it's my choice?"
She reached out to his face, trailing her fingers down his cheek. It had been a long time since he had felt so calm and her touch always pushed him into a state of relaxation no matter his previous mood. He took a breath. "Yes. I do think it's your decision."