New chappie...I really better get writing and get ahead a bit more....

Disclaimers: BMFM is not mine sniffle Tala, Sparks and MC belong to Kindra Coates; Alex and Night Storm are mine.

And thanks again to Intrepid and Samurai. You guys are great...Intrepid, you beat Samurai this time :P She's not hiding under my printer anymore I don't think....snicker

Chapter 12: Recovery

Alex woke slowly, wondering where she was. The last thing she remembered was feeling dizzy after the attack. She became aware that her head seemed to be bandaged and a detached pain was throbbing in that general vicinity. The second thing she was aware of was that a hand was wound around one of her own. Alex squinted as she opened her eyes, thankful that the lights were dim. She looked over to one side of the bed, and saw Modo, leaning on the bed, asleep, with the fingers of his flesh hand twined with hers. She stared at their joined hands for a moment.

He had been here the whole time? She wondered. How long had she been out? She tried to sit up, but was met with a wave of pain, and quickly gave up that idea.

Modo stirred, her movement waking him. He sat up and looked at her, noticed she was awake and his face broke into a smile.

"How are you feeling?" he asked gently.

"Like my head was run over by a Mac truck" Alex groaned. "You didn't get the license plate number did you?"

Modo chuckled.

"At least you haven't lost your sense of humour"

Alex grinned at him weakly. "I try."

He let go of her hand, went to the intercom by the door and spoke into it.

"Guys, she's come round"

They were there in a few minutes. Tala started asking Alex some questions, trying to see if her memory was in tact.

"You're lucky" She said when she'd finished. "It could have been a lot worse."

"I'm glad it wasn't" Alex replied quietly, wincing as her own voice made her head throb again. "Anyone got any morphine? Or maybe a sledgehammer?"

Tala laughed quietly.

"MC, give her a dose of pain relief."

The mechanical arm came down again. Alex yelped, then immediately wished she hadn't, her head seemed to explode with that sound and she squeezed her eyes closed, trying to will the pain to subside. By the time she could open her eyes, MC had already given her the shot. Alex hadn't felt a thing.

"Nice" she mumbled sarcastically. "Next time I need a shot, I'll just whack myself on the head so I don't feel it."

The others snickered, and Alex gave them one of her Looks before lowering her aching head to the pillow.

"I think you should stay here overnight, Alex" Tala told her. "We're not sure how much damage has been done, and MC will be able monitor you in case something goes wrong and to give you more pain relief if you need it."

"Thanks Tala" Alex murmured. The pain was ebbing, and she felt extremely tired.

"Get some sleep, girl, you look like you need it" Throttle said.

"Someone ought to stay here..." Tala began, but was cut off.

"I'll stay" Modo interrupted.

Alex stared at him for a moment.

"Modo, you need to get some rest" she said. "You were zonked on the chair when I woke."

"And I'll 'zonk' on the chair again" he responded, giving her a smile.

Tala and Charley started to herd everyone out. These two needed alone time.

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Next morning, Alex awoke, with Modo snoozing, leaning on the bed, and his hand holding hers again. She was feeling much better. Her head didn't hurt as much.

"Good morning Biker Alex" MCs voice came to her "Are you in need of any pain relief?"

"Not right now MC" Alex yawned. "I feel better than yesterday"

"A good night's sleep usually has that effect on carbon based life forms" MC replied.

Alex giggled. MC sounded so…clinical.

Modo began to twitch his ears just then, and Alex looked over to him, expecting him to wake up. But he didn't. It took the young redhead a moment to realize he was dreaming.

"Alez...look hrzn, pretty sn't t?" he mumbled, before giving a sigh and turning his head the other way.

Alez? Her name maybe? And something about a pretty...something. She would have to ask when he woke up. Wait a sec…he was dreaming of her? She didn't know whether to be flattered or worried. She suddenly forgot about that and started to giggle, ignoring the twinge in her head when Modo snorted in his sleep. She just couldn't help it. Alex managed to calm down after a few minutes, and contented herself by watching the big grey mouse as he slept, gently squeezing the hand that held her own.

Five minutes later, Charley popped her head into the room.

"Hey little cousin" She said, keeping her voice down. Charley came into the medi-bay followed by Throttle. They pair of them grinned knowingly at Modo and Alex's linked hands.

"Hey guys" Alex whispered, giving them a smile.

Charley and Throttle dragged up a couple of chairs, waking Modo in the process.

"Mornin'" he yawned, stretching.

"Weren't you uncomfortable?" Charley queried.

"Nah" He answered. "This beds pretty comfy"

"Modo's right" grinned Alex "It is comfy. Especially compared to hospital beds."

The others chuckled.

"Even if you're not lying on it?" Charley snickered. Modo just shrugged, giving Charley a lopsided grin.

"How's your head, Alex?" Throttle asked.

"It's feeling much better" The young woman replied. "All I needed was a good night's sleep…and a bit of good company"

Modo flushed slightly, and grinned at Alex. Alex smiled back.

"Tala up yet?" Alex tilted her head at Charley as she asked the question.

"Tala's been up for hours. However Vinnie's still snoring his head off."

"Sparks?" Modo rumbled.

"He's been in the cargo bay, looking over Night Storm again" Charley giggled. "He can't get enough of that bike"

"I'll have to give him a ride when she's finished being downloaded" Alex said, also giggling.

"You don't mind him hangin' around yer bike this much Alex?" Modo asked worriedly.

"Nah" Alex smiled "He's a good kid; I know he won't do anything to her. I'll ask him if he wants a ride when I see him next."

"You're too good to him" Modo smiled back. "He's gonna think all his Christmases have come at once when ya offer him a ride."

Alex giggled again.

"I like playing at Santa" she replied flippantly.

"You know little cousin, I'm surprised you never got a job as a nanny or something." Charley told the young woman. "You've always been good with kids."

Alex shrugged, then winced.

"The kids may have liked me," she replied "but the parents didn't. I've never been able to figure that out."

"I'm glad ya didn't take a nanny job" Modo said quietly. "If ya had, you wouldn't be here now."

Alex squeezed his hand.

"With a splitting headache" she grinned.

"Well, you're looking much better."

Four heads turned towards the door where Tala was standing. The blonde crossed the floor and peeled back the compress on Alex's head.

"That can come off…I'll put a plain bandage on it, and we'll change that in a few days. How's the pain?"

"A little, if I move too quickly or talk too loudly." Alex said, keeping still as Tala took off the compress and smoothed a normal bandage in its place.

"A dose of pain relief should be able to let you up for a few hours" Tala replied.

The robotic arm with the hypo descended again, and Alex turned her head away, squeezing Modo's hand hard and letting out a hiss as the hypo slid into her arm. She disliked needles almost as much as Charley.

After a couple of minutes, Alex found she was able to sit up without feeling like her head was going to explode.

"Oh, that's much better" she said, relieved.

Modo helped her out of the bed, and, with Alex leaning on him, they made their way to the lounge, to discuss their plans for when they got to Mars.

(AN: hope you enjoyed the chapter...things are going to start to heat up soon, in more ways than one! R&R!)