The first thing Musa can remember is a bright white light, stinging her eyes. She tried to shield them but something tugged at her arm. Panicking she tried to pull herself free but something caught her hand.
"Musa dear, please don't pull those out again." said a very soft and tinkling voice. Musa wanted to respond but it felt like there was something covering her mouth. She tried to speak anyways, and what came out was a garble of words.
"whu... whu an hi?"
Hearing her speak the Nurse rushed over, grabbed her hand, and leaned down over Musa, allowing her to see her. She was a very small woman with a slightly upturned nose. her hair was platinum blonde and impeccably straight. "Hello sweetheart I'm Nurse Ellison. can you hear me?"
Musa for some reason couldn't find her voice and she tried to nod but her head ached unbearably. When she didn't get any acknowledgement the Nurse tried a different approach. "If you can hear me squeeze my hand." I took Musa a couple of seconds but eventually she was able to Squeeze the pretty Nurse's hand.
Nurse Ellison's smile lit up her whole face and she gently crooned "Welcome back Musa. How do you feel?"
The mask covering her face was removed and this time it was easier for Musa to form words, though it still sounded a little garbled because of the fuzziness in her mouth. "Nevah... behter Doc" she said while attempting a smile.
After she called the doctor to tell him that Musa had woken up she chuckled slightly "Very cute missy. Well I guess the good news is your well enough to tell jokes, the bad news is you woke up just in time for me to change your bandages." Musa groaned and turned her head away from Nurse Ellison who was collecting bandages and antiseptics; a move she immediately regretted when the pressure in her head increased and black spots danced in her vision. Musa cried out and the nurse, who had set some bottles and packages on a tray next to Musa, patted her leg and said "Try not to move so fast, you had a really bad concussion and you will have a slight headache for a good while. Sudden movement like that will only make it worse."
While the nurse continued to gather her things the pain in Musa's head eventually subsided and Musa began to recall everything that had happened. Tears started to form in her eyes and she didn't even try to stop them. Screw being tough, Myrta and Bishop were dead and so was Flora and Helia's baby. Poor thing! She could still picture everything, Flora with the sword through her stomach, Myrta's body clinging lifelessly to the wall with so many other fairies. She could still hear every scream reverberating through her ears, and she still remembered the feel of the stakes through her body and King Mikahl's Lips pressed against hers. She wanted so bad to forget but she knew that she never would, all this horror felt so permanent and she just wanted to give in and cry and keep crying. The monitor next to her bed began to beep and Nurse Ellison, who had finished gathering supplies was trying desperately to console her.
"I know sweetie. I know. Im so sorry. Please. Stop crying. I don't want to have to put you back to sleep but you have to calm down. Shh.. Please Musa. it's-"
Nurse Ellison didn't get to finish her sentence because just then the door to Musa's room burst open and, after a few short moments of alarm, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yo! Riven! Get your ass up and give me a hand with this!"
Riven got up from where he was polishing some ship parts and went to help out Roy who was hanging upside down from the ship and waving a wrench in his hand. "What happened Roy? Though you said you could fix it all by yourself? That's what you told Saladine."
"Yeah! And I will!... I just need you to help me get unstuck first, I honestly have no fucking clue how I did this." Roy replied and tried lifting himself up again but his shirt was caught to a bolt and his foot was wrapped around a fuel pipe so he just flopped back down with a "hmph!"
There was a pause and with a smirk Riven considered his options. "So your saying, that without my help, your stuck up there right? And there is no way you can get down?"
Roy stopped squirming and narrowed his eyes and Riven "Riven... don't you even think about it. Get me down!"
"Naw man. I think you should hang out here for a while. With all that blood rushing to your head you might shut up for once!" Riven laughed and turned to leave.
"Dammit! Riven you little shit! I am gonna kick your ass!"
"Ha! Good luck with that! You seem a little too tied up right now to be kicking any ones ass" Riven lazily replied and then ducked when he felt something go passed his head. "Don't throw shit at me!" He yelled as Roy's wrench clanged to the ground.
"Well then Get. Me. Down."
"Sheesh Roy! You sure give Stella a run for her money in the complaining department." He said and then walked over to help Roy.
"Hey now! What was that I heard about my girl?" Brandon yelled as he walked in with two new guys dressed in red.
"That she is a sweet innocent lady who bakes the most amazing cookies and knits." Roy said sarcastically and Brandon just laughed it off with "Now I know that wasn't it! Have you ever even tried her cooking?"
"My god man! have you?!" Roy said, eyes widening in mock horror.
Riven laughed when he reached Roy and said "Obviously not, hes still standing isn't he?" causing all of them to laugh even harder.
Still laughing Brandon had to concede and say "Hay! Her cooking may not be that good but she makes up for it in other ways fuckers! THAT you should be jealous of"
"Ugh! No one wants to know about what you and Stella do behind closed doors Brandon." Riven said and then "What are you even doing here anyways?"
"Oh right! I came by to introduce the newest members of Red Fountain, Saladine asked me to introduce them to you guys." Brandon gestured to the Blue haired guy with a sour expression and introduced him as Nex. Then he pointed to the tall one with curly brown hair and introduced him as Sky's cousin, Thoren; Two paladins here to join their ranks.
"Did you say Sky's cousin? Crap! Are you gonna be as irritating as him too?" Riven sneered to the Tall paladin.
"Nope, I like to think I'm an easy going guy. You might want to be worried about Nex here though. Hes got enough annoying to outdo Sky any day." Thoren Smiled and jerked his thumb toward Nex.
"Speaking of annoying, is that neanderthal hanging from the ship one of our senior officers? Or is it the prude with the pink hair?" Nex asked and crossed his arms, earning him a smack on the head from Thoren.
Brandon wiped the bemused expression on his face and looked seriously at Nex. "Both of them. That's Riven and the one hanging upside down is Roy. They are both your Senior Officers so show some respect."
Nex didn't looked the least bit sorry for his words and just sneered. "Where's the other 3? I heard there were six Senior Officers in charge." Just then Riven got Roy unstuck and he went crashing to the ground, kicking Riven in the face and taking him down too. "Please tell me they aren't all like these clowns."
Roy brushed himself off and glared at Nex. "Can it Freshman! I'm sure you've already met Sky and you'll meet Timmy and Helia when they return with him and the rest of the Winx from Kanuse tomorrow."
"I'm not a freshman. I'm a Senior just like you, Thoren and I transferred from Linphea college to join you guys in Kanuse. Now that I know were being led by Idiots and some useless Fairies I think I'll just go kill myself now and get it over with though."
"Watch your mouth kid! Before I bash your face in." Riven cautioned and stood up straighter. He was a whole head taller than Nex and almost twice as broad, he could take him down easily and Nex knew that so he prepared to back off. Riven grudgingly admitted he was a little disappointed. He hadn't fought in a while and his body was itchin' for one.
Just then Nurse Gaither Came running in looking for Riven. "Riven! Dude I've been looking all over for you!"
Riven Immediately forgot about Nex and the fight and he ran to meet the Nurse halfway. "Is it Musa? What happened?"
"The Nurse stopped running and tried catching his breath. "Its ...Musa! She's... awake!"
Riven smiled like a fool and ran from the shop. As he made it through the door he heard Nex snort "What a fruit cake!" and Thoren slap the back of his head again. Riven didn't care, He would Kick Nex's ass later and that would be the end of that. All that mattered right now was getting to Redfountain's hospital and seeing Musa. He ran through the halls and pushed open doors like a battering ram and he didn't care. He'd waited almost a month for this moment.
When he finally reached her room, he was about to yank open the door with excitement when he heard Musa crying on the other side. His smile fell and his fist clenched at his side, her sobs rendering him immobile. He was so happy a moment ago that she was awake, but her crying seemed to bring him down to reality. He was never good at all this emotional stuff and the sound of her crying made her want to run. He heard Musa say his name in between sobs and he would be lying if he didn't admit that something released inside of him, Musa needed him right now. He shook his head violently to re collect his thoughts and courage and pushed open the door.
Musa didn't stop crying when the door opened, she didn't even make any indication that she had heard him at all; she was too busy crying. Nurse Astrid noticed his entrance though, and she looked like she was about ready to scream of fright until she realized it was just Riven and relief washed over her face.
"Oh thank god. Riven Please. Can you help me here? I cant calm her down." Nurse Ellison Yelled over Musa's sobs.
Riven nodded and walked over to Musa's side, not trusting himself to speak. She had her eyes closed, she was crying so hard. Her arms were lifted slightly and Riven knew she was trying to cover her face with her hands, she does that when she cries, but the tubes sticking out of her arms made that impossible. Her beautiful hair was out of its trademark pigtails and was a frizzy halo framing her face. Musa was not a pretty crier and snot was already coming out of her nose. She was a mess and Riven didn't know how to help her.
"Riven please! Do something!" Nurse Ellison yelled as Musa ripped the tubes out of her right arm; sending the heart monitor into a frenzy before Nurse Ellison turned it off.
"Okay! God! Musa? Hey Musa, its me, Riven." Musa didnt appear to have heard Riven and he cursed when she wiped her face with her bloody arm. "Come on Muse, don't do that." He sighed and grabbed a wet cloth from Nurse Astrid to wipe her face. "Shh.. Musa its okay. Your safe now."
Musa flinched when he touched the rag to her cheek, she opened her eyes and stopped crying. "Riven?" she seemed so unsure, a little crease appeared between her eyebrows as they pulled together, but her eyes never lefts his face.
Riven half smiled and then broke away from her gaze, continuing to wipe the blood from her face. "Yeah... Man your a mess Muse."
"I... I... I'm sorry Riven." Musa whispered and more tears began pilling in her eyes.
"What in the hell for?" he asked angrily.
"I couldn't protect anyone... I couldn't even... protect myself.. I'm sorry... so sorry. Thank you Riven, thank you for saving me."
"Musa don't be stupid." Riven growled and glared at her. "e\Everyone is fine. Everyone is alive, even Flora. She probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you... and saving you... you don't have to thank me for that Musa. Not now... not ever."
Riven was blushing by the end of his speech but Musa didn't even register the embarrassing part. After hearing Flora's name only one thing was running through her mind, and she began to cry again.
"Come on Muse please stop crying! Nurse Ellison needs to change your bandages or your gonna get an infection."
"But Riven your wrong! I didnt protect Flora, not really."
"Musa trust me, Flora is fine. Shes-"
"BUT NOT THE BABY!" Musa screamed, startling Riven and Nurse Ellison.
For a few minuets the room was filled only with the sounds of Musa's crying until Riven asked reluctantly "Musa? What baby? Was... oh god were you..."
Riven didn't have to finish the question because she was already shaking her head "No not me Riven. Flora. Flora was pregnant. She was..."
She couldn't finish the statement but Riven understood. He went down and kneeled by her bed as Nurse Ellison ran from the room. "Its okay Musa. There was nothing you could have done. Its okay." He crooned and brushed her tangled hair from her face repeatedly, almost like he was petting her. It had the desired effect and eventually she began to calm down.
When Nurse Ellison returned to room she was carrying Flora's chart from the room next door. When Riven looked up at her she was frowning and shaking her head.