Again, I don't own anything except for my original characters.

Enjoy!

Healer Ashia was waiting at the door of the Collegium and directed the forlorn group around to the side of the building to a room reserved for Heralds. It had a walk-in door big enough for Companions and some special flooring so they wouldn't slip on polished marble. Cole walked right in without batting an eye and stopped by the bed. Galen and Ashia gently pulled Kori off Cole, who executed a perfect sidestep, and the Healers laid Kori out on the bed. Once on the bed, Kori rolled onto her side and curled up into a fetal position.

Brooke spoke quietly with Jason before he left to join their friends at the Companion's Bell. "Don't tell anyone about the baby. Make something up for right now. When she wakes, we'll find out what she wants done. I'm going to stay here; I think she might need a friend." The tall Herald smiled at him. "I don't know how long I'll be. Make sure you get Ashton into bed early and Bailey soon after that? We're in the middle of reading some fairy-tales. Ashton'll want you do to do voices, so try your best. I'll be home sometime. Give them love and kisses for me," she continued, and then kissed her partner. After a quick hug, Jason left.

The Healers were conferring by Kori's bed, occasionally reaching out to touch her. Brooke stood by Cole, who had retreated to the window, and really looked at Kori. The Herald was amazed. She didn't notice until now how much weight Kori had lost or the pale black circles under the smaller Herald's eyes. Kori's whites were as neat as would be expected; slightly more rumpled than normal, but not out of Kori's norm. Kori, never being a very tall or big, seemed shrunken on the white cotton sheets. Her skin looked both taunt and too big at the same time. Her hair was still clean and fairly neat, a bonus for those with shoulder-length hair, unlike Brooke's own mid-back mouse brown hair. Kori had her hands clutched together, pulled up to her chest and her legs were curled up as tight as they could, also against her chest. She took up less than a third of the bed.

"How long has she been like this, Cole? How long has she been tormenting herself?" Brooke wondered aloud, not expecting an answer.

:Since she heard about Grith's death: a masculine 'voice' said. Brooke was more than slightly startled; most Companions only spoke to their Chosen's, and, maybe, their Chosen's lover. :I tried to convince her she needed some help, but she insisted she was fine. I…I didn't know about the baby, but I guessed something was wrong. I thought she would have been over it by now, I thought she would have balanced-out.: Blame and guilt were both very evident and heavy in his 'voice'.

"It's okay, Cole. It's okay. You know how strong she is. How she hates to ask for anything for herself. That's what makes her such a damn fine Herald. You tried your best. I understand that. I'm sure she will too, when she wakes up," Brooke attempted to comfort the large Companion. Cole was a big companion, he dwarfed Kori when she was riding him or standing by him. He had long legs and was well muscled. He was also the second fastest runner the Herald's had. They needed Kori balanced and back to work. Soon.

The Healers had broken up; Galen left the room, probably to attend to his other charges. Ashia walked towards Brooke, her long hair, blond with faint streaks of white, done up in a bun. The Healer's skin was wrinkled from her many years and she had crow's feet at her eyes and smile wrinkles near her mouth. "I'm going to release her from the sleep in a little bit. She's going to need a caring friend, right now, more than she'll need a Healer. Can you stay with her? Let her cry herself out and reassure her that the miscarriage or her lover's death were not her fault." Ashia said, laying a wrinkled hand on the Herald's arm.

"Yes, I'll stay. I miscarried a few years ago and remember what it was like. I'll help her," Brooke replied, her voice steely. She was sure her eyes were hard, too, from suppressed emotion.

"Good. If you need anything, or Kori does, just ask any of the Trainees. They'll be glad to help." With that, the old Healer walked over to Kori and release her from the Healer-induced sleep, said something, nodded her head in my direction and left, her head held high.

Brooke walked over to Kori, who had rolled half onto her back. The tall Herald pulled over a chair, when she opened her mouth to say something, Kori gave a half audible moan then rolled onto her side and curled tighter than before. Cole silently walked out of the room, knowing that this was a women's matter and no place for the likes of him.

Brooke stayed with Kori for the rest of the night as they alternately crying in each other's arms, reassuring each other that everything would be…okay, if not about as good as before. Brooke ended up falling asleep on the bed with Kori, their backs resting against each other in mutual support.

Hoped you liked it!

Kyn!