Chapter 24

Joan felt like she had been hit by a train. She hadn't even managed to open her eyes for more than a half second, and still she felt like utter trash. Her head spun, her whole body felt sore, her existence was drained, and worst of all, she felt a carved pumpkin. Mostly the actual pain was numbed by whatever drugs she had surely been given, but that didn't change how she felt… rearranged- gutted and stuffed almost.

The sound of fingers snapping around her preceded Joan realizing what the sensation most certainly meant. "Oouch…" Joan groaned as the snapping proceed and drilled through her ears.

"Oh, you're awake, good." Watts huffed.

"I- I- you… you…" Joan limply flopped a hand down to her core. It hurt- not in a sharp pain, but one that she could tell her body did not appreciate. "I'm"

Watts made a little grunt. "Maybe go easy on down there. I rushed you through what Cinder wanted to be two operations." Watts sighed. "She didn't seem to understand implanting a grown uterus after you already had and healed from a vaginoplasty would be much more complicated. But, you seemed to want it, and getting my end in order went faster than expected."

"I- I-" Joan groaned and finally began cracking her eyes open.

"There's no rush now. In fact, if we're to get on with it all, I prefer we wait a little. You need to heal for a couple of days- even with all your aura. You went through a lot."

"I'm- I have a-" Joan blinked and cried.

"Yes, and you'll want to be dilating rather frequently till you are fully healed- unless you don't care for depth or conception. In which case, I don't particularly care." Watts shrugged.

"Where's- where's Cinder?"

"Her? She's stunningly calm. Honestly, when she marched in with you in her arms, I wanted to kill you myself! I was certain she would break. But- she seems to be holding up well against her grimm."

Joan nodded weakly.

"I suppose you did what you needed to well, so, heal up well enough that we know you won't reject the transplant, and good enough that you can run- I'd really prefer you not get caught hours or days after I help you escape. Just not a good look."

"She's alright?" Joan inquired with as much lucidity as she could muster.

"Do remember, it is your job to ensure she snaps. When you're healed."

"She is alright?" Joan demanded.

"Yes, yes she is. But you-"

"I know what I need to do!" Joan snapped only to have her body lock up in retaliation.

"Good. You break her, and come back to me, I'll escort you out and make sure you have a way out of the kingdom."

"What about- about my-" Joan reached up to her neck only to find it bare.

"Cinder removed your collar to save your life. She says you attacked her?"

"I- I- Mercury warned me about your plans- about turning me into a breeder for-"

"Tasteless, very tasteless. But I am simply a man with a scalpel. It is not my job to dictate what they want done." Watts huffed. "But, follow through with our deal, and I assure you, no one will so much as touch you in that way."

Joan nodded. "I get it, now where is Cinder."

"Awaiting your awakening in three days when you're fully healed." Watts answered.

"I-" Joan trailed off distracted by a new sensation. "Arm- c- c- cold?" With a dead arm, Joan tried to touch the other one where ice seemed to fill her veins.

"Yes… I've decided maybe it is best to keep you asleep till you are ready to run. Rest well."

The world slipped dark again. Joan never dreamt during her induced comas. She simply… slipped out of life without disappearing into death. When she next woke, it was more gradual, a slow ascent back to life. The first thing she noticed when she began to wake, a hand. Still foggy and having trouble getting her thoughts together, Joan initially thought it was Pyrrha. Maybe this all had been a horrible dream? Maybe she was just slowly waking and she would come back to her old life?

Of course, it wasn't true. The sensation of claws caressing along her cheek told Joan that. But, that too seemed off. Cinder wasn't the type to sit by someone's bedside while they were sick, was she?

"Shh, it's alright, wake slowly."

"Hmm?"

"Slow." Cinder instructed.

Joan obeyed. Joan let time pass, she let her mind clear and the world to slowly slip in. As she slowly came back to life, she squeezed Cinder's hand a little, then more, and more, and more. It was small, but it was a way to check that Cinder was still there, still waiting with her. Whenever Joan squeezed, Cinder whispered a soft "Shh," and patiently caressed Joan's cheek again.

"I- I- Are you alright?" Joan was shocked at her first question.

"I'm worried- angry. Concerned. Confused… Really confused." Cinder answered.

Joan winced and had no idea how to reply. She had no idea, but after trying to kill Cinder, she felt like she owed her an answer. "I-"

"No." Cinder answered. "I thought you were going to die. I-" Cinder sounded like she wanted to say something else, but the thought seemed to slip away. "I do not want to talk about it tonight. I'm sure you already know you were punished for what you tried."

"I- have a- ah-"

"Yes, yes you do." Cinder snickered. "It seems you've outlasted all my ideas."

"All your ideas?" Joan wondered. Hadn't it been in Cinder's plans to turn her into a breeding slut for everyone else?

Cinder nodded. "I'm not done; I've not given up on you quite yet." Cinder reassured. "But, for now, you have been punished for acting out. We will call it even at that- till morning at the very least." She caressed Joan's cheek so gently that Joan really believed this was hard on her. "Watts said you should get at least another day's rest. But I demanded to see you."

Joan felt so special. It was wrong, and Cinder shouldn't have been able to make her feel that way, but what should be does not always dictate what is. She felt special.

"I'm taking you back to your room for the day. I'll watch over you there. In the morning we can talk about why you thought attacking me would be a good idea."

Joan nodded and wanted to cry. Not only had she attacked Cinder, but she was actively planning to betray her- to leave her to become a grimm. Couldn't she just go back to being a tortuous cunt? Not the gentle woman who granted her every gender wish and more. "Watch over?" She asked, hoping Cinder would clarify with something colder or eviler.

"Yes, I am tired of worrying of your wellbeing- of- of my answers you are so scarce to share." Cinder covered up poorly.

"I- oh, yeah. Of course… okay." Joan tried to ignore that she saw through the thin cover.

"Watts said you should be all healed down there; that he used medication to knock you out but let your aura heal you. If this hurts, tell me. Alright?" Cinder requested soft and calm.

"If- if what hurts?" Joan asked only to yelp as arms snaked under her and lifted her out of the bed. Before she knew it, she was picked up in Cinder's arms and testing against her chest. "I! Eep!" Joan squeaked as her head rested somewhere between Cinder's shoulder and breast.

"Good?"

Joan didn't feel any pain per say, nothing that felt like it would be the side effect to the surgeries. But… her core did seem to tense? To tighten? Twist! It felt like something deep in her belly twisted as her chest fluttered. It was novel; almost like the tension she sometimes felt in her undercarriage when she still had her old hardware and she was overly flustered- almost like that, but… different. "Good." She nodded into Cinder and fought to hide how her body reacted to Cinder's strong grip.

"Good girl." Cinder offered in the softest whisper.

As promised, Cinder brought Joan back to her old room. It had been cleaned. Everything easily replaceable had been replaced, and all the clothing had been hung back up in the closet. Joan figured the blades had not been returned to their place behind the bed, but she was not quite sure.

Cinder gently plopped Joan in bed before pulling the covers over her. She pulled up a chair, then a book, and began to read aloud for Joan to join in with her. Things continued like that for hours. Cinder only left the room to get them meals and only paused reading her book to feed Joan. She didn't let the woman eat on her own, be it because Joan was still weak or because she didn't want Joan to have anything even as sharp as a spoon.

The evening went on like that, another break for dinner, and then Cinder changed Joan into some pajamas. Her hands were so soft, so gentle, and to Joan's surprise, polite. Cinder didn't grab anywhere she shouldn't. The closest she got was gracing against Joan's nipple as she buttoned a silk nightshirt over the huntress. Joan found herself almost wanting Cinder to explore, to test out the changes to her body. Of course, she didn't say anything. No, Joan just looked away as Cinder finished up and tried to ignore her depraved desires.

"There." Cinder caressed Joan's cheek and kissed her forehead. "Are- are you cold at all?" She inquired so caringly.

Joan said nothing, but she nodded.

"Ok." Cinder answered. Without another word, she lifted the covers and slipped into the bed with Joan. "I run hot. Especially since… since this." She lifted up her grimm arm and turned it around as a display for Joan. She was right, she was near burning hot. It was painfully comforting. Joan really was cold, and she couldn't help herself but give in as Cinder pulled her in closer and ushered Joan to rest her head on Cinder's chest. "There, there you go sweet girl. You are safe again."

Cinder's words jogged something in Joan's mind. "I- Cinder?"

"Yes sweet girl?" Cinder asked, her nails gracing up and down Joan's back, gently lulling her to sleep.

"I- you said… I almost died?"

"The necklace; your collar. I set it to shock you if you attacked me. It was just supposed to teach you a lesson, knock you on your ass."

"But?"

"But, it didn't turn off. You were still being shocked the whole time I carried you back to the infirmary. You- you stopped breathing. I was so scared." Cinder admitted and let it sit there for just a moment. "I- if you died, I would lost my last line a the fall maiden's powers." She tacked on clumsily.

"You- you carried me?" Joan's eyelids grew heavy. "But- but wouldn't it have shocked… shocked you too."

"It did. I didn't care. Not when it came to you."

End of Chapter 24