—-

Around an hour later, Claire returned with several bags nearly blocking her view. "Where's the table?" She called out from behind the massive load.

"Uh," was all Steve could muster, not entirely sure how he could face her after excluding her.

She sat them down on his lap and side, growing impatient. "There we go." She sat and grabbed a few napkins.

Steve stared blankly at her, his arms unable to reach anything.

"Oh, right," Claire realized. "Could I have one of the keys again?" One? Steve thought. He didn't mind, but this was a shift from before he just couldn't ignore.

Last time, having both arms freed made him feel uncomfortable, so… Claire was thinking.

She then unlocked his right arm and then took her seat, offering him a nearby bag. "This has your muffin in it," she smiled.

"Claire," Steve ventured carefully. "Are you upset?"

She placed the bag down again, and looked to the upper right. "What? N-no."

"Sorry about that—Earlier. I'm just," he struggled. "Everything is different. I've been… confused."

Claire gripped the bedside. "I'm sorry too. That I've been so…" she trailed off. "Intense?" Steve finished for her.

Claire glared playfully, agreeing. "Yeah, I suppose so." She continued. "I was just so happy and worried that..." She smiled. "If you need more time to acclimate to situations and people, I'll wait for you."

He wasn't sure what she meant, whether it was in terms of affection or conversation. Steve still didn't know how Claire felt about him, but their recent interactions felt more akin to an overprotective mother than a friend or lover. The thought saddened him, but looking at her face, he finally saw her now. Her eyes had slight lines underneath, no doubt worn by years of stressed expressions. She still put her hair in a ponytail, her bangs framing the sides of her forehead. Her legs were still clad in jeans, while her torso sported a black t-shirt. He also noticed how well both hugged her curves. He shook his head. Maybe she wasn't so different after all.

"Slower is good," he hurriedly offered, a smile arching his features.

Claire nodded. "You got it." A pause. "Now, how about we eat?"

Steve smiled wider, and grabbed the bag she had previously offered. "Sounds good to me."

—-

The next day, Navya deemed it safe that Steve be released. She first informed him of this by announcing that his catheter had been removed. Steve hadn't even noticed he had been 'equipped' with one to begin with. He was still restrained to the bed with Claire was beside him.

"So," Steve began. "What's going to happen to me?" Being able to put it off no longer, he needed to ask.

"Well," Navya replied. "You're going to be put into the care of Claire."

Steve looked between the two of them. "Huh?"

Claire piped up. "I had it set up in advance. Basically," she excitedly added. "We will have an apartment in a special building under some form of surveillance— For safety."

"Special building?" Steve questioned.

"Only soldiers and researchers live there. It's sort of like a hotel." She searched for a better way of describing it. "A hub, if you will."

"It's a place where those in our 'field' can stay when visiting the city," Navya clarified.

"So," Steve wandered. "It's some sort of secret apartment complex with labs and whatever?"

"Pretty much," Claire confirmed. "I already had a place I'd used during a different stay in this city." She looked away. "But this time, it'll need to be a bit larger." She couldn't hide the smile. Why am I getting embarrassed? She wondered.

Steve didn't notice. "Is this usually what's done for people in… similar circumstances to mine?"

"For less extreme cases," Navya interjected. "They're usually sent to specialized facilities for training or therapies. For the more extreme cases," Steve leaned closer. "They tend to stay in labs."

Claire grimaced, but then rushed to comfort Steve. "But you're not that extreme!"

"Yes he is," Navya replied flatly. This woman… She doesn't understand social cues at all, Claire lamented.

Steve's brow furrowed. "Then why?"

Claire turned to him and cast her features in a smile. "I asked for special consideration," Steve's glare made her shrink. "Because I think it might be your best chance for recovery."

"Recovery…" Steve echoed, emptily. Like there's even a chance of that.

He felt angry, and he couldn't entirely hide it. How is this any different than the other scientists making decisions for me? He knew that deep down, Claire actually believed that this would help him. But to not even ask him.

"Since the building isn't normally used for that, isn't that unfair to everyone else there? What if something goes wrong—"

Navya cut Steve off. "The people there will be prepared for an outbreak, and can take the proper measures to combat it before it reaches the outside world."

Steve bit down on his lower lip hard, but not enough to break the skin. "Shit," he breathed, closing his eyes to calm down. His tongue lapped against the surface, fearful of blood. It could cause contamination, after all.

Claire jerked. "Steve, what's wrong?" She stopped her hand, seeing him shirk away. "I thought you would be happy." She felt wounded.

"I know I shouldn't be upset about this when I'm receiving help, but" he exhaled. "I wish someone had at least asked me what I wanted." His eyes remained fallen.

Claire remained silent. She hadn't meant to hurt him, and yet she ignorantly had once again.

Navya nonchalantly added, "Yes, you shouldn't be upset." Steve shot her a glance. "You're being given a chance that others would kill for, around someone you're comfortable around."

Comfortable around… Steve thought about it. Maybe that was the issue. That he would be alone with Claire. Did he even know her anymore? Did he ever, really?

"Plus," Navya continued. "You'll have my team and I to help you."

"Will soldiers be there to protect Claire?"

Claire shook off his fears. "There will be fail safes in place, and" she pointed at the gun holstered at her hip. "I can still take care of myself."

Steve grimaced. "You say that but," he looked at it. "What can that really do if I transform fully?"

"That's where this comes in." Navya walked to the table and picked up a box. She brought it to Steve's other side, and began to open it.

Inside was a collar. Oh, come on. Steve groaned. "Hold still," Navya commanded, closing it around his strained neck. "There, finished," she declared.

"Now we can remove the restraints," Claire added.

"What?" Steve blurted out. "Why?"

"Basically, this collar will give you your daily dose." Steve really did not like the sound of randomly being jabbed, but Navya continued. "And, If you start to transform, it will inject you with both a drug to put you under and to undo the transformation." Navya's smugness was evident.

Steve quieted. "How long?"

"Hm?" Navya answered.

Steve moved forward. "How long will we be in that building for?"

Claire answered this time, going to grab the keys from one of the soldiers. "However long it takes."

Seeing Steve's face fall, Navya surprisingly clarified. "We don't know yet. We will have to see what works best for you and go from there."

Steve nodded and resigned himself to being released. After Claire had finished, she offered her hand to help him stand up.

While still dubious of Claire and her intentions, he also wasn't quite sure if he might hurt her. He turned to Navya. "Do the drugs regulate my strength?"

Navya nodded. "You should be about as strong as any other human with your body structure." Steve faced Claire. "I… still don't feel entirely comfortable with the risk," he apologetically turned down her offer. Claire nodded and tried to hide the hurt. It's because he cares about me, she told herself.

He pulled himself up by the bedside bar, resting on the bed's edge before tentatively taking a step and nearly falling over. Claire caught him, and he smiled, quickly finding his footing and backing up. Steve poked at his collar. "Is this thing waterproof?"

"Of course it is," Navya replied. "How else would you be able to shower?"

Steve perked up. "I was just hoping I could take one." He didn't want to think about how long it had been.

"The nurses have been giving you sponge baths in your sleep," Navya assured him.

Steve's face fell into utter horror. "Yeah, no, I definitely still want one."

Claire chuckled and gestured towards the bathroom. "Everything you need is inside. Oh," she grabbed a fresh set of clothes from the table. "Here." She offered them to him.

Steve happily accepted the new threads, and entered the bathroom.

—-

Her.

While Steve was in the shower, Claire looked to Navya.

"So, about later," she began, but found herself at a loss for words.

Navya stopped her with a dismissive wave. "There are things you need to know about cohabitation."

Claire nodded, glad for her coherence and ready to commit every word to memory.

"First," Navya breathed. "The T-Veronica virus present within Steve is the same as within another known subject: Manuela Hidalgo."

Claire listened.

"This means that since his strain has not mutated, we can make a few assumptions on how it is spread."

A nod.

"It spreads through internal contact with blood or semen."

Claire once again nodded. She was old enough that this sort of talk didn't get to her. That was what she told herself, anyway.

"The virus dies outside of the body, so things like washing his clothes, sharing food, and even the exchange of saliva is safe." Navya's face showed no change in expression when saying these things, but Claire felt like the last part was her being playful.

Navya continued. "As long as you don't get those fluids into your bloodstream through open wounds, you should be fine."

Claire remained silent, and Navya took this as a question.

"Yes, that does mean that oral sex is safe, barring you have no cuts inside of your mouth."

"Wh—" Claire began, slightly flustered at Navya's brash conclusion. "I wasn't—"

Navya cut her off. "Through the proper utilization of condoms, sex is also on the table, but I suggest against it until we know more."

Claire's mouth opened in disbelief, soon closing upon thinking better of it. "What will he think if he hears you?" She groaned.

Navya's face didn't change. "He should know these things as well. I gave him the abridged version, but if you are going to be living together, more detail is necessary."

Claire sighed. "Okay," she tried, steeling herself. "What if, during one of his transformations, he bites me hard enough to draw blood?" Her mind drifted to the countless zombies she had encountered, and how they carried on their existence.

"As long as his teeth don't have blood on them, you're fine," Navya offered. "It does not spread through saliva."

Claire nodded. His teeth were so large and sharp when he transformed that she could foresee such a situation potentially happening. The others, however… She shook her head quickly to eject them.

Navya nonetheless carried on with her 'education' as Claire soldiered through.

—-