And then she was walking up again, a loud noise making her want to spring forward and escape, though when she moved her leg protested in fiery ovation. She grit her teeth, trying to work past the pain and only made her jaw and temple hurt, and suddenly it came to her that she was hearing the ever-familiar snore of Zee, huddled in the sleeping bag behind her. If she rolled over, she could see him sleeping like a child.
Ro couldn't help it, she started giggling insanely. Almost with it, her head quivered, like a bone was digging into her brain, and she gasped in pain, curling into a ball and whimpering.
Why was this happening to her? It didn't make sense.
Her whimpering must have woken Zee, because suddenly his arm was arm her waist and drawing her closer, and he was kissing the back of her head. "Shhh, shh, Ro, it's okay."
"Zee?" Her voice quavered.
"Do you need some more morphine?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
"You snore." And suddenly, maybe because of the pain, maybe because of everything that was happening to her, maybe because this Zee was doing what her Zee never could, she started crying.
His voice was deep and kind. "Hey, shh, it's okay. I've got you."
When his grip tightened around her, because she was trembling, Ro sniffed, "Where's my Zee?"
"I'm right here. Shh, go back to sleep. I'll be right here. I promise."