Broken Wings - Chapter Eight
When she awakened, she was on a steel table, her head in a brace and steel cuffs on her ankles and wrists, binding her firmly and eliminating any thought of escape. A mask covered her mouth and nose, assisting her in her breathing, but the gas it gave her smelled funny and tickled her nose. An IV was in her arm; she could only tell by the familiar feel of the rough medical tape.
She groaned, reluctant to expose her eyes to the harsh light but dying of curiosity to see where she was. When at last she attempted, she was blinded not only by the light, but its reflection against polished silver and mirrors. Her eyes watered and she clenched them tightly together.
"Get her something for her eyes," a feminine voice said. "She's coming around."
"Right."
Something was slid over her each of her temples, and when she opened her eyes, she found that a dark film had been draped across her face. She blinked, her eyes focusing to reveal the face of a nurse, half covered by a surgical mask.
Her eyes crinkled in a smile. "Hey there," she said warmly. "Is that better?"
She wanted to nod, but her entire head was surrounded by plaster-coated metal. "Yeah," she said. Her voice was as if she had just woken up after a long night's sleep. "Where?"
"The operating room," the nurse answered. She must have looked worried because the nurse smiled and put a hand on her cheek. "But don't worry, it's over. You're done."
"What's done?" she still was half coherent, and she had a feeling that the funny smelling gas wasn't meant to help that.
"Hey, I need to test you a little, is that okay? It shouldn't hurt."
Aralyn knew that she was avoiding the question, but she wasn't feeling like putting the effort into questioning further. "Is Sephiroth here?"
Another nurse wheeled a small cart over. "Would you like to see him?"
"M-hm," Aralyn hummed softly.
The woman sitting above her addressed the one who had brought the cart. "Joyce, get Sephiroth. Chances are he's in his quarters."
"He shouldn't be in here!" the other replied. "She shouldn't even be conscious in here!"
"Sephiroth's been in here more times than we have. He won't mind another visit if he's not strapped to the table."
The nurse sighed in defeat and left.
The metal band around her left wrist was removed. "Can you lift your arm, Aralyn?"
She tried, she honestly did, but her arm may have been carved out of lead. "Well, try wiggling your fingers," the nurse encouraged.
After minutes of frustrated attempts, Aralyn let herself go limp and accepted that she no longer had any control of her arm.
"Oh dear," she sighed, her eyes worried. "Hojo needs to see this…"
"What happened?" She struggled harder than ever against the head brace, trying in vain to catch a glimpse of her no longer usable arm. "What did you do to me?!"
"It's all right," she soothed. "We'll fix it. Hojo will know what to do…"
"Aralyn!"
She wished with all her heart that she could have turned to see Sephiroth as he entered. His footsteps were rapid and soon his emerald eyes were peering up at her, the bottom half of his face blocked by the table. "Are you okay? What did they do?" His voice was quick and frantic. He reached up a hand so he could grasp hers.
"Sephiroth, you'll have to leave. We're going to have to get Hojo to fix her arm." The nurse put her hands on his shoulders and tried to guide him away, but he would have none of that. He flung her hands off his shoulders.
"No! Don't get Hojo! Let me get Gast!"
"Sephiroth, don't be silly. I know Gast is your favorite but this isn't his specialty. Joyce, will you go and get Dr. Hojo?"
"No!" Sephiroth shrieked, his voice cracking and the blood rushing from his already pale face. "No! He'll make it worse! She's fine," he insisted. Quickly and decisively he shimmied up the table, taking the gas mask from her face. He placed a hand over her mouth to ensure that she breathed properly before tossing the mask aside. "See? She's just fine!" He then quickly but gently began to unwrap the medical tape, pulling the needle of the IV free of her arm.
"Sephiroth." The voice was as cold and terrifying as a rapid, icy river. Sephiroth stopped abruptly, his hands frozen in the middle of his next mission, which had been attacking her restraints.
"Sephiroth, get down."
He seemed to compose himself, and he sat up straighter. "No." But the word was whispered, and the color had not returned to his cheeks.
"Sephiroth, go, please," Aralyn pleaded. "He'll make you."
"No. I won't leave." There was a fire in his eyes that Aralyn hadn't seen before. "He'll do to you what he did to me. Gast told me he might. I won't let that happen."
The formidable doctor approached the boy, taking him roughly by his collar as if he were a disobedient puppy. "Learn your place, Sephiroth," Hojo hissed, placing him unceremoniously on his feet.
The nurse had picked up the mask and was putting it firmly against her face. "Be at ease, Sephiroth." The gas started flowing again and her vision began to blur.
"Now get out before I change my mind," Hojo insisted.
Sephiroth turned and quickly moved, anxious to escape Hojo and spare Aralyn from whatever the implied alternative was.
"Why was he…so…worried…" But her lips were hard to move and her tongue was like cotton.
Hojo scoffed, cutting off any reply the nurse might have given, and that was the last thing she heard before the darkness took her.
A/N: Yeah, I know it's not what you guys are looking for. That's next chapter. Which is half typed already. Thank you for the reviews!