Chapter 25

Zarabeth took in a small breath with the hand laid gently against her shoulder, the hesitant touch enough to wake the girl from her light sleep. She sat up with a low groan as she ran her good hand over the back of her stiffened neck, her reward for sleeping hunched over the hospital bed she was sitting alongside. The room was bright around her, forcing Zara to squint until her eyes were able to adjust to its light as the airy voice of a woman beside her caught her drifting attention.

"Mrs. Hawkins? Your husband is waking."

Her mind finally clear enough to completely comprehend where she was, Zarabeth sat up completely as her hand instinctively tightened a little around Jim's, surprised when the boy responded with his own light squeeze in return.

She hurriedly moved out of the chair to sit on the very edge of the bed beside him, her smile soft and obviously filled with relief as she watched Jim's gaze slowly meet hers. "Hey lazy bones. Thought you could sleep all day?"

"You washed your face." Jim's hoarse response was accompanied by his low chuckle as he managed the effort it took to look about him. "How...How long was I out?"

"You were still in surgery when I got here, so it's only been a few hours. You're alright. Those smugglers didn't tear you apart completely."

"Your infections were severe, Captain, but nothing me couldn't treat. You came to us in time."

The nurse who'd woken Zarabeth now moved to stand on the opposite side of the bed from her, the alien woman very tall and overly slender with skin and close cut hair pale white to contrast with her completely black eyes. "You will need to remain here for at least this next week so that we may monitor the initial healing process. We would also suggest that you not get up today or the better part of tomorrow. Your wounds are still at high risk of reopening. We would not want you to bleed out any more than you already have."

Jim could only nod in resignation as he tried to relax, his previous experiences with hospitals making him already dread the thought of the extended stay looming ahead of him. "No. Of course, nobody wants that. Myself most of all. Thanks for sewing me up. But Zara, honey, are you ok? I mean, obviously you're sitting here and all, but did they hurt you? That bruise, did...did he hit you?"

Zara quickly covered his raised hand with her own, doing her best to smile reassuringly as she gently shook her head. "Nothing like that. I hit the pavement hard when he got mad at me, but it wasn't even him. I was just too tired to keep up with them. I'm alright, Jim. Nothing for you to worry over. I'm more concerned about you. I need you to be good and do everything they ask of you. Kinda need my husband in one piece. You're my ride home."

Giving only a soft chuckle in response, his gaze locked with Zarabeth's, Jim slowly realized that something was off.

Zara's face was no longer painted and her hair was now pulled back and off of her shoulders, but she was still wearing the native clothing from Inyang's moon.

"Zara, your arm...That's not a new bandage. And that cut there on your forehead...Why haven't they treated you yet? Nurse, why haven't you-"

"Jim, no lay back. It's ok. I just didn't want them to do anything till you were awake again. I wanted you to see me first."

"Alright, I've seen you. Nurse, get her fixed, would ya? This is my wife sitting here."

"Captain Hawkins, your wife resisted my help because in order for me to treat her, she would need to be checked into her own room. Hospital policy."

"Her...Her own room? That's crazy. She's been sitting here all this time and you couldn't even change that bandage? Look at it, it's filthy! Who knows where it's been?"

"Jim, please. She's just doing her job. And I knew you wouldn't like this, but they already have my room ready down the hall."

"Well then I'm coming too."

"Jim, stop it. You're acting like a child. Pouting has never suited you. Dare I say, it's not even cute."

"Not cute? Everything I do is cute! You've said so yourself!"

It was the sound of quiet laughing which made the two pause in their exchange, both gazes turned to see the nurse smiling like a fool as she leaned against the wall by the hospital bed.

The alien woman shielded her mouth with her hand as she managed to speak between her small chuckles. "I-I do apologize, but it can't be helped. I've not had an entertaining patient for weeks, let alone two, married at that. But I must reiterate that I would be severely reprimanded if I did not take Mrs. Hawkins to her designated room. The higher staff does not look favorably upon treating patients together, simply so as to avoid the possibility of cross contamination."

"Cross-Cross contamination? What are we, food?"

"Jim, please. You are being a real pill right now."

"I just endured three days of torture at the hands of terrorist smugglers, got separated from you for longer, and thought you were dead at least twice within that span of time. I think I have every right to be a 'pill' about this. I will stay with my wife one way or the other. Now, nurse, are you going to treat her here or are you going to have to take me to her room?"

The nurse stood there without a word for a few tense moments of silence, the look in Jim's eyes softening to almost those of a desperate child as he smiled sweetly.

"It's also our first anniversary."

With a deflated breath in resignation, Zara let her head drop into her good hand, making no attempt to hide her embarrassment at Jim's relentless begging.

"You are aggressive, Captain. Most impressive considering your frail state. Though I admit, you're hardly as close to death's door as when you first arrived. I suppose I have no choice but to surrender to you this time. I won't fight with a naval officer for any longer than I have to, for any reason. But breathe a single word of this to anyone and I'll make certain your every meal here will become more tasteless than the last."

Jim chucked in satisfaction as he laid back against the pile of pillows behind him, his smile more of a smirk in triumph than anything. "Well played. Hospital threats are more effective than you'd think."

"Mrs. Hawkins, if you'll allow me to take a quick blood sample, I will run some tests before I return with the other things I need."

"Thank you, nurse. We are very grateful."

After letting her draw a small vile of her blood, Zara waited until the woman had left the room before giving Jim's arm a playfully light slap, her look partially warning, but with amusement still in her eyes. "You are impossible, you know that?"

"Hey, now. It's been a long week. I'm not letting you leave my sight till each and every single one of those scumbags is dead in his noose."

"I love you too."

Closing the distance between them, Zarabeth's lips against his were almost fearfully gentle, instinctively hesitant to do anything to hurt him, despite her reaction only moments ago.

The boy released a long sigh as he watched her sit back up away from him, his habited half-smile easily eclipsing his lips.

"A few more of those and I'll be good as new. Though I suppose they won't let me out of here before McCoy's trial."

"I dunno about that. They have a lot of smugglers to process, witnesses to dig up. I'd assume they'll need you ready to testify against him like they needed me for Evanna's. Jim, speaking of Ewen...There's something you should know."

Turning so that she could better face him, Zara held to his hand with both of hers as she looked distractedly down at the sheets beneath her, knowing how much her next words were sure to hurt Jim.

But it didn't matter. He needed to hear them.

"Ewen held William and I hostage while they intended to hand weapons over to some rebel leader. They took us into the slums to do the handoff, but this man he called Gantry wasn't there to meet us. Silver was there instead."

Jim's brow furrowed in thought as he kept his eyes trained on her. "Morph came back and was able to explain that Silver was going to help. Obviously he's the reason you're even here. Has he left already then? Morphy will be disappointed he didn't get to say goodbye."

"Jim...He...He didn't leave. He's still on Rhitan. The officers arrested him."