Zaltana turns on the television, flipping through the channels. Storm Shadow is silently meditating, and she has the dagger in front of her. It helps her feel better, and the better she feels, the better she'll be. She's tired and wishes to go Under, but knows she can't just yet. Her green eyed gaze dances back to Storm Shadow, who still hasn't shown his face, other than his dark eyes.

Zaltana leans back in her bed then forces herself up again. She gets up, dragging the dagger with her. She doesn't want to do this, but knows there to be no other way to stay awake and keep from going Under. She raises it above her arm, deciding where she wants it to go exactly. If she can keep the bug busy, he'll stop. She's learned that already. Keep it busy.

A hand grabs her wrist before she can do anything. Zaltana glances up at Storm Shadow, who catches her eyes easily. "I..." Her mouth goes dry as she suddenly feels very intimidated by the man standing above her. She swallows. "I can't go Under. I might not come back in time." Storm Shadow takes the blade from her hand, to which she offers no resistance, and places it on her bed. "I can't go Under."

"What's Under?" Storm Shadow asks, his voice light and slightly curious.

Zaltana swallows. "The parasite in my body, which I'm sure you know about, is undergoing a lot of stress. I don't know why. It wants to force me to go to sleep for a long period of time in order to relieve anymore stress from being awake and functioning." Zaltana shakes herself, going for the dagger. "By making it perform more tasks, you can make it wait for you to get to the point where you can go Under."

Storm Shadows takes this in. "Why don't you want to go Under again? It's a lot of sleep."

"There's a chance we won't wake up." Zaltana drags her knees to her chin, wrapping her arms around them as Lady Jaye enters, a tray in hand. She sets it down, sitting next to Zaltana. The green eyed female thinks she heard everything, so she doesn't feel the need to explain what she's talking about. "I have to stay awake. I have to stay awake."

"What stress is the bug under?" Jaye asks.

"I don't know."

"So then you need to go Under," Storm Shadows says resolutely. "You see, we want you to remember, Zaltana. I want you to remember, and so does Lady Jaye among many others. I don't care if you don't want to go Under, because you will. End of the conversation."

"No!" Zaltana moves too quickly, cutting her palm on the dagger. Instead of the desired effect of staying awake longer, Zaltana feels the pull get even stronger. She puts a hand to her head, feeling woozy. Her second hand grips onto Jaye, who is standing to support her if she needs it. "I can't go Under." Another repeating mantra, another hope and just something to hang on to for the blonde, who isn't sure how to respond as Storm Shadow stares at her intently.

"Storm, I think you should go," Jaye says after a moment. "I'll help Zaltana get comfortable." Zaltana shakes her head, trying to get away. Jaye looks at her sadly as Zaltana misses something Storm Shadow mumbles. "I know... I want her to remember too."

Zaltana sits on the bed beside her, slightly cursing any and every god she knows the name of, even some of the made up ones Cobra Commander came up with. Her eyes close, but the door didn't open or close to signify Storm Shadow leaving. She's quite aware that this is the perfect time to use for information, so she pretends to fight harder than she has to.

When she finally closed her eyes, hours later with three shift changes, Storm Shadow, Snake Eyes, and Duke sit somewhere in her room. Storm Shadow sits down next to her on her bed, a hand softly running through her curls. Zaltana tries to calm the racing nerves in her stomach.

"She seems so different," Duke says in a low voice like he could wake her up. "Before she wasn't so desperate."

"Before she wasn't under Cobra's control," Storm Shadow replies, his hand pausing slightly. "She also had to protect Aron, but she doesn't remember even him. She also went by her sister's name the last time I saw her. From the way she was speaking, she could never come back." A tense moment of silence follows, an unasked question Zaltana can't hear.

There's a rustle of fabric, and Duke adds, "I was wondering the same thing. I remember back on the plane when Destro tried to kill her but you got him. You were so angry." Another rustle. "You two kissed? When did that happen?"

Her breath catches, and Storm Shadow stops entirely. She shift slightly, trying to make it seem like a dream. "Zaltana. If you are awake, which I know you are, open your eyes." It's a command, and Zaltana fear disobedience's steep price. But it is a price to be paid. "Zaltana."

"Storm, she can hear this part. We aren't talking about anything important."

Storm Shadow is silent. Zaltana swallows, feeling his eyes on her. "I didn't go back because I was, and still am..." It is a never ending silence when he fails to finish his sentence.

"Make the run, Storm. Just make the run." Zaltana gasps as something pokes into her skin, making her stop even closer to the influence of the Under. Her emerald eyes fly open to see Storm Shadow's dark eyes pouring down at her. "What are you doing? You just said she might not come back!" Duke stands, but Snake Eyes holds him back. "You just said-"

Zaltana gasps again, a needle pricking her skin. Dark fills her vision in the corner. It doesn't hurt, but it is surprising. Her hand grabs his wrist. "Stop." She forces the black to receed. Snake Eyes lets go of Duke, walking towards Zaltana and Storm Shadow. "I told you. The Commander will come for me. If I'm not aware, all of your soldiers will die for nothing."

Storm Shadow was just sitting above her, now he holds her dagger to her throat, up close and personal. "The Commander can burn this place to the ground with everyone in it. He will never have you again. I will never let him."

"Well, you know what they say about saying never." His expression closes up like he's hiding something. Zaltana smirks. "And I will leave with the Commander. I will leave a fucking bullet in your head, sweetheart." She grips his wrist tighter, pushing him back and strolling closer to the Under. "If you plan on using my precious baby to kill me, at least buy me dinner."

The dagger is maneuvered so he can strike her arm. The cut is deep and she cries out. Another follows, and another. Then she can no longer see the light, but instead sees only eternal dark and bliss.