Lana's eyes narrowed as Diana bolted into the kitchen, her body going rigid at the chance the other girl might throw herself at her. But Diana didn't throw herself at Lana, instead she stopped several feet in front of her, her smile disappearing as though it'd never been there.
"T'sup?" Lana greeted in a very Sam-like gesture that almost made her laugh. Almost. Lana didn't laugh much anymore.
Diana looked from Sam, to Astrid, then back to Lana. Lana thought she saw anger swell in Diana's eyes, and that her cheeks were growing redder.
"What is she doing here?" Diana practically snarled.
Smirking, Lana replied, "it's great to see you, too!"
"Cut the bull, Healer. Oh, wait. You're not that important anymore."
"I enjoy being retired." Lana's jaw was clenched, her hands balling into fists.
It was kind of true, Lana did like being normal sometimes. After the FAYZ, she'd found pleasure in giving herself small wounds, knowing they would have to heal normally. But that had grown old, and Lana began to miss the importance that came with being the Healer. Diana could never know that, though.
Leaning back against the counter, Lana pulled out a package of cigarettes from one pocket, and a lighter from another. She removed a cigarette, and slid it between her teeth.
"You can't smoke that in here." Astrid informed her, speaking up for the first time since Diana had entered the room.
Staring Astrid in the eye, Lana lit the cigarette anyway, causing Astrid's mouth to gape open in disbelief.
"I said you can't smoke that in here!" Astrid's hands moved from where they had been briefly rested on her stomach, clenching them into fists. Then, she stormed haughtily out of the room, Sam following her out.
Sam's eyes met Lana's before he left, and he gave her a small shrug. As if that substituted for an apology.
Unaffected by Astrid's outbreak, Lana stared at the empty space in front of her, taking long drags from her cigarette.
By no means did Lana enjoy smoking. She dreaded the perpetual need and the way it made her feel. But even more than that, she hated the way the addiction held her within its claws. Like the gaiaphage once had.
When she finished with her cigarette, Lana dropped it into the glass she'd been drinking from. She watched as the water extinguished the cigarette, turning it into a soggier version of itself.
Turning to Diana, who now sat in a chair, Lana cleared her throat, breaking the uneasy silence between them.
"We need to talk about Caine." Lana's voice was low and urgent.
Diana's eyes widened at the mere mention of his name. It had been so long since someone had acknowledged that Caine had once been alive. She craved to talk about him, even if people said horrific things. He was never a saint, she knew that.
"I miss him so much." Diana blurted, her eyes unexpectedly filling with tears she could not hold back.
"Uh, yeah. I'm sure you do." Lana mumbled awkwardly, not knowing how to comfort Diana.
Scrubbing her tears from her cheeks, Diana offered a small smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to behave like that."
Lana nodded. "It's cool."
"What did you want to say?"
"Nothing. It's not that important anymore."
Diana stared at Lana with sad eyes. "Caine's important to me," she spoke softly.
Clenching her callused hands into fists, Lana nodded understandingly. She inhaled a deep breath. Exhaled. Inhaled again.
"Diana, Caine isn't dead."
Someone knocked softly on the bathroom door, startling Astrid. She stiffened, standing up from where she'd been crouched next to the toilet, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Come in," she croaked.
The door slowly opened, revealing a sympathetic looking Sam. He crouched down beside her, smoothing back her long hair, that she'd sloppily pulled into a ponytail.
"Are you all right?" He asked her.
Astrid shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. She didn't know why she suddenly felt sad, so she buried her face into Sam's neck, trying to hide her face from him.
Soothingly, Sam rubbed circles on Astrid's back. Her tears soaked his neck, but he didn't ask why she was upset. Instead, he held her silently, wishing he had the power to make her happy again.
"You're beautiful." Sam said after a long while.
Pulling back from him, Astrid looked at him with icy eyes. "I look like crap."
"No, you could never look like crap. You're always beautiful. Even when you wake up in the morning, and your hair is everywhere."
This earned a smile from Astrid. "I would kiss you if I hadn't just emptied the contents of my stomach orally."
Sam helped Astrid stand up, and watched her admiringly as she brushed her teeth.
Astrid had become even more beautiful in the last two years than Sam would've thought humanly possible. Her hair was longer, her chest a little fuller, and her eyes were even icier. Even at times like this, Sam wanted her.
When Astrid finished brushing her teeth, she caught his gaze, giving him a little smirk. Sam smiled back at her, folding her into his arms.
Sliding her arms around Sam's neck, Astrid kissed Sam. It was gentle at first, but it quickly became deeper. His hands were everywhere on her, urging her closer against his body. She was warm, and soft under his fingertips.
"Not today, Sam." Astrid said quietly, pulling away from him.
"Are you okay? You look sick still."
"Yeah. Everything's fine. I really just need some sleep." She lied.
Once in their bed, Astrid curled up against Sam. She really did feel tired, on top of her nausea.
But being next to Sam, her breathing matched with his, she felt good. Safe. Healthy.
Astrid fell asleep smiling.