Queen's note: When you realize you only got part of the present because he did not feel like moving the real present in the first place. XD

Garnets

Chapter Fifteen:

Sleepless

Vega checked in on his living charges as Riggs sent him an image. It was much later in the 'night' at the Fortress.

::Does the Slayer ever sleep?:: Riggs asked, making very sure no speakers were active.

::Not…exactly.:: Vega admitted, skimming what information he had put together of the man in question. He dosed for sure now and then, like right now. Sometimes went into a strange hibernation or torpor state, like right after finding the Fortress.

Truth be told, the only time Vega had seen the Slayer in any true state of sleep or unconscious was back on Mars. The video clips of when he was inside and then pulled out of the sarcophagus.

Even now, in the darkened greenhouse level, the Slayer was only dosing. Stretch out on his back beside the artificial stream, not moving seemingly for Lily's sake as she had finally fallen asleep against John's left side. For a bit balanced between the man's draw up leg she was slumped against, and a big hand on her own side.

It seemed to take John a little bit to realize that the normal human was asleep. Her knitting project left halfway done in her lap.

Vega and Riggs would both be lying if it was said they were not fascinated as the demigod carefully rolled over. Maneuvering the human to be laying down beside him, able to let him tug the knitting away. Pulling her up against him, and once resting an arm over her, Lily was almost completely blocked from sight.

Not for the first time, Vega worried for the man's mental health. Now too for the young lady. Two different cases of isolation and trauma, one admittedly a little (lot) more extreme. Codependency was a high risk, likely starting already in some ways. He and Riggs would have to try to make sure nothing toxic developed.

For now at least, the Slayer, 'John,' closed his arms around the sleeping Lily. Moving as if scared to hurt her by accident, but like the evening before he seemed to want to hold and become a living shield. Protective instincts? That underlying need to be near other humans?

Humans at their core are very social, and overall pack life forms. It was at moments like this that seemed like the Slayer was trying to remember his own humanity as those instincts kicked in.

When the demigod in question seemed to finally be rested, and a little restless. He got up, bringing Lily up with him, John was careful not to wake her. Having to use his core muscles fully for the first time in a hot minute. The room for the girl was not far, not extremely big as it was a former storeroom. But it was deep in the Fortress with a tinted window to the main greenhouse.

Lily also seemed to like it as she had already rearranged a few things and started to decorate it.

The man lingered in the doorway, unbothered by the darkness of the room, as he was well able to see. John was not sure for a moment if he should enter now. Just as Lily had the habit of keeping away from his room, he was not sure about entering her own area now that she was making it her space.

The Demigod took a slow step forward, glanced at the bed and was sure he would not step on anything. Other than a few cat toys, Lily still had her habits from living on and around the sea so the floor was kept clean.

John took his time to tuck the girl in. Once more it was more of a burrito, but he did put the medicine dispenser aside and fitted the CPAP mask on correctly as it started.

For a long few minutes he knelt there, unmoving. Had Lily been awake she would have been able to confirm that the man's eye did glow in the dark as he leaned on the metal bed frame. Stooping to loosen the blankets again, carefully reaching to spread his hand on her stomach.

Nothing more, just like when she was first brought up to the Fortress. The altered man reassured himself more than anything that the small life was in fact, still breathing. Even if she always seemed too cool to him.

He needed to sort through the new supplies, do repairs to help Vega.

Finally he pulled back, tucked the girl back in again, awkwardly gave the bundle a pat before leaving. He stopped at the door with a displeased rumble.

As soon as he was away, all three cats hopped up on the bed to snuggle their person.

Soon, someday, he would get close enough to pet the soft animals on his own.

John had to settle for giving the guinea pigs some pets. Was it the chemical smells from decontamination? Any lingering hell scents?

Once he had put away most everything, leaving two crates down by the main door to the gardens. Those had the rest of the usable stuff from the small store he had found the yarn in.

He still needed to find the bastard the Slayer knew of. Trying to remember where in Hell he was now. The demigod had been in hibernation for a good amount of time, but he knew Argenta had a lot of sticking habits much like humans.

The big man moved back up to the bridge once everything was put away. Feeling the all too familiar weight of his armor back in place as he sat on a stool in front of the navigation controls. Even though he was just back, the Slayer was going through the known maps of hell. The older ones and current maps that Vega tried to keep updating.

"What are you looking for?" the AI asked, well able to see what was looked at.

Big, Atlan armor. The slayer sighed and then typed the words out on the console as he needed more than his shorthand. Find me every Atlan mech in this area, to here.

The area he wanted in was highlighted and then he stood to draw glyph in some condensation before the drones got to that area.

Vega studied it as the demigod sat back to type.

Or this glyph written or marked in the ground. 'John' leaned back on his stool, stretching his back before going through maps himself.

Vega was already going through them at a substantially faster pace. Quickly added what images and information he had into the console display. "These are the Atlan mechs in the requested area. I am not finding any evidence of the Argent glyph.

The Slayer stood up, pulling up two pictures, staring intently. Remember the pilots of all the Atlan. They were moving in that area to…

He tapped the image of one mech that stopped in a volcanic area. It was different seeing the Atlan from above. Vega, take me as close to there as you can.

The AI was quiet for just a few moments before the portal lit up. "I have opened a portal as close as I can. There is interference the closer to the Atlan remains."

The demigod straightened up, cracking his neck before pulling the shotgun off his back and walked in. before he completely left the not quite man signed lazily over his shoulder. I'll be back! With old man.

There was a long few seconds after the portal closed before Vega spoke into the empty room. "Who will he be back with?"

Vega turned his attention inward, sending a ping to Riggs, to see if anything was mentioned in the gardens he may have missed. Riggs was just as confused, as their charges had talked mostly about what was done in the area, and children stories.

If he thought about it, Vega would have emoted a sigh. It seemed he missed Lily's interactions already, and she had finally gotten into a deep sleep. Checking on her through the monitor in her back, the human was curled up on her side now. Oxygen levels were a little low, but that was normal.

For a moment, Vega considered how the young woman was happy to keep the two monitoring implants for now. He turned some of his attention in the Fortress to start going through his vast history records and medical information. All the while keeping some attention on the Slayer himself as he progressed through hell. Surprised as in addition to the music, the man had set himself a timer to go off every five hours.

That was new.

Interesting.

The AI was able to notice something, there was not just blind rage this time. The Slayer was lingering in some areas after clearing it, looking through things before moving on. He stopped at finding an area already devastated and empty of un-life.

He flexed his hands, reset his timer and walked into the trapped filled area all around the immoble Alten.

There was some interference with the video feed the closer the Slayer got to the Alten. By the time he had found a person several hours had passed. It was not a demon, nor human, it was an Argenta man. Vega watched their interaction with fascination, while else where Lily jerked and flailed against the tight blankets as she woke up from a nightmare.

Riggs was already speaking to his charge. Helping ground her back in reality until she sagged against the wall her bed was by. At least she had a good six hours of uninterrupted sleep by herself, maybe a few more when next to the big guy.

Not that it seemed like it to Lily at first.

The young woman pulled her legs up once free of the thick blanket, looking around confused. It did not take long between the last memory of trying to remember how to do the right things with knitting a slipper, and… well, John was the only one around to tuck her into bed like that. She snorted a half laugh and leaned against the wall fully for a little while more.

Then as the wall got too cold for her, Lily scooted back into her bed trying to get back to sleep. Her room was just different enough it helped ground her. Hell the over blanket was something from the Fortress, as it was thicker and retained heat really well.

"Would you like me to play something soft?" Riggs asked in a low voice.

"Yeah," Lilly paused and added, "Yes please. Something with wale songs Riggs?"

Soft music started playing in the storeroom, with flutes and a harp before the lower tones of a whale's song. Not extremely loud as the AI was trying to help his human go back to sleep. Lily did dose for a nice long time, but over all she could not get back to sleep.

Lily reached out to pick up her old watch, seeing what time it was for planet side. Something like five in the morning where she used to be. About time her dad and herself would be getting up to start work on the platform before all that had happened.

He led the security team and went over paperwork, her to go check in with the night team after they finished their last dive. She sat up in the half awake state, worried she would be late to get the sub ready before-

Right.

This was not the platform.

With a groan, Lily flopped over, wincing as it shook her stiff shoulder just enough. She stared up at the ceiling before getting up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. Her foot was promptly pounced on by a gray tabby.

Lily grinned, pulling her legs back up and rotating to wiggle her fingers over the edge of the bed until paws batted back at her. No claws but the game had started and continued until Momo jumped up onto the bed in a demand for attention. Lily just about forgot the nightmare of storm weather and pale coils as she mushed her face against her kitten's soft side.

"I'm glad we found you guys," Lily said, as her fingers were slightly chewed on, or her regrowing nails. Seeing the happy feline face, Lily realized the danger of rubbing the belly, because the young cat just farted.

"Oh gods, you brat," Lily pulled her mask off and turned off the CPAP before the smell could get in it. "If that's not a message to get up I don't know what is."

The young woman plopped her cat on the bed, as this one loved it when Lily made the bed. Her other mask was found and put on, loosely hanging on by the strap as Lily found a change of clothes. "Where's the big guy Riggs?"

"He has," The platform AI paused, as if not believing what he was going to say, "...left again. This time to the… hell? Into hell. Vega thinks he is surviving for something."

"...you can really walk yourself into hell?" Lily asked, standing by the dresser like cabinets.

"Apparently miss."

"Huh… yeah I'm not touching that with a ten foot pole." Lily shook her head. She had almost expected 'John' to stay around a little more, but who was she to stop someone like that from going anywhere?

Someone that was for sure enough, that for sure.

"Are you going to go to the bathroom chamber?" Riggs asked as Lily walked out of 5he room with her things.

Lily snorted, smiling as she left her door open just enough for the cats to come and go. Momo was somewhere under the blankets still having a cracked out moment. "More like a pool compared to a bath. But yes, I'm going to try and feel better, after I'm going to try and help Vega with the energy… liquid energy flow? Seems like one of the junctions has something seized open?"

"Just do not hurt or strain yourself, miss Lily," Riggs said, watching his human head through the garden and the first locked door. "You pushed yourself a bit too much with getting the water flowing."

Lily touched her hand to the display, feeling the slight tingle as it scanned. Glancing upwards to try and find the camera as she smiled, "Yes mom. I'll be careful- hurp!"

"You are marvelously aware of your environment I see." Riggs noted, pulling up the feed from the hall out of the garden. "I see you found the supplies the Slayer left for you."

There was a good five second pause as Lily was putting the mask on to help keep her startled cough from turning into a bigger attack. She gave a thumbs up, "Thank you Riggs, I'm an epitome of grace."

"It appears so," That was Vega, proving he was paying attention.

Lily got up and looked around, grabbing the few articles of clothes that she dropped with the old beach towel. Staring up at the metal and plastic shipping crate, Lily knew for sure she had not heard anything moving. Was the garden-greenhouse level that well soundproof?

"When did this get here?" Lily left her stuff in the neat pile on the ground. There was a faint smokey smell, aged and mixed with dust that came from the crates. Lily remembered the scent as the winds came from the mainland, going seaward. Not as strong, maybe slightly different.

She poked the first crate, it was about chest high to her, and… was that dent in the shape of a hand in the side?

Yep that was where a hand had gripped the metal frame.

Lily found the lid, lifting it carefully, leaning away incase of smell or something inside-

"Oh my god!" Lily yelled, as the lid popped up with just enough pressure from the things mushed tight inside. Her ration was a delight of the two AIs, Lily all but climbing in the crate to start pulling out skeins of yarn. "Did he pack up a whole craft store?!"

"About half of one," Vega corrected, not minding as the human yelled in the only way to express her excitement. "The crates are all for you, but I did find some shelving that you can safely move down there."

"Yes please, I need that." Lily laughed as she hopped over to the second crate that was about the same size, the third was just a big box with a picture of a desk. Her rough plans for the day were thoroughly forgotten now.