Adora wakes. Whilst the virus's killing agent has been stopped, her body must still fight to remove the residue.

Adora's entire being burned with a horrid sting when she finally woke up. It was as if she'd been in a shower that was too hot - leaving her skin tingling unpleasantly afterwards. The muffled sounds from the room made themselves known, slowly, over the course of a few hours. The lights burned her eyes through the shut lids. Her throat burned something chronic, she was cold but hot, but not too hot, but still too cold.

In other words; she was miserable.

She woke briefly when the room was in pitch blackness. Catra was purring softly by her chest, long asleep in dreamland. Adora didn't have it in her heart to wake her, so she rolled onto her side and fell back asleep. Waking up had been... an ordeal. Immediately, her stomach rested in her throat. Her arms were alight in goosebumps. The feeling was well known. As she slowly sat up, wincing as her side pounded ruthlessly, she was released to see nobody was with her. Sure, Adora would've loved to have seen a familiar face and smell a certain smell (forestry vanilla) but she hated being sick in front of people. She hated showing weakness. Even after being away from the Horde for over three years, and being sick a handful of times, she still hid when she could.

Or disappeared on a mission... or sometimes lied about seeing Light Hope or Razz and hiding in the tallest tower of the Bright Moon castle.

Neither of which she was strong enough for. Jesus. As Adora swung her feet out of the bed, warm soles touching cold marble, she may not even have the strength to pee. She shook her head and braced her arms stiffly on the side table. Her legs shook a little, but not as much as she thought. Adora stood straight and began to walk slowly to the bathroom. In times like this (read the ONLY time) she was glad to have the bathroom pretty much on hand. Glimmer had called it an "en suite"

It sure as hell beat wondering down the winding cold halls of the Horde barracks late at night. Her legs flew into goosebumps as the cold marble floor finally settled into her bones. She shuddered, rolling her shoulders and neck. Adora wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. She really should've brought a blanket... no. She was too far. Plus, she was only peeing!

The door provided relief. With each en suite, Glimmer stated, came a heated floor. As Adora sat down, she rubbed her face harshly. The floor warmed her feet to no extent, somewhat dimming the goosebumps. She knew they'd come back the second she left the bathroom. Maybe she could curl up and sleep in here? The floor was warmer than her bed, and, she wouldn't be overexerting herself!

Her stomach suddenly twisted violently, forcing her head over the sink, barely catching herself. Her side pounded, though not as much as before, as she vomited. Huh. That was new... she thought to herself. Actual vomit for a change. Horrid to look at, sure, but at least it wasn't the broken code shit. She wiped her mouth with a shudder, swallowing thickly. She finished up, washed her hands, and began the trek back to the bed.

When she woke up again, it was to Catra by her face. "Hey, you," She whispered. Catra's tail gave away the pure excitement in her body, whipping happily behind. "Hi," Adora whispered back. "How're you feeling? Magic lady said you might feel a bit rough for a few days," Adora swallowed. "You could say that," She mumbled. Catra hummed, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "I cleaned the sink, by the way... and flushed the toilet," She said. Adora groaned. "Oh god, I'm sorry. I meant to do it, but... I must've been so tired,"

Catra snorted. "Adora. If I had to clean out a thousand pukey sinks and pissy toilets to make sure you don't get as you did, I'd do it in a heartbeat," Adora held her hand out. A silent request. "Are you still feeling sick? I can get magic lady to make you something," Catra offered. Adora shook her head. "Just hold me," She whispered. "I-I missed you," She finished. Catra stood still for a moment, obviously thinking. Adora made grabby hands. "I won't offer for long," She teased. Catra rolled her eyes. "Jesus, fine," She clambered back into bed, snuggling into the quilt. "Unconscious for three days, and still as demanding as ever,"

Three days?
Shit... that's a long time.

Catra began purring. Adora frowned slightly. "Since when do you purr this much?" She asked softly. The purring stopped. Catra's ears pricked up. "No, no, don't stop," Adora panicked. "I-I just meant, you've never purred this much in the whole time I've known you," The purring started again. "I dunno... cats purring can sometimes help speed the process of healing up... figured it was worth a try," Adora snuggled tightly into Catra's chest, inhaling her familiar scent. "It's nice," She mumbled, eyes already closing.

The process of healing was long... and laborious.

Adora had been as sick as a pig for nearly a week straight, unable to keep anything solid down. When she wasn't throwing up, she was sleeping. The virus had left an ugly, horrid pink scar on her side. It was risen, and by far Adora's most hated scar... and she had a lot. Then ten she had from Catra across her back, the five from Catra across her thigh, the five from Catra on her shoulders, the scar from the failsafe, a scar from Catra particularly close to her... ahem... after an interesting night... huh. There was a recurring theme here.

She had to learn to rewalk again... for some reason. The virus had sapped so much of her strength, that her legs had grown too weak to do long walking by herself. Catra held her hand as she stumbled to various rooms, sweat beading and running down her neck, and then carrying her back as she passed out from exhaustion.

But... she did it. She overcame the virus that was supposedly meant to kill She-Ra, designed in such a way to be unsurvivable. On her twenty-fifth night after waking up, she sat on the balcony, watching the stars. Catra was asleep in the bed, so Adora took the moment to admire what she'd missed. She didn't even get a real chance to look at them when Light Hope brought them out of Despondos.

She shut her eyes with a soft smile.
"Thank you, Mara... for everything,"

Mara stood by Adora's shoulder, hand ghosting just above the naked skin. She smiled, full of warmth and love for the newest She-Ra. "No... thank you, Adora..."