Hey guys, Thank you for waiting so patiently. Also , thank you for all the wonderful comments and encouraging emails(: This chapter's extra long, so have fun.
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The trip had gone without a hitch. Noah had stayed asleep the whole time, barely even twitching when we moved him.
The ship was wide, with several floors for patients with different needs. We had been put into a large, long room, with the far facing wall completely made out of glass.
For the duration of the trip, I sat in a chair beside Noah's bed, staring out at the endless amounts of stars. I thought about Noah, and what I had gotten myself into. I wondered about his life back home, and how he had come to be in possession of Caochian documents.
His family life also caused me to think; when I had invaded their house, the little girl had grabbed my hand and led me straight upstairs. It hadn't crossed my mind at the time, but as I thought about it, I realized that she had stayed upstairs, out of sight. Even when her father was being dragged away and I was carrying Noah out, I hadn't seen her with her siblings. And when she and Lucas had come to the hospital, he had kept a close hold on her at all times. Whenever a doctor came too close, or a nurse came into Noah's room, he had moved discreetly in front of her. What was he protecting her from?
So many questions, the answer to all of them lying next to me, peacefully unconscious; dead to the rest of our problems, and to what he had gone through. For that, I was thankful.
For now though, we were bunked up in a windowless metal box. It made sense, as coma patients didn't need windows, but I was feeling claustrophobic. The doctors and healers at the Ceri'Ooana who had received us were friendly, but sometimes all too technical. I was used to the wide open plains and earthy smells of my home, but here, all I could smell was disinfectant and fish.
The healers had encouraged me to stay with Noah in the room and talk to him as much as possible. I had taken to telling him stories of my land.
I told him of the Skorki, large amphibious creatures that we trained and rode. I warned him of the dangers of the ground outside of Adennan, the port that my father was Kohar of. The whole area was fenced to keep out fierce predators, but mostly to discourage the Horgin. The Horgin were huge worms who preyed underneath the earth, launching themselves out of the ground and snatching up unsuspecting animals in their large maw before dragging them back underground. The fence kept Adennan safe, but wandering outside was extremely dangerous.
But all the stories I could come up with couldn't distract me from the time. It had been a week.
A week since I had seen him across a field and was floored by his beauty.
A week since his father had nearly killed him.
I was tired of telling him stories and laughing at my own jokes. I wanted to hear what his laugh sounded like. Would it be quiet and sweet like I expected? Maybe he would surprise me and burst out into loud rumbling shouts.
Not to mention that I hadn't even heard his voice yet.
I wanted to hear him speak my language, to know how the short clipped words would roll off his tongue.
"K'loemach?"
I jumped up, my heart beating wildly. On the other side of the room, still standing next to the door, was an old friend.
"Isir, it is good to see you. When did you arrive? Did you call for me?" I checked the computer on the wall, but no messages had been left.
"No, Loemach, I wanted to see you and your human boy that all the healers have been talking about. They say he is the most delicate pale beauty that they've ever seen." He smirked, "Will you let me look if I promise not to steal him from you?"
I laughed and gestured to the bed. "The doctors say that they've managed to heal his internal bleeding, and that they'd like to start on his bones soon." I watched as Isir pulled the covers back and placed a hand on Noah's pale chest. The bruises were gone, but he still looked so fragile.
Isir hummed lightly and bent his forehead down to Noah's, his eyes closed. As he focused, I sat on the edge of the bed. Isir was a highly renowned healer of the Ceri'Ooana, and my best friend. Right now he was feeling through Noah's wounds and deciding what needed to be addressed next.
Finally, he sighed and stood. Passing a webbed hand over his face, he sunk gracefully to the floor.
Still looking at the floor, he spoke, "Adrai,"
Fear spiked through me. Isir only used my first name when the situation was dire. I had given it to him at a vulnerable time, and he knew that I preferred him not to use it.
"He's been through so much. So much unnecessary pain." He said weakly, "It will take a long time for him to fully heal. We can heal his bones and his damaged organs, but his mind... Adrai, it might never come back. I can feel him in there, he's not brain dead, but he is adamantly reluctant to wake up."
"So he's just being stubborn?" I said incredulously.
"No. All he's ever known is pain, Adrai. He probably expects more pain when he wakes up."
"But I've been talking to him, telling him stories. They said that it was possible for him to hear me even though he was asleep. Shouldn't he know that I'm here?"
Isir huffed in exasperation and grabbed my hand roughly. "It is possible, yes. But depending on how far down in the far recesses of his mind he is, he might not be able to hear you. But do not stop. If by chance that he comes forward and can hear you, he will need that contact." He leaned his face into mine, glaring, "Do not give up on him. You took responsibility. You will be here for him."
I stood abruptly, dragging Isir with me. I flexed my claws out and pressed them against his chest, hissing, "I did not say that I was giving up. I am frustrated, but he is mine. Now tell me what you will have your healers do next, and get out." With that I turned my back on him and went to sit by Noah.
"Adrai,"
I hissed.
"Fine. K'loemach. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you would leave him. His pain got to me, you know how it does." When I didn't turn around, he sighed and I heard the clank of metal against metal. "I'll set an appointment for tomorrow in the Ceri'Oorla. You may watch, if you wish. I hope to see you again while you're here, Loemach. Goodbye." I listened to his soft footsteps walk through the door, and the soft hiss and click as it closed behind him.
******
The nurses came the next day to lift Noah onto a large stretcher and roll him through the hallways. I walked alongside, my hand never leaving his arm. The halls were wide enough to fit three stretchers comfortably, and most were sided by large windows staring out into the sea.
We had walked for a ways when we came to a double set of doors. A nurse placed her webbed hand onto a nearly invisible screen on the wall, and the doors whispered open.
Another nurse just inside the door took the medical reader form where it was hanging on Noah's stretcher. She read aloud, "Noah Drummond Lower Born, URNAS12D8AG07032187NDLB." She looked up at me, nodding when I did and writing something down on the tablet. "All right, come in. We're almost ready."
The room inside was huge. A pool in the center of the floor dominated most of it, with steps on all sides leading down into the water. A pleasant smell was wafting from it, making me feel relaxed. I saw Isir working on a large computer console that was facing the water. Wandering over to him, I placed a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened before turning to look at me, tense until he looked into my eyes and the wariness was replaced by warmth and a loud chuckle.
He laughed and tilted his head back to look at me better. "It's gotten to you, I see."
I was confused, "What d'ya mean? I jus' wanted to say hello." I smiled at him, liking the feeling of my cheeks stretching. I tried to smile wider, but my fangs cut into my lower lip.
"Ow! Isi, my fangs are too big." I pulled my lip into my mouth, sucking the blood from the cut. Isir was staring at me in astonishment, but I couldn't figure out what I'd done.
"Loe, you haven't called me Isi since we were little boys. And your fangs aren't too big, and stop looking at me like a cub that just got his first kill taken away from him. I didn't realize that the herbs in the water would have such an effect on your species." He laughed and dragged me over to the counters lining the right side of the room. He dabbed a bit of salve on my lip, and I could feel it tingling as it knit itself back together. It felt nice.
I didn't realize I was giggling until Isir shoved a cup of foul smelling brownish liquid under my nose.
"For god's sake, Loe, drink this before I have to haul you out of here. It smells awful and tastes just as bad, but it'll clear your mind. You want to watch the ritual, don't you? They're about ready to bring Noah into the water."
Noah. I liked Noah. I turned around, swaying a bit on my feet, and saw the nurses stripping Noah of his garments.
Why were they getting him naked? A protective growl rose out of my throat, and I tried to lumber my way towards the stretcher, cup still in hand.
"Loe, where'd you—Loe! K'loemach, stop!" I heard Isir running towards me, his feet slapping on the cold metal floor.
The other nurses who were touching Noah had stopped and were staring at me now, horrified looks on their faces. I felt my foot submerge in something wet, and I looked down. Suddenly blue ground was rushing up at me as I tipped forward. I jerked to a stop right before I hit the water, a reflection of myself staring wide-eyed up at me. Two strong webbed hands were wrapped around my biceps.
"Goddamnit, Loe." Isir grunted behind me and hefted me onto my feet. "If you wanted to see Noah, you have to go around the pool, dumbass. Now let's get you another cup of the stuff you spilled all over my floor, and then you can go growl at the nurses."
I nodded and slowly followed him back to the counters, this time keeping a careful watch on the floor. He smiled at me as I obediently gulped down the gross drink, but my mind immediately cleared.
