❝I am nothing without you.❞
[X AMBASSADORS ¤ RENEGADES]
DIALOGUE
#853c41
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Engel Island, Corel I. Sanders Hospital
It had only been a couple of hours since they landed, since the EMT and assigned medical team working with Doc had safely transferred Loretta to her new and fully advanced medical suit. Along the journey of course everyone had tagged along, even Ren despite his initial hesitance. Doc had explained it was a temporary measure, that soon they'd move along to a suitable place, but for now this was best for Loretta. Zero wouldn't argue with that. As such, once Loretta was settled in, Zero immediately returned to her side as if he couldn't bare being apart from her for too long. Like he couldn't believe anything the white coated guys were saying, not until he could see her for himself.
It was only after watching her asleep for a while that he could breathe without the throbbing ache in his chest threatening to crush him. That the vice grip of tension eased off his shoulders with each step closer. He wrapped his fingers around the bed railing, gripped it tightly.
"I'm sorry, you've gone through so much pain." He said, unable to shake the raw pain in him. He reached for her face, with the back of his knuckles he caressed her face. It should have been him in the bed, him suffering. Seeing her like this broke his heart, her grief shattered him. If only he could steal it all from her, he'd gladly do it, just so that she could smile again. That's all he wanted. Her to smile from the bottom of her heart.
Zero grabbed the back of a chair and drew it closer. He sunk into it and lowered his side of the rail so he could better reach her. Even under the weight of sleep, her calm face granted him peace. He rested his head against his arms and with his other hand, he threaded his fingers into hers. He hadn't realized he'd dozed off until the tale-tell shift of movement stirred him. At first he hadn't realized it was her moving off the bed until her warmth was replaced by a little chill and he slit his eyes open.
"Loretta..." The name left his tongue in a whisper, between wake and sleep. That is until his eyes focused enough to note the bare bed, the sheets disheveled, and he sprang up looked around with a wild panic constricting his breath. Then her scent brought his attention down and there she was, clinging to the sheets and he moved automatically.
"Hey, you scared me," He crouched low and wrapped her in his arms. "For a sec I thought you vanished on me again." Lifting her up back into bed he winced at a twinge of pain shooting across his back and shoulder. Ignoring it he set her back into the bed and covered her with the blankets. He rested his hand over her head and smiled, his eyes finding hers, "Glad to see you're up and kicking, but you gotta take it easy there, or you'll hurt yourself. Ok?"