“Oh Delilah, I’m so sorry. I thought you knew. Were you two still fighting? Yes she’s at Destiny City Hospital. Ask for her at the front desk. It looks like just a cold but...well...you know…” Ms. Carrington sounded tired as she began to end the conversation. Delilah, picking up on cues, promised to bring coffee. Of course she was going...Hannah had a piece of her mind coming.
Clicking the phone off, Delilah remained seated, slowly her rushed breathing as she closed her eyes. “Hannah, what were you thinking? No...better yet, what were you not thinking!” Rising, she headed towards the door, grabbing her purse and slipping on her shoes.
Out the door and down the road. One side trip to pick up a pick me up for Hannah’s family and she was heading back into the hospital. There was a lot she wanted to talk to Hannah about but that all depended on one thing: Did she now accept that Delilah had been somewhat right about that damn General? Lord….the things he did made her shiver.
Back at the hospital Hannah sat up in bed finishing the second book in the Protectors of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce. One of the small collections of books her mother had brought to keep her somewhat busy during the periods where sleep did not come easy and there was nobody available to keep her company. Unfortunately neither of her parents could really take time off work and Tristan had class until 2:00PM and work at the cafe bookshop shortly thereafter.
At the bottom of the receipts was a folded note. Her mysterious benefactor had written, “Gods all bless, Lady Squire.”
The only sound to be heard, save for the monitors and people shuffling around outside her door was her finger sliding across the pages each time she turned to the next. “Such a good book…” She comment to herself which only served to send her into a small fit of coughs. Being sick was no fun especially when you couldn’t even lay in your own bed…
With a light rap on the door she had been directed to, Delilah let herself in without much warning. It was different from the last time she had seen Hannah in the hospital. The last time...Delilah KNEW it was life or death and to this day blamed herself. This time...the only one they could put at fault was the weather...and those who danced in the rain.
Walking in and pushing the door shut with her foot, Delilah gazed at Hannah with a look that said several things but could be all summoned up with a “I figured the food here still sucked so...Chocolate Croissant?” Delilah shook her head walking across the room and placing the hot cups down as well as the bag of snacks from the shop. For a moment she said nothing but stood back up and gazed at Hannah, hands on hips while shaking her head. “Doofus. You know better. Here I am assuming you are just busy and here you are coughing your lungs up in the hospital. They treating you alright?”
Unable to look her friend in the eyes Hannah’s gaze dropped and fell to rest on the foot of her bed. She worried her lip for a moment but still at least nodded her head in reply.
That tone Delilah took was worse than her mother's at times and only served to make her feel more guilty about something she already felt a sufficient amount of remorse for to begin with. “Who told you I was here? Mom?”
“Yep. When she called me to find out if I knew why you were walking home alone...in the rain.” Delilah didn’t wait for a response as she picked up one of the hot cups and handed it to the girl. “Tea. You may be in here and they may have the best medication available but they fail in my mind at the simplest means to help someone feel better.”
With a sigh, Delilah rolled her eyes knowing Hannah was averting her gaze. So, she made it so she couldn’t. Taking a seat on the edge of the hospital bed, Delilah gazed at her face. “So, still mad at me?”
Not quite daring to take a drink, Hannah held the hot cup between her otherwise cold hands while staring at the little wisps of steam. “I’m not mad at you,” she replied rather quickly. “How could I be? You were right about what you said…” No she was not mad, hurt yes, but not mad.
Even though weeks had passed since their fight it was a hard pill to swallow let alone let go after mean things were said by both parties and each of them left on such a bad note. The event didn’t stop the two from working together in the Barracks but it did leave a searing impression that left a hell of a scar.
“Doesn’t mean you couldn’t be mad. Or, if I know you well enough, internalizing it and suffering silently.” One brow cocked as if she say ‘I’m right aren’t I?’ “We had a fight. We said some mean things. We got sucked into hell where someone you believed you could trust turned out to be one hell of a back stabber…no pun intended...and we were teleported out where nearly everyone wanted to blame someone. I’d say you have every right to be upset.”
Delilah went silent for a moment. After a breath, she sighed. “And a few of us had to be the backbones for others who took it the hardest. I didn’t want to be right Hannah. I never do when it means seeing your trust shattered but sometimes, the truth is a b***h...and I rather it come from me in words than a spear to your gut…” That dream flashed in front of her eyes again. A man that looked almost like her General...a more decorative spear straight through her own body...Shaking her head, Delilah cleared her mind. “So, what’s going on in that head?”
“Your friends. Did they make it out okay at least? The young girl in red…” Hannah’s heart panged fiercely remembering how quickly Phact ran to her when they came to on the Moon. “Is she alright?” Questions meant to change the subject since she really didn’t want to talk about the General, Benitoite, any more otherwise she would end up more on the defensive than she already felt like she was.
Finally the young woman in the most unflattering hospital gown looked up though Delilah got the distinct feeling the door had been opened, Hannah still stood on the other side.
With a shake of her head, Delilah allowed the change of topic. In a way, she welcomed it. “Sabine? Honestly no. She isn't alright at all. It hit her hard and worse, an agent got her alone not long after. Really did a number on her head.” Lowering her own, the raven hair girl gazed at the floor.
“She is a fourteen years old. Mercy tries to act like an adult but really...she isn't mentally able to realize just what pain, suffer, and all that is. Logically she gets it. Emotionally, she's a wreck. Her family isn't helping much either so…” with a shrug, Delilah left it at that.
“I've had to keep a brave face for her. However….well….” Delilah finally reached out her right hand and took hold of one of stirrers they had given her. Holding it like a pencil, she watched as it began to shake and twitch. “Fun new development eh?”
Putting it back, she gazed at her sister. “What about you? And Sheena?”
“I’m okay,” the lie flowed so easily that even she almost believed it. “I think Sheena is at home right now. Or she may have gone to go see Lily, I’m honestly not sure. She seems to be okay though.” Mauvian’s mannerisms didn’t seem much out of the ordinary.
In the time since the battle on the other side of Cadeus’ portal Sheena, as well as Tristan, had been the support she needed to keep moving forward. It was still hard, in the time that followed, for Hannah to power up. But one the nights that she did, her time was spent close to home or on her own world but rarely ever had the Senshi of Prayer been out alone; Sheena simply wouldn’t allow it, which was understandable given the circumstances which preceded their miraculous escape.
“I still have a feeling it’s not over though…” Though it has been quiet in terms of large scale fights, it felt like they were in the eye of a tornado and the backlash was still on the horizon.
“My gut says you are right.” Delilah sighed, running a hand through her hair. There was a long moment of silence and she finally broke with…
“So, how are you feeling? Just a cold this time? Didn't realize the Japanese thing about getting wet and sick was real. Always pegged old wives tale…” Delilah didn't want to talk about the otherside. She had seen people come together over it and others torn apart...oh..
“Oh….and I dumped Quinn…”
Colds tend to happen when you’re in idiot like me who goes out in the rain without an umbrella for an hour and comes home soaked then goes to bed without at least first getting out of the clothes. By the time Hannah had gotten home, the sheer sight of her own queen sized bed was enough of a welcome to keep her from slipping into her daily routine and getting ready to sleep.
“Given the circumst-” Hannah’s reply was interrupted by a coughing fit that lasted for several seconds. “Sorry… Anyway what I was trying to say was, given the circumstances though I’m as good as can be expected. They’re just monitoring me to make sure it doesn’t develop into something worse.”
“Soo… What happened with Quinn?” Aside from a name and seeing him only a small handful of times Hannah really didn’t know too much of the guy.
Delilah waited patiently as Hannah caught her breath. Then the woman reached out a hand and wrapped it around Hannah's closest one. “I love you. Don't ever forget that.” Delilah whispered, her eyes clearly looking worried as fear passed over her face for a moment. “No matter what, I love you. And I will face Death himself for you…”
Leaning back, as if her face cleared back to the Delilah of norm, those shoulders rose and fell. “We were good as humans. But this war, the powered side…” a hand came up and through her hair. When was the last time she had gotten it cut? “He was too willing to face death solely for an adrenaline rush. There is acting quickly to help others and then there is acting without thinking. He was the later….a lot. I thought you were hospitalized a lot. His parents…” she cracked a smile. “His parents tried to put a 24hr watch on him.”
“Take it from someone who has been there already, it isn’t fun.” Hannah’s lips tugged into the barest of smiles yet there was no hint of mirth in her deep blue eyes. It was clear enough that there was something more she had wanted to say but was holding back.
Yes she knew, deep down, that Delilah cared about her just as she cared about her friend. Sister… Hannah mentally corrected herself. It had been many years since they had been more than just friends to one another and one thing she had learned “It’s okay to love someone but not like them or some of the choices they’ve made.” She spoke softly. It held a double meaning as it could be applied to Delilah’s feelings towards her or towards her now former boyfriend. Either way it was applicable to their current conversation. “Right?”
“The old I'll always love you but I don't have to always like you line?” that made Delilah smile, if but weakly. She glanced away from Hannah’s eyes and shrugged.
“It is a true line but I realized I didn't love him. So at that point, like is all that holds you.” shaking her head, Delilah tried to put back on a smile. “I gave him my virginity. I believed that I loved him. Then...all of a sudden, watching everyone in that massive failure of a powered move, I realized...I didn't. Oh I cared about him but do I trust him to be at my side...to know right from wrong..hell to keep his mouth shut…”
“Sidouer and you have taught me that in this life, we need people we can count on. We don't have it easy anymore. No just day to day stupidity. Our actions affect so much more than just ourselves…”
Where those tears she felt running down her face? She could only be sure when one landed on her lap creating a small wet spot.
“And I said some nasty things Hannah. And I'm sorry. So damn sorry. I just…” the palm of her left hand came up to brush away some of the tears. “s**t, people are wanting to look up to me. Lead them in this damn circus we call a war. I'm a ******** mess...you know my professors have ask me to take an incomplete for the rest of the year…”
With the IV taped to the back of her hand Hannah moved over on the bed so there was room beside her then reached out. Her grip was not at all what it normally was but still she managed to hold onto Delilah’s sleeve like a lost child lightly tugging on the fabric so she’d come sit beside her instead of on the foot of the bed.
“I didn’t know…” Neither of them shared any of the same friends so there was no real way to get an update on how she was doing. “I feel like we’ve been disconnected for too long.”
It took Delilah a moment and several sniffles before she was willing to move. “Thank the heavens no mascara today.” the woman tried to laugh but failed miserably.
“I'm sorry I have been out of sorts. I just...honestly I didn't want to involve you in so much s**t. You have done good work for so many people and I...if my name gets dragged through mud I didn't want you attached to it. I've stopped being able to function right Hannah. My father is livid. My mother wants me to get help but...how do you explain to someone the reason you are a basket case is because you have dreams of everyone dying and you physically saw how many die?”
Mindful of the unsightly wires Hannah wrapped her arm around her friend and began stroking her ebony hair in a comforting manner. “By learning how to lean on people who do understand and can relate. If you hide this from the people who look up to you then it creates a false image; something you’ll feel obligated to live up to and eventually resent. They need to see that you’re human, just like them; faults and everything. Nobody is perfect, not even me. We make mistakes but we can’t let those define who we are.”
“When I-” Hannah had to pause for a moment, to turn her head and clear her throat before another coughing fit ensued. “When I finally get discharged I want to take you somewhere okay?”
Delilah leaned her head down on Hannah’s shoulder and sobbed for a moment more before lifting back up, wincing as she felt the back of her hair hit the wires. She froze, careful that nothing was moved or no machines were making weird noises before she lowered her head to slip free of them.
Wincing again, she mouthed, sorry if anything had pulled. Hannah simply shrugged unbothered by the movement.
“How long do they want to keep you this time?” She asked, leaving a hand resting on Hannah’s arm. She didn’t care if a cold could spread. She got sick, she’d down OJ and other things. Hannah was who she worried about. “And please don’t say Paris. Quinn jetted me off there and Hannah, the food sucks. Oh...yes.” Delilah blinked and looked away sheepishly. “Quinn tried to spoil me in Fairy Tale princess ways...like over kill ways. Is it wrong I was more upset over lavish gifts than simple ones?”
“I’m honestly not sure. Till Friday maybe.” She’d already been here for five days what’s another four in the grand scheme of things?
“And no, I’m not going to take you to Paris. I don’t make that much money as a waitress but the place I want to take you is kind of far away.” For the first time since Delilah arrived Hannah took a drink of the tall peppermint mocha now that it had cooled down. Her nurse would likely have a heart attack if she found out what she was drinking. Undaunted by the possibility of Doctor Jacobs or Nurse Kimple walking in she took one more sip before putting it back down on the table to her left.
“Oh? Should I wait and be surprised?” Delilah asked with a raised brow, giving a smile as she saw the woman finally sip on the mocha. Shang could be mad at her later..wait..Jacobs in this world. Hannah was a sick friend and sometimes a sick friend needed just a little pick me up. “Sorry it isn’t as good as yours. “
“Friday isn’t so bad. Is there anything I can bring you?”
“It’s best to keep it a surprise for now.”
Hannah worried her lower lip in contemplation. Was it worth asking her to do something that could possibly get them both in trouble? Probably not but she decided to error on the side of doesn’t hurt to ask’ and posed her question in an unsure hesitant tone. “Do you think you might be able to sneak Sheena in here?” It was a long shot but she missed the little guardian cat and knew from the conversation they last had that the feeling was mutual.
The request made Delilah smile and she nodded. “As long as she isn’t afraid of small spaces and the dark, I think that is highly possible. I’ve helped sneak out people so in has to be so much easier….I hope.”
Chuckling, she gave Hannah a soft smile. “Do you know where I can find her? Also, let me know when your parents are out. Don’t know how they would feel about me sneaking a talking cat in here.” Brushing away her tears again, Delilah felt a bit better. Not much but a bit.
Then her eyes blinked and she leaned her head to the side. Dropping her voice, she also whispered. “You know, now might not be a bad time to try what you wanted to on Isaac…”
“Once they discharge me I plan to go see him.” It was something that had been on her mind the last two days. They were both here at Destiny City Memorial Hospital as patients, none would be the wiser nor think it suspicious if she randomly went up to his floor to see how her cousin was doing before leaving.
“As for Sheena, she should be at home right now. Mom may or may not be there still,I’m not sure how my parents are staggering their schedules, but you can tell them that I asked you to grab my blanket. You know, the blue fleece one I take out on patrol?”
“Of course.” Delilah smiled, rising back to her feet and leaning over to place her head against Hannah’s. “I'll be back with one fur ball for a visit then.”
Standing again, she gave a sigh. “You get some rest. I'll be back soon.”
“Kay,” For the first time since Delilah arrived Hannah managed a genuine smile. “Thank you for coming. It really does me a lot.”
With their final farewells said the door closed behind Delilah with a soft click.While things between them were not quite the same as they were before, at least it was a start in the healing process. Now what they needed was time.
Sirene Naiads
