The ship was coming apart at the seams. Terrified, Cassi clung to the side of the DSI scanner for dear life as the ship heaved and convulsed around her from the massive amounts of firepower being volleyed into her. Around her chaos reigned, as other Mage children and crew members were tossed around like matchsticks, yelling and crying out in fear and pain.
The blonde teen's silver eyes began to swirl of their own accord, her powers activating in her panic. And Cassi gasped at the sight of the massive magical energy barrier she suddenly saw surrounding the ship. Seconds before Clara actually let go of Tina and slowly stood, expression fierce.
And then Cassi jerked as a white-hot lance of agony suddenly erupted in her chest. She looked down, staring somewhat dumbly at the huge metal spike spearing through her body on the right side, and at the red stain that slowly began spreading across the front of her dress. She tried to cry out, but it suddenly felt as if there was a massive elephant sitting on her chest and crushing her, and no sound would come out. While everyone else was occupied with what Cassi had seen moments ago--what Clara was now doing to save them all--Cassiopeia was choking somewhat on the rush of blood flooding into her mouth and wondering belatedly if she was about to die.
She lost the will to sit upright and crumpled into a heap on her side, her strength very quickly being drained away and the pain starting to fade into icy numbness, wondering belatedly how Andromeda was ever going to be able cope without her. As her vision grew black, Cassi was scared about her older sister's welfare. Worried about who would take care of Roger after she was gone. Afraid for Clara, not having her around to help temper her more intense moods. Frightened for Christian, who wouldn't have her around to make him communicate with the others. Distressed at what her loss might do to Jo. Guilty for never having fully returned Beau's affections.
Immeasurably saddened that she had never had her own love for Morgan fully returned.
And then the world went completely black, and Cassi stopped feeling anything at all.~~*~~
Very slowly Cassi came awake again, at first too groggy and bleary-eyed to make out everything. The teen turned to the hand that suddenly gripped her shoulder, blinking up at the pretty android as Katy smiled nervously down at her.
"Welcome back, Cassi."
"Back?" Cassiopeia repeated faintly, confused. Where had she gone? Where was she now? Her eyes darted around at her surroundings, and recognized the med-bay. Somewhat worse for wear, but not completely destroyed as it had been. During the attack.
Right before she'd been impaled.
Cassi wrenched with a slight cry and jerked her head down to stare at herself, half-expecting to see that huge piece of metal still spearing her through the chest. Katy made a soothing noise, her soft but incredibly strong hands gently pushing Cassi back into the bed.
"Sh-h, you're all right. We were able to remove the shard and keep you stabilized long enough for Omega to come to and heal you, at least as much as she was able. You're still going to be very weak and drained from blood loss for a few days. A-and you'll have a scar."
Katy said the last in a faintly fearful tone, as if expecting Cassi to break down over it. The teen did reach down to tug away the medical gown someone had dressed her in, and grimaced in distaste at the almost star-shaped pinkish white disfigurement that now sat just above her breast, about the size of the circumference of her finger and thumb. No doubt she had a similar one on the middle of her back too. She started to get a little melancholy about that before she shook it off with a sigh. An ugly scar was a heck of a lot better than being dead.
She said as much, causing the nervous android to smile somewhat timidly and pat her shoulder.
"I'm afraid you're to be on complete bed rest for three days," Katy announced, "while your body replenishes it's supply of blood and recovers from the trauma." Her expression became somewhat uncertain. "A-at least, that's what the journal said."
Cassi frowned a little. "Journal?" Then she suddenly realized what was wrong with this scenario. She tensed. "Katy, where's my sister?"
The android fidgeted. "Dr. Reyes has not returned from her bunk since Clara told her to go rest, two days ago. I . . . I think seeing you hurt has shaken her confidence. Wh-when I went to go inquire as to what we should do about your treatment, she told me to look it up in the journal. That she was no longer fit enough to act as Chief Medical Officer aboard this ship."
Cassi gaped a little in stunned disbelief. Her sister couldn't give up on being a doctor! Healing was Andi's calling. She was truly gifted at it. It was all she had left, in a lot of ways. "Has Jo spoken to her yet?" Katy shook her head somewhat tentatively.
"No, I-I do not believe so."
Cassi loosened a little then. Jo wouldn't let Andromeda throw away her life's work. The teen relaxed considerably, as she was completely confident that her mother would figure out how to get Andi to return, somehow.
Cassi reached out to give Katy's hand a reassuring pat, trying for a smile. "It'll be alright, Katy. The Captain'll set things right. And besides, the first sign of a medical emergency and I bet you a hundred credits Andi won't be able to keep herself away. Everything'll be fine. You'll see."
Katy seemed soothed after that, giving the teen a pretty smile. "I'll just go inform the Captain that you've woken up." She started to leave, then hesitated, eyes wide and nervous. "Please, don't try to get up while I am gone. You might fall and hurt yourself further."
"I won't," Cassi assured her with a faint chuckle. "I promise."
Sufficiently soothed, Katy hurried the rest of the way out of the med-bay. Cassi let out a heavy sigh, resting back against the pillows behind her and attempting to get comfortable, reaching up to absently rub at the tender scar on her chest. A moment later the med-bay doors opened again, but instead of Katy, Beau walked through them. Cassi smiled at the sight of him, as well as the fact that he had an excited Roger in his hands.
"Hey baby," he called. "Your two men are anxious to see ya."
The tall gunman came to her bedside and sat on a stool nearby, carefully depositing her dog in her arms when Cassi held them out eagerly. She cuddled the wriggling, whimpering Yorkie in her arms, soothing his distress with soft cooing murmurs. She looked back up at Beau when he reached out to caress her cheek. His green eyes were slightly haunted.
"We thought we lost you, babe," he murmured, tone hoarse.
"I thought I lost myself," she admitted with a weak smile and a sigh. "But I'm okay now. Just weak," she amended with a faint grimace. She didn't pull away when Beau leaned in over Roger and pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her deep and gentle. The slender teen lifted a hand from Roger's fur, touching his cheek and kissing him back.
Ignoring the twinge of guilt that continued to assault her every time she did. When he pulled away, his expression was fiercely earnest.
"I love you, Cassi," he pronounced, tone thick with emotion. The blonde teen gave him a somewhat wobbling smile.
"I love you, too," she returned softly, readily enough. Hoping that she was the only one who could hear that faint note of hesitation in her tone.
She
did love Beau, after all. Just . . . not quite in the way he loved her. Not nearly as much as she loved the man she had no business wanting for her own.
He kissed her again, then they sat for a while longer quietly talking, until he announced that he had some repair duties to see to, sadly getting to his feet. "You should probably rest, anyhow," he admitted, to which she nodded, and saw him out with a soft goodbye.
She sighed heavily after he'd gone, gently petting Roger--who had settled into a ball on her tummy currently partaking in a nap---and letting her chaotic emotions reign supreme in her mind. And not ten minutes later, the core of those emotions suddenly stepped through the door as well.
Cassi tensed a little, staring with slightly widened eyes at Morgan as the tall, powerfully built man filled up the doorway. The last she had seen him was on the observatory deck, after all. Just before the attack. When he'd made love to her up against the wall, slow and gentle and sweet. And she wanted so desperately to believe that there had been real emotion staring down at her out of his light brown eyes. That her overactive heart hadn't been imagining that tender feeling. Unfortunately, her jaded mind knew better. Morgan might care for her in some small way, but he didn't love her. Couldn't love her. He had already made that abundantly clear.
The uniformed, perfectly pressed First Mate seemed to hesitate for a bare moment on the threshold before he stepped forward and came nearer, stopping at the foot of her bed.
"How're ye feelin, luv," he questioned, tone somewhat gruff and soft with something she couldn't name.
"Fine," she responded, tone almost whispery soft, wide silver eyes staring up into his own. Wanting desperately for him to touch her. For him to kiss her like Beau had, knowing it was never going to happen, and that she had no business wanting it. "They . . . they had Omega heal me, apparently. All I've got is some residual weakness from bloodloss and a couple of scars. No biggie."
"Aye. That . . . that's good, then."
"Yeah."
Morgan didn't come any nearer, nor did he say or do anything what would have given him away. To the casual observer, the man was merely showing an appropriate level of concern as to the welfare of his wife's adoptive daughter, whom he had become friends with in the past several months. They had played cards together on more than one occasion, after all, enjoyed midnight forays for snacks in the galley, chatted companionably in the halls whenever they passed.
But for all of his careful actions, Morgan's eyes--staring down steadily into her own--were saying all the words he wasn't. They were hot and soft, and filled with far more possessive affection and worry and all that was churning restlessly in his somewhat troubled heart.
And for the figure seated quietly in the office beyond, purple eyes almost glowing in the dark and faintly narrowed with curiosity, the heart never lied.
