2.57

"How do you like the fresh air, Izzy?" I pulled the blanket to see her peeping eyes firmly locked on me.

"You were barely in there one day Luna, one day," Lex chuckled pushing me along in the wheelchair.

"One day too long," I grumbled, "our Izzy would have slept all night had that other brat not kept waking her up."

Limited staff and patients had me in the pediatrics ward, which was for anyone under eighteen.

With it being an army hospital its maternity and pediatric ward were both small and joined by a pair of double doors. If a child got really sick they'd have been airlifted to the nearest hospital better equipped.

A seventeen-year-old boy had gotten very very drunk and gotten impaled by a metal pole through the foot and hand. Either a freak accident or he pissed off the wrong guy.

He'd woken up in the middle of the night from his surgery still freaking drunk and asking for more. When the nurse on duty told him to shut up he even tried to leave himself, knocking over a cart of supplies and startling poor Izzy awake.

It then took me two hours to nurse her back to sleep. When the drunk teen woke again I threatened the nurse that either she sedated him or I'd use an alternative method. Thankfully Izzy had not woken again.

"I'm sure he's suffering far worse," Lex tutted and then nodded to greet Victoria and Rick.

"Dr. Hale Junior your father says it's urgent," Rick hastily said, barely leaving room to breathe.

"Can it not wait five minutes, I've gotta get them home," Lex smiled sweetly.

"I was told to tell you it's related to project Inanis?" Rick replied, looking eager to just drag him away.

"How about I take Hannah home?" Victoria interrupted, taking the handles from Lex before he could refute her.

"It's been a while, Hannah," Victoria smiled innocently pushing me forward. My hands unconsciously clenched Izzy tighter.

"She's adorable, Will's been boasting all night and then again all morning," she made small talk as she wound around the collection of caravans that had gathered on what had used to be a large football field.

As we reached my temporary abode she slowed to a pause as her mask slipped her words as she spoke laced with disdain, "you must have had an eventful new year, much wilder than my night at the barracks."

"Excuse me?" my voice slightly squeaked.

Victoria coughed, slowly starting to push again.

"I mean, Noah and Dr. Hale Jnr all in one night," she let out a whistle, "then you managed to get such a cutie like Alex and break his heart."

Now she was no longer pretending to be nice. Though what she said in a way was true, and there wasn't a day since entering this body I hadn't spent it riddled in guilt, but I wasn't the bad guy here… Was I?

"I'm sorry, that was a bit much wasn't it?" Victoria stopped at the caravan steps, then took a few steps back. Her lips curved into a smug smirk.

"It's fine, I was just wondering if you'd like some tips, I mean you're pushing thirty now aren't you?" Izzy began to fuss in my arms as I gingerly stepped up to take a step up and pause, "life's short these days, too short for regrets, if you want to find love, go find love, don't waste it all on hate, alright?" I gave her a faint smile, then finished climbing onto the caravan patio and headed towards the door.

Hand's grabbed my hair yanking me back onto the ground.

Terrified I curled up around Izzy, making myself land on my back, not even bothering to risk attempting to prevent the fall. This was safest for Izzy.

A foot launched into my rib making me roll to the side, my back exposed she kicked again.

"You, you of all people do not get to pity me," she shouted, making Hellios yap away inside.

"You're just their toy princess," she growled, then spat on my face, "Stay away from Noah." As she walked away I heard her mutter with a cry "don't turn me into a murderer all over again."

"Hannah?"

A fuzzy wet snout reached me and a crying Izzy well before the two teenagers who'd been waiting inside.

"Sis, what happened? Where's Silas?" Leo asked, cautiously rolling me onto my back. My face now exposed, Hellios fully licked it, then his snout sniffed out the crying baby snuggled into my chest.

Holly reached to grab Izzy, my hands clutched onto the blanket tighter.

"Hannah, it's me, it's Holly, let me hold her now so Leo can help you up?" She patiently coaxed me to let go.

"Can you get up?" Leo brushed the hair from my face, checking for wounds.

"Can I get up?" I asked System internally. My ribs ached like hell.

"If you're careful," System tutted, "she cracked a few ribs."

"A few," I moaned, then nodded at Leo.

On cue, he gently helped me up to stand, then slowly walked me all the way to my bed.

"Izzy?" I asked, feeling breathless as I eased to lie flat on the bed.

"Coming," Holly called out, peeking into the room, babe in her arms.

"Here," she handed the still fussy Izzy into Leo's arms then squeezed past to beside me. "Where does it hurt?" She asked, slowly peeling off my boots, then socks.

"Ribs," I spoke softly, scared to exert my lungs. Though the pain was much less than before I assumed System was currently working on it, so I just needed to stay still. "I'll be, fine," I said through gentle breaths.

"Can I look?" Holly asked, then began lifting my top to expose the bruised side and back. Victoria had been wearing her steel-toe army boots before. I could only imagine how much worse it'd have been if not for System, especially in a time where your ability to run could determine your life.

"Fuck," Leo cursed whilst awkwardly trying to soothe Izzy with a rock. I wondered if I looked just that awkward when I held her too.

"Let me," I paused, wincing as I'd inhaled too heavily, "sleep."

"Okay Hannah, we'll keep my little niece happy, you rest," Leo nodded then left the room babbling nonsense to a surprisingly now quiet Izzy.

"You want me to help you undress?" Holly asked, pulling the duvet out from under me.

I nodded slightly, then let her take off my top and pants and tuck me in.

"Don't worry, Leo may be a bit naff with kids, but my part-time job was a babysitter and I helped my mom a lot with Jenny…" tears fell slowly down her cheek when one tickled her nose she wiggled it looking surprised, "oh I'm sorry."

My hand reached to wipe a tear away, "now you," my arm fell limp, unable to withstand the pain, "you help me."

She leaned her cheek into the curve of my palm, a warm smile on her face despite the tears, "don't leave me again."

Her words caught me off guard, making me flinch.

"Next time you leave take me with you, please?" She tried to suppress her sobs, contorting her face pitifully. So pitifully I felt my own cheeks dampen.

"Leo?" I asked, a bit confused. Wouldn't she want to stay with Leo and his dad?

"Him too," she nodded, still leaning on my palm, tickling both my hand and my heart, "take us both with you always."

"O-okay," I moved my hand to pinch her nose, then rest it and catch my breath.

"Promise?" She was not relenting with mere words.

I raised my hand and stuck out my pinky, she giggled then copied, linking our pinky fingers together.

"I won't leave, without, you," I noticed my ribs ached less as I spoke. I didn't hear what she replied with, as all words turned into a faint hum then nothing as I drifted to sleep.