chapter 9

Everyone dealt with it in their own way. For Jay and Thia, that was getting away from it. Distracting themselves, while Sam and Noaber were often found huddled together in the lounge after school, with a movie or a game.

James and Zee spent most of their free time sparing, getting their frustration out by dealing and taking hits. Out of the five of them, they were the only two that hadn't gotten seriously hurt. She knew they largely blamed themselves for what had happened. If they hadn't gone off on their own like that…but then again if they hadn't, they likely wouldn't have got the one who had caused it to begin with.

Sky was similar, except while his body was still healing he shouldn't be doing anything too strenuous which, while it infuriated him, he did understand. Mostly he practised shooting. Not much demand from the body with that.

Cid, once she was back on her feet, was the only one of them that still went out into town in her free time, offering reassurance and help where it was needed. With a rich, influential family and a kind heart, she had always done what she could to help those in need. Now, that was her way of feeling useful.

Brain, on the other hand, spent his free time, occupying his mind with brain-teasers and puzzles. At times when she wasn't watching over Crugger, she would sometimes watch him at it. She would watch over all of them but the autistic mind had always fascinated her. He would do a little miny celebration each time he finished a puzzle and she would smile and leave him to the next one.

Back to the infirmary, back to Cruggers side. He hadn't woken, even briefly, since the incident, the old wounds and the new now clearly visible. Every day, at least once a day, she would wash them, leave them for a while, then re-bandage them. It reminded her of the first time they'd met. She had saved him then, she could do it again...

...She had known, when they'd told Crugger would be under her care, for her to keep alive, that they had expected her to fail. They had expected him to die and they would use that as one more reason to keep her from moving on. Maybe they'd thought that him being Canine would make her less inclined to want to save him. They were wrong. In fact, him being from Serious possible just made her want to save him more. She had never seen her ancestral home planet but she had heard a lot about it growing up and she was curious about it, though she also felt a slight pang that she would likely never get to see it first hand now that it was…taken over.

Her people had long since fled the planet before the invasion had even started. As it went on, many of the other species' had followed suit. Only the Canines had been stubborn enough to stay till the end. Until they were all wiped out, and now this man was all that was left of their kind.

Realising that made her even more determined to keep him alive. She could not let this race fade from existence.

So she kept at it. She'd stayed with him, only leaving the room to eat, until he woke up.

She hadn't actually seen him open his eyes but she'd heard his voice. "I'm alive."

"You're alive." She'd confirmed, trying to keep her reaction to a minimum.

"My people…my family…"

She'd met his eyes then. They were so dark and full of grief and anger that it was like looking into two pits of hell. "Tell me honestly…am I all that's left?"

Her heart had gone out to him in that moment, as she'd nodded slowly. "I'm sorry." He'd had a family…"So sorry."

He'd blinked like there was something he'd only just noticed. "You're a feline."

It wasn't a judgement, just a statement of fact.

"Does that bother you?"

"Not, not really. Besides…I'm guessing I have you to thank you…for me being here…"

...A distant but distinct noise brought her back to the here and now. She quickly wiped away the tears that had been gating at the corners of her eyes as the memory came back to her and covered Cruggers wounds. She didn't want Thia to see those.

Just as she'd expected, the concerned little girl came in and sat by the bed.

It had been like this for weeks now. She'd been spending her weekday afternoons at the Jeckulsons and her evenings here, by her father's side. In fact more than once, she'd fallen asleep here and had to be carried back to her room.

Maggie had met Dr Jeckulson once, when he'd come to drop her off. She had heard about him before then but had never actually seen him until then. They had greeted each other respectively and that was when she had sensed it.

Feline.

She could tell he'd sensed it too, even if her furry brown ears hadn't been a giveaway. Did Cynthia know?

Her suspicions only grew when she saw Thia pouring over the book he had given her on the weekend. So she must at least know where he's from but that doesn't mean she knows what he is. Was he trying to manipulate her?

She knew she shouldn't judge too quickly but Canines and Felines had always had a history of not getting along.

Well who am i to talk, I'm working beside one and helping raise four others.

Her own kind might have called her a traiter for it but there was something about Crugger, she'd known it since that time they'd first spoken. Though there were never any romantic feelings towards each other, there was still a strong bond between them. He was kind and fair and just. He had never judged her for what she was.

And the children…well, children were blameless and these in particular children were also clueless. They had no idea about the history of their own kind. They wouldn't be any the wiser if someone with feline heritage suddenly started to jare and tease them.

But then, this particular feline family seemed to be trying to make friends with them, or at least with Thia. Anyway, she suspected the curious little girl would find out about it sooner or later. It was probably in that book she'd been given. And when she did, what then? Would she think nothing of it, like her father; or would she start to wonder if they were just trying to get to her.

Whatever happened, Maggie thought, looking at them both together, she would be there for them. She would do whatever it took to protect and heal them. All of them.

"Again?" James had come in and was looking at the now fast asleep Cynthia.

Maggie shrugged. "I think it's making him stronger, her being here." His wounds were healing but he still showed no signs of waking. "I think it makes her stronger too." Even though she didn't know for sure. It was just a feeling she had.

After James had taken Thia back up to her room, that was when she noticed, just the slightest twitch of his fingers. She leaned forwards and took his hand, anticipation rushing through her.

"Please tell me you're still in there." She whispered.

She was rewarded with two simple words.

"My Cynthia."

It was all she could do not to burst into tears.