#But in this version Lena doesn't end up leaving alone like Frodo on the ship heading west so that metaphor sort of falls apart

[thatonebirdwrites]

Being ill sucks. Bad news lately too. So editing this chapter took longer than usual. Worldkiller chapter will be the one after this one.

Excerpt:

Sam intercepts Ruby, Kara, and Alex in the entryway. Alex wears her black agent suit, but has a medical bag over one shoulder, her red hair cropped short around her ears. As hot as always. Kara smiles at Sam and waves. “Still okay to be here?”

She holds up one finger. “Give me a second.” She ignores the confused look on Alex’s face, but Kara whispers something that keeps Alex silent. Ruby shrugs and walks into the kitchen to peruse the fridge.

Sam drops to her knees next to the sofa and taps Rory’s shoulder. Or tries since the girl is currently hidden under two blankets with another over her curled up legs. At the third tap, Rory looks up and squints. 

‘Hi Rory, did you eat?’ Sam signs. Best check that first.

Rory tilts her head and looks at Sam, her mouth pinched. She glances over her shoulder at Kara and Alex, then ducks further under her blankets. When Sam lightly taps her shoulder again, the girl coughs into the blanket and nods. She points to the bowl. Indeed, its level is lower than ten minutes ago. 

Sam hears Alex’s whisper to Kara. “Why is Sam using sign language? I’m rusty on that.”

“We can interpret if needed,” Kara whispers back. “Just give them a moment, okay?”

‘You have two visitors.’ Sam signs. She’s grateful that Rory has learned sign language, since the signs her and Ruby devised have a tendency to randomly change. The two love playing jokes like that on Sam. 

‘Who?’ Rory’s hand trembles. 

‘Kara and her sister, Alex. Alex is a doctor and can help you feel better.’ Sam wishes she had more time to break this news to Rory. 

Rory stares at Sam’s hand, her forehead wrinkled in thought. She coughs into the blankets and rubs her nose. The way the girl nibbles her lips reminds Sam painfully of Lena’s tendency to do that same thing. ‘Will it hurt?’

The question makes Sam’s heart ache. ‘No, she won’t hurt you.’

‘Promise?’ The earnest look Rory has as she makes that sign has Sam breathing in sharply. 

How can she promise such a thing? She has no idea what the tests will entail, and yet, Rory needs medical care. She’s ill with who knows what, her energy drains as the day continues, and her fever hasn’t gone down since last night. 

Sam forces a smile, and signs, ‘I promise. I will be here with you. So will Kara. You won’t be alone.’

Rory considers those words with more lip nibbling. Sam doesn’t rush her since she knows the girl takes much longer to make decisions than Lena or Kieran or even the angry one. After several tense minutes, the girl nods, her gaze on the table still.

Sam pushes to her feet. “All right, Alex, I’ll be watching you.” She gestures to Lena. “She’s ready for you now.” 

Alex frowns. “Okay.” She pulls her bag off her back and drops it next to the sofa. Her gaze flickers between Sam and the girl, her brow creased. “Lena? I heard you weren’t feeling well. Can you give me your symptoms?”