Recovery

Sunlight pierces through the many windows of the infirmary, pastel curtains twirling in the gentle breeze. The sunny atmosphere transforms the tiny care unit into a bright airy looking bedroom. A welcome sight for the ill and dispirited-

- but not for the sedated.

The breakfast smells provide a stark contrast to the overwhelming scent of cherries that once were there. It was a dizzying scent riding on the wings of a seemingly eternal night, a dizziness that makes the gut lurch. Neither of the two particularly scents delight the stomach, but the heaviness of the Sevoflurane remains there still and the grease rising from the bacon and eggs downstairs do nothing to appease it. On the table sits a single cup of chamomile laced with traces of mint.

What a welcome to the waking world!

Catt Hatter: *Catt groaned as she rolled her head slightly on the pillow. While her mind scratched weakly at the idea of consciousness, the signals her body was sending told her it would be better to stay asleep for at least a little longer. Everything felt like the volume control on her senses was up too high. Tthe scents were too strong, the bed sheets were too rough, and the room, too bright. Bbright? she thought, confused. Something was off about that, the room she slept in didn't have any windows. She couldn't have fallen asleep in the library, she was lying on her back, and on a bed. If she wasn't in her room, then where was she? Fighting the urge to put it off any longer, she pried open her eyes and squinted at the overly bright room. Her dry eyes and the warm, but slightly blinding light drew a second groan from her throat.* Mz.Hyde: Sleep well? * Mz. Hyde had been at Catt's bedside since the two exhausted doctors rolled her out of the OR, waiting for her to wake up.*

Catt Hatter:  I, think so? *She grunted, letting her eyes close again.* Where am I? Why wasn't I sleeping in my room?Did something happen...to...me...? *Her chest had gotten tight, and her heart rate had begun to accelerate. What was she missing? What had happened?! Why did her head- Her head. Something had happened to her head. At the touch of awareness, the memories cascaded back into her mind.* I got shot!! *Her hands clasped at her head and she sat bolt upright, terror spilling from her eyes.* She shot me!

Mz.Hyde: Catt! Catt! It's okay!

Catt Hatter:  SHe ShOT me IN ThE HeaD! I- I-!! AAAHHHH!!! *She bent her head over her knees, curled into a ball to protect herself. Her throat hurt from the force of her shriek. *

Mz.Hyde: CATT! * Mz. Hyde pulls Catt's head up and looked her in the eyes.* It's okay. Everything is fine! It's just like when you went into surgery!

Catt Hatter:  *Catt's wide, frightened eyes stared into Mz. Hyde's while she grabbed ahold of her friend's wrists.* SurGerY?! SHe JuST ShoT ME!! I SHOULD BE DEAD!!!

Mz.Hyde: Just shot you? No, you were shot about four months ago! You've been walking around this whole time thinking you were fine!

Catt Hatter: F-fOUR MothS AgO?! *She buried her face into Mz. Hyde's shoulder and sobbed loudly, her breaths ragged and uneven.*

Mz.Hyde: H-hey...calm down! The worst part's over right? Here! * She reaches over and grabs the cup of tea.*

Catt Hatter:  Mn-ngh! * Catt sniffed, not letting go. Her grip was tight and surprisingly strong in her desperation.* Ahh-hh-hhng!

Mz.Hyde: Use your words Catt!

Catt Hatter:  Ngh, I-I don't understand! F-four month-s? *She fought her words for air, pulling her face off of Mz. Hyde's shoulder.* Th-e las-st thing I remem-ber is hit-ting the floor after... Ngaa!

Mz.Hyde: Don't tell me you have amnesia!! Ugh!! All that character development!! GONE!!

Catt Hatter:  PLEASE! No breaking the fourth wall while I'm having a breakdown Mz. Hyde... *She sniffled. Finally starting to calm down, she noticed the tea in Mz. Hyde's hand. Her eyes remained on the cup while her mind continued to grapple with the situation.*

Mz.Hyde: Sorry... * Mz. Hyde was quiet for a few minutes, letting Catt calm down a little.*

Catt Hatter:  *Still staring longingly at the drink in Mz. Hyde's hand, her thoughts found enough perchas to ask a question.* So... what happened after she shot me? Is Dr. Helen okay?

Mz.Hyde: As far as I know, she's still stuck in Hela's mind. But Hela's not roaming free either! She's been locked up in Helen's room this whole time with guards outside her door! You even guarded her!

Catt Hatter:  Wow, *Catt chuckled.* I had no idea I was so magnanimous. It probably isn't healthy for her to be locked up for so long though. Even prisoners have time outside in the yard. ... You gonna drink that? *she asked timidly, nodding at the teacup.*

Mz.Hyde: Oh! Sorry! This is yours! Chamomile with mint, I think. * She hands her the cup.* But yeah...you decided to keep the bullet pieces in your brain...and your health just got worse and worse...you kept talking about how you felt fine...amazing even, because you weren't scared of anything.

Catt Hatter:  Thank you. * Catt held the cup with both hands, breathing in the aroma.* Yeah, that sounds like something I would do. Sorry if I was lying about feeling fine, I guess it felt pretty good to not be worried about every little thing I was doing and the potential ramifications. * She took a sip of the tea, enjoying the heat and finally having something in her stomach. Why was she so hungry, anyway?* Heh, you've still got the dress. * She said, noticing Mz. Hyde's outfit. It was the dress Catt had given her on that one day she was a child.*

Mz.Hyde: Hey! You remembered!! Do you also remember last night?

Catt Hatter:  Remembered what? Did something happen last night? *She took another sip of the tea.* Oh, the dress. Yeah. You were wearing it at the street fair we went to. *She scowled, that memory was off.* Were you a kid that day, or is my memory playing tricks?

Mz.Hyde: Yes, I really was a little girl that day...but last night! You couldn't eat or drink anything before surgery, so I stayed up all night with you playing games! While we were playing Chess, you mentioned that you learned a trick from your Dad!

Catt Hatter:  But, I don't have a dad... *She stared down into her cup.* But I really appreciate you staying up with me. Even if I don't remember, it means a lot. Why were you a child?

Mz.Hyde: Nex screwed a potion she made for a prank and the fumes turned everyone into kids...except for you...you weren't a kid for some reason.

Catt Hatter:  Oh. Shame, I probably would've liked playing with you as a kid. *She sighed, taking another sip.* I don't actually know what it's like to be a child...

Mz.Hyde: You seemed to enjoy it too! And now there is someone out there who knows what you were like!!

Catt Hatter:  What I was like? I thought you said it didn't work on me? *She asked, puzzled.*

Mz.Hyde: Not me! Your Dad! If you remember him, that means he exists! You have a family out there Catt!

Catt Hatter:  Maybe, but... *she hesitated, doubts crossing her mind like stormclouds.*

Mz.Hyde: Buttt?

Catt Hatter:  I don't think they exist yet, or even in this universe. *She ran her thumb along the edge of the cup.* I don't even know where I came from before the trash-cave and the hatt.

Mz.Hyde: Maybe as time goes on, you'll remember more.

Catt Hatter:  Maybe, but I'm not really interested in that forgotten past. *Her ocean blue eyes met Mz. Hyde's bright green ones pointedly.* I'd rather find out more of what I missed during the months after the, shooty, thing... I mean, if that's okay. *She dropped her gaze sheepishly, embarrassed.*

Mz.Hyde: Well...hmmmmm...oh! Dreamer and Nex left...and then came back a lot older. Apparently, Dreamer was in an interdimensional prison for 15 years. She looked... really unhealthy.

Catt Hatter:  Oh dear, I hope she's okay. *She sipped her tea, it was almost half gone now.* What else happened? More specifically, what else was I involved in? I hope I didn't cause trouble...

Mz.Hyde: You didn't....well...at least not on purpose...you may have caused a carriage accident that killed two.

Catt Hatter:  *Catt's expression was grave, she shut her eyes.* Who?

Mz.Hyde: The two drivers.

Catt Hatter:  *Catt let the silence drag its way past her thoughts. The relief of finding out it wasn't any of her friends was quickly buried under her guilt. Her speech got caught on the despair lodged in her throat as she asked,* Why wasn't I forced to have the surgery as soon as that happened?

Mz.Hyde: We couldn't get you to get the surgery! You didn't want it, and we couldn't force you under penalty of law.

Catt Hatter:  If something like this ever happens again, you have my permission to force it on the grounds that I am not sane! *She buried her face in her knees, lamenting and feeling grateful for having such considerate friends all at once.*

Mz.Hyde: It wasn't TOO bad...we got free ice cream and organs out of the ordeal!

Catt Hatter:  At the cost of two lives?! It would've been better if we had robbed them! *Her distress was muffled from fighting it's way past the sheets pressed to her face.* They didn't make it home and it's all my fault!

Mz.Hyde: *Mz. Hyde was silent, not really knowing what to say.*

Catt Hatter:  *Catt breathed deeply to try and calm down. She shouldn't be taking her emotions out on her friend, it wasn't her fault. She sat up, and gave Mz. Hyde an apologetic look.* I'm sorry, it's not like you could've done anything about it. If you could, I'm sure you would have.

Mz.Hyde: No, Catt. I'm the one that should be sorry. This would've all been prevented if I had been there with you when Hela shot you. I should've taken the bullet for you...I should've taken her out...I...I... * She looks down at the floor.* I should've been a better friend...

Catt Hatter:  *Catt pulled her into a tight hug.* If you had taken the bullet, I never would've been able to forgive myself, and if you had hurt her, you would only have been failing her as a friend. It was my own naivete that let me get tricked into her office, and my misestimation of her character that left my defenses down. Helen is alive, I'm alive, you didn't fail anyone. No one could ask for a better friend.

Mz.Hyde: Catt Hatter:  *Catt kept holding her, gently rocking until the well of her tears were spent.* You don't know how precious you are, do you. *she whispered.*

Mz.Hyde: Precious? Like a rock maybe.

Catt Hatter: More precious than any rock, even more precious than the One Ring. You're alive, and you are my friend, that makes you irreplaceable. *Her hand gripped her shoulder.* Know what that means?

Mz.Hyde: What?

Catt Hatter:  It means you are infinitely precious, and, and beloved.

Mz.Hyde: .... Catt?

Catt Hatter:  Mm?

Mz.Hyde: Why do you love me so much?

Catt Hatter:  Because you're alive, because you deserve it, because you've done so much to help me ever since I first arrived. *She squeezed her tightly.* Beyond that, I don't know. I just do.

Mz.Hyde: ....Catt?

Catt Hatter:  Yeah?

Mz.Hyde: ....I love you too...

Catt Hatter:  *With her face buried in her shoulder, Mz. Hyde couldn't see the pink highlights that came over cheeks. Catt smiled widely.*

Mz.Hyde: Are you okay?

Catt Hatter:  I, no one's ever told me that. *She said softly, joyous tears beginning to well up in her eyes.*

Mz.Hyde: *She breathes a sigh of relief.* I thought you would reject me again...

Catt Hatter:  "Again?" * She asked concerned, sitting up to look her in the face.*

Mz.Hyde: I told you that I loved you before, and you walked away. I waved goodbye at you...but I guess you didn't see me... I thought I freaked you out...

Catt Hatter:  I am so sorry! I don't even remember that... *Try as she might, the instance was beyond her reach.* Was it after the day at the fair, or before?

Mz.Hyde: It was after the fair...and for some reason, you were wearing clothes that weren't yours.

Catt Hatter:  What? That doesn't sound like me, I don't like to impose on people efen for the most minor things! *As she pondered the potential causes and reasons for her to have not been wearing her own clothes, she noticed something. Turning bright red, she pulled the blankets up to her chin, completely covering the lab-gear patterned medical gown.* Umm... where are my clothes?

Mz.Hyde: Your clothes?.....*GASP* YOUR CLOTHES!!!!! * She goes over to a curtain covering up an empty bed.* I'm done!~

Catt Hatter:  Done? *She tilted her head, confused.* Done what?

Mz.Hyde: Making your new wardrobe! * She pulls back the curtains to reveal a clothing rack.*

Catt Hatter:  *Dazzled by all the new garments, Catt could barely speak.* You-, Wha-? For me? I-!

Mz.Hyde: *Mz. Hyde nods her head.*

Catt Hatter:  But I- I couldn't! *Her fingers plucked at invisible strings in the air.* It's too much!

Mz.Hyde: You have ONE outfit, Catt and I thought you needed a few more. Plus, it was a lot of fun!

Catt Hatter:  I-, thank you! *She beamed.* I can't wait 'till I'm all recovered so I can try them all on!

Mz.Hyde: Do you like them?

Catt Hatter:  So far, yeah! *She grinned up at Mz. Hyde.* I love them!

Mz.Hyde: Awesome!