Not far enough. Sylvie started to struggle, unable to swallow, unable to spit.
X came to her aid, ripping open the restraints and helping to tilt her away from the table.
Sylvie rolled over, hanging her head off the table and letting loose. She heaved and heaved, emptying her stomach of the earlier meal. Her muscles refusing to relax, her body convulsing hard again and again. She'd been through too much, was too exhausted, too emotionally drained.
A strong hand brushed back her hair, before rubbing her gently on the neck.
"Dr. Cohen, are you all right?" His voice was soft, warm.
The muscles of her abdomen relaxed as her heart contracted painfully in her chest. How close had she come to dying? She needed to get the hell out of there.
"No," she said when she was able to speak again. "I'm definitely not all right."
More footsteps. More people to take in her nudity and the remains of her lunch.
"Put him in a cell, under guard’s watch," X ordered, his voice commanding.
The sick bastard of a scientist, whose skin had now flushed crimson, was taken away by the guards. She wiped at her mouth with a shaking hand, her body still in fight or flight mode, adrenalin riding her hard.
A blanket was thrown over her shoulders, and then she was in X's arms, being carried out of the examination room. She glanced toward the three aliens who'd been stationed outside of the room, working on consoles when she'd entered, confused looks on their faces.
One stepped forward, his skin flushing maroon. "Supreme One, I'm unsure why you stopped the dissection. It was sanctioned by the Minister of Defense."
X stopped and turned slowly on his heel. "And what did you think to find that wouldn't have been revealed on our scans?"
"We had to be sure," the maroon one, probably the senior scientist, said.
"I agree. And we will be. But not like this." With those words, X carried her out of the laboratory.
Sylvie watched the hallway slide by until they came to a stop under a cream and boysenberry-swirled ceiling. A familiar ceiling.
X set her down gently on the same piece of furniture as before. A waterbed of sorts. Soft padding that gently waved beneath her, soothing her.
She closed her eyes and let out a long, shaky breath. Strong fingers grazed her chin and she reached out, wrapping her hand around his wrist, holding him in place. She couldn’t help but open her eyes, wanting to feel nearness to someone who was able and willing to protect her.
His dark eyes bore into her, the glowing ring that surrounded the black pupils seemingly expanded. "Are you hurt?"
"Yes," she said after a moment.
He scowled, his skin shifting from yellow to blue and back again. The quickness of the change made her lightheaded.
"Not physically," she said, releasing him and clasping her fingers over her stomach. "He didn't harm my body. But emotionally... I'm not sure I'll ever be the same after that."
X opened his mouth to speak, then closed it without a word. He stroked her hair back and took hold of her hand.
"You're still shaking." He moved away from the bed, returning with a small vial in his hand, kindness on his handsome face. "Open your mouth."
Sylvie was too weak to argue, so she simply beckoned to his request.
"This will help calm you down." A couple of drops hit her tongue, and he pushed gently on her chin to close her mouth. "You should rest now."
Sylvie let the heaviness overtake her as the trembling began to lessen. The darkness beckoned her come and she obeyed.
