Laila
Precious heart.
The words floated in Laila's mind as she drifted awake, somewhere between awareness and dreaming. The remnants of the dream still with her, the warm comforting feeling of being accepted for who she was, the feelings of love and being loved. Her eyes slowly opened. That was how she felt with Zac. The dream slid away from her like mist in the dawn, and she felt a sense of loss as she tried to bring it back.
She shook her head; the movement sent a stabbing pain through her skull, bringing her wide-awake. Groaning, Laila opened her eyes and promptly closed them again, the light was too painful.
“Sorry.” An apologetic voice penetrated Laila's foggy thoughts as the light was dimmed.
“Thank you,” she said, opening her eyes to squint at the fuzzy form in front of her. The figure stepped closer and Laila recognized her as the doctor she had met on her first day in Taurean space.
Laila shifted, more slowly this time, cataloguing her aches and pains. Her leg throbbed, but shifting slowly, she was surprised when there was no shooting pain. She gained confidence and lifted her arm, which felt... normal?
“Dr. O’Malley, how long have I been out?”
“Please, call me Amelia,” she smiled. “You were unconscious for close to two days. Not long enough, probably. You were picked up the day before yesterday.”
“I've been out that long?”
Amelia smiled gently at the surprised expression on Laila's face and, checking the various machines, shrugged. “You needed to heal. These Taureans have some amazing technology. You’re very lucky considering how much blood you lost, it could have been much worse.”
At the mention of Taureans, Laila started. Zac. Where was he? Laila pushed herself up on her elbows. “Where's Zac... uh, Commander Qu'Rell?”
Amelia tried to hide her smile, but failed, saying, “He’s been here all along. He wouldn't leave your side.”
“Really?” Laila looked around the room as if she expected to locate the hulking alien under the bed or behind a visitor's chair. No luck. “Where is he now?”
“He left this morning. We're almost ready to dock back at the space station, but he had something urgent come up... I think he went to Taurus for a meeting.”
So, Zac was on Taurus. She wondered what he was doing there. Amelia had said he had waited by her bed. A man didn't do that unless he cared, unless he... loved her? It must have been a very important meeting that had him leaving her bedside.
Oh. She never had a chance to say goodbye. She flopped back against the pillows.
Precious heart.
That's what he had called her. She had to find him. She swung her legs to the side, pushing off the bed.
“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” Amelia grabbed her arm. “You're not going anywhere. You are still weak, and we need to do some other tests. We’re still not quite sure how the Taurean medical technology affects humans. So you’ll need to be patient.”
Laila lay back, sighing. A sound at the door to the room made her turn her head, and she smiled as she saw CJ stride into the room.
“Good, you’re awake! I have a message for you.” The nervous tone in CJ's voice made Laila narrow her eyes. What now?
“I know that tone, CJ. What's up?” She shifted against the pillows, dragging herself to a seated position. CJ helped to adjust the bed, while Amelia excused herself to see to her other patients.
“A transmission came from Space Force command when you were stuck on Elthea. Look at this. It’s unbelievable!”
The medic handed Laila a tablet, and she quickly flicked through the message, becoming increasingly annoyed with every word she read.
“What are you going to do?” The medic asked.
Laila forced herself to calm down and re-read the message, more slowly this time.
The Taureans had advised space Force command on Earth that Laila had been trapped on Elthea. From what she could tell, Space Force had quickly written her off as a victim of the Xakul. They had declared her missing in action, presumed dead with a public announcement to that effect on Earth.
“Oh, for the love of God!” Laila was furious.
Laila had very little family left, only Krystal really, and she immediately thought of her sister. What had Krystal been told?
