Glitch of the Heart

Chapter Two - Simple Touch

I was carried to the lift, my body lifeless and weak. I couldn't remember anything; I had no idea how I ended up in that situation as I felt myself fade in and out of consciousness, before finally finding the darkness.

I woke up 2 weeks later, in some form of medical suite on the ship. I looked around, wondering what had happened and where everyone was. I saw Lister, sitting in the corner.

"Hey, you're awake." He called out with a smile, standing and walking over. "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit." I managed a smile, trying to think back to what had happened. "What happened...?"

He looked around, leaning closer to me. "Everyone's dead."

"Yes, dave, I know that..." I replied, raising a brow. "Everyone's dead, Dave. Other than you, me, Kryten, Cat and... Rimmer! How is he?! Is his light bee damaged?!"
Lister quickly stopped me from getting up. "Rimmer's fine. He's ok."

I sat up quickly, wanting to see how he was in person. "Can't you just let me out of here so I can check?"
Lister shook his head. "Kryten says you're not ready to get up yet. The gas you ingested did a bit of a number on ya, we were worried you wouldn't wake up..." he admitted, pushing me softly into laying back down. "Rimmer hasn't left your side this whole time, I only just forced him away to go get some sleep."

"Come on, I'm fine!" I protested, but lay back regardless.
Lister rolled his eyes; taking the seat next to my bed and telling me to at least wait for Kryten to come back.

I was happy - and somewhat surprised - Rimmer had been by my bedside while I was knocked out, though I hoped he was OK like Lister said he was. "When can I leave?" I asked, more calm than before.
"Kryten said he'd come back up soon, he's gonna check your medical shit and make sure you're ok to be discharged." Lister told me.

I nodded. I hate hospitals, and the medical suite on the Red dwarf was no exception and not exactly a lavish place to be in. It felt cold, old, and tired. Medical places really freaked me out.
I could only hope that this stay wouldn't be like the last time I was in a medical room.

"Can I get you anything?" Lister asked, not seeming to know what to do.
I thought about that for a moment. "Don't suppose you could grab me a book to read while I wait?"

No nodded, spending the next few minutes trying to find a book for me to read from the library. It took some time, I assumed he didn't exactly read often.
Kryten had come in while Lister was gone, checking over my vitals and making sure I was fit to leave. "So, kryten, am I free to go?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry, but you're not."

I waited for him to explain, but he didn't. "Can you at least tell me what's wrong?"
"It's simply that you spent a little too long in the gas, Miss Reckless." Kryten told me. "I think another day or so, and you'll be right as rain!"

"Kryten, please, i'm perfectly fine!" I retorted, not appreciating his mother henning around.

"Hmm, maybe you are, but we can't take that risk."

I looked at lister, who seemed to be reading something from his datapad. "Is there some kind of problem?" I asked him, my mood dropping by the second. I just wanted to get out of this room, and check that Rimmer was ok, especially after he saved us all.

Lister shook his head. "Kryten's right, you're probably gonna be weak for a little while, might be better if ya rest up a bit, yeah?"

I rolled my eyes, but relented. One more day in the medical bay wouldn't hurt... right? I just hoped it went quick. I wanted to go check on Rimmer as well and make sure he was OK myself. Lister watched me for a moment, before sighing. "Kryten, give Exza some medication, and then you can let her go free."