The Divine Twelve (Urban-Fantasy)

Chapter three: Meet and Greet

Penelope sat up slowly, her head pounding as the lights blinded her. She heard the steady beep beside her begin to race. She looked at the vitals machine and watched it as the heart rate climbed. 

“Where am I?” she asked herself, looking down at the needle in her hand. An image flashed into her consciousness, the woman with her jaw to her chest. Penelope looked up and around, sliding out the bed and stumbling to the door. She turned the handle and was greeted by a man in a lab coat. 

“You’re awake?” The man said. “You need to lay back down so we can make sure you’re okay and all healed up before we start therapy.”

“Therapy? Where's my brother?” She started, looking over the doctor and into the busy hospital hallway. 

“He’s safe and with your mother.” The doctor said as he managed to guide Penelope back to the bed. “Let me explain what happened.” 

Penelope watched as he hooked her back up to the vitals machine. The single blare of the machine returned to its monotonic beeps. 

“You must be hungry.” The man smiled.
   
“No I’m-” Penelope started but was interrupted by the sound of her stomach growling. 

“Let's get some food and some painkillers for you.” The doctor picked up the phone and ordered a burger and fries. 

Twenty minutes passed and the doctor returned with the food and a small cup with a pill. “Here, this would help with your headaches, and here is some food.”

Penelope thanked the man as she began eating her food. She thought back to the fight with the monsters she saw, how Lennox was hurt and remembered how useless she felt. She sniffled as she chewed, tears blocking her vision as she took another bite from her burger. The doctor sat quietly as she ate, waiting until she finished to speak to her. 

“My name is Dr. Ori Kawai, and I’m the personal doctor for the zodiac guardians,” the man said, holding out his hand. Penelope looked at it, reaching out to shake his hand. “You had a nasty head injury and had been unconscious for a week.” 

“A week?” Penelope muttered. 

“Yep. Your brother and boyfriend both were able to leave the same day since they were not badly injured. Just a few scrapes and bruises.” Dr. Kawai said, knocking on his head. 

“Boyfriend?” Penelope repeated, her mind flashing to Lennox. “He’s not my boyfriend. 

“Sure,” he said smugly. “Since you’ve been in a small coma for a week, your body mass has drastically decreased. So you’ll have to stay in the hospital a bit longer for physical therapy.

“No, she doesn't.” A voice said.

Penelope looked at the doorway at a thin woman. She smiled and ran her hands through her brunette hair. 

“Ahh. Laura, you’re going to take her already?” The doctor asked. 

“Yeah, John wants her to start training as soon as possible. That’ll be her physical training.” Laura said as she looked at Penelope’s chart. “Should we be giving her any medications for pain or anything?” 

“Advil or Tylenol should be fine for headaches. Don't push her too far though.” Ori frowned. “If she leaves today I don't want to see her for a month.” 

“Wouldn’t have had to see her if we found the Virgo zodiac,” Laura responded by passing Penelope some clothes. “I'll help her get dressed, start on those release forms please.”

“So I'm going to be training?” Penelope asked, attempting to put on her clothes. 

“Yup. Are you excited?” Laura chuckled. “It's been a while since I’ve seen a Taurus at work.”