The Shield of Galar

Aftermath

Gloria's eyes flitter open, her body feeling much like it did the time Orion tried to lay on top of her after evolving into Urshifu.  It felt like someone had placed weights on her body, and was pinning her to whatever it is she is laying on.  Her neck feels stiff, as she turns it and notices the tube running down and into her arm. 

"You're awake!" she hears as Allister runs around to see her.  His eyes tremor as tears threatens to form in the corners of them.  "I'm so glad you are ok, I was so worried," he says and hugs her, eliciting a groan from the Champion.

Gloria tries to speak but her voice is weak, causing her to grimace.  "What happened?" she manages to get out barely above a whisper.  Her memories are foggy, and she closes her eyes tightly to try and piece everything together.

"You passed out after the interview, you got rushed here," He explains, not letting go of her. "That was four days ago..."

Gloria's eyes widen at that realization.  Four days, just gone from her life.  She can only imagine how much stress she must have put her body under that it needed four days to recover.

"Bea?" Gloria says weekly, exerting a ton of energy to pat his back a bit.

"Right," he says and hops off her.  "I'll give her a call!" he says and steps outside the room, talking to a nurse first before hopping on the phone.

The nurse walks in with a smile and checks the devices, whose beeping Gloria hadn't even registered.  "It's good to see you're awake," the nurse says before checking the IV bag.  "I'll grab the doctor, and he'll come in and say hi," she says with another smile before jotting something down on her board and leaving the room.

Alone in the room, Gloria starts to piece back together the events of the last day she was conscious.  The battle, the interview, the kiss...Marnie.  Tears come to her eyes, as she recalls how she has failed both the women she loves.  Bea's gym got attacked, and Marnie, well for all Gloria knows, could still be in a coma in a different room in the hospital. 

The Doctor comes in about a half hour later and sits down next to her.  "Well Miss Champion, good to see you back in the waking world," he says, flipping through papers on a clipboard.  "I will say, that I can't approve of how you have been treating your body.  Skipping meals, not sleeping, amongst other things.  Can't say that is the key to living a long and healthy life,"

Gloria goes to retort, but her voice is still weak and the Doctor shakes his head.

"Rest your throat, you had a tube down it for a bit and that can leave it swollen and sore.  I'll bring you in something to write on until you get better." he stands back up and pats her shoulder.  "My daughter is a huge fan by the way, and I can't think of a better Champion for her to have to look up to.  So, do me a favor and take care of yourself so she can continue to look up to you,"

After getting a smile and a nod from Gloria, he walks out of the room and Allister walks back in.  He sits down next to her, a huge smile on his face, and a few tears running down his cheeks. 

"After you kissed my sister on the field, I was super happy.  I couldn't wait to hug you when you got out of the interview.  Then when a bunch of doctors ran in instead of you coming out..." he wipes his eyes.  "Then, Bea and I were here waiting for you to wake up.  Your....your heart stopped...they didn't know why.  I've never seen my sister freak out so much, even when they got your heart going again," he hiccups between every few words as he tried to hold back tears.  Meanwhile, Gloria is trying to digest what he said.  He just told her she had died, even if just for a short time. 

"Please, please don't push yourself like that again," Allister says, the tears now flowing again.  "You, you mean so much to me.  And...and...I don't know what I would do if I lost you," he hugs her again, and Gloria grimaces and lets him cry into her.  The guilt washes over her for having put him through this.