Good Morning

Always

The thing is, the thing that Jay keeps having trouble coming to terms with is that the last time he saw Nya, she was lying on the floor of a Borg Industries lab in a pool of her own blood.

And he'd thought she was dead, and that had been bad enough, but the fact that she isn't dead now is sort of blowing his mind.

Because he's been up all night watching her, just sitting at the foot of her hospital bed, looking at her chest rise and fall with each breath, his hands twitching because he's been trained to respond to emergencies and Nya needs his help and he doesn't know how to give it to her.

He can hear the steady beeping of the heart monitor. He can see the faint rise and fall of her chest. He can see her eyes moving behind her eyelids. She's alive, and that should be enough for him, but it's not.

He keeps replaying the memory of the moment over and over in his mind. He'd gone in, guns blazing, expecting to find her standing there waiting for him. He'd found her lying on the floor, unconscious.

He can still remember the panic that had gripped him as he rushed to her side and checked for a pulse. It had taken him longer than he'd like to admit to find it. The relief that he'd felt when he did, that she was still alive, was indescribable.

Now, he just has to figure out how to keep her that way.

The sun is starting to rise, casting the room in a pale glow. The first few rays of morning light shine through the window, illuminating Nya's sleeping face. She looks peaceful, almost like she's just resting.

Jay knows better. He can still see the bruises and cuts on her face from the fight. He can still see the blood on her clothes. He knows that underneath her hospital gown, there are even more injuries.

He can't help but think that this is all his fault. If he'd been faster, if he'd been stronger, if he'd been more alert, then maybe Nya wouldn't be lying here right now.

He feels like a failure. He should have been able to protect her. He should have been able to keep her safe. He's her teammate, her boyfriend, and he couldn't even do that.

As the sunlight streams in through the window, Jay can't help but think that the world seems so bright and full of hope when Nya's not awake to see it. He reaches out and takes her hand, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb.

"I'm so sorry," he whispers.

Nya shifts a little in her sleep, and Jay freezes. He watches her, waiting to see if she wakes up. Her eyes don't open, though, and her breathing stays the same.

Jay sighs and sits back down in his chair. He's so tired. He's been awake all night, but he can't sleep now. Not when Nya needs him.

The sun continues to rise, casting the room in a warm glow. Jay watches it, thinking about Nya and how she's going to pull through this. She's strong, and she's a fighter. She's the best ninja he knows. She'll be okay.

She has to be.

Jay doesn't know what he'd do without her.

The sunlight continues to fill the room, and Jay keeps his eyes trained on Nya's sleeping form. He keeps his hand on hers, keeping her grounded. Keeping her safe.

The sunlight feels warm and comforting. It feels like hope. It feels like love. It feels like a promise that things are going to be okay.

Jay keeps his hand on Nya's, and he keeps watching her. He's not going to let anything happen to her. He's not going to leave her side. He's going to be right here, waiting for her to wake up.

He's going to be right here, telling her that he loves her.

He's going to be right here, telling her that she's going to be okay.