Arkangel || A Winter / Karina / WinRina Adventure

Hospital

Winter opened her eyes, squinting in the bright light of the hospital room. The first thing she saw was Karina, who had tears in her eyes.

"Hello, my love," Winter whispered groggily. "Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. You've been out for four days. I am so happy to have you back."

"Four days?" Winter said in disbelief. "Ugh. It feels like a year."

"Take a look," Karina said nervously. She handed Winter a small mirror.

Winter was stunned by what she saw. The skin around her eyes and nose was black. Her lip was swollen and had stitches in it, and she could feel that her broken rib had been wrapped. She'd also had a severe concussion, frostbite on her hands, and the orbit of her right eye was shattered. Winter felt horrible that Karina had to see her like this.

"The doctors gave me a surprise for you! Hold out your hands." Winter did so and Karina placed a flattened bullet on her palm. "Did you know you'd been shot?"

"Shot!?!"

Karina giggled. "You were shot in the butt, baby. You're just like James Bond!"

Winter smiled painfully. "I'm glad that you find your girlfriend getting shot so funny."

Karina became serious. "I have to find some way to process this, to deal with the fact that one day you might walk out of the house and I'll never see you again. I accept that risk because that is who you are and what you do, and you've been honest with me. I guess seeing the humor helps me. That said, getting shot in the butt is pretty hilarious!"

Winter took her hand. "I understand, and there isn't a moment that goes by that I forget how this affects you. You're helping me, too. Karina, someday this will be over and we can find someplace quiet and grow old together. That's all I want."

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes. Of course. Without you I am not alive."

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, too. It will happen. And nothing will happen to you, either."

Winter kissed her cheek. "Did they say when I can leave? All I want in the world right now is you. I need spooning! To touch you, to feel you."

Karina blushed. "The doctor said tomorrow, as long as you keep stable. I want to be with you too. You're the only person I've ever heard of who has a spooning fetish. Maybe use that as a goal for getting better," she laughed.

"Kiss me, Karina. I'm too sore to sit up."

Karina stroked Winter's hair and kissed her.

"How did you find out I was here?" Winter asked.

"I got an anonymous text with the name of the hospital and your room number."

Thank you Parker, Winter thought.

"It was terrifying seeing you like this, Win. Four days ago you were even more bruised and in a coma. Then a nurse tells me you were shot. I don't know how to handle that. I thought I might lose you. What if you did live but your brain was damaged? I've been so worried you'd wake up and not know who I am."

"That's not possible, baby. There are some things that go so far down that they can never be removed."

. . . . .

Karina was back in Winter's hospital room at 8am the next morning. The nurses were preparing the paperwork to discharge her, but Winter wasn't going to wait for that. She hurriedly stuffed her few belongings into a duffel bag, and then ran into a hurdle: the IV. Had Karina not been there, she would have removed it herself. But Karina was looking at her so lovingly that Winter decided she didn't need to traumatize her girlfriend by yanking a needle out of her arm while she watched.

After an hour, Karina pushed the wheelchair outside, and helped Winter to her feet. "I'll get us an Uber," Karina announced.

"How far is it to home?" Winter asked.

Karina let out a deep sigh. "I don't know exactly. Maybe 18, 20 blocks, something like that."

"Let's walk!" Winter said with a smile.

Karina pulled out her phone and ordered an Uber. "I'm getting a ride. Stop this nonsense and ride with me, or... or no cuddles!"

"That's playing dirty," Winter said with a smile. "Just for the record, I could run it if I wanted."

Karina kissed her on the cheek. "I know," she said in a fake soothing tone, "You're the toughest S-P-Y in the world, the one with a bullet hole in her butt!" Karina exploded with laughter.

"I already want to go back to work," Winter smiled, wincing.

. . . . .

Two hours later Winter was in Karina's arms, feeling loved, safe, and happy. As she lay there looking at the ceiling, she tried to string all her memories together so she could see how life had brought her to Karina. But she couldn't get them to add up. Somewhere in life's gaps was the force, the will, that had driven her forward.

Hold on, Well, I'm coming to get you.

The beautiful black-haired singer was wrapped around Winter - and was snoring loudly in her ear. But Winter barely heard it, and even if she had, she wouldn't have bothered the older girl about it. Lashing out violently in her sleep was what worried Winter more. She'd started dreaming about the two missions, and woke up covered in sweat with adrenaline racing through her body and every muscle tensed for combat.

It's not possible. It's not possible that I'd hurt her. Ever. But what is happening to me? Maybe Min is dead. Maybe Winter is dead. Now there is only Arkangel.