Dangerous Affection

A Brief Reprieve

(LILA'S POV)

Lila's heart was still pounding, but there was no time for rest. Her mind raced, images flashing of Clint and everything he'd done. She pushed her exhaustion aside, focusing instead on the most important thing now: making sure the patients were okay.

She moved quickly through the halls, Quinn close behind. The hospital was eerily quiet now, a far cry from the chaos just hours earlier. The lights flickered faintly, casting shadows that seemed to loom over them. But it wasn't the darkness that weighed on her; it was the uncertainty.

When they reached the ward, she stopped in her tracks. The room was quiet, too quiet. But then she heard it: the soft laughter of children, the rhythmic beeping of medical machines, and the quiet murmur of voices.

Jessica was sitting up in bed, talking to a few of the other patients. She looked better, more alert than she had been before, the heavy sedatives no longer coursing through her system. Lila stepped into the room, trying to keep her own thoughts in check.

"Hey, everyone," Lila said softly, trying to put a calm tone in her voice. "How are you all feeling?"

Jessica smiled weakly. "Better. We're all doing okay, surprisingly."

Lila nodded, but her gut told her something was off. "You're not getting any more sedatives, right?"

Jessica shook her head. "No. No one's been around to give us any since... well, since the breach under the tunnels. Guess the staff just got scared and ran."

Lila's stomach churned. The breach under the tunnels, that was when things had started to fall apart. The hospital staff had all but abandoned them, and now here they were, stuck in a hospital where they weren't safe from the corruption that had taken root.

"We're going to fix this," Lila said, more to herself than anyone else. "Don't worry. Just hang in there. Help is coming."

Jessica reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "You're our help, Lila. Everyone here is depending on you. On you and Quinn."

Lila glanced over at Quinn, who was standing by the door, scanning the room, his jaw tight. He was always so calm under pressure, but she could see the weight of everything they'd been through in his eyes. We have to finish this, she thought.

"I promise we won't let you down," she said softly, turning back to the patients.

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