Reflections of Stars

Hospital

Nyx looked at the still form of Maddie on the bed. Nearby a machine bleeped at intervals, recording her slow heartbeat.

"Hey, Maddie." Nyx whispered, touching her hand. "I've brought someone to see you."
She lifted Abby out of her pram, holding her in her arms.
"Look, Abby, that's your Mummy."
Abby looked down at Maddie with big, innocent eyes. She reached out a chubby hand as if to touch her,but couldn't a quite reach.
She gurgled at Maddie, as if trying to converse with her in baby language.
Nyx smiled softly at the child. "You want her to wake up, don't you? You tell her that. Tell her that she's been unconscious long enough and you need her to be awake now."
Abigail looked sad at the lack of response from the girl on the bed, looking at Nyx in confusion.
She yelled loudly in baby speak, trying to make Maddie react. Nothing.
Abby began to cry sulkily, her little face screwing up with tears.
"Sssh, I know, its distressing, but you don't have to make a scene." Nyx gently rocked Abby in her arms. "You're Mama will wake up when she's ready, and then she'll come home and give you a big hug and promise never to leave again. Until then, you've got me, fun aunt Nyx. And I'll teach you all the important things you need to know, like how to play the copycat game and how to blow the biggest gum bubbles. Aww, don't cry, you're only little and you need that water to live. Tell you what, how about after this we go to the park and look at the duckies, yeah?"
Abby snuggled into Nyx's arms, snuffling wetly into her shirt.
Nyc smiled at Maddie. "See, your baby's fine. You just concentrate on getting yourself better."
She trailed a finger down Maddie's cool cheek before turning and leaving.

The machine let out a couple of faster beeps, as if Maddie's heart had sped up for a second, before settling back into it's steady rhythm.