Six of Crows AU

Chapter Twenty: Inej

(After Kaz fainted)

Inej was about to sleep into a drug-induced sleep when she heard shouting outside. She wanted to move to see what it was, but she couldn't, and she was so tired. Someone or something hit her door and more shouting erupted.

"How is one supposed to sleep?" She groaned as her headache started pounding harder in her head. The bedsheets were stiff and so was the pillow, it crinkled when she moved. Inej lay still, the shouting starting to die down. An itch started under her cast and Inej huffed in frustration.

"Think of something else," she told herself, the first thing coming to mind was when Kaz had walked through the door. His limp heavy, and a light she hadn't seen in awhile flitting around in his eyes. He had waited for her, he had been so worried he'd waited. It had been so nice too see him, to hear his voice, after not hearing it for a week. She drifted off to sleep with Kaz on her mind.

(A week or so later)

Kaz sat by her side, his crutches leaning against his chair. He held Inej's free hand, and Inej was excited. She was being discharged today, and she would be able to go to school next week, though she would have to be in a wheel chair. Kaz's phone started to buzz and Inej watched him answer it. He put it on speaker.

"Hey Kaz, how's Inej?" Nina asked.

"I'm fine, Nina, thanks for asking," Inej replied.

"We are on the way to your house to welcome you!" Wylan chimed, his voice softer, he was probably in the back of the car. Kaz looked at Inej and then back at the phone.

"We'll call you back when we're en route, I haven't checked her out yet." Kaz hung up on them and Inej looked at him, confused.

"Why are they going to my house, and Kaz, why aren't my parents here?" Inej questioned, and Kaz stood, sucking in a breath.

"The doctor is here. " As he said that the doctor walked in, his footfalls loud in the quiet room.

"Hello Ms. Ghafa, how are you?" Doctor White asked, his brown eyes flitting over the charts and signing a few things.

"Fine." The doctor glanced at Kaz.

"I understand you'll be taking her home Mr. Brekker, is that true?"

"Yes."

"I just need you to fill out this form quickly." Doctor White handed him the clipboard with a pen. Inej leaned over to look at the paper. Kaz scratched answers on it in his messy writing. He looked at Inej and asked quietly,

"What do I put for my relationship to you?" Inej didn't know if there was an underlying meaning to this question, but they weren't any more than friends, so that's what she answered. Kaz nodded and after answering he handed the paper back to the tall doctor.

"Thank Mr. Brekker. Ms. Ghafa, please sign here." Inej signed with her good hand and then the doctor helped her into the wheelchair by her bed. Kaz got up and limped over, leaving his crutches by the chair. Inej looked up at him, worried.

"You should be using those, let one of the nurses wheel me out."

"She's right, Mr. Brekker–"

"I'll be fine," he muttered, starting to push her.

"Kaz, no."

"Inej, I just want to get out of here." Inej went silent, her hands sitting in her lap.

"Mr. Brekker, it was a fight to get you to let us get the bullet out and stitch it up, and if you don't use the crutches, you could find yourself back here having to fix it," the Doctor tried to convince him. Kaz rolled his eyes.