Halo: Awake and Alive (Book 2, Arbiter x Female human series.)

Slumber

Thel laid Bria's limp body on a medical bed. But he froze. he didn't know what to do. How could he help her?

"Move!" Cassie shoved past him. He was angry at first but he soon was calm when he saw her putting medical needles and all sorts of stuff in Bria. She knew what she was doing. At least he hoped.

"Come on Bria..." Cassie whispered. "Wake up..." She began to sob. Oh boy... another one of these humans.

Human females are emotional. Thel thought. But he really didn't blame her. Her best friend was dying right before their eyes. Honestly, he felt emotional too.

"Please..." Cassie cried some more. Thel stepped up and ran his finger down her cheek. She looked peaceful. A little too peaceful.

"Why won't she wake up?" Thel asked. "Was this her demise?"

Cassie slowly shook her head as she wiped tears away. "No. I studied this in school." She took a deep breath. "By the looks of her skin and the readings on the charts, she's in a coma caused by organ failure or something else."

"Her powers." Thel groaned.

"Why do you think it was that?" Cassie asked.

"She used a lot of her powers back on that planet. They've been killing her from the inside out for a while now." He said.

"Oh, Bria..." Cassie tried not to cry again.

"How do you know so much knowledge without running tests?"

Cassie stood up straighter. "I wanted to be a doctor. Actually, that's what me and Bria were studying in college. You know, before everything went downhill."

"How long will she slumber?"

"Hard to determine. Could be weeks, months... years..." she said.

"Unless we find a cure." Thel said.

"No guarantees but it's worth a shot. Happen to have one on you?" She looked at him.

Disappointed, he shook his head.

"I just hope this doesn't last long. I'll do some scanning on her to see what's going on inside." Cassie pulled a heavy machine over Bria which projected a hologram of Bria's skeleton and inside organs.

Both of their hearts broke.

Thel never studied human anatomy, but he knew for a fact that it was not supposed to look like that.

"How is she still alive?" Cassie whispered. "Even if we find a cure, it's so messed up in there I don't know if she will survive either way..."

Thel stared blankly.

"I-I need some air..." Cassie quickly walked out of the room.

Out of anger, Thel yelled and quickly turned to punch a hole in the wall.

He looked back over at her.

She was so peaceful.

Bria awoke in a pure white room. She couldn't see anything mostly, just a white space. She was mostly confused. Weren't her, Thel, and Cassie back on the ship, walking to her living quarters?

"Hello?" She called out. But it echoed and echoed with no response.

She decided to sit down. For some reason, she felt afraid. Was she dead? Did that power finally do its justice?

"Choose whom you will serve." She heard a voice echo in the room. She looked all around and saw nothing.

"Light or darkness?"
"Justice or crime?"
"Good or evil?"
"Heaven or hell?"
"Love or hate?"
"Suffering or freedom?"

The voices echoed in her ear.

"Hello?" She screamed out.

"Choose whom will you serve." It repeated.

"Bria." Once she heard her name, she quickly turned around. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Beth?"

Cassie couldn't stop crying. She just got her best friend back and now she's going to watch her die?

After everything they've been through, even after Bria didn't talk to her for years and basically just disappeared, Cassie still loved her like a sister. She would never give up on her.

"Why are you crying, little lady?" Cassie jumped and gasped at the sudden voice. She thought she was alone.

She looked up and was surprised to see a marine standing there. He had a heavy southern accent and pretty blue eyes.

"O-oh I'm sorry. I don't mean to be in your way." Cassie quickly stood up.

"You're fine missy I was just finding a quiet place to hideout." He replied. "Mind sharing what's wrong? I've been told I'm an awesome therapist."

Cassie smiled but quickly frowned. "M-my best friend is in a coma. And we're afraid that if she wakes up, she won't survive."

"Well darn. That's too bad. I'm really sorry." He said.

"It's fine." She took a look at his armor. "What's it like being a marine?" She asked.

"I'll tell ya once I get on the battlefield. I'm just a medic." He said.

"People underestimate medics. Honestly, medics save more lives than the heroes do." Cassie said.

"That's true. But we gotta respect them." He said.

"Well, I really appreciate your service too." She smiles.

"Thank you... uh?" He held out his hand.

"Oh uh, Cassie. I'm Cassie." She shook his hand.

"Travis." He smirked. "It was a pleasure meeting you miss Cassie. I hope to see you again."

Cassie felt her cheeks heat up. Oh! Enough about boys! She needed to focus on finding Bria a cure.