Alias- Forever And Always

30) Love For The Same Woman

AN: Music for this chapter (on repeat): Idylls End by Hans Zimmer from Batman Begins Soundtrack, Walkaway from Meet Joe Black Soundtrack, The Russian Spy and I, The Saddest Song I've Got, So Cold byBen Cocks feat. Nikisha Reyes- Pile, I Love You by Sarah McLachlan, De Usuahia a la Quiaca by Gustavo Santaolalla from The Motorcycle Diaries,Mas Que Nada by Sergio Mendes, Adagio for Strings, Op. 11. by Samuel Barber.

THIRTY

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From the hospital in Moscow they saw another montage of clips while they loaded both Irina and Katya onboard Irina's jet and took off for St. Petersburg in the middle of the night. They'd laid Katya beside Irina in the massive Imperial bed in Irina's room when the surgery on Irina's hand was finished and slowly Katya had begun to awaken.

*Idylls End*

When she opened her eyes, Katya was staring at the mural on the ceiling and immediately she bolted upright in bed, remembering what had happened. The immediate rush sent a wave of pain through her head and left her cursing in Russian while she grabbed with her hand, squinting her eyes.

"Easy, Ekaterina," Alexei spoke in a soft voice, smiling at her when she opened her eyes to look at him, realizing she wasn't alone.

The rhythmic beats of the heart monitor caught her ear just before her eyes landed on the still form beside her, Irina.

"Is she okay?" Katya gasp, afraid to reach out and touch her fragile looking ghostly pale sister in spite of the dark tan they knew was supposed to be there.

"She will be." Alexei smiled, just as Dmitri entered the room with a tray of tea and sandwiches, setting them in the far corner away from the bed, "You saved her life, My Dear… your blood is what's pumping through her veins right now, keeping her alive."

"She would have done the same for me." Katya spoke softly feeling new tears building in her eyes and reaching out to take hold of her sister's hand, noticing the other was now covered in gauze with metal pins protruding everywhere.

"Yes, she would have… because you're sisters and you love each other." Dmitri smiled softly, walking up behind Katya. "She needs you, Katya… now more then ever and I'm not talking about your life-giving blood." He sat at the end of the bed, "She's pregnant, Katya… pregnant." He repeated when her eyes widened astonished. He had been too when the first blood test came in during her second surgery.

"Still?" Katya asked breathlessly as her eyes immediately scanned her sister beside her, still so incredibly broken and vulnerable and surrounded by machines helping to keep her alive.

"Yes, as astonishing as it is, she's managed to stay pregnant and not miscarry through all this. We've done the blood test twice now. She's approximately four months along." Alexei smiled, "Another miracle amongst miracles." He lay his hand gently over Irina's abdomen, "I have to go make some calls and I'll be back in a bit." Alexei's smile remained, placing his hand over Katya's fingers and kissing her forehead. "Stay put for a while, Child and let your body adjust."

Katya nodded and focused her gaze on her sister's still form beside her.

"The baby is not the only reason she needs you." Dmitri began once Alexei had departed, "Do you know where Irina has been this past year?" He looked intently at Katya, knowing she didn't. "She was in CIA custody. In prison, Katya, again."