New Beginnings

Chapter 34: Healing Slowly

Cora POV

Beep.... Beep.... Beep....

A sound pierced through the fog of sleep. It was steady and constant, seemingly never ending. More garbled sounds followed suit along with the strong smell of anti-bacterial cleaner filled my nose. I wanted to scrunch my nose but seemed to lack the will to do so. Then I slowly lifted my heavy eyelids and glanced around. The room was bright. Light from the window reflecting off the white walls, making me want to close my eyes again. I felt like I had slept for years, but I was still tired. Struggling to focus on what was goin on around me I was reminded of that incessant beeping and slowly turned my head towards the source of the noise. The muscles in my neck were stiff and sore.

As I straightened my head I became aware that someone was in the room with me and I saw it was none other than my master, sitting in a chair beside me. She hadn't realised I had woken yet and was staring off into space. Despite my slightly blurred vision I could still see that Alexa had been deprived of sleep, dark circles and bags under her red tinted eyes proved that and I wondered how long she had been there.

I soon became aware of the acute pain in my stomach and couldn't stop the groan that escaped my lips. This must have alerted Alexa to the fact I was awake because her gaze immediately shot to me and her lips slowly curled up into a smile.

"Cora...?! You're awake! Oh thank the Force!" She leaned over and quickly, but still gently, embraced me.

"H-Hello master." I croaked. My mouth was dry and I ran my tongue over my lips a few times.

"I've been so worried about you! There was a time where everyone was worried that you weren't going to make it...! But I never gave up on you, I refused to think that you would.... I just knew you'd get through it!" I could hear her voice was thick with emotion and as she smiled at me I twitched my lips up in a smile back.

"How.... How long was I out for....?!"

She didn't answer straight away, seeming a little nervous to tell me jus how long I had been unconscious for, however she sighed softly and told me. "14 days."

"What?! I was unconscious for two weeks?!" To stay I was shocked was an understatement. I had been asleep for the last fourteen days, that's a fortnight and that is an awful lot of time to be knocked out for! "Hold on.... To be asleep that long I must've been in a comba!" Alexa nodded and my jaw dropped.

"You were.... I'm sorry Cora I should have been there with you, I should never have let you and the others go on that assignment alone. I should have assigned some clones to go with you or gone myself. I just never thought Grievous would do what he did and now you're hurt and it's all my fault! I'm so so sorry!" Tears collected in her eyes and she began to cry.

I was shocked, I had never seen my master cry! Not once! I almost thought she never cried, but now I knew different. I slowly reached out and took her hand, trying not to think about the ache in my arm as I did so. "Master.... Alexa.... Please don't apologise. What happened wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't." I insisted. "The only person to blame is Grievous. Please don't beat yourself up over this when you are not at fault. Instead why don't you tell me what I missed while I was unconscious?" I suggested when suddenly I remembered I wasn't the only one injured on the mission. "Where's Maya? Is she ok?!" Images of the last time I saw her before Grievous got me raced through my mind, I was worried about her, she had been hurt pretty bad.

"Fine. She's just fine." Alexa reassured me and I sighed, happy that she was alright. "She has a broken arm along with some cuts and bruises but for the most part she's ok. You got the worse end if the stick so to speak."