Cipher

Chapter 16: Aftermath

The machines beeped a discordant tune seeming to compete with the squeaking of Joslyn's still drying sneakers as she hurried down the tiled hall of the hospital. She hated hospitals. The smell brought back memories, and they all seemed to smell the same.

She found Cipher's room easily enough. The amount of noise competing for her attention dissipated until there was only one machine calling out to her. One slow beep, and the hush of worried voices. Her steps faltered as she found herself standing in the open doorway unable to go in. The whole Johnston family was present as well as another man Joslyn didn't recognize.

The adults stood aside speaking in quiet tones. At first she thought that they didn't want to wake Cipher, but despite the impossibly slow pulse of the heart monitor he was propped up in bed playing dinosaurs with little Aaron. Isaac sat in the chair pulled close to the bed watching their quiet game punctuated by Aaron's sound effects. It was only when he looked over to see her standing there that he got up to meet her.

"Hey," Isaac greeted her, his voice matching the hushed mood of the room.

"How is he?" she nodded toward Cipher who gave a weak wave with a T-rex before Aaron pulled him back into their epic battle.

"He seems okay. Duane's been in contact with the Aeolian physicians since no one here knew what to do." He paused, his hand cradling his neck as he leaned into the doorframe. "I don't know how long they're planning on keeping him here." he shook his head. "How are you?"

Joslyn looked away, not saying anything.

"You should go talk to him."

"It looks like he's pretty busy with Aaron right now," Joss noted, but they both knew it was just an excuse.

"Yeah, well, Aaron's getting a bit rowdy." Isaac said even as the little boy smashed a triceratops into Cipher's T-rex hand.

"They could both probably use a breather." With that, Isaac walked over and scooped Aaron off the bed who squeaked in displeasure. "Time for a break."

"Not done yet!" Aaron insisted, squirming in Isaac's arms.

"Even if it's a snack break?" Isaac asked.

Aaron paused. "I get to choose?" Isaac nodded. "Okay," he wiggled from Isaac's arms and turned back to Cipher as soon as his feet hit the floor. "I'll be back, okay?" He said it with the seriousness of a businessman closing a huge deal.

"I will take care of your friends while you are away," Cipher promised, his voice quiet and rough.

Aaron smiled before running over to Isaac where he was talking with their mother. She nodded and the boys left the room, but not before Isaac could give Joss a pointed look and a nod toward Cipher.

Her heart stuttered as she fought her rising panic. An awful sense of deja vu was threatening to drag her down as she got closer to the bed. It's not him, she told herself, Cipher is fine. He's fine. When he finally met her gaze, his black eyes pierced the bubble of anxiety that was growing in her chest. Black eyes, not blue. Not her brother.

"Hey," she greeted him tentatively.

"Hello," his voice sounded as tired as his slow movements suggested. "I suppose I have you to thank for Aaron's distraction."

"Guilty as charged," she kept her voice soft, unwilling to break the quiet of the room. "But I thought you said Aaron didn't talk to you?"

He made a small sound she thought might have been a laugh. "That was the first time he addressed me directly." His complexion warmed sluggishly as if it too were tired. "Do you think he was feeling sorry for me?"

Joss couldn't help the small smile as she shrugged, "It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Cipher made a quiet sound of amusement. "I suppose."

"Are you okay?" It was the stupidest question to ask, but she had to hear it from him. To see him still breathing. To know he was alive. Even if being at the hospital made her skin crawl. Even if the walls felt like they were slowly closing in.

"I will be," his voice rasped. "Are you okay? You do not have to be here if you do not want to be here."

She paused, looking at him. "How do you do that?" her lips trembled from the force of unshed tears.

"Do what?"

"Know exactly what I'm feeling?" she crossed her arms tight across her chest. "Sometimes it's like you're reading my mind."

"Practice, I suppose." he paused, "and auras." he said, as if that explained everything.

"What?" The only thing that came to mind was some weird ideas about colors or something.

"Not uncommon among Aeolians," he paused seeming to catch his breath. "Are you going to stay?"

Joslyn gave him a small smile. "Yeah." She took the chair next to the bed. "But you can expect a lot of questions when you're feeling better."

Cipher nodded as he leaned back into the stiff hospital pillows behind him. He looked exhausted, marks standing dark against the pale background of his skin and the white sheets. His eyes started to flutter shut even as he reached toward her, his hand brushing hers where they were folded on the bed.

"Thank you," it was so quiet she almost missed it.

Before she could reply Cipher's eyes were closed, his breathing rough but even.

"You must be Joslyn." the man she didn't recognize quietly came to stand near her.

"Yes." she blinked back tears that were threatening to spill over again.

"Cipher told me about you." he looked at her, a sad smile crossing his lips. "I'm Duane. Cipher's main contact while he's here."

Joss nodded. This whole program was a big deal for humans and Aeolians alike, but would it continue if it was putting lives in danger?

"Will he be leaving because of this?" She asked, not looking at Duane. Her eyes traced the lines of the wallpaper instead.

"That hasn't been decided yet." he sighed. "But I don't think so."

"Why not?" she didn't want Cipher to leave, but maybe that's what would be safest for him.

Duane sighed, shaking his head. "Unfortunately, this is bigger than one person. Cipher being here is monumental; as are his counterparts all over the world. I don't think anyone involved is willing to admit defeat yet."

"But he could have died today!" she struggled not to raise her voice.

He seemed to age with every word. "It's not my call."

She dipped her head; of course it wasn't. And who was she kidding, Cipher wouldn't give up that easily. He was so determined she didn't know if there was anything in the world that could keep him from this.

Duane stepped away as his phone chimed. Joslyn turned back to Cipher, silently promising to do whatever she could to help him.

He could do this, she would make sure of it.