Insomnia

51

Silence. Esme pulled back the covers and sat up. Through the visor of her mask, the hospital room floated between washed white and murky blacks.   Looking through the window on the far wall told her she was still on the moon - in a facility on the Fantasian campus. Third floor, she guessed.

There was a woman in the bed next to her sitting quietly and reading. Devoe.

"Morning," Esme greeted sleepily.

The cyborg's eyes widened, and she leapt to her feet, tearing out most of the ledes connected to her body. The monitors tracking her vitals started making a terrible racket, quickly drawing a team of white coated doctors into the room. 

Several of them glared at her, before turning to Esme in shock. They rushed to her side, noting down the numbers on the screens and asking her questions.

She answered them as politely as she could, insisting that all she really needed was rest, she felt fine, was experiencing no strange headaches or nausea, no, nothing like that. They nodded uncertainly and soon left her alone, but promised to return shortly and conduct more tests. Rumors of her abilities had started to spread, it seemed, as they expressed a not so  subtle interest in scanning her brain. 

"How long was I out?" Esme asked, once they had gone.

"Almost two days." Devoe chuckled. "I'm surprised it wasn't longer. That battle with the Knightmare looked intense."

"'Looked'?" said Esme. "You saw it?"

"Fantasian got a recording and broadcasted it across the Net. They're claiming they hired you freelance to take down the Knightmare."

Esme flashed hot with embarrassment before remembering that a recording wouldn't show her local, or share the memories she'd recovered, nor her final internal showdown with the Knightmare.

A knock came at the door. The knob turned slowly before swinging open.

Atticus stepped inside. His hair was frizzy and unwashed, likely from travel. He looked anxiously at the hallway outside. Esme could see from here that it was filled with people, and loud noises. She looked back at her brother.

"You came," she said quietly. 

A nod.

"Not just here," Esme said. "In Somnus too."

Atticus closed the door and walked towards her bed. Another nod. A weak smile.

"Of course," he said.  His voice was ragged and unpracticed - the product of months of disuse.  "Always."

"You..." she gasped before steadying herself. "I'm glad you're back."

"Sorry," the word came out heavy and worn. "It took me so long."

Esme shook her head.

"Don't apologize! Please, it's okay, but... what changed?"

Something grim flickered across his face before fading into a rueful smile.

"Time, mostly. And facing... it. I needed that." His fists clenched. "I needed to face it."

Esme nodded before she turned to look at the both of them. "Are you two alright? Seriously. Are you hurt? With everything that's happened..."

Devoe shrugged.  "Bruises, a broken bone or two. Those combat bots really packed a punch." She placed a robotic hand on her hip. "But then again, so do I."

They chatted a little while longer. At least, Esme and Devoe chatted while Atticus listened and made a few comments every now and then. He still had a long way to go before he was back to his old self.