Location: UNSC Never Forget - Medical Bay
Date: May 15, 2534
Time: 0600 Hours
The sterile lights of the medical bay hummed above me, their steady glow the only thing keeping me anchored in reality. I had been drifting in and out of consciousness for what felt like days. The edges of the world blurred, fading into patches of darkness as the pain in my side slowly dulled under the weight of the meds.
But this time, when I opened my eyes, I was awake.
I blinked, the fog in my mind lifting enough for me to realize where I was. The med bay on the Never Forget. I could smell the antiseptic, the sterile coldness of the room making the memory of the battlefield seem like a distant dream.
I turned my head slowly, wincing at the pull in my side. A quick glance down showed the bandages wrapped tightly around my torso, the blood-soaked layers replaced with clean, white gauze. The pain wasn't as sharp now, but it was there, lingering like a shadow over every movement.
As I shifted, I felt a weight beside me—warm and familiar.
I turned and saw Alice sitting in the chair next to my bed, her arms crossed over her chest, her head resting against the back of the chair. She looked exhausted, her usually sharp eyes closed, her brow furrowed even in sleep.
She had stayed with me. Of course she had.
I wasn't sure how long I lay there, just watching her. The world felt smaller now, quieter. The battle, the near-death experience—it was all still fresh in my mind, but the immediacy of it had faded into something more distant. I was alive. That was the only thing that mattered right now.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Alice stirred, her eyes blinking open as she straightened in her chair. Her gaze fell on me, and for a moment, she just stared, as if she wasn't sure whether I was really awake.
"Hey," I said, my voice rough.
Her expression softened, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Hey yourself."
"You look like you've been sitting there for a while."
She shrugged, though I could see the exhaustion in her eyes. "Couldn't exactly leave you, could I?"
I tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a pained breath. "Guess not."
There was a pause, the silence between us thick with unspoken words. I could see the worry etched into her features, the weight of the last few days bearing down on her just as much as it had on me.
"I thought we were going to lose you, Cass," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
I didn't know how to respond to that. I had felt it too—that moment when I wasn't sure if I would make it out of there alive. The darkness had been so close, closer than I ever wanted to feel again.
"But you didn't," I said softly, meeting her gaze. "I'm still here."
She nodded, though the relief in her eyes was tempered by something deeper. Something that told me she had been carrying more than just the burden of the mission. We all had.
"Doss saved your life," she said after a moment, her voice steadier now. "If he hadn't stepped in when he did…"
I nodded, the memory of Doss's intervention flashing through my mind. I owed him. I owed both of them.
"I'll have to thank him," I muttered, though even as I said it, I knew the words would never be enough.
"He'll come by," Alice said, shifting in her chair. "But right now, you just need to rest."
Location: UNSC Never Forget - Observation Deck
Date: May 17, 2534
Time: 2000 Hours
Two days had passed since I woke up in the med bay. The pain was still there, a dull reminder of how close I had come to the edge, but I was recovering. Slowly, but surely. The docs told me it would take time, but I'd be fit for duty again soon enough.
I wasn't sure if I was ready for that.
I stood on the observation deck, leaning against the railing as I stared out at the stars. The vastness of space stretched out before me, endless and uncaring. It was strange, how small everything seemed from up here. The battles, the missions, the lives we fought for—they all seemed so distant now.
I could hear footsteps behind me, and I didn't have to turn to know it was Doss.
"Feeling better?" he asked, his voice calm as always.
I nodded, though I didn't look at him. "Getting there."
There was a pause, the silence between us filled with the quiet hum of the ship.
"You did good out there," Doss said, stepping up beside me. "Even after you were hit, you held it together."
I wasn't sure if that was true. The last thing I remembered before everything went black was feeling like I was losing control, like I couldn't hold on anymore. If it hadn't been for Alice and Doss…
"I got lucky," I muttered.
Doss shook his head. "Luck had nothing to do with it. You're still here because you're a damn good soldier. Don't forget that."
I glanced at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. Doss wasn't one for giving out praise lightly, and hearing it from him felt different. More real.
"Thanks," I said quietly, the words heavy with meaning.
He nodded, his gaze still fixed on the stars. "You're going to make it through this, Cass. We all are."
I wasn't so sure. The war was far from over, and every day felt like we were walking a fine line between survival and death. But for the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe—just maybe—I could keep going.
We stood in silence for a while longer, watching the stars. There was no rush to speak, no urgency. Just the quiet, and the understanding that came from fighting together, surviving together.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Doss clapped me on the shoulder and turned to leave.
"Get some rest," he said, his voice lighter now. "We'll need you back in the fight soon."
I nodded, though I wasn't sure if I was ready. The fight was still there, waiting for me. But for now, I was content to just be here. Alive. Watching the stars.
Location: UNSC Never Forget - Barracks
Date: May 18, 2534
Time: 0700 Hours
The barracks were quiet when I returned, the usual buzz of the squad's chatter muted in the early morning light. I moved slowly, my side still aching, but I was getting used to it. Pain had become a constant companion, but it was manageable.
Alice was sitting at the far end of the room, cleaning her rifle with the same careful precision she always had. When she saw me, she gave a small nod, her expression unreadable.
"You're back on your feet," she said, her tone casual, but I could hear the relief underneath it.
"Yeah," I replied, sitting down beside her. "Feels like I've been out forever."
She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You're lucky to be up at all, Cass."
I nodded, the reality of what had happened still settling in. I had come so close—closer than I ever wanted to be again. But I had made it through, and I wasn't alone.
"Thanks, Alice," I said after a moment, my voice quiet. "For everything."
She looked at me, her eyes softening. "We're in this together, Cass. Always."
I felt something warm settle in my chest at her words, a sense of connection that went deeper than just being squadmates. We had been through hell together, and we had come out the other side. Whatever the war threw at us next, I knew we'd face it together.