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( 59 一 REPARATIONS. )
Clara woke to the steady beep of machines. She was flat on her back, her whole body radiating pain. Something warm was pressing against her palm and she squeezed it tightly. In a flash a body moved above her, their face creased in worry.
"Clara?" Chubs asked, looking deep into her eyes. "You're awake! Are you in any pain?"
Clara moved her head up and down slightly, trying to communicate the agony coursing through her. Chubs pushed a button into her hand, closing her finger over it.
"It released morphine. Press it whenever you need," he told her. Clara did as he said and before long she felt herself relaxing, the pain ebbing away from her like the tide.
"Is—" her words were choked off, her throat dry and scratchy. Chubs jumped forwards, a cup of water being pushed up to her lips. She took deep gulps, enjoying the feeling of the cool liquid soothing her throat.
When she could finally talk she began again. "Is everyone okay?"
Chubs took a weary breath, collapsing back into his chair. "Well, Ruby is pretty banged up. They shattered her fibula but she's healing up okay. She's in the room next to yours," he said, pointing at the wall joining the rooms. "Everyone else is fine. Tired, but fine."
"Did it work?" Clara asked quietly. She wasn't sure if she was ready to hear the answer.
Finally, a small smile graced Chubs' stressed face. He nodded proudly, reaching out and grabbing Clara's hand. "It worked. You and Ruby did it."
Clara let herself close her eyes for a moment. They'd done it. They'd liberated the camp. The win was so hard fought for and it felt so bittersweet because Clara knew all the lives they'd lost in the process.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by a hand sharply slapping her wrist. "But I swear to God if you or Ruby ever pull a stunt like that again I'll kill you both myself," Chubs said, a familiar scowl on his face.
Clara chuckled weakly, "Deal, Chubsy."
The click of a door being pulled open drew Clara's attention. In the doorway stood Vida, two bottles of water in her hand as she walked into the room.
"You'd think this place was run by fucking zombies. Not a single person could tell me where to buy a simple bottle of goddam water," Vida complained loudly, her eyes focused on closing the door.
"Um, Vida..." Chubs trailed off.
"What?" she questioned, spinning to face him. When she did her eyes locked on Chubs before panning to Clara.
With a quick drop of the water bottles on the floor Vida was racing towards her, "Fuck's sake, I leave for ten bloody minutes."
When she reached Clara's bedside Vida didn't waste a second. She grabbed the girl by her jaw and smashed her lips into hers. It was hard and full of love and Clara was acutely aware of Chubs's presence but she found it within her to forget him for a moment. She allowed herself to be completely consumed by all things Vida. The smell of her hair, the softness of her bitten lips, her hand on her face. Everything Clara had prayed for had been gifted to her.
