Page 289 of Every Almost

"Oh."

Charlie looked at the ceiling.

Kess blew out a breath.

"She needed something to do," Kess added. "Scratch that,Ineeded something for her to do." She turned Charlie's head another two degrees. "She was pacing around here like a Vryx with a drug problem."

Charlie thought about that.

"What's a 'Vryx'?"

Kess didn't answer.

"Did it need medical attention?" Charlie said. "Is that why she was pacing?"

Kess looked down at her.

"What?" Charlie said. "I can't ask questions?"

Kess picked up something out of Charlie's eyeline. "Gods, you're both idiots, I swear."

"Beg pardon?"

Then Kess finally stopped. Her hands went still on either side of Charlie's head, and she looked down at her from about a foot away.

"Charlie. She was pacing around here because ofyou."

Charlie didn't move.

Somewhere across the bay a machine was beeping.

"... what?" Charlie asked quietly.

Kess threw up both hands.

"You two are so set on the other one not?—"

And stopped.

"Not what?"

Charlie's reaction must have shown on her face, because Kess looked away.

"Notwhat, Kess?"

Then Kess looked back at her, and though you could see she was still annoyed, underneath it she was looking at Charlie the way Helen used to. Like Charlie was being an idiot about something, but it was going to be fine.

Kess took a breath. Her shoulders came down.

"Get up."

"Sorry?"

"I said get up. You're not 100% but you're about 99.9%, and that's good enough for me in the current circumstances."

"What current circumstances?" Charlie asked as she sat up. Kess began pulling all the monitors and sensors off her arms and from her head.

"You have a head injury. Don't go drinking Borran's unrestricted wine or taking fight lessons from Tavi in the fitness center." Kess pulled the last sensor off Charlie's forehead, taking a few strands of hair with it.