Blue sank back against the mountain of pillows, squirming uncomfortably. Her lower abdomen hurt something awful, and a brief tactile inspection revealed it to be insanely tender, and her trembling fingers explored a row of small neat stitches, testament to Dr. Gwen's work earlier. A traitorous sniffle escaped as Blue recalled why that operation had been necessary.

But before she could dwell on it too much, the far door opened and three familiar figures came into view, all of them beloved and familiar. Dr. Gwen approached immediately, her tired smile no less comforting. "Hey, Blue," she said, a cool hand coming to rest on her forehead. "Glad to have you back again, sweetheart. How do you feel?"

Ugh, what a question. Blue tried to laugh, but coughed instead, Gwen helping her lean up a bit to clear her lungs so she could breathe easier. "...rough," she managed to get out. "Stomach...hurts."