Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again. - Chapter 316

Chapter 316: Waking up.
The first thing Sunshine saw when she opened her eyes was a pair of purple eyes that belonged to White. The little bear was looming over her, squeaking and shaking pushing down its front paws on her chest.

She noticed the ceiling. It was yellow. Not like a sun but an egg yolk. It was impossible for her ears to miss the beeping. It was rhythmic and persistent, the kind that one could hear if they walked down the hall of a hospital.

“Mom.” Came a broken wail from the right.

She turned her head slowly, on the direction of the sound. Castiel was standing by the bed, sobbing into his octopus which was now soaked and missing a limb.

“Hey champ,” she croaked, her voice dry as burnt toast, “what happened to the octopus? Did your father rip off a limb.”

Castiel sniffed. “I thought you would never wake up.”

“Impossible,” she said. “I was just taking nap because I overworked. No…I was trying to see if I could sleep longer than Sleeping Beauty? Did I win?”

A snort came from the left. Earl, perched on a stool beside the other side of the bed was squinting at the monitor. “You were not kissed awake by a prince, so you lose.” He looked at her. “Your heat rate is normal for superhuman levels, blood pressure is a little high. Oxygen is good, unless superhumans breathe another type of air. Whatever it is, it is good. But your skin is still pale. Like a ghost. Or that bed sheet Ariel was forced to wear as his Halloween costume last year.”

Sunshine smiled. “Thank you, Dr. Earl Quinn. I choose ghost and I will start haunting you as soon as I am out of here.”

Then came the voice of doom.

“How were you injured?” Ariel asked. He was standing at the foot of the bed, eyes sharper than a spy’s and tone similar to that of a prosecutor in a courtroom drama. His brow was furrowed and his arms crossed on his chest.

She pushed a button and upper part of the bed rose slightly. Looking at her oldest son, she blinked. “Hey baby.”

“You said we would go out to play.” he said, “dad carried your unconscious body to the medic bay. That is not how games work.”

She blinked again. “Well, I was wrestling a goat…:”

Ariel narrowed his eyes. “A goat! Are you joking right now?”

She laughed. “Only a little. Sweetie, I injured myself while I was working. It was a work accident. Sometimes, things like that happen. But I am okay and that is all that matters.” Sunshine looked at the boys, one by one.

Then, her eyes met her husband’s. Hades sat in a corner, arms folded, jaw clenched. Not a peep had come from him since she opened her eyes. His brooding was so intense that it could’ve powered the entire base.

“Hades,” she said gently, “I am okay.”

He looked up, hard eyes softening. “We had a deal. No getting hurt.”

“I am okay.” She repeated.

“You scared me.” he said.

“I scared myself,” she said. “One minute I was thinking about your handsome face and the next I was bleeding and dreaming about our family swimming with dolphins.”

Castiel chuckled.

Ariel groaned.

Hades rolled his eyes.

Earl continued squinting at the machines, mumbling about something not being right. They all heard him calling a nurse to ask about Sunshine’s latest blood work.

“You need to stop that.” Ariel snapped at him.

“But something is not right.” Earl insisted.

“Have they been like this the whole time?” She asked Hades.

“Earl double checks the doctor’s work and results of every test.” Hades shared.

Sunshine nodded. “Got it.” Earl was behaving like a professional doctor who knew it all and Ariel was frustrated. What she did not understand was how Ariel did not notice that he and Earl were alike in so many ways. They were both obsessive individuals, just in different areas.

Castiel climbed into the bed, pushing White’s small paw away from Sunshine’s chest. White pushed back and the two started shoving each other.

“Mom.” Castiel whined.

White roared in a whiny way. Everyone was familiar with the whine; it was his way of calling Sunshine when he wanted attention or to complain about someone: usually Castiel.

Hades stood up, debating who to pluck out of the bed between Castiel and White. Sunshine shook her head, telling him to let them be. It was not the first time the two were fighting for who got to sleep on seventy percent of mommy’s chest.

Rori bustled into the room from the hallway, carrying a pillow like it was a precious gem. She fluffed it with the precision of top chef and shoved it behind Sunshine’s back.

Then she shook her head. “I know how you don’t like to share things like this with other people, so I brought sheets, pillows and blankets from home. The pillow is goose down. When you are sick goose down is best.”

“Thank you, Rori,” Sunshine said, “I am sure the geese appreciate your sacrifice.”

Rori snorted. “You always joke when you want people to forget that something serious is going on or when you are in pain.”

“It is either that or I cry into Castiel’s octopus.”

Castiel presented it quickly. “You can cry now mama.”

Sunshine shuddered. She was not putting her face in the snot filled plushie. “No thank you dear, mommy is all tapped out.”

Nurse Kendall popped in, checked the IV, smiled and Sunshine and then left. More family and friends started entering, whispering “hi,” while laughing awkwardly. Luckily, the room was big enough to fit at least seventeen people.

After greeting Sunshine, they all kept quiet, finding spots to sit or stand around, drinking coffee mostly.

Sunshine took a deep breath. “We have a base to run. Why are you all gathered here as if we are in mourning?”

The door was opened before any answers could be given. Philip’s head poked through before the rest of his body followed. “I was visiting Nusra and heard that you are awake.”

Sunshine nodded. “Got any jokes for me?”

Ariel glared at her. “Jokes are not appropriate in medical settings.”

“Why did the red blood cell go to school?” Philip asked.

Sunshine giggled. “Why?”

“To get a little circulation.” Philip bellowed loudly.

There were some laughs and giggles. Even Hades managed to smile. Only Ariel sighed.

“Another.” Earl demanded.

Philip peeked at Lisha, she was laughing. It seemed like she was interested in listening to more of his jokes. “Why did the platelet break up with the white blood cell?”

“Why?” Sunshine asked.

“Because it was too clingy.” Philip bellowed.

More laughter. Even Ariel smiled at that one. He gave Philip credit for sticking to medical related jokes and his ears perked as the man continued.

“Why did the cow go to the hospital?”

“Why?” Ariel blurted out.

“Because it had moo-moo nia!” Philip replied.

Sunshine leaned back against the goose-down pillow and closed her eyes for a moment. White had fallen asleep, Castiel was sucking his thumb looking like he would also fall asleep at any moment. She embraced them a little tighter. Her body was feeling strange, her hand was in pain in all the places where the tubes had been attached. But her heart was full. She had a full army of loved ones in the hospital by her side.

The door was opened and Major Elio walked in. He walked straight to Sunshine and whispered, “We have superhumans outside the wall. Four of them, led by a man named Dominic Steward.”

Sunshine sat up, eyes wide in surprise. “Who did you say was here?”