It's Not Weakness, It's Human

Cole sat head in his hands in the chair next to a hospital bed and quietly hid the fear and shame that rolled down his face in the dimly lit room. Neatly folded sheets covered his motionless son up to the chest, one arm turned under side up with an I.V. forcing fluids into his body and an oxygen mask forcing him to breathe. Here it was easy to see the differences between father and son. Nick had a dark tan, black brown hair that had grown out since the attack, chiseled cheekbones and jawline. Cole sat bedside with his critical son when footsteps approached the dark room. His hand went instantly to his side arm, loosing it from its holster at his side to hold readied at his side.

The door creeked open, Dr. Nakea peered inside before opening it enough to enter.

"General," she nodded to him as he slid the weapon back into his hip holster, still in plain view. She didn't flinch, apparently accustomed to St. John's edgy behavior. "I just need to check his vitals and change his I.V. bag."

"Go ahead," Cole replied in a dull tone. He straightened in his chair, running his palm across the thick stubble that had grown out of his short buzzcut. Tessa went to work straight away, even in the unlit room she knew her way around her patient. She checked the quality and positioning of the other monitors attached to the young man's chest, scarcely as old as she was, yet in a coma in her emergency room. Swiftly the fluid bags were exchanged for new ones, she administered his next dose of medication into the I.V.. She took one last look at the EEG censors for any signs that he would wake soon, but nothing showed up.

"His heart rate and blood flow seem normal, still no signs of internal bleeding from the his wounds..."

"When will he wake up?" Cole interrupted abruptly.

"I'm sorry, I don't have an answer that question." Tessa frowned.

Cole sat silently in the darkness, only slivers of light breaking through the blinds into the hall outside. The dark circles underneath his eyes showed his age and his exhaustion as he let his body slump forward again, supporting his forehead with an arm propped on his knee.
"Will he wake up?" he asked finally, his voice almost breaking.

"I..." she stammered. "I don't know. We're doing everything we can." She placed her hand timidly on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.

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Screams filled the halls of the military hospital as two soldiers gripped a woman by her arms to keep her from lashing out. She fought tirelessly against their grip, the man she was so furious with her own husband stood before her. She cursed his name, his existence, even the colony to which they belonged that demanded such despicable acts.

"How could you!! You bastard, he is my child too! . . . No! You can't do this, let go. Cole! Do something?" A mixture of rage and pleads came from the dark haired woman who's belly was tot with child. "You gave your word!"

Cole turned away, running his palm over his scalp as they took her screaming down the halls of the hospital into the operating room. He shook his head, trying to shake off everything she had said before he turned back to the doors and sat waiting outside. Some time passed before Cole stood up, pacing back and forth in the hall way with impatience.

“This is taking too long...” he said to himself as the doctor stepped out of the doors behind him, Cole turned with concern on his face.

“General, we've safely delivered your son. Would you like us to continue the process?” he asked slowly.

“And Leah?” Cole asked hesitantly

“She's unconscious. There was a complication with the anethesia, she was awake throughout the C-Section. She will need some time to heal the incisions, otherwise she should be fine.”

“Continue the augmentation,” he said as he stepped toward the operating room. “Take me to my wife.”

“Actually sir,” the doctor started hesitantly. “Before she went under your wife asked that she be left alone.”

“Take me to my wife,” he repeated with a furrowed brow.

The doctor stammered, but eventually led him through the doors and into her room. Her eyes were closed and her body neatly tucked underneath the sheets of the bed. Her black-brown hair waterfalled over his shoulders in messy waves to frame her tanned face. Cole sat in the chair next to her bed waiting for the wrath that would come when she awoke. Knowing full well that she would be livid with him, but when her eyes opened and briefly registered his face she simply turned her back to him. He tried to lay a hand on her shoulder to comfort her she didn't move.

“Leah...” he spoke her name to try to get her to look at him, she refused. A growing sense of unrest accompanied the silence in the air. He pulled his hand away after a long time had passed. He rose, Leah stayed on the bed with her back to him as he turned toward the door.

“Have the nurses retrieve me when you're ready to go home.” he said as his hand turned to handle of the door.

'I have no home,” a faint whisper came from the bed. Cole turned back for a moment, rubbing his brow with his free hand. Then he pulled the door open, closing it behind him to leave her alone. No tears filled her eyes, but the burning pain of solitude consumed her in the white room.
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Cole placed his hand on Tessa's and more gently than expected brushed her away from him. Tessa pulled back mournfully, there was little else she could do to console him. She frowned as she knelt to see his face, he instantly looked away.

“It's alright to shed tears for a loved one,” she whispered quietly. “It's not weakness, it's human.”

“I lost my humanity a long time ago doctor,” he said as he shifted back in the chair away from her prying eyes. She frowned further and stood, understanding what he meant. She turned and left the room, the white light of the hospital hallway pouring in as the door opened, only to dissipate into darkness once again. He glanced over at his son, his brow furrowed slightly, he looked like Leah.