36: argument and relief

The familiar smell of an antiseptic, which was popularly associated with hospitals, hit Aria's nose before she opened her tired eyes. At first, when she opened them, she struggled to make sense of her environment. Her eyes were opened, but she had not fully grasped her location. She tried to hoist herself when she discovered that an IV was attached to her skin. She felt a bile rush up her throat when she coughed.

Just then, Robert walked into the room, and his eyes flew open when he discovered she was awake. He rushed towards her and bent his head to examine her face, relief washing over him.

"You're awake." He stated, pushing a strand of hair from covering her face.

"Yeah," she said, her voice coming out lower than she expected. She tried to stifle a yawn as she hoisted herself, with Robert assisting her with care.

"How are you doing?" He asked her.

"Good, I guess." She responded, looking around the room. Her location had dawned on her. "What am I doing here?" She glanced up at him,