Riley Is Safe-ish

Riley was gone in an instant using his speed the moment he heard her scream. Appearing in front of Loreen he looked her over before noticing Slither on her. “You ok?” He asked feeling light headed.

“Yes, but why are you out of bed?” Loreen sounded concerned, suddenly distracted from the horror of having Slither around her neck. The snake leaned out and flicked Riley with her little forked tongue, giving him energy.

“I heard you scream and I got worried” he whispered his face blushing.

“Well, er, back to bed!” Loreen blurted as her own face turned pink and she started shoving him toward his room. “I have work and you need to heal! You even ripped out your IV!”

Slither snickered.

“I'm scared” he whispered feeling ashamed “I feel like none of this is real. Like Thrane or Coral are going to pop up and take me away. ”

“They won’t.” Loreen told him. “Speaking of that bitch, she wasn’t really pregnant, you know.”

“She's not?” He asked in a hopeful tone.

“No, she’s not.” Loreen sighed heavily. “I snuck in a blood test and found out she’s as barren as her soul.”

Riley leaned against the wall for a moment his body shaking.

Slither flicked out her tongue, tasting the air to read what was going on with Riley.

“What’s wrong?” Loreen asked, reaching toward him.

“I thought Coral had finally trapped me” he whispered “she knows I would never willingly abandon a child. I was so scared of her being pregnant… I want a family one day but not with her” looking at his hands he clenched then and closed his Eyes “I want to believe I'd be a great dad. But i think that ship has sailed.”

“You don't know that, Riley. You could be a great father. I'm sure you will. When you're ready.” Loreen explained as she pulled him into a tight hug.

Slither would slide over and curl around his shoulders in a snake hug.

Riley Hugged her back “Thank you” he whispered “I just feel lost.”

“You’re safe here…” Loreen whispered back.

Riley kissed her cheek, his face blushing as he did it.

Loreen never knew how to respond to these things. She was not soft and was not used to soft gestures. Instead of giving him what a normal woman would return, she escorted him back to his room and got a new IV put in for him.

Shiro was sitting there. Watching them.