"Ah, good morning, Alden." Alena looks up form the file she is reading, a warm smile on her face. "Why don't you go grab a coat and we'll be on our way."

It is way too early in the morning for this, but I don't have too much of a choice. It's mine and Finn's first day apart since being here, and it was hard to watch him walk out the door without me. He had to go down to the lab, where they will be doing a few more tests. Alena had told me last night that I had been paired with her, to be her assistant.

It's a little insulting since I am a nurse. Not an assistant.

At least she let me bring Viola along with me since I don't trust anyone here to watch her. The way some of the workers here had eyed her when we first got here unnerved me. Who knows what might happen to her if she is away from either me or Finn.

Grabbing one of the lab coats hanging on a rack, I have to shift Viola from arm to arm just so I can put it on. She doesn't seem to mind. Just blinks up lazily at me from where she is half asleep in my arms.

Alena stands when I walk back over to her. "Let's get you set up, and then we will start on our rounds."

Nodding my head, I follow behind her as she walks over to a door. When she opens it, I see that it is a storage room, filled to the brim with equipment. She seems to know where everything is, though, quickly grabbing the items before closing the door again.

"A stethoscope." She hands it over to me, and I drape it around my neck. "A key card." She puts it in the front pocket of my coat. "And you're very own pen, how exciting." She rolls her eyes at her words, before handing the pen over to me.

"Viola, I even having something for you," she says, her voice soft as she looks down at my half asleep baby, who is currently sucking on her thumb. It has become her new favorite thing, even refusing the pacifier when she is tired because she prefers her thumb. I don't mind, it's adorable, and Finn agrees.

"Here you go," Alena says, unfolding a small cap. It is different from the ones they usually have in hospitals, looking warmer and softer. Before putting it on the baby's head, Alena looks up at me, silently asking if it's okay. I nod my head, watching as her smile widens.

Viola stays quiet as Alena puts her brand new hat on, just cuddling closer to me in an effort to get more comfortable. The hat is adorable, a little big, but she will grow into it. It's a dark green color, with white stitching. It looks like something from one of those more expensive stores, something that I would never be able to afford.

Alena starts walking, motioning for me to follow her. "We have a lot of stuff in storage, in preparation for when the new children come. I just thought Viola could use something of her own."

"Thank you," I say, and Alena nods her head.

"No problem." She stops at the desk that she had been sitting behind when I first got here, picking up her clipboard and sliding the pen into her pocket. "We have a few patients to check on, and then we will actually be going down to the lab, where you will meet some of the other patients who are having tests done. They are getting matched today since we finally have enough to start another group."

"Matched?" I question, my brows furrowing in confusion as I follow behind her.

She gives a single nod of her head. "Yes, matched. Everyone who is a fertile has had many tests performed on them in order to determine their health. Using this information, the doctors in the lab will match them with whomever they believe is the best match.

"That's all that is on the schedule for today. They will not do an actual plantation of a fertilized egg for another week. That gives them enough time to collect gametes from both parents and fertilize the egg before it is implanted."

Those words cause me to halt, but luckily, Alena stops as well, giving the door in front of us a knock before swinging it open. My thoughts wander over to Finn and what he must be going through. There is no way for us to get out of here without the soldiers here coming after us. To think that he is forced into doing this makes me sick. Obviously, these people do not believe that consent is important.

The room has a warm glow to it, only a lamp in the corner and the light from the window making it possible to see.

"Remy, how are you doing this morning?" Alena asks, her voice soft as she approaches the bed. Warily, I join her, stopping just behind her.

There, sitting on the bed, is a little boy, no older than three with a bright pink cast on his arm, and a dark blue one on the entirety of his left leg. Seeing children in pain has always been something that makes my heart ache and this time is no different.

The little boy looks away from the television hanging on the wall, Monsters Inc. playing quietly.

"Fined," the little boy- Remy- says. His eyes brighten when he sees us, a smile growing on his face. "Hi, Lena."

Alena smiles at the eagerness in his voice, seeming just as happy to see the little boy. She takes a seat at the edge of his bed, her clipboard resting in her lap. "I've brought a friend, Remy. Would you like to meet him?"

"Yeah," the little boy says, his voice quieter than before. A blush comes across his cheeks, and it is clear to me that he is shy. It makes my heart warm.

Stepping forward, I readjust Viola, placing her so that her head is resting against my shoulder. "Hi there, Remy. I'm Alden," I reach my hand out and he eagerly takes it, his fingers only managing to wrap around a few of my own. "It's very nice to meet you."

"Who that?" he asks, pointing at Viola.

"Viola, she's just a baby so she likes to sleep a lot," I say, and Remy nods his head.

"My lil brofer sleeps a lo'," he says, "Mama say it's 'cause he is growin big an' strong."

"Just like you need plenty of rest to get better," Alena says. "Now, let's see how you're doing and then you can watch your movie."

Remy sits there quietly, eyes constantly flicking between the television and Viola. He looks sad, lonely, something a young child should never have to feel. I wonder how long he has been in here by himself, only getting periodic visits to make sure that his bones are healing nicely.

Not thinking too much about it, I sit down in the chair next to his bed, the movement causing him to look up at me. "Would you like to hold her? She likes to cuddle, especially when she's sleepy."

Remy gives an eager nod, his dark eyes lighting up in delight. Viola lets out a small huff when I move her away from me but settles right back down once I set her in the crook of Remy's arm. He watches her with wide eyes, while Viola just falls back asleep.

We stay like that the entire time Alena examines his casts and takes his stats, writing everything down on her clipboard.

"You're healing perfectly," Alena says, settling a blanket around Remy. "We'll be back to check on you later, Remy."

His face falls, eyes wide in distress. It is easy to see how much he hates being alone, and I don't blame him. He has no one here to keep him company, and he is so young. Leaning forward, I brush his dark hair out of his face. He looks up at me, his eyes bright with tears and lower lip trembling.

"We'll come to visit you, me and Viola, as soon as we are done checking on the other patients." He gives me a shaky nod, trying as hard as he can to hold back his tears. Reluctantly, I pick up Viola, cradling the sleeping baby against my chest.

"Bye-bye," Remy says, voice small.

It's hard to leave the room, giving him my own goodbye before Alena closes the door behind me.

"He's been here since before the outbreak," she says, walking down the hall, not even waiting for me to follow. "Parents brought him in after he fell from the family tree house. The parents left, though, once the disease started to spread. Said they would be back the next day but never came. Poor Remy has been here all alone, waiting for them to come back."

"Why is he just left in there alone?" My voice comes out harsher than I was intending, but I don't apologize. There is no reason for him to be away from others, in complete isolation except for a few times a day. "That has to be torture for him, especially after being abandoned once already."

Alena's mouth twists into a frown. "Those are the rules around here. Just in case there is an outbreak in the building. We are supposed to keep as many people isolated as possible so that it would minimize the spread. I try to go in there as much as I can, but since I am the only doctor on this floor, it is hard to spend as much time with him as I would like."

"I'll visit with him," I say, my words rushing out. "I wouldn't mind."

She stops again, outside another door, before turning to give me a grateful smile. "I think that would be great, Alden. Thank you."

Without waiting for me to respond, she opens the door, stepping into the room and starting up a conversation with the new patient.

The next hour goes much the same, us checking on all the patients, and almost all of them cooing over Viola. I don't let anyone else hold her, though, not liking her being in physical contact with others. Viola stays asleep the entire time, only waking when we go down to the labs.

I am only allowed to see Finn for a brief moment, giving him a chaste kiss and letting him hold Viola. He has already been matched with some woman named Mary. She is quiet, doesn't speak to anyone. Her eyes are distant, and Finn tells me that she lost her wife recently, right before she was brought here.

It is hard to dislike someone who has such sad eyes.

When Viola starts to cry from hunger, I give Finn one last kiss before leaving. It's irritating to have to walk all the way back up to our room to get her a bottle, especially when she is starting to get more upset with every passing minute.

She calms as soon as I give her the bottle, and I make my way back to Remy's room. I had made a promise, and I intend to keep it. This time, I bring Harry with me, thinking that Remy may like to have a puppy to pet.

The little boy lights up as soon as we step into the room. He starts to talk with eagerness, babbling to Viola as I set her down next to him again. She is just as content as before, not fussing as Remy holds the bottle for her. Harry starts to yelp when I don't pick him up right away, so I lift him onto the bed, watching as he sniffs Remy, tail wagging. The two of them get along great, Harry giving the little boy kisses on his face before settling down next to him.

My ass starts to ache from sitting for so long, but I can't make myself leave. Remy is so happy, his smile never leaving his face. It's rare to see someone happy in this world, so I just stretch, before settling in a more comfortable position.

We are going to be here for a while, and I don't mind at all.