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"I think I'm falling for you," I blurted out, the words hanging in the air between us.

Imogen's eyes widened, a flush creeping up her cheeks. For a moment, neither of us spoke, the silence stretching out like a chasm.

"Norn, I..." she started, then stopped, seeming to gather her thoughts. "I care about you too. More than I should, as your doctor."

Hope flared in my chest, warring with the ingrained discipline that told me attachments were a weakness. "But?" I prompted, sensing there was more.

Imogen sighed, her thumb tracing gentle circles on the back of my hand. "But it's complicated. You're my patient. There are ethicalconsiderations. And you're still recovering, still adjusting to everything that's happened."

I nodded, understanding her hesitation even as part of me wanted to sweep it all aside. "I know," I said. "And I respect that. But Imogen I've never felt this way before. About anyone."

She looked at me then, a softness in her expression that made my heart race. "Neither have I," she admitted. "And that scares me a little."

I chuckled, the sound surprising even to me. "The great Dr. Imogen, scared? I didn't think that was possible."

She smiled, a real, genuine smile that lit up her whole face. "Oh, I get scared plenty. I'm just good at hiding it."

We sat there for a long moment, hands intertwined, the air between us charged with unspoken emotions. Finally, Imogen spoke.

"Let's take it slow," she said. "Give yourself time to heal, to figure out who you are outside of being a warrior. And I'll talk to the ethics board, and see about transferring your care to another doctor."

I felt a pang at the thought of not seeing her every day, but I understood the necessity. "Okay," I agreed. "Slow it is."

As Imogen stood to leave, she hesitated for a moment, then leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. The touch of her lips sent a jolt through me, like an electric current.

"Goodnight, Norn," she whispered.

"Goodnight, Imogen," I replied, watching as she left the room.

As I lay back in my bed, my mind whirled with everything that had happened. The marvels I'd seen in the medical facility, the revelation about Imogen's past, the confession of my growing feelings for her.

I closed my eyes, trying to make sense of it all. These new feelings provoked a battle within me, as the warrior in me, the part that had been trained to see emotions as a weakness, resisted. But another part, a part that was growing stronger every day, embraced them.

Chapter 6

Imogen

The alarms blared through the medical center, jolting me from my fitful sleep at my desk. I sprang to my feet, heart pounding, as the emergency code flashed across my datapad.

"Security breach in Ward 7," the automated voice announced. "All personnel evacuate immediately."

Ward 7. Norn's ward.

I bolted from my office, adrenaline coursing through my veins. The corridors were chaotic, with staff and patients streaming towards the emergency exits. I pushed against the tide. My only thought was getting to Norn.

As I rounded the corner to Ward 7, I skidded to a halt. The security doors had been blasted open,twisted metal and sparking wires where state-of-the-art locks should have been. Through the smoky haze, I could make out figures engaged in combat.

My breath caught in my throat as I recognized Norn's silhouette. He moved with a fluid grace I'd never seen before, his cybernetic arm a blur as he fought off multiple attackers. But these weren't ordinary intruders. Their movements showed a level of coordination and precision that was too high.

A stray energy blast hit the wall near me, showering me with debris. I ducked behind an overturned med cart, my mind racing. Who were these people? What did they want with Norn?

As if in answer to my unspoken questions, a voice cut through the chaos. "Stand down, Norn!" a woman shouted in a clipped, authoritative tone. "By order of Krixon High Command, you are to return with us immediately!"

Krixon. Norn's home world. The pieces started falling into place, and an icy dread settled in my stomach.

I peered around the cart, trying to get a better view. Norn stood at the center of the ward, surrounded by five figures in sleek combat suits. Their helmets obscured their features, but their stance screamedmilitary.

"I'm not going anywhere," Norn growled, his voice carrying a dangerous edge I'd never heard before.