Celeste
⌛Preface Four⌛

Aurora could barely manage to get out of bed. He was finally cleared to go home but nothing changed. He barely spoke, he barely ate. He was still pale.

Night after night it was just one nightmare after another. Then he couldn't sleep. When he could, he'd be out for more than twelve hours at a time.

This was more than depression.

Nothing was going to help.

Sirus was tired of going home and seeing Aurora like that. He was tired of waking up in the middle of the night because Aurora was crying. He was tired of seeing a full plate of food because Aurora didn't want to eat.

It's been three months and nothing changed.

It took another month just for Aurora to start moving around the house more. He ate smaller portions, but he barely said anything. He didn't ask about work, or how things were going, or how people were. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He didn't want to do anything.

He was just so tired that it was killing him.

He mostly laid in bed and cried to himself. When he wasn't crying, he was sleeping, that's when he wasn't having a nightmare. He barely noticed when Sirus was home, he didn't talk much or try to get out of bed. He would stare at the wall, cry to himself, then go to sleep just to do it again the next day.

"You have to eat." Sirus had placed a plate of food in front of him but Aurora didn't touch it. He looked at it, and instead he felt nauseous.

He went pale, his heart beginning to race and it caused him pain. "I'm not hungry." He said quietly.

He hadn't eaten much since yesterday morning and Sirus didn't think that was okay. "Aurora-"

That was all it took for Aurora to become overwhelmed. "Please, leave me alone." He kept his eyes away, but he was on the brink of tears.

He hadn't slept and he was so tired. He was mentally exhausted. He couldn't even handle the idea of Sirus wanting him to eat, it made him anxious.

He couldn't do it.

"Please," Aurora didn't want to cry in front of him but his tears fell anyway. He hoped he wouldn't have to beg Sirus to leave him alone. "Go away."

Sirus wouldn't leave him.

And that's what made Aurora cry more. His anxiety got the best of him again. His depression will soon follow. He just wanted to sleep.

Another day of failure.

Sirus couldn't get him out of bed. Sirus couldn't get him to eat. Aurora didn't want to do anything.

That's how the days went sometimes and it was a struggle. Other days, Aurora wouldn't talk. He wouldn't cry. He'd sigh quietly and turn over in bed because going through the motions didn't sound interesting.

Sirus was done. He hated what was happening and he was over it.

He was promised that Aurora would get better if he took his medications and went to therapy.

It didn't help.

Then Aurora stopped trying to take care of himself, no medications, and he skipped therapy because he wanted to stay in bed.

Someone had to fix this mess, and Sirus was going to force them.

"Harlow, we have a problem." A woman walked up to the Head of Health and Medicine, and she was panicking. "It's been brought to my attention that a Lieutenant is here and he's looking for you."

A high ranking soldier was looking for her? Who could that be...

It took her a second, but she remembered that Sirus worked for the Department of Defense. And if a secretary was addressing him as such that only means he's in uniform and he's armed.

Her hands gripped her secretary's shoulders. "How much security could I get in one room?" She asked quickly. "And not the robots, I need actual defenses." She said.

"Probably a couple officials but I don't know-"

"Please call them to my room." She rushed off in a different direction.

She knew she would have to talk to Sirus but she needed protection. She didn't believe his aggression was as real as she's been warned, but he's looking for her, and she got chills going up her spine like a killer was following her.

She made her preparations but only had a minute to do so because Sirus was not slow. He had looked in multiple places, and when people started disappearing, he knew that Harlow was moving somewhere.

He wasn't alone either. It was like him to bring multiple people with him.

And when he does that, it only means it's serious. It means that he's angry, and he wants someone to do their job.

"Sirus-" she wanted to warn him.

She wanted him to stay back, not because she was scared of him but because she knew he had a temper and there's no use reasoning with him when he's mad. He needed to calm down so she could explain things to him.

But that's not how it happened.

He walked right up to her, trying so hard not to grab his weapons that were strapped on him. The others that were in the room had their weapons pointed at Sirus but he barely even blinked at the threat as he glared down at Harlow.

"Sirus, I know you're upset." And she didn't add to that because she wasn't sure how he would feel.

She knows that Aurora and Sirus are inseparable. She knows that Sirus would do anything to make sure Aurora comes out of every situation unscathed. Right now, Sirus had to find a solution to the problem.

Aurora wasn't in his right mind.

"He's not going to get better over night." She said cautiously. "That's why he hasn't been cleared yet. But he is improving."

"Improving?" Sirus didn't care what the numbers looked like. "He's in bed all day and doesn't eat. He's not taking care of himself. He's still having nightmares even with those shitty medications you and that other woman gave him."

There was little improvement.

"Fix him." Sirus wasn't going to ask again. And when it looked like Harlow was going to use big words just to confuse Sirus, he pulled a weapon out on her.

He wasn't going to tell her twice.

Someone needs to do something.

Harlow wasn't frightened, though she did have a panicked stare at the weapon that was pointed to her forehead. She knew what Sirus was asking of her, and she was doing her best along with Phoebe to help, but there's only so much that can happen. "He needs time." She was sure he needed a lot of it. Sirus didn't like that.

He didn't think of moving away from her, and the fire in his eyes got worse.

Someone needed to do something because everything else wasn't working.

Harlow knew the look in Sirus' eyes.

She's dealt with hundreds of family members that were angry about a loved one in critical condition. She knows what it's like, and she knows how to help. The anger in Sirus' eyes, that wasn't all of it.

He was scared.

And he wanted someone to do something because everything he's tried hasn't worked.

She knew what he was dealing with it, and she knew how to help. "As friendly advice, I'd convince him to go somewhere else. He's not cleared to work for months, it's practically a vacation."

Sirus narrowed his eyes. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Aurora has over a year. He's not allowed to work. The other department heads are handling a tremendous amount of work because Aurora is gone. He can't worry about that. He has months to do whatever he wants.

Sirus would be a terrible person if he let Aurora stay in bed for the year.

"Find something to distract him and make him happy."

Changes aren't going to happen over night but it's been four months.

Sirus was tired of it.

So he was going to take Harlow's advice.

He quickly came up with another idea and this time he would force it to work.

He stepped away from her slowly, no longer looking as threatening as he was a second ago, and he put away his weapon. The tension was resolved.

Sirus' anger was gone, but she saw a sadness in him, something that felt unusual for her to see. It was hurting to know that Aurora was depressed and not getting better.

Harlow thought Sirus was miserable. She felt bad for him. It's not easy not being able to help someone that needs it. "I can take the implant out for you, Sirus." She offered again quietly.

She had been told no a few times before, and she figured that Sirus might be persistent, but this time he didn't answer to her comment.

He was still fine. Nothing has happened to him yet.

He didn't say anything as he left the room.

Aurora was sleeping on the couch which is different from him sleeping in bed. He tried to move around but didn't get very far. The fatigue was hurting. He couldn't stay up long. Somewhere deep inside, he knew what was happening, why he was like this, but he couldn't find the will to want to be better.

He's faced death hundreds of times because of the implant. After going through that, he figured it wasn't worth it if he was going to feel like that again.

Aurora had difficulty remembering things the way it actually happened now.

That day he fell from the sky, he saw more people killed. He knows Sirus isn't dead, but from what the implant showed him, no one survived. Aurora couldn't help but feel alone now just because he still thinks his fake memories were real.

It was easier to stay in bed.

There were days he got to sleep, and he would sleep for more than half the day, then there were days where he couldn't even get an hour of sleep.

Today, if he so much as sat down anywhere he'd fall asleep within five minutes. He couldn't even make it to the front door without feeling an overwhelming sense of fatigue. He was on the couch today because he did try to move but didn't get very far.

Sirus didn't think that was progress, because Aurora only thought of eating, but left the fruit on the table. He couldn't even touch it.

Aurora was passed out on the couch, and he looked like earlier, tired. His white hair was a mess around him, his face pale and his body thin. He hasn't been eating much so he was beginning to look frail. He was so tired that the thought of eating was taking too much energy. It was easier to sleep.

Sirus was annoyed, not with Aurora, but with himself because he didn't know what to do for a few months.

He wanted to give Aurora time to handle this himself but that clearly wasn't working so Sirus was going to force him up. That's the only way Aurora was going to get better.

So Sirus planned to leave.

Aurora woke up from the noise. His eyes opened slowly and he found himself looking up at the ceiling in the living room, he just couldn't remember how he got there. The noise persisted, it was coming from the bedroom. It took him a moment to get up, but he did. He walked over to the room, finding Sirus tossing clothes on the bed. He practically cleaned out the closet.

"Are you leaving?" Aurora asked quietly.

He wouldn't be surprised. Aurora tried to get himself up everyday but had a hard time. He could feel Sirus' frustration with him.

All the crying and hopelessness. Was Sirus tired of him? That's what Aurora thought.

"We're going somewhere for a year." Sirus answered, but he didn't say anything else.

Aurora was surprised. Where were they going to go for a year? He moved some of the clothes aside so he could get in bed again.

The thought of leaving was nice, though he didn't know all the details.

He even laughed quietly to himself. "You're an idiot." He said. When Sirus looked over to him quickly, Aurora smiled weakly. "They're not going to let you just leave." He said. "And the system won't approve an extended leave of absence for you."

"You're making it hard to want to go anywhere with you."

"I'm just saying." Aurora said. "It's not like Rhea would do an override for you either. She hates you."

That wasn't going to stop Sirus.

Aurora liked the idea of going somewhere. He just wasn't sure if he had the strength to make it outside. It's a great idea though, getting away for a few months.

"You're not that good at executing plans." Aurora said to him, but he smiled kindly.

That's what happens when his other half isn't around.

This was the most Aurora talked since he's been back. Maybe it was the idea leaving. It almost made him excited, as much as he could be while he was terribly depressed.

He almost fell asleep again just because he hadn't spoken in a minute.

"You don't take naps." He mumbled quietly.

"I think you're doing all the sleeping for both of us, Aurora." Sirus definitely wasn't going to take a nap when he has to find a way to be approved to leave for at least six months.

Aurora waved him over anyway.

Sirus stopped what he was doing and got into bed with him. It was a good thing that Aurora was talking more, and it might not last, but that was improvement. It was a big deal. Sirus had pulled Aurora close to him, moving his arm around him.

Aurora couldn't remember the last time Sirus actually touched him. It's been months. Aurora took the chance to get close. His head was resting on Sirus' shoulder, and he closed his eyes. There was something familiar about having Sirus close to him, Aurora missed it a lot.

He should get away.

He'd be much happier.

"I'm sorry." Aurora said quietly. "I know you don't like being lonely." He said.

Sirus didn't like it. Aurora being so quiet was odd. Not having him around at work was worse. Things weren't the same and Sirus wasn't the only person to say that. No one has stepped up to take Aurora's place temporarily. They just pool all the work together instead.

They know he's coming back.

But it's not that soon.

"You're delusional." Sirus said, but Aurora knew.

He was already dozing off. He couldn't help it. The fatigue got to him again, but at least this time, he hadn't had that numbness in him like the world was just a void.

It was the first time he fell asleep and didn't have a nightmare.

During the night, Sirus had woken up. He was holding on to Aurora but one of his arms felt numb. He had to move Aurora off him. He shifted in bed and so did Aurora.

Sirus didn't mean to wake him.

Aurora barely moved. He was still tired but that wasn't anything new. He was always tired. He hoped that Sirus wouldn't move away far. It was better to sleep when Sirus was next to him. His hand caressed Sirus' fingers gently before he felt the need to go back to sleep.

"I miss you." Aurora mumbled quietly and closed his eyes.

Sirus knew what that meant, especially with the way he was pressed up against Aurora.

It's been months.

He figured that Aurora was just tired, that he didn't know what he was asking. Maybe he was delirious, he was mumbling to himself.

But Sirus missed him, too, so it was a start.

Sirus had taken a few days to get everything together, but his leave of absence request was rejected immediately by the Computer. When he asked for an override, that was no better. He knew Rhea would say no, so he was going to fight it in person.

"Sirus." Rhea looked up from all her work. "What an unpleasant surprise." She was dull. She knew why he was here.

"I'm not going to threaten you." Sirus made that clear, though he wanted to add that he could threaten her if he doesn't get what he wants.

"I know why you're here." She put everything down and looked at him. "Spousal leave is for spouses, Sirus. You're not going to get approved if you don't have a spouse."

She didn't think she had to make herself clear. The rules, codes, policies, and laws were written pretty well and not to be deceiving. Sirus wasn't approved for spousal leave because legally he didn't have a spouse.

He still thought it was a good idea. "Just approve it, Rhea. It's not like anything is going to happen."

She rolled her eyes and went back to her work again, she didn't want to be bothered. "That's not how it works."

"It's for Aurora." Sirus said. Rhea looked towards Sirus slowly. She has never heard him say he was doing something for someone else.

She saw the solemn look in Sirus' eyes. For once he wasn't angry. Rhea didn't know what to say to him. She was only prepared for hostility. How was she supposed to handle Sirus if he wasn't yelling at her?

"We're...leaving for the year." Sirus needed to get Aurora away.

"You care about him." Rhea already knew. Sirus would do anything for him, even quit his entire life if it meant Aurora would get better.

The plan was temporary but for the year they would go somewhere else.

Sirus almost didn't answer to what Rhea said, but the look on his face answered it for her. He does care.

"How is he?" She was concerned about him. This was the first time she had access to review his profile and his numbers weren't looking any better than how they were months ago.

She figured he was still depressed.

Sirus crossed his arms over his chest, his expression no longer showing interest. Rhea did ask a personal question and he didn't like that. "We had sex for the first time in months." He said plainly. "It was phenomenal."

Rhea sighed to herself and pinched the bridge of her nose. Why did she expect a genuine answer from Sirus? She should've known that Sirus wasn't the type to tell her the truth either, just like Aurora.

"It's a good idea." She agreed with Sirus' plan to leave. "I just wanted you to come in here and ask me yourself." She smiled widely.

That didn't make Sirus happy, considering what's been happening. "I should-"

"You're free to leave, Sirus." She didn't need to hear his threats. She already got enough of that. "You have one year."

Hopefully that's all the two of them needed.

By the time they came back, things had changed.

Aurora looked much happier than when he left. There was brightness in his eyes and color to his face. He had cut his hair extremely short, just like how he used to when he was younger. His mood was much better than before and he was managing, too.

He was taking care of himself.

And he also had a little one to take care of as well.

He held a two month old in his arms as he was greeted by everyone that was waiting for him.

That was his daughter he was holding on to, and her name was Celeste.

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