Chapter Text
The world gleamed breathtakingly from far away...but everything is different when you come up close.
In Gateway Station’s quarantine ward, time lay as paralyzed as a deer caught in the headlights. The clock on their nightstand blinked 8:30 A.M, but it felt much later; the sterile light of the infirmary room jarring, the air too clean to breathe. The potential discomfort of the room, however, brought no worry to Ripley and Newt as they sat relishing the newfound peace. They were alive. Better yet: together, they were on their way to living.
Living. What was it all about? A lot can change in fifty-seven years. Although resurrected from her artificial slumber, Ripley's spirit lay still sleeping, locked away in emptiness. Memories rippled back in her mind to the previous time she lay here, in a similar room in a similar bed, life drained of purpose. Surrounded by death, why was she left alone to live?
But by god, arms wrapped around her newfound, blonde gift from the stars, she knew now.
It was a decent sized room. Plasticy white walls and a small kitchen with a portable coffee pot (thank the caffeine gods) and a hot chocolate attachment Newt wholeheartedly believed was the Holy Grail. Her little girl. They just didn’t get it, attempting to send her up to the pediatric ward alone. Newt was not afraid to let them know with her newly grown adult canines after a futile attempt to relocate her. They got the picture. For now. The overwhelmingly intelligent physicians were gracious enough to quarantine them together. What was the difference to them? At first, the poor girl clutched onto Ripley, trembling with unease, but after a few hours and a good cup of hot cocoa, she returned to her lovely, inquisitive self.
Now, Newt’s little hands pressed against the glass window as she stared out at the glowing, aqua Earth below them. The minute she caught sight of it, she never wavered her sharp gaze as if it would grow wings and fly-- float away.
“Ripley," Newt spoke softly, "is that really where we’re going?”
Newt's hypnotic blue eyes stretched wide against her tiny face. Brushing through her smooth hair with a comb, Ripley decided that Newt’s external beauty almost matched her internal one. Almost. Nothing could compare to the youthful spirit of a child, that despite all hardship and trauma, still found the world exhilarating--even if that certain child lived on a parasite-infested rock their entire life.
“That’s home, honey.” Ripley said with a smile.
“It’s so, so..." Newt searched for the right words to match her amazement and leaned into the window farther. “Big!”
Ripley chuckled, and it felt so good. “Sure is, baby.”
“The blue parts are the ocean, the white parts are the clouds,” her fingers moved against the glass but slowed as she came upon the green patches intertwined with white swirls of clouds. “But what are those?”
Ripley took her hand in hers, guiding her. “All of those shapes are land, where living things live.”
Her tiny thinker paused. “But people and animals live on the ocean, too. Like dolphins, and sharks, and fish, and people on boats with big red sails. But I’ve never seen any of those in real life.” Newt looked down. “Only in books.”
If prompted, colonist profiters would rant endlessly on how colonization was vital to the longevity of the human species, but the prospect of not seeing the planet of their origin even once made Ripley’s skin prickle. Building Better Worlds.
Ripley drew Newt closer. The girl snuggled deeper, warm despite the chill of the room, smelling clean.
“We’re going to see everything, right?” Newt said against her chest.
“Everything,” Ripley promised. “Everything, and more.”
Newt’s smile stretched ear to ear, and Ripley couldn’t resist smooching her on that perfect head. That rare smile could melt a city made of ice.
It was over. No matter how often she told herself this, it didn’t seem true. Reality couldn’t be less real, normality a strange concept she couldn’t completely grasp. Hell, it would take time to adjust, they all would, but besides her little girl, the only one who could understand the feeling was--
Hicks.
“Why isn’t he waking up?!”
Oh god, Dwayne.
“Hello! Good morning, girls!” A sickeningly sweet voice rang on the intercom, causing them both to flinch. “A special delivery from Nurse Alma! Orange juice, blueberry muffins, eggs, and dried fruit!"
Ripley didn’t remember the medical staff being this...cordial. She glanced over to Newt, hoping she was at least enjoying the enthusiasm, but the smallest survivor narrowed her eyes on the door, her grip on her mother's arm tightening as Ripley reached to press the intercom button.
“Come on-” Ripley began, but the nurse barged in, her bulky meal cart trailing behind her.
“With a side of supplements, of course.” Alma grinned unbelievably wide, revealing arctic white teeth that looked too perfect to be real. She stood nearly as tall as Ripley herself, a long blonde braid neatly stretching down her side. She reminded Ripley of a deranged Rapunzel.
“And how are we today, sweets?”
“We're fine. Thank you.” Ripley gratefully took the warm plates.
“Always good to hear that!” Alma said. She knelt down to Newt's level, who lingered cautiously away.
“Now. You’ve been such a good girl staying up here in the grownups room. Would you like a lolly?” Alma held out a bright green sucker.
Newt reached out a hesitant hand to take it. “Thank you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“She finally speaks!” Alma exclaimed with a clap. “And what a lovely voice too! Make sure to eat all your breakfast before enjoying that, alright? Good girl.” She handed the last of the items and gave another unsettling grin.
“Enjoy! I’ll be back for lunch.” She turned to the door, but Ripley hurriedly stopped her.
“Oh, Alma-- I don’t mean to keep you from your work, but, is there any word on the Corporal who was with us? Corporal Hicks? Is he awake yet?"
Alma’s grin dimmed down to a somber smile, and Ripley’s heart sank deep in her chest.
“Mmm...I’m sorry, I don’t believe so.” Alma said. “I’ll relay your request for a visit, although my leading physician, Doctor Payne, recommends complete isolation for testing purposes. Extended cyrosleep is quite the phenomenon, we haven't seen it in more than a decade!" She almost looked proud of the fact, but upon seeing Ripley's unmoved expression, she humbled. "But rest assured, he's improving rapidly. All he needs is time."
Ripley crossed her arms and sighed. “Please let me know if anything changes.”
“Right away, Miss. Ripley, right away! You have a good morning now!”
Newt eyed the lime-green candy with suspicion sitting at the kitchenette table. After a moment's speculation, she spoke up again.
“Is Hicks going to die?” Newt's gaze was unnerving. Still.
Kids say the darndest things, but Newt was no normal kid. Ripley dropped her fork, took her hand and gave a hearty, comforting squeeze.
“No, honey. I don’t think so.” Don't let that be a lie.
“Good,” Newt nodded and gave a small smile. “I like him.”
Ripley smiled through her pain as she spooned scrambled eggs onto her new daughter's plate.
“Me too.”