We're Different Than the Rest

Chapter 18: Medbay

"Of course, sir. I'll be back before we land on the Liberty." Sid nodded and stepped out of the room.

"Bly?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared."

"I know. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" Bly saw a tear roll down Aayla's cheek.

"I- no. Now I want to sleep but I can't. What if I can't walk again? Or use my lightsaber? What if I-"

"Hey, shhhh. It's okay. You're going to be okay. You're going to get better. I know it."

"How do you know, Bly?" A few more tears rolled down Aayla's cheek.

"Because I'm not going to stop helping you get better until you are. I won't leave you. Ever." Bly smiled. "Are you sure you can't sleep?"

"I'm so tired."

"Just try to sleep."

"Will you stay?"

"Always."

Eventually, Aayla fell asleep right before the ship landed on the Liberty. Reno and Sid carefully moved her stretcher through the halls to the medbay, receiving concerned looks from every trooper they passed. Bly followed next to them, never letting go of Aayla's hand.

"Commander?" Reno came back into the room twenty minutes later to find Bly sitting next to Aayla staring into an abyss. He was still holding her hand. "Vod?"

Bly looked up at Reno. The bags under his eyes made it obvious that he hadn't slep in days.

"Sorry, what Reno?"

"Sid says she has to go in the bacta tank before the scarring gets too bad."

"Right."

"I can get you a cot next to the tank if you want."

"If you wouldn't mind, please do."

"I wouldn't mind at all, Vod." Reno stopped in the doorway. "Sid will be in here in a minute."

Bly sat on the cot next to Aayla's bacta tank. Sid had a special bacta suit made for her that allowed her back to get treatment, but for her injuries to be in a cast. It almost exactly resembled her typical outfit.

Bly heard the door open but didn't look to see who it was. He felt a weight sink the mattress down next to him, and out of the corner of his eye saw a symbol on the hand armor of the clone.
"Eat."

"Reno, I'm not hungry."

"If be starving if I was you. 'I'm not hungry' my shebs. You haven't eaten a real meal in four days, vod."

Bly reluctantly grabbed the plate. Once he started eating, he realized how hungry he was and finished the food quickly, with Reno sitting next to him the whole time.

"Thanks, Reno."

"No problem."

"You really need to sleep."

"I'll sleep later."

"Now's the perfect time. She's fine in there. She won't wake up for a while anyway."

"I can't just leave her alone."

"I'll sit over there and watch both of you. Someone had to make sure you're sleeping anyways." Reno sat down in a chair on the other side of the room.

Bly laid down on the cot as Reno turned the lights off. He quickly fell asleep with only one thing on his mind, Aayla's safety.

.oOo.