BALANCE | A Star Wars story

XLVII

      Arden sets me down gently on the bed that became mine when we we travelling together. I lean against the headrest and sigh closing my eyes, searching for a sleep I know will be riddled with nightmares. Again.

      "Stay here, I'll be right back." Arden says before letting go of my hand with a squeeze and slipping out of the room.

       "I couldn't even I wanted to," I mutter thinking of my leg that is bursting with pain now that the adrenaline is beginning to wear off. Arden comes back holding two bacta patches, he rolls the sleeve of my injured arm up so that he can get to the wound and applies a bacta patch there. He then goes to my leg, my trouser leg is matted with blood and the wound can be seen through the tip in my trousers.

        "This is going to have to be cleaned," he says hesitantly.

         "Just—" I begin but he cuts me off.

         "Oh I know!" He says before rushing out of the room and returning a moment later with a pair of scissors. "Can I cut your trousers? I'll leave the top bit don't worry, I just need better access to it to clean it. I mean you could clean it yourself if you really want but I didn't think you were up to it and—" he's rambling, probably from nerves, so I cut him off.

         "Just do it," I say through gritted teeth, the pain making my vision go dark around the edges.

         "Okay," he says before getting to work. He cuts the trouser just above the wound, which is mid thigh, so that he can slide down the majority of my trouser leg to my knee just enough so he has access to the wound.

         It's an ugly thing and just looking at it makes me want to throw up so I just close my eyes and let Arden take care of it. I feel him disappear from my side for a brief moment before he returns and presses something cold to my wound which makes it sting like hell. I yell out, instinctively trying to jerk my leg away but he holds it in place with a firm grip on my knee.

      "I know, I'm sorry but it has to be cleaned otherwise it'll get infected," he soothes and my entire body tenses and my breathing becomings laboured. My head swims from the pain that is so blinding I don't know what to do. Arden begins rubbing circles on my knee as he cleans my wound and I focus on that, letting the sensation of his thumb wash over me, eradicating any pain.

      After what feels like an eternity, Arden finally applies the bacta patch and I breath a sigh of relief. The pain dulls to a throb as the bacta works it's magic.

     "I need to talk to the locals quickly then I'll get us up in the air." Arden says, I've opened my eyes now and he is sitting on my bed clutching my hand reassuringly. "Do you want to use the 'fresher?" I'm covered in blood and sweat, a good shower sounds heavenly. Alas, I can't exactly walk anywhere.

     "I can't exactly move anywhere at the moment," I grumble.

      "I can help, if you want." I look at him with and eyebrow raised, not that I'm complaining if he means what he's insinuated. "Not like that!" He catches in and his face burns red, "I just meant I can help you to the 'fresher if you want."

      "That'd be great thank you," I smile but it dies as quickly as it arrives. He stands and helps me up, together we hobble down the corridor into the 'fresher.

      "Shout if you need me," he says before shutting the door, leaving me alone. I don't bother sliding the small door to look at my reflection, I know I look like bantha crap. Carefully I strip and enter the shower, embracing the warm water and letting it wash all the physical horrors away. The mental ones... well they'll stay with me forever.