Kadance

Prelude Gaia

Satisfied the doctor and nurse leave with the paperwork and Jayse gathers up his things. He slips on over to Tommy's room to say goodbye.

Tommy looks up surprised to see Jayse at this time of day and is even more surprised to see him carrying his duffel. "You going somewhere Jayse?"

Tommy has had a difficult time recovering from the Battle at Bandro and still isn't able to get up much and move around, much to his frustration. He hates being indoors and to make matters worse he can't sleep more than twenty minutes without waking drenched in sweat.

"I've been discharged. They say there's no need for me to stay here any longer. I've received permission to live off base though and found a place nearby so I won't be too far from you Tommy." Jayse says half worried that Tommy will respond badly.

Tommy smiles, "Well good for you Jayse. You get to get out of this place of despair." Tommy is happy for his friend but jealous all the same.

Jayse is relieved at Tommy's reaction. "I'll be checking on you regularly so you better be doing your best to be getting out of that bed."

Tommy gives a small bitter bark of laughter. "You think I enjoy being bed bound? Dammit, Jayse you know me better than that. I think I'm going insane with nothing to do. They won't even let me have a com unit."

Jayse gives him a small mischievous smile, something he used to do when they were up to something they shouldn't have been, and hands Tommy a com unit. "I know what you can do with one of these Tommy. If you get caught you better not implicate me or they might ban me from seeing you."

Tommy looks affronted, "I don't get caught Jayse, you know that."

"Very well, stay out of trouble Tommy and get better, I need you on your feet again." Jayse says all serious again.

Tommy looks at him, "I know, I'm working on it. How's Rory doing?"

Jayse looks down in shame. "My visits seem to agitate him so I don't go and see him much. He isn't doing well Tommy, I think he's caught up in his mind of the battle at Bandro. I don't think he can escape it. He looks haunted and hunted, I don't think the shrinks are helping him any. I'm not sure they are even trying anymore.

"There is only one person that seems to help him, a nurse that is usually assigned to the mental ward although I've seen her in other areas as well. It seems that her mere presence calms him.

"I've felt it when she was assigned to my ward as well. Just her presence helps me although I don't know why," Jayse says half to himself.

"A blonde nurse, pretty eyes, a bit on the heavy side?" Tommy questions and at Jayses nod continues. "Yeah she's been assigned here too. When she's working I'm actually able to sleep. It's weird if you think about it, I don't think she's said more than a few words to me but I calm down as if she was part of Sigma. If anyone can help Rory it will be her, there's just something about her."

"Well I'm off Tommy, they're sending out the dinner trays now. Get some sleep tonight, use a sleeping pill if you have to. You should have healed more than this by now and you can't heal if you don't sleep."

"Yeah, yeah mother hen. I can't sleep I feel too exposed and they won't let me have any weapons. Next time sneak me a knife and then maybe I'll be able to sleep." Tommy says irritably.

"I might have considered it except the last time you had a knife you almost killed one of the nurses as she was just trying to get your vitals." Jayse says without judgement.

"I stopped the knife as soon as I realized she wasn't an enemy. Come on Jayse it makes me antsy being with out any weapons. I don't even have both hands for protection anymore." As soon as he says the words Tommy wishes he could unsay them. He knows that Jayse takes responsibility for Bandro and what happened there.

"It wasn't your fault Jayse and I didn't mean to imply that it was in anyway your responsibility." Tommy says quickly, but the damage was done. What little happiness that had lightened Jayse's face earlier was now gone and the ever present anger was back stronger than before.

"Tommy, no matter which way you cut it, I was in charge and that means that I was responsible." Jayse says picking up his kit and turning to leave.

"Perhaps for the others, but you aren't responsible for the snafu's of the demolition team. That is my burden to carry not yours. I lost my arm because of my inability to correctly teach them Jayse, not your fault." Tommy hotly defends.

But Jayse only acknowledges the words by a wave of his hand as he heads out the doors.

Just then his dinner is brought in. But once the nurse leaves he sweeps the tray onto the floor in frustrated anger.

When the nurse rushes back in he won't even turn to face her. He's angry at himself for his outburst but even angrier that he can't even get out and clean up his own mess.

The nurse quietly reads the situation and wisely doesn't try to speak to him. She just silently picks up the tray and dishes and what food she can and leaves. Once out of the room she calls for housekeeping and when they come she instructs them on what needs to be done but cautions them to not bother the patient.

Word has gone out, when warriors are patients here take careful heed of any warnings the nurses give. More than one worker has received the tongue lashing of a warrior trapped in a hospital bed.