The first time you woke up at night was because of Kylo. He pulled you out of the mud, out of the misery out of your nightmare. The second time was no different, you just calmed down a lot faster. Both times he held you until you had fallen asleep again. The third time however you woke up on your own and not because you had been having a bad dream. You just woke up.
You quietly sat up in bed and watched the blanket over Kylo's torso move up and down rhythmically. It was so peaceful and you could probably watch him for hours, but you did not. Instead you got up as quiet as possible and neatly folded your blanket on top of the mattress. You went towards the door, making sure that he was still sleeping before leaving and getting dressed.
It wasn't really hard to find an officer around where Kylo's chambers were that you deemed appropriate for the job you had in mind. Once he had gotten for you what you had asked for you went back to Kylo's chambers. He was still sleeping. Good. You quickly tidied up after yourself and sat down at the table, randomly swiping through different articles on substituting food from the archives.
From time to time you glanced over to the Supreme Leader and the most feared man of the galaxy, still sleeping peacefully in his bed. He didn't make any attempts to wake up so you stood up again and folded his clothing into a neat pile, placing it on a chair. Was there anything else to do? Actually yes, someone had sent him a message asking about a meeting. You glanced over towards him again. No...you couldn't wake him up.
You didn't open the message just wrote back to his assistant or whoever took care of his meetings that he was currently indisposed and whether or not they could change the time. Almost immediately you got a reply back, saying that it would most certainly clash with another depending how long it would take.
'Change the time.' you wrote back. It sounded like something Kylo would say and closed the message.
"Doc...?", Kylo grunted from his bed and sat up. You smiled at him and stood up, placing his datapad down.
"Good morning, Sir. I got you breakfast. It's kept warm in here.", you pointed at what the officer had brought you before.
Kylo was still waking up and got up slowly. You took the neatly folded pile of clothing and handed it to him.
"Go get dressed, I'll prepare food."
He nodded and went into the bathroom while you set the table. He came back a few minutes later, drying his hair off and sat down.
"Any more nightmares?", he asked and started to eat his toast.
"No, Sir.", you looked down at your own plate, "Thank you...for waking me and watching out."
"Mhhh.", he made in between bites and took a look at the clock, "Fuck. I was-"
"Already changed the time, Sir. The meeting is later."
He looked at you and tilted his head slightly.
"Don't worry, I literally just replied to the message about you having a meeting. I did not read through anything personal. I would never do that."
"I know.", he opened his schedule and scrolled through it.
"It might clash with another, that's what...I guess your assistant said?"
"Hux, you mean?"
You chuckled, "I don't know whom I talked to."
Kylo looked through the meetings while you kept on munching on your food. He suddenly shoved your plate away and you wanted to protest as he laid down his datapad in front of you.
"This meeting. Here.", he pointed at the spot, "I want you there."
"Me?", you read what it said.
'Meeting with Bioprot Pharmaceuticals'
"Yes.", he looked at the schedule again, "This one too. It's about a new stormtrooper armour. You have tried both. You can talk about the medical side."
You raised your eyebrows, "The new one? The one I got shot with?", he nodded and you opened a few files on your own datapad, "I took notes on how the shots affected me. I mean, of course I can talk about that...if you want me to, Sir. I really don't know if I'll be of much help."
"You will.", he nodded, more or less agreeing to himself, "The pharmaceutical company is coming because they want to sell us more of that IV food."
You grinned, "I am an expert on that. After all I have lived off it for a while...", he wasn't too amused about your remark, "Of course...I still have a few hours. I'll get in contact with 45 and the rest. I want to know their opinion. Do you need me to prepare anything else?"
"No.", he mustered you for a short while, "Do you mind talking to pharmaceutical company alone? It's their meeting mine might clash with. I'll join you if I find the time."
You shook your head, "No. Not at all. I guess I'll have some more officers there though?"
"Yes. I need you as an expert on the products, not for anything else."
He put the datapad away and put your plate back, so both of you could finish breakfast and get on with your work. You spent the rest of the morning preparing some slides and medical reports on the armour, including both your own experiences and tests from others. After you were done and satisfied you went on to research more on IV nutrition. Upsides, downsides, how it affected the digestive system...papers over papers. You informed yourself well enough so could ask some rather pesky questions, some easier ones and some harder ones. Mainly to test the abilities and knowledge of whoever was presenting their products.
Sometime after normal lunchtime Kylo came back into the medbay. He put package onto your desk.
"Open it.", he said while removing his mask.
You carefully removed the packaging and took the black clothing out. It was a doctor's uniform, just fully black. Unconventional but it looked amazing.
"I had it made. Now. If you are presenting the First Order you can't look like just any doctor."
"Thank you so much, Kylo!", you stopped, "Sir. I mean. I am sorry, Sir."
He waved his hand and nodded towards your room, "Go on, put it on. We have to leave soon anyway."
You nodded and went into your room to change. From the bit you could see in the mirror it looked as if it had been tailored. It fit you perfectly. Emphasized your curves without making it inappropriate.
"How do I look?", you asked Kylo as you came back to the med bay.
He nodded approvingly and grabbed his helmet back from the desk.
"Follow me."
The meeting about the stormtrooper armours was...interesting. A lot of talking about stuff that you weren't too interested in, like financials and demographics...you still tried to listen to everything, taking a few notes on how the officers behaved. Their way of speaking, expressing their opinions and opposing one another. After all you had no experience in that regard. Sometimes it seemed as if Kylo was more interested in your notes than what was actually happening. He didn't say much and if he did, Hux almost always said the opposite.
Then it was finally your turn to shine. You stood up and projected a few files into the air so the others could take a look at them. Talking about the differences between the two types of armour, one of the scientists helped you and explained certain things better, then about how they were actually on the battlefield.
You showed the differences with pictures of yourself, that you had taken to fill out your personal (and private) medical record. How the shots themselves had hurt you and how badly the other type had been destroyed from a mere shrapnel shard. You left out that they were pictures of you, but it was clear that atleast Hux and Kylo knew.
Kylo placed a hand on your shoulder after you were done and nodded. You quickly looked down to hide your smile. It made you incredibly happy that he was satisfied with your work. Sadly Hux looked over and that immediately ruined your mood. There was just something about him that you could not stand. Atleast the feelings were mutual.
Kylo left for his next meeting while you stayed. Yours was going to start in the next ten minutes or so, no need to leave the room for that. Everyone else left as well, Hux just briefly before he entered again with an older gentleman by his side. You stood up.
"Allegiant General.", you nodded towards the older man, "General Hux.", you didn't nod towards him.
"And you are...?", Pryde asked.
"MD-2442."
"Ren has taken a liking to her. She's a combat medic."
You ignored Hux's mocking tone.
"Personal medic to both the Knights of Ren and the Supreme Leader Kylo Ren.", you emphasized the 'Supreme Leader' part just because Hux had just referred to him as 'Ren'.
"And now apparently also his assistant.", Hux sighed and took a seat, so did Pryde.
"I have many qualities. Apart from that, I thought you'd appreciate that someone finally took that job off your hands.", you sat down yourself and made sure you had all your questions written out about the company.
Neither said anything further, just waited until the pharmaceutical representatives showed up.
There was the usual introductions and they started presenting their products. They even brought some samples and different types, each made to better performances of soldiers in different environmental systems. They finished and asked nicely if anyone did have questions.
Yes. Yes, you did have questions. Not just a few as well. You started by asking whether or not you could try them out. They said yes, but were confused as you hooked yourself up to one right there and then. You looked through your endless list of questions and picked out the most relevant. Mostly concerning trooper health. First a simple start, then you went into detail. The whole ordeal took its time, enough so you had finished up your own 'prepackaged' meal.
"I am done. No questions left.", you placed your datapad on the table and leaned back. The representatives were visibly relieved.
"Good...", Pryde said, "Do you recommend them?"
"Yes, of course we do. They are our produc-"
"I meant MD-2442."
"Perhaps not for long term use. I can give you a more detailed report on why later."
He nodded and they went on to discuss the contract. You weren't really interested in it, for now it was a rather unique experience but doing that constantly? No thank you.
You took the rest of the packages with you as the meeting was finally over. Kylo was waiting in front of the door.
"Sir!", you said happily as you spotted him, "We have just finished."
"I know. How did it go?"
"Decent, I'd say. The representatives knew their stuff."
"You did as well, Ma'am.", Pryde said and mustered you. He was almost as tall as Kylo was if he wasn't wearing his helmet. Scary. He also had really cold eyes, worse than Hux's, but in a different way. Pryde just seemed ruthless in general and not just towards you.
"Thank you, Sir!", you said, still happy he'd more or less called you capable.
"General Hux said you were a mere combat medic? How come you know so much about this topic?"
"I have been living off of these for a month now, more or less. I was interested and researched it further."
You glanced over to Kylo who still got uncomfortable every time you mentioned you having been missing.
"Oh, so you were the one everyone was looking for."
"Yes, Sir."
He nodded and looked up to Kylo, "I want to discuss something with you. Under four eyes."
You gave him a nod back and started walking into the opposite direction, to the elevator. Rosie had sent you a few messages during the meeting on whether or not you'd want to come to her apartment. She also insisted that you could not say 'no' because you had all the time in the world right now. She was right, you couldn't. You still sent Kylo a short message to tell him where you were. You had the vague feeling he'd want to know it.
Rosie was already waiting for you in front of the door to her apartment.
"24! You could come...", she looked at you and put her hands on her hips, "Oh my, aren't you dressed up! Fancy, I have to say...amazing! Did you get promoted again?"
She was only half joking.
You laughed, "No, no I did not. I just help-"
"Oh you can tell all of us in a minute! Let's go!"
"Us? Go? Where are we going?"
You didn't like someone fiddling around with your plans. Especially not if it suddenly involved multiple people. It sounded horrible...no thanks.
"You'll see!", she grabbed your hand and lead you to another apartment two hallways over.
The door opened and out stepped Escyle. Yes...that was...exactly what you had wanted. To go to Escyle's apartment of all people. Hux's was the only one you wanted to go to less than his.
"24! Welcome!", he stepped back and you could see roughly a dozen doctors sitting around a coffee table. Oh no. No, this was even more people than you had imagined...apart from that...what had he called you?
"24! It's so great to have you back! We were all so worried! No one knew what was going on!", another doctor said. Dammit, what was she called again? Why were you here...was this...did they meet up as a way to welcome you back?! You were fine with pretending that Weih had never happened. Couldn't they do the same?
"Yes...I am happy to be back as well.", you said in the most unenthusiastic voice. Rosie looked slightly disappointed. Fuck...even if you did not like any of the others, you did like Rosie...for her sake it was then, "Honestly this is a massive surprise!"
You put a bit more life in your words now, Rosie smiled. Good. Deed done, now when could you leave?
"Come in!", Escyle placed a hand on your back and wanted to guide you inside, if it would not have been for keeping up social norms you would have broken his arm right there and then. The same way you had already broken that one doctor's.
You took a seat on the couch, in between Rosie and Escyle.
"24, you said you helped out! Is that why you were dressed like that?", Rosie started and you raised your hand to stop her from talking.
"One second.", you got your datapad out and wrote another message to Kylo about where you were. Successfully hiding the display from both Escyle's and Rosie's curious eyes, "Now.", you put the datapad away, "Yes. It was a meeting with a company. I had to represent the medical side."
"You?", Escyle asked. He was surprised, but not in a good way. Almost jealous. He'd always thought of you as incapable.
"Yes. It was about...these.", you pulled the IV bags out of one of your pockets, "Given I used them for so long now...I guess I was suited for talking about them."
He nodded and picked one up, turning it around a few times before giving it back to you.
"Well that is nice to hear...when are you coming back, 24?"
The little hairs in your neck stood up at him calling you by anything else other than you ID. I guess Kylo throwing you against a shuttle was a bit more justified now, given you had been as rude to him as Escyle was to you right now.
"I do not know. I have to get the okay from my superior first. Still on sick leave, I fear. I feel fine, I think it's totally unjustified.", you smiled.
The other doctors nodded and soon started talking in between themselves. That was far better, you did not want to be the center of attention. So you leaned back and listened to their conversations for a while. One of the doctors was quietly telling Rosie another 'scandal' that had happened and Rosie managed to stay completely neutral without offending her. Incredible.
Escype's apartment was huge. Not as big as Kylo's of course, but still. It was really big for someone that had the same rank (and a lower security clearance) as you. Odd. Perhaps it was because of his brother.
Their discussion and focus eventually went back to you. Disappointingly.
"So...24...where were you exactly?", Rosie asked.
"On Weih, stationed in the South.", you took a sip of your glass of water, "I do not recommend going sightseeing there. It's just toxic wastelands, the rain is literal acid and the locals aren't really friendly."
"Always joking around, aren't you, 24!", Escyle laughed.
"Yes.", you said in between your teeth, hoping he would notice your displeasure.
"I heard you were with the mudtroopers. Were they nice?", one of the doctors asked. How did they already know this much? You just came back a day ago.
"Yes, I was. They...took me in. Considered me one of their own.", you fidgeted around with the glass in your hand. You did not want to talk about this. Not at all. You did not want to think about it.
"But you are glad you are back, right? I heard it was horrible. My cousin works in the psych ward, many of them did not take it well. Was it really that bad?", the same doctor added. That did explain why he already knew so much. Did not make his questioning any better though.
"Let's just leave it at: It wasn't pleasant."
"And have you diagnosed yourself with any lasting mental issues yet?", another one joked. They did not seem to get any of your cues, did they?
"You mean apart from a rather severe form of post traumatic stress disorder? Yes, I realized that I absolutely love watching people get shot. Or actually one of the better parts was watching my brother get dissolved by acid."
They didn't say anything at first and then laughed awkwardly, thinking it had been a joke. You looked at the glass of water in your hands.
"No, actually the best part about my little holiday on Weih? It was the killing. I realized I have quite a hang for it. Especially for shooting children."
Some of them had gotten that you weren't joking anymore, but just about half. The other was still wondering whether or not it had been sarcastic.
"Hah! Well.", Escyle laughed, "Our dear old 24. Your jokes are just...unmatched.", he playfully bumped his elbow into the side of your abdomen and you crashed the glass in your hands at the sudden and unexpected spike of pain. You stared at the broken pieces in your hand. Most had fallen on the floor a few into its remains.
"Oh, I am sorry, 24. I did not know you were...so sens-"
"Excuse me I have three broken ribs and am recovering from a concussion."
You placed the remains on the coffee table and started picking up the bigger ones on the floor, neatly sorting them.
"And excuse me in general. I will be leaving.", you ripped out the one that was stuck in your hand and placed it on the table. Rosie flinched and wanted to stop you, but looking at her once was enough to get her to not come closer.
"That is really not necessary, 24. We should stitch you up!", one of the women said.
"No, really! We will. Stay with us, 24. I am sorry we stepped on your toes and asked about your deployment..."
You closed your eyes to swallow your anger down atleast a bit.
"No thank you.", you stood up and Escyle followed you to the door.
"Do you really want to leave? We are really sorry, 24...we won't...talk about it."
"Dr. Escyle. Just for your information. I had no problem executing civilians.", you watched his widen ever so slightly, "Feel free to talk about that. I do not mind. But...", you stepped a bit closer, "If you", you moved slightly to look at the rest of the group, "Or anyone else here", you turned your head back, now only mere inches away from Escyle's face, "Call me by anything other than my ID number ever again, I will let Weih seem like a paradise."
You left without saying another word and picked up your pace. It didn't take long until you heard someone running after you.
"Wait! Please!", Rosie shouted, but you did not make any attempts to slow down. Frankly all you was to go up to your room.
"Come on!", she grabbed your arm and you stopped, "I'm sorry...I did not know that Weih was..."
"You have no idea."
"I am sorry...", she said quietly, "Do you want to talk-"
"For fuck's sake. Is it not clear that I do not want to do that?! Next time do not tell me that it is us two meeting and then we go to your boyfriend's place. Give me a heads up. I do NOT like surprises.", you pulled your arm away forcefully.
Rosie was at the verge of tears. But so were you. You just did not want to show it to her, she was your colleague but you knew that you'd never have the same kind of trust you had towards 45 or Kylo. It just wasn't the same. It would never be either.
You looked down at Rosie, shaking your head. Before talking to her properly you first needed to cool off. A bit of alone time preferably. You turned around and took the elevator back up to your own floor, leaving Rosie standing in the hallway.
The tiny little cut you had gotten didn't need and medical attention whatsoever. It was barely an inch long and not especially deep, but you still put a bandaid on it. Mostly so that Kylo wouldn't notice immediately. He came into the medbay shortly after you had arrived. You didn't even notice, you had just gotten so used to the pressure change in the air. Frankly you noticed him missing more often by now.
"You are agitated."
You just nodded and leaned against the cold steel walls, "Rosie thought it'd be a good idea to invite me to her boyfriend's place. I am not a fan of surprise parties.", you sighed, "Much less so if they ask very private and frankly stupid questions.
"I understand.", he replied. He had probably already seen what you meant and didn't ask any further questions. You could not be more thankful. The others had asked enough already, you really did not need any more, "Come."
You followed him into the conference room adjacent to his chambers, aka your usual dining room. One of the sides was now a huge terrarium, big enough to stand and walk through it.
"LZ-3!", you said happily and wanted to open the door but Kylo stopped you.
"Here.", he replied and handed a pair of thick, black gloves to you. You took them and stepped inside, kneeling down to pet the little lizard. The terrarium did not look like Weih had. It had trees and while the water in the little pond was probably acidic...it did look beautiful. Most certainly how the whole South had looked before it was turned into a warzone.
Kylo removed his helmet and placed it onto the table, leaning against it. You grinned and started to pet LZ-3's belly until the lizard decided that it was enough and crawled up the next tree. You watched him disappear into the blue leaves and stepped back out, removing your gloves.
"Do you like it?", Kylo asked and closed the door behind you with the Force.
You didn't say anything and just hugged him tightly.
He let out a chuckle and patted your back, "I take that as a yes."
"Thank you.", you mumbled, before hastily pulling away. You could feel the heat rise up in your cheeks, "I am sorry, Sir. I don't know what came over me..."
He shook his head, smiling, "It's fine."
You just looked down at the floor in the hopes it would atleast hide the colour of your face slightly. You could guess that it did not. You had already called him 'Kylo' today and now you hugged him. Not even talking about yesterday. Perhaps you had missed him more than you had wanted to admit to.
He pulled a chair out for you and took a seat himself, leaning back and watching you.
"How was it at Rosie's?"
You sat down and shook your head, "I left. They had some sort of surprise party for me. They...asked some very...", you shook your head, "Let's just leave it at me leaving. Rosie thought it'd be a good idea or something. It wasn't.", you shrugged.
He wrinkled his forehead slightly. Sometimes you wished you could read what was going on in his mind the same way he was always reading yours. Too bad you were the literal opposite of force sensitive.
"You did well today.", he said and stood up to get to the door, "Pryde asked about you."
"What. He did? Why would he do that? Also dammit, that reminds me I still have to send him a report."
Kylo took the food from an officer while you got some water and glasses.
"He was impressed how informed you were."
"I had nothing to do, it was just a few hours of research."
"Don't undervalue yourself. He wants you to be present for another meeting."
You took the plates from his hands and put them down, shaking your head slightly.
"What's your opinion on that?"
"You should do it.", he immediately said.
"You do not want me out on the battlefield again, am I right?", both of you sat down but Kylo did not reply. He didn't need to, it had been more of a rhetorical question anyway.
You spent the majority of your meal eating in silence. It was like you hadn't even left and made you strangely happy. Almost nostalgic.
"Do you want to sleep here tonight?", he asked you and looked up from his meal.
You placed your own fork down, "I made you late this morning, I should really not."
It was not like you did not want to stay over...but...you also did not want to hinder him from the important aspects of his life, as in leading the galaxy's most powerful military.
"It's fine. I know when to wake you up."
You smiled, "Thank you, Sir."