Recovery

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Bruises all over, a black eye and pretty tender ribs later, Katara was in the med bay, a little surly that she had to stay here and hadn't had the chance to heal herself. She was more bothered that Alex had to go through all of this though: he was still morose at losing Luna, and when one got down to it, so was she. She missed her friend, but worse off Alex had actually LIKED her in that way. It had hurt her more to see him suffering than any blow he'd given her.

And right now, besides all of this, she REALLY wanted to know that Renne was around. There was a panic in her, thinking that she might never see Renne again. She really, really hoped he was okay.

Billy? I'm in medbay. Can you hear me? Please tell me Rene's okay, or just visit, will you?

Comments

[morphitudinous]

Renne's safe. He just woke up, and we're on our way over.

He'd stayed up to watch Renne for the whole two days, confirmed that Renne was alive and whole and all with him was well, and the moment they could walk again the two of them started moving to Katara's side.

Billy had to take a bit of energy from his Power Coin to sustain himself, but that was all right. They could all rest soon enough.

As soon as they were through the door, Billy knelt next to her bed. "I'm sorry that it took us so long. What happened?"

[bluebrassmonkey.livejournal.com]

He's right beside Billy, shuffling along. Although still recovering bits of things -- sorting out jumbled memories, regaining physical motor skills to a greater extent -- he's at least not flat on his face.

Chirping quietly, a hand/paw reaches out to find his newest Bonded. The other? Holds onto Billy, or rather his shirt, but still.

"Eeee. Hell-p Tarrr-Tarrr?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara shook her head. "No, no, I should have been there waiting! It's just...there was a friend that was going through something rough, and I was trying to help him. I've got to look after him when I get the chance. Um, I'm really, really sorry I wasn't there!"

She took Renne's paw. "How are you Renne? Are you okay?"

[morphitudinous]

Billy reached for a hand too, looking sadly on. "I want to go with you. Alex is a friend too, and I'm sorry that I couldn't be in both places at once."

Maybe he'll be able to do that as a ninja someday, but not yet. As it is, he just focuses on assuring Katara that it's all right. "But now we need to take care of you."

He may not have their healing skills, but he can worry and mother as well as his siblings.

[bluebrassmonkey.livejournal.com]

"Eee. Yeu kno-w Ow-ick too?"

Curious chirp. Then a nod and a nuzzle-sniff at Katara's hand. He's putting on the best mother hen face he can manage right now and directing it at the both of them.

"Rrr-enne wahn-t hell-p Tarrr-Tarrr ahn-d Bee."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara put her head in her hands. "I'm really sorry that I wasn't there to see Renne come back. I wish I could have done that, its just that she was a friend of mine too, and I knew he was hurting. I just didn't know this would happen with him. He's so fragile with being here. I just....didn't want him to feel alone."

She closed her eyes. "Thank you both, for being here. I would have gone straight to you if you hadn't come. Renne..I'm so happy to see you again!"

And here she hugged him.

[morphitudinous]

This was their chance to make up for Katara's forced separation from Renne earlier, so Billy remained silent for a few minutes.

He was just grateful that they were alive, and that leaked out.

But he couldn't stop himself from reacting: "I'll be okay, Renne, I just need some sleep before returning to work." He stood up shakily. "Is there anything we can do for you, Katara?"

[bluebrassmonkey.livejournal.com]

"Eee. Rrrr-enne hell-p Bee ahn-d Tarr-Tarrr."

Trill. Of course, the embrace is returned and tagged with a nuzzle.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara shook her head."I'd just...really like you guys to be here with me right now. It's been a hard last few days, but thanks to you two, its been a little bit easier. Thank you, both of you."

She brought the two closer, cuddling with them for the moment.

[morphitudinous]

"We can do that, but I can't promise that I won't fall asleep here."

He had to stifle a yawn, and then he was pulled into their warm embrace. That was fine with him. After what they'd done, the reunion time was needed.

[bluebrassmonkey.livejournal.com]

"Eee."

A chirp of agreement. Although wishing he could turn 'Tara's medbay bed into a soft, plush-thing-filled nest, he's content that his two Bondeds are here.

"S-leep is goo-d fohrrr ahll."

Ignore the almost-yawn.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"Then you should sleep," Katara said, smiling. "I never said you couldn't. Back home, I slept with my brothers and sisters because we had no choice. This time I am because I do."

They were close to her, and she loved them both. Why would it be weird? She understood and cared for the both of them in a way not too many could understand.

"Tell me," she said, making room for Billy on the bed, "what happened. How he reformed and came back. I know he said he would but, its so different to actually see it, you know?"

[morphitudinous]

A year ago, Billy would have considered it weird to share a bed with anyone at all. Since then, Renne and then Katara had wiggled their way into his heart. So he simply smiled and slipped in beside her, leaving room for Renne of course.

He just hoped no one came to visit Katara and got the wrong idea.

"Here, I'll try to project the memory." Billy wasn't as good at this as Renne, but he could try. As he concentrated, Katara would 'see' him kneeling at the ashes as they lit. The room warmed, the surroundings glowed, and a grand fire-beast that he guessed was Renne's life force in another form addressed him.

He recalled waiting and repeating his promises to Renne as their brother's body reconstructed itself, and the massive wave of relief he felt when Renne awakened and remembered.

[bonnypiperlad]

Jamie had come in to see if they wanted to recycle the bandage he had been using to protect his hand while it healed. It was fine now, although the one finger that had been nicked did indeed look like it was going to have a small scar.

Heading towards the chairs in the waiting area, he spotted a rather familiar figure lifted a hand to wave. The smile on his face faded, however, as he caught sight of the black eye, replaced with a hint of worry.

"Katara? What happened?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara craned her neck to see the person approaching, and she gave a warm smile when she saw it was Jamie. She'd missed him, and had been sad she wasn't able to stay with him when he'd been infected by the aggression virus of Stacy's. Now that he was here, she could finally have somebody to talk to.

Of course, then he noticed the injuries. She shook her head. "Just a misunderstanding. I had a friend who went a little out of his head. He has powers, and I guess they got the best of him when someone he cared about disappeared. Actually, I should go check on him soon."

She noted the nicked finger though. "Are you feeling better?"

[bonnypiperlad]

He had missed Katara as well - although, truth be told, it wasn't exactly something he had been thinking about the last time he saw her. It was mostly along the lines of 'get me out so I can hurt' something. He's a little glad that the fire had called her away when it did, as she shouldn't have had to see him like that at all.

Jamie's eyebrows arch at the description of the fight, though. "Aye? Some misunderstanding. Is the other guy alright, then?" If Katara was that beat up, he can't imagine what the other guy looks like now, powers or no powers.

Catching the glance at his finger, he sighs a little internally. Trust Katara to be injured and notice that he was hurt. He nods anyway. "Aye, just a few wee nicks, that's all. It's a good thing I got them, if ye ask me."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "The other guy is in his room hating himself somewhere. He lost a friend here that was more than a friend, and that same friend was someone that was good to me when I was first pod popped. I've been sorta looking after the guy, but he has a power I still don't understand, and when our friend was repodded, he kinda lost control. I could have fought back, but he's more fragile than you think. Besides, I've had worse."

Well, not really, she was a capable enough fighter that she had avoided really bad spills, but still. She makes a motion that Jamie come over, and starts to look at his hand, noting the "nicks."

"Uh-huh. Now why would you go and say a thing like that? I like seeing you with nicks on your fingers as much as you like seeing me like this."

[bonnypiperlad]

Jamie sighs internally. Here we go. Still, he obligingly goes over to let Katara take a look at the wounds. Except for the one finger, everything seems to be healing up nicely on its own. Even that finger's doing well - it'll just take a wee bit longer than the others.

"Aye, I know ye don't like seeing me like this, Katara. But...ye saw how I was when I was in Contagion. If I'd not hurt myself, I would have not gone to Medbay to start with, and I would have hurt other people in the crew. I wanted to hurt other people, verra badly. I would have hurt ye if I could have gotten out."

Well, tried to. He doubts he would have gotten very far before he was tackled, tentacled and tranquilized. His point still stands, however.

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara saw Jamie's reaction to her mothering, and part of her really couldn't blame him. The other part remembered Cassie, Alex's attack and Luna getting repodded. She always considered Jamie one of her closer male friends, and something happening to him was not a thought she wanted in her head.

"I know," she said. "I could see it in your eyes, actually: there was none of your warmth there. I don't mean to go overboard, but I'm still getting used to the whole 'crazy stuff happens and you can't do a thing about it' situations. If I can at least attempt to do something that'll make a difference, at least I won't feel so helpless."

She brought some water to the finger, and it healed up rather quickly: the wound was relatively minor, after all. "What have you been up to, Jamie? I haven't see you in awhile."

[bonnypiperlad]

"Now, look, Katara," Jamie starts as he notices her start to bring the water out to heal him. But by then, it's too late, and he looks...well, less than grateful for a moment. It's his fault, though, for not saying anything to her. And what she just said about not wanting to feel so helpless made sense, so he can't be too upset with her.

He rubs the place where the nick used to be a little regretfully. "I should have warned ye, Katara. I'd not wanted that healed." He glances up at her with a rueful expression. "Thank ye, though."

He is grateful for one part of it - he can tuck his thumbs behind the belt that holds up his sporran without it hurting now. He promptly goes and does that. There's something new on his wrists - some sort of devices that weren't there before.

"Aye, well...I'm not sure where to start, really."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"You didn't want it healed?" Katara said, and now she looked a little confused. "But why? I figured you wouldn't want to have that wound. I'm sorry if I did something wrong."

She suddenly noticed the devices, and more specifically, the hesitation in Jamie's voice.

"Start where you want. I'm all ears."

[bonnypiperlad]

Catching the glance at his wrists, Jamie decides to start...in a completely different place. "No, ye don't have to be sorry," he says in an attempt to reassure her. "It's...och, how to explain it?"

He purses his lips for a moment, thinking, then ahs softly. "I gave myself that wound when I was ill, as ye might have figured out. It was when I first started getting sick. I knew something was wrong, but I don't get sick very often, so I wasn't sure what it was. I felt angry, though, and I wanted to fight even then. I stopped myself, but..."

It was at the cost of the skin on his hand. He shrugs. "I thought, maybe, if it turned into a scar, I could look at it and remind myself I don't want to be like that ever again."

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

Katara had about a million retorts for this, as she was mostly against self mutilation even if it had a good reason, but the fighter in her understood what he meant. Actually, when you got right down to it, it was less of a macho thing and more of a reminder to keep a moral compass in this place. She didn't think it was likely someone like Jamie could ever go off the deep end, but who knew, really? She could see his point.

"I didn't know. Then again Jamie, I never thought of you as somebody who was quick to anger. Think about it: even if you did that, with what passed to those people in the city, would it have really stopped you? There are things we can control, and some we can't. If you could stop yourself from succumbing to a virus like that with the scar, you're a pretty strong person, but I think you need most of you uninjured. You never know when a REAL injury is going to come at you, one that can't be healed."

Which made her quietly think of Hiccup and Stoick from before. She hoped they were both ok.

[bonnypiperlad]

He studies his now-healed hand while he thinks about her words. Katara's got a good point. Jamie's silent for a moment, then admits quietly, "It didn't stop it forever."

It stopped him from hurting Kaylee, though - and he feels justified for doing what he did. He'd never forgive himself if he had lost control with her right there.

He can also see her point about being whole when you never know what the ship is going to throw at you next. Still, he knows Katara's been hurt, and that protectiveness he feels towards his friends extends to making sure they don't over-strain themselves when it's not strictly necessary.

"Aye, maybe so. But, Katara, I don't like the idea of you fixing something small like that when ye clearly are in no shape to be fixing anything. Ye should be resting, aye?"

[kaya-waterwave.livejournal.com]

"It's hard to know what would stop something like that for good. I can admire what you're doing, but I'm sure you know by now that I like to make sure that the people I care about don't have any lasting scars if I can help it. I already know someone who's like that."

If only Zuko remembered the things they shared: one of the worst things about what Stacy had done.

Katara laughed and shook her head. "Jamie, if this was a really bad injury, I wouldn't have done it. I already yelled at my friend Matt for getting injured unnecessarily. I'd be a bit of a hypocrite overtaxing myself. Trust me, I'm fine."

Just ignore the blush coming to her face.