Chapter Text
Three weeks after.
'Once upon a time... there was an egg in a nest... From the egg sprung a bold... young eagle, with closed eyes.... and a big smile... on his beak.'
Kara looked up from the book, Fang was sitting with her, at the end of his bed, watching her closely with an expression that made her want to fall into his arms.
'How do you... smile... with a beak?'
'It's easy honey! I'll show you how!' X chirped from his perch on the headboard.
Fang reached over to take the book from her and frowned a little.
'I never thought of that.' He said, while she breathed deeply, taking in his scent. She patted the space next to her, and he moved to sit beside her, handing her the book back and wrapping an arm about her shoulders.
She leaned into him gratefully and turned the page.
'He flapped... his arms a bit... but didn't go anywhere...' She frowned at the book. 'Wings... not arms...'
Fang planted a soft kiss on the top of her head.
'Darling, this book is precious to me.'
'You should... fix it...'
'It doesn't need it. It's helping you as it is.'
He was right, of course. She supposed she wouldn't be speaking half as much if there weren't corrections to be made. She turned the page and opened her mouth, forming the word with her lips, but it wouldn't come.
She licked her lips, tried again.
'Th... the rain...' She faltered, and Fang gently removed the book from her hands, placing it on the chair next to the bed before he embraced her, pulling her close to him. She allowed herself to relax against him, sighing softly.
X pushed away from the headboard.
'Story time over?'
'Yes, X, for now.'
'Coco?'
'If you wish.'
X hopped over to Kara, pecking gently at her hair.
'Back soon honey! Don't worry!' She nodded against Fang's chest and X took flight out of the window.
'You're making excellent progress.' Fang told her, and she wrapped her arm about his waist, clinging tight.
There were days where she felt like herself again, and she could communicate at least a little, but the frustration of not being able to keep up with the thoughts bustling in her mind left her feeling defeated. There were other days where simply thanking Fang for a cup of tea was a victory, and she'd been happy to manage it.
He'd told her she had to be as patient with herself as she had once been with him, and she had been trying, but she had also started to fear recovery. She didn't want to leave here and be plunged back into the reality of the new Sandrock. Soldiers milling about, comissions for the Empire, a half built jacuzzi languishing on her assembly station.
Her physical wounds had mostly faded. Her ribs were still sore but Fang had assured her they were fine, it was just a case of bruising deep beneath the skin subsiding. Her mental wounds, however...
She had been mulling over how best to face those, she'd decided what she needed to happen, she just needed Fang to agree to it.
***
Stev scuffed his boot across the floor nervously, looking about the Clinic before he turned to blow the steam from his cup of tea. The herbal smell of it was strong, but not overpowering, and after a few small sips he already felt invigorated.
'Thank you, Doctor. I've not been sleeping well since... Um, this is helpful.'
Fang nodded to him from across the table, sipping at his own cup. The Doctor seemed more serious than usual and Stev was starting to wonder why he had been invited in.
'I wanted... thank you. For Kara. For myself.'
Stev flushed, feeling heat rising to his cheeks.
'It was just part of the job, well, not directly stipulated but yeah... I was just doing what I had to.'
'You saved her. We are grateful.' Fang pushed a small package across the table, wrapped in brown paper and tied with a green ribbon. 'It isn't enough, but it's something.'
Stev finished his tea, unsure how to handle this. He wasn't meant to accept gifts of any kind, not officially, but he also didn't want to offend by rejecting. He wasn't above admitting to curiosity, either, and in the end, that won out.
'I uh, wow, I never expected - thank you.' He cleared his throat, 'I reported to the Commander today. Told him she's still strict bed rest, non-verbal. How - uh - how is she, really?'
He hadn't much enjoyed lying to Commander Lefu, but he knew if he told him Kara was speaking again the man would insist on a report from her, and Stev had yet to think of how that could possibly help anything.
'She's improving. Every day, a little more. But only with me. Next week, come for tea, help her practice with others.' Stev was caught offguard, why him? Didn't she have friends in this - oh. The doctor was staring at him and Stev became acutely concerned that the dark haired man could read minds. 'Needs to be someone she trusts. Everyone else... in jail.'
Stev nodded, feeling like an idiot, and stood to take his leave.
'Let me know when you need me.' He said, pulling on his jacket and pocketing the small package. Fang nodded.
*
Sitting on his bunk, Stev glanced around to be sure of privacy before he extracted the small brown parcel he'd been gifted earlier.
He pulled away the green ribbon and found beneath the paper some sachets of herbs, all labeled. Some for sleep, some for energy, some claimed to help with aches, and one, which he couldn't believe was serious, promised to turn him blue.
He repressed the urge to chuckle, he shouldn't be so surprised that the doctor had a sense of humour.
***
Fang stood, clearing the table of empty teacups, and heading over to his sink to rinse them out. X flitted down to his shoulder and he held his hand out for the bird to rub his head against.
'It went well, X.' He said, relaxing his shoulders. He hadn't known what the soldier might say once alone with his Commander, but he believed Stev when he claimed to be covering for them. After all, the Commander hadn't yet returned to insist that Kara relive that awful night.
Fang understood that speaking about it could help her, but he wanted her in a safe, understanding space when she felt ready to do so. As little as he wanted to hear the details, he'd much prefer she clear that hurdle with him than a man who didn't have the decency to uncover his face when discussing such things.
Of course, her injuries had already painted a deeply unpleasant picture, and Stev had told him everything he had witnessed. He wondered if Kara remembered killing the man.
X swayed on his shoulder and Fang carefully deposited him on his perch. He couldn't think of a single thing he could do for X that would come close to showing his appreciation. It was, after all, X's insistence that Fang finish and send his letter that caused the raven to even be at Kara's house that late.
X had seemed to see Kara's recovery as reward enough, but Fang resolved to find some way to make the bird feel like a king.
He paused at the bottom of the stairs to take his shoes off, he didn't want to wake her if he could help it, before making his way up to bed.
She was curled up on her side, sleeping soundly in one of his shirts. He admired her for a good moment, she was truly beautiful to him, her hair in disarray and her feminine curves very much still visible through the loose fabric. He longed to touch her again in ways that he knew she had enjoyed, but he wouldn't, not yet, not until she asked him.
As much as he wanted her, he wanted her to feel safe.
He undressed, and situated himself in the armchair he'd dragged over to the bedside some weeks ago, pulling a blanket up over himself before he leaned back and closed his eyes.
