The Power of Perseverance
A/N- 1,000 words or less prompt fic. Prompt is 'reunion!'
A follow-up sequel to my other prompt fic 'Hanging On'. Kept thinking about it so I thought why not do it with this prompt? So I did!
I recommend reading 'Hanging On' first before this one.
Sakura Ryder paced in front of the door to the med-bay on the Tempest. Black hair, blue eyes, chocolate brown skin, and in her white and blue Andromeda Initiative uniform.
Hours ago, they left Elaaden. That horrific place was so well hidden on a planet they knew of, it was maddening. Krogan forces even flew over that area too, had there been a sign before then…
She, her team, Bain Massani and his team, and their Initiative and Angaran allies helped in the attack.
And finally found Jaal. Seeing the state he was in- sun-starved, malnourished, dirty, clothing filthy and tattered, and in pain- made her heart ache terribly.
The vidcon call to Sahuna hours ago, to tell her they had found Jaal and he was in the med-bay being tended to by Lexi and Teuna. Sahuna cried tears of relief, she had taken it as hard as Sakura herself did, if not harder.
Doctor Lexi T'Perro and Teuna T'resei were currently in the med-bay, tending to Jaal.
Footsteps approached, and Liam Kosta stood by the doorway leading to the garage. Dark skin, thick black hair, and eyes showing sympathy. "Sakura, are you okay? I know how much you missed him." He was dressed in blue and white armor, a variant of his usual armor. She heard what went down during the mission. A Kett Wraith tried to attack him when he was tending to Angaran children. Liam made sure the beast didn't live long, eviscerating it with his omni-blade.
Sakura shook her head, her facial features the picture of anguish. "Feeling terrible, all those months and that place was on a planet I fixed up, hidden right under our noses. And that skkutting Kett collaborator escaped. Along with that bastard second-in-command Jaal described responsible for his state." She clenched her hands into fists. "If I catch those bastards, I'll kill them slowly, for what they did."
Liam sighed. "I am pissed as well. We'll stop him, and that sadist, before they put anyone else through that pain. Bastards are going to get what they've got coming, hopefully sooner than later." A pause, a look of concern on his face. "Don't act rashly or let your hatred of them consume you. It's what they would want."
"I know." Sakura's memories trailed over the past six months.
The tears after the mission.
The nights she awoke from nightmares conjured by not knowing what was happening to Jaal. Whether he was suffering and calling out for her, or if he was one of the Kett.
The mornings she awoke and stretched her arm across the empty side of the bed as if Jaal was still there.
The times she visited the tech lab, everything left as it was six months ago, the other rofjinn still there. She could even smell the lotions Jaal used in the rofjinn.
The door opened and the Asari, Lexi, stood with a datapad in her hand. Blue skin, white facial markings, dressed in her medical uniform, and eyes on Sakura. "Come on in."
Liam nodded in their general direction. "I'll be talking to Drack in the garage, if you need me." He turned and headed through the door he had entered through, it closing behind him.
Sakura walked into the med-bay. She took notice of Teuna, in a similar medical uniform and her purple skin with yellow facial markings, standing by the medical equipment on the far left wall; reading information displayed on a holographic screen.
The Asari turned her attention to Lexi. "Nutrient paste is in the tech lab, right?"
Lexi nodded. "Yes. Prepare some for later, please."
"Gladly." Teuna left the med-bay, the door closing behind her.
On the medical bed to the left laid Jaal, the back propped up so he could sit upright, an Angaran sunlamp nearby. His tired blue eyes on her with a smile on his face. "Darling one."
Sakura smiled in relief. "Jaal." Sakura quickly walked to his side.
Lexi turned her attention to Sakura. "Be gentle, the past six months..." she paused to find words but even unique ones from her people failed her. "...harsh doesn't even begin to describe it." A pause. "I'll leave you two be." She walked over to the medical equipment, putting in notes into her datapad.
Sakura nodded. "Thanks." Her eyes laid on Jaal. He was now in new clean clothes- a white shirt and matching shorts. His purple skin was now clean, Lexi and Teuna had gotten him cleaned off and treated what they could. Still, the signs were still there of that horrible place- bruises, bandaged cuts and sores, and the signs of malnutrition. She sat on the side of the bed, facing him, taking his hands into hers and looking into his eyes. "How are you feeling?"
He leaned forward. "Slightly better than earlier, thanks to Lexi and Teuna."
Sakura sighed. ""I...can't stop thinking about what you went through...it hurts." Her eyes teared up.
Jaal embraced her around her midsection and she wrapped her arms around his cowl. "This is not your fault, none of it was."
Sakura laid her forehead against his neck flap. "Thank you." She released her embrace, Jaal doing likewise.
Jaal laid back against the bed. "I don't know how long it will take to recover, but knowing you, my family, and my friends will be there...it helps."
Sakura smiled. "Glad to hear." Sakura cupped his cheek gently. "And I won't let them lay another finger on you." She leaned forward and kissed him gently on his lips.
A/N- Those two, Sakura Ryder and Jaal, they're like my Patronus Charm against the dark world we live in currently.
I've discovered the only thing I need to do that's been slowing things down a bit- need to play through Andromeda, get the characters, and any loose threads. That would allow me to fully flesh out the 'central' The Cherry Blossom and the Angara main timeline, and more easily create divergences. That will also...make the Patronus Charm even stronger.
While description is one of my problem areas, I also still need more...practice with dialogue. Will pick up more on my writings. Haven't done too good with that, but this time I feel I'll really get it going...