"You should get some sleep."
He glanced up at the one who'd spoken, offering a small smile. "I'll be okay."
A sigh, and she knelt down beside him, taking one of his hands between both of hers. "You really want to stay here?"
He nodded. "Until I know."
She smiled rather sadly. "Even if it's bad news?"
"Yeah."
"You haven't told her, then?"
He shook his head. "How can I? If I tell her, and he doesn't pull through, it'll only make her feel worse."
"And you, too. You've been through enough today. I can wait instead, if you'd like."
Kira smiled. "Thanks. But I want to do this for them. I owe them both a lot."
She nodded, and reached up to pull a spare blanket from the foot of one of the sickbay beds, draping it around his shoulders. "At least keep warm."
"How is she?"
She shook her head. "She won't talk to anyone. Miriallia-san said she went straight into her office after the battle, and she hasn't come out."
He rubbed his free hand over his face. "Did he really...jump in front of the ship?"
Lacus nodded. "Dominion fired - he used Strike as a shield. To protect everyone."
He smiled slightly. "To protect her."
"Yes."
"Think you could try talking to her?"
"I wouldn't know the first thing to say to her. My situation...it isn't the same." Which was true enough, so he didn't ask further. Instead he closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall with a sigh.
"I can wait with you."
He smiled. "Bartfeld-san would send search parties." Cracking open one eye he squeezed her hand. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."
"Alright. Take care. And.." She glanced at the closed door of the other room. "And I hope he comes through it."
"Thanks."
How long he waited, he wasn't really sure. Once or twice he slipped into a fitful sleep, and another time Miri brought him a tray of cafeteria food, scolding him gently for sitting on the floor, but mostly it was waiting, staring into a corner of the darkened sickbay and thinking about everything that had happened. The battle, and Klueze's taunts. Losing Fllay, then finding Mwu-san. Strike had been in fragments, barely recognisable aside from the cockpit section which he'd begged Cagalli to take back to Archangel. None of them had even considered that its pilot might still be alive. It was just so he wasn't stuck out there. He deserved better than that.
How he'd survived, no-one knew. He'd been covered in blood, so much so that the tattered remains of his pilot suit had been red instead of purple. Even his helmet visor had shattered. When Murdoch-san said he was still breathing, no-one believed him at first. They'd rushed him to sickbay, every medically-trained member of the crew rallying to the call, and so far no-one had come out of surgery. He shouldn't get his hopes up, he knew. The sickbay was too small, not equipped properly to deal with such injuries as Mwu-san had. But still he waited.
And after what seemed like days (maybe it had been?) the surgery door opened and the ship's doctor walked out, looking exhausted. Scrambling to his feet Kira stared at the man, wanting to ask but being afraid of what the answer might be. The doctor sighed, running a hand through sparse hair.
"He shouldn't have survived." he said, voice faint with fatigue.
"But...he did?"
A nod. "Somehow. He has a remarkable constitution."
Kira grinned, more relieved than he knew how to say. "Can I see him?"
"He's asleep right now, and I'd say the fewer visitors the better."
He nodded thoughtfully. "One would be okay though, right?"
At first, she wouldn't let him in. It was only when he threatened to camp outside her door that she finally relented, letting him into a dimmed room. She sat behind her desk, a lamp illuminating the papers before her, and barely looked up as he approached.
"I'm glad you're all right."
Kira winced. There was no emotion in her voice at all, just a dull disinterest. Moving closer he held out a hand to her. "I have something to show you."
"I'd rather stay here."
"It's important."
"Not right now." There was a trace of irritation in her voice now. "I have work to do."
He frowned. "You're not working. You're hiding." He expected an angry retort, to even be told to leave, but instead she laughed humourlessly.
"Yes, I suppose I am. But it's easier than being out there."
"People care, you know."
"I know." A tired sigh. "And that's why. I couldn't face it - all that sympathy. It makes it worse."
He sat down in the chair opposite hers, able to see a little of her face. She looked exhausted, eyes red-rimmed and shadowed with violet - she probably hadn't slept since the night before the battle.
She evidently noticed his concern, as she managed a small smile. "And you're the same."
"Only because you haven't been sleeping."
She shrugged. "Haven't tried." She didn't say anything more about it, but he guessed that she was likely afraid to sleep - afraid of what she might see in her dreams.
"Will you come with me?"
"Are you going to keep asking?"
"Yes."
She remembered too well how it had been after he had died. Kindness, sympathy, friends refusing to leave her alone - it had almost suffocated her after a while. All she'd wanted was to be by herself to think about him, to remember the time they'd had together. And this had been the same. The hands on her shoulder, the soft words, the pressure of people around her. I couldn't stand it. I know they mean well, but I don't want it. Just to be left alone. And so far, people had. But Kira-kun was more persistent than most.
"I don't want to go out there." Most likely she sounded petulant, but she didn't much care.
"If I told you why, you would."
"Then tell me."
The boy sighed, then smiled. "Mwu-san's alive."
Whatever she'd been expecting him to say, that wasn't it. Fingers curled so tightly around her pen her knuckles turned white she stared at him, waiting for the punchline. "You.."
"He's in sickbay. We found him out there and brought him back. He's pretty badly hurt - he was in surgery for a long time - but the doctor says he'll pull through." Kira-kun's smile grew, and he held out his hand again. "Let's go see him."
She followed her younger friend in a sort of daze, half expecting to wake up any moment. She'd seen what had happened to Strike...there was no way Mwu could be alive. But Kira-kun wouldn't lie. Shaking her head she pinched herself sharply, digging fingernails into her skin until they almost drew blood.
"Murrue-san, it's alright. You're not dreaming."
"Promise?"
"I promise." He led her into sickbay, past beds of sleeping patients and up to a door which slid open noiselessly. "After you."
Somewhat nervously she stepped inside. The lights were dimmed save for a machine in the corner which measured heart rate in a steady green flickering, lending the figure in the bed an eerie glow. He was wrapped almost head to foot in bandages - only closed eyes and a few tufts of blonde hair were visible, but that was all she needed. Accepting the chair Kira-kun offered she sat down beside the bed, very carefully taking one bandaged hand between both of hers. And she smiled, unheeding of the tears that began to fall.
"He shouldn't be here, should he?"
"But he is." her friend replied softly. "He knew he had someone to go back to."
Her smile grew at the fanciful vision. "Whatever the reason, I'm glad."
The door closed, he leaving her alone with the sleeping pilot. Leaning closer, Murrue kissed the back of his hand.
"You idiot." More tears welling up she brushed them away impatiently. "You big idiot! What did you have to do something like that for? Didn't you know how much it'd hurt me? Didn't you care?" And she cried, face buried in the thin sheet that covered him. She hadn't let herself cry since it had happened, but now relief mixed with worry and pain made it all too much. Distantly she knew that she was more angry at herself than at him - if she'd been a better captain, been a real officer like Natarle, he might not have had to do something like that. It was her fault.
"I'll make it up to you," she promised them both. "I'll help you get well, if you'll let me. However long it takes." Still holding his hand she moved closer and kissed his cheek gently.
She had a chance to make things right, and she wouldn't waste it.
(Had this story hanging around for centuries, and with luck it'll go somewhere xD
Please read and review! )