Hi everyone, thanks for reading! Leave a review for me! I'd love to know what you think of it. Thanks,
Sam
~~~2~~~
Twenty minutes later she was standing under the pouring water from the showerhead in the bathroom adjacent to the infirmary, and let her head sink low, chin to her chest, closing her eyes. She moved slowly, carefully, and got out and dried herself, quickly grabbing the clothes that sat in a neat, folded pile on the floor just inside the door to the infirmary bathroom. She was cautious of her wounds while she rewrapped her bandages, around her chest as well this time, and pulled on the clothes, which included a black t-shirt with the Heart's sigil on the left breast in yellow and navy blue pants like Joshua's. She left her bandana tied around her neck, consciously keeping herself from pulling it over her face. She wore it only when she knew her appearance would be matched to her name, but at that point nearly that whole crew must have seen her face already.
She stared at her reflection in one of the rectangular mirrors above the six sinks, wondering why only she, out of the seventeen in her crew, had survived. Searching her face, her gaze rested on the smattering of freckles on her cheeks, the single characteristic she shared with her only blood sibling.
I can't die. I made a promise. She shook her head quickly, brushed her fingers through her curly brown-blonde hair, and stepped quietly out of the bathroom after hanging up the towel. She returned to the medical bay, sitting on the bed she occupied earlier once more as Josh noticed her reentry and approached.
"If you're up for it, I need to do a quick physical. Are you okay with that?"
"Sure." She lied. All she wanted to do was sleep forever. Josh gave her a grateful smile and went to fetch her file from the cabinet in the corner. When he stepped away, two men approached her, standing at the same height and both wearing hats, one with sunglasses, red hair, and a blue hat, the other with a huge hat with PENGUIN stamped over the front.
"Hi! I'm Shachi, this is Penguin." The redhead pointed his thumb at himself then his friend, a wide grin on his face.
"Wow, you're pretty. Captain didn't let us come in the infirmary to see you, said it was your choice to keep your face hidden. I don't know why though, with looks like yours," Penguin rambled, which she silenced with a slightly uncomfortable smile. To her amusement, Josh rolled his eyes. Shachi extended a hand for her to shake, which she took, blinking in surprise when he leaned down to kiss hers. Before he could, Josh smacked him and Penguin over the head with a clipboard in turn, setting his hands on his hips as the two began to complain.
"Stop flirting with patients until at least after she's healed," The blond scolded to their dismay, but Shachi plopped down into a chair while Josh collected a blood pressure meter, stethoscope, and thermometer, then sat down in front of her.
"You don't seem as dangerous as your reputation says you are… And your bounty is really high." Penguin mentioned curiously.
She sighed, allowing the corner of her mouth to curl into a smile with her loud exhale as Josh put the blood pressure wrap around her upper arm. "The Marines tend to do that, but ninety-five million isn't really that much."
"Bullshit. You're five million away from Supernova status." Shachi muttered, and she smiled a little wider, then accepted the thermometer under her tongue from Josh.
"Inhale and exhale," Josh told her as he moved the stethoscope over her chest and back gently, then quickly checked her mouth, nostrils, and ears.
"Okay, you two, get out. She needs to rest." The two men sang their goodbyes, then slipped out. "Okay, we're done. You need sleep." He spoke to Sage.
"I agree."
"Still feeling weak or fatigued?" He asked.
"Well, yeah."
"That's expected; about a third of the blood in your body isn't yours. I'm estimating at least two weeks of no physical activity, plus more taking it easy for your wounds."
"Why am I worth that much effort to your captain?" Josh didn't answer, only observing her with his calm green eyes. At his silence, Sage searched his face for an explanation, but his visage revealed nothing. She decided to let it go for then, and he left her to sleep.