Author's Note: Maz is awesome. And I've never used an OC this much – hope he's not too annoying. He's just a necessary plot device; as for the other lesser-used character, if you've read my Damerey stuff, you know I love me some Kes.
Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.
As Bodhi settles their ship at the coordinates Maz supplied, Kes goes down to tell the others what is going on. Kes and the medic, Aari, are in the best shape of anyone on the ship, but many of the others they saved, two other ground troops from the second wave, are mostly all right. Kes told Jyn before he went down that he's going to put the two uninjured troops on patrol near the entrance Maz directed them to.
Jyn scans the area for anyone who looks hostile, but all she can see is the entrance Maz mentioned and what look like both droid and sentient medics. Jyn is actually relieved that the hover stretchers are all manned by the 2-1B medic droids. As far as Jyn is concerned, the fewer people who know they're here, the better.
"Can you help me with sh-shutdown?" Bodhi looks at her.
With a nod, she replies, "Just tell me what to do." He walks her through it, and once they're done with all but the systems they need to open doors and keep the lights on, Jyn offers him her hand. "Let me help you out, Bo. I can see that you're exhausted."
He nods, taking her hand with his good one. "We can help each other." He eyes her. "Aari told me about your knees."
She rolls her eyes, but they do sort of lean on each other as they come out of the cockpit. They make their way down as the patients in the hold are all loaded and gone. Cassian is last, and Aari and Kes are standing by him talking to Maz. Jyn locks eyes with Cassian. He looks, for the first time since she met him, terrified. When they get closer, Jyn understands why. Aari, Maz, and Kes are trying to think about how to get Cassian on the stretcher without risking further harm to his back.
Bodhi squeezes her hand. "G-go sit with him Jyn. He looks like me right now. It feels very out of place on him."
Jyn looks up at Bodhi and smiles faintly. "Thanks, Bodhi. Let them take you inside – they can help more with your shoulder and the burns."
He nods, and a 2-1B droid comes over. "You require assistance. May I assist?"
Bodhi lets the droid lead him off of the ship as Jyn goes to Cassian and settles next to him, taking his hand and holding it tight. "You all right? You don't look all right."
He sighs. "If they don't keep my back straight, they're worried it could do more damage. They can raise the pad on the stretcher so I stay sitting up, but getting me onto it is the problem."
"Hey, kiddo." Jyn looks up to see Maz in front of her. The tiny woman leans down, hugging Jyn. "Are you injured too?"
Jyn nods slightly. "Hi, Maz. And sprained knees from an explosion. Otherwise all right outside of superficial cuts and bruises."
"Good." Maz turns to Cassian and puts on her glasses. "You, Mr. Willix, are a greater issue."
"Sorry, Maz." Cassian shrugs. "I'd love to not be."
"I know." She tousles his hair much like Jyn had earlier. "Despite the hand-wringing of these two, we have to move you. I can't very well bring the tank in here. I have three. When your Mr. Malbus is done, he probably only needs a few hours, in you go. Mr. Eriston here," she motions to Aari, the medic, "Is going to scan you. Since you have sensation, he thinks it may just be swelling. If that's the case, the bacta will do wonders, and you'll be on your feet quickly."
"If it's not?" Cassian gives her a hard look.
Maz doesn't flinch. "We'll deal with that if we have to."
Cassian nods. "Let's just do this, Maz. I can't sit here forever."
He sounds braver than he feels. Cassian's mind is racing, and it's taking a lot of his training to not simply vibrate out of his skin with fear. He was surprised, though, when Jyn took his hand. It settled him almost immediately. "All right, kiddo."
Jyn squeezes his hand and releases it as Kes comes over, offering his hands. "Need some help, Sarge?"
She takes them, and he pulls her to her feet with surprising gentleness. "Thanks, Kes."
"Anytime, Nari." He lets go of her hands and goes around to Cassian. "Will, you're going to be all right. We've got this. We're not going to mess it up."
Cassian looks at Kes. He's never really been close to anyone in the Rebellion – friends can be weaknesses. But Dameron is relentlessly friendly and would always seek Cassian out when on base, just to grab a drink or join the Pathfinders for dinner. Kes is one of the ones who helped him create a network of people on base who, while not strictly friends, were people Cassian trusted well enough to spend some downtime around them. Cassian swallows hard. "Thank you, Kes."
"It's nothing." He smirks. "Shara worries about you. She'll kick my ass if I break you."
Cassian snorts, but he also relaxes a little more. Dameron may play the fool sometimes, but Cassian knows that the joking demeanor is a cover, not unlike those that Cassian himself employs (though admittedly none of his covers are lighthearted). The lightness seems to be Kes's way (along with just being around Shara) of combating the darkness he's seen. Jyn stands back as Aari comes to Cassian's other side and two of the 2-1Bs come over to assist.
Keeping as still and relaxed as he can, he lets Kes and Aari support his upper body while the droids take most of his weight lifting him. A moment later, a third droid slides the stretcher under him, and then he's able to settle back into the same position he'd had against the wall. The droid brings the stretcher up to hover, and Jyn approaches immediately, putting a hand on each leg near the ankle. She locks eyes with him and squeezes each ankle in turn.
He knows what she's doing, and he's grateful. He can feel her squeeze each leg, and he nods, letting his anxiety ratchet back down. She comes up to the head of the stretcher, pressing her forehead to his. "You're going to be fine." His hand comes up to her face, and he holds her to him with his hand on her cheek.
Kes and Aari step away with the extra droids. Cassian doesn't respond, just enjoys the quiet moment before the droid guiding the stretcher says they need to go. Jyn steps back and watches them go. Maz stands there, watching the scene. "Where is that grouchy droid of his?"
Jyn is silent for a moment as she blinks back tears. "Kay didn't make it."
"Ach. I'm sorry. I'll tell him so, too." Maz peers up at her through her thick lenses. "You know, kiddo, I've known that one for years, and he's never shown fear or affection – well, maybe odd affection for Kay. But he just showed both to you in under five minutes."
Jyn looks at her, feeling defensive. "And?"
"And nothing. Well done. No one has to be as alone as both of you were." Maz comes over and takes her arm. "Come on, kiddo, let's go get those knees tended to." Jyn's about to follow when she remembers the datapad. She grabs it, holding it tight to her. Then, she lets Maz lead her from the ship.
X
After one of Maz's people has scanned Jyn's knees and re-wrapped them (with a promise that she should be a lot better in a few days, Force love bacta wraps), Jyn gingerly walks into a small alcove off of the main medical area Maz has set up to find Cassian. Jyn is amazed by Maz's operation here, and it makes Jyn wonder briefly at what other secrets lurk under the surface of Maz's palace. Of course, living nearly a thousand years would give one time to accumulate a lot of stuff.
She gets to Cassian, and she's relieved to see that he looks more relaxed than she'd expected. His eyes light up when he sees her. "How are your knees?"
"Fine. Better." She lifts an eyebrow. "How is your back?"
"Aari thinks it may be all right, or at least a lot more stable, after a bacta tank session." He frowns slightly. "But he thinks I might need two." He's not happy at multiple dips in the tank, but if it means he'll regain most of his mobility, he can deal with it. He really hopes one will be enough, though. He hates bacta tanks. "Also, after the scan, Aari said that half of my ribs are cracked, but none broke completely. That's going to hurt for a while."
"That's good news." Jyn eyes him. "But you're holding something back."
He nods, frowning. "I'll be in a brace on the left side for a time. The bacta can help with the swelling around my spine, but I have multiple hairline fractures to my left leg, probably from when I landed after falling off of the tower. Maz has a brace I can use. Aari thinks it'll take several weeks to stabilize and to get back to full mobility. I'll be able to walk within a few hours, probably, but with assistance at first."
"So, essentially, you're lucky as hell." She cups his face in her palm until he nods, acknowledging her point. Jyn sees a stool near the stretcher, and she pulls it over and sits down. "How are the others?"
Another voice makes them both jump slightly. "Th-they're in the tanks." They look over to see Bodhi standing there. Jyn sees that some of the livid red has faded and is shining with a new bacta salve, but she guesses that no amount of bacta is going completely get rid of the marks. His arm is still in a sling, this one a little more supportive. "M-Maz's doctor and Aari think they'll all recover. Two or three treatments each for M-Melshi and Chirrut, just one or two for B-Baze. B-but I don't know the extent of their injuries. They're nice, new tanks, though."
Jyn nods, and she points to another stool. "Sit, Bo."
He comes over, grabbing the stool with his good arm and pulling it over next to Jyn. Cassian watches with interest. Jyn is solicitous with Bodhi, gentle in a way he doesn't necessarily associate with her. It makes him wonder what kind of person she would have been had Krennic never found the Erso family.
Maz comes into the alcove, and she levels a look at Cassian and Jyn. "So, Captain, I assume we need to contact the Rebellion?" Cassian's eyes widen, but Maz isn't done. "And Miss Erso, how do you play into this?" Jyn must look just as shocked as Cassian, but Maz just chuckles. "You two are very good at what you do, but I know Mon Mothma and knew Saw Gerrera. I know who you both are now – both of you intrigued me when you've been here in the past, you with just one trip, Miss Erso."
Jyn and Cassian exchange a look, and Cassian starts to say something. Maz stops him. "Your secrets are quite safe with me, Captain Andor. I imagine you are quite certain of where my loyalties are. But your General Draven is an ass. You need to find a better boss."
Jyn snorts, but Maz turns her focus on Bodhi. He seems to shrink in on himself, and Jyn stands and shifts to his side. Cassian watches with interest again, realizing that while he observes them that even though Jyn is probably four years younger than him, she has very much taken on the role of Bodhi's big sister. Jyn speaks, her voice with a steel edge. "Maz, I respect you, and I am very grateful for the assistance you're giving us, but please leave Bodhi alone."
Maz considers Jyn for a moment, but she walks to Bodhi. "You have had a hard time, haven't you, kiddo?" He blinks rapidly, and then he nods. Maz pats him on the hand. "You're safe here, Bodhi Rook. I don't need anything from you – just know that you're safe."
Stepping back, Maz eyes Jyn. "And you keep looking after them, but don't forget to look after yourself too, kiddo." After a beat, Maz goes on, "I can try to contact Mon Mothma when you are ready. If I can get through to them, I can get a comms unit in here, Captain. And no one outside of me knows who you are. You needn't worry. I should call soon – Sergeant Dameron is bouncing off of my walls. He wants his wife to know he's all right. I agree with him – Lieutenant Bey is one of the good ones. She must be beside herself."
"She is." Cassian agrees. "How are the rest of our people?"
"Alive and improving. The young one, Melshi according to Dameron, is in rough shape. Internal injuries, a head injury, shot a few times. He's the only one we're worried about." Maz takes a deep breath. "The elder one, Chirrut, has significant internal injuries. They are healing well. He'll have recovery time soon, then go back in the tank, definitely once, maybe twice more."
"And Baze?" Jyn asks softly.
"Mr. Malbus is healing well. Blaster shots heal surprisingly well with bacta. He may only need the one treatment. He'll be out soon. Captain, you'll go in when he comes out." Maz eyes Cassian. "The only one with a questionable prognosis is Sergeant Melshi. We'll keep you informed. I'm going to go upstairs soon. I'll work on contacting your people, and I'll also work on the trade to get you a less noticeable ship. I have a buyer for your shuttle, one who has been looking for a Delta class. He has a small Corellian freighter that would likely suit your needs and also get you some credits. It would be a good deal."
Cassian nods. "Thank you, Maz."
"Of course." She cocks her head. "If we cannot raise your people before you go in the tank, should I keep trying and let Sergeants Dameron and Erso talk to Senator Mothma?"
Cassian looks at Jyn. She looks doubtful, but he in confident that she and Dameron can handle it. "Yes, but try to get Dameron to sleep, too – I don't think he has in over a day."
"Not if it's Draven, Maz." Jyn's reply is quick. "I'll talk to Mothma, but not kriffing Draven."
She stares down Cassian, and it must go on a while, because Maz just chuckles and leaves. Eventually, Cassian starts, "Jyn –"
Jyn shakes her head. "No, Cassian. He can kriff the hells off. I will not speak to him right now. He killed my father, Cass. And I know it's all about 'the good of the Rebellion,' but he treats you like you're just a disposable tool, too. You're wrong if you think I haven't sorted that out."
Bodhi shifts uncomfortably. "I-I will go check on the others." He bolts like a startled loth-cat.
Cassian has to take a moment, breathing as deep as his ribs will allow, looking at his hands. "Jyn, you can hate Draven for your father. That's fair. But I made my own decisions. I chose the life I've led. He may treat me like, as you say, 'a disposable tool,' but I've allowed it. I've had choices, opportunities to take a different path."
He looks up at her, and he can tell she's about to argue. He won't let her. "I was good at it, Jyn, and it needed to be done. It was that simple. I will not blame Draven for that. I have a lot of unforgivable things I am guilty of doing, but even if I have remorse, most of them are things I would not change, because they were for the good of the Rebellion and I had little choice in the moments when I did them. The only thing I truly, deeply regret is not telling you the truth about Draven's orders about your father."
Jyn bites her lip, looking down. She understands what Cassian is saying, knows that she also has few real regrets about her life. "Come here, Jyn." She looks up, and she sees him reaching for her. Everything in her is screaming at her to run away from all of this – from Chirrut and Baze, solid and wise; from Bodhi, who makes her so protective and gentle; and especially from Cassian, who truly sees her like no one ever has. Saw's words echo in her head: attachments make you weak, can be exploited. Her hand comes up, wrapping around the crystal, gripping it so tight that it nearly cuts into her skin.
Cassian watches her, and he can see the battle within. He can see it because he's fighting the same things. "Jyn, please, come here." She breathes out, and she comes over to his side. He can actually see the tremors in her body. "Don't run. I can't follow you right now, and I need you with me. I'm still with you. All the way. I meant that." It costs him a lot to say that. He's not ever been good about saying what he needs – that's pretty much what happens when you lose everything at the age of six.
She doesn't look at him. "I know you did. I don't want to." She finally looks up, and the tears brimming in her eyes nearly break his heart. He reaches up and takes her free hand. "I'm so afraid of this, Cassian. Of needing people. If I don't have anyone I care about, no one can be used against me. No one can leave me."
"You think I don't understand that?" He entwines their fingers. "Jyn, I probably understand that more than anyone else can."
"I know." She releases the crystal and swipes at her eyes, leaving her other hand wrapped in his. Jyn reaches over and pulls the stool up again, putting it right next to him. She rests her head on the stretcher next to his right hip, her hand landing on his right leg.
He sighs, and he's happy to see that she seems to have settled down for now. He brushes his hand through her hair, eventually pulling the remnants of her messy bun free. He relaxes back into the stretcher. After a long while, a thought occurs to him, and he snorts.
"What's funny?" Jyn asks without lifting her head.
Quietly, almost afraid to break the peaceful bubble around them, he replies, "Kay would be disgusted by this. He loved to tell me how unbearable we organics are with our need for touch and affection."
She nods under his hand. "I don't remember the last time I willingly allowed someone to touch me. I haven't trusted anyone in a long time."
"Same. But I trust you, Jyn." He continues brushing his hand through her hair, wishing it was safe to get her to get on the stretcher with him.
"Jyn, I was honest when I said we make a good team. I want to work with you. Even if I recover to nearly one hundred percent, I need a partner, if not a team. I'm ready to step back from what I was doing before. I'm good at recruiting and at longer undercovers. You can pretend that you're not a spy, but you've lived that way for years. You'd be good at both of those things." He squeezes her hand. "Well, on the recruiting, you'd probably scare people. But you'd be good to have at my back."
"Draven won't allow it. You know he won't." She tightens her hand on his leg. "Draven hates me and everything I stand for, Cassian."
"Senator Mothma has offered me different roles for the last year." She sits up, looking at him. "I just never had any reason to take them. Now I do. And I have an idea of how to keep us together. You're going to think I'm insane, though."
"What, more insane than going to a heavily fortified Imperial data vault with no support, twenty or so soldiers, and a minuscule chance of success, much less survival?" She furrows her brow.
He starts to respond, but a knock against the wall makes them both look towards the source of the sound, Jyn reaching for the blaster she has at her hip. Aari stands there, hands raised. "Just here to take the captain for the bacta tank. Mr. Malbus is out and should wake up soon, Jyn, if you want to sit with him. Lieutenant Rook is already with him."
Jyn nods, then looks at Cassian. "Do you want me to stay?"
He warms a little inside at the request. "No, I'll be all right. They have to sedate me for the tank anyway."
"All right." She stands, leaning over and, surprising both of them, pressing a kiss to his temple. "I'll be there when you wake up, Cass."
"Promise?" He turns wide eyes to her, and she can see that he's worried, maybe even scared. He must be able to tell that she's reading his emotions, and he wonders if it's all the pain meds that are making him so open. Softly, he says, "I hate bacta tanks. I have nightmares about them. I'm not a great swimmer. I don't like being submerged."
Her eyes soften. "I promise I'll be there, Cassian." She steps away then, holding his gaze for a moment, seeing the gratitude in his eyes. "See you soon." He nods, giving her a small wave. She wraps her arms around herself and limps off to find Bodhi and Baze.
X
Jyn approaches the bed where Baze still is out, sitting in a chair next to Bodhi. After a moment of silence, Jyn says, "It feels so quiet here, like there isn't a war raging in the galaxy."
Bodhi nods. "But there is a war. We-we're going back to it, aren't we?" Jyn looks at him in surprise, and he shrugs his good shoulder. "I-I know. You don't expect that from me, but they destroyed Jedha, Jyn. My home. My family. All gone. My head is still jumbled, b-but I know what's right. I want to help you and Cassian with whatever it is you end up doing. He lost Kay. He needs another pilot. I can do that."
"You sound so sure that we'll be able to do this, stay together, even keep me with you." She sighs. She knows the Rebellion could as easily toss her in a cell as anything else.
"I'm sure that we'll figure it out." Bodhi surprises her with how confident he sounds. "And do you really think –" He pauses, peering around to see if anyone from Maz's team is nearby. He then drops his voice and continues, "And do you really think C-Cassian will let them interfere?"
Jyn wraps her arms around her waist, pulling in on herself. "He may not be able to protect me, Bo. Draven hates me."
A grumbling voice makes them both look up. "We will protect you too, Little Sister."
Jyn rises carefully as Bodhi jumps up, going to get a medic. "Baze. I'm glad you're awake."
Baze eyes her, then his eyes move around rapidly. "Where is Chirrut? And the Captain?"
Jyn puts her hand gently on his shoulder. "They're in bacta tanks. You were in one for a few hours, too. They're cycling you and Cassian out. You may need one more time, Cassian might as well." She squeezes. "The prognosis is good for them both, Baze. They'll be all right. We got Sergeant Melshi out too. He'll probably be all right as well."
Baze relaxes back into the bed they put him in. "You know the first thing he'll say when they revive him is that he can't see, right?"
Jyn snorts. "I'll be disappointed if he doesn't."
Aari and Bodhi join them, and Jyn steps back. She loops her arm through Bodhi's good arm as they watch the medic scan Baze. After a few moments, the medic steps back. "You may not need to go back in. You're healing better than I expected. Bacta wraps may do the trick. We'll apply some and wait and see."
Baze grunts. "After that, can we go sit with the others in bacta?"
"Yes." Aari nods. "Maz has a wheelchair. If you agree to ride and stay down, you can go see them and stay a while. Then you need more sleep. And we pulled both Sergeant Melshi and Chirrut from the tanks a short while ago. They both healing better than expected. They may be good with just this second treatment. But Mr. Malbus, you really have to behave, or I'll sedate you again." Baze nods begrudgingly, and Aari leaves, presumably to get supplies.
Jyn looks at Baze, and he says, "Maz? Does he mean Maz Kanata? Are we on Takodana?"
Bodhi throws his good hand up at that. "Am I the only one who doesn't know her?"
Baze and Jyn look at him and simultaneously say, "Yes."
Less than half an hour later, Aari wheels Baze into the room with the three bacta tanks. Jyn and Bodhi follow, Jyn's knees protesting. When they get to the chairs near the tanks, Aari parks Baze next to the chair Jyn takes, and then he positions a chair in front of Jyn. "Feet up. No arguments. You need to elevate."
Maz steps into the room, and she approaches them. There is only one 2-1B droid in the room with them, and none of Maz's personnel. She gets to them. "Mr. Malbus, I see you are doing better."
"Yes. Thank you, Pirate Queen." Baze smirks at her.
"Be quiet, you." Maz waves at him. She turns to Jyn. "The med droid says that the captain is doing well. And be aware, I regularly wipe my med-droids' memory banks. They will be reset to basic programming when you depart. You can speak freely in here. I swept it for bugs myself before you came in."
"Thank you, Maz." Jyn inclines her head, but her eyes are glued to Cassian's tank. He has on shorts to protect his modesty, but he's otherwise unclothed. She's stunned by the scars and bruises, but she guesses that she shouldn't be. Even bacta can't eliminate scars completely – it can stop new ones, but it doesn't necessarily clear away old ones. Her body is not particularly different.
"Kiddo, he's doing well. We sedated him heavily at his request. He doesn't want to wake up in the tank, which I understand." She puts a hand on Jyn's arm. "He'll be fine. And when he wakes, you can tell him that I was able to make a deal for the shuttle. I was able to trade it for a smaller Corellian frieghter. It has living quarters for a few, some cargo space, and a gunner's chair. It's small and a little old, so I was able to get ten thousand credits as well as the freighter. That Delta was pristine. The freighter is in good shape, though, according to my mechanic. It'll be tight to get you all home, but after that, it'll make a good cover ship for a small team doing clandestine work."
Jyn is amazed. "Thank you, Maz. Bodhi and I will go check it over later."
Maz nods. "I'm still trying to raise the Rebellion. I have a few more frequencies to try."
"Can I come with?" Kes Dameron enters the room. Jyn can tell he got some rest.
"A handsome young man wanting to follow me around? Who am I to say no to that?" Maz leaves with a chuckling Kes in her wake.
The three of them settle in, watching their comrades in the tanks. Eventually, Aari brings in four stretchers, telling them they all have to sleep. Jyn thinks about protesting, and she's the last to hop up on her portable bed. Bodhi and Baze are both out almost the moment they are on their beds, but Jyn doesn't want to close her eyes, doesn't want to relax.
Aari comes to her side. "Dameron rested up. He's keeping an eye on things. I'm going to sleep, too. Who do you think the fourth bed is for? The 2-1B has been instructed to wake me in a few hours. I will wake you when it's time to take Captain Andor out of the tank. You have my word, Jyn."
She nods, letting him help her up to the stretcher. She curls up on her side, pleased to note that her knees are feeling significantly better. "Thank you, Aari, for everything."
"No problem. I won't pretend I'm not looking forward to getting back to a medbay. I thought I wanted the excitement of field work, but honestly, this is more than I bargained for." He gives her a game smile before turning and getting up on his own bed.
Jyn watches Cassian, focusing on his face. The bacta and the sedative making the perpetual tension in his expression smooth out. She sees his rather ridiculously pretty eyelashes resting against his cheeks, and she realizes that he and Bodhi are probably about the same age, all of them in their 20s. She can't help but feel that they've all seen and done far too much in their relatively short lives. She falls asleep watching him, the unfamiliar feeling of actually being safe, even if temporarily, allowing her to surrender to it.
X
"Jyn?"
She sits up quickly, hands raised defensively. Kes steps back. "Hey. Sorry, but I needed to talk to you. We got through to Senator Mothma. I spoke with her directly, and no, General Draven wasn't there." He looks upset.
"What's wrong? Is your wife all right?" Jyn frowns.
He nods. "Yes. I talked to her. The Senator sent for her while I was telling her what happened. She did think I was dead." He swallows hard. "She's pretty mad at me for going now that she knows I'm not. But I have bad news, Jyn." Before she can ask, he says, "They lost the plans."
Jyn feels her stomach drop to her feet. "What?"
"They were transmitted to Princess Leia Organa's ship, the Tantive IV. The ship was taken. We don't know where the plans or the Princess are." He shakes his head. "I'm so sorry, Jyn."
After staring at Kes for a moment, in a move her knees will hate her for later, Jyn jumps up and runs to a trash bin. In moments, what little there was in her stomach comes up. She heaves into the can, and then she bolts from the room, desperate to get outside. She runs blindly, and eventually, she finds a path out. It's dawn, and she sinks to the ground, her breathing erratic and knees aching. She sits there for a long time, rocking back and forth, her arms wrapped around herself again.
In what could be minutes or hours later, she feels movement behind her. Before she can move, Bodhi drops next to her, wrapping his good arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him. She struggles briefly, then she relents, nearly burrowing into his side. "Th-they're looking for them, Jyn. They may find them. Hope isn't gone. Just hold on to that. We won't stop fighting. G-Galen would want us to keep going, and we will, if only to honor all those who died on Jedha and Scarif."
She digs her hands into his flight suit, holding him tight. He rocks her in his embrace, and she marvels at their rapid role-reversal. She drags in a breath, whispering, "Rebellions are built on hope." After a few more moments, she nods slightly and sits up. "I have to go back inside. I promised Cassian I'd be there when he wakes up, and that's probably soon, isn't it?"
Bodhi nods. He stands, offering her his good hand. She takes it and stands up. Before letting go, she squeezes his hand. "Thank you, Bodhi." He gives her a funny look, but she says it again. "Thank you."
He suddenly seems to realize what she means, and he releases her hand, rubbing the back of his neck. "You-you've been there for me. I can be there for you, too. That's what friends do, right?"
She huffs out an ironic laugh, heading back inside. "I'm not the one to ask that, Bodhi. I haven't really had friends or family in nearly fifteen years."
"Well, you s-seem smart. You'll sort it out." He lifts an eyebrow at her.
She laughs again, this time without irony. A wave of affection washes over her. "I expect that you will make me. Cassian probably needs help with this, too. We're both a bit out of practice."
When she gets back to the bacta treatment room, Bodhi following, she's met by Kes. He looks stricken. "I'm sorry, Jyn. I had to tell you, though."
"It's all right, Kes." He nods, and then he shocks her by stepping forward and enveloping her in a hug. She tenses at first, but she relaxes into the hug in seconds. "I'm all right." When she steps back, she sees a broken chair set aside. "What happened?"
"Baze did that when I told him." Kes sounds like he's beside himself.
"I'm sorry you had to be the messenger on the news, Kes." He releases her, and she notices that Cassian is out of the tank. "Where is he?"
"Getting cleaned up, still sedated. They'll keep him in here." He nods to a corner of the room, and she can see that the droids are back there dressing Cassian in soft fabric clothes. His hair is cleaned, and she can see that the bacta has been rinsed off.
A moment later, they put him on a medical bed in another quiet corner of the room. He's still asleep, but he looks relaxed, like he's no longer in any pain. There is a brace on his left leg. Aari joins him, and Jyn limps to the bed. She sits on the chair that he points to. The medic says, "His scan looks great. These are the best tanks I've ever seen. He won't have to go back in. Chirrut is coming out next. Melshi will be in for at least several more hours."
He eyes her, and then he steps out. When he comes back, he has two braces in his hands. He doesn't say anything, just pulls her boots off again and then puts a soft brace on each knee. The pressure feels better than she's ever going to admit.
"When will Cassian wake up?" She asks the question softly.
"Any time now. Are you going to tell him?" She looks up at Aari, and she can see he asked the question with simple concern.
She nods. "Yes. I won't keep it from him."
"Good." Aari nods. "I'll be here in case he gets too upset."
She doesn't respond, just nods. He squeezes her shoulder and then draws a curtain around her and Cassian, hiding them from the rest of the room. Jyn takes Cassian's hand, and she holds it tight, wondering how she can possibly tell him. After a few minutes, she's out of time to think about it. His eyelids begin to flutter, and seconds later, his hand tightens around hers. "Nari?" She's amazed that his brain supplied her cover name – how can he think she's good enough to keep up with him?
"I'm here." She stands up, keeping his hand in hers. "I'm here, Cass. It's all right to use names, the room is clean." His eyes open completely, locking on hers. He sits up easily, his free hand holding his chest. "How do you feel?"
He inhales deeply as Aari joins them. "Better, Captain?"
Cassian nods. "It's still sore, but not as bad."
Aari nods. "Your scan when we pulled you showed that all the soft-tissue damage is repaired, and the swelling around your spine is gone. All that's really left is the bone fractures to your ribcage, hip, and leg. You'll just need to take it easy for a couple, maybe three, weeks."
Cassian frowns, and Aari gives him a hard look. "Cassian, you are lucky to have not lost your mobility. Your left hip and leg could have been a much more serious mess. Just a bit harder, and your spine would be cracked and you would, at a minimum, be in a back brace for the rest of your life. The risk of further injury is minimal, but it does exist. We'll try to scan you again in two weeks. For now, walking carefully with the brace and a cane. That's it. Are we clear?"
Cassian sighs. That wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear, but he can see Aari's point. "We are clear."
Jyn listens to the exchange, thinking about how to tell Cassian about the plans. When the medic leaves, she looks at Cassian. He lifts his eyebrows. "Did Maz find us a ship? Did you talk to Senator Mothma?"
Jyn comes to his bed, and he carefully scoots to the left, gratified that he is able to do it and do it without any real pain. He pats the bed, and she perches on the edge of it. She tries to keep some distance, but he pulls her to his side. "Cassian, I don't want to hurt you."
"You won't." He assures her, and after another moment, Jyn curls towards him. She stays upright, though. She needs to see him. He must read something in her expression, because he says, "Jyn, what's wrong?"
She heaves a breath. "Maz found us a Corellian freighter, a small one. The Delta was in such good shape, she also got us ten thousand credits in the deal." Before he can say anything, she forges on. "And we talked to the Rebellion. Well, Kes did. I was finally getting some sleep. Kes talked to the Senator." Tears brim in her eyes. She'd been in shock before, but now all she can feel is sadness and despair. "They lost the plans."
Her words are like a punch to the gut. The tears in her eyes spill over, and he's fairly sure he's never seen someone look so lost. "What happened, Jyn?"
"The Senator told Kes that the plans were received and were on the Tantive IV. It was taken." She blinks, trying to stop the tears.
"The Tantive IV? Leia, Princess Leia's ship?" She nods, and he pulls her close. She goes without a fight this time, gently wrapping an arm around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. He feels rising dread, but knowing that Leia is involved makes him feel better and worse at the same time. "Leia is one of the toughest people I know. Almost as tough as you."
"A princess?" Jyn blinks. "You know her?"
"I do. I've known her since I was eighteen and she was eleven. I had to look after her for Bail Organa once. I taught her to swear in Festian, she taught me to swear in Huttese." He smiles slightly at the memory.
"I like her already." Jyn closes her eyes. "You believe it might actually work out?"
"I do. If Kay were here, he would tell us the odds aren't good. But the odds weren't good to get the plans in the first place." He rests his head on hers. "You want to hear the insane idea I had earlier?"
"Anything to take my mind off of things." She picks her head up to look at him.
His eyes darken as he looks at her. "All right, but there's something I want to do first. Something I want to be clear about." His hand comes up to cup her cheek. "And it's not saying good-bye or giving up."
She bites her lip and nods. She reaches up and brushes her hand through his hair, almost obscenely soft after the bacta tank. He leans in, and her eyes flutter closed as she meets him halfway. His hand slides back, his fingers threading into her hair as he presses his lips to hers. The hair of his beard brushes her face as she deepens the kiss. She has kissed men before, usually as part of a con, but this is nothing like that. She feels like she's flying and yet completely safe all at once.
Cassian eventually pulls back, and he touches his forehead to hers. His heart is racing, and he wonders briefly if this was a good idea considering his condition the last two days. Then, he dismisses that thought, because it's possible that he's never felt less alone than he does at this moment.
They stay like that, foreheads touching, his hand still in her hair and hers on his neck, breathing the same air, for a while. Then, she breathes out, "Kriff, I would have let you kiss me in the lift if I'd known it would be like that."
He laughs softly, then he turns serious. "I want to head back to Yavin as soon as we can move Melshi and Chirrut and Baze. I think I can help Bodhi pilot now." She nods. "But there is something I want to do first, something that will be the best way I can think of to send a message to Draven and everyone else, and make both you and me happy in the process."
She finally leans back, looking curiously at him. "Now this I have to hear."