A/N: Had no plans to continue the story anytime soon. But I desperately needed to cheer myself up with some fluff, so here it is. Hopefully it can cheer up somebody else /Also - this is a way to celebrate my upcoming b-day. Yay.
Something pointy hits his ribs, hard. It's not the specific kind of pain experienced in his dreams only, so Cassian is moderately convinced he's awake. Slower than usual, but he can recall all the details of his current predicament. It's Jyn who's struggling against him, trashing around the medbay cot - his cot - like a fish out of the water. For some reason, she wants to run. He'd instantly let her go, if she'd only ask. One look at grimacing face and barely opened eyes, and the man understands why she didn't: it's a nightmare, her nightmare. Bringing imaginary combat into reality, Jyn moves like a cornered animal. Cassian does not intend to wait things out and watch her fall to the ground. A couple of her blind blows later, he manages to wrap himself almost completely around the woman's skinny frame. That stops flaying limbs, but not the quickened breath, so on instinct he resorts to a distant childhood memory. She's unable to understand the Festian phrases for sure; come to think about it, Cassian himself might have forgotten their meaning; but these murmured assurances do seem to clear whatever has been going on inside Jyn's head. When her breathing calms down, so does his. It's been an exhausting experience, and before he can untangle his body away from hers, they are both back into the oblivion.
A firm hold around her arms and legs keeps Jyn in place. A low growl is coming from the body trapping her. Jyn needs to get away from this beast, and needs to do it fast and dirty. Except, this is not a beast. Half a second before she starts fighting for life, series of flashbacks puts her mind at ease. Medbay, Cassian, narrow bed, entangled bodies - all is fine. That sound though, it's out of place. The palms flexing against her back, this isn't right either. Tremors run through the man's body and Jyn recognizes the symptoms. She manages to free one hand, but this time she opts to touch Cassian's face instead. The attempt to smooth out the creases on his forehead and the hard lines around his mouth works fast. Soon the noise dies out, as face against her palm relaxes. Just in case, Jyn continues the caresses for as long as she has the strength to do so.
There's a slim palm cradling his cheek. His heart skips a beat, awaiting the inevitable - which doesn't come. The hand just lays there, still and undisturbed, when he slightly moves his head to squint at it. The shape, the scars, it all tells him it's not a threat. Thus, he can let this fascinating incident last. And somehow, against the expectations, these delicate fingers are still there when Cassian resurfaces from the fever visions next time. Grateful, he nuzzles against the palm and puts a kiss to it, as a silent thanks for the comforting touch that doesn't demand anything in exchange.
Strong and regular heartbeat against her ear is the only sound that Jyn wants to hear now. Enclosing embrace is not a cage, but a safe haven. And, the face under her fingertips is not a face of an enemy. This all feels like such a luxury. She gently strokes Cassian's cheek and leaves her hand there, a steady point of contact. Slightly ashamed of her selfishness, Jyn wriggles her body tighter against him, to enjoy the closeness as fully as possible. She can't help feeling giddy with the touch that does not intend to hurt.
The cycle goes on and on. Suffering through dreams and nightmares. Waking up to peace and security instead of horror. Offering prayers to the Force and beyond, for the calm among the storm. Offering silent thanks to the person right beside, for understanding. It lasts for days, mere hours or maybe just minutes, back and forth - but not for a single moment any of the two feels crowded or awkward.
In a longer moment of consciousness, they are finally told they shouldn't share the bed. Jyn, being in better condition, should get back to hers. Of course she doesn't give a damn about that particular medical opinion. No doctor has rights to decide whether she should stay exactly where she is at the moment. Only one person has any say in this.
"Cassian? Can I...?"
"Yes, Jyn. Please."
So she stays.
But - they can't last like this forever. Eventually Jyn gets discharged as fit for duty. Stubbornly, against every single staff member that asks her otherwise, she waits by Cassian's side until he wakes up again. She does want to say something, wish him a speedy recovery, say goodbye; but somehow can't utter a single word. Instead, just cradles his cheek for the last time and strides out, opposing the instincts urging her to return to where she belongs - used to belong - so well.
She's long gone before Cassian wraps his brain around the idea of suddenly existing all alone; without the respite from being constantly on guard; without them watching over each other's sleep. And yet, he retreats into slumber more willingly than ever before, after a jarring discovery that changes everything. Somehow, Jyn is still looking after him - from within his dreams. The mysterious woman he used to meet in his imagination, suddenly has taken shape of Jyn. It's her familiar form curled up in his visionary embrace, it's her face pressed against his. In any other circumstances Cassian would find the fact heavily disturbing. It's wrong to think about her this way. It's improper; forbidden even. But, it's soothing too. It's not a hostile intrusion, just a visit from someone he trusts completely. Worn down with all the aspects of the illness, he's simply thankful for her assuring company - even if it's temporal, outside of lucidity, inside his head only.
Jyn feels far from being healed. All of sudden, something vital is missing, something important. The realization makes her feel uncomfortable. She hopes that some rest, far from the scents of medbay, can bring resolution to the restlessness. And it does, in a rather shocking form though. Apparently, long hours spent huddled together, suspended between dreams and reality, imprinted her mind with Cassian's image. The spectre from Jyn's dreams now wears his face, has his dark eyes; it's his warm body wrapping her in a safety cocoon. And it's terrifying as heck, having somebody so familiar in such an intimate dream - but also comforting, in a way. He's not a stranger, and not an enemy. Quite the opposite, really. Cassian became one of the rare constants in Jyn's life. Dependable, trustful, providing her with a sense of security; the only person allowed to be so close to her. He's always welcomed to be close. She's safe with him, always, even now - even if it's just the illness lingering in her mind.
There are no miracles. Them miracles are just waves and swirls of the Force, seemingly random incidents topped with equally baffling decisions. Still -
It's like a miracle to him, meeting Jyn standing across the medbay entrance, waiting for his discharge. She's leaning heavily against the wall, but her eyes shine. She carefully stretches her hand towards him, the shaky palm he already knows so well.
It's like a miracle to her, when Cassian gingerly takes the palm offered and plants a butterfly-light kiss inside it.
With hands entwined, they walk the base corridors. They walk together from now on, no longer just in their fight for the better world, but all the way. Someday, one day - it's happening here and now, today and tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, until their chances are spent. And, all along the way, Jyn and Cassian will fight hard so that everybody in the galaxy someday, one day could have their dreams coming true, could find what the two of them have found already.