Disclaimer: See first chapter
A.N.: Hello again. Well next chapter dum! Dum! Dum! As usual sorry for the delay, at the moment at school it's all study, test, study, exam then at home its all Smith! Elrond! 15th! DSL! So here I am writing that at the back of geography class while the teacher is prattling on about industry or something...Oh yeah thank you for the many lovely reviews, they are a bright spark in my dull boring life.
Chapter 5
"Harper? Seamus you with us?" came Beka's anxious voice.
Opening his eyes against the sharp white light, his response to the query was a groan escaping from a dry and raw throat. Blinking his eyes to clear at least a little of the sleep out of them, Harper opened them to see to worried faces peering down at him.
Startled at the unexpected sight, Harper bolted up on the bed, well it was more of a twitch to Beka and Trance. However, to Harper, it felt as if a nano-torch had been taken to every nerve in his body, his head feeling as if it had the entire new Commonwealth pressing down on it.
"…owie…" replied a raspy voice belonging to Harper whom was now regretting the genius move that was just made.
"Hey woah there, let Trance give you something for the pain before you start running anymore marathons…" Beka trailed off while laying a hand upon his chest to keep him from moving anymore, hoping that he did not pick up on her hesitation and glancing a worried look at Trance.
As a hiss from outside his field of vision cooled the raging flames, Harper had unfortunately picked up on Beka's faltering.
'I've known her for about seven years and she still thinks I can't read her as easily as See Spot Run. Okey dokey then Harper lets find out what they are not telling you. Arms…ouch yup probably not that. Hang on, Trance was with me, no she appears to be fine thank the devine, don't know what I would do if anything had happened to her I mean she's been shot I dunno twice? So if she can survive that…Ok Mr Genius going off topic there. Ok, head…yup, massive ongoing hammer attack on that so that's still there…could be that I guess…wait, leg, left leg…hello? Left leg, come in left leg…'
Beka watched on, merely a bystander to the show that played across Harper's bruised face. Firstly the half asleep drugged look but she knew he was working out why she was tense. She knew, even though she denied it, but Harper knew her better than anyone, in a weird way they were like brother and sister, always looking out for each other. And then what she was dreading, the look of shock, then pure unhidden fear laid bare within his eyes, his mask crumbling.
'It's the magog incident all over again…' she thought.
"Beka! Trance! My leg…what's wrong with it? I can't feel it! What's going on?" Came Harper's panicked voice, pleading with anyone to give him an answer.
Trance looked over at Beka, took a deep breath and started on the delicate task.
"Shh, Harper, calm down. Harper…" she started slowly, thinking over her words carefully, "You remember the planet?"
At Harper's slight nod, she sighed and continued, "Well I'm not sure how much you remember but there was an earthquake. I was ok except for a couple of bumps but…" she swallowed to clear her suddenly dry throat, "but you weren't quite so lucky. Your right leg was broken badly but can be fixed, your left leg on the other hand…and your dataport were extensively damaged…" she finished quietly, looking anywhere but his eyes.
Looking up she saw Harper gripping the blanket tightly, his knuckles white, his hands trembling a little. While she still had the strength, she continued talking.
"We've done everything we can on Andromeda, but don't worry, we're on our way to Sintii where we'll get the best doctors for you. It will all be fine," she replied not sure who she was trying to convince and hoping at the same time that more that his injuries would be fine.
"What happens if they can't fix it?" came Harper's quiet response after almost a minute of silence that seemed to last for eternity.
"We'll work that out if that happens," she answered back quietly yet forcefully.
Seeing Harper's weak nod in acknowledgement of what she said she slowly went over to a different part of med-deck to run a test, to clean up, to do something to distract her.
Beka raised her eyes from the floor to once again look at Harper. Wires, tubes and pads were connected to his body in an assortment of places, and looking into his eyes she could see them shining with a wetness that he wouldn't shed.
"Harper…" she began but then stopped, unsure of what to say.
Knowing in her heart that he wouldn't say anything and had closed off to the outside world and would most likely like some privacy, she slowly turned towards the door.
"I'll see you later ok?" she said quietly to a silent Harper as she slowly walked out of the room, leaving behind a figure lying on a bed staring blankly at nothing with a lone tear running down his face.
TBC
Well? If you liked it let me know if it isn't too much hassle. Getting onto the nice really juicy angsty stuff now so next chapter should be whipped up quite soon ;)