Chapter 34

After her arrival at the infirmary, everything that happened to Meri became a blur. She remembered asking about her Master and being told that he was stable, before she was whisked away to a bacta tank that was free at the moment.

Folly had hurried off to inquire about…something and she spent the next few hours in the bacta tank. She didn't remember much of that at all and suspected she had most likely fallen asleep.

She was removed early from the tank in a flurry, when someone was brought in with a deadly wound. After washing off the sticky healing substance, she was placed, wrapped in a blanket, on a cot in the corner of the room to wait. A sheet was drawn around it for privacy.

It took her a few minutes to wake up from her stupor, but when she did was glad to realize that the stripes on her back didn't hurt anywhere near as much. They were sore, but on their way to healing.

Her foot on the other hand was a swollen mess and as she stared at it, a healer stepped through the privacy screen, a young human woman with dark auburn hair and light green eyes.

"I'm Elisia. I'm going to take a look at that foot now," she said warmly by way of greeting.

Gently the healer poked and prodded Meri's foot, before running a scanner over it.

"I don't think I need to ask if it hurts," she commented to the apprentice. "You have several broken bones on top of a bad sprain. The bones I can help with, the sprain will take its own time."

When Meri didn't say anything, Elisia looked at her in concern. "Are you feeling alright otherwise, Meri?"

"I'm just tired," the apprentice replied, exhaustion tinting her voice. "But how did you know my name?"

The question was biting at her, sticking out in her fuzzy perception of things. Only Folly knew her name around here, in the rush no one else had asked her.

"Damiel told me," the healer said in explanation as she worked to attach a bone-knitter to Meri's foot.

Meri looked confused. "Who's Damiel?"

Healer Elisia looked up, surprise lacing across her features for the first time. "Why, Damiel brought you in."

Meri sat there with a blank look on her face, her confused mind trying to work out the puzzle. Suddenly something clicked.

"Folly?"

The healer grimaced slightly. "You should ask him about that." With those words she patted Meri on the leg and said, "Rest, I'll be back in awhile to check on that foot of yours."

As she started to leave, Meri pulled herself out of her stunned stupor. "Wait, I want to see my Master. Please?"

"You can't walk on that foot, Hon," she said with a disapproving look. "Your Master is fine for now. Just wait until that bone-knitter has had a chance to work, then I'll let you walk down the hall and see him."

Meri sighed in frustration, but relaxed against the pillows behind her. No sooner did she lay her head on the pillow, before she fell asleep once again.

***

Elisia pushed her auburn hair away from her face as she stepped away from the privacy screen that shielded the apprentice. Her face was set in a thoughtful frown and with a small shake of her head; she left the large room and headed down the hall.

As she passed a dark, empty room, an arm shot out and grabbed her, pulling her into a tight embrace. She let out a yelp of surprise before she realized who it was.

"Damiel! You scared the kriff out of me!"

Damiel's hazel eyes twinkled as he looked down at his captive. "I wanted to see you, in private," his words lowered suggestively with the last words.

As much as those words and his voice stirred her, Elisia had something else in mind. "Well good, I need to talk with you too, in private."

"Talking wasn't exactly what I had in mind," he murmured, lowering his head.

Elisia twisted out of his grasp and moved away. "Damiel, I'm serious," she paused as she studied his face and then continued in a soft voice.

"That Jedi didn't know your name, Damiel. You need to tell her. When are you going to let go of the past?"

His face hardened slightly and he turned away from her, an anguished light in his eyes.

Elisia moved forward and placed her hand lightly on his shoulder. When a shuddering sigh escaped him, she turned him and put her arms around him, in effort to comfort him.

He relaxed into her arms and for long moments they didn't move.

Finally he pulled back, a thumb caressing her face as he gazed at her. "I love you," he whispered.

Elisia smiled and lifted her face towards him. "Lose the name Folly and you can kiss me," she teased.

"Done," he said almost before she had finished speaking.

This time she didn't pull away as he dipped his head down and for a time, she forgot she had other duties.

Finally she placed a hand on his chest and pushed him back; or tried to at least.

"I have a job to do," she was able to murmur, now that her lips were free. "And I don't want another hickey."

Damiel sighed, but pulled away.

"Also," she said. "You need to visit that Jedi and tell her the truth."

"Okay, okay. Would it help if I told you I was planning on telling them eventually?"

"No."

"Okay. Just checking."