Disclaimer: Is it really necessary to disclaim everything every chapter? I don't own –cries-

Yeah, let me just thank my reviewers for reviewing so faithfully, much more faithfully than I've been updating, I'm afraid. Maybe I'll make 200 reviews before I finish this thing. That would be cool.

Fireblade: Pranking trainees pwn. I don't think Treet's the type, but maybe I'll come up with a nice story about the Bards or Blues next just for that aspect. I actually had a great idea for a story about a Bard, but I don't know anything about music, so I'm putting it off, lol.

Queen of the Jungle: Thanks, glad you like it! Healers fascinate me, especially Mercedes Lackey's Healers and it frustrates me that she doesn't give them more spotlight. Glad you think I'm doing an adequate job on my own.

Lurks in Shadows: Thanks. I try to keep my grammar as decent as possible, but yeah. Thanks for letting me know. If I ever get around to editing, I'll edit that out and I'll watch for that in the future chapters – if they ever get written, lol.

Tenshi: More Pol! Yup. He sort of wormed his way in, although I don't think we'll be seeing him again until the epilogue now.

Wizard: Thanks. I'm gonna try to move the plot along faster, starting in a couple chapters. I still have my huge melodramatic plot twist to come, in which all shall be revealed –laughs evilly-

M3m0rii: Glad you like my story and my Lifebond thing. I wouldn't want to get it over with too early; there's just so much tension to exploit this way. Plus, I have a distinct liking for making my characters suffer for their happily ever after.

Wishingicouldthinkofsomething: Don't worry, I'll make it to the end of this story, I promise. Not that it won't take an unholy length of time, but I'll tie everything up neatly eventually.

I'm just warning you guys, I know I haven't been updating all that regularly, but it's going to be even worse for a little while. These next few months are going to be nasty, I'm afraid. I have a week's vacation coming up, but I'll be visiting my dad in no Internet territory, so no luck there. After that is midterms and papers and AP exams and SAT II's in obscene amounts, so I'll see what I can do, but yeah.

On the bright side, I just finished my chapter by chapter outline of the rest of the story, which is a deviation from my have a vague idea and see what happens style of writing but will hopefully ward off the writers block. It looks like we'll hit exactly 35 chapters plus an epilogue. Of course, who knows what I'll write after this. I'll miss my characters. Anyway, I'll shut up and let you all have the chapter I've made you all wait far too long for. Sorry it's a bit short, its sort of exposition, preparing for the next plot leap.

Chapter 23: Healing

After only a moon or so of practicing at Sera's side, Treet was thoroughly inured to the sounds of the House of Healing. The persistent headaches that had plagued him at first were a thing of the past and he was more like to forget about the noise and bustle until he retreated to his room of a night and could actually find time to remember what silence was.

Still, there was one noise, or set of noises, that would bring him out of a sound sleep, never mind the doze he had been indulging himself in. That was the set of noises that meant they were bringing a new patient in; the violent shouts of the patient's friends or witnesses to whatever accident had occurred and the murmur of Healers sending the aforementioned friends off to sit quietly while they took charge of the patient.

Treet catapulted himself up off of the bench he had been reclining on as Sera did the same beside him. They both hiked up their robes so as not to trip and dashed towards the source of the noise, almost instantly alert and ready.

While Sera questioned the other Healers and the men who had brought this particular patient in, Treet hurried to prepare a room and led the people bearing the semi-conscious man into it, instructing them to lay him gently on the bed. Treet looked him over in the way that had become familiar to him. His chest was particularly bad, sporting mud and blood in almost equal parts. It appeared that at least his leg was broken, if not other limbs as well. Treet busied himself stripping the man of what was left of his shirt and gently sponging the mud from his chest to reveal long gashes as well as a few rapidly purpling bruises. The man moaned slightly and tried to move, but the pain in his leg as he did so evidently convinced him that it was a bad idea and he lay still Treet then selected.

A few seconds later, Sera entered the room sedately, her footfalls as quiet as she could make them. Treet, of course, could easily tell that she had run as fast as she could from the entrance and was simply putting on a show of dignity meant to inspire confidence.

"Run over by a cart," she said briefly as she fed the patient a few spoonfuls of the pain potion she held in her hand. "Nobody really seems to know how he managed it. Hit him straight on. No, don't move," she added as the man made to reach for the spoon himself.

"What do you recommend?" Sera asked, surprising Treet. He wondered where the Healer or older Trainee she had surely gotten to assist her with the Healing was. Every other time they had done a Healing, she had found someone to feed her energy and help her. Surely she wasn't going to do it alone.

"First we Heal the worst of the open wounds, legs cant get any more broken but cuts can get infected," Treet said, quoting Sera's opinion on the subject. "Then we start any broken bones healing and immobilize them. Then we leave him to recover on his own."

"I know what I think we should do, what do you think we should do?" Sera asked, deftly checking the patient over for less obvious breaks while making soothing noises.

"Uh, that," Treet said uncertainly. "It seems sensible to me."

"Good. Next time I ask you for information, don't spout, think about it first. Now get over here and help me with him. I'll need you to feed me energy and assist with the Healing." She reached for Treet's hand.

Treet gaped at her. "You want me to help you? What if I…?"

"You won't," Sera interrupted impatiently. Although she generally had the greatest of tolerance for Treet's doubts and uncertainties, this wasn't the time. "Trust me. You've been watching me do it for an entire moon. You know what to do." She again extended her hand imperiously and this time Treet took it.

Sera redirected her attention to the man on the bed. Although he was no longer in as much pain, he was extremely dazed and seemed barely able to understand what was happening. "Try to hold as still as you can," she told him, "we're going to help you, you'll be just fine."

Treet took a deep centering breath and as he let it out he slowly powered his shields and linked with his teacher, sending her as much pure green energy as she could use, holding nothing back.

He watched her take the energy he sent her and use it to finish cleaning the man's wounds, that they would not fester once closed. Then she mentally "turned" and handed her power to Treet. Instinctively, he reached out and grasped it, knowing what she wanted him to do. There was no fear or doubt left in him, only certainty. He made sure he was properly centered and not at all off balance, performing the checks that had become habitual over the past moon. He located the beacon lit by the patient's pain and poured the soothing balm of Healing energy into it until the man glowed with a different kind of light. Treet carefully reconstructed the abused flesh, reconnecting blood vessels and closing up the open wounds. It was, incongruously enough, peaceful work as well as being satisfying. Treet felt serene and calm, completely certain and sure for the first time in his memory. If all Healings were like this, no wonder Healers had a reputation for such unholy placidity!

When Treet was done he carefully disengaged himself and handed energy back to Sera through their shared link; bone Healing was far too complicated for him as yet.

When they finally finished and stood up to leave, the patient resting peacefully with another noxious herbal brew awaiting him when he woke, Sera gave Treet a smile of pride and congratulations. She didn't even bother to say 'I told you so,' contenting herself with "it's wonderful, isn't it?".

"Oh yes," Treet breathed. "Is it always like that?"

"They say nothing is ever quite like the first time, but a Healing meld is always deeply satisfying," she told him, slipping easily into teaching mode. "Healing is in accord with the universe, one of the things that is completely so. Even the Shadow Lover doesn't begrudge us our victories, for he knows that he will hold each of us in his embrace soon or late, and would not deny us what extra time can be bought."