*sigh* Okay, originally, I wasn't planning on actually posting this, buuuuuuut...Oh well. :D Hope it's okay. This was written for the writing contest 'Unexplored' by Em (PseudonymGal). (Btw, Robin's (Ingenious Waterfowl) and Lillie's (Lillie Tano-Syndulla) stuff is totally better, just saying). Warning would be that this is probably OOC out the wazzu. Anyway, hope it's enjoyable! :)
A/N: this is set literally right after 'Brain Invaders'
The sterile hall's silence was broken by the sharp click of Commander Gree's heels as he made his way through the Ord Cestus medical station, heading for the private patient section. After the scare the two Padawans Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee gave everyone with their haywire entry with the medical supplies and the event of the 'brain invaders,' the Kaminoan doctors had placed them and the affected troopers at the farthest point from the regular patients for safety purposes. It made sense, as the Kaminoan scientists also there were still investigating the hive worms, but it also made entry ridiculously hard for a simple fifteen minute 'hey how are you holding up?' chat.
As a matter of fact, the only reason he'd been given permission to see either of the two girls now under quarantine is because he'd name-dropped Jedi General Luminara Unduli-who was Barriss' master-a time or two in order to get in...And sneaked around on his own to get passed certain checkpoints when no one was looking. But he figured that was all in the details.
Slipping into the right hallway, he checked the room number before knocking.
''Come in.'' A young female voice called.
Inside, he glanced to his right to see the Mirialan Jedi Padawan in a bunk, grunting to herself as she tried to sit up.
''Commander Gree,'' she greeted him, voice sounding strained, ''How nice to see you again.''
She had just sat up when he reached her and gently grabbed her shoulder.
''Lay down, Commander. I don't want the doctors to get onto me if you overwork yourself. You only got here yesterday.''
He glanced at the other bunk, which lay empty next to a scenic window to the outside world of space.
''Where's the other one?''
Barriss grinned faintly. ''Sneaked out with her master, I believe. Something about needing to be 'free of confinement.' ''
''Oh those two,'' Gree's eyes went skyward in exaggeration of mock horror, ''Maker forbid we get permanently stuck with them for the rest of the war.''
That managed a small laugh out of her.
''They're not that bad.'' she retorted, pulling up her blanket again. ''Just a little on the...unpredictable side.''
''That's one way of putting it.'' Gree nodded.
Barriss bit her lip, glancing at her hands before she inhaled.
''Is-Is Master Unduli?'' She asked hopefully, ''Is she-?''
Sighing, Gree shook his head. Poor kid. She gets infected with something and her master doesn't have time to even see if she was doing alright. Darned Council.
''She wanted to come; really, she did. But right before we were about leave, the Council called. Said something about an urgent Sep transmission the Intel officers decoded and that she had get on it...it looks like you're going to be here just a little longer.''
''Oh.''
But that wasn't the end of it; and though guilt wracked at him, he had to say it.
''And being here for me, I'm stretching it enough as it is. I'll have to leave soon.''
''I see.''
As silence fell between them, he paused, then asked gently, ''Hey, how you feelin', kid?''
''Tired,'' she answered, trying to smile reassuringly but it came across more as a grimace. ''Just...tired.''
''Have you tried sleeping?''
Silence.
''I...I couldn't.''
Frowning, Gree seated himself on the edge of her bunk; but when she didn't elaborate, he carefully rested his hand on her knee, tilting her chin to face him. He spoke slowly and carefully, gently despite his usually direct manner.
''Are you okay?''
Once again, he was met with silence.
''Commander?''
Her blue eyes had gone distant as she stared up at the ceiling, throat tight, and lips wobbling.
''Hey...''
''I nearly killed them.'' she whispered, beginning to shake violently. ''I nearly killed them all. I nearly killed Ahsoka. If she hadn't known to freeze the ship, if she hadn't stopped ME, then this whole station would have-''
''Hey, hey, hey!''
She's going into shock. The adrenaline is freezing her reactions and her emotions are unstable.
Unknown instinct surfacing, he sat her up and pulled her into a protective embrace while she choked out pitiful apologies, tears flooding her face.
''I-I-!''
''Shhhh, shhh, it's okay; you're safe; the worms are gone. You're safe.''
''It won't let go! It won't let me go!''
''You're safe,'' he soothed, sub-consciously stroking her hair. ''It's okay. You're safe...you're safe.''
For what felt like a long time, they just sat there; the Padawan was beginning to calm down somewhat; he could feel it in the way she shook now. It wasn't constant vibrations as it had been; now it was...
Of course, realizing he could feel her shake suddenly got awkward for him as he remembered how much he disliked being around people who were emotionally unstable as he never knew how to deal with them...but at the same time, this was his commander...she was still just a kid and he was afraid to just 'up and leave.'
I'm already here...and knowing the long-necks, they wouldn't give a kriff about how lonely she's got to be...*sigh* why do I always talk myself into this?
Taking a deep breath as he rubbed her shoulder, he asked, ''Would you like me to stay?''
Sniffle, sniffle. Barriss lifted her head and dried her eyes, looking down shamefully as she pulled away.
''I'm sorry, Commander. That was immature of me and I know you must have other things to do. You have my permission to leave.''
Gree sighed, knowing he'd already made up his mind.
Too late to turn back now.
''Then I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, but duty permits me to stay since you...in your distress- to say in as few words possible- need help.'' he ended flatly.
To his surprise, that produced a rather unladylike snort of a laugh from the girl which then dominoed into uncontrollable chortles. Gree blinked.
''Well I never.'' he said, a heavy fake twang in his voice. ''Little lady, how improper!''
Laughing almost as if it hurt, Barriss grinned at him. ''That wasn't put very tactfully.''
''It wasn't meant to be.''
He paused.
''Just don't tell on me to General Unduli, okay? I still have to redeem myself after Gunray escaped and if she finds out...well, the clone deck officers have a sneaky way of snitching on people when they're not looking.''
''Your secret's safe with me then.''
''Good. By the way, I forgot to ask, are you hungry?''
The Padawan paused, wincing in the grimace she always did when she was disgusted with something.
''Er, possibly, but I'm not so sure the...whatever it is they feed patients here is...ahem, food so much as it is solid chemicals that just so happen to be edible.''
Gree chuckled. ''I meant for DFAC food but yes, that's probably the most accurate description of the patients stuff here. But in every military hospital- least that I've been to- down on the lower decks they have a DFAC for the people who work there or who are visiting...So long as they're not patients. While, true, it's not exactly Coruscanti cuisine by any means, it does appear to be more towards the 'bearable' range then what they serve here.''
Barriss gave him a wry sideways grin. ''Have you even tried Coruscanti food from a real buffet?''
''Uh, no.'' He paused. ''But if I was honest with myself, the food at the DFAC is probably some of the best I've had. So don't mock my example of Coruscant food...wait, why?''
''It's not all it's cracked up to be.'' she smirked. ''Even the cheap menu is typically over-priced.''
''Doesn't sound like I'm missing out on much then.''
''No, you're not,'' she agreed. ''But there seems to be a problem. In order to leave, Ahsoka had to sneak out; how do we get out of here?''
Gree thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. ''What's the worst they could do?''
He held out his hands. ''Shall we? I know you're technically supposed to be confined to a 'rested position' but I happen to know a 'loophole' if you'll allow me.''
A smile gently gracing her face even despite the tear-trails, she nodded. With that, he picked her up before they made their way down the empty halls. It was a little odd, yet the change of scenery seemed to have already brightened the look on the Padawan's face.
After a few moments of silence, save for the same old familiar clicking of Gree's heels on the floors, Barriss glanced up.
''I nearly forgot to thank you for helping me. So...thank you.''
When Gree nodded, he almost caught himself saying the common phrase, 'that's what friends are for.' But was she? Really? He'd known her a couple months at least and often he'd help her with studying...but did that make her a friend? He wasn't sure.
But as he carried her down the hallway, he mentally shrugged.
Eh, if friends are counted by loyalty, does it matter what they're called? We've kept each other alive during battle; worked together under the same conditions; studied together during the relative peace...
Catching the silence before the conversation dropped, he grinned as he nodded and replied simply, ''Well, Commander, you're welcome.''
And that was said; and that was all that was needed to be said.
Because with friends made in war, words did little; It was in the actions that shone through with the meaning...so, in that way, he'd answered his own question...
Yeah...yeah, we're friends. After all, friends...
But he left the thought off there. He knew he didn't need the answer. There wasn't one thing that defined it. It was merely one thing that defined them...
The End.
This is why I don't do deadlines very well. It ends up like this. XD Probably OOC.
Anyway, in explanation to the hug, I just had watched part one of Gone with the Wind and was listening to My Way (the SING version) as I wrote this. XD
So, that's all for now folks! :D Have a nice day!
