Chapter 4: Talk To Me
It's been a week since the Incident during Physical Exercise, Riley was let out but couldn't do much. Anne went to see Riley whenever she could with the everyone else, Anne even stayed a night. When Riley was let out this morning he didn't look happy, Anne tried to help him but she seemed troubled herself. They got some intel but they were in fragments and it was hard since Riley was the best at sneaking away. Everyone was in the cafeteria when Moon gave up.
"Riley, just speak!" Moon stood up and scowled at him.
"How do you know my name?" Riley asked half heartedly.
"Anne shouted it when you fell unconscious" Moon relaxed and sat back down. "Which reminds me, I'm Isabelle"
Riley smiled at shook Moon's hand.
"Oh, so now you smile" Anne hugged Riley and giggled.
"Don'the be like that, you always make me smile" Riley put his arm around Anne.
"So, I guess you'll want to know more" Riley looked over at Moon.
"Only a few things" Moon leaned forward so she could whisper. "What happened to Star? How did she get shot?"
"Um..." Riley started.
"I was out getting some food when a thief ran past, troopers fired at him but hit me instead" Anne lied, she was hoping that Moon believed it.
"By the looks of your scar, it didn't end well" Moon sat back.
"Stripe's pretty good with healing things like some sort of walking hospital" Ezra joked.
"Star looked pretty bad" Sabine smiled at Riley. "But she wasn't going to die"
"Which reminds me" Ezra looked at Riley curiously. "We didn't have a whole lot of supplies"
"I didn't need a whole lot" Riley smiled.
"But why?" Sabine pressed.
"First, the internal bleeding. It wasn't too hard to control since it went through the abdomen, it has a lower chance of hitting something vital but can still be lethal if not treated soon. Second, I needed to try and keep her breathing and heart rate steady. Star lost a lot of blood so it was a hard job, this is where I started getting scared since she died twice. Last, stop all bleeding and clean any wounds or treat infection. I had to donate some blood since she lost too much, then she started to have seizures which is normal after the body has been through so much" Riley saw the surprised faces.
"You donated blood?!" Snow snapped. "That's just as dangerous as hoping she'll heal herself!"
"It was necessary and I checked the blood type first" Riley flinched when he saw Sabine's look, if looks could kill.
"That's the problem, you do it too much" Sabine looked at Ezra who was talking to Moon. "And what are you talking about?"
"We think that Stripe was stupid to have done that himself" Ezra started.
"But, you guys are being to harsh" Moon waved her hands to indicate Anne. "She is alive and well"
"Wait, how did you even transfer the blood?" Snow questioned.
"Nothing in this universe could make me tell you that, it wasn't fun" Riley looked at Anne who was still shocked. "You ok?"
"I don't know" Anne placed a hand over where the scar was. "Why did you do that?"
"I don't let anyone die if they don't have to" Riley looked at everyone. "If I wanted to, I could have killed Kallus. Moon, it's a figure of speech"
"But even before we knew each other" Anne leaned against Riley.
"Um...hello?" a deep voice said behind them.
"Yes?" Sabine said turning around.
"It is, guys come here" the man laughed lightly.
"What?" Carter said running over with someone else. "Oh, hey Stripe"
"Hey Carter" Riley looked at the three.
"So, you're the Stripe I've been hearing about" the man laughed. "I'm Krill, heard you've been in the Infirmary"
"What's the point?" Riley looked at Krill curiously.
"I heard your little story, hard to believe you got this far" Krill laughed. "You're just a waste of time"
"What's that suppose to mean?" Sabine asked as she stood up.
"Your friend shouldn't be here, he barely made it past the first test" Krill pushed Sabine back. "He's worthless, he's weak because he cares about you so much"
"Back off Krill" Carter warned. "Riley isn't a guy to be messed with"
"Murmur, take Carter back" Krill scowled at Carter as they walked off. "We'll talk later"
"Krill, back off" Riley walked in front if his sister holding his side with the broken rib.
"No, you can't even defend these people" Krill walked up to Riley. "You can't even defend yourself"
Krill grabbed a tray from next to him, he kicked Riley behind Sabine and walked up to her.
"See, so why bother?" Krill grinned as he hit Sabine across the head with the tray.
"Paint!" Moon called as she ran to her side with everyone else, she had a gash across her forehead.
"Useless" Krill hit Sabine again knocking her out. "See if your 'walking hospital' can help that"
Krill walked away, kicking Riley as he passed. Riley was holding his side on the floor, he felt dizzy and tired. He stood up and walked over to Sabine, since it was a weekend there was no bell. Riley dropped a couple feet away from Sabine.
"Riley?" Anne walked towards him slowly. "Are you ok?"
"I don't know" Riley sat at the table to try and stable himself. "I feel dizzy"
"Don't move, you know what happens when you do in this state" Anne walked back over to Sabine.
Riley didn't see much but he did see everyone carry something through the door way, he was about to follow but felt a hand hold him down.
"Stay" a calm voice said. "You need to rest after that, you only just got out of the Infirmary so you're lucky to even be sitting here"
"Where are they going?" Riley turned around to see Moon sitting beside him.
"They're taking Paint to the Infirmary, she took some bad hits" Moon watched as Riley dropped his head.
"I can't do it" Riley said as he began to cry. "I'm not good enough"
"What are you talking about?" Moon hugged Riley hoping to calm him.
"The promise, the one thing I had to do" Riley muttered.
"Just calm down" Moon knew it wasn't working.
The two sat there for a while, Moon watched as Riley attempted to get up. Every time he tried to stand, she made him sit again. Riley grew restless and pushed Moon to stand up, he then walked away. Moon watched as Riley ran off, she decided to let him go since he wasn't having the best day. She sat and thought about what Riley meant about 'the promise', She knew it had something to do with Sabine and her getting hurt but she didn't knew the story. Eventually, she was broken from thought when Anne walked up to her.
"Where's Stripe?" Anne sounded annoyed.
"He ran off, probably to the apartment if not the Infirmary" Moon walked beside Anne as they walked to the apartment. "So what's this 'promise' Stripe was muttering about?"
"I don't know, nobody really talked about it" Anne looked down to the floor. "They've mentioned it, but that's as much as I've heard"
"Oh, I'm worried for him"
"Same, he's had the worst history"
The two walked to the accommodation building, they entered the lift and stayed quiet the whole way up. After they entered the room, they saw Riley looking at some pictures on his data pad. They sat either side of him and looked through the photo's with him.
"They're interesting pictures" Moon said as the picture with a storm trooper helmet on a blaster came up.
"They use to find small things laying around and use them to make things, the take pictures of it" Anne quickly lied.
"There's no point lying" Moon said pointing to the picture. "What's this really about?"
"Wren" Riley said quietly.
"Wait, I thought you were killed" Moon jumped up. "They said you started revolutions in the cities, yet there was no evidence"
"Calm down, he wants to make things better" Anne wasn't lying this time, she just didn't want to tell the whole story.
"I won't tell anyone" Moon walked towards the door. "I have some things to tell in return"
Moon left, leaving Anne and Riley by themselves. Anne rested her head on Riley's shoulder while he went through the memories, she enjoyed being with Riley alone but she didn't like it in these conditions.
"How's she doing?" Riley asked as he put the data pad down.
"We don't know, we're waiting for Nurse Flower to tell us" Anne held Riley's hand. "It's not your fault"
"I couldn't keep the promise" Riley stood up and Anne fell over. "Mother would be so disappointed"
"That promise? Sabine said you didn't care about it any more" Anne followed Riley into the bedroom.
"Of course I do, It was the last thing I said to my parents" Riley dropped onto his bed.
"Well you're doing a good job, not everything will be done perfectly" Anne sat beside him. "You try so hard Riley, you even scare us every time you try"
"It's to protect you all" Riley moved to allow Anne to climb in. "You know everyone's life is above my own"
"And I love you for it" Anne laid next to Riley and kissed him. "Every time I'm in your arms I feel safest"
"Yet I feel like you're protecting me" Riley pulled the covers over them.
"Then I guess we're protecting each other, promise me you'll stay until the end of the mission" Anne said as she rested her head on Riley's chest.
"I'll stay, I never thought school could be so tough" Riley said as he slowly stroked Anne's hair.
"Something's not right here, the academy on Manadlor wasn't this bad"
"Well, we'll get through this"
"When are you going to see Sabine?"
"I don't think I can" Riley stopped stroking.
"Why not?" Anne looked into Riley's eyes, they matched the wall behind them.
"Because I let her down, all of you down" Riley said placing his hands over his face.
"No, you haven't" Anne sat up.
"You all see me as some sort of wonder"
"I see you as you are, don't think otherwise" Anne removed Riley's hands
"There's a purple box in your bag, a gift" Riley smiled.
"You didn't have to do that"
"I love you and I wanted to show it" Riley kissed Anne.
"I love you too" Anne kissed back.
A/N, sorry about the lack of uploads lately but I'm quite busy, I'll try and post another chapter soon. Goodbye and enjoy your Easter.