Chapter Title: Claret's Blood-Bug Syndrome

Series Title: Unlikely Brothers

Ages in this chapter: Tanner (30), Dashen (36), River (6)

POV: Dashen

Chapter Summary: River's disease flares for the first time in his new life and his new brothers look after him.


So, it was River's first bout with Claret's Blood-Bug Syndrome since he'd been with us. At least the first he'd recognized. Claret Blood-Bug Syndrome was an insect born affliction caused by a bright red burrowing biting beetle known as the Claret's Blood-Bug. Long exposure to extreme outdoor conditions with little in the way of protection opened the door for the tiny creatures to eat their way inside the body of a victim and reek havoc in the bloodstream. According to the healers, Claret's had never been known to be fatal, but it did create complications if not treated and kept under control.

There were meds for it, to help keep flare-ups less intense. They worked well enough, but it wasn't a cure-all. River would have those flare-ups or episodes as Fen suggest he call them, for the rest of his life. Some could be minimal, others intense. River accepted the news as best as a six year old could. Fen explained it to him in the most basic of terms. That, also to the benefit of my own comprehension as well.

She'd given him a list of typical symptoms like achy joints and painful muscles. His hands, fingers and feet might tingle or go numb. Bad headaches, dizziness or raspy breathing. Fast heartbeat. Nausea. All signs that the disease was fuming. Most of the time he'd feel fine; other times, he might feel quite badly. She also wanted him to make certain he told someone when he felt sick. No hiding it or keeping it quiet. The medicine to help manage the worst of the symptoms would be a small hypo in the morning. Neither difficult, nor discomforting. Duration of an episode could be two to three days or longer.

This first flare-up, he spent most of the hours in bed. Two full days and feeling pretty crappy. Tanner or I sat with him in shifts. I took the day off from the diner while my brother was teaching classes. The hours went quietly with River tucked into himself, huddled on his bed and Tanner's blanket tight around him.

That second evening while waiting for Tanner to come home from work, I sat at River's bedside. Such a familiar thing for me, sitting protectively and anxiously with a sickly little brother, waiting for them to get well.

River woke to find me there.

"I remember feeling like this before you and Tanner came." He told me. Meaning this wasn't the first go around with this disease. Fen had anticipated that he'd suffered with it during his two horrible years as a kid slave. "Sometimes. I felt really bad when I was there. Really sick. I even threw up. I had to keep working or get hit, but I was achy and my head hurt and my fingers felt funny too. Like Fen said."

Of course my stomach churned at the thought of the kid being abused while at the same time feeling like hell. I kept it in check though.

"I wish you never had to suffer that, Pup." I replied, using the nickname I'd invented for him. He gravitated to it, an affectionate nickname was so far removed from the brutality of his slave life. "When you get sick, you rest. That's all. That's what you'll do. Especially until you learn better how to manage it."

"I like that. Resting. You and Tanner rest when you get sick, right?"

"We do. You're a strong kid, River. But we all have obstacles. Me and Tanner and Fen. Even Colton and his friends. You'll do okay. Try and sleep again, all right? Tanner will be home soon. He'll come see you when he's home."

"He has magic, like me." Out of the blue that comment was, and for the briefest of seconds, the boy's ocean-blue eyes lit up. He always got excited at the prospect of Tanner sitting with him. The joy at knowing he wasn't alone in this Force stuff could temporarily push aside the misery of sickness. Anytime he could make that connection between himself, Tanner and that darn magic, he did.

"He does have magic. Rest now, okay?"

"Okay. You'll stay, right?"

"I will."

"Don't leave until Tanner comes, okay?"

Damn kid. I was smiling now while trying to get him rested at the same time. He and his line of pleasantly interrogating questions.

"I won't leave, but you need to stop talking. I want you to rest."

"Maybe I'll feel better when I wake up. Maybe..."

"River, shhhh." I finally said, shushing him so his worrisome questions would stop. Last thing this family needed was another worrywart in the crew. Me and my galaxy-renowned anxiety issues were enough for all of us, thank you very much.

He quieted and then there came the hand. Reaching out. Palm up. Needing that simple contact, but not too much contact. I reached back. Blue eyes finally closed and he sunk into a sleep that was somewhat restless, but solid enough.

—-

"How is he?"

Tanner came into the room. Home from teaching.

"Hey, Mouse. He's exhausted. There was a brief moment of discussion though. Worried. He was worried I'd leave him. Damn kid, it's my job worry, not his. There was enough of that in his previous life."

"Dash, let me take a shift. I brought you dinner. Go eat and take a walk. Get some air. I know how you get on a empty stomach."

As if on cue, my stomach growled. I stood and ruffled Tanner's hair. Yup, he'd always hated that, so I did it a lot. Adult life didn't give him an out when it came to sibling harassment. "You really do make a good little brother, little brother." I grinned. "Strong kid we've got here."

"Yeah, a lot more so than me at that age."

"Heh. Not so hard. I mean you were prancing and dancing around a giant Temple with sticks as laser swords in your hands when you were six."

I ducked just in time to see well... nothing come flying at my head. Cheater.

"Lucky this is River's room and not mine, big brother. Less ammo to hurl at you. And I was not prancing around the Temple, I was in serious Jedi training. And wait.. sticks as laser swords?"

"I'd give anything to see a holo of that!"

I really was lucky we were in a room less loaded with items Tanner could attack me with. Glancing around, I realized that River didn't have much to his name. An ugly Ronto carving from me and a homemade blanket from Tanner. Come to think of it, this room was ridiculously bare. We needed to fix that.

"Hey Mouse, when he's better, let's take him shopping. This room doesn't feel like home. Your pal Dec, I'm sure he has a few somethings in his shop to cozy this place up."

"Yeah," Tanner looked around. I knew he'd had the same thought. River was a part of us now. Time to let him find some identity to that self. "It is bare. Can't crowd him though. It'll be up to him."

"Good." I said. "I'll go grab that dinner now."

—-

Early morning and I found Tanner sound asleep in the chair at River's bedside. Head slumped forward in a most unpleasant position. River's wearied eyes were watching me from the pillow where he was still tucked in. Seemed different though. Lighter. I knew why.

"Hey, Pup. Feeling better?"

He nodded without lifting his head. "My aches are gone. But m'really tired."

"To be expected. You want to get out of bed?"

"I have to pee."

Ha! So, there was a yes. "Come on, kid, I'll help you. Ignore your brother there," I motioned to Tanner, "He's gonna regret sleeping like that."

"Tanner stayed with me when I was sick. Like you did. I never had that before."

"It's what family does. Well, true family. It's what this family does. We'll let him sleep it off, get you to the bathroom and then to the kitchen for some breakfast. Hand?" I asked, hoping I wasn't over stepping his comfort level by asking for the physical contact rather than letting him initiate (per Fen's continued suggestion of course).

No words followed, but River was rather good at letting you know with an expression or minimal action what he needed, wanted or what he was okay with. Victory claimed as he scooted to the edge of the bed and reached out for my hand.

Being mostly bed-ridden for two days, he was a little wobbly. I kept him upright and led him into the bathroom. "Yell if you need help." I said to him, closing the door to offer the privacy I was sure he'd had none of during his captive two years.

—-

I made bantha bacon, his favorite and mine. Any nausea was gone and he was a hungry kid. Tanner came out rubbing the back of his neck and looking less than enthused to have been woken by the smell of bacon. We hadn't saved him any. Whoops.

"Really, Dash?"

"You snooze, you lose, little brother. And the pup here was hungry, what could I do? We need a supply run anyway. When's that bacon vendor back in town?"

My little brother yawned and ran a hand through his horribly messy sleep hair. How he'd managed to muss it so badly while dozing in a chair, I'll never know.

"Tomorrow." Tanner said. "You buy it this time. That old woman likes you, the last time she flirted with you for fifteen minutes. Maybe you can get us a deal on the bacon. That stuff's not cheap."

I remembered back to that day. The vendor had to be two hundred years old. She wasn't human, and I wasn't sure what she was. Even Tanner didn't know, but she was short, hunchbacked, gray skinned and green haired. An odd combination. She'd pinched my butt more than once too. First time for that. Tanner laughed until he hurt that day, annoying brother that he is. Butt-pincher or not, that woman sold the best damn bantha bacon on the planet. And as I'd said to Tanner last night, we did need to take the kid into town. We could visit Dec's place and the bacon vendor. Get him used to being out and about in a normal living setting. Also let him get the lay of the land.

"Tomorrow then. We'll take the morning. School's not in session and I can get someone to cover the morning at the diner. I think the worst of this Claret's is better, he's just tired. You guys have matching hair by the way. Sticking up at all odd angles and every which way. Awww, it's kinda cute actually."

River snort-giggled into what was left of the food on his plate. His blue eyes caught the sight of Tanner's hair as he stuck a hand into his own mess of bed hair. It was a sight.

More than that, it was a soul-warming miracle. Seeing this kid dig his way out of slavery with his will and spirit intact and now handling this stupid insect disease thing. Such a long way in a short time - barely a matter of months so far. Six years old and having already lived a life that no one should ever have to live.

That was changing though. Tanner and I were making certain of it. And tomorrow... tomorrow we'd take him into town for the first time. Give him

a glimpse of a world free of abuse and fear that should never be put on any child anywhere.

If he had to deal with this Blood-Bug crap, so be it. We'd deal with it together.

Time to give River a life that every kid deserves.


END