Chapter 44
Notes: Titled "Reminisce" and continues the previous chapter from G'raha Tia's perspective with flashbacks from Thancred and Alphinaud's perspectives.

When the sun finally pulled free of the horizon, Fourchenault excused himself. There was a soft request from Alphinaud for him to stay but Fourchenault declined the request looking crestfallen at having to do so. Even with the Final Days behind them, there was still quite a lot of work for the Forum to do.

Roughly a bell later saw Fourchenault returning, escorted by Montichaigne who proudly announced to those awake that Fourchenault had been kicked out of the Forum for the day and forbidden to return until his 'family matters' were in order. Fourchenault had looked rather put out but G'raha did not miss the way the man had sunk into the chair beside the twins looking relieved to be back. Alisaie had fallen asleep against Alphinaud but Alphinaud was still somehow awake upon their father's return and was quite content in striking up a hushed conversation with his father.

The normally calm atmosphere of the Psysis Technon was shattered as several people came bursting out of the doors opposite the waiting area. G'raha thought he recognized one of them but their name eluded him.

"Dorean?" Fourchenault asked in surprise as G'raha and Thancred rose from their seats. Estinien pushed off the wall by the window he had been looking out to step closer. Fourchenault's voice quickly grew hard with concern. "What-"

The forward most person crossed right to Fourchenault. They were one of the head chirurgeons like Olivier and the only one out of the three. "It's Echo'a," they said. Those two words had everyone else alert and clambering to their feet. "He's woken sooner than we expected and is in a right state. Olivier said to come fetch someone to calm him down."

"Alphinaud," G'raha said quickly even as Thancred was already racing through the open doors. One of the two that had accompanied Dorean chased after him. Alisaie seemed ready to argue but G'raha shook his head, shoving at Alphinaud's shoulder as the young elezen rushed past him. Years as the Exarch kept him from outright running after Alphinaud and Thancred but he did start moving in that direction as he said to her, "No. Let us try first. If too many of us go back now, we run the risk of interfering with any care he might need." She gritted her teeth but nodded. Fourchenault placed a hand on her shoulder while Ameliance wrapped her arm around Alisaie's back. She sagged into her parent's touch as he turned to Dorean. "Lead the way."

Dorean barely gave him a nod before the chirurgeon was racing back the way the three had come from.

He heard Echo'a before he actually saw him and G'raha's ears flattened out at the sounds. It quickened his pace and he found his staff in hand without meaning to have drawn it. He couldn't get himself to put it back.

It seemed aspects of being the Crystal Exarch were harder to shake than he had thought.

Alphinaud had stopped at the corner of a treatment bay, clearly uncertain as to what to do as staff were swarming around Echo'a's bed. Thancred, though, was standing several fulms from the foot of Echo'a's bed, being held back by Olivier. The pair were arguing something fierce but that didn't stop Thancred from noticing his approach.

"G'raha," Thancred demanded.

Of course he wanted… G'raha sighed. There truly was no way of getting away from the Crystal Exarch. With a sharp smack of the flat end of his staff against the floor, he sent off an all too familiar spell. He caught the personnel in it and watched as they all froze under its command.

Thancred didn't hesitate and tore himself from Olivier's grip, leaping - with more care than his momentum should have allowed - up onto the bed.

Echo'a's panic had not ebbed but Thancred seemed unperturbed by it, quickly and effectively pinning Echo'a's legs beneath him as he straddled Echo'a's thighs. The thrashing froze as Thancred's hands settled on either side of Echo'a's head, words G'raha couldn't hear already spilling from Thancred's lips.

The spell gave out - it was not a long lasting spell if he did not maintain it - and the personnel started moving. He gripped his staff in both hands as he offered a rather uneasy, "Apologies. It was imperative that Thancred was allowed through."

He got quite the few dirty looks and quite the reprimand from Olivier and a third head chirurgeon that was present but G'raha barely heard any of it. Alphinaud was quick to dart forward as the personnel began to thin and hurried to the far side of the bed. It seemed like Thancred was managing to at least contain Echo'a's panic, though being unable to actually see Echo'a made it hard to gauge just how far Thancred had pulled him out of it. G'raha assumed the tight grip on Thancred's wrists was a good sign. There was still color in Echo'a's knuckles so the grip wasn't as panicked as it could have been. He did, however, have a good vantage point as he watched Alphinaud reach out and rest a hand against Echo'a's arm. That alone did not garner a reaction but G'raha's tail twitched as he saw the flicker of aether.

Echo'a flinched from it.

Hurt and understanding crossed Alphinaud's face as he withdrew but it was quickly replaced by confusion as Echo'a seemed to struggle for a brief moment before he let go of Thancred's arm and blindly reached for Alphinaud. Relief rushed through Alphinaud as he took up the searching hand in both of his own. Some of the tension in Echo'a eased at Alphinaud taking his hand. G'raha did not miss the fact that Alphinaud had yet to say anything to Echo'a or Thancred.

"If you will excuse me," G'raha said to the chirurgeons - he was completely oblivious they had stopped talking at him when it was apparent his attention was rightfully elsewhere - with a little bow before he walked over to the other side of the bed.

Echo'a's breathing was ragged from the sobs escaping him rather than the panic it had been barely a moment earlier. Thancred seemed to be the only reason he was still sitting upright. G'raha's ears and tail fell as he noted that the hand holding onto Thancred's wrist was still but Echo'a's arm was trembling.

G'raha tightened his grip on his staff to keep from reaching out.

"Tired," finally cut through the sobs.

The relieved breath Thancred let out stole the tension from the man's shoulders and back. "I know, kid. I know. How about we try and sleep?"

Echo'a attempted to shake his head but Thancred's hold subdued the movement. "Everything hurts too much."

Thancred glanced at him. G'raha gave him a nod and stepped away, catching Thancred reassuring Echo'a, "G'raha's going to see if they've got anything for that, ok?"

Olivier and Dorean were still present but the third head chirurgeon had left at some point. He offered the two remaining heads a tight smile. "Echo'a's in quite a bit of pain."

"No surprise there," Dorean said, the words light and with no ill intent. "He was thrashing so bad, I was certain he was going to pull stitches."

Olivier gave a noncommittal hum. "We will give him more painkillers but they may not be as effective as he may want."

G'raha shook his head. "I'm sure just curbing the pain will be enough. His tolerance for it has simply been met at this point and he's struggling with the overstimulation of it."

Something close to understanding flickered across Olivier's gaze. Dorean was far more expressive with both eyebrows rising and a soft, muttered, "Well that would explain a bit," showcasing Dorean's realization on the matter. Olivier nodded. "I will see what we can do."

G'raha watched Olivier head off to get the meds, lingering where he stood for a moment as exhaustion tugged at him. Despite the younger body, he suddenly felt all of the years he had lived through in another. It was brief but it was enough that Dorean used it to comment, "Don't mind Oli. He gets short with everyone when stressed." Dorean grinned at him when G'raha looked up to meet Dorean's gaze. "It's annoying but effective. He doesn't bother to mince words which means that conversations go faster. You just have to learn to not take it to heart. Usually he's a far calmer guy. Good company, too."

An amused smile pulled at G'raha's lips. "Lord Fourchenault does not seem the type to spend time with folks that are not, his line of work notwithstanding."

Dorean gave a bark of a laugh. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. He's still putting up with me after all these years and I am an absolute menace."

"You say that as if that isn't precisely the reason why you are counted as one of his friends," Olivier cut in, returning with a tiny vial and a capped needle, "not that he would use that word specifically in the public's eye." Olivier handed Dorean the items. "This should help ease the pain but it will make him groggy."

Dorean took them with a rather optimistic expression, the words just as chipper as Dorean commented, "I was wondering what you were grabbing. This should definitely do the trick."

G'raha and Olivier watched Dorean approach the bed on Alphinaud's side and mutter something to the young elezen. Alphinaud's confusion quickly cleared as he replied back readily before stepping back, allowing Dorean access to the IV drip. G'raha looked to Olivier, curiosity getting the better of him. "Why did you have Dorean administer the painkiller?"

"Dorean was not among those trying to keep Echo'a from hurting himself upon his violent waking and I was uncertain hearing my voice would help matters." Olivier's expression softened. "Besides," G'raha followed his gaze and saw that Dorean was talking with Echo'a, one of Dorean's large hands resting on Echo'a's head as the miqo'te nodded to whatever the hrothgar was saying; Thancred had sat back but his left hand lingered on the side of Echo'a's neck, "Dorean has always been better with those that reach their limits. Understands them more than I or the others can."

G'raha glanced at Olivier but the softened expression was unchanged. Whatever Olivier meant with those words was only for Olivier to know and G'raha was quite content to leave it at that.

Movement at the bed drew his gaze. Thancred had hopped down and was now approaching G'raha and Olivier. Alphinaud and Dorean were still at Echo'a's side though Alphinaud had moved to sit on the edge of the bed and was currently removing a boot. Echo'a's back was against the raised mattress, looking exhausted and still in quite a bit of pain but the panic had finally left.

"I'm going to go get Alisaie," Thancred informed them both, though it was mostly for G'raha. "Dorean agreed that getting the twins to lay down with him was a good idea if it helped prevent a do over when he wakes again."

G'raha nodded, not sure if Thancred was looking for anything more. The rough pat on his shoulder as Thancred walked off told him it was enough.

"Then his waking was not unexpected," Olivier put in, sounding a bit put out.

"Ah, yes." G'raha shifted his weight, mild embarrassment making his ears and tail twitch. "We hadn't- it was not intentional that we neglected to mention anything about it. It simply had not occurred to any of us that he would have any problems." Alphinaud settled against Echo'a's side with Dorean helping Echo'a not get the IV caught between them. The mild embarrassment turned into mild regret. "Though, I am not certain any form of warning would have done any good. Even having several people sleeping against him has ceased working for him. It has not been as violent as what we just witness but he has yet to wake without being caught in some sort of panic."

"Has he seen anyone for it?" The question was surprisingly gentle.

G'raha shook his head. "He hasn't had time to consider much more than making it through to the next day. Even in the brief respites we gained in the midst of all the chaos, other things had been priority."

Anything more on the topic went unspoken as hurried footfall drew both of their attention. Alisaie barely gave them a glance as she darted into the treatment bay. "Alisaie," Thancred reprimanded, though the man made no move to actually chase after her as he came to a stop at G'raha's side.

"I know, I know. Don't jostle him while I climb in," she rattled off, kicking off her boots with a bit more vigor than was probably necessary. "I'm not a child."

Dorean's shoulders shook in silent amusement. Thancred rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He muttered, "Certainly act like one at times," just loud enough where she heard every word. She stuck her tongue out at him as she climbed onto the bed, taking care as to not jostle the now half awake Echo'a. He tried to lift his arm for her to settle under it but there was a flicker of pain and his arm flopped back down onto the bed. Dorean reached across the bed and gingerly lifted Echo'a's arm, gaining a tight smile from Echo'a and an appreciative one from Alisaie, before laying it across Alisaie's back once she was settled. Echo'a's fingers found purchase on her shirt, keeping his arm in place.

G'raha was rather impressed that the pair were practically mirroring each other's position. He wondered if that was more due to the way the bed was or simple happenstance.

"The others are slowly wandering this way," Thancred said, nonchalant. "If you don't want him to have visitors, now would be a great time to speak up."

Olivier dismissed the idea with a small wave. "It would be best that you all were present when he wakes again. Avoiding a repeat of what he had just experienced could only benefit him." Olivier frowned. "Though, a private room would more suit your needs than the treatment bay." Olivier turned as he added, though it sounded more like it was meant for himself than them, "There has yet to be any other injuries resurfacing and with the stitches holding after such a violent waking…"

Olivier's voice faded. G'raha couldn't help the fond chuckle as he was distinctly reminded of several people from the Crystarium. He hoped those on the First were doing well.

"How long do you think it will take for a private room to be set up?" Thancred asked, drawing G'raha's attention.

It was Dorean who answered. "It's more of making sure we know where you're going, rather than if there is one available." Dorean offered them a happy smile, coming to a stop before them. "The time consuming part will be moving Echo'a but even that should only be a short walk. I suspect Oli will pick one of the closer rooms for both Echo'a's comfort and for quick access to the operating room on the off chance something goes wrong."

Thancred raised an eyebrow. "Are you all expecting something to go wrong?"

Dorean's head tipped to the side in thought. "I presume by 'expecting' you mean in the sense that we are not certain of his stability?" Dorean's smile returned when Thancred nodded yes. "Then, no. We expect it like one expects bad weather when dark thunderheads fill the horizon. Sometimes the winds will shift and blow the storm off course, leaving you safe, sometimes it blows in hail and tearing winds that can raise a whole town if it wanted to. Since you can't be sure which it'll be, you plan for the latter and hope for the former without stressing how the wind blows. It's the same for Echo'a's condition. He is, currently, stable, of which we had hoped he would be at this point in time. The waking had not gone as planned, certainly, but he has yet to show any other injuries coming back or the ones recently tended to reopening. While we hope that stays the trend for the next half day at minimum, we know that things can change in the blink of an eye so we set about to expect the worst, just in case."

"Tis the only time when wasted effort is appreciated," Olivier added, returning. Several personnel had tagged along, though they hovered near the corner of the treatment bay. "There is a room down the hall that is available." Olivier focused on Dorean, quickly specifying, "113," before returning his attention to G'raha and Thancred. Dorean nodded and walked over to the personnel. "The move should go smoothly enough. The beds are made to transport more than his weight ten times over so both young Leveilleurs will be able to stay at his side during it. If you would grab their personal belongings, you can simply follow us as we move him."

The others arrived just as they were starting to wheel Echo'a down to the private room. Fourchenault and Ameliance were startled to see their children on the bed but neither commented on it. G'raha suspected it was due to them surmising why they would be on Echo'a's bed. Ameliance was quick to pluck the twins' boots from G'raha and Thancred before taking the lead.

The private room was not large by any means but it was bigger than the treatment bay as it had both a private washroom, a sink by the door, and quite a bit of cabinetry along the walls. There was also a decent sized couch under a massive window as well as two chairs tucked into the corner opposite the washroom. White shears covered the massive window, blurring the view while still letting in the early morning light. Blackout curtains were tucked into wall hooks for later use. It was certainly homey, done in soft browns with a gentle blue paint on the walls.

The Scions and company waited outside the room until the bed was situated in the room and the personnel Olivier had asked to help had left. Olivier and Dorean remained, the latter softly talking with a very groggy Echo'a as everyone filed in and settled. It was a rather tight fit with eleven bodies floating around the bed even if two were lalafells but no one was stepping on anyone's toes.

"For now I would ask that not all of you remain in here while Echo'a sleeps," Olivier informed them, his voice low so as not to interfere with Dorean and Echo'a's conversation. "Once he awakens, then you all may be in here for some time yet, but should anything happen, there is the risk of delayed care because people are in the way."

"We appreciate the concern," Y'shtola spoke up, placating as much as she was agreeing. "We will sort amongst ourselves who of our number will remain. How many would you have us limit ourselves to?"

"Two would be preferred, four if two are the lalafell. As long as the twins remain on the bed, they are excluded."

Y'shtola nodded at the same time Dorean stepped up to Olivier's side. "And he's out," Dorean informed them, "and hopefully for a good long while yet, the poor lad. If you need anything, just ask any of the staff to fetch me and I'll return as quickly as I can."

Olivier gave Dorean a flat look, correcting, "Which may be a while, as you are to be resting for a few hours. Do not forget that you were with me in that operating room all night."

Dorean grinned, clapping Olivier on the shoulder. "Then don't dally too much. Talva will kill me if I go nap without you."

Olivier waved Dorean off with a scoff. Dorean shot them all a big smile before stepping out of the room and closing the door. There was a faint smile pulling at Fourchenault's otherwise politely curious expression. "I see Dorean is just as attentive as he is outside of work."

Olivier let out a sharp breath. "Sometimes infuriatingly so." Olivier gave Fourchenault a flat look. "I still do not understand your leniency with his behavior. All you do is encourage it for the rest of us to suffer through."

Fourchenault raised an amused eyebrow. "If you were truly suffering, you would tell him to stop as you are wont to do with anyone else we know."

Olivier scoffed but even without knowing the chirurgeon, G'raha caught the flickers of amusement in Olivier's expression as the man focused on the rest of them. "If you have any questions, the lead nurse should be able to answer most if not all of them." Olivier focused on Fourchenault one last time. "When we all have a moment to breathe, we will have to reconnect over lunch."

"Agreed."

As soon as Olivier exited the room, it took the Scions and company all of two minutes to decide who would be where and for how long. Ameliance was the first to volunteer to leave as she was in dire need of some proper sleep now that the worst was behind them. Krile and Tataru both were in agreement with the idea of getting proper sleep, though their departures also entailed dealing with some of the work that they had both left to be there. Fourchenault, banned from returning to the Forum as he was, simply informed them should his children or anyone else need him, he would be at the small sitting area nearby that was in plain view of Echo'a's door. Y'shtola was quite content to join Fourchenault with her books and Urianger offered to join her of which he gained her - amused - consent. G'raha got the distinct feeling Urianger had chosen to join her for more than having ample room to study and converse as it left G'raha, Thancred, and Estinien to decide between the three of them who would be the last to leave. G'raha offered to be the last to leave the room so that Estinien could remain but the dragoon dismissed the offer, saying he had no qualms with waiting outside the door. Echo'a would be the only active patient in Psysis Technon to have a sentry at their door and a fully armored, former Azure Dragoon at that.

"I truly would have been fine being in the hallway for a time," G'raha voiced as he tucked both twins under their own blanket. Somewhere during all the moving and chatter, they had fallen asleep. Or, well, on the cusp of it. Alphinaud managed a bleary-eyed glance at him at the first touch of the blanket before settling back down.

"I think he prefers it," Thancred pointed out, sprawled across the couch. "While I'm sure he's gotten used to our company, he continues to strike me as the sort that likes being on his own. Besides, there's been a lot of people floating around. I wouldn't be surprised if he had taken to the hallway as a way to stand as guard more than simply waiting for Echo'a to wake back up."

G'raha sat down in one of the chairs, not about to deny that.

It was probably not even a quarter of a bell later before an amused chuckle preceded, "Hey, your Lordship."

G'raha's left ear rose a bit higher at the sound of Thancred's voice but the words themselves sent his tail viciously slashing behind him in an embarrassed agitation. He rolled his eyes even as he turned to look at Thancred but whatever retort he might have had died in his throat. The bemused snark that was always present on Thancred's face when he teased held nothing more to it. No, it had been when he had met Thancred's eyes that he had seen it: fondness. It surprised him and he was quick to deny its existence. After all, fondness from Thancred? After everything G'raha had done to-

Thancred's voice cut through his thoughts. "You do realize this thing fits three people comfortably, right?"

G'raha blinked, drawing his attention back to the present. "Oh!" The embarrassment that burned through him was mild when it took far too many seconds for him to realize what Thancred was referring to. "Yes, I am aware. I just thought-"

"That curling up in a chair like a pretzel was going to be more comfortable than sitting next to me?"

It was a tease, a blatant one at that, but G'raha did not care for the slight self-deprecating tone those words held. It was faint and he was probably reading too much into them, but it settled unease into his gut. And a bit of regret, though he wasn't sure why. How was he to know that Thancred would have been ok sharing the couch?

He voiced as much as he stood. "Apologies. I had assumed you had laid claim to the whole thing. After all, I am certain quite a few of the others would be happy if you got a nap in." He settled himself into the corner opposite Thancred, unconsciously tucking himself into the corner much in the same manner he had in the chair. "I would suspect what little sleep you may have feigned in the waiting area was certainly not enough."

Thancred shrugged, the motion muted on the left side as Thancred's left arm was draped over the back of the couch. "I'll sleep when I'm dead." Thancred actually snorted a laugh at the flat look G'raha sent him. "What? Like you haven't used the same excuse before and recently."

G'raha shook his head. "The Crystal Tower supplemented where I failed to care for myself properly and that had only been in those last days on the First." He didn't meet Thancred's eyes as he admitted, "Though in my years before I locked myself in the Tower I was known to push myself to the brink but that has changed."

"Really?" Thancred asked, amused and very aware of the truths G'raha was omitting.

G'raha's ears twitched as he ducked under the accusation. "The world had been threatened. There was very little choice in the matter."

"To the point that you fell asleep reading."

That drew G'raha's gaze. A cheeky grin had plastered itself across Thancred's face. "How did you…"

Thancred shrugged again, that grin still present in the man's expression even if the strength of it on his lips waned. "I have my ways."

G'raha sighed. "Of course you do."

His gaze fell to Echo'a again, settling there as it had for the minutes before Thancred had drawn his attention. Alphinaud and Alisaie were unmoving on either side, though Echo'a's head had listed more to the right since he had passed out. G'raha couldn't help but wonder if it was because he would have normally buried his face in Alisaie's hair had she been high enough up. The few times he had shared a bed with the three of them and Alisaie had been plastered to Echo'a's side, he always woke to Echo'a's face in her hair. He would do the same thing with Alphinaud, too, but G'raha knew his assumption was born from more than just those few observations.

"He's going to be fine. Kid's resilient."

Thancred was watching him when he looked over. G'raha offered him a soft smile. "I know." His gaze fell to Echo'a again, his words heavier for it. "I am simply finding it difficult to not fret about him when he is like this. After what had happened on the First, to see him laid out after accomplishing so much…" G'raha pushed the thoughts aside and focused on Thancred again. Thancred's gaze was on Echo'a now but something about the expression Thancred held reminded him a bit of the look the man had given Ryne in those last weeks on the First. It spurred on a bit of curiosity and G'raha found himself asking, "Why do you call him 'kid'? Are you two not nearly the same age?"

"Close enough that we could be brothers had we shared a parent," Thancred confirmed, nonchalant, "but the nickname itself is more out of a bad habit than any real reasoning."

"Habit? For when it comes to Echo'a?" He gained a shrug. "What caused you to start using it?"

Thancred met his gaze but the expression on Thancred's face was closed off - neutral but still closed off. "What makes you think it wasn't when we first met?"

That was certainly an amusing thought. "Because I remember the first time I met Echo'a and he was the farthest thing from a 'kid' as one gets."

Thancred ceded that with a nod but still countered it with, "Well, yes, but that's because you met him after he had taken care of a few primals and handled who knew what else."

A frown pulled at G'raha's lips and the words that fell from his tongue sounded hollow as he himself didn't believe them. "Surely such things had not changed him that drastically." After all, he had seen the results for himself plenty of times on the First. Even if there had been some physical influence throughout it, every Lightwarden Echo'a had taken on had changed him. The nightmares alone spoke of how much such events had affected him. The look Thancred gave him was a clear indication of Thancred calling his bluff and G'raha sighed. "So was it when you first met?"

He caught the flicker of the mask returning and G'raha fully expected Thancred to say yes. "No. Though I certainly thought it at the time, faced with - what I had foolishly assumed - had been a green adventurer even after hearing Y'shtola sing his praises." Thancred's gaze settled on Echo'a, a far off look on the man's face. "No; the first time I had actually used the nickname had been shortly after Echo'a's first mission as a Scion." There was a weight to those words as if there was some significance with that particular event that G'raha was not privy to. If G'raha remembered correctly, that had been- "We had been tasked with figuring out a string of kidnappings and caravan thievery in Thanalan and, in my folly, I had not been quite as attentive of my partner as I should have been." Thancred gave an exaggerated shrug, though the look on Thancred's face only darkened. "The part of me that felt like I was babysitting unfortunately sat a bit heavier than I had thought at the time and I had let Echo'a handle quite a bit on his own. After all, a well acclaimed adventurer by all three city-states could surely handle himself." A breath, an involuntary pause. "That part felt justified in that belief when he got himself kidnapped. I was mortified by that thought when I learned he had gone up against Ifrit alone." Thancred ran a hand over his face. "Hindsight being what it was, it was a good thing I hadn't been there or I would have only ended up tempered and dead for my efforts. But that doesn't change the fact that I had left Echo'a to deal with it on his own."

The bitterness in Thancred's words was not overly thick but it was still there, an indication that the man had yet to truly forgive himself for his misstep. G'raha rested his head on the back of the couch, gaze on Thancred's face as he asked, "Calling him 'kid' stemmed from that, then?"

Thancred sighed heavily. "It came with the aftermath."

Night was encroaching as they got the last of the abductees laid out. It was an unfortunate site to see and it left a bitter taste on the back of his tongue. There was not much for it, it was just how things were, but he still could not shake the thought that one of those bodies could have so easily been-

Camp Drybone was far from empty so it wasn't simply for the movement alone that drew his attention. Still, he quite readily set his gaze on Echo'a as the smaller reached the bottom of the steps. He waited until Echo'a joined him at the top of the stairs before he started talking. "Ah, there you are, Echo'a. Come, rest awhile. You will have no better opportunity. After witnessing their god's ignominious defeat, the Amalj'aa will be less inclined to risk our wrath - for a time, at least." He placed a hand on his hip, shifting his weight with the motion. "Now, where were we? Ah yes, I was in the process of apologizing." He offered Echo'a a crooked smile even as guilt bit into him. "I do hope you can forgive me. I arrived too late to be of any use…" his gaze fell to the bodies laid out; there were others elsewhere, those who had been able to walk, "to you or the abductees. They may be whole of body, but the same cannot be said of their minds. For once a man is tempered…" He shook his head and redirected the conversation. "Ah, but it ill suits me to dwell on the negatives. Amidst all our misfortunes, there is still reason to rejoice. Ifrit is slain, and by your hand, no less!" He offered it with probably a bit too much glee but he had expected some reaction out of the miqo'te - any sort of reaction - but Echo'a simply watched him. "That is the deed of no ordinary individual, Echo'a," he said, because maybe the kid didn't know. Gods, just how green could this adventurer be? No, it didn't matter. He was aiming for lighthearted and here he was going against that. "Not that I ever thought you were ordinary. On the contrary, I have long suspected that you have the potential to shape the fate of this realm. What can I say? My fine eye for talent remains undimmed." It had been a joke, a tease, as obvious as he could make it, but Echo'a seemed quite content taking him at face value. It was starting to set off warning bells and he didn't like it. "Minfilia will be proud beyond all reckoning when she hears of your deeds. I trust you shan't object to my bearing the tidings to her. That way I can claim to have contributed something to this mission." Self-deprecating and trying to alleviate his own guilt. Brilliant. He'll smack himself upside the head about it later. "You, meanwhile, have earned yourself a rest. Take some time to relax, and return to the Waking Sands when you are good and ready. We can discuss matters in more detail then. Just don't take too long, will you? The realm's problems won't solve themselves."

When all he got was a nod, the only thing he found he could do was follow through with leaving. He would stay in the area long enough to make sure that the kid stayed or headed for Ul'dah but that was it. He wasn't a babysitter.

An expanse of barren stone between the surrounding hills. The bodies of soldiers and Ungust scattered about near the path back towards the holding area. Echo'a, alone, standing where a primal had once been. Standing there, not tempered, with those orange eyes reminding him of fire with the way they seem to glow when they settled on him.

He shook his head hard enough to risk a headache in hopes of clearing the image from his thoughts. This wasn't babysitting; not even close. Echo'a had proven just how capable he was by taking down a primal. The least he could do was linger long enough to make sure the kid was left alone regardless if Echo'a decides to stay in Camp Drybone for the night or not. He owed him at least that much courtesy. Then he could race on back and fill Minfilia in.

The part of him that couldn't ignore the warning bells that had gone off during their - very much one sided - conversation wanted to offer to accompany the kid. The rest of him immediately brushed the idea away. He didn't know the kid so who knew if the behavior had been odd or not? Besides, he was fairly certain such an offer would have been turned down outright.

The image - now fainter - lingered.

Of what little snooping he had done on Echo'a before he had officially joined the Scions had allowed him to at least pick up on Echo'a's habits when it came to how the kid traveled. Once he wrapped up what little business he had left in the area and had confirmed Echo'a hadn't stayed in Camp Drybone for the night, he approached the chocobokeep only to learn Echo'a hadn't hired a Chocobo Porter.

Concern churned thick in his gut.

The guards at the main road towards Ul'dah confirmed seeing Echo'a leaving in the direction of the city, though it had taken a description to get an answer. He wasn't sure if he was impressed or relieved that not every soul in the camp knew of Echo'a's success, what with him blabbing about it earlier out in the open. Truly not his finest moment but at the time it hadn't even occurred to him to not talk about the kid slaying a primal. Regardless, he just hoped his dallying hadn't caused any harm. The route back to Ul'dah certainly wasn't that treacherous from someone who could go toe-to-toe with a primal and win.

It wasn't treacherous when it came to outside dangers, at least. The internal ones, though…

At first he had thought a rock had ended up in the road. Certainly wouldn't be the first time some random beast decided a rock needed to be someplace new. Only, the color was off. It wasn't until he was a few yalms away that he recognized what he was looking at.

He had seen the back of that jacket quite regularly enough. The only issue was that he knew all too well that Y'shtola was nowhere near Thanalan at the moment and the only other person who had been wearing something strikingly similar was supposed to be on his way to Ul'dah.

The sound of scraping gravel from beneath his sandals sounded like a crack of thunder as he tore into a sprint. The distance between them disappeared and the only thing keeping him from drowning under a torrent of panicked thoughts was the fact that Echo'a was not simply splayed out on the side of the road. He was upright - squatting, he realized as he skid to a stop on his knees at Echo'a's side - and still breathing - laboriously, panicky, like he couldn't quite get enough air - so he wasn't too terribly hurt - those orange eyes were unfocused and a touch too wide - if Echo'a was even hurt at all. Something he could assess later. First and foremost, he had to get Echo'a to breathe.

"Hey, Echo'a," he said, reaching out. "You need to calm-"

The reaction to his touch was immediate. Had the kid been armed with an actual weapon, he was certain he would have gained a new scar - if he was lucky. Instead, magic slammed into him and he barely had a second to feel oddly drained from the blow before a very different bit of magic hit him. He flinched from it but moved for the book before he could get a taste of that spell a second time. Echo'a lifted the book above both their heads to keep it out of reach as the kid fell back onto his rump, the momentum sending both book and arm more backwards than up. Thancred followed after it, aware of the close proximity enough to get a hand in the dirt at Echo'a's hip in order to keep himself from putting any of his weight against Echo'a as he reached after the book.

"Thancred!" Echo'a suddenly exclaimed just as he managed to get his fingers around the bottom edge of the book. He froze and looked down, finding those orange eyes alert and honed in on his face. The expression encompassing that gaze was taut. "Hells. I don't-I-" Echo'a brought his summoner book back down, almost as if the kid hadn't felt his grip on it. "Here, let me-"

Healing magic rushed over him, soothing what damage Echo'a had managed on instinct alone. He sat back on his ankles, a deep frown pulling at his face. He tried to suppress it even as he said, "That's quite the instinct you have there."

It came out as a jest, an attempt to lighten the mood even if he couldn't quite get the frown to go away. The attempt didn't work as Echo'a huffed out a sharp breath while stowing the book, ears pinned flat against his head as his tail thrashed in the dirt. "I'm sorry, I hadn't- you took me by surprise and I thought that-" The words cut off abruptly and Thancred caught only a glimpse of that haunted look before Echo'a's expression twisted up in some kind of pain. "Gods, if you had been anyone else-"

Echo'a's breathing was still ragged. When the kid buried his face into his hands, Thancred heard it only get worse. "Shit," he bit out. Without thinking, he reached out again. This time both hands settled on either side of Echo'a's head, fingers splayed in among the fine, soft strands of short dark hair, one of the braids Echo'a wore at his temples getting caught under the heel of his left hand. Echo'a jerked back as if to pull himself out of Thancred's grasp but Thancred only followed, closing the gap between them much in a similar manner as he had going after the book. The only difference was that Echo'a didn't lean as far back as he had with the book, allowing Thancred to get their foreheads ilms apart. "Focus on me, kid," he gently coaxed, dropping his voice into the lower range in a desperate plea that it helped. Echo'a's hands found his wrists and those deft fingers tangled themselves in his long sleeves. "Match my breathing if you can."

He made his slowed breathing audible, watching Echo'a's pained expression only become more distraught the longer it went on. Abruptly, Echo'a shook his head violently, trying - and failing - to dislodge Thancred's hands at the same time he pulled at Thancred's sleeves. Thancred didn't dare let him go. Echo'a managed a choked, "I can't," but it was enough.

A different tactic, then.

"That's ok; it's ok," he soothed, a thumb rubbing gently at the side of Echo'a's head. "We'll try something else." The desire to have something tangible for the kid to work with flashed through him even as he gently directed, "Can you name five things you can hear for me instead?" Echo'a's expression twisted at that but Thancred was quick to say, "I know, kid, but you've got to at least indulge me in this. Keep your eyes closed and tell me what you hear. Five things. Doesn't matter what they are."

Several seconds ticked by as he waited, listening to Echo'a's ragged breathing stutter a few times before the kid managed to pull in a breath and say, "The wind. My breathing." Both were given quickly on that one breath. Echo'a's tail scraped across the dirt. "My tail." A longer pause, those long ears rising to twitch, seeking whatever sounds lingered in the night air. "There's a tuco-tuco grazing to my right." Thancred glanced over, both eyebrows coming up at the distance between them and said tuco-tuco. Thancred had to strain his hearing to even catch it taking a step. He watched it slowly meander north until Echo'a finally said, "The gravel beneath your sandals as you shift your weight."

Thancred found Echo'a looking at said sandals with a much calmer gaze. His grip had not loosened - not by a longshot - but Thancred took what he could get. "Name four things on my person."

That orange gaze flickered up to him, annoyed but mostly tired. He could see the fear still lingering at the edges.

"Knife, choker, belt," came out rather quickly, a rattled off list thick with annoyance before Echo'a seemed to falter.

That gaze flickered to his shoulder and Thancred quickly offered, "Doesn't have to be an accurate name." And then, as an afterthought, "I'm not looking for anything specific either."

"Device," answered him.

He ran his right hand through Echo'a's hair. The kid flinched but didn't try to get away from the touch. "Good job, kid," he offered and was surprised when Echo'a pressed more into his right hand. The flinch had made him think the touch had been unwanted but Echo'a's movement spoke of the flinch possibly being from something else. He ran the same hand through Echo'a's hair again, this time gaining a push back, a silent request to keep at it. "Three textiles."

Echo'a's grip on his right wrist halted his hand after the third pass as the kid released his left sleeve enough to rub it between his fingers. "Cotton," he said, letting go. His hand moved to the leather pauldron Thancred kept his aether viewing device mounted on, touching first the device with a softer spoken, "metal," then the pauldron under it with an equally soft, "leather."

"Two smells."

Echo'a closed his eyes, leaning into his right hand. "The dirt. You."

"One item in your bag."

A breath and then, "Potion."

A crooked smile pulled at his lips as he gently teased, "I'll take your word for it," and gained a muted glare for his efforts. That crooked smile softened. "Calmer?"

Echo'a nodded.

Thancred pulled his hands away, settling back into a squat to give the kid some space. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

Echo'a gave him a flat look. "Like we both don't know it was me panicking?"

He gave a breathy chuckle, correcting, "Well, that too, but I meant what got you into the panic attack." His good humor waned. "And to talk about ways to help pull you out of them."

"Would you believe me if I said I've never had one before?"

"Yes," was immediately off his tongue, emphatic. Those orange eyes met his gaze, wary but no longer holding the fear that had been in them earlier. Mostly, Echo'a just looked tired. "How about this: if you'd rather not stay in Camp Drybone, let's get you to Ul'dah and in an inn room. We can share, even, if that would make you feel more at ease about the whole thing. It's only an offer, though, one I will not take offense if you say no to. We are still practically strangers."

He didn't gain an immediate reaction as he fell quiet. Eventually, Echo'a did sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Can I decide when we get to Ul'dah?"

"Sure."

"Did you two end up sharing a room?" G'raha asked.

"Yep. Ended up in the same bed, too, when the kid had a nightmare within the first bell." The haunted look that had accompanied the statement was gone by the time Thancred returned his gaze to G'raha. "Surprisingly enough, he was rather amicable to a conversation the following morning. We lingered in Ul'dah for about half a day before I went off ahead to talk with Minfilia. After that, he had other assignments so I have no idea when it got bad enough to constantly need a sleeping buddy." A thoughtful frown tugged at Thancred's face. "I know it eventually did after we got back from the First but I hadn't realized you four had ended up in the same bed because of one. Not that I'm surprised that he had one. Mostly surprised no one else heard him. How did you and the twins hear him?"

G'raha's ears fell slightly at the reminder, his gaze dropping to his knees he tucked close to his chest. "We didn't. Or, at least, I didn't. Not the first one, nor the second."

"He had two that night?" Thancred asked, his voice tight at the edges as if the man hadn't quite managed to suppress the distress that had bubbled up at the thought.

G'raha gave an affirming hum. "I know not if it was mere exhaustion or something more but I cannot recall being woken up. I had to ask Alphinaud the following morning how I ended up under all three of them."

Returning to their bodies had been surprisingly strenuous. Though they had barely returned, everyone was sound asleep once more. Or maybe it was more due to the length of time their bodies and souls had been apart; Y'shtola and Urianger had been more than happy to toss ideas around with him over tea while they had waited for Echo'a to return with a reawakened G'raha.

A G'raha who retained the memories of the Crystal Exarch.

Even now, bells later, Alphinaud could clearly remember the stark difference between the Echo'a who had fled from that very room and the one that had returned with G'raha on his back. The relief and content was palpable even without the miqo'te characteristics giving him away. Alphinaud wasn't sure he could pinpoint the last time he had seen those ears and tail so relaxed.

The Twelve had certainly been kind on that front. Alphinaud could not even begin to fathom what would have happened to Echo'a had G'raha awoken without the Exarch's memories.

He curled more around his knees, tucking his face into his crossed arms as his gaze lingered on Echo'a's sleeping form across from him. That was another thing he could clearly recall: Echo'a's grief at the Exarch's final moments. Out of everyone, Echo'a had taken that moment the hardest. And maybe that had been due to what had transpired just before but Alphinaud couldn't shake the sense it was more than that. After all, Echo'a cared with his whole being, fighting tooth and nail to save as many as he could to the best of his ability. He fought when he didn't want to and offered a hand to those others would outright abandon. Echo'a was powerful and caring and compassionate and everything Alphinaud aspired to be and it was wearing on their Hero. Slowly but surely the world was wearing down Echo'a and all any of them could do was be there for when he stumbled.

And oh how he fought to never stumble.

It was part of the reason why Alphinaud was still awake, though he had been asleep when Echo'a had taken Thancred's original bed. Thancred had moved to the bed on G'raha's other side who had been promptly placed on the empty bed next to Alisaie's upon arrival. Thancred, Alisaie, and G'raha had talked for a good bell before they lost G'raha to sleep. Alphinaud had fallen asleep before he could find out if Alisaie or Thancred had fallen asleep next, though he was certain it had been his sister. In all honesty, Alphinaud was rather disappointed he was even awake in the first place but his bladder had been quite insistent that he empty it as soon as he came out of the dreams enough to register the discomfort. And what weird dreams they had been. A lot of it had long since left his memory but what he could remember of them was absolutely bizarre. Even just stringing together the few pieces he recalled left him concerned for his own sanity. At one point he was certain Alisaie had been one of the pixies from Il Mheg and Echo'a had been a lalafell with far too many skills. How did one even accumulate every known job in Eorzea, be it war or magic or crafting or gathering? He was fairly certain said Echo'a-turned-lalafell hadn't even been that good at most of the jobs.

The blankets on Echo'a's bed moved, drawing Alphinaud from his thoughts. It mattered not for however bizarre Alphinaud's dreams had been, Echo'a's had to be even worse.

Echo'a sat up, gaze sweeping over the space as if the miqo'te expected someone to be in the shadows or for something to be wrong. Though there was no noise in Echo'a's movement, Alphinaud could see Echo'a's ribs expanding and contracting with his heavy breathing in the low light. Those orange eyes seemed to glow as they met Alphinaud's. Even after all this time, Alphinaud was still impressed at just how orange Echo'a's eyes were.

"Bad dream?" he whispered. Echo'a's gaze fell but he did gain a nod. "Would you like some company?"

A half asleep Echo'a was far easier to read than a fully awake one. The other's expression twisted in distaste, ears flattening to change that look of distaste into one of shame as he struggled to decide if it was worth it or not. Alphinaud waited. He knew pushing the matter would only make Echo'a fight this current instance of stumbling and the last thing he wanted to have happen was Echo'a to say no.

Eventually, Alphinaud gained a brisk nod.

Slipping from his bed, he nudged Alisaie's shoulder. "Alisaie," he whispered when he got a low moan for his efforts. He nudged her again, harder. "Alisaie, Echo'a's asking for us."

That cut through her sleep soaked mind as quickly as a shout to arms would have. Though it was clear sleep hadn't slipped from her completely, her gaze was alert when it fell onto Echo'a as she pushed herself upright. Alphinaud turned and found that Echo'a was watching them, expression - and ears - neutral once more. Even his breathing had calmed down.

Alisaie made quick work of crossing to Echo'a's bed and clambering in. She looped an arm around Echo'a's chest as the miqo'te's arms snaked around her shoulders and she shouldered him back against the mattress. With a few - rather aggressive - kicks and a shimmy, she got the blanket out from under her and over her back before she passed right out with her head on his shoulder. Alphinaud pulled back the covers on Echo'a's left side and slid in. Echo'a's arm wrapped around Alphinaud's shoulders as he laid down and Alphinaud didn't fight it as Echo'a directed his head to the miqo'te's shoulder. Alphinaud slipped an arm across Echo'a's lower abdomen and gave the other a gentle squeeze. He felt Echo'a's face press into his hair and it wasn't long before the both of them were asleep.

When he awoke again, it was from Echo'a's weight leaving the bed. At first Alphinaud hadn't quite understood what had just happened and sat up, expecting to see Echo'a heading for the restroom or maybe out for some other reason and found Echo'a crossing towards G'raha and Thancred instead. Both were still sound asleep as Echo'a came to stand between G'raha and Alisaie's beds facing the slumbering miqo'te. It was only then that Alphinaud registered how rigid Echo'a was. His ears were pinned against his head, tail plastered to the thigh it was hooked around, and while his left arm was rigid at his side, Alphinaud couldn't tell if Echo'a's right hand was hovering over G'raha or pressed against Echo'a's chest.

For a long moment, Echo'a just stood there unmoving with his gaze on the sleeping G'raha. Alphinaud had been content with letting Echo'a decide on his own whether to wake the other or not but the longer it dragged on, the more concerned he grew until he was pulling the blankets from his legs in order to stand. It was then that Echo'a finally moved but Alphinaud still stood, coming to stand at Echo'a's hip as the miqo'te gently tugged on G'raha's sleeve.

"Mmmm, Echo'a?" G'raha asked, voice thick with sleep and confusion. Alphinaud was surprised such a small movement had woken the other miqo'te. "What- Alphinaud? What's going on? Something wrong?"

Alphinaud shook his head. "Not anything dire," he assured in a whisper when Echo'a didn't speak. A glance at Echo'a confirmed the other was struggling to put things to words. Alphinaud had no qualms with taking over in his stead. It did not slip past Alphinaud's notice that Echo'a was still clinging to G'raha's sleeve. "Would you be willing to join us in Echo'a's bed? I don't think I could get Alisaie awake again and Echo'a is in need of your presence after the dream he woke from."

Not the most eloquently put but it was enough as G'raha turned his hand over and took hold of the hand still holding onto his sleeve. Some of the tension eased from Echo'a's body as he clung to G'raha's hand instead. G'raha, still mostly asleep but seemingly less confused, gave an enthusiastic nod as he scooted to the edge of the bed. "Of course. I don't mind at all."

It took no time for G'raha to be where Echo'a had been laying with Echo'a nearly laying on top of him, ear pressed over G'raha's heart. The notion behind it made Alphinaud's heart ache; he could make a pretty good guess to the reason behind such distinct placement. Echo'a's left arm wrapped around Alisaie's back, his hand settling on the nape of her neck. Alphinaud curled up against Echo'a's back resting his forehead against Echo'a's shoulder. It would be a miracle if G'raha's left hand wasn't numb come morning as that entire arm was pinned not only between Echo'a and Alphinaud across Echo'a's back, but was also pinned under Echo'a's weight. G'raha was out before Alphinaud had fully settled so it was probably fine.

"I woke up with feeling still in my hand, surprisingly enough," G'raha said nonchalantly.

Thancred shook his head. "And you really didn't think to ask him about whatever dream had him standing at your bedside for so long?"

G'raha flinched from that, curling more into himself. "As I had told Alphinaud, I had already assumed its nature and had not thought it my place to ask once I had been informed as to what exactly had transpired. Echo'a had seemed quite well and relaxed once we were all awake and being awake meant there were things to do. As bad as it sounds, sealing the Crystal Tower took priority when it seemed as if Echo'a was fine."

Thancred's gaze fell onto Echo'a, displeasure and - surprisingly - guilt drawing the man's lips into a frown and furrowing his brow. "Why is it that we don't realize how much better we could have done him by until after the mess has been dealt with?"

G'raha shook his head, not knowing how to respond to that.