Author's Note: Sorry for the large break. I promise I will finish this story and return to at least fortnightly updates, and possibly more frequently. I will definitely be finishing this story for you all.
Chapter 17 - In sickness and in health
Before any further words could be exchanged between Kylo and Hux. Rey had made herself appear in front of them. She reached out and grabbed Kylo's wrist while simultaneously turning to face Hux.
"You," Rey snarled at Hux. "It was you, wasn't it?" Her finger colliding with his chest. "You leaked my accident to the press, didn't you?" She angrily breathed. "What have you done?" The anger was rolling off her.
"Empress, I didn't do this," Hux pleaded shaking his head and backing up with his hands raised.
"LIAR!" She bellowed. Kylo wrapped his hands around her stomach and pulled her back. She began wiggling in his grasp, consumed by the darkness.
She made contact with Hux's chest with both her hands, pushing him back causing him to fall to the ground. Kylo was trying to calm her through their bond. It's alright Rey.
Ignoring Kylo's attempts to engage in a mental conversation. She raised an outstretched hand towards Hux. "Tell me the truth," she seethed through clenched teeth.
She lifted Hux into the air using the force. His feet were hovering above the ground while she started to close his windpipe.
"I – I did-not-" Hux chocked out. Hux clawed at his neck and was gasping for air.
"We need him," Kylo dryly said. He was rather enjoying seeing his wife go after Hux.
Rey reluctantly released Hux. The pain in her chest began spreading. "You're alive because our Emperor has a use for you," she wheezed. "If I had it my way you wouldn't be so lucky."
She ended the bond and disappeared out of Kylo's arms.
Hux cleared his throat and began straightening the hair that had fallen across his forehead. "W-Will that be all Emperor?" He was visibly shaking, but attempted to seem as if nothing had happened.
"Find out everything about Lancel Ren's movements in the lead up to Rey's accident," Kylo commanded.
"Very well," Hux breathlessly replied.
"Dr Stephens to room 501. Dr Stephens to room 501." Came over the hospital speaker system.
That's Rey's room. "You're dismissed," Kylo growled. Kylo marched towards Rey's room. Damn it, Rey. What have you done?
Rey howled and clutched at her chest leaning over the side of the bed. The blood was already seeping through her bandage. JK pushed open the door and saw Rey doubled over.
"Rey are you alright?" JK grabbed hold of her arm to pull her back into bed.
"Get the doctor," Rey whimpered. She fisted the edge of the bed sheet to remain upright. She concentrated on breathing through the pain.
JK raced out of the hospital room to get her some help.
She could hear the announcement over the hospital speaker system. "Dr Stephens to room 501. Dr Stephens to room 501."
Cris came racing into the room followed closely behind with both JK and Dr Stephens. "Okay, Mrs Ren. I'll get you to lie back and we'll have a look at your wound." She placed an oxygen mask over Rey's face to help calm her down. Cris fiddled with the dials to adjust the air flow. "Just take a few deep breaths for me," she said.
The orderly from earlier with the goatee had already dragged in an emergency cart and Dr Stephens had thrown a pair of gloves on. He was putting pressure on her bandage and waiting for others to prepare the supplies.
Kylo flung open the door and was greeted with a room full of people working on her. It appeared like they were preparing to restitch her chest wound closed.
"My Lord. I'll have to get you to wait outside." Cris moved towards Kylo. "I'll let you know when we have finished." She pointed at JK who met her gaze. "You as well." She shuffled both men outside and closed the door behind them. Kylo followed her instruction without complaint.
Kylo pointed to the two stormtroopers just outside the door. "Leave us," he demanded. They swiftly raced down the corridor without glancing back.
Kylo began pacing outside turning towards JK when he spoke.
"My Lord. I have no idea what happened." JK was shaking his head and had his hands on his hips.
"I do," replied Kylo without skipping a beat. "She projected into the room with me and Hux and attacked him," he sighed. "She must have opened up her stitches when I held her back."
JK furrowed his brows. "I'm confused My Lord… How did…"
"It does not matter," Kylo interjected. He pointed to the direction of the cafeteria. "Go take a break. I'll stay here with her and call you when you're needed again." Kylo plonked himself on a chair outside her room and scrubbed his face with his hands. JK bowed and disappeared around the corner out of sight.
Roughly 15 minutes had gone by before the door opened again. Extra staff filtered out leaving only Cris, Dr Stephens, and Rey inside. Kylo stood in the doorway.
Dr Stephens called out to him. "It's alright my lord. You can come in. She's stable."
Kylo heavily exhaled as he entered the room fully. He looked down at Rey in the bed who was lying back and still had the oxygen mask on. She was frowning.
Cris pulled the mask off and stated. "You shouldn't need that anymore." She fiddled with the dials on the wall again. Cris carefully activated the bed's mechanics, smoothly raising the top section while using a remote to assist Rey into a seated position. "How about we get you more comfortable?"
Kylo stepped forward when Rey winced.
"I'm fine," she stated in response noticing the concern on his face.
No, you're not," Kylo replied.
Dr Stephens took the opportunity to interject. "She opened up her stitches and unfortunately, we needed to put in more," he explained. "We'll give her another dose of antibiotics to hopefully prevent an infection, but it will delay her bacta tank treatment. She may need to stay an extra few day to recover further.
"No, the kriff I won't," Rey scoffed.
Kylo hushed her and addressed Cris and Dr Stephens. Rey pouted in response. "Thank you…" He looked between each of them. "...to the both of you," he sincerely expressed.
"You're welcome," they responded in unison.
"We put a waterproof dressing on her wounds," Cris stated. "It might be a good idea to get her to have a shower when she's ready." She looked down at Rey. "I can help you and we do have a shower chair in the refresher," she offered.
"I don't need help," Rey huffed and tried to cross her arms groaning from the pain.
"It's alright," Kylo announced. "I'll handle it from here,"
"Of course," Dr Stephens indicated. Cris and Dr Stephens looked at each other without exchanging any words and then began leaving the room.
Cris turned back pointing at a remote connected to the bed as she spoke. "If you need anything just press that green button and I'll come straight away."
Kylo nodded in response before turning back to face his wife crossing his arms with an unimpressed look on his face. He heard the door to Rey's room close. Rey looked up at Kylo and attempted to fake a smile.
"Save it." He shook his head and sighed. "You shouldn't have done that."
"Done what?" She fained ignorance.
Kylo uncrossed his arms and sat down on the edge of her bed. "You know what." He didn't wait for her to respond. "You need to leave Hux to me, sweetheart." He gestured towards her. "I just need you to focus on healing and getting better, so we can get you out of here." He took his gloves off and disguarded them on a chair nearby.
"I know," Rey sadly responded, looking down at her hands. She began fidgeting with the bed sheet. "I hate being useless."
He lightly chuckled. "You're not useless." He leaned forward clasping the edge of her face and lifting her chin, which made his eyes flick up to meet his gaze. "I only want what's best for you," he gently stated. He used his thumb to stroke the edge of her face. "You need to take it easy...for now." A cheeky glint entered his eyes as he added the last part.
The corners of her mouth pulled up at the edges with a smile threatening to take hold. "Okay," she quietly replied.
"Now...we need to get you showered," he proclaimed.
Rey groaned in protest.
"I can get the nurse back in here," he retorted.
She cut him off with a firm, "No." She then continued with a sudden realisation. "I don't think I can do it alone though."
"Let me help you," he whispered.
Rey nodded her head. Kylo slowly pulled the blanket off her and Rey shifted her legs to dangle over the side of the bed. She painfully moaned as she lowered herself to the ground. She grabbed hold of his outstretched hand to steady herself. Kylo then took on majority of her weight as he assisted her to hobble into the refresher that was connected to her room. She was focusing on breathing through the pain.
Kylo got her to sit on the shower chair that was just inside the doorway. He faced towards the shower, turning it on and adjusting the settings. He unclipped his cape and threw it out through the open refresher door. He turned back towards her. "I'm going to need to undress you now."
Rey nodded again.
Kylo tenderly pulled on the strings sealing the hospital gown closed and steadily removed it while Rey raised her arms at the correct moment for it to slip effortlessly off. He undid the bandage that was fastened securely around her forehead and then began to undo the bandage across her chest. It exposed her breasts and the wound that had been covered with a clear dressing spanning a large section of her torso.
The stitches were visible below the surface, looking like a series of dark spiders marching across her lightly tanned chest in a single file. She shivered from the cool air from his exhaled breath across her exposed skin. He looked towards her eyes to gauge her expression. He observed as she exhaled and fluttered her eyes. Nerves creeped up in both of them. They took a few breaths together in unison.
"I'll need to take your underwear off," he uncertainly spoke.
Rey nodded again. He slid his fingers into the sides of the bands, and she lifted herself up slightly while his fingers trailed the path down the edges of her backside and ghosted lightly down her legs.
Rey giggled when he catapulted them over his shoulder and out the refresher door.
His eyes traced back up the newly exposed pubic region and studied all the way up to her delicate facial features. "You're so beautiful," he murmured. She grinned in response.
He assisted her back up to her feet, holding her close to himself with one arm and shifting the chair into the water stream of the shower. He guided her back down onto the chair. He lathered up a nearby washcloth and cleaned over her entire body, deliberately missing the dressings covering her wounds.
He focused on removing any trace of blood, dirt and sweat that had been left marring her skin. Throughout the process, he would pause when any movements caused her to groan with pain. He observed many sections of her flesh that were bruised in varying shades of blue, black and purple. After the water had washed away the soap suds, he placed the washcloth down and hovered his hand over her wound. I wonder.
Kylo took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He focused on the wound on her chest, directing his efforts toward binding the internal fibers and bringing the skin back together. He envisioned the various layers of muscle and fat intertwining, determined to alleviate her pain. With each heartbeat, he sensed his own strength diminishing while hers grew. He felt a zap jolt through his fingertips, and he fought against instinctively recoiling his hand and opened his eyes again.
Rey sat forward in response looking down at her wound. Kylo had to steady himself while still leaning on the chair. His dark locks falling across his forehead and face.
"How did you do that?" Rey uttered in surprise. "It doesn't hurt anymore." She carefully removed the translucent dressing and observed the stitches fall to the shower floor and wash away down the drain. Peering at the once-injured site, she marveled at the complete absence of any evidence of the previous wound.
She began checking other areas of her body and found that several wounds had healed. The bruises had either completely gone or were in the final stages of healing, leaving only a faint yellowish hue behind. She looked up at the man above her who hadn't responded yet.
Despite his exhaustion, he had a smile on his face. "I've heard about the ability to heal through the force before, but I wasn't sure if I could do it myself," he replied between breaths, with a light laugh. He shook his hair back off his face and stood up to his full height. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Rey beamed and leaped up into his arms. Kylo wasn't expecting her to move so quickly and it caused him to lose his balance and fall into the water from the shower that was still flowing. It drenched Kylo from head to toe. He yanked her into the water with him and laughed while wrapping his arms around her. He took another deep breath. "It's nice to see you're feeling better."
Rey pulled back from the embrace. "I may be better, but what about you?" Water continued to cascade down them both.
"I'll be fine," he replied. "I just need to have a rest or meditate."
Rey switched off the water and grabbed the nearby stack of towels. She handed one to Kylo and began to dry herself. She wrapped the towel around herself and stepped towards the mirror. She peeled the translucent dressing off her forehead and the last remaining stitches fell into the basin. She examined the wound and saw that it was gone too. She smiled again and looked at Kylo in the mirror.
She could see that Kylo was observing her in the mirror in between drying himself. His clothing was still drenched and she realised that he wouldn't be able to dry himself completely without changing his clothes. Rey turned around, grabbed his hand and led him back to the bed in her hospital room. "Now it's your turn to rest," she instructed. Kylo chuckled and climbed into the bed without complaint. She layered up the blankets to help warm him up.
She then changed into a fresh hospital gown and picked up the receiver on her bed side table.
"JK, are you there?" She asked.
The receiver buzzed to life. "Yes, my lady."
"I need you to bring a fresh change of clothes for myself and the Emperor," she commanded. "Oh, and bring Captain Parlux too."
"Of course, my lady. We'll be there shortly," came his reply.
Kylo frowned. "Why did you summon Captain Parlux?"
"I feel like we might need a decoy at some point to get me out of here," she answered.