I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling, trying to count sheep but to no avail. I restlessly tossed and turned in bed, trying to find a comfortable sleeping position, but nothing came of it. Eventually I landed up back to where I started, on my back staring at the black ceiling. I was just driving myself insane, so I decided it would be best to go for an evening stroll to try and get some fresh air and my mind at ease.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2B7fRwY1ma
My feet wandered the corridors of the base, not really having any direction to follow. I eventually found myself unsurprisingly in front of the infirmary's doors. My hands were jammed deep in my pockets, still unsure if they should be opening the door in front of me. After a quiet and long deliberation with myself I opened the door carefully, trying my best not to make a sound. I moved over quietly to the bed where Rodney had been placed in and sat on the bed next to him.
I waited for my eyes to completely adjust to the dark room that was slightly illuminated by the full moon, watching the bed sheets rise and fall as the bed's visitor breathed easily and peacefully. His chest sounded a little raspy, but at least he was still breathing. I watched him for a while, trying to convince myself that what had happened during the day hadn't happened and it was all a dream, but looking at his lumpy skin from where the bees had stung him was a very obvious reminder that it really did happen.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrl2wzQeMBX
"You worry too much, you know that." A deep voice spoke from the dark causing me to jump.
"Rodney?" I whispered, not sure who's voice I was hearing.
"I don't think anyone else is here, do you?" He opened his eyes and turned his neck slowly to face me. His eyes were slits, probably why I hadn't noticed that he had been awake the whole time.
"I hate to break it to you." I tried being a little carefree and spontaneous to make light of the situation. "But I think you've seen better days."
"You think?" He tried to smile but his skin that was already pulled tight wouldn't allow it. "I thought it would be a good look on me."
I chuckled at him, glad that he was feeling well enough to joke around. "How are you feeling?"
"Honestly," He turned his focus to the ceiling again. "I'm more itchy than sore. I think my foot may be dead so I've already accepted the fact that if I don't regain feeling in it again I probably won't be able to walk ever again. Do me a favour and see if I still have a right foot."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ034970zM8S
I lifted the bed sheets and was welcomed by the sight of both feet poking out, one of the heavily bandaged and swollen quite seriously. "I think this bandage might be a little tight. Mind if I loosen it?" 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsuP8YLHWV
"Go ahead." He closed his eyes, preparing for the pain and sensation that would follow soon after.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2RVkZ0hhD
I began unwrapping the bandage slightly, working length into it so that it wouldn't be so tight, immediately seeing a difference in the swelling.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay2ycRi4fy
"Wow, okay." He opened his eyes again, clenching his jaw and fists against the pain. "I still have a foot."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFWzUL3L4K
"You sure do." I said while finishing off the knots again to secure the bandage back in place. "I know it hurts, but how is it feeling now?"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZxd2sW7gS
"A lot less heavy actually." He began twiddling his toes, testing out the feelings he was getting back. "Thank you."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNunl2lZ6E5
"You're welcome." I said moving back to my original spot, getting comfortable again. 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPWBHdJ7BQ
"And how are you feeling?" He asked suddenly, turning his head back to its side to face me.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUKycYjpFB
I laughed despite myself and the situation. "Me? You shouldn't be worrying about little old me." 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZJUJpdcjo
"Laila." He called softly, almost how an adult would speak to a small child to try get them to speak the truth. "I know how you get. You don't like to admit it but you worry about Mitch and I a lot and all the time. It's the one thing that makes me trust you so much." His voice was kind when he spoke. "So how are you?"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmb7U79zHq
I looked down at my hands, watching how the stray moon light played across my fingertips. "I was so worried you weren't going to make it." I looked at him again. "Did you know that you were so allergic to bee stings?"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKpZ4ygz6h
"I didn't, but then again I've never been stung by one. It's probably why I felt so invincible about it all. Didn't think something so small could make such a mess." He tried smiling at me again. "But now I know for next time."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6Z16IUmzV
"You're such an idiot." I choked out a laugh through the lump that was forming in my throat. "You could've died today."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXMmmGP1Ss
"But I didn't." He held out his hand for mine, and I took it gingerly trying not to agitate his skin too much. "Thank you."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXWdIIxWcz
"For?" I looked at him with confusion strewn across my face.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmwc6tbLWH
"For saving me." He gave my hand a little squeeze of appreciation.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsQYDChZ5O
"It wouldn't have happened had I not dared you and Mitch to do it." I looked down at our hands, his lumpy and red hot skin against my smooth cold skin.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTe2J3ZD7f
"You can't honestly believe that, do you?" He looked at me and saw no sign of humour. "Laila, boys will be boys. We do stupid things for fun, it's in our nature. We never grow up and we never really listen to advice, but we learn the hard way. But either way we learn." 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJr0kJIX1j
"You're still an idiot." I smirked at him, trying to change the topic to a less serious one.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7BvzjaCRO
"And you still act like my older sister anyway. So we're even." He smiled back, a little happier too. 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqLqzOW0jc
"How does that make us even?" I raised an eyebrow at him, not sure where that comment had come from.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVf0TzSjpQ
"I know I've never told you this, or actually anyone for that matter." He looked back up at the ceiling, trying to find the right words. "But I had a sister back in the day, she would be the same age as you now. We both ran the streets of our little rustic village." He smiled back on the memory. "We never knew our parents or family. My mother died at childbirth with me and my sister hardly knew her as she was too young. After my mother's death we moved to Melis. We were poor apparently, I can remember living in a really shoddy shack, the walls barely able to hold themselves up. My father got in bad with some rebels there, trying to scam them out of their stolen money so that he could at least feed us. One night some people raided our house, and in trying to defend my sister and I he got stabbed and there was nothing we could do to save him." 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8QLgwXHnW
He looked back at me. "So my sister and I had to look after ourselves, scavenging for food and things to steal that would benefit us. We had it going okay for years, and every time something happened she would be there to save me or protect me. She was my knight in shining armour." I could see the strain on his face to try and keep his emotions in check. "Six years ago when the Organisation raided our village, also burning it to the ground, my sister got captured by one of them. I followed them for a while all without being noticed. By the time we reached their camp I was absolutely exhausted that I could hardly stand. They offered her a position in the Organisation, but she refused, saying that she will only join if I could be a part of it. They refused, saying that in order to join the Organisation you had to leave everything you once knew behind, and she still refused them. They threatened to kill her because now she knew of their existence, but I stepped out of the shadows to try and defend her. They used that as an opportunity to kill her and recruit me instead, making me watch and hear her scream as they slit her throat. And the person to do the deed was no one other than Odette herself." 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSLvc2iJiN
He began stroking a finger over my hand now. "You look a lot like she did. You act a lot like her too, always so worried about my well-being." I could see a tear running down his cheek, so I moved over and sat on the edge of his bed and wiped away the tear gently. "That's the only reason why I've managed so far in this place, you keep me grounded, you remind me that life isn't always as bad as what we make it seem to be. And for that I thank you, thank you for being my sister. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to take her place."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0BExIfm3u
"That's why I can't stand to see the way Odette treats you, how she abuses you and treats you like nothing more than a stray dog that bothers her. I always want to protect you from the harshness that she so easily dishes out to anyone she pleases. I don't want her to do to you what she did to my sister."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzElUZUAZpb
Now it was his turn to wipe away the tears from my face. "Please don't cry. I can't stand to see you like this." 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6OcPZu7P1
"You should've seen me earlier today." I smiled sincerely at him through the tears.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBIakwJg0X
"You're such a baby." He smiled at me through his own tears and concern.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FBVaHBcdX
"I learn from the best." I hugged him, trying my best not to hurt him. "So what was her name?" I asked, wiping away the rest of the tears running down my cheeks. 622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7qmYylxSP
"Aveline." He smiled back up at me.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gAqmp4rWc
I held his hand in mine again and smiled. "That's a really pretty name."622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiDmHgQH2M
