CHAPTER 12

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Being confined not only to my room, but strictly to my bed, was boring as shit. I will admit that not forcing myself to walk around while pretending it didn't hurt was kind of nice, I hadn't put weight on my left leg in a whole day, and the medicine Arthur had insisted I take was a lot better than the shit from the Jeep's first aid kit. That meant it actually worked, the pain was basically non-existent, and I was able to sleep through the night without screaming from the nightmares.

When I woke up the next morning I was half expecting Demi to be sitting beside my bed, last time something like this happened he didn't leave my side, but I wasn't surprised when I found myself alone. There were more important things he had to do, like sleep, and keep an eye on Kailas so he did the same thing. I had to be happy that they were together again, they kept each other grounded, and I cared way too much about both to resent their relationship. If anything, I admired it.

I could understand it, too, especially the fact that for right now, what Demi needed the most was to be with Kailas, wrapped in his embrace so he could hear the heartbeat under his ear. To hear that sound was proof Kailas was alive, and those arms wrapped around Demi would help him relax and understand that he was safe now, away from those monsters, and that he was never going back again, not if Kailas, or I, had any say.

Kailas needed that physical touch right now just as much as Demi did. He was such a wreck losing Demi for a second time, seeing him when I got back was so shocking because he looked like a corpse. What he needed was rest, a lot of rest and good food, but immediately all he needed was to know Demi was with him again.

Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I knew Demi had to stay with Kailas until both were a little more secure after all that had happened, but that didn't stop me from pouting. They had each other to take comfort in, but I was bored and alone and forbidden from walking around, so I couldn't go hang out with anyone or spar.

I was considering what the consequences would be if I decided to disregard everything Arthur had said and just get up, when someone knocked on the door. I rolled my head to the side and squinted my eyes in suspicion.

"I didn't order a pizza!" I called out, and the door was pushed open to reveal Orion, who was giving me a goofy look.

"Good, because we don't have pizza," he held up the platter of food he probably got from Arthur and took a few steps into me room, propping the platter against his hip and reaching behind him to shut the door, the smile falling away and his eyes widening as they panned over my room in surprise.

I frowned heavily at the expression, sitting up a bit and leaning against the head of my bed, "What's the matter? Should I repaint the walls?"

"Oh, no," Orion tore his eyes from the walls to gape at me, "It, ah, all the posters, and there are glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling,"

My eyes widened in shock, looking up, "Shit, you can see those? Don't fucking tell anyone, they'll laugh at me!"

Orion snorted and chuckled a little, carrying the platter of food closer, "Arthur is busy this morning, so he gave me bandages, medicine, and breakfast to bring to you. One of my many new jobs as second assistant is keeping you alive and fed while you're healing."

I cringed a little at that, "Can I turn you back into the office for a replacement nurse?"

Orion just rolled his eyes at me and sat down in the same armchair beside my bed that Demi had taken the last time I was stuck like this, "Funny. Just eat, I didn't make it so you know it's good."

"You can't cook?" I set the platter on my lap to see the array of food, and Orion hummed.

"Not even a little. Here," he set a few pills beside my plate, "Arthur sent those too."

"What are they?"

"Roofies," I squinted at him and he giggled like his joke was oh so funny, "They're to help with the pain, Dakota, I promise."

"Well now I don't trust you."

"Oh, just eat, you're worse than Carina," Orion huffed, turning in the chair, and looking around at the books stacked around it, "It's nearly noon so everyone else already enjoyed breakfast. No one wanted to wake you up."

"How are Kailas and Demi?" I asked, picking the fork up so I could scoop some of the scrambled eggs into my mouth.

"They missed breakfast too, but Arthur said he checked on them and they were still knocked out cold. Those two will recover a lot faster than you, so you should probably focus on yourself for right now."

I frowned at that, chewing on the prongs of the fork and staring across the room, "I'm not worried about myself," I admitted slowly, "I mean... I kind of deserved it."

I barely saw the way Orion tensed up in the chair from the corner of my eyes, "I'm sorry?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing," I scooped another few forkfuls of food into my mouth so I had an excuse not to talk, and Orion watched me quietly for a moment before turning away again to look at the posters on my walls.

"These are all really cool," he noted, picking a book up from where it was sitting at his feet, a genuine smile breaking over his face as he flipped it open, "You really are passionate about stars, huh?"

"The sky in general, I guess," was my response, setting my fork down and looking over at him, "It's just... I don't know..."

"Fantastical in a way," Orion suggested, "It's just a wonder, how everything works, why the stars exist, the fact that even when they die they leave something like a scar on the universe. Each star, even though there are billions and billions, all leave their mark, even if they seem insignificant. Not to mention it's just beautiful. I mean yea the sky during the day can be pretty, especially if there are clouds everywhere, but I prefer the night time when the stars are visible."

I suddenly found myself at a loss for words, just staring at Orion, sort of stunned by his words. At first glance he looked like such a jock, tall and handsome, he just had that kind of aura of dominance and entitlement, but suddenly he was... he was just a nerd, and I had to struggle to keep from laughing at him.

That would have been rude, because I'm about as much of a loser as he was, but I was surprised. Yes, he already said he wanted to be an astronomer at some point, but honestly, I thought he was joking, and sure he had a gentle hand, but truthfully, I didn't believe him when he said he wanted to be a surgeon either. He didn't look the type so I assumed based on my own bias, but he was constantly proving how cheesy people could really be, even if they physically looked like football stars.

"You're a weird guy," I finally voiced, and he looked up from my book to pout at me.

"Carina says the same thing all the time," he shut the book and set it aside before pulling up a small bag he'd been carrying with a red cross on it, "Don't forget the medicine. When you're done eating I'll change your bandages."

"Yea, yea," I mumbled around another forkful of food, watching as Orion sifted through whatever supplies he'd brought with him.

"Arthur also mentioned a new injury you conveniently forgot to tell him about," he stated, looking up at me, "Care to explain?"

"Not really," I replied honestly, "I figured it was nothing, but evidently when we were getting away I stepped on my leg wrong and got a stress fracture from it in my hip," I tapped my left hip, then shrugged, "Not much else to say."

"You know I took a nursing class, right?" Orion drawled, "You don't get a stress fracture by just walking or running and twisting your leg the wrong way. Maybe if you'd jumped from somewhere high. It takes a great amount of opposing force to do something like this."

"Why does it even matter?" I demanded, dropping the fork and pushing the rest of the food away, appetite gone, "I'm not dead, right? So fucking drop it already!"

Orion watched me with curious eyes before he started pulling out rolls of bandages and gauze pads, "Sit on the edge of the bed and take your shirt off, okay? I promise I'll be gentle."

"Right," I muttered, wincing as I eased myself forward and dropped my legs over the edge of the bed before shedding my shirt, remaining as still as I could while Orion undid all the bandages and tossed them into a waste basket beside my dresser.

"They're starting to look a little better," he said, cleaning over the stitches along my collar bone, "Not as red, and they seem to be closing finally."

"Swell."

He grinned in amusement, "Most of the bodily injuries should be fully healed within a month, you're lucky they weren't too severe, but the stress fracture will take the longest to heal."

"Supposedly," I held a finger up, "Or, I chill for a week and say I'm all better so I don't have to die of cabin fever and can go back to helping out around the settlement."

"Oh by all means try," Orion dared, "I highly doubt you'll get far with that fib, with Arthur being so on top of things, and with Demi so protective of you."

"He's not protective of me," I argued, and Orion arched an eyebrow.

"No, that's why he threatened to kill your sister when she wanted to comfort you the other day."

"That's just him being him, he's like that with everyone here."

"Oh, I'm sure."

I bristled at the sarcasm and snapped, "What, are you jealous of him?"

Orion hummed thoughtfully before meeting my eye, "A little."

That shut me up, a slight burn flaring across my cheeks that had him smiling a little brighter before returning to what he was doing. For the rest of the time he was patching me up, we didn't speak, I couldn't really think of a come back to that, and honestly it made me want to punch him. That's how you healthily deal with being unable to communicate, right? Violence? Sounds about right. Although if I just randomly struck out he may get confused. I'll save it for next time.

"There," Orion sat back when he'd finished bandaging my head, smiling, "How do you feel?"

"Uh, it's been three seconds, I still feel like shit, thanks for asking though."

Normally people at the other end of my sarcasm would roll their eyes or glare at me or sigh or something, but Orion just smiled wider and threw away all the garbage before settling back in the chair and picking the book back up. For a long time, he just sat there flipping the pages, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Are you planning on staying there all day?"

"Yea," he answered easily, lifting his eyes to me, looking as if he figured it should have been obvious, "You've got cool stuff in here, plus I'm your personal nurse, remember? I can't very well leave. That would just be incredibly irresponsible of me, and you'd probably be bored in here one your own."

"I think I'd rather be bored than have you as a babysitter," I muttered, pulling myself back onto the bed and settling against the pillows, waiting for Orion to get offended, but he just chuckled at me and flipped to the next page of the book, "Doesn't anything bother you?!" I demanded, and he frowned a little, again meeting my eye.

"You mean the sarcastic comments, quips, and snarky attitude? Nah," he smiled, "You realize Carina is my little brother, right? I've been dealing with all that stuff since he was twelve, I'm used to it."

"You're fucking annoying."

"Mhm."

It seemed there was literally nothing I could do to screw with this infuriating man. Everything I said went in one ear and out the other, he just smiled and laughed like I was a child who didn't know what cursing was yet. At least with Beckett I can tease him and he reacts, but this fucking idiot seemed immune to literally everything I said to him.

Frankly it was getting annoying. I wasn't used to people being so nonchalant with me, even Arthur sighed in exhaustion around me when I was getting a little too talkative. Everyone in this rebellion had rubbed their temples because of me at one point or another, but Orion took it all in stride, and fuck if it wasn't pissing me off!

"Do you react differently to anything?!" I ended up yelling at him after a few hours, and he looked over at me from where he was sifting through another book across the room.

"No? I'm not sure. Maybe. This is a really cool book."

By then I was ready to give up, falling onto my back and folding my arms over my chest, glaring up at the ceiling and muttering darkly under my breath about how much trouble this piece of shit was, why couldn't Gale be the one who was looking after me, I had to deal with this idiot for weeks before I healed up enough and didn't need a nurse watching my every move.

"You don't like me much, do you?" Orion asked, and I grumbled.

"Don't feel special, I don't like most people."

"You're making it very difficult to win you over," he sighed, and I pushed myself onto my elbows to see he was sitting in another chair, looking at a huge fold-out map of the night sky, "Which is ironic, considering you've dog-eared every page in every one of your books that even mentions the constellation Orion," he grinned at me and I blushed before throwing one of my pillows at him and flopping back, grinding my teeth.

"I like the constellation," I grit out, "Not you. There's a huge difference."

"Oh, sure, I'm not world famous and I don't glow," Orion hummed, "But the ideal is there, isn't it?"

"Nope."

"How cold hearted," Orion sighed dramatically, and I rolled onto my side, hugging my pillow as he continued speaking, "Then why do you like the constellation so much? My mother liked it because it was the first constellation her uncle ever showed her, and it stayed with her because of sentiment. What about you?"

I was silent for a long time, my fingers playing with the pendant around my neck, "Orion is the hunter," I said, "In Greek myth he was... strong and brave, not afraid of anything, and... I... have never been remarkably strong in any significant way. People have died because I couldn't help them, people have gotten hurt because I wasn't strong enough.

"Maybe I like it because I'm trying to convince myself I can be strong. Ronnie always said I had this kind of glow, this inner strength, and that if I always carried the spirit of Orion, then one day that strength would come out. He always believed in me, I just never believed in myself. I like the constellation Orion because it gives me hope, even if it's false hope, that maybe one day I won't have to be afraid of losing the people I care about, because one day I'll be strong enough to keep them safe."

"Ronnie..."

"My... friend," I sighed in irritation, "Good to know that's all you heard in that explanation, jackass," I yanked one of the pillows over my head, seething at the muffled laughter and the footsteps that came closer.

"Sorry, I was just curious," I felt the bed dip behind me, and tensed up waiting for Orion to touch me, attempt to comfort me, but he didn't, just sat there, "If it means anything, and it might not, coming from me it'll probably just be a bunch of words, but I think you're very strong. When I first saw you, I admit, I had some doubts, but getting to know you a little better, hearing how passionately you talk about the things you care about, makes me rethink my original impression of you.

"I think I agree with your friend. There is strength in you, a glow like fire that I honestly can't help but admire. If you weren't strong, then you never would have risked yourself saving Demi's life. Your strength comes from your loyalty to your friends, it's a pure strength, you fight for those around you, for the right reasons, and sure it may appear selfish, but I wish I was the same way."

I slowly dragged the pillow down over my face so only my eyes were revealed, staring over at the door, "You're stupid," I mumbled, "You're obviously way stronger than I am. You could probably lift a truck or something. Not to mention you have all this experience with medicine, so you're not even a useless gun jockey, you're actually worth something."

"Thank you?"

"I think all that is a lot more admirable that whatever my strength is. I mean, what's the use of being a good shot with a gun if you don't have any other skills to show?" I played with the ends of the bandages wrapped around my wrists, staring at the white gauze against my skin, "I'm weak," I said, "I only appear strong. I... I'm broken. Like a toy soldier," I laughed a little, "Did you ever hear that children's story? About that tin soldier? He was sacrificed to let someone else live. I think... I think that's me... a broken tin soldier... the only purpose to my existence is to die so I can keep someone better alive."

I tensed up when Orion leaned over me, leaning one hand against the mattress just beside me, "I disagree," he whispered into my ear, "Even broken soldiers can still fight."

My eyes were suddenly burning, and Orion pulled away, standing up and taking the time to pull the sheets and comforter up over me, prompting me to shut my eyes instinctively.

"It's pretty late now. Sorry for bothering you the entire day."

"Day?" I repeated, looking up at him as he pulled the covers over my shoulders, "It's already nighttime?"

"Yea," Orion smiled, searching through the medical baggy around his hips and pulling out a little bottle, pulling a single pill out, "Here, take this. It'll help you sleep through the night."

"Thanks...," he waited for me to swallow the pill, going as far as to grab my chin, and order me to open my mouth to make sure I wasn't faking, before finally walking towards the door, smiling back at me when he got there.

"I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

I tried to think of something clever to say, like fuck you, or something equally as witty, but I ended up mumbling "kay", watching as the door closed behind him. For a long time, I just stared at the closed door, slowly relaxing into the bed as my eyes started closing, the potent sleep aid lulling me into the peaceful darkness of rest.

Orion Ledger was annoying as all hell, but... I guess he wasn't that bad.

Definitely not as bad as Rhett.

Maybe I could deal with his company, just until I could stand without wincing and walk around, but after that he needed to leave me alone. He was... too easy to be around. If I wasn't careful, I might end up losing his bet.

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