When the Cavalry Comes.

XXII

"My."

"...my."

"Name."

"Name."

"Is."

"Is-s."

"Cavalry."

"Cav... cavalr-ry." Cav turned her head to cough as she struggled to use her vocal cords. Kix and Fives both applauded her for the longest sentence she had spoken since the incident.

Kix pressed a cup of hot water into her hands and she gulped greedily.

"Ow." She grumbled.

"Hey! You did so well though!" Fives cheered, moving to clap her on the shoulder before hesitating, changing the gesture into a tight side hug.

'Move?' She signed tiredly. 'Want attack.'

"We can go do some blaster practice. No working out though until your lungs have recovered more." Fives said, letting her lead the way as she shoved off the cot she had been sitting on with a vengeance.

Fives stood back as she made her first round of shots, her handling a full sized blaster a little clumsily due to it's weight but she was still surprisingly accurate. It wasn't like she was going to shoot the pin off of a grenade from four klicks out, but she could hit the target every time.

Fives stepped in as she lowered the blaster. He unholstered his DC17 pistol and pressed it into her hands.

"Here. Try this."

She frowned at it before going through her checks like any soldier would with a new weapon, a shocking reminder of her clone training Fives so easily forgot, especially with how fragile she seemed compared to their brothers and him.

She flicked the safety off and raised it to the target, firing off a few rounds before lowering it and adjusting her stance a couple times. She fired it again, getting a little closer to the center of the target, and continued the cycle so she was hitting the innermost marks every time and committing the weapon's every movement to memory.

Fives was impressed. She handled herself well with the new weapon. He pulled out a datapad and began writing a future ARC recommendation to the captain. He looked at her, her face a cold mask of an experienced soldier, confident and poised as she switched hands to work with her left.

He also watched the cold and rough expression crumble when the power pack ran out. She set the safety and lowered the gun, giving him a shy look.

'How'd I do?' She sighed nervously, carefully handing him the empty blaster. Fives changed the power packs with a mock frown.

"I think..." He trailed off for dramatic effect. "That your ARC squad is going to hate competing against you."

There was audible and visual silence as Cav stared at him, open mouthed.

'A-R-C?' She signed, spelling out the letters.

"Of course. Cavalry I have no doubt in my mind that you will fail to make ARC. Maybe not now but soon."

Cav burst into a wide grin, one of the handful of real smiles she had made since the incident. Fives knew he would hang the stars in the galaxy just to make his Vod'ika happy.

Echo's grin as they made arc together-- Fire-- The Citadel--

"Fives?" She said hoarsely, touching his arm. 'Are you alright?' She signed. Fives swallowed and shook himself out of the flashback that had hit him like a speeder. He reloaded the blaster and gave it back to Cav.

"Here." He stood behind her, subtly adjusting her foot stance and posture, having her shoot a couple times to feel the difference. "Better?"

'Yes.' She signed back, smiling as she hit a perfect bullseye. Fives laughed. Cavalry made to hand the blaster back. He shook his head impulsively.

"Keep it." He said. "I need to get a new set anyways. Here." He removed the holster from his hip and passed it to her. Cav flicked the safety on and holstered it, making sure it was secure before hugging the weapon to her chest. Fives smiled, once again slipping slightly into memory. It had been happening much more often since he really stepped up into being Cav's Ori'vod.

Cav was repining her dreadlocked braid up when he came back. She took smiled at him and signed a quick 'race you!' Catching him off guard. He took off after her a full five seconds after she left, giving her a sizable head start. She beat him to the medbay by a hair's breadth, doubling over and coughing as soon as she stopped, Fives's lungs also burned. He patted Cav's back as she hacked into a sleeve.

"Hey Cav?" Fives asked quietly when she was done. Cav shot him an expectant look. "You're hair is getting really tangled." He pointed out. Cav flinched.

'Yeah. Need to...' she trailed off, miming running fingers though the matts. She also seemed really sad.

"Do you... want any help?"

She shook her head.

'No. It's under control.'

"Ok. I have paperwork to get done. I'll see you soon, ok? Call me if you need me." He left with that.

Cav sat in the bed and fidgeted with the ends of the matted braid, wincing as she tried to work out clumps. She didn't realize she was crying until wet plopped into her lap. She detangled her fingers from her hair. Her hands were shaking.

Why was she crying? What was happening to her? She was scared now. Her chest ached horribly and she felt breathless in the cool medbay.

No. She was just brushing the matts out. She had to do it eventually.

Cav panted at the air, only feeling worse. Terrified of something she couldn't name, she blindly yelled for Neon, for Fives. Her throat hurt with the words and volume and it only added to her misery. Today had started so happy but now she couldn't stop shaking.

Strong arms wrapped around her, a familiar voice telling her to breath, that it would be ok. She turned to hide, shakily signing with one hand.

'Scared and don't know how. Couldn't stop..." she faltered, her trembling like a leaf in a gale speaking for her.

"I know. I know." Fives whispered. 'I know, Vod'ika. Panic attacks suck." She let Fives hold her close.

'Knotted. Hurt. Scared.' She signed. Fives brushed a hand over the messy braid.

"Let me help?"

This time a shaky nod. Fives worked carefully on the ends of her hair and getting the knots out. Cav gave a hiccuping sob and hid her face in Fives's chest.

'Talk about Echo? For me please?"

"Tell you about Echo?" Fives asked as he worked his fingers through her knotted hair. He hugged her a little closer before taking a deep breath, the helpless feeling from earlier worming it's way back into his chest.

But it was ok. At she knew what she was asking but it was ok. Trauma recovery went marginally smoother together.

"Well, Vod'ika, he was a heck of a lot like you." Fives started sadly, both terrified and relieved to share his previous Vod'ika's story.