When the Cavalry Comes.

XXVI

"I'm not sure about this, Ori'vod." Cav whispered softly as the Coruscanti clone medic slipped the IV needle into her arm.

"I'm not going to lie, trooper, this is going to hurt." The medic said. "But it will speed up the repair of your lungs." He adjusted the drip. There were a few tense seconds, Cav sitting on the edge of the cot waiting.

Then her eyes rolled back into her head and she crumpled forward. The medic caught her as Fives stood quickly, hovering as Cav began to seize and thrash. Upon the medic's directions he gently held her wrists so she wouldn't hurt herself.

"You didn't say she would collapse!" Fives hissed as she began to still. The medic was stoic.

"Her data is foreign to us. Standard troopers do not normally react this strong. Possibly due  her lack of muscle mass. I will take note of this for future reference." He said blandly as Cav's shaking resumed. Fives reached out and brushed a hand over her braided hair.

"Easy, Vod'ika. Easy."

As if Cav could hear him she stilled, relaxing. Her eyelids fluttered as she panted. The medic shooed Fives out of the room, leaving Cav laying pale behind closed doors.

Fives walked to the ARC quarters, spending his afternoon and waiting nervously for Cav's release. Jesse called him, giving him a look eerily similar to Kix's disappointing frown.

"As much as you want to prevent another Echo, Fives, it's a bit late." Jesse rubbed at the back of his neck. "Cav wanted to go through with this, and now you just have to trust her. She's strong."

"Dang right she is." Fives muttered. "She survived Umbara on a broken leg." His eyes burned as he suddenly broke down. Jesse sighed sympathetically.

"I can't... she's been through so much. She needs a break and I'm trying but I look at her and all I see is Echo and I know all she sees is Neon from me." He curled up. Jesse just sat patiently. He had often been the one to see Fives through these panic attacks, where the perpetual prankster fell away revealing the scared little boy underneath.

"Hey, listen to me. Breath. It'll be ok."

"I can't replace him though." Fives whispered, wrapping his arms around his torso in a hug.

"Her with Echo or yourself with Neon?" Jesse asked solemnly.

"Both." Fives scrubbed his eyes wearily. "I... she trusts me though. She trusts me and what if I break it? What if I leave her behind like I did Echo or-"

"You said it yourself. Cav is strong. She works best off book. I don't think you'll ever have to worry about leaving her behind. She'll just run ahead and wait for you there." Jesse soothed, just trying to keep talking Fives down.

"I know, I know." Fives pulled at his hair. "I can't lose another Vod'ika. I can't..." He took a few shuddering breaths. "I'm terrified."

"I know." Tense minutes passed as Jesse talked Fives down from the panic attack. Fives smiled thinly.

"So, any word on the Captain and Commander?" He asked. Jesse just laughed.

~

Everything hurt. Cav's limbs were lead bags and her chest was filled with broken glass. The sensors plastered across her chest and stomach itched and burned as she ran on a treadmill in an observation room wearing nothing but her underclothes and the bottoms of her blacks. She knew the medics were watching and monitoring her, but she couldn't see them.

If anything it helped lessen her embarrassment.

She pushed harder, pain meaning nothing. Improve. Get better. Don't waste your second chance.

It was only when black flooded her vision and she began to stumble that the treadmill began to slow. She staggered off to a chair in the corner of the room. The monotone medic who had attended to her the first day entered the room and silently passing her a water bottle, staring impassively at his clipboard.

"Ten klicks at a rough average of four minutes and fifty seconds a klick." He remarked blandly. "Below the average time of the GAR, but quite well for one of your... stature." He gave her a flat stare.

"Thanks." She rasped, taking a few swallows of water as her throat burned.

"Anything new to report, including improvement of regression?" He asked. Cav gave a growl of a sigh, turning to cough.

"Not coughing anything up anymore. And I can now feel my fingers when I run." She said tiredly.

"Improvement, then. Dismissed, trooper Cavalry." He turned on his heel and walked stiffly out. Fives was waiting in the doorway of the observation room. Cav began to pick at the sensors and peal them off. Fives passed her the top part of her blacks and one of his shirts that fell like a sheet to her knees when worn.

"He was friendly. Good job on your times." Fives said. Cav grunted and took a drink of water before tugging on the clothing Fives gave her. "How're you feeling?"

She sighed and stuck out her hand. Fives took it and pulled her to her feet. "They make me wear a jacket thing at night that buzzes and shakes all the gunk out of my lungs. And the thousand rounds of meds I have to take." She complained. "But it could be worse. I've had it worse." She huffed. "Any news?"

"Other than the Captain has been sucking the Commander's face in the temple and now they're running away together to Mandalore? Not much." He said, knowing that Cav would want the gossip.

"Why Mandalore?" She asked. Fives shrugged.

"There's apparently some sort of big diplomatic meeting they're supposed to go to to represent the Clone Army and the Jedi. Senator Amidala is there as well, so they're also doubling as her bodyguards under Skywalker's orders." Fives watched as Cav mentally filed away this information.

"That's gotta be fun." She said. "More work than romantic drama."

Fives chuckled. "They'll find a way to spice it up I'm sure. Want to go grab lunch with me?"

Cav nodded and followed him to the mess hall, smiling softly to herself.

A/N - Haven't done one of these in a while. Sorry for the shorter chapter and the delay. Writer's block sucks. Anyways, for those of you who are confused with Cav's running time/distance since it's measured in klicks (kilometers) rather than miles, ten klicks is just over six miles. An average 4:40/klick pace is actually pretty slow for someone who has training in physical activity. It amounts to just under eight minutes a mile, and somebody with her estimated strength and skill should be able to run at least a six minute mile, probably less. So yes, 4:40/klick time is not superhuman. (Sorry for ranting. Cross country athlete go brrrrr.)

Also, time jumping a bit, at the end of the chapter they've been on Corascant for about two weeks. Just to save confusion.