Le's Soldier

Part 43

Recovery didn't move in straight lines.

One day Lilly could stand for five seconds.

The next day she couldn't even shift without her knee flaring so badly she saw stars.

But something subtle had changed since the captain's visit.

She wasn't as quiet anymore.

Not completely.

⸻

It was early morning when Leah woke to the sound of movement beside her.

Not panicked movement.

Just... careful movement.

She blinked sleepily and rolled over.

Lilly was sitting up in bed, back resting against the headboard, jaw tight, one hand gripping her thigh.

"Hey," Leah murmured, voice thick with sleep. "What're you doing?"

Lilly didn't look at her straight away. "Trying to get up before you."

Leah frowned. "Why?"

"So I can brush my teeth without supervision."

There it was — that edge. But it wasn't as sharp as before.

Leah pushed herself up onto her elbows. "You could've just woken me."

Lilly's lips twitched faintly. "And listen to you complain about it? Hard pass."

Leah snorted softly. "Rude."

Lilly shifted again, trying to swing her leg over the side of the bed.

Pain flared.

Her breath caught, fingers digging into the mattress.

Leah immediately moved closer. "Okay, don't be a hero."

"I'm not being a hero," Lilly muttered through clenched teeth. "Just trying to function like a normal fucking adult."

Leah slid an arm around her waist anyway.

"Lean on me," she said quietly.

For a second, Lilly stiffened.

Then she did.

Slowly.

And that was new.

⸻

Physio that week was brutal.

They were working on range of motion now — bending the knee further, engaging muscles that hadn't done anything in months.

Lilly lay back on the table, sweat already forming at her hairline.

"Okay," the physio said gently. "We're going to try ten degrees more today."

Lilly gave a tight nod.

The physio guided her leg slowly.

At first, it was just pressure.

Then it became pain.

Then it became white-hot, blinding agony.

"Breathe," Leah whispered from the chair beside her.

Lilly's hands clenched into fists.

"Fuck," she hissed as the angle increased. "Stop—stop."

The physio eased slightly. "You're okay. You're safe. Nothing's tearing."

"Feels like it is," Lilly snapped.