Wayward Son: Grounded

Chapter 1

Radarr was the only other one awake.

Stork was at the helm, standing up with his hands on the bow, but closer inspection proved that he was fast asleep. It wasn't the first time he'd been caught sleep steering and it probably wouldn't be the last.

Not too surprising, considering the circumstances.

Finn and Junko were on the couch next to the strategy table. Junko was curled up, cuddling Finn's body and snoring so loud it was a miracle the entire Atmos couldn't hear him. Finn was slumped over the table, his head resting on his folded arms, eyes softly closed, probably dreaming about shooting Talons out of the sky with a hot babe by his side.

Not surprising either. This was the first sleep both of them had had in four days.

He moved like a ghost through the Condor, taking full advantage of the many vents that ran through the ship like a three-dimensional maze, until he arrived at the ship's medical bay.

Piper lay on one of the beds, but she wasn't sick, unless exhaustion was a sickness. The bags under her eyes were so large she could probably use them to hold her crystals, and hopefully they would have lessened a little by the time she woke up.

Radarr lightly dropped down onto the other bed.

Or more specifically, the person who occupied it.

Aerrow groaned in agony for what had to be the fifth time that night, and slowly opened his eyes to see what the disturbance was.

"Hey," he said, his voice quietened by how tired he was - he seemed to be competing with Piper for the title of Biggest Eye Bags. "Has Doctor Clipwing left?"

Radarr nodded.

"It's so quiet," Aerrow whispered. "Is everyone else asleep?"

His co-pilot nodded again.

"I'm not surprised," he said. "Can't imagine how tired they all must be. Are you tired?"

Radarr yawned, and Aerrow lifted his arm, welcoming him for a cuddle to which the small creature was all too happy to oblige.

"This hurts so much," the Sky Knight muttered. "It'll all be worth it in the end, though."

He glanced down at his left shoulder, at the metal now fused and bolted to his body that was causing him pain. He didn't have the strength to reach it and even if he did, he probably wouldn't have been able to do anything other than clutch at his bandages and moan.

"I guess I'll try to get some sleep," he said. "How long has it been, a week? Feels about right..."

He closed his eyes and fell back, asleep before his head hit the pillow. Radarr curled up by his side and it wasn't long before he too was napping peacefully.

It was half past three in the morning.

Two weeks after the departure of Edward Elric.