Ranger's Apprentice - Race For Halt

Ch. 11

Gilan hid his head in his hands, sighing. He was exhausted, but he refused to sleep now. Not when Halt needed him most.
His former mentor had awoken a few times, allowing Gilan to explain Will's journey to retrieve Malcolm. He left out the bit about Will leaving the Corps; Halt didn't need anything more to worry about. The old man was already speaking quietly and more gently than Gilan had ever heard before. He didn't like it.
Halt was many things, but gentle was not one of them. And it was not how Gilan wanted to remember him in his final days.
Final days.
Was that really what this was? Had Gilan given up hope already? He had to trust Will could find Malcolm in time.
"You look awful." A gruffy voice croaked. Gilan snapped his head up. Halt lay awake, staring at Gilan with intense eyes.
"You don't look much better," Gilan teased. In truth, he was hoping Halt would be his old self again.
His next sentence dissolved that hope.
"Gilan, you really need rest." Halt said calmly.
"Don't do that, Halt." Gilan said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on Halt's sickbed, and his head in his hands again.
"Do what?" Halt asked.
"Worry about me." Gilan replied. "Don't speak gently, don't look at me like that, with sad and caring eyes." Gilan looked up at his confused friend. "Where's the real Halt? The sarcastic blote who can't be nice to save his life? Where's the real you, Halt? This isn't how I want to remember you."
Halt was silent for several seconds. As Gilan watched, he could see Halt's mind racing, probably choosing his next words carefully. When they finally came, Gilan couldn't help but sigh with releif.
"Did you just call me a blote?"
Gilan chuckled.
"Am I wrong?"
Halt shifted, in his bed.
"You're always wrong." He said. Gilan scoffed at that.
"Which means," Halt continued. "That you are also wrong when you sit in that chair avoiding sleep, telling yourself it's for my benefit."
Gilan started at that. "How did you-"
"Please, Gilan, I spent five years living in the same cabin as you, as well as the rest of my life trying to shake you off," Gilan knew Halt was teasing, and he couldn't be more happy about it. "I know how you think. When you do, that is."
Gilan dropped his gaze to the bed.
"I can't sleep. Not when you- when I..." Gilan let his voice trail off, having no words to defend himself.
"Gilan." Halt said. "Sleep."
Gilan wanted to protest. He wanted to say that he didn't need sleep, he was fine. It was more important that Halt sleep instead. But he knew that would be a lie. It had been three, no four, no...five? How many days had it been since Gilan had slept? Too long. Already, he felt his head drooping towards the bed. His eyes fluttered shut, and he was asleep.
Naturally, Jenny walked in at that moment. She saw Halt apparently sleeping and nodded, satisfied. The man needed rest. Then, at the foot of the bed, she saw a sight that warmed her heart.
Gilan sat in a chair, slumped forward and sleeping. His mouth was slightly opened, his breaths coming out in short puffs. He looked peaceful. Jenny couldn't help but smile.
She ran her fingers through his hair.
"Good," she said.
"Yes, it was about time he got some rest." A voice said. Jenny looked up to see Halt watching her with amused eyes.
"I'm sorry, Halt. Didn't mean to wake you." She said, still toying with Gilan's hair.
"No problem. I wasn't asleep."
"He's so worried about you, Halt." Jenny said, looking back at Gilan.
"I know." Halt said after a long pause.
"But, you're getting better. Why can't he see that?"
"He knows better." Halt said quietly. "That's how a sickness works. It's bad, it gets better, then it plunges again. It's impossible to tell when that plunge will happen, but it will. And Gilan doesn't want to be hurt more when it does."
Jenny didn't answer. How could she? What was she supposed to say to that?
"Will can make it," Halt said in an attempt to lighten the blow. Jenny only nodded. She knew the hard, cold truth.
Halt was losing time and hope. They only had weeks.
Will had better hurry.

Sorry, I lied. :/ Plot twist in the NEXT chapter!