Bonded

Chapter 43: Amends

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Rey gets an idea from a friend.

Heads up: This is a "no Ben/Kylo" chapter. There will be one more of these before the story is over— a "no Rey" chapter.

"Relax..." Dr. Par lulls. "Relax..."

Rey lies flat on her back, eyes closed. She hears the hum of the scanner but tries not to focus on it.

"Just let go... Relax your face, your jaw..."

Rey's lips part, her muscles responding to the woman's voice. Dr. Par is one of the most promising medics in the Resistance, well versed in the biology of over fifty species, innovative with outdated equipment, but it's her voice that's made her the most well-liked doctor on the training base.

It's like nothing Rey's ever heard, soft as a whisper yet clear with high rolling tones. There's something tactile about it, each note felt in the body. Rey's found herself wishing she'd heard it earlier in life, so she could've recalled it during restless nights on Jakku.

"Ah," Dr. Par breathes. "And there it is."

Rey opens her eyes, blinking. The doctor's face comes into view— full, spotted cheeks, lines at her eyes and mouth, grayish-blonde hair hanging in ringlets.

"If I didn't know to look for it, I'd never have found it." Dr. Par places the scanner on a counter, then turns with a kind smile. "Removal will be tricky." She folds her hands in her lap. "I'll need to consult with my colleagues to determine the best approach, but the good news is, once it's out, the Resistance will have a piece of fully functioning First Order technology. Assuming it's intact after the procedure." She tilts her head. "We'll send it straight to engineering, see what secrets they can unlock."

Rey tries to smile. At least something good might come from this nightmare...

Dr. Par purses her lips in that way that presages a question. "Did he—" She stops. "Do you know if it does anything beyond tracking your location?"

"It, uh..." Rey swallows. "Measures my vitals."

"Really?" The doctor quirks an eyebrow. "It's quite small for such a complex function. The engineers will be very interested indeed."

Rey's lips twinge up, but there's a tightness to it.

"Well." The doctor softens. "I'll need to keep you a little longer, run some tests. The medical team will review the results, then we'll schedule the procedure as soon as possible."

"Yes." Rey nearly cuts her off. "The sooner the better. I want it out of me."

"I understand." Dr. Par nods. "I'll retrieve the equipment and be back in a wink." She pats Rey's arm before rising. The doctor heads for the door but pauses a few feet away.

Rey sits up on the bed, curling her legs into her chest. She watches the doctor, waiting.

"I..." Dr. Par turns slowly. "I need to tell you something." She clasps her hands, then presses them to her lips. For a moment, she's quiet, something heavy on her mind. "I need you to know... that I'm the reason everyone found out you came to med bay for contraceptives a few months ago."

"Oh..." Rey stiffens. "Yeah, I figured." Who else could it have been? Dr. Par's the only one who knew. It was one of the many tid bits of gossip floating around right before she confessed the truth.

"I didn't tell everyone, of course," the doctor hedges. "I told someone and... that someone told many others." Rey catches the slightest clench in her jaw. "Regardless, I submitted a malpractice report this morning for the committee's review."