Damnit.

        “Oh, nothing–”

“ Oh come on now.” 

    “You’re always charmin’ – even when you’re grumpy with the Capt’n. Although –”

“Although—?” 

         “–I’m alright, just - give me a second, I’m fine, I’ll be fine.“

She felt – young. Naive. She knew she probably looked ridiculous, crying over the fact she couldn’t save everyone, but she so desperately wanted everything to be okay – it was just who she was. She wasn’t hard, she wasn’t cold, she felt everything deeply, and all at once she felt like a child again, crying over the foal that didn’t make it, in her oversized sweater. At least she didn’t have to go back to work after this. Sniffling, she pressed her face into his arm and took a deep breath. “I need to – change.” Her uniform was a mess, and she needed something comforting, something less formal. “Please don’t leave?”

         “–I’m alright, just - give me a second, I’m fine, I’ll be fine.“

Leo held her close, thinking of what to say next. “I know that you do.” He said softly, carding his fingers through her hair, gently and somehow almost protectively. “ It’s enough, Lia. I can stay.” He again pulled back to see her face, wiping away her tears with his sleeve and an understanding small smile. “ I'm not about 't leave you alone like this. “ 

         “–I’m alright, just - give me a second, I’m fine, I’ll be fine.“

She was so warm, and his arms and voice were comforting; she leant into him as he spoke, closing her eyes as she soaked in the reassurance. She was just so tired, and he was safety. “What if I Can’t - I – I keep having nightmares, since the last time I went off ship. I couldn’t save them. I couldn’t – I was useless, I wasn’t to protect them, no one was supposed to get hurt and I–” he shuddered, burying her face to his shoulder. “What if it happens again? What if something happens on ship? What if it’s our friends or family? I should be able to – I couldn’t save them.”

Amelia nodded along, attempting to look like she understood everything he just said, though honestly, she was more than completely enraptured by Leo’s eyes – he was just so handsome, it wasn’t her fault. “Don’t you sass me, Georgia,” she replied playfully, watching him apply the gel with a peculiar expression. He was so gentle, and she liked being in his company. “Whatever ya say, Doc’. Y’know…you’re real special. Case you were wonderin’ or anything. Think this’ll last real long?”

        Amelia looked down at the screen almost blankly; though she was great with computers, medical things went directly over her head. “I don’t know what that means,” she mumbled, brow furrowed. Keep you here, though, she understood. Lips curling downward, she shook her head. “C’mon, Leo, you can’t keep me on bedrest! I have work to do!”

    Leo took her hand in subtle comfort, not saying a word about it or acknowledging the action. “ It doesn’t mean anything bad now, it’s just different.” He assured, looking her in the eyes seriously but with a high level of care. “ Lia, I’m not putting you on bedrest. I just need you here were we can keep an eye on you. And I happen to know you have a pile of paper work that needs doing; that’s something you can easily do here.” He was trying to normalize things by bringing back some of the playfulness they usually had, though he doubted it would do much. She was in a body that wasn’t her own, and there were very few definites about the situation.

      “Gotten ourselves into. You’re unbelievable, sir. We didn’t exactly sign up for this, you know. I woke up in someone else’s body today, do you have any idea how freaky that is? – I’ll message him but there’s no guarantee he’ll answer.”

   “I have a bit of an idea...” He trailed off, looking down at one of the new scans of her brain with brow furrowed in thought. “Lia, there’s something just barely irregular about the electrical patterns of your brain. “ He stood next to her so she could seen the screen in his hand. “ I think it’s some sort of residual effect left over from the transfer, it’s not problematic, but I am definitely going to keep you here until further notice. Okay?” 

    “ Please message your cousin while I start doing what I need to ‘t fix whatever this is you two got yourselves into.“ 

      “—how the hell would I know, huh? Pretty sure that I’m dreamin’ or something. Can’t you fix it, Doc?”

    “ I can’t fix it until I know what caused you both to exchange consciousness’. First off i need to check your vitals to make sure everything is functioning as it should be, then we should get your cousin down here.”  

       “Oh come on! If I was going to do a ridiculous prank, it would be better than this. C’mon, Leo, you know me better than that! I’m stuck in my cousin’s body, where’s your sympathy?”

     “ I know you better than that, not your cousin...Now, how did this happen?”