“You’re clear, Five.” Maxime says with a tired smile. It’s been a rough few days. I miss Abel. We’re still Abel. We’ll always be Abel.
I get up and give Maxime a hug. She holds me for a long minute.
“I’m glad you made it back. Go see Sam, he worried.” She finally lets me go.
Sam always worries. About everyone. But I like to think he worries a bit extra for me. If only for the curlywurlys that I managed to fish from the grocers. Nerd. But it was worth the few second extra it took.
It takes me a moment to find him. The comms revealed Phil had taken over from him. But a quick inquiry tells me where he is. A good distance away from the shack and the medical tent. It’s fine. I was supposed to stretch anyway, a cooldown.
I can already feel my muscles protesting.
I find him in conversation with Janine. Not my favourite person. I catch her eye anyway, though I remain a good distance away, and through her Sam looks over and a smile blossoms on his face as he starts to bounce impatiently to get out of the talk.
I shake my head and point and Janine as I sit down and start some proper stretching.
Altogether it takes about 10 more minutes, in which Sam throws more looks over his shoulder, which I pointedly ignore. He tends to look like a kicked puppy. It’s evil.
10 minutes later Janine finally has mercy on him, and Sam stands in front of me. I cock my head, eyes flicking at the retreating form of Janine.
Sam shrugs, “Don’t you worry about it, Five.” He smiles reassuringly, holding a hand out, “Come on, you must be starving. No bites? No wounds?”
I just pull the curlywurlys from my pocket and hold them out. His face lights up.
“You did find some!” He breaths, in awe, snatching them up like they will disappear if he doesn’t. “Did I tell you you’re the best? Because you are.”
Satisfied with his present he remembers me and grabs my hand to pull me up.
“Yeah, I knew you’d be fine, Five. I knew you would.”
