Invest in yourself

“You are just to kind.” She said chuckling lightly. “Fine, I’ll let you enjoy freedom for an hour, but if you start to look worse I’m dragging you back to the med tent.” Elyse understood how boring it was to lie in the med tent all day.

“I adore you, Lyse. Truly,” Sita replied with a happy smile as she made herself more comfortable where she had decided to sit. “So how are things around here. Have you noticed if there’s anything excited we missed?”

“Doesn’t it suck to be considered an invalid? To have everyone look at you like you’re permanently broken? Even if, in my case, I probably am. At the rate I’m going, I’ll never recover my lost memories and remember all of you guys. I feel like its my first day of school all over again.” He laughed, shaking his head as he stood, hobbling over to hold the chair out for Sita. “What about you? How are you feeling? Starting to get feeling back in it yet?” 

“I can’t even begin to explain how much it sucks but I know I don't have to because you get it. But I mean I’m the fun one. I was at least. Now I’m the one who got shot. Ew. Please I’m so memorable at all times so you’ll quickly develop new memories about me and I’m not even mad you forgot things. Your entire team did hate me at one point and I’m too pretty to be hated so just forget it ever was something you may have felt and focus on the now,” Sita answered half teasing and half serious. She didn’t mind that he had to start over with her as long as it didn’t bother him too much. “Why thank you,” she cooed as the chair was pulled out for her and she took a seat in the offered chair. “I’m tired of the med bay and mostly still just in pain. I guess gunshot wounds take a good while to heal.”

“I would say the more the merrier but I actually came here to be alone but now that you’re here, I can’t say I mind present company.” He wasn’t sure if his words made sense but if he was being honest with himself, nothing he’d done lately made sense. His mind was a jumble of thoughts and actions that he couldn’t make heads or tails of and it was starting to annoy him. “Ah, sorry! I keep forgetting all the injured. I wasn’t paying attention.” 

“I can relate to that. Very much so,” Sita agreed as he explained how he had wanted to be alone but was good with her being there. She felt the same. More at ease with him than anyone else at the moment. This was a good alternative to being alone. Cracking a smile she moved to bend and pick up the bag before finding a spot to sit. “It’s alright. Just had to give you a hard time for a second. Don’t worry I can still pick things up.”

Amelia’s heart felt Sita’s words first before her head did. She emotionally connected to Sita at that moment, which was something she didn’t see coming. Since coming on the trip the two hadn’t gotten very close. They had their moments here and there. But mostly they stayed out of each other’s ways. Therefore she felt surprised when she heard Sita’s story. A lot had happened since she left, and that made her feel guilty. She hadn’t been there for her group while they had been in need. Throughout the storms, both physical and emotional. She pressed her lips together, she could almost feel the shiver that ran up Sita’s back. What the woman had been through wasn’t easy, and she felt sorry that she had to go through that. A brush with death was never a thing to take lightly. “Well… what do you wanna do?” The blonde asked, looking up now and meeting her eyes. “I’m not busy yet. I haven’t been assigned to anything so i’ve got all the free time in the world,” She explained. “Wanna go swimming or do something reckless?” 

It was surprising when Amelia didn’t ask any further questions about what she had been through. She supposed she had covered almost all of it. Even if she hadn’t she was grateful for the change in subject. It was hard to talk about. She lived her life on the edge because she knew everyone was going to die but Sita had come too close now. It was pretty sobering. She’d even admitted her love to Sera even though it seemed to have been taken as a joke. “Yeah? Well that’s awesome. Free time and freedom I mean,” Sita answered with a slight smile. “I wish I could go swimming but alas I am not allowed and I really don’t want to flirt with death just now. Too soon for that. I do love some recklessness as long as it’s not life threatening just yet. Something fun and reckless. Like pranking people and framing others for it or something. Otherwise I do have to figure out a way to confess my love for someone again without being considered too weak to be serious. That one is a bit less exciting though.”

Elyse looked over at her friend with concern. She was in no shape to be wondering out of the med tent. “Don’t pretend like you didnt like staring at me for weeks.” She said trying to keep her tone light, knowing Sita didnt need her to be concerned. “Are you sure you should be out and about though? Your butt looks as good as it always does.”

“I’ll admit yours was one of the nicer faces and bodies to look at but that’s all the compliments I have in me right now,” Sita answered with a sigh as some of her energy was already drained just from her escape. “No. I don’t think I should be out at all but I’m losing my mind and as someone trained in mental health I can’t deal with it. Anyways I knew I could count on you to be truthful. Just let me stick around for a little while and then you can drag me back to where I will spend the rest of my days.”

Amelia helped the woman up to her feet. Her eyes rolled hard when she heard the woman’s next comment. “That tends to happen when you’re sent on a project across the planet,” She pointed out and pressed her lips together. A shrug left her shoulders as she listened to the rest of the sentence. “Someone shot you?” She wondered with a new sense of concern. “Why would someone be shooting at one of us?” Amelia asked the other woman as she zipped up her sweater. “Where would you like to go?”

The tone of Amelia’s first answer earned her a glare even as she helped Sita to stand. The sling was now out of place and her shoulder ached but she wasn’t about to say anything about it. Instead she squirmed a bit trying to move it back herself and gritting her teeth to keep from flinching. “We were attacked by a bunch of giant cat things. Or the group was. I was still at camp but word got to us and I went to protect my cousin. That’s when your bloody builder tripped and shot me in the shoulder accidentally. I would have died had Makoa not been so quick to get me back to a doctor.” The story was told in a matter of fact way but a shiver ran up her spine as she recalled it. The cold heavy feeling that had taken over her whole body as she begged them not to let her die. She knew she should talk about how this all haunted her. After all it was a job of hers to help people exactly like this but she didn’t want to talk. She wanted the nightmares to go away and she wanted Sera to love her too. Instead she was exhausted, in pain and escaping the medical tent that she should have been in. A shudder left her lips as she closed her eyes for a moment meaning to compose herself. “I just need to not be in the medical tent right now. That’s all,” Sita answered her voice very soft and full of the pain she’d held back before.

“Hey yourself.” He smirked, waving his hand to welcome her inside. “This is the tent for the lost, weary, and damaged. I’m all three so of course I welcome the company.” Brady said, tossing her a food bag. “Join me for lunch?” 

“Wow I found my home on the first try. Score one for Sita,” she replied as she moved inside slowly. Seeing the bad come flying at her Sita’s eyes went wide and she tried to catch it one handed but fumbled and it fell. “Hey! No throwing bags at one armed ladies,” Sita called with a pout as she gestured to her arm which was still in a sling and not even close to healed.

Brady had been keeping to himself, occupying his time with reading the books he’d brought or working on some blueprints for another project. He had been avoiding everyone now that he could come and go as he pleased, not wanting to cause any trouble or talk about his issues. The doctors still looked at him like he was permanently broken and he couldn’t stand it. Knowing that a majority of the group were making the trip to the lake, he took the opportunity to stay behind and just relax. He let out a sigh, however, when the tent flap opened and someone walked in. 

“Hello stranger,” Sita called as she entered the tent of the man she had shared space with for the past two weeks. One of the few people that didn’t stare at her with pity in his gaze. “I busted out of my jail cell and was wondering if I could hide out here?”

Elyse was finally starting to feel better from the creature that attacked weeks back. The scratches on her back had wounded over and her stitches were removed. Her leg was feeling stronger too, though she was still having difficulty walking. Finally free of the med tent, she sat in her tent reading a book. She looked up as someone else entered the tent. “Checking up on me are you?”

“Hell no,” Sita answered as she stumbled into the tent and collapsed on the empty bed beside her friend. It was going to be very hard for her to get up but moving around had been hard enough. She probably shouldn’t have left the med tent but it was too late now. “I spent the last few weeks staring at you. I’m well aware of how you’re doing. I’ve staged an escape and if I go to my tent they’ll find me too fast. That was the most exhausting thing I’ve ever done. Am I already out of shape? Does my butt look bigger, Elyse? Tell me the truth.”

Amelia saw the brunette woman fall. Her eyes widened as she tried to help avoid impact but failed horribly. The blonde leaned down near Sita and tried her best to help her back up. “In the hospital?” Amelia repeated. The woman had no idea what had happened with the crew members, or that Sita had been in the hospital. She was hoping it hadn’t been anything serious but you never knew on Providencia. “What happened?” She wondered reaching up and pulling the brunette back up on her feet. “That looked like it hurt. Do you need anything from the hospital bay? Speaking of that wonderful place.”

With one arm Sita did her best to help raise her body from where she landed but the pain was paired with weakness all throughout her body and it was hard. “Oh it’s you,” Sita commented when she realized it was Amelia finally back from her mission. “You missed a lot. Including one of the lovely members of our mission accidentally shooting me in the shoulder,” she answered as she was finally pulled to stand. Her skin speckled with dots of sweat from the exertion. “I just need to not be there. Non stop for two weeks with no end in sight. I’m going nuts.”

The long walk back to the camp was the longest journey Amelia could remember since arriving on the strange planet. The blonde had been set to work on a project away from camp for several months. The assignment hadn’t been an easy one. She was leaving behind those she created about and venturing onto something new. Though, no matter how difficult Amelia did her best. Now was time to go back to the camp and join her fellow crew members. She wasn’t sure who she’d see first. When she walked into the pathway that leads into camp she noticed a crew member slip and fall onto the unforgiving ground. “Are you okay?” She said as her voice shook. 

In an attempt to escape her bedrest grounding due to the gunshot wound still healing in her shoulder Sita had tried her best to stay out of sight. Even as she tumbled to the ground face first she only let out a small pained noise and then someone was calling her out. “Fabulous,” Sita called trying to get back up but struggling thanks to the arm strapped firmly to the front of her body being useless. She wasn’t supposed to use it. “Better here than the hospital bay,” she muttered as she gave up and stayed where she had fallen. Pain radiated through her but it was nothing like the actual getting shot and almost dying part.

Desmond smirked at the sight of Sita. He lowered his gun and looked at the young girl. “Just make sure she doesn’t go picking any plants she’s not suppose to.” He said turning back to Sita. “What brings you here ?”

“Soleil. Leave the flowers where they belong,” Sita called to the small girl who turned to pout before stomping her way back to her mother’s side. “We were passing through on our way back from a friend’s home. It’s late I know and I actually got a bit nervous being out her with just her. I remembered you were here and thought to stop by. I’m sorry we startled you.”

Sawyer flinched a bit at the mention of his ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend. He still felt weird about them, even if he had Charlie. Regret overtook him- he’d once been so friendly, so trusting… how had he come to this? “No, stay,” he smiled apologetically, putting down the hoe and praying Charlie didn’t kill him for this. “I’m just, uh, doing something suspicious with this tree.”

The sudden change in demeanor surprised Sita. She truly did think she was going to be on her way. It wasn’t as if she’d tried to keep in touch like she should have but she often had just been careful with anyone living outside of town. She wouldn’t blame them for having bad feelings about her. “That is really weird, you know that right?” Her words teasing as he spoke of the tree. “How have you been?”

“I’m not sure hanging out with you would be relaxing darling.” He chuckled as he teased her. He would love to spend some time with her but he doubted that would be the peace and quiet or a break. Makoa had his hand on his gun and ready to pull it out as he heard a shriek but quickly assessed the threat who was a little gun and resumed to a more at ease position. He watched as Sita’s daughter joined them. “Hey little one.” Makoa smiled and crouched, opening his arms so the child would be able to hug him. He lifted her up and carried her before continuing his conversation with Sita. “Yes, that is terrible child minding. One hundred percent would not hire him as a baby-sitter.”

“That’s rude. You never had any problems with me before. Besides I meant you could use me as an excuse and then just be on your way to do whatever it is you do in your free time,” Sita explained with a pouty look on her face. She couldn’t help it. Makoa was as gorgeous as ever and she loved to tease him. Seeing her small girl up in his arms brought about a bit of a nostalgic feeling. At one point Sita had been interested in Makoa after all. “Well this one,” Sita commented as she leaned in to pinch her daughter’s cheek. “Isn’t the easiest to watch either.”

Eleanor giggled as Sita played her little game. “I can’t help it. It’s the Eleanor James’ curse. Many have succumbed to it.” She liked talking to Sita, it always fuelled her ego. There was nothing like a compliment to make someone’s day better. “Yeah we need some medicines. We’re running low. That’s why I came.” Her and Brady were self-sufficient for most things but pharmaceutical was not among their skill set.  “You should bring her to the farm. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see the kids and animals.”  

“And yet only one managed to snag your heart. I’ll have to ask Brady his secrets,” Sita answered with a wink. “We could head to my place if you’d like so you can grab whatever you need. I’ve got everything you could possibly imagine and with a name like mine used to be I can get more. At least I can do a little good with it these days. And I’m sure she’d love that. I’ll make sure we set something up. She can even stay overnight if you don’t mind. I’m sure she’d love to have a sleepover and it’s hard with so few children around still.”

Desmond awoke to the sound of alarms. He pushed himself off his bed, a single mattress on the floor if you want to call that a bed, and grabbed his gone from the shelf next to him. The alarms were warning him that somebody was within the perimeter of his makeshift home.  Walking out of the ship he pointed his gun right at the intruder. “Not another step, unless you want to be shot, then by all means take another step.”

“Desmond, if you don’t put that damn gun down while my child is here I will kill you,” Sita hissed in answer. Soleil who was currently to her side picking a flower had yet to notice the weapon pointed at her mother. Not that she hadn’t seen weapons in general. She had. Even held by her own mothers at times but pointed at them was another story. “You damn well know I’m not here to hurt you otherwise.”