Authors: Jack Parker
There was a rather large amount of blood soaking through the bandages on her leg. His eyes widened in surprise, and he began to wonder how long she had had the injury. She appeared to be in quite a bit of pain.
"Ray, you're bleeding," he pointed out. She said nothing to him, not wanting to explain herself. Instead, she pulled away, not wanting to be supported anymore.
"I'm fine," she insisted harshly. "I don't need your help." A foreign emotion ran through her eyes, a hard look on her young face.
"Ray, listen. You've obviously been hurt," he persisted, ignoring the icy tone to her voice. "We have a medical vicinity. We can take care of it."
"I said I don't need help," she insisted, although she was feeling a little nauseous, and her head felt like it was burning. Her wounds weren't healed yet; in fact, she had only received them hours ago. They were still fresh. However, she wasn't about to let a stranger help her. She wasn't going to let anyone help her. Her pride wouldn't allow it.
She turned around and tried to walk away in order to prove her statement, but she ended up tripping over her own two feet. She hit the floor, her hand shooting up to cover her midriff section as it also began to sting.
"My God you're stubborn," she heard Leon say exasperatedly. He walked over to her, looking over her broken form. "I'm gonna get dad. Stay here and try not to move around." He walked away, not bothering to wait for her response.
Ray sighed to herself and rolled over, staring at the ceiling. It looked like she was out of options. She was in too much pain to move, and Leon had already left. She just sighed deeply. It looked like she would have to rely on these strangers for the time being. Doctor Solaris wasn't exactly a stranger, but she still didn't want to be dependent on anyone.
"Looks like…I have no choice this time," she said to herself as she closed her eyes. She was ready to get some much needed sleep. She allowed herself to slip into unconsciousness for the second time that day.
* * * *
"Such a foolish girl," said Dr. Solaris as he shook his head. He took another look at Ray, who was sprawled out on one of their beds towards the medical vicinity. She was still in a rather deep sleep. "With injuries like this, I'm surprised she could still move." He looked to his younger son, who appeared to be quite worried about Ray. "Chris, tell me what happened to her," he demanded. "Just how did the two of you meet?"
"Well," he began a bit nervously, "I found her in the park. She…she had been shot…"
"Shot?" questioned Leon, raising an eyebrow. He stood against the wall, his arms crossed in front of him.
"Yes, and stabbed in the stomach," Chris continued. "With some help, I managed to get her to the hospital. She woke up within two hours though, and the doctors told her she could leave if she felt up to it."
"The poor girl," said Dr. Solaris with a small sigh. He knew that her day had probably been much worse than just that. "She must be exhausted. She's had quite a day it sounds."
"I don't get it," said Leon, drawing their attention. His eyes were on Ray. "Why would someone wanna shoot her? She's just some random girl from Torran, right?" Dr. Solaris hesitated before answering with a nod. He hated lying to his sons, but he had promised Ray that he wouldn't tell anyone about who she was. It was for their safety and hers.
A low moan came from Ray, drawing everyone's attention, as her eyes slowly began to open. Her wounds weren't hurting her now, but there was a pounding in her head. She began to feel hot as she stopped opening her eyes, leaving them narrow so that the light of the room wouldn't hurt as much.
"Ray, go back to sleep," said Dr. Solaris. "You need the rest."
"I can't," she insisted softly, feeling rather dizzy despite the fact that she knew she wasn't moving. "I have to get back to the base…and tell Gordan…about my report." She tried to sit up, but nausea quickly swept through her, forcing her back down onto the bed. She began to pant, her eyes now closed. She was doing her best to fight back a migraine that she knew was approaching.
"Ray?" questioned Chris, taking a few steps towards her before he was halted by his father. Dr. Solaris went to her side and placed a hand against her forehead. He frowned deeply as he pulled it away.
"You have a fever," he told her. "You need to get some rest before it gets worse."
"I'm…fine," she insisted, but everything about her currently betrayed that statement.
"God," said Leon irritably. "Why are you so stubborn? You're obviously lying." She looked towards him, managing to muster up a small glare.
"I don't need…anyone's help," she told him. "I'm fine on my own."
"Not this time," said Dr. Solaris. "You're gonna stay in this bed until I'm done fixing your communicator. After that, what you do is no longer my business. This may sound cliché, but as long as you're under my roof, you'll abide by my rules."
"But…" she protested.
"No buts," he told her. "You're staying in this bed, and that's final. I'll send someone to check up on you every hour." He began to walk over to the door, followed by Chris. Leon was already walking out. "It'd be wise to get some sleep since you're going to be here for quite a while." And with that stated, he closed the door behind him, leaving her completely alone.
Ray sighed deeply, feeling overwhelmingly hot right now. Her headache had yet to subside. Perhaps sleep would be best. She couldn't do too much of anything else right now anyways since the door had most likely been locked. So instead of trying to fight against Dr. Solaris's demand, she closed her eyes and easily drifted off into a comfortable sleep.
* * * *
It was getting close to nightfall, and surprisingly Ray hadn't once tried to leave her room. Dr. Solaris was currently coming to check up on her. He quietly opened the door in case she was still asleep. However, his caution had not been needed. She was simply sitting on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She appeared to be rather bored.
"Hello Ray," he greeted with a smile, drawing her attention.
"Hello Dr. Solaris," she responded. "Coming to check up on me?"
"Yes, and to also ask you a few questions." He pulled up a chair and sat beside her bed.
"What do you wanna know?" she asked. His expression fell into one of importance, his eyes showing that this was going to be a serious conversation.
"The men who attacked you," he began. "They were sent by Ramirez, correct?" Ray hesitated before giving a solemn nod. "I see…" He gave a small sigh, running a hand through his thick hair. "So that's why you don't want people to know where you are."
"Exactly," she said. "Ramirez knows me only as the ace knight, Rayla Cayden. The less you and your sons know about me, the safer you'll be. I don't want to put any of you in danger. That's why it's vital that my communicator is fixed. I need to get back to the base and report what I saw in the desert."
"You lead such an eventful life," Dr. Solaris said with a smile. It was obvious that she agreed. However, she had to admit that she had had worse days.
"Yeah, really. Let's see…I was chased through the desert, ran from two Genos in the gorge, and then got shot and stabbed in the park. Yep, the typical life of a GRC knight…but usually without the getting shot and stabbed part." Dr. Solaris just laughed wholeheartedly at how blatantly she stated it. The amusing part was that she was probably right. That sounded like the typical day for someone like her. It obviously took quite a bit of stability, both mentally and physically, to be a knight.
"You're too much, Ms. Cayden," he told her in good humor, finally getting over his small fit of laughter. Ray just smiled as she looked around the room a little. Her eyes fell on a picture sitting nearby on the bed stand. She picked it up, studying it for a while. It was a picture of a woman with long blond hair and dark lavender eyes.
"Who's this?" she asked, looking to the doctor. David Solaris lost the humor in his eyes as they fell on the picture she was holding.
"That was my wife, Lily," he told her.
"Was?" questioned Ray as she set the picture down. Dr. Solaris lowered his head sadly.
"About twelve years ago, back when Leon was nine and Chris was only four, she…" He didn't need to finish for Ray to understand what had happened.
"I'm sorry," she said sympathetically, wishing she hadn't asked at all.
"It's alright," he assured her. "Lily had been sick for a long time. I knew it would eventually happen, but neither of the boys had been ready. Even today it affects them. Chris is quieter than he used to be, and Leon…" He didn't continue, and Ray wasn't going to push him to. The subject was a touchy one; she could tell.
He stood up after a moment of silence and began to head to the door. Ray's eyes followed him the entire way. She was hoping she hadn't stirred up too many bad memories by asking such a personal question.
"I'll see if I can fix your communicator tomorrow, alright?" he said while opening the door. "I'll send Chris first thing in the morning to get the parts I need."
"Alright," she said as she laid back down, closing her eyes. Dr. Solaris left the room, making sure to close the door behind him.
Ray just lied there for awhile, thinking over what Dr. Solaris had told her. It was a sad story, one he probably didn't tell too many people. It was kind of nice to know that he had been willing to tell it to her of all people. Then again, she had to remember that no everyone was like her. Not everyone insisted on keeping to themselves.
Ray just shook her head a bit, not wanting to ponder this anymore. It was late now, and she needed a bit more sleep. Her wounds wouldn't heal without it. So without any resistance, she drifted off into a seemingly peaceful slumber.
* * * *
It was morning before they knew it, the sun hanging high in the desert sky. It was the same thing they saw almost every morning. Currently at the Solaris base, it was time for Ray's hourly checkup, and Dr. Solaris had sent Leon to take care of it. When he reached the medical room she was staying in, he quietly opened the door. He was met with the light of the sun in his eyes and an empty bed. He looked around the room, but Ray was nowhere in sight.
Leon, now slightly panicked, ran out the door and down the hallway. It didn't take long for him to reach his father's work room.
"Dad," he called when he got through the doorway.
"What is it?" asked Dr. Solaris as he tinkered away on Ray's communicator.
"I can't find Ray." Dr. Solaris quit working, snapping his attention towards his eldest son.
"What do you mean you can't find her?" he asked, sounding slightly worried.
"She's not in her room," explained Leon. Dr. Solaris just stood up and went to the door, pausing just as he passed Leon.
"We'll split up and find her," he suggested. "She shouldn't be walking around yet." Both men ran from the room and began searching the base. Leon went to the kitchen, throwing open the door that led down into the hanger. His father was taking care of the upstairs area, so he decided that he might as well start at the very bottom of their base.
He began looking around, but there was no sign of Ray anywhere. He searched around the Genos, going from one end of the room to the other. He couldn't find her. True, the hanger was a bit dark, but she would still be easy to see if she were there.
He took a few steps back, surveying the room once more. He wasn't aware that someone was coming up behind him.
"Whatcha doing?" asked a familiar voice. Leon jumped before spinning around, startled. In front of him stood Ray, munching on a handful of chips.
"There you are…" he sighed in relief. "We've been looking for you."
"Why?" she asked as she put another chip into her mouth.
"What do you mean 'why?' You shouldn't be up yet." She shoved the few chips that were left into her mouth and then gave Leon a hard stare.
"I'm just fine," she told him rather stubbornly.
"Will you stop saying that?" he asked irritably. "It's obvious you're not. Now get back to your room." She just crossed her arms and turned away arrogantly.
"I refuse," she stated. "I'm sick of being in that stuffy room. I won't go back, and you can't make me." Leon just sighed as he walked up behind Ray. Before she knew it, he had swept her off her feet.
"What do you think you're doing?" she yelled at him, squirming around in his arms. He was doing his best not to drop her as she flailed around like a child.
"Stop squirming," he told her. She ended up twisting the wrong way, and pain shot through her midriff. She stopped struggling and held her stomach, cringing at the sensation. Leon just smirked. "See?" he said as he began walking across the room. "I told ya you weren't in any condition to be moving around." He began walking up the stairs and carefully moving across the catwalk, using his shoulder to shove open the door to the kitchen.
Dr. Solaris turned to his son, watching him carry Ray into the living room. She didn't appear to be happy. She had her arms crossed, a scowl on her face which was accompanied by a small blush.
"Ray," Dr. Solaris said, drawing her attention. "You should know better than that. If you had wanted something, you could've asked one of us." She didn't respond, only turned away. She was too embarrassed to say anything right now. She obviously wasn't used to be treated like this.