A Couple Days Off
“I can’t Siege, I’m too busy.”
“Busy feeling sorry for yourself?”
Hitomi felt herself flush at her friend’s blunt tone. “I’m not feeling sorry for myself. I want to be here to help. I have to. I owe it to her.”
C.J. sighed, letting her exasperation and worry for her friend show through. “Hitomi, she doesn’t blame you. You don’t owe her. Frankly, I think you’re worrying her. I know you’re worrying me.”
Hitomi looked up from the device she was tinkering with, “What? Why am I worrying you?”
The set of Siege’s mouth said volumes. “You’ve been making mistakes. You know it, I know it. Now Alana knows it. She’s worried about you.” Her expression softened, “I’m worried about you. If I screw up, I can handle it. You’re a bit more,” she paused, “fragile.”
Hitomi looked annoyed. “Oh come on. I may not be as strong, fast or tough as you, but I think I’ve proven that I can hold my own.”
“I’m not saying you can’t,” she leaned back on a bench and crossed her arms. “I’m worried you’ll fall into something you can’t handle.”
“Cyn, I’m fine. I just need to do this for Alana.”
“It’s been a month.”
“So?”
“So, you’re obsessing.”
“I am not.”
“Yes, you are. Worse, I think you’re burning out.”
“What?” Hitomi laughed dismissively. “Burning out, that’s good.”
“I’m serious. So is Alana. She’s smarter than either of us. She says the signs are there. When’s the last time either of us took a vacation?”
Hitomi thought, but she knew the answer as well as C.J. did. “A while.”
“Yes. Even I’ve been feeling fuzzy. And if I’ve been feeling fuzzy,” she trailed off and looked at Hitomi meaningfully.
Hitomi stared at her friend for a long moment, “We’d have to clear it with Buck.”
“Already done.” Hitomi glared. Cynthia glared back.
“Fine. On one condition.”
“What?”
“I talk to Alana. If she’s as adamant as you say, then I’ll go willingly. She’s the psychologist after all.”
C.J. smirked. “Of course.”
Hitomi muttered something unflattering about her friend and stalked out of her workshop toward Alana’s quarters.
# # #
When the knock came, Alana was expecting it. When she sat down with Cynthia about Hitomi, she knew Hitomi would come directly to her. She shook her head. The whole idea was to get Hitomi to talk to Siege about her troubles.
The problem was getting her to admit she was having any.
She answered the door, leaving it open for Hitomi, then went back and settled into her favorite chair. Hitomi walked in slowly, a little surprised. Alana, while friendly and personable, was generally fairly private, especially when it came to her own quarters. She closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of the love seat across from Alana.
“So. I’m burning out.”
“I don’t know. We’re just worried.” Hitomi looked at her. “It’s not like you don’t deserve at least a couple of days.”
Hitomi’s look turned thoughtful. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. She does owe me a trip anyway.”
“She owes you a trip?”
“Yeah. We used to trade day trips, a few years back. I’d treat, she’d treat. Back and forth.”
“Ah. Her turn?”
“Her turn.”
“You’re not upset that we’re sort of,” she paused, “forcing you into taking one?”
Hitomi laughed, “I guess not. But I did promise I’d help you as much as I could.”
Alana’s look softened, “You have. That medical laser you worked with Doctor Conner on has done wonderful things.” She pulled the shoulder of her sweatshirt down, showing the still red, puckered scar of the bullet wound, that was undeniably healing. She pulled her sweats straight. “I’m healing much faster than normal, though the therapy is still quite painful, and I’ll need a bit more of it. Which is not meant as a guilt trip!” she said quickly, seeing Hitomi’s expression change. “Just a quick lament. I’ll be fine for a couple of days, Hitomi. I promise.”
Hitomi looked like she was going to say something, but sagged a bit in on the seat, leaning back. “Okay.”
Alana smiled, grateful, but with some relief. “Thank you. You’re making all of us feel better.”
“You act like I’m on the verge of snapping.”
“Hardly, but you’re mental well being is just as important as your physical. Now go. Pack. Send postcards. Have fun.”
“That an order?” Hitomi growled, but with a half smile.
“Maybe.” She got up and at next to Hitomi. “Just have fun. I mean that.”
Hitomi smiled, “Okay.”
“Busy feeling sorry for yourself?”
Hitomi felt herself flush at her friend’s blunt tone. “I’m not feeling sorry for myself. I want to be here to help. I have to. I owe it to her.”
C.J. sighed, letting her exasperation and worry for her friend show through. “Hitomi, she doesn’t blame you. You don’t owe her. Frankly, I think you’re worrying her. I know you’re worrying me.”
Hitomi looked up from the device she was tinkering with, “What? Why am I worrying you?”
The set of Siege’s mouth said volumes. “You’ve been making mistakes. You know it, I know it. Now Alana knows it. She’s worried about you.” Her expression softened, “I’m worried about you. If I screw up, I can handle it. You’re a bit more,” she paused, “fragile.”
Hitomi looked annoyed. “Oh come on. I may not be as strong, fast or tough as you, but I think I’ve proven that I can hold my own.”
“I’m not saying you can’t,” she leaned back on a bench and crossed her arms. “I’m worried you’ll fall into something you can’t handle.”
“Cyn, I’m fine. I just need to do this for Alana.”
“It’s been a month.”
“So?”
“So, you’re obsessing.”
“I am not.”
“Yes, you are. Worse, I think you’re burning out.”
“What?” Hitomi laughed dismissively. “Burning out, that’s good.”
“I’m serious. So is Alana. She’s smarter than either of us. She says the signs are there. When’s the last time either of us took a vacation?”
Hitomi thought, but she knew the answer as well as C.J. did. “A while.”
“Yes. Even I’ve been feeling fuzzy. And if I’ve been feeling fuzzy,” she trailed off and looked at Hitomi meaningfully.
Hitomi stared at her friend for a long moment, “We’d have to clear it with Buck.”
“Already done.” Hitomi glared. Cynthia glared back.
“Fine. On one condition.”
“What?”
“I talk to Alana. If she’s as adamant as you say, then I’ll go willingly. She’s the psychologist after all.”
C.J. smirked. “Of course.”
Hitomi muttered something unflattering about her friend and stalked out of her workshop toward Alana’s quarters.
# # #
When the knock came, Alana was expecting it. When she sat down with Cynthia about Hitomi, she knew Hitomi would come directly to her. She shook her head. The whole idea was to get Hitomi to talk to Siege about her troubles.
The problem was getting her to admit she was having any.
She answered the door, leaving it open for Hitomi, then went back and settled into her favorite chair. Hitomi walked in slowly, a little surprised. Alana, while friendly and personable, was generally fairly private, especially when it came to her own quarters. She closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of the love seat across from Alana.
“So. I’m burning out.”
“I don’t know. We’re just worried.” Hitomi looked at her. “It’s not like you don’t deserve at least a couple of days.”
Hitomi’s look turned thoughtful. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. She does owe me a trip anyway.”
“She owes you a trip?”
“Yeah. We used to trade day trips, a few years back. I’d treat, she’d treat. Back and forth.”
“Ah. Her turn?”
“Her turn.”
“You’re not upset that we’re sort of,” she paused, “forcing you into taking one?”
Hitomi laughed, “I guess not. But I did promise I’d help you as much as I could.”
Alana’s look softened, “You have. That medical laser you worked with Doctor Conner on has done wonderful things.” She pulled the shoulder of her sweatshirt down, showing the still red, puckered scar of the bullet wound, that was undeniably healing. She pulled her sweats straight. “I’m healing much faster than normal, though the therapy is still quite painful, and I’ll need a bit more of it. Which is not meant as a guilt trip!” she said quickly, seeing Hitomi’s expression change. “Just a quick lament. I’ll be fine for a couple of days, Hitomi. I promise.”
Hitomi looked like she was going to say something, but sagged a bit in on the seat, leaning back. “Okay.”
Alana smiled, grateful, but with some relief. “Thank you. You’re making all of us feel better.”
“You act like I’m on the verge of snapping.”
“Hardly, but you’re mental well being is just as important as your physical. Now go. Pack. Send postcards. Have fun.”
“That an order?” Hitomi growled, but with a half smile.
“Maybe.” She got up and at next to Hitomi. “Just have fun. I mean that.”
Hitomi smiled, “Okay.”
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