Chapter 19 : Crash Landing

Javier's POV Still disoriented from the incredibly rough landing, Mads and I climbed the steps into the main cabin area of the ship. Debris was hanging from the rafters. Metal paneling was torn up and scattered across the couches. The cabinets in the kitchen were entirely broken off and crumbled on the ground. There was a massive fissure through the ship so deep I could look up and see a blue sky from where we landed. Damn. The ship looked like shit. But I was alive. Thanks to Mads. I glanced next to me at the towering werewolf, who seemed to be taking inventory of all the damages as we made our way to the bridge. "Hey! You guys okay?" Daxton shouted from the busted-up hallway. He was limping in our direction as fast as he could. "Yeah. The engine room is a mess though," Mads replied, pausing so Daxton could catch up. "Do you know what happened?" Daxton groaned. "No idea. I was napping when, all of a sudden, I was thrown from the bed on the ride of my life." Mads offered Daxton his arm, but Theo's brother refused it. "I'm just thankful Javier fell down the stairs into the engine room or we probably would've blown up." I shrugged, trying not to react to the compliment. "Eh. I barely did anything." I just acted as an extension of Mads. Doing exactly what he told me to. But with blood pumping as we fell through the sky, I had a newfound respect for the wolf. He could have left me to get crushed by the engine, but he hauled me to safety. I'd never thought of myself as small or dainty, but there was something about another man practically throwing me over his shoulder as the engine room collapsed. It suddenly became very clear to me why Theo had feelings for him. Mads wasn't very broad, not like me, but he didn't lack any strength whatsoever. He didn't have to protect me from the crash, but the fact that he did, no questions, and asked for nothing in return, made my respect for him increase tenfold. Mads glanced at me from over his shoulder, covered in filth and grime, eyes as smoky as the exhaust from the engine, and said, "Don't discount yourself, Javier. I don't say shit I don't mean. Thanks for your help down there." "Anytime," I replied, feeling awfully smug that the crass mechanic who was kind of a dick said thank you. When we got up to the bridge, it was just as beat up as the rest of the ship. Oh, shit. My heart squeezed hard in my chest. The scent of Theo's blood permeated my nose, but this time, it didn't make me hungry. The burn in my throat was still there, but feeding from her had sated me far more than the supplements ever did. Theo was crumpled against the window, head bleeding profusely as Benji and Ellie tried to wake her up. Her head lolled back, eyelids fluttering. But she wasn't conscious. She was pale, blood oozing from her forehead, and her arm twisted at an odd angle. Daxton ran over to his sister while Mads and I stayed back to not crowd Ellie from helping her. "What happened?" Daxton shouted. "We got ambushed by the Pantomath between systems," Benji reported. "The first shot knocked me out against the helm. Theo must've taken control of the jump. I only came to when we were crash landing. I think she locked my straps but didn't have time to get hers." That sounded like Theo. Protecting someone else before herself. Red marks bit into Benji's shoulders, a purple-black bruise on his forehead. "Is she okay?" I asked the question I know was floating in the air around Mads and me. Ellie glanced over at us, a little beat-up but in better shape than the rest of us. "I think her arm is broken, probably a few ribs too. Nothing life-threatening." "Her heartbeat is a little elevated," Mads said. "But that is due to adrenaline." I glanced over at him, raising a critical eyebrow. "How do you know that?" "I can hear her heartbeat," he replied with a shrug. "And I can smell the adrenaline. I can hear your heartbeat too." He dipped his head down, analyzing me from down his nose. "Very slow, but there." I knew werewolves had elevated senses, but I didn't know to what degree. It was almost impressive. Daxton limped over to the console but was greeted by a black, sparking screen. "Where'd we land?" "Gaea," Benji answered. "Closest hospitable planet." "Oh, shit. Damn it," Daxton groaned. I glanced over at Mads, a question glittering over my eyes. "Gaea is Theo and Dax's home planet," Mads answered quietly before asking a little louder to Daxton, "How far do you think we're from your farm?" Theo's brother rolled his shoulders, looking out the cracked window on the bridge. We had landed outside of a thick forest, trees nearly a mile high. Lush and green. I could practically smell the greenery from inside. Honestly, a welcome sight after a few weeks in space. A green field behind us had been gouged by our crash path. Daxton released a long, exasperated sigh. "Not far. I recognize these woods." "How about we go to your folks' farm? See if we can get this ship out of clear view," Mads suggested. "If the Pantomath was following us, we might not have a lot of time to be spotted." Dax nodded. "Good idea. My mom always liked you anyway." He gestured for Mads to come with him. "Comms are busted, but we'll be back as soon as we can. Shouldn't be longer than a few hours." "Take care of Theo," Mads said, even though I felt like the sentiment was pointed at me. "We'll be back soon." "Hopefully that ATV isn't crushed," Daxton muttered as he limped out behind Mads. Clearly hurt, but not letting that slow him down. The light intake of breath sounded from behind me as I looked over at Ellie, staring at Daxton, wanting to say something. Clearly concerned about him. It was sweet to see. "He'll be okay, tough like his sister," Benji said, reaching out to pat Ellie on the shoulder. She gave him a weak smile before glancing over at me. "Hey, Javi, could you keep an eye on her? I need to get some things from Medbay. I don't think it's safe to move her yet." "Of course," I answered, watching as Benji and Ellie left the room to grab some supplies. I gazed at Theo's body, chest heaving and rising unevenly. Slowly, I knelt next to her to brush some of her hair from her face. Tucking the brown tresses behind her eat, I watched as her eyelashes fluttered with pain. Too exhausted to move. Her arm was curled behind her back, bent the wrong way at her elbow. I was almost afraid to touch her. Afraid that even a touch of comfort could hurt her. For the first time since meeting her, she looked so fragile. As was human life. So breakable. I continued to stroke her cheek though, hoping that the gentle touch would tell her that she wasn't alone. "Theo," I murmured. She groaned, rousing slightly as she peeked through one swollen eyelid like she had gotten struck in the face. Suddenly, she made a sharp wheezing noise, tossing her head back and gasping in agony. "Theo!" Panic chewed through me. Where was Ellie? Theo's eyes were wide open as she tried to drag in breaths, but she couldn't. In only one more moment, she started to turn blue. "Ellie!" I roared, holding Theo's face with both hands, urging her to breathe, but not knowing what the fuck I was supposed to be doing. I called for Ellie again and the water nymph came sprinting into the bridge. Benji was close behind her. "Out of the way!" Ellie ordered with a medkit over her shoulder. I moved back, trying not the let the worry swallow me as I asked, "What's going on?" "One of her broken ribs pierced her lung," Ellie explained, retrieving a long thin needle from her bag. "Help me get her jacket off!" Benji took a pocket knife from his pants and sliced along Theo's shirt, revealing a deep purple mark where blood was pooling inside of her body. They undid her holster, taking the colt off her hip to get better visibility. Theo was barely conscious, clawing at her throat, the ground…even me. Trying to relieve the oxygen hunger. Ellie sterilized the area and without warning, plunged the needle right into Theo's side. Instantly, her body relaxed, the pressure releasing as she gulped in big breaths. Ellie gave Theo what I could only assume was morphine as she got to work tinkering and piecing Theo's body back together. I watched Ellie reset Theo's arm. Give her a sealant for the small cuts and wounds that littered her body. The bones were a different story. Ellie could only give her something to speed up her body's natural healing, but only as much as Theo's body could take. Ellie used me where my strength was needed. Such as carrying Theo to the closest bed to rest—Benji's cot in the attached room. Thankfully the serum Ellie gave Theo would only take a few hours to heal her ribs. Her arm would only take a few days. Truly a blessing in comparison to a human's natural healing. Benji covered Theo with his quilt, still unconscious. "I'll keep an eye on her if you want Ellie to take a look at that bruise," I offered, sitting down on a chair next to Theo. Benji shook his head. "I'm fine." He looked away from Theo and muttered, "I'm always fine." "What do you mean by that?" I asked. What a peculiar thing to say, and with such disdain. His blonde hair was mussed, and bags forming under his eyes like he hadn't slept in days, which he probably hasn't. Like Mads, I frequently see Benji wandering around the ship when everyone else was asleep. "Like on the Hermes Cluster," Benji sighed. "I always get out. Barely scathed. It's easy to say that I'm just lucky. But how can I be lucky when I'm always fine and everyone else gets hurt or worse." "The Hermes Cluster?" I wondered out loud, watching Theo's chest rise and fall evenly, peacefully as the bruises slowly faded on her face. Benji gave Theo a long, hard look. "Did you know that we were in the service together? Theo and me?" I nodded, turning to look at him as he settled into a seat next to me, visibly stricken. More exhausted than I had ever seen him. Usually, he seemed bright and happy. As easygoing as Ellie, but now I started to see what Ellie meant when she said that they all had their demons. "I just don't understand how everyone on our team died but Theo and me. All I did was hotwire a ship. Theo stood on the gangway to pull our team on board. The bombs fell too early and I drew out, running away. Even on missions. We always manage to get away, but Theo gets hurt and I don't." Benji buried his face in his hands while I listened. "Would it kill her to, just once, care about herself first? It was my fault I wasn't buckled in. Theo should've let me fly across the bridge and pay my penance," he whispered dejectedly into his hands. I looked over at Theo and I knew she would, without a doubt, rather it be her in that bed than Benji. She would take a bullet or injury for anyone on this ship. Hell, I was sure she would step between them and rapid gunfire for just the slight possibility her body would save them. She was that type of person. Not afraid of pain if it meant someone she loved didn't have to go through it. Theo had proven it to me on Zeus 9. It wasn't even a question to her. She'd suffer so no one else had to. Way too fucking selfless even if she pretends not to be. "Theo would always pick someone else over herself. I'm starting to understand that," I murmured. Benji sighed. "I just wish she'd let someone else hurt for a little while. Let someone else protect her. I'm tired of watching Ellie patch her up knowing she'll throw herself in front of a rover to push someone else out of the way." I reached over, resting a comforting hand on Benji's shoulder. "Can't change how she is." He accepted the comfort and replied, "I wouldn't want her to change anyways." He suddenly released a weak laugh. "She'd kill me if she knew I hadn't let Ellie check me for a concussion." I returned his smile. "Probably. I'll keep an eye on Theo. Don't beat yourself up, Benji. She never gave you the option anyways." "Thanks, Javi. I'll let you know when Mads and Daxton come back," Benji offered, standing up. "Thanks." He gave me a friendly nod and left his room, leaving me to gaze at Theo. I watched her chest rise and fall and tried to forget the awful horror I felt when she almost stopped breathing. Even though I had no right to do this, I reached out and wove my fingers through hers, gently holding her hand. Promising her that she wasn't alone. Just until she woke up. Then I'd let go.