“He’s different. He… cares for me and I care about him, too.”
“No. I don’t believe it. Just leave him here. We can go somewhere else, somewhere where they’ll never find us. Please, Rach.”
“Benji.” She dismounted and turned to face him. “I promise you it will be all right. If it makes you feel any better, he beat up Tom for you.”
“He did?” He looked shocked but his panic seemed to subside a fraction. She gave him a reassuring smile and turned her attention to the truck. Relieved to feel the rush of warm air as she opened the door, she climbed up into the cab. T’chok was breathing slow and steady. The tank wrapped around his head was still in place, but her heart stuttered at how still he lay.
“T’chok, can you hear me, baby?” She stroked his cheek and his eyes flickered open for a second.
She bit down a sob of relief. “That’s it. Can you open them again?”
Once more his eyes flickered. He frowned as if he was trying to focus on her face. “R-R…” His voice was slurred.
“Yes, it’s Rachel. I’m right here. We need to get out of this truck. I have the ATV right here. You just need to slide down onto the seat. Can you do that?”
He frowned at her, obviously confused, and she had to force back the urge to cry. He wasn’t acting like himself. What if there was some serious damage to his brain? Now it was her turn to fight down panic. She kept her voice low and soothing.
“I just need you to follow me. Can you do that?”
He started to nod, winced, and put a hand to his head, frowning again as he felt the makeshift bandage.
“You’re okay.” I hope. “You just got a little banged up from the crash.”
Edging back through the door, she pulled gently on his hand.
“What’s taking so long? I’m cold.” Benji’s voice reached into the truck and T’chok reared up, his hand reaching for a weapon. She threw herself against him.
“Don’t! It’s just my brother, Benji. Remember that we were searching for him?”
A faint look of comprehension crossed his face and his body relaxed. “B’nji?”
“That’s right. You can meet him if you just slide out of there.”
This time he allowed her hand to guide him as he stepped out of the truck. As soon as his foot hit the ground, he started to fall. He grabbed for the door frame while she pushed against him, trying to support his weight.
“Damn, he’s big.”
“Language,” she said automatically, panting a little as she tried to brace T’chok.
The ATV was right there. T’chok took another step and half fell on to the seat. By the time she got him upright, he’d gone limp again. She threw the blanket over him and fastened the seat belt as she tried to decide what to do. The fact that he had regained consciousness, even for a few moments, seemed to be an encouraging sign but what if he had some type of serious injury?
“I need to get you to a doctor,” she muttered out loud.
“There’s no way,” Benji replied, startling her out of her abstraction. “Do you even know how far we’d have to go? In this thing?”
She tried to remember the last town they had come through, but it had been miles before the park entrance. “No, you’re right. I guess we don’t have any choice but to get him back to the cabin.” Moving as quickly as possible, she climbed back into the truck and turned it off before grabbing their bags. T’chok’s black duffle weighed a ton and she grunted as she threw it into the cage. Without the truck running, the woods were eerily quiet, and she hurried to start up the ATV. Benji wedged himself between her and T’chok.
The drive up to the cabin took longer, exhaustion and worry starting to weigh on her. She pulled up next to the steps and tried to wake T’chok again but this time he didn’t respond.
“How are we going to get him inside?”
“Maybe we should just leave him out here and let him freeze,” Benji muttered.
“I don’t want him to freeze,” she said firmly. “Use that big brain of yours and help me figure this out.”
Together they decided to roll him on to the blanket and then pull the blanket up into the cabin. She managed to tie a pillow beneath his head to help cushion the inevitable bumps. It took a lot of energy—and a lot of swearing, but they eventually managed to drag him inside. Huffing and panting, they came to a stop in front of the fireplace. They both collapsed against the wall.
“I wanted to get him in the bed, but I don’t think we can lift him,” she said, looking over at the bed and surveying the distance from the floor to the mattress.
“No way. Can’t we just leave him here?” Benji asked. He added begrudgingly, “There are some more pillows in the cabinet.”
With a tired sigh, she nodded. “I guess that makes sense. At least he’ll be warm.”
Unwilling to move just yet, she leaned back against the wall and looked around. The one room cabin looked just as she remembered it, bringing back happy memories of when her father was alive. He had harvested the wood to build both the big bed in one corner and the bunk beds in the other. The big stone fireplace had dominated the back wall since the cabin was built, but he had added the wood stove next to it to make cooking easier for her mother. A counter ran from the stove to the corner with shelves above it. On the counter was a sink with a hand pump, another improvement her father had added. A small table and chairs, plus the rocking chairs in front of the fire comprised the rest of the meager furnishings. Everything looked dusty but she could see a neat stack of firewood next to the fire. A single plate and glass resting on the counter, and some empty cans were the only other signs of her brother's occupancy.
“How long have you been here, bug?”
“Only a few days. It took longer than I thought going cross country. I tried to stay away from the roads, and I had to find places to hide at night.” He looked away and she fought back a shudder at the thought of what could have happened to him out there on his own.
“I can’t believe you made it all that way on the ATV. No one stopped you?”
“No. I’m sure anyone who saw me figured I was just a kid from one of the local ranches. Then when I got here, I came up the other end of the logging road, so I didn’t have to go through the park entrance. It didn’t start to snow until yesterday.”
She hesitated, trying to decide what to say. “You came a long way on your own. And I know you had a plan. I’m proud of you for thinking it through so well, bug. But don’t you ever do that to me again, do you hear me? I was so scared.”
“Yeah, well, I was scared, too. I didn't know if you were ever coming back.” He stuck out his chin and glared at T’chok. “I hate the aliens.”
“They’re not all bad, really.” She sighed. “I know I promised you an explanation, but can it wait until tomorrow? I want to get T’chok settled and get some rest.”
“I guess.” He nodded and she climbed wearily to her feet.
Chapter Twenty-Five
A short time later, Rachel sat back with tired satisfaction. T’chok was as comfortable as she could make him. She had removed the makeshift tank bandage and cleaned the nasty gash on his temple, covering it with a clean dressing from the small first aid kit Benji had brought her. He watched her doctor the wound with ghoulish interest, hanging over her shoulder as she cleaned it. The bleeding had stopped completely. She suspected that it could have used a few stitches, but the medical kit didn’t have the equipment.
As she lifted T’chok’s head to place it on the pillow, his eyes blinked open. She saw the recognition in his face when he looked at her, but then he looked over her shoulder and growled. Benji was still behind her but he jumped back at the sound.
“Ssh. It’s fine, T’chok.” She stroked his cheek. “It’s just my brother, remember? It’s Benji.”
His mouth started to shape the name but then his eyes closed again.
“I think he has a concussion,” Benji said matter of factly.
“What makes you think that, Dr. Ben
ji?” She tried to sound teasing, but her anxiety made it come out more sarcastically than she had intended.
He gave her a smug look. “His eyes, of course. The pupils are different. And not just because they look like a snake’s eyes. When he looked at you, one pupil opened all the way and the other stayed small.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Dammit. I knew he needed a doctor.”
“Nah. I think it just takes time to heal. Unless he’s bleeding from his brain,” he added with a certain morbid satisfaction.
“Benji!”
He saw the panic on her face and relented. “Concussions aren’t that bad. He’s probably fine. I’m guessing he has a pretty hard head.”
Rachel took a deep breath. “Yeah, I guess he does.” She saw that Benji was looking tired. “Why don’t you go on to bed? We’ll talk in the morning.”
“I’m not tired.” He started to protest and was interrupted by a big yawn. With a sheepish grin, he nodded. “Okay, okay. There’s some of the soup I had for dinner left if you want it. But Rach, I’m not sure I brought enough food for three people.”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll figure something out.” She drew him into a hug, loving the familiar scent of dirty little boy. “I love you, bug.”
His arms tightened. “Love you, too, Rach.”
Neither one of them wanted to let go but at last she pushed him away gently. “Go on now. Bed.”
“I gotta go outside first.” He blushed, one of the hints he’d started to develop over the past year that he was growing up.
“Damn, I forgot about the outhouse. Not one of the parts of being here that I like.” She grimaced.
“It’s not so bad. Just cold.” He pulled on his coat and boots, grabbed the flashlight, and disappeared out the door. She kept herself from jumping up after him, knowing that he was quite capable of going by himself, but she watched the door anxiously until he reappeared. As soon as he took off his outerwear, he crawled into the bottom bunk.
“Tomorrow we need to work on baths and teeth-brushing,” she called.
“Sure, sis. Good night.”
Within a short time, she could hear him snoring softly. She smiled at the familiar sound, but her smile faded as she looked down at T’chok. If he didn’t show signs of improvement tomorrow, she would have to try and get the truck running so she could take him to the hospital. Even if it meant they were separated and she got thrown into some Yehrin prison, it was better than letting him die. Worried that he might need her during the night, she gathered another pillow and blanket and curled up next to him on the floor. It wasn’t the most comfortable position, but his body gave out a steady heat. The constant rise and fall of his chest calmed her fears and she nestled into his chest and fell asleep.
T’chok started awake. His mind felt foggy, only a confused set of images filling it. The one thing he did remember was R’chel, but before he could panic, he caught her familiar scent and felt her body close against his side. He tried to open his eyes, but as soon as his lids rose, light hit them and a fiery pain speared through his head. He groaned and tried to roll away from the light but that only made the pain worse.
“T’chok, what’s wrong?”
R’chel’s soft voice sounded worried. He wanted to reassure her but all he could do was clench his teeth to keep from moaning.
“It’s probably the light.”
Another voice sounded and his instincts roared to life. Ignoring the pain, he sat up and hauled R’chel into his arms, trying to shield her with his body as he reached for his weapon. Forcing his eyes open, he searched for danger. A young human male stood in front of him, eyes wide. A very young male. He could tell that much but his vision was too blurry to make out any details. He squinted but couldn’t bring the figure into full focus.
“T’chok, calm down.” R’chel grabbed the hand he had over his weapon. “It’s my brother, Benji. Do you remember? He helped me get you up here last night, after the crash.”
“The crash?” The brightness of the light suddenly decreased, and his headache lessened slightly.
“Thanks for closing the curtains, Benji,” R’chel said, and he realized that the child had moved. Disturbed that he had not noticed the movement, he tried to focus on what R’chel was saying.
“We crashed last night on the way to the cabin. What’s the last thing you remember?”
Bright spikes of pain kept streaking through his head, but he forced himself to think. “I remember you. You ran away.”
“What?” B’nji asked, his high-pitched voice making T’chok wince. “You ran away, too?”
“To look for you, doofus,” she returned, before turning back to T’chok. “You found me at Judy’s house. Do you remember that?”
Her warm body was still curled in his lap and he bent his head to breathe her in. Her scent tugged at him, awakening more memories. “Yes. After I killed the male who assaulted you.”
“Someone hurt you? And he killed him?”
“Benji, please. I’ll tell you everything later. T’chok, do you remember driving up here?”
He searched his brain but all he remembered was finding R’chel. “You agreed to be my L’chka.”
“I did,” she said, her cheeks turning a delightful shade of pink. He remembered more now, remembered the immense pleasure of sinking into her incredibly tight cunt. His shaft began to thicken, and he knew that she felt it when her color deepened. Shooting a quick glance in her brother’s direction, she tried to wiggle away from him. Despite his injuries, he had no difficulty in keeping her on his lap where she belonged.
She huffed but settled back against him as she continued recounting the events that had led them here.
“After we left Judy’s house, we drove up here. It began to snow and then when we were almost here, an elk came out of nowhere and crashed the truck.”
He didn’t remember the incident although for a brief second, he had a vision of a dark shape surrounded by clouds of white, but the mention of a crash distracted him. “Are you hurt?” Cursing his blurred vision, he began running his hands over her body to check for injuries.
“T’chok, stop that. I’m fine.” She tried to squirm free again, but he refused to relinquish his hold and she settled back down in his arms. “You protected me, but you hit your head. Benji thinks you have a concussion.”
The word did not immediately register through his translation interface and he frowned. Reluctantly taking one arm from around her, he found the scanner on his belt. After fumbling with the switch, he aimed it at his head and tried to read the glowing screen that appeared in mid-air.
“Wow, that’s like a portable x-ray,” Benji exclaimed.
“It is. What does it say?”
“We can’t read Yehrin,” R’chel reminded him. Cursing his scrambled thoughts, he switched the scanner to verbal mode and listened to the report.
“What did it say?” Rachel asked. “If it’s serious, we have to take you to a hospital.”
“No,” he roared, and winced as the pain in his head intensified. Lowering his voice, he continued. “I will not allow us to be separated. But it is not necessary in any event. Your brother was correct.” He carefully inclined his head in the child’s direction. “I have a concussion. The consequences include head pain, blurred vision, and apparently some short-term memory loss.”
“So, what do we do?”
“There is nothing to be done,” he admitted reluctantly. “It will heal on its own over the next few days.” Or weeks, but he refused to admit that part out loud. His little female needed him, and he would not allow physical weakness to prevent him from caring for her. He lifted her carefully off his lap and then attempted to stand. A wave of dizziness swept over him and he would have fallen if R’chel hadn’t braced him, grunting against his weight.
“Dammit. You need to lay down. Can you make it to the bed?”
He gritted his teeth and allowed her to lead him to one side of the room, trying desperately not to fall. He collapsed
on the bed with a grateful sigh he couldn’t suppress.
“Can you take off your belt? I couldn’t get it off last night.”
“It is coded to me.” He released the catch and handed it to her. “Place it close to me.”
“I’m putting it right here on the bed frame,” she said soothingly. “Do you want to remove your uniform?”
Her voice seemed to be coming from further away as he sank back into the bed. The thin mattress promised little comfort, but he could feel the waves of fatigue washing over him.
“It is not necessary,” he managed before he fell asleep.
Rachel watched as T’chok’s eyes closed and tried not to worry. He had said he needed time to heal. She just wished she could have understood what the scanner had said. She turned to Benji, who was frowning down at the big alien. “Do you know anything else about concussions?”
“Not really. I just saw some stuff on tv. Maybe there’s something in one of the books?”
The small set of shelves at the end of the bed had an eclectic collection of books—everything from her old childhood favorites to wildlife guides to her mother’s romances.
“I think I saw some type of survival guide in there,” he continued, rummaging through the shelves. “Here it is.”
Together they found the section on medical aid. Rachel reluctantly concluded that T’chok was correct. It was simply a matter of rest and time. She suspected that rest would become an issue before too long but for now, she was grateful that he slept.
“Okay, bug. Do we have anything for breakfast?”
Benji built up the fire in the stove while she took a quick trip to the outhouse. It was every bit as unpleasant as she remembered, but at least the cold and the lack of use prevented any odor. The snow had stopped falling and the sun had risen on a clear day. Sunlight sparkled off the snow and caught in the icicles along the edge of the roof. The log cabin looked like something out of a picture, nestled in a winter wonderland.
Too cold to admire the view for long, she rushed gratefully back into the warm cabin.
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