"The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back."

— Wendy Wunder

The first thing Luca heard was a hiss, like air escaping a seal, followed by a gentle, "Easy there."

That was Emily's voice.

His eyelids were heavy as shit, but he forced them open, blinking against the bright infirmary lights. The glass of the medical pod slid away with a soft whoosh, and Emily was leaning over him, looking exhausted and relieved at the same time. Her hand gripped his tightly, warm and solid while he felt dizzy as hell.

"Em?" The word came out like sandpaper.

"I'm here." She squeezed his hand. "I'm right here."

Joey stepped into view, offering a smile that didn't quite hide his concern. "Welcome back, Luca. You had us worried."

"How long was I out?" Luca tried pushing himself up on his elbows and failed spectacularly. Emily pressed him back down against the pod.

"Just over sixty-three hours," Joey replied. "Take it easy. Your body's been through hell."

Sixty-three hours. Fuck. That was almost three days of being dead weight while his crew handled everything without him. "Is everyone okay? The mission?"

"Everyone's fine," Emily answered before Joey could respond. "And the mission can wait. You're what matters right now."

Joey nodded in agreement. "You had broken ribs that needed fusing, a sprained ankle, some internal bleeding, and a punctured lung."

The words hit like bad news. Luca felt Emily's grip tighten until her knuckles went white.

"A punctured lung?" Her voice dropped to something dangerous as she turned on Joey. "You told me it was just broken ribs... You said it was standard recovery."

Joey's calm didn't crack, but he met her eyes directly. "It was standard. The pod was already repairing the damage by the time I got him stabilized. The diagnosis wouldn't have changed the treatment, Emily. It would have only made the last two days harder for you."

Emily's face went through a series of expressions, with fury, fear, and something that looked like she might break apart completely. "I had a right to know how close he was to—"

"Em." Luca squeezed her hand back, cutting through whatever she was about to say. "It's okay. I'm okay."

Her eyes turned back to him, and he saw it all there. The sleepless nights, the constant worry, the weight of command she'd carried while he was floating in gel like some broken toy.

Joey's tone softened. "The machine handled the bone fusion and tissue regeneration. Everything's fixed, Luca, but the body needs time to adjust. You'll be sore for a few days."

Luca nodded, the throbbing ache in his chest making sense now. His stomach growled loud enough to echo off the infirmary walls. "Is that monitor new?" He gestured weakly at a large screen displaying crew vitals.

Joey chuckled. "Always been there. You've just never been on this side of the bed before." He stepped closer. "Ready to get out of this thing?"

With Emily supporting his back, Luca managed to sit up, his head spinning like he'd been drinking Ryan's homemade alcohol. He was down to his briefs, and his legs felt like overcooked noodles. Emily didn't seem to notice or care as she just grabbed a medical gown and helped him into it, her movements sure and steady.

"I'll give you two a minute," Joey said. "I'll have some food ready when you're done." He walked out as the door hissed shut behind him.

The moment they were alone, Emily's facade crumbled. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Luca could feel faint tremors running through her body and held her as tightly as his aching ribs would allow.

"Don't you ever do that to me again," she mumbled into his skin.

"Wasn't my idea," he whispered back, stroking her hair.

She pulled back, her eyes wet, and helped him to his feet. "I should be the one carrying you this time," she whispered.

Luca smiled and leaned on her heavily as they made their slow way to the lift and down to his cabin. The walk felt like a marathon.

Inside his quarters, she guided him to the chair. He caught his reflection in the mirror and winced. Pale, gaunt, with dark circles that made him look like a corpse someone had forgotten to bury.

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"You need a shower," she said softly. "It'll help with the stiffness."

He nodded, dreading the effort required. "Yeah."

"I'll help you."

A flash of embarrassment hit him; he hated being weak, hated needing help with basic shit like standing upright. But there was also the whole naked thing. Emily was about to help him get undressed and into the shower, and while his brain was running on fumes, some part of him was definitely aware of that fact.

She helped him out of the medical gown, her touch gentle around his bandaged torso. When she started working on getting his briefs off, Luca felt his face heat up.

"Em, maybe you should just..." He gestured vaguely. "I mean, you don't have to look or anything."

Emily's cheeks flushed pink, but she kept her eyes firmly on his face. "Luca, I'm trying to be professional here."

"Yeah, well, tell that to my dick," he muttered, which made her blush even redder.

"Shut up," she said, but she was almost smiling now as she helped him step out of his underwear.

She tested the water temperature before helping him step under the warm spray. He leaned his forehead against the cool metal wall, letting the water work over his tired body. Emily stayed just outside the stream, and he could feel her trying very hard not to look at his ass.

He felt ridiculous needing her help like this, but at the same time, he couldn't imagine anyone else being the one to steady him.

"You can look if you want," he said, because he was an idiot even when half-dead.

"I'm being respectful," she shot back, but her voice was tight with suppressed laughter.

"Since when?"

"Since you almost died, asshole."

She handed him shampoo, and he worked it into his hair with slow, exhausted movements. The whole situation was ridiculous. Here he was, barely able to stand, trying to flirt with his girlfriend while she played nurse. That was definitely the painkillers.

After he rinsed off, she was there with a towel, helping dry his back. Her face was still pink, and he couldn't help but grin despite feeling like shit.

He sat on the edge of his bed, towel wrapped around his waist. Emily knelt in front of him, carefully dabbing at the edges of the bandage on his chest. Her head was bowed, hair falling forward. He reached out, brushing the hair back from her face.

She looked up, and he saw everything: the fear, the love, the relief that he was here and real and breathing.

"Thank you," he whispered.

He leaned in and kissed her. Soft and slow, a desperate confirmation that he was here, that they were together. She kissed him back, hand cupping his jaw, thumb stroking his cheek.

When they broke apart, she rested her forehead against his. "I love you."

"I love you, too." His voice cracked on the words.

She helped him into clean loungewear as he winced. He'd forgotten how comfortable these clothes felt after weeks in restrictive bodysuits and armor. The short trip from shower to bed left him utterly spent, but he knew he couldn't stay here. He'd been disconnected from them for too long.

"I need to see the team," Luca said.

Emily nodded. "Okay. Lean on me."

With Emily's arm around his waist and his draped over her shoulders, they made their way to the lounge. Every step was a negotiation with the throbbing ache in his ribs, but her presence made it bearable. As they approached, the low hum of conversation and soft clink of glasses grew louder.

They were waiting for him.

The lounge door slid open, and a sudden hush fell over the room. The electric fireplace cast warm, golden light over everything, illuminating the faces of his crew. Zoe, Chris, Danny, Ryan, Joey - all there, expressions mixing relief and concern.

"Hey guys," Luca said, voice still raspy. He cleared his throat, wincing. "Didn't mean to keep you all waiting."

The tension broke. Zoe was on her feet first, wide grin spreading across her face. "Captain! Look what the med-pod dragged in."

Emily helped him toward the main couch, deep red leather looking impossibly inviting. He sank into the cushions with a groan of relief, Emily settling right beside him, thigh pressed against his, arm around his waist.

Joey crossed his arms, mock-stern expression on his face. "Don't get used to this. You're lucky I let you out of the pod at all, with the way you downplay injuries."

"Only reason I know I was hurt is because you told me," Luca shot back, though there was no heat in it. He looked at Joey. "Thanks, man. For patching me up."

Joey just nodded, corner of his mouth ticking up in a small smile.

Emily leaned into him, head resting gently on his shoulder. "We missed you," she murmured, voice soft, meant only for him.

"I missed this, too." His arm slipped around her shoulder, holding her close, taking in the familiar scent of her hair. This wasn't just a team - they were his family. Here, surrounded by them, the crushing weight of command finally began to ease.

"Alright, enough sap," he said, pulling back to look around the room. His gaze landed on an unopened bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket on the kitchenette counter. "If we're here to celebrate, let's do it right. Who's popping that open?"

Zoe's face lit up. "Been waiting for you to say that, Captain. We weren't going to toast without you."

Luca grinned as Chris retrieved the bottle, everyone getting excited.

The cork popped with a satisfying thwump, and glasses were quickly filled. Emily took two, passing one to him. The crew raised their glasses.

"To breaking the level cap," Danny added.

"To TL9 tech," Ryan continued, eyes gleaming.

"To surviving New Dawn," Chris finished, voice firm.

"To Luca!" they chorused, clinking glasses together.

"To our Captain," Emily said, looking right at him, eyes full of love that made his breath catch. "For getting us through everything down there."

He took a sip, crisp, bubbly liquid a welcome shock to his system.

Joey appeared in the corridor carrying a plate.

"Thought you might be hungry," he said, offering the plate with a slight smile. "Made pizza earlier."

Luca's stomach growled audibly at the sight of three perfectly sliced pieces. "Joey, you beautiful bastard. I could kiss you right now."

"Please don't," Joey replied dryly. "You're still recovering."

Joey's pizza was missing the bite of fresh oregano. His greenhouse hadn't made it. He'd have to start over.

Leaning his head back, letting Emily's warmth seep into him, he allowed himself to relax completely. The weight on his shoulders felt, for once, a little lighter.

Captain's Log: Woke up today after a 63-hour nap feeling like I got hit by a meteor. Turns out, that final boss did a real number on me, with a punctured lung, broken ribs, the works. The medical pod patched me up, but I still feel like a rusty droid.

The good news is, the crew actually waited for me to celebrate breaking the level cap and everything we unlocked in New Dawn. They saved the good champagne.

Emily's tougher than I'll ever be. I woke up and she was there, steady as always, even though I know I scared the hell out of her. She carried command while I was out, kept everyone moving, and made the hard decisions. Don't know what I did to deserve her, but I'm not questioning it.

For now, though, I'm just glad to be back among the living, even if I'm moving slower than usual.

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