I Love How Kara Just Loves To Taunt Lex With The Fact That Lena Is On Her Side. Like She Knows How Much

STAR WARS cast morphed [credit: morphy_me on IG]

Daisy Ridley & Carrie Fisher

Hayden Christensen & Adam Driver

Harrison Ford & Alden Ehrenreich

Ewan McGregor & Alec Guinness

Felicity Jones & Daisy Ridley

Mark Hamill & Sebastian Stan

Harrison Ford & Adam Driver

Natalie Portman & Daisy Ridley

John Boyega & Oscar Isaac

Alpha-17 and Obi-Wan being friends (derogatory) on 17's part and friends (threatening) on Obi-Wan's part is such an underrated dynamic

They could be so funny and terrifying, like Obi-Wan went through a soul shredding experience with Alpha-17 as his only company. They're friends because what else are you gonna be after you witness each other at absolute rock bottom from torture.

It's like 'dog put in cage of cheetah who's threatening to go crazy', except the dog is a grizzly bear and also threatening to go crazy.

Emotional support trooper except the trooper in question has never done any sort of supporting in his life and is actively an emotional distress trooper to a great number of the CC batch.

I want them texting everyday, I want Obi-Wan mailing handmade BFF bracelets to Alpha and Alpha sending pics back of him flipping off the camera but still wearing them, I want Alpha using Obi-Wan to keep track of and occasionally terrorize his cadets, I want 17 ending problems in the GAR (like Krell) before they begin because Obi-Wan has him shipped out on a personal transport at the first opportunity, decked out with slug-throwers Obi-Wan got him for his decant-day.

Natborn officers think this is all just an odd indulgence of General Kenobi, the Vode, however, correctly identify it as a goddamn threat and their danger assessment of Obi-Wan ticks up significantly.

When Alpha arrives on Kamino, Shaak Ti presses a shiny new comm into his hand. It has the Jedi Order symbol painted onto it alongside a smiley face sticker, and it pings immediately with a new message: Hello! I hope you're settling in well!

Alpha stares at the message, stares at the singular contact named 'OWK' and then stares Shaak Ti in the eye as he pitches the comm straight into the ocean. Shaak Ti's serene smile only grows larger as she calmly reaches into her robes and pulls out an identical comm, only this one has a frowny face sticker, and presses it into his hand. It lights up: I'm afraid we've bonded, Alpha :). Alpha shuts it off and pockets it with resignation.

Cody arrives on Alpha-17's personal recommendation.

A-17: He's the most difficult little bastard I have. You're perfect for each other. OWK: Thank you, he's very handsome :3 A-17: No. Stop.

The first thing he asks once he gets comfortable is who his general is texting so much that has him swinging his legs and twirling his hair. Cody assumes it's Anakin, given they seem joint at the hip anyway, but little does he know Obi-Wan's ability to consistently have the Weirdest Relationships Ever.

"Oh, it's Alpha-17, I understand you're familiar with each other?" Hmm. OK. Cody.exe is experiencing a processing error, please hold. He exits the room instead of answering. The next day he peeks over the General's shoulder when he's texting and sees walls of rambling messages from Obi-Wan. Alpha-17 replies every hour with a single text: Lose this number. Obi-Wan giggles. "He's so funny." he says.

When Obi-Wan meets the rest of the CC batch, Cody makes sure to stand perfectly angled so that he can record the reactions when his general cuts off their introductions with "Oh, no need, Alpha-17's told me all about you." It's always immediate FEAR.JPG followed by a slow spiral of What The Fuck.

What do you mean by that General. What does that mean Cody. What do you mean they text. No. Cody. What the fuck is happening, Cody. Alpha-17 doesn't have friends he has enemies and enemies he tolerates enough not to shoot on sight.

OWK: Wolffe reached for his vambrace? when I mentioned you A-17: That's where he keeps his spare knife. OWK: Hm that does explain the way he eyed me up, ambitious. A-17: Clearly not enough, he should have followed through. I taught them better.

the nightblood family we deserved

(Art Creds - @papurrcat )

Part 6/7 - Previous / Next / First

Track: ‘We All Lift Together (From "Warframe")’ - Keith Power

They were on the other side of a raging inferno, a lava filled cut in this Sith forsaken planet. And despite it truly being too far to see what was happening clearly, Gree knew immediately that the people wielding sabers towards Palpatine were not the Jedi it should be. 

The feeling of fear was only confirmed when Master Luminara came barreling onto their position. “Master Yoda! The force-”

“Calls for the clones, it does,” Yoda cut her off, slicing seamlessly through the droids on Gree's right. 

Luminara seemed to be a mix of emotions, a turmoil Gree so rarely saw her suffer through. But in the end it seemed to have a peaceful conclusion. Luminara took a breath, then turned off her lightsaber. And before Gree could think of why she would do such a thing in the middle of a warzone, she was holding it out toward him.

“What- General, what am I supposed to do with that?”

“Protect us as you always have, Commander Gree,” she stated simply, as if there could be no other answer.

And then Yoda was beside her, having cleared the area for the needed moment of peace. “Your lives you always give. Ours, we give now.” And then Grand Master Yoda himself was offering his small lightsaber, blade end facing inwards.

It was all in a blink, but the two Jedi could feel the hesitation take hold of Gree. His fear of losing his family clashing against the fear of it being his fault, his failure. “Gree,” Luminara argued to the unspoken thought. “You have always listened and learned, always cared when all you were supposed to do was fight. Continue to open yourself to the world around you, the force flowing in it, and you will always be able to find your family amongst it. Together, you will all come back home.” 

In a short breath Gree found that despite it all, a part of him knew she was right. This was right. Fighting with his brothers was what he was really made for. Learning from them, loving them, and protecting them no matter what. Why should this moment be any different? Why would he ever stop now?

Feeling the shift of hope, Yoda gave Gree a rare gremlin like chuckle. “Besides, remember how to make my stew, no one else can. Come back then, you shall.”

“We trust in you,” Luminara insisted, now smiling softly. “Always.”

It now felt so simple, like something within Gree was laughing that he ever thought there could be another path. His brothers, all of them; they needed this, needed him. And it was with a newfound determination that Gree finally nodded, gently taking the sabers and then holding them firm as he ignited them. The group was bathed bright in the color they shared, and though it was an odd sensation, Gree realized he knew exactly what he needed to do. But- “I’ll never reach them in time. They’re already fighting and I can’t-”

Yoda was suddenly shuffling past him, faster than the Gree always suspected he ever should be. “Trust in the force, you clones may not always; but trust in me, do you?”

“Of course,” Gree answered, a bit surprised at how quick the answer came now.

“Then jump, you shall.” Yoda outstretched a sure hand toward him. “And trust, you will.”

“So,” Alex’s eyes flick from one blonde to the other. She doesn’t even have it left in her to be surprised. “She’s from another Earth?”

“And the future,” both Karas say at the same time. Kara, this Earth’s Kara, looks a little bit awed at the almost identical version of herself standing beside her.

There are differences, of course. This other Kara is older, though it’s hard to tell by how much thanks to Kryptonian physiology.

There are a series of lines in the corners of her eyes, and more freckles on her cheeks. Her hair is blonder than Kara’s, almost silver at the front on one side.

Despite wearing sweatpants and a threadbare MIT sweatshirt, she looks poised in a way Kara hasn’t quite mastered yet, almost regal.

Alex sighs.

“Must be Tuesday.”

-

Kara gives herself a tour of the tower. Apparently on Older Kara’s earth they work out of an abandoned castle somewhere. She won’t reveal too much, says it can be dangerous to talk too much about it, in case some things overlap.

They get along well, sharing matching grins as Kara leads them from room to room. A box of Brainy’s donuts are discovered in the kitchen and soon both Kara’s have full bellies and icing on their fingers. It’s kind of nice, actually.

Older Kara tell her that she thinks a fifth dimensional imp has something to do with her ending up here, and Kara nods along, knowing all about it.

“Lena can help,” Kara says casually as they enter the lab, where Lena sits among a series of spell books and equipment. She’s leaning heavily on one elbow, face down turned to the page she’s reading in a kind of concentration that makes her miss their entrance.

Her hair is pulled up into a quick bun, a few pieces slipping out around her face, and she has a pair of thick rimmed glasses perched on her nose that Kara knows she’s started needing to read the tiny print in her mother’s spell book.

She looks comfortable in the bubble of her lab, and as beautiful as she has ever been.

Older Kara pauses beside her, the easy posture she had adopted during their tour transforming into stony stillness.

“Lena,” she breathes. When Kara turns to look she sees her own jaw flexed tight, eyes wide and shining with what looks like shock but might also be tears.

It’s enough to get Lena’s attention and she turns to acknowledge them, looking from one Kara to the other with a raised eyebrow.

“Alternate dimension?” she asks easily, slipping her glasses up into her forehead to see them properly. Kara nods, eyes still trained on the older version of herself who is in turn still staring at Lena.

Lena nods.

“Cool. Hi,” Lena offers to the other Kara with a kind smile, dimples flashing, brain clearly already spinning with questions and curiosities.

Older Kara swallows thickly, and Kara’s brow crinkles. She looks from her to Lena who just shrugs.

“Hi,” Older Kara manages after too long, but then she’s clearing her throat, blinking something away as her posture loosens a little bit. “Sorry, uh. Hi. Hi, Lena.”

Her name sounds different on this Kara’s tongue, and Kara wonders why.

An awkward moment passes and then Lena stands from her stool. Green eyes zero in on Older Kara’s sweatshirt for just a moment, a flicker of something crossing her face just long enough for Kara to catch it.

Then Lena is looking between the two Karas before her and smiling again.

“Okay, then. Science or magic?”

-

They use both.

It’s simple enough once Lena has the details. She alters the transmat-portal watch to create fifth dimensional wormholes, muttering a few words over the now well used technology.

Older Kara never looks away from her. Kara never looks away from Older Kara looking at her. It’s a lot of staring.

At one point Alex comes to check on them, a cup of coffee steaming in one hand, looks between the three of them and shakes her head.

“Nope. No energy for whatever this is today,” and she turns right back around and walks out.

Lena solves the problem in an hour and when she holds up the watch with a bit of a smirk both Karas cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink.

-

The Karas are talking in hushed whispers on the balcony landing. Lena watches them with interest from the seat at her desk, unable to hear what they’re saying with her human ears.

Older Kara continues to look a little too serious. Kara — her Kara — looks confused and then bashful and then quietly devastated.

Lena’s halfway to standing, ready to go make sure she’s okay, when Alex pipes up beside her.

“Let’s just give them a minute.”

Lena nods, and sinks back to her stool, fingers tapping an irregular rhythm against the tabletop while they wait. After a few more minutes of whispering together and a long hug in which four arms flex and squeeze with all the strength they have, the Karas come to stand before her.

“She’s ready,” Kara says, and her voice scratches in her throat like she might cry. Now she’s the one who can’t look away from Lena.

It makes Lena want to reach out and smooth a thumb against the line between her eyebrows, but she controls herself. Instead she presses her thumb against the button on the side of the watch.

A vortex of blue appears in the center of the room.

“Thanks for stopping by,” Alex waves off the older version of her sister.

“Bye, Kara,” Lena says easily, hoping to ease whatever fear has recently settled on Kara’s face, and both Karas hands flex at the same time, curling into self soothing fists.

“Bye, Lena,” Older Kara blinks quickly a few times, and after a long moment tears her eyes away from Lena to look at Kara.

“Don’t miss your chance,” Older Kara says seriously and two sets of matching blue eyes share a look that goes over Lena’s head.

Older Kara nods once, casts one last long look at Lena, and then disappears through the portal in a swirl of blue energy.

“What was that about?” Lena says, trying to keep her tone light amidst the weird lingering tension. She can’t imagine what would have Kara looking so grave.

Kara has her hands on her hips, brow furrowed. She stares after the older version of herself until all that remains are wisps of blue magic.

Lena looks at her expectantly, raising both eyebrows.

“Kara?”

Kara turns to her then, blue eyes shining with an unguarded intensity that burns like stars.

“I’m in love with you.”

Lena blinks back at her, lips parting slightly. From beside her Alex let’s out a low whistle.

Alex’s coffee cup hits the table and she pushes out her stool, heading for the elevator without giving either of them a second glance and muttering to herself.

“Oh, yep. Definitely not enough energy for this today.”

Liberties

Here is an idea where liberties are taken and frankly not given back. This is a world where Cerasi survived Mawat’s assination attempt. Obi Wan never went back to Jedi. Instead he continued to help rebuild Melidaan and continued to follow the Force.  Every so often the Force would send him out into the galaxy to meet other Force Sensitives, and adopt them. This is a world where Obi Wan learns to own his attachments instead of repressing them. In addition every force sensitive that was active in the outer rim is eventually drawn to at least stop on Melidaan. Light or Dark; Sith, Jedi, and everything in between. Up to and including Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious in their alter egos. No one thinks to tell the Jedi High Council.

I picture Xanatos showing up, first because of his obsession with revenge against Qui Gonn, then after hearing Obi’s story being like ‘now we are truly brothers’. He is batshit insane and cheerfully vows not to sell Obi or any of Obi’s people into salvery every time he arrives but he is a genius for creating/managing resources and Obi would do anything for his chosen people, even reluctantly spending time with the man that is at the center a good chunk of his trauma. 

Things get even weirder when Feemor is reunited with his lineage brothers. Frankly all of them need so much therapy. 

At some point they (by they I mean the Young government in combination with the various Force users that pop in and out of their lives) create a school for force sensitives on Melidaan, just called The School. It is semi secret in that knowledge of it never quite reaches general knowledge in the core worlds but not through any actions on the part of the people involved. In that time Obi-Wan discovers something interesting. While about 90% of force users can use either side of the Force without issue, the evil comes from the actions not the side of the force, the other 10% is restricted to Dark or Light with the other side being akin to an addiction.  Exclusive dark side users are less common, due to an inherent recklessness that tends to get themselves killed, but they do exist. 

Something nobody knows is that Yoda and the Master that trained him were both within that small percentage restricted to use of the Light side. He has assumed that his reaction to the dark is a commonality of all force users, not a restriction that he has. 

Of the Sith of this time, in the years before Plageus died, Palpatine is the first to find his way to their out of the way little planet. It was mostly an accident, with the force subtly guiding his fingers to put in the wrong coordinates for a hyperspace jump. Though Palpatine does fall into the 90% that can use either side, he has been using the darkside almost exclusively for decades. Users of the darkside, particularly Sith, tend to see the force more of a servant than a teacher. Thus the Force, semi sentient, has to be much more subtle when dealing with Sith. 

Palpatine is somewhat confused as he lands, for once listening to the force as it presses him forward. He had been headed for a vacation on Naboo.  At this time he is still a part of the current senator’s retinue, a few years away from being a senator himself. The people in the space port barely look at him before directing him up to The School.  It is generally assumed that any strange, unknown visitors looking vaguely confused about where they were have something to do with the Force and should be dealt with by Obi Wan. To be fair, this policy has only been wrong twice. 

Palpatine is politely, but firmly, loaded into a transport and dropped off at the school.  None of his questions were answered along the way.  He spent a bit of the ride sort of wondering if he was being abducted, why he wasn’t more concerned or angry about that fact, and rationalizing following this weird feeling in the Force to its conclusion. 

He is brought to Obi Wan’s office, as the head of the school. Obi Wan asks him if he prefers direct questions and answers or complicated politic conversation. At Palpatine’s surprised look,  Obi Wan goes on to say that they want people to be comfortable and he doesn’t have a preference.  Normally Palpatine would enjoy political back and forth but by this time his curiosity is piqued. The first question that Obi Wan asks is if Palpatine is aware of his own force sensitivity.  This serves to shock Palpatine into stillness, the only other person to clock his force sensitivity had been Plageuis many decades before. He had even managed to hide it on Coruscant from the High Council of the Jedi.  

In the silence that followed Obi wan explained about this being a school for force sensitives that felt they had nowhere else to go.  Members of the Jedi Order that had been expelled or relegated to a corp due to lack of being chosen, Knights and Shadows who felt disconnected from the Order. There were also Force sensitive that had been exiled from their own planets due to their force sensitivity, escaped slaves, and more than a few that were there because the force said they should be. Obi Wan has pamphlets, which he hands over to Palpatine. Obi Wan went on to explain that Paplatine was free to explore his sensitivity here as long as the rules were followed:

No action that would deliberately cause permanent or long lasting injury to anyone on the planet, defined as any injury that cannot be healed in 48 standard hours, be it physical, mental, emotional, or psychic. The creation of soul wounds are never permitted on the planet as they are almost always permanent. 

Unless agreed to previously, do not approach students or teachers of this school off this planet. Some may not be comfortable with their connection to The School being public knowledge.

As it is possible for members of this school to end up on different sides of a conflict, if one member recognizes another it is courtesy to ignore the other if possible. If not, then the courtesy of a quick death. 

Any technique that will change the environment or the Force on the planet toward either the Dark or the Light will only be performed only with the permission of the School Board and the Planetary government.  The only exception will be 4 specially dedicated areas:

An area on the West side of campus dedicated to the Dark

An area on the East side of campus dedicated to the Light

An area to the South that is dedicated to combining beginner to mid level Dark and Light techniques that is open to anyone.

An area to the North dedicated to combining advanced Dark and Light techniques that requires special authorization.

The use of these areas is predicated on the results of what is effectively a Force Allergy test to ensure that the being falls into the 90% that can use either side without harming themselves

All experimental techniques used on this planet that have a test subject must have a written waiver from the subject stating that they agree to the test, with full knowledge of the potential risks and no coercion to the part of the testor.  

Experimental techniques that have a greater that 75% chance of one of the following must be pre approved by the School Board and the Planetary Council:

Changes to the environment, the Flora, the Fauna, or the Force lasting more than 1 hour

Death

A soul wound

Permanent or Long Lasting injury, as defined above. 

Acceptance of responsibility of any and all beings created or changed through the Force

Avoid Building 15, for the thing it houses is an abomination even to itself. Unless, of course you discover how to give it the release of death. Then please contact the administrator of facility management. 

All of these rules were written into a contract that was enforced by the Force itself through a humanoid conduit.  Apparently one of the Light and Dark mixed techniques that was discovered was for a Force Sensitive to tie themselves to a planet becoming an avatar of the Force on that planet. This avatar can then enforce a force based contract, and can remotely wipe the memories of breaches of contract depending on the severity. 

By the time Palpatine leaves he is not sure how he was convinced to sign the contract but he is glad he did. He is also mentally revising all of his empire plans to make sure this planet, which he finally determines is Melidaan, is protected at all costs and is now central to the reconditioning of initiates and padawans of the Jedi when the time comes.  He will later bring Plagueis to the school as well, with similar results. Though they do continue their more objectionable experiments, they are kept carefully off Melidaan.

For a decade this continues. Light and Dark agree that Obi Wan, and through him his new people, are precious and should be protected at all costs.  Just before TPM starts Obi is drawn to Tattoine, into the slave quarters. He is not a stranger to this planet or nearly any planet on the outer rim but he has never been to this outpost, these slave quarters before.  The Force ensures that he meets Shmi and Anakin two week before the Naboo delegation lands. The Force, so much clearer after a decade of being listened to, whispers that this boy is to be a younger brother and student to him but not yet. They must wait.  He is just as eloquent in this life and explains the Force and his feelings to Shmi, backed by Anakin. 

When Qui Gon Jinn arrives two weeks later Obi Wan is introduced as Ben, a friend of the family. Jinn does not recognize Ben as the student he once left behind. In fact he does not ever realize that he and Anakin are not the only Force Sensitives in the room. Anakin is a bit worried because the Force is saying that he needs to go with the Jedi, but he also wants to go with Obi Wan. Obi wan tells him quietly that just because the Force says go with the Jedi, it doesn't mean he will have to stay with the Jedi forever. 

There is no attack from Maul, as he is intercepted by Obi Wan. The two have a brief chat about what brought Maul to the planet. No one who knows him questions Obi Wan showing up in strange places. Maul is there to find an unfortunate being that had managed to steal from one of Maul’s Master’s smaller holdings. They hadn’t gotten away with much, but had taken a small statuette that he had been planning to donate to Obi Wan’s school for study. 

After the Naboo delegation, Jinn, and Anakin leave the planet, Obi Wan and Maul trek back to Mos Espa.  They find the Ill fated thief, whom Maul sticks in a prison cell on his ship, retrieves the stolen artifact, as well as enough money to buy Shmi Skywalker’s freedom. They do the latter and Maul drops Shimi and Obi Wan back off on Melidaan, where Obi Wan announces that Shimi is the mother of their newest kin to Nield, Cerasi, and a visiting Xanatos. 

Everyone just kind of rolls their eyes and goes back to what they were doing, baring Xanatos.  This was far from the first time that Obi Wan had adopted someone, or increased their family abruptly. The darksider wanders over and begins to flirt, heavily, with Shmi. 

Side Note: I picture Shmi to be about early 40’s at the time of TPM.  If Xanatos had lived he would have been 37, so it could have worked. 

Obi Wan assures Shmi that Xanatos wouldn’t hurt her and would stop if she wanted him to. Thus assured she starts to flirt back, is slightly awkwardly because social norms for a slave are very different from that of freepeople.  

Obi wan announces he is going to their new brother and leaves, going back to Coruscant for the first time since he arrived at Melida/Daan.  He arrives as Qui Gon Jinn is proclaiming his intention to take Anakin as a Padawan. The entire council is surprised when a redhead in his twenties just wanders into one of the most secure chambers in the temple, and not through the front door. In reality every Jedi learns as an initiate how to sneak around in the temple, even into the council chamber. It was a bit of a rite of passage to prank the council chamber at least once when in the Creche. Obi Wan certainly remembers.

None of the Jedi in the room recognize him.

So Obi Wan appears, looking amused and like he had just happened to wander into these highly protected chambers that even other Jedi don’t always have access to. The High Council of the Jedi are looking at each other like ‘Da fuq?’ Anakin lights up and runs to hug Obi Wan, calling him Ben. Jinn peers at Obi Wan, having only barely realized he was actually a person when they met in Shmi’s home, whom he doesn’t recognize. 

Side Note: I sort of head cannon Jinn, when separated from his mountain of trauma and trauma responses, is almost an oblivious scientist type, think Wayne Szalinski from ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’. In his element he is a prodigy, but he also would wander around only partially dressed because he had an idea, or in Qui Gon’s case he was distracted by something to do with the Living Force. Still an asshole, but mostly out of obliviousness or his pile of trauma rather than maliciousness.  

The council tries to find out who Obi Wan is or how he got there but he is enigmatic. He just says he is here to pick up his kin, Anakin, if it was time. He directs this as a question toward Anakin, ignoring the council. Anakin gets thoughtful and says that the Force says it is not time yet, but that Ben could come with them until it is.  Obi Wan nods but continues to dodge any attempt to get more information out of him about who he is, making pithy comments. 

Just before the tension this is causing could erupt, the large doors of the council chamber slam open, startling everyone. Quinlan Vos, dragging Bant Eerin, bursts into the room at speed. As soon as they cross the threshold he drops Bant’s hand and practically jumps on Obi Wan with a loud cry of “OBI”. Bant looked at them like she couldn’t believe that he was here. Quinn had been to Melidaan, as had most of the Shadows. In fact, of Obi Wan’s temple friends, it is Bant who he has not had a chance to speak to in person in a decade. She is Temple Bound as a healer.  

Obi Wan grumbles fondly about how Quinn gave his identity away. He had at least four more pointed answers, designed to make Qui Gon Jinn burst a blood vessel. Why yes, Obi Wan is slightly bitter about the whole abandoned in a war zone, why do you ask?

It isn’t until Bant sobs Obi Wan’s name that anyone realizes who is standing in the chamber. Qui Gon get even more agitated seeing the padawan he abandoned being clung to by the shiny new prophecy child he found.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY (MARCH 8, 2020)

LADIES OF THE MCU + CHOOSING TO BE A HERO

And this is why I could never be the hero

some might think i just have a bad boy/rebellion complex for shipping hermione w mostly slytherins & being an absolute sucker for gray/dark hermione...... but here’s the real reason!!!!!

(saw this on Strictly Dramione facebook group)

Deep Pressure (Meredith/Lexie Grey)

The nature of Lexie and Meredith's relationship can be up for interpretation in this one, there's no overtly sexual or romantic things happening, but because I was imagining them as together I've tagged it as such, do with that what you will.

When Lexie has her breakdown after the shooting incident Meredith helps her be able to relax and fall asleep. Also Lexie is autistic

Read on ao3

When Meredith stepped into the room she heard soothing melancholy music pouring from the tinny speaker of Lexie's phone, Jenny Owen Youngs, the same albums Meredith had heard her listen to on repeat after she and Mark broke up. Meredith bent down towards the hospital bed to see if Lexie's eyes were open.

"Lex, hey, how you holding up?" Meredith's gentle voice added to the floaty sensation of the drugs in Lexie's system.

Lexie gave a small sad smile and looked down. She didn't need to say the words out loud, they'd both been a hell of a lot better.

"I heard you had a rough morning." Meredith took a seat on the bed next to her. Lexie nodded looking up at her sister with brown shining doe eyes. "Can I touch you?" Meredith's hand hovered near Lexie's face, waiting for another nod before smoothing it over blond locks.

Lexie put her hand on Meredith's leg, giving an appreciative squeeze. Now more than ever she was relieved to have someone who knew how to be comfortable in silence, and who understood that sometimes when things were too much Lexie couldn't even figure out how to form the words with her mouth, in this case the drugs made it even worse. Her big sister was the only one she could even bear to have around her in this state. Lexie whimpered as Meredith removed her hand and pulled away.

"Hey, don't worry I'm not going anywhere, I'm just going to look at your chart." Meredith grabbed Lexie's hand off her thigh, rubbing her thumb over the back of it as she flipped open the chart with her free hand. "Discussion with patient suggests sleep deprivation may have been a catalyzing factor or possible primary cause of the incident. Well, I could've told them that much."

Lexie raised an eyebrow.

"I can hear you puttering around at all hours, you're not as light on your feet as you think." The teasing comment brought a smile to both their lips. "Though I might not be sleeping so deeply myself these days." The moment of joy melted back into the coldness of their reality. "Want help?" Meredith crossed her arms in an x over her chest, the sign they developed for Lexie to non-verbally ask for deep pressure. Something Lexie had looked into after a somewhat surprising tip from Cristina.

Lexie nodded emphatically. Meredith's heart warmed and broke for the precious creature before her all at once.

"OK, straighten out, like a log." Meredith ordered. "Don't give me that look, just do it. I have an idea." Meredith quickly slipped into the hall to grab a fresh warm blanket, once it was draped over Lexie she started wrapping it around Lexie's legs and tucking it under her torso. Seeing her little sister sigh with relief before she even took her place spooning her, drew a chuckle from Meredith. Once she had Lexie wrapped in her arms, hugged tight against her chest, leg wrapping to rest over Lexie's hip, she found herself letting out her own tense lungful of air, demonstrating just how elevated her own parasympathetic nervous system was despite her even keel.

"Psst Meredith." Cristina's whisper roused a glaring Meredith from heavy slumber. "Hey wake up, it's time to go home, I'm driving."

"I can't just leave her!" Meredith whispered angrily.

"Mer if you don't keep it together and take care of yourself you're gonna punch your own ticket to the psych wing." Cristina slipped into a more normal volume in order to be heard over the truck engine caliber snoring now coming from Lexie. "Then who's she gonna have to take care of her? Just me."

"I'm not sure if that's a threat or a sweet show of support." Meredith raised an eyebrow mockingly.

"Yeah well if you end up in psych you'll take just as long as sleeping beauty here to get cleared for surgery, so let's go, chop chop."

"She doesn't even have her weighted blanket. What if she freaks out and can't calm down?"

"Wait here." Cristina slipped out of the room and returned a bit later with one of the lead aprons used to protect against xrays. "Heavy as balls." Cristina handed it to Meredith to drape over Lexie's legs within reach in case she wanted to pull it further up. Meredith printed a clear note:

Had to go home so I could be ready for work. Text me at any hour and I'll be there in a flash, will check in with you as soon as I get in.

Love, Mer

Then she folded like a card so it could be propped up in Lexie's field of view, before leaning down to plant a kiss on her forehead.

"I hate to leave her like this." Meredith watched her thoroughly sedated sister snoring and dead to the world.

"I know." Cristina grabbed Meredith's hand to say what she couldn't with words before guiding the still groggy Meredith to the car.