Page 2 of Trusting the Team

“Ok,” the nurse started, Rocco stepped closer to the cot; “Dari, I need you to take your dress and pants off. All the way to skin, no underwear either.” Gumby stood up and helped Dari down. She slipped the parahaan off, not showing much. Gumby and Rocco set up a barrier wall, so no one else could see. She stood with the men at her left, the nurse in front, cot behind. Phantom's head came over the top of his teammates, he whispered an update on Ace and watched as Dari pulled her destroyed tombaan over her head. All three men inhaled sharply. Dari's arms and legs had bruises from being held, she had scrapes on knees and elbows.

“She’s just a kid,” Phantom vehemently muttered.

“Not anymore,” Rocco answered.

The nurse helped Dari back on the cot. Rocco handed the nurse the t-shirt he had so Dari could put on. She helped slip it over Dari’s head and settle it at her waist. She covered Dari up with a sheet. She wanted to turn Dari so she could complete the exam without the SEALs seeing, but Dari whimpered with her back to them.

“Her body isn't ready for this,” Gumby muttered stepping forward, Phantom filling his space. “This isn’t gonna be awesome,” Gumby looked at Dari.

“I'll hold your hand, if it's ok,” Dari answered. Rocco and Phantom coughed on their laugh.

Gumby took her small hand into his, “What about my accent?”

Dari shifted. “I need you to stay still,” the nurse said from the girl's feet.

“It hurts,” Dari said looking up at Gumby, but she didn’t move again. Phantom’s jaw ticked; Dari’s eyes met his again. She squeezed Gumby's hand without any other indication of discomfort, as the nurse continued.

“My accent, little one?” Dari shook her head. He flipped the two off behind him when he heard them stifling laughter again. “What was wrong with it?”

Dari said, “bakhAna ghwaru." He tried to repeat it. She said it phonetically, he repeated slowly. She nodded.

The nurse replaced the sheet, bagged the specimens, “we're all done. Dari, you were really brave.” She turned to Rocco, “we'll have results tomorrow.” Rocco nodded.

Gumby helped Dari sit up, “it feels gooey.” Phantom handed Gumby a towel.

Gumby handed it to Dari, “wipe it off as best you can. We'll get showers next.” Rocco held on to the shorts, the shirt would be long enough to cover her up until after she could shower. Gumby helped her down, she hesitated, “what's wrong?”

“Your friends?”

“We'll visit as soon as you get a shower, ok?” She walked slowly, her hand just touching Gumby's leg, most wouldn't notice anything, but the pace Gumby was keeping. Phantom walked ahead of them to make sure the path was clear for her. Rocco went to check on Bubba and his injured teammates.

Gumby and Phantomgot Dari into the shower house. Dari used what she could find, some mix of Rex and Bubba's soap and shampoo. She was so sore, glad she wasn't bleeding anymore. She knew she wasn't ready for what had happened. It had hurt so badly. The bruises they saw were nothing compared to what she felt like inside. She finished, got dressed in the shirt and shorts Gumby had left for her. She stepped out of the shower section, into the dressing area, only saw Phantom. “Gumby’s showering. I won’t touch you, you're safe with me.” Dari slowly stepped toward Phantom, he froze unsure.

“They're too big,” Dari was holding the shorts at the waistband.

He knelt to her, “there should be a drawstring.” Carefully, without touching her he found it in the fistful of material she was holding out. He put a slip knot in it, pulling it as tight as he could, the shorts caught just under her hip bones. She tucked Ace’s t-shirt into the shorts, it was long enough to cover the shorts entirely otherwise. “Do you need some sandals,” like he just realized she had been barefoot this entire time.

She put her hands on either side of his face, he barely caught himself from pulling away from her touch. “You hurt too.”

“I’m fine, Dari. I’m trained for what they did to me. You were innocent.”

“You must have been once.”

Phantom covered her hands, taking them off his face, looking up seeing Gumby in the doorway. He looked back down into grey eyes that mirrored his, “I'll hold your hand, if that’s ok?” Phantom stood, taking her proffered hand. Gumby smiled at his teammate as he passed him to head back to the hospital.

Phantom and Gumbyspelled Rocco so he could shower. Rocco came back, Dari was asleep in Gumby’s lap. Phantom wasstanding against the wall, waiting with his usual scowl. “They're awake,” the nurse said as she exited Rex's room. Phantom went into Ace's room, Rocco into Rex's. Rocco yelled, Dari startled awake, Gumby stood as a nurse and doctor came down the hall. They all stepped into Rex's room. “I sat down, he passed out,” Rocco replayed.

The doctor grabbed his chart, reviewing notes, the nurse checked the bandage. “Get some fresh labs,” the doctor directed. The doctor looked at Rocco, “it’s probably an infection, we'll start some antibiotics. Once the IV dosage is in you all can look at transport out of here.”

Dari was frozen, watching wide eyed at the scene, sensing angst; her fist in her mouth. Rocco met Gumby's gaze and motioned at Dari. Gumby turned snagged her up, “Let’s go get some breakfast and talk to Tex."

They raninto Phantom as he came out of Ace's room. “Talk to Tex?” Gumby led the three through the mess line. The two imposing SEALs brought a lot of attention and space. Gumby pushed his tray and pulled Dari's tray as she walked behind him, Phantom bringing up the rear. Dari kept getting side tracked with the bustle and eyes pointed in their direction. Phantom waited patiently listening to Gumby order, “Eggs, bacon, pancakes. That is for her. I need a four-egg omelet, bacon...”

“Dari,” Phantom leaned down, she jumped and started moving. Phantom ordered as Gumby stepped off with his and Dari's trays. Dari sat down next to Gumby, scooting into his side when eyes kept looking over. Phantom sat down on her left side, “Eat.”

Rocco and Bubba joined them, sitting down facing Dari, “IV is running. I can’t believe he didn't say anything.” They shoveled food, clearing their plates quickly out of habit. “Dari,” Roccostarted, “we're gonna call a friend named Tex. He’s gonna help us find your home. All you need to do is answer his questions the best you can, ok? Are you not hungry?” Dari had eaten a fraction of the eggs.

“What did I miss?” Gumby asked her.

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