"My... Arm..." he began weakly, but couldn't find the strength to continue. He closed his eyes and let his hand be held tightly by Connor's. It felt unbelievably good to be able to feel him again, and he grinned slightly. "So good... See you..." He tried to stay awake, but his body was just too tired. He fell back into a deep sleep, plagued by nightmares of the battlefield.

-

It had been a few weeks since Akai had been transported to California. His parents had struggled to get there, but they finally did on a Friday. The weather was warm and sunny, which was unusual for the winter, as they landed in the airport and took the first cab they could get into.

Once at the hospital, they were led to the room where their son was sleeping. He had been awake a few times in the last few days, but he never seemed to be strong enough to hold conversations. They were briefed about his condition and warned that he was a triple amputee. When they were allowed into the room, Akai's mother ran straight to her son's bedside and sobbed, stroking his face and hugging him the best she could. His father gulped down sadness, though his eyes were tearing up at the sight of his brave boy. He noticed another man sitting on an arm chair and hugged him instead of a standard handshake.

"You must be Connor. We've heard a lot about you," he said, his voice straining to remain calm. "Thank you so much for looking after him. We had a lot of money issues, trying to get across the country."

He stood back and glanced at Akai. No legs and missing his right arm. Would he ever be able to work again? Walk? Play? Swim? He bit back a sob. "M'name's Fred. This here is Sasha, we're his parents."

At the mention of her name, Sasha looked over to Connor and smiled weakly. "You do good. We so thankful. So thankful you save Akai."