Ok, I don't know where this came from, just a short little vignette that pounced on me while I was watching the episode.

-Jewels

Disclaimer: Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict are copyright Tribune Entertainment Company and the show is produced by Roddenberry/Kirshner Productions. No profit is being made by the fanfic posted here.

Episode Addition: Live Free or Die
By Jewels

"Your ear is bleeding." Lili forced the words out in a rush, averting her gaze from Sandoval as if to give him some sense of privacy.

Sandoval reached up to his ear and felt the dampness there, when he pulled his hand away it was stained with blood. His blood.

Well, this would explain the headache.

"There's a.. uh... first aid kit in the back there." Lili turned around to look at him, shooting a glance at the agent accompanying them. The agent just looked at her blankly. Sandoval just keep dabbing at his ear.

"Take over." she ordered the agent and stood up, out of the pilot's seat, steering herself around the agent as he moved to take over her position. He didn't need to do anything, just sit there and tell her if something flashed a warning.

She moved to the back of the shuttle and pulled out the first aid kit that was kept there for emergencies. It wasn't as if she could do anything for him, but she could at least clean him up.

"You should see Doctor Belman when we're done." she told Sandoval as she pulled out a sterile wipe, handing him the first aid kit for him to hold. She unfolded it and dabbed at the blood which had started to trickle a little way down Sandoval's neck. He glanced at her, then glanced away just as quickly.

"It's your CVI, isn't it?" she muttered, too quietly to be heard by the agent now in her seat. "It's breaking down."

"Congratulations on your deduction, Captain," Sandoval snapped back. She flinched in spite of herself.

"Are you certain you can function?" she asked, knowing the answer before he told her. Sandoval would reply in the affirmative if he'd just had both his legs clawed off by a Tiger. If the Companions were at stake. Or rather, one particular one.

"Yes."

Lili hesitated, wanting to ask more of him, but then nodded and started to move away, he stopped her with a light touch on her arm.

"Thank you for your concern," he said. His words were formal, but he was sincere.

Lili managed a slight smile before moving to reclaim her seat.

-Fini