As Up twisted off a robot's head, he heard a high-pitched howl rise in the air.

Taz!

He ran in the direction of the terrifying noise, hoping to dead God his Lieutenant was alive.

She's the only one I don't want to lose.

His heart was racing, and in spite of himself -and the instinct to just shut up in a place full of robots- he called out her name. His voice sounded more desperate than he had imagined.

A minute later, he found her. It might as well have been a life-time.

Taz, his precious Taz. She was lying on the ground, her white tank top now crimson. Her entire body was shaking violently as she pathetically tried applying pressure to the gaping wound on her stomach.

"Where are you hurt, Lieutenant?" his throat tightened as he knelt next to her. He remember he had to treat her like a soldier.

"Stomach, leg." she chocked out.

Up glanced at her leg. Her pants were ripped, revealing a long, deep cut on her left thigh.

He removed his shirt and wrapped it tightly around her leg. The shirt was soaked in sweat, but he couldn't think of anything else for the moment.

"I have to get you out of here. Be quiet."

"Yes, Commander." Taz managed to say between gasps, but when Up lifted her in his arms, she whimpered.

As he carried her away from the scene he felt her still-warm blood against his bare skin. He ran faster, pressing the small woman to his chest.

xxx

He pressed his thumb to the identifier at the Starship's hatch, and as soon as it opened he raced to the Sick Bay.

"I have an injured soldier!" He announced.

Not just any soldier. An injured Taz.

All the nurses and doctors were busy. A blonde nurse glanced at him as she applied a wad of cotton to an ensign's bleeding forehead.

"Sorry Commander, no one to tend to her right now. You'll have to do it yourself."

"Shit." He placed Taz on an empty stretcher and ran his bloody fingers through his hair in frustration. He shouldn't have to be in charge of the injured.

Then he saw her eyes shut tightly and her neck straining with effort. All the hesitation vanished.

He unwrapped the shirt covering the wound and ripped off the entire left leg of her pants.

Then he slid off her tank top gently, to tend to the most important wound.

Taz could lose a leg, but not her torso.

He applied pressure as he grabbed a can off a shelf nearby. He sprayed the sterilizing spray on her stomach and leg.

Taz clenched her jaw and groaned.

"C'mon Taz." he whispered, "You've been through worse things."

She almost smiled.

"I need a doctor to help me with sutures here, now!" he hollered.

"Taz, listen. I'm gonna suture your leg now, okay? I can do that, but don't scream. We have nothing to relieve the pain right now, so just endure it."

She nodded.

Up was surprised when Taz didn't make a single noise. By the time he was finished, a doctor arrive to do the stitches on her stomach.

This time, Taz did scream, but the doctor ignored her protests and finished quickly, leaving as soon as he had arrived.

"Clean the wounds again and bandage her up, Commander." he said before he left.

Up sprayed Taz again and began to gently bandage the wound on her leg.

As he wrapped the white, thick gauze around her, she stared at him tenderly.

"My blood's on you." she said softly.

"That's nice." He replied sarcastically.

"Thank you, Up."

He nodded once, dismissing the fact that she didn't refer to him as Commander.

"Done with the leg. You might need a nurse to help you with-" he trailed off, staring at her.

Taz had nothing on her upper body except her bra.

"I'll sit up." she suggested, her eyes downcast.

He shook his head, "I'll hold you up."

Up held her with one arm, and wrapped the gauze around her stomach with the other.

"There."

She lied back slowly and closed her eyes, falling asleep.

Up brushed back the hair on her face with his palm, but instead of bringing his hand back, he let it linger. He slid it down to her jaw and caressed her cheek.

"Taz." he whispered, just because he loved the way it rolled off his tongue.

Or maybe he just wanted her to wake up and feel the kiss he placed lovingly on her lips before he fell asleep on a chair beside her.