Finally Awake

Orion’s arms tightened around Sophia as she clung to him, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. He rubbed his hand slowly down her back, the motion soothing and familiar.

“It’s alright,” he murmured against her hair. “I’m okay. I’m right here.”

Sophia shook her head against his chest, her fingers digging into his tunic.

“Don’t tell me you’re okay,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I was scared for you. I was so scared.”

Orion pulled back just enough to look at her, his thumb brushing away the tears that streaked her cheeks.

“If I don’t tell you I’m okay,” he asked softly, “then what exactly should I tell you?”

Sophia hit him lightly on the chest, the blow carrying no strength behind it. It was little more than a protest born from relief, and it made Orion chuckle.

“I’m alright now,” he said gently. “Really. You shouldn’t be sad anymore.”

He wiped the tears from her eyes with careful fingers before smiling at her.

“Take a good look at me.”

Sophia sniffled as she did exactly that.

She looked at his face.

His eyes.

His smile.

The familiar warmth within them that she had feared she might never see again.

He smiled a little wider.

“See? I’m really okay.”

She nodded, though another tear escaped despite her efforts.

“Don’t scare me like that again.”

Orion’s expression softened immediately.

“I’ll try my best,” he promised. “I can’t say it will never happen again, but I’ll do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t.”

Sophia nodded again.

His hand slowly found her hair, his fingers running gently through the white strands that had now reclaimed their rightful place.

“It’s beautiful,” he said quietly.

A faint smile appeared on Sophia’s face.

“Olga and the others helped me.”

“I should thank them then.”

“Why?” she asked him. “I’m the one they helped…”

“They helped me too, shorty, by helping you,” he told her softly. “I hope it remains this way forever.”

“I hope so too,” Sophia told him. Then she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tighter as though afraid he might disappear if she loosened her grip.

“I missed you.”

Orion hugged her just as tightly before laughing softly.

“Well… I am worth missing after all.”

Sophia couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped her.

It was watery and broken from all the crying, but it was still a laugh.

“There you are,” Orion said with satisfaction. “That’s much better.”

He brushed away the fresh tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

“Stop crying now, shorty. It really doesn’t suit you.”

Sophia rolled her eyes at that.

“Thank you,” she said.

“What are you thanking me for?”

“For helping me… for everything. It’s because of me you were un…”

Orion silenced her with a kiss.

“Don’t thank me, shorty. If I were in your position, you’d do the exact same thing for me.”

“But you helped me…”

“I helped us. It’s me and you. It’s everyone, and if I’m helping myself, then I see no need for thanks,” he told her.

Sophia scrunched up her face in thought.

“I really want to say that makes no sense, but in some way it does.”

“I can be smart too, shorty,” he told her with a laugh.

“Oaf,” she muttered quietly. “I really missed you.”

“Even unconscious, I fucking missed you too,” Orion told her.

“And um…” he added, “I’m worth missing.”

Sophia chuckled.

“You really are an oaf,” she said to him.

“Your oaf,” Orion told her.

They chuckled, and for a while, neither of them spoke again.

They simply stayed together.

Orion slowly shifted further back against the bed before gently pulling Sophia up beside him. She didn’t resist. She settled comfortably against him, resting her head on his shoulder while his arm remained wrapped securely around her.

After several quiet minutes, Sophia carefully tried to move.

“I should go and get Lysander.”

Orion tightened his hold immediately.

“No.”

She looked up at him.

“He should know you’re awake.”

“I’m sure he already knows. Just stay with me, shorty,” he said to her.

She sighed dramatically before relaxing once more against him.

“Fine.”

“That’s better.”

He rested his chin lightly against the top of her head.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

Orion closed his eyes briefly before sighing.

“The disturbances have arrived.”

Lysander opened the door and walked in, his gaze settling on Orion.

“While I’m glad you’re okay, brother, perhaps you should get your facts straight. I’m a disturbance because I’m trying to help you.”

“At least you admit it,” Orion muttered.

Tobias entered the room then, with Ronan following closely behind him.

Raina rested comfortably in Tobias’ arms, perfectly content in his hold.

Brynhild entered just after them.

The moment Sophia saw the little girl, her face immediately brightened.

She held both hands out toward Tobias.

“Give her to me.”

Tobias took a deliberate step backwards.

“No,” he said softly. “She only just fell asleep, and besides, you can just make your own. Why do you want my niece?”

The room was silent, and then Orion spoke up.

“Has anyone noticed that Tobias is becoming a bit too talkative?”

“That’s the exact same thing I told Brynhild just yesterday,” Ronan said with a nod.

“Oh fuck…”

“Tobias!” Brynhild said sternly. “If none of you watches your tongue around my daughter, then I’ll stop letting you all around her. I’m not letting her first word be ’fuck.’”

Ronan cleared his throat then, coughing into his hands.

“You just said it though,” he muttered, but everyone heard him.

Lysander immediately hit him on the head.

“Well, back to Tobias,” Lysander said, ignoring Ronan’s glare. “He’s always been talkative around us.”

“Try being brothers with Ronan and see if you wouldn’t talk a lot,” Tobias said.

“I don’t talk a lot,” Lysander said.

“Because you have an image to maintain. The grumpy healer,” Ronan said.

“My husband…” Brynhild began, then stopped. “…well, he’s a bit grumpy.”

Everyone immediately chuckled at that.

Sophia approached Tobias then and stretched out her hands.

Tobias sighed.

“You are being a big bully,” he said softly, but he extended Raina to Sophia.

The baby didn’t even stir. She settled against Sophia’s hold too, sleeping peacefully.