Ash lays me down at the base of the tree, concern filling his silver eyes. I shut my own eyes, blocking him out. I don't have enough energy to tell him to leave and finish what I started. Besides, it's comforting, knowing he's next to me. I concentrate on the power swirling inside of me, drawing it close for a second before releasing it in a tidal wave of power into the ground. I let out a sigh of relief as the power that has caused me so much grief is finally released. I can feel Ash grip my hand but it feels far away now.

"Meghan." It's like I'm underwater, every sensation has been dulled. I feel my shoulders shake and my name called again, desperation creeping into Ash's voice. Which isn't right. Ash is always in control – he always knows what to do. I try to resurface from the hole I'm falling down; to reassure him I'm all right but I can't. The darkness is too comfortable and it doesn't matter how hard my knight shakes me, I'm not sure I want to wake up any more.

Annoyingly, my knight has other ideas. He must have moved me because I'm rudely jerked out of the peaceful oblivion I desperately want to sink in to. A groan must escape my lips because I distantly hear Ash say,

"I know Meghan, I know. Just hold on a little longer. We're almost there." Hearing the emotion in my usually cold, stoic faery boyfriend pushes me a little further to the surface. I have to try – he didn't give in when a metal bug was killing him slowly from the inside. I owe it to him to try.

Yeah. Not giving up sounds so good in theory but it's a lot harder when it's put into practice. I've always known that Ash is strong but this proves it. I last maybe a couple of minutes before I come to the conclusion that Ash was lying when he said 'it wasn't far' and, finally, drift off into the oblivion wrapped in his arms, knowing he will never let me go. Strangely, that's all I need to know – that I won't be completely forgotten.

"Dammit Meghan – don't you dare give up on me now!" A voice growls from above me. Why won't these people leave me alone? I was perfectly happy drifting in the darkness until something started pounding on my chest. Something grips my hand tightly, anchoring me temporarily to this world.

"Please Meghan. Fight for me. Please don't leave me now Meghan. Please." Something wet drops onto my cheek as I struggle to connect the voice to a face. It's not until cool lips brush mine that I realise who it is. My knight. My beautiful, brave, fearless knight who will not give up on me no matter what. Fire races through my body and my heart starts to beat faster.

"It's working ice boy! It's working!" Both my hands are now gripped tightly – one in a cool hand, the other warm – and it gives me the strength I need to fight a little longer. After all – I'm Meghan Chase. As both Machina and Ferrum have found out - I don't give up easily.

When I finally peel my eyes open, the first thing I notice is I'm hot. Really hot. I groan with the effort of moving my arm from under the thick blankets to push them off. I hear the tent flap open rather than see it.

"Meghan?" Ash asks quietly. It takes me a moment to place the emotion in his voice. Resignation. I've obviously groaned a lot whilst I was unconscious – I hate that he's had to sit through that.

"Ash." I manage to croak weakly. I turn my head in the general direction of his voice, trying to see his silver eyes in the dim light.

"Meghan!" Suddenly, he's right beside me, brushing my hair back off my face tenderly, the resignation in his voice gone.

"How are you feeling?" He asks, his eyes never leaving mine. I push at the top blanket feebly.

"Hot...Thirsty." I manage to say before giving up with speech altogether. I'm sure it didn't used to hurt so much. That's all Ash needs though. Almost immediately, a huge weight is lifted off my body as what feels like a hundred wool blankets drop to the ground with a thud. He reaches behind him and picks up a small pitcher of water and gently helps me up a little so I can drink. I gulp the cool water down greedily until all the water is gone.

"Better?" He asks when I'd finished. I nod weakly and he gives me a small smile in return. He lays me back down and puts the pitcher down again before facing me once more. I steel myself for what's coming next.

"What were you thinking Meghan?" He asks, lacing his fingers through mine. I don't answer for a minute because I'm not completely sure he wants an answer.

"I wasn't." I murmur after a while. It's true – I wasn't thinking of what it would do to Ash, watching me give my life to save him, or to watch as I just gave up on life itself; content to leave him again. I didn't think about how that would make him feel. I can blame it on the pain but we both knew the real reason – for a short time, I'd lost the will to fight any more. It didn't even matter to me that Ash was hurting. That if I died it would not only destroy Ash and Puck, but Ethan and Mom and even Luke as well. I'd forgotten all of that and I can't ever make that up to Ash. Tears spill over my cheeks against my will and I turn away so Ash can't see.

"Meghan? Meghan look at me." A pause before a cool finger hooks under my chin and gently turns my head back to look at him. "Why are you crying? Are you in pain?"

"No." I sniff, trying to turn away again but Ash is expecting it this time and stops me.

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because I'm an awful person." Ash raises an eyebrow in confusion. "I was ready to leave you Ash. I was completely ready to die even though I knew how much it would upset you. Even though I'd sworn never to cause you that much harm deliberately. I still did it Ash." I was bordering on becoming hysterical by now but I couldn't stop.

"I'm an awful, awful person for doing that Ash and I don't even know how you can be in the same room as me after what I almost did." He shifts and in one smooth move I'm lying on his chest with his arms wrapped tightly around me. I consider trying to pull away but his arms are like vices so I give in and nestle my head into his chest.

"Meghan, how you can even entertain the idea that you are an awful person is beyond me. Of course you were ready to go Meghan. Don't you remember, when you found me at your home under Virus' control, how I was ready to go? How I was ready to leave you? I have hurt you more times than I can count Meghan, yet you're still here. By some miracle I still have you. All you needed was hope Meghan – hope that the real world, is better than the darkness. That's what you gave me all those weeks ago." He kisses my hair. "I don't blame you Meghan. I'm just glad that you came back, that you decided to fight once more." I sniffle and look up at him.

"Really?" He smiles down at me.

"I don't think you realise Meghan Chase – I will not let you go, not after everything we've been through. I'm afraid you're stuck with me for a long time." I smile in the darkness, shifting slightly in his arms to try and ease the throbbing in my side.

"Forever and ever and ever?" I mumble through a yawn, knowing I sound like Ethan but I really don't care. Ash chuckles and kisses me once more.

"That sounds exactly right to me." And with that, I drift off once more, safe in the knowledge that the future I've been dreaming of since I first set eyes on Ash in the Wyldwood all those months ago, is finally coming true.

Helloo - so I said that this story wouldn't be up for a little while but I've got most of it written so why not? So, this story is a little weird in terms of setting. In my mind, Glitch has taken over as ruler of the Iron Fey so Meghan and Ash are still together and he doesn't go on his quest to find a soul. Rowan is still alive (but that will be explained in the next few chapters) and, I think that's it. If you're confused about something, please ask me!

I love love love the Iron Fey series - I don't think I've ever deliberated so much over Team Ash or Team Puck (Ash won - just) and I'm so exicted to hear what you guys think of the new story! Oh - and I don't own the Iron Fey, though I reallllllyyy wish I did! Enjoy guys xxx