When I awake, I am comfortably warm. My stomach still throbs, and I'm so stiff, I feel like an invalid, but I'm safe, and Jakob's safe, and that's all that matters.

I open my eyes cautiously. Jakob's arm is still looped over me. His breath warms my neck, and I smile, the memories of earlier drifting pleasantly through my mind. It wasn't exactly how I had imagined telling him how I feel… but it was perfect nonetheless. I want to let him rest for as long as he can, but I also wish he were awake now so I could hold him and tell him how much he means to me.

Moving the least bit so as not to disturb him, I glance at the window, wondering what time it is. It's dark, but there's also the barest amount of light to see by so I'm not entirely sure if it's nightfall or early morning.

A small sound reaches my ears, and I look up. The door inches open, and Azura comes in. She sees me awake, and silently clasps her hands, relief in her eyes. I work up a smile at her. Biting her lip, she gestures at Jakob, her eyebrow raised, and I gather she's asking me if I want her to do something about him. Smiling wider, I barely shake my head no. She grins broadly back at me and nods, understanding. Giving me a small wave, she creeps out of the door, closing it quietly behind her.

That's good. She'll be sure to tell everyone that I'm ok, but that I'm not to be disturbed for a little while longer.

Jakob's hand twitches on mine, and he takes a deep breath. Shifting, he pulls from my neck, blinking slowly as he wakes up. He looks as me, and his mouth twitches. "Corrin." He says.

I smile at him. "Good morning. Or night. I'm not actually sure what time it is."

His palm touches my cheek. "Good morning," he replies, eyes memorizing my face as if this is the first time he's seen me. "Have you been awake long?"

"Only a few minutes."

"How do you feel?" His voice betrays his worry.

I look at him. "I'm fine, Jakob."

He knows me. He knows my strengths and weaknesses, my good sides and my bad. He knows my secrets and my desires. He knows the facets of me no one else in the world knows. Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself. "You're still in pain," he even sees through my lies.

I hesitate, but I can't really attempt a second falsehood. "Yes… I am, but it's… it's nothing," I try to reassure him.

"It's not nothing," he groans. "If I could, I would exchange places with you in a heartbeat if it meant I no longer had to watch you suffer.

I take a breath, ignoring the spasm of discomfort that comes with it. "Jakob, I'm not sorry for what I did. You must know that. I would do it over again every time if it meant saving your life. This pain is… It is nothing compared to what I would have been suffering if you had left me. All I'm sorry for… Is making you worry. But I'm ok. You can stop worrying because I'm ok."

His fingertips brush across my cheek. His hand slides to my neck and then slowly down my shoulder. "I'll never stop worrying about you. That's my job."

Part of me wants to me to tell him to stop it. Stop worrying because it's almost killing me as much as the arrow nearly did… But most of me just wants to curl against him and let him wrap his arms around me and protect me forever.

I should have told him sooner how much I love him.

"Do you want to eat something?" He asks me.

"…Yes," I reply. "But I want you to help me up first."

He tenses. "What?"

"I'm stiff and sore." I explain. "I have to get up."

"You haven't rested enough. You almost died."

I squeeze his hand. "Don't worry. I don't plan on going into battle today. I just need to start getting my strength back." The fear doesn't leave his eyes. "Look, I promise you I'll rest all day. I won't leave this room at all. I just need to stand up and walk around a bit."

"…Alright," he acquiesces.

Standing, he gently slides his arm under me, and with my elbows on the mattress, I push myself up into a sitting position. Dizziness hits me, and I sway, shadows crowding around the edges of my vision until the dizziness passes. Jakob steadies me, saying nothing. I slide my legs to the side of the bed. My feet touch the floor. With Jakob holding my arms, I manage to rise shakily to my feet. Instantly hit by another wave of vertigo, I clutch onto him, fighting down the rising nausea that comes with it and taking deep calming breaths.

When it finally passes, I sigh. I'm so weak. I look down at my legs and will them to move. Awkwardly one slides in front of the other, and Jakob takes a step back, still holding onto me, watching me carefully. I take another step and let out another breath. My body feels battered, a side effect of coming back from the brink of death, but at the same time, it's the nicest feeling, simply moving again.

I take another step, and stumble, catching onto Jakob's arms as he steadies me again. I look up at him, at the frown on his mouth, and I wish I could see him smile. It feels like such a long time since I saw him smile. He's always been there for me through everything, and now I want to be there for him, always. I love him so much.

I slide my hands up to his shoulders and around his neck, leaning my weight on him and forcing him to wrap his arms around me to keep me from collapsing. I gaze into his eyes, noticing a fleck of violet there I've never seen before.

I want to be close enough to him to notice it again every single day…

I rise onto my tiptoes, tilt my head, and press my lips against his. He's stiff, frozen against me, seemingly trying not to move a muscle. I breathe against his mouth and kiss him again, from a slightly different angle, my nose brushing across his cheek. A breath. And again. And I'm driving myself crazy with my achingly slow kisses, but Jakob doesn't move. I lock my arms around his neck and pull closer, kissing him a fourth time, a little harder. My teeth scrape across his lip. Shuddering under my touch, he grips me hard and finally surrenders. His arms tightening their hold, he crashes against me, eliminating any control I still had left, and I smile under him, victorious.

He kisses me passionately, his whole body trembling with longing, and he grasps me so firmly, I can barely breathe. My senses are hard pressed to download the assault… Without his support I'm certain I would slowly melt into the floor at my feet.

He breaks from my lips just when I think I might faint… and kisses my chin and leans his forehead against mine as he tries to catch his breath. His voice is rough when he speaks, "I can't resist you."

I just barely shake my head. "I don't want you to, Jakob. How can I explain? I don't want you to." My thoughts are fuzzy, and I'm finding it very difficult to think.

His lips press along my cheekbone before whispering, "I never told you, did I?"

"Tell me what?" I whisper back.

"I love you." An instant passes, and he fervently repeats, "I love you. Everything I am, everything I've been, and everything I will ever be—loves you completely."

My stomach twists, and I hide my face in his neck, and I think I might cry. I just might. His words are too perfect. I press my lips against his throat.

Fighting back the silly tears, I look into his eyes. "You did tell me, Jakob. You told me every day in all the little things you did. In the fresh flowers you put in my room. In the sugar you stirred in my tea. In the way you were always there for me, always protecting me. You told me every day in your smile. You told me every day when you looked at me. I fell in love with you while you were watching over me, and I'm just sorry, so sorry, that it took me sacrificing myself to show you I love you back, to tell you that you mean everything to me. But I won't—I won't make that mistake again. I'll tell you every day how much I love you," I rasp, my voice thick. "Because you mean more to me than life itself, and I love you. I love you so much."

He tries to speak, his mouth moves, but he just can't manage it, and he crushes me to him instead, and I pull his mouth to mine, and in seconds we've utterly lost ourselves to each other. His lips on mine, my hands buried in his tangled, white hair, his arms clutching me to him like I'm the only chance for his survival. And right now, I feel nothing in this world matters. Nothing but Jakob and me. Here in this room, the universe spinning around us and seconds passing us by and our bodies molded together, our kisses desperate… Our souls are one, and I don't think anything will ever be able to drive us apart.