Maggie gave Macy a wary look as her as Mel took their bags to the front door. They had organised a very belated Christmas with their father which would also double as a fact finding mission to discover as much about their late mother as they could.

Maggie had invited her, and Macy had quickly declined. She wasn't a part of that world. She knew that. That was a whole other world that she didn't belong to and there was no point trying to pretend like she did.

"Are you sure?" Maggie asked again, while Macy looked towards Mel and the uber driver struggling with the first of Maggie's many suitcases. Maggie apparently was not a light traveller.

Macy nodded, "Go, have fun. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure you don't want me to call Ha-"

"I'll be fine," Macy insisted, cutting her sister off before she had chance to say their whitelighter's name.

Despite his insistence that he would only appear if ' summoned ' he seemed to have loosened his interpretation of this since returning from Tartarus. Even with his name as a hushed whisper he would materialise out of nowhere, which had already created some awkward situations.

Maggie furrowed her eyebrows, clearly unhappy with her sister's decision. Mel came back into the house and Macy thanked the heavens for the interruption before Maggie could ask any further questions.

"God, Maggie, next time I am putting a one travel bag limit on you," she rested her hand against her forehead, "You ready to go?"

"Yep, are you sure Macy?" Maggie turned her attention to her again, and Macy let out a sigh.

"I am sure Maggie." Macy clenched her teeth and she could see Mel stifle a giggle, all to aware of how persistent Maggie could be.

Macy was looking forward to having some time on her own, to focus on her reading, maybe to clock into some extra hours at the lab. While avoiding Galvin who, since Charity had wiped his memories, had a renewed interest in their relationship.

It seemed of late that there was a new demon hunting them every week and the last battle had taken it out of her. She was growing more confident in her powers, in her strength, but they took their toll.

And then Harry had done it again.

The way he had jumped out in front of the orb of energy that the demon had hurled at her. No thought for his own safety. It was becoming a habit, him risking his life for them, for her and she was not a fan. Everytime he would risk his life to protect his wards, the thought that she may lose him again, that he might not come back this time, plagued her thoughts.

She hadn't slept in the weeks that followed his descent into Tartarus. When he returned she had wrapped her arms around him and squeezed so hard he began to complain about a lack of air.

She had grown fond of him, and the absence of their whitelighter had only made her fondness grow.

"If you need us, call." Mel reassured Macy, looping her arm around Maggie to pull her away, "We will be back in two days."

"I'll be fine." Macy repeated again as much for her own benefit as theirs, as she looked around the now empty house.

She could feel it.

The heat from the pit below, thousands of trapped souls crying out for help. The fumes from below stun her eyes as she strived to keep them open.

She held on, the staff in her hand, keeping her steady, keeping her anchored to this world.

Her other hand wrapped around his. Feeling his fingers start to slip away, her grip failing.

"You need to let go Macy." She shook her head furiously, as tears began to cloud her vision. She couldn't do it. Not again. She tried to pull him up again, but her grip on the staff faltered and she slipped closer to the edge herself.

"I can't, Harry, please," she cried. Desperately trying to summon the power within her, which only slipped further away from her the further she reached.

"Let go," he told her again, as his fingers fell further from her grip. She dropped the staff, falling forward herself, as she grasped his hand with both of hers.

The heat hit her in the face and she closed her eyes against it. She needed to hold on.

"Let go," he shouted again, louder this time and Macy could feel her hands letting go, against her own will, and the last fleeting touch of his hand as he fell.

"Harry!" She screamed as he fell from her sight, her lungs stinging from from the air surrounding her.

She bolted upright in bed, her throat hoarse as the scream left her lips. Her pulse raced and blood thundered in her ears.

Arms wrapped around her, and she allowed herself to fall into them. There was comfort there, a scent that was familiar and the softness of cotton felt good against her bare clammy skin.

"I've got you, Macy," Harry murmured into her hair, as he slowly rocked her back and forth, "I've got you."

She buried her face into his chest, he was here, he was okay. She was safe. They both were. She needed to feel his body under her fingers. Needed to know that he wasn't going to disappear on her again.

His hand ran over her hair, a gentle shushing sound reached her ears as the memories of the nightmare began to fade at the edges and she was in her room again.

"Harry," she sobbed into his shirt. "I thought I lost you."

"I'm here." His arms squeezed tighter around her. "You can't get rid of me that easily." His chuckle was soft and warm and Macy let it wash over her.

Her body relaxed into his, as she allowed her head to rest against his chest. The sound of his heartbeat against her ear was almost enough to lull her back to sleep. She closed her eyes and let her head rise and fall with his breathing.

"I'm so tired." She could feel sleep just beyond her reach and wanted desperately for it to take her. She was exhausted with worry, with the constant threat against her and the ones she loved. But this, wrapped in Harry's arms, she let the tension leave her body.

"Perhaps, I should go." Harry said as his body shifted underneath her, jolting her back into the present, the promise of sleep escaping her again.

"Could you stay?" Her eyes kept their focus on his chest as she asked. Not daring to see the reaction in his eyes, just in case.

"Of course, I will make myself at home in the spare room again," he said and Macy could hear the smile in his voice.

"You could you stay here." She didn't want him to leave, not yet.

When he was silent, she shifted her body so that she could meet his eyes, "Please."

His throat bobbed as he gave a quick nod and Macy allowed herself to relax on him once again.

"I'm sorry for waking you Harry," she whispered as her head rested on him, her arm draped over him. Surprised by just how natural it felt.

"You don't need to apologize Macy. I'm glad you called-" he shifted on the bed underneath her, "I mean-"

"I know," she yawned as she began to feel her lids grow heavier and the world of sleep begging to take her again. "But, thank you."

"You're welcome."