Much to her relief, there was a stir. He blinked, slowly. Like her, it took a moment for his surroundings to sink in, for him to come around. Still shivering, weak, and emotionally drained, she flung her arms around his neck.

“Thank the goddess,” she muttered, clinging to him. She felt his hands find her back, uncertainly at first. Just the lightest touch as he struggled to come fully awake. He tightened his embrace, pulling her roughly against him.

They sat there for a long moment, holding one another before Ellette recovered herself. She pushed away from him reluctantly. He caught her cheek as she did so, but she pulled away, refusing to meet his eye. He let out a sigh, and kissed her forehead, releasing her. Still shivering, she settled back down on the couch.

Rand stood, wordlessly. He turned back to her. “I’m going to my room. The heater blanket...” he said softly. It was the one reliable source of warmth in the apartment. She’d been planning on getting one for herself, but the nights hadn’t gotten cold enough to force the issue. Now with the chill of the dreamwalk still clinging to their waking bodies, the cold of the winter night dug into them deeper than the simple draft that normally drifted through the apartment.

She nodded, climbing slowly to her feet. She trailed after him reluctantly, rubbing her arms. Lingering in the doorway, she fought back the chattering of her teeth, watching him pull back the covers and flip on the switch to the blanket. It frustrated her, this forced intimacy, the awkwardness it created between them. Rand was dear to her, but friendship was all she wanted from him. It was as far as she could go, with anyone. At least, that’s what she kept telling herself. The stress of the night, her still trembling body, and the anxiety growing within her was pushing her to the verge of tears again.

Rand looked up at her, catching her expression. He took a deep breath, and pulled the cord loose from the wall, tugging the blanket off the bed.

She watched him, ready to protest, but he spoke first. “I can’t sleep anyway. Let’s go watch TV.” He walked past her to the little living room, plugging the blanket in there and settling on the couch. She hung back leaning against the door frame a moment longer, wiping at the tears that had managed to escape.

There was little to watch, so they settled on the ambiance of the barely tolerable music and flickering light of the weather feed.

“How did you do it?” Ellette finally asked, yearning to break the uncomfortable silence.

“Do what?” he asked, roused from his thoughts. He shifted on the couch, and she knew he was watching her.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

She studied the pilled texture of the blanket, pulling it down from her face to clarify. “You were nearly dead in that water, or so I thought... and then you came back. Where did you find the strength?” She’d been wondering that and more since they’d come back, since the relief of knowing they were both safe had worn off.

“Oh.” His voice was a sigh, hesitant. She waited, and he eventually spoke again. “When you took the boy from me, when you’d managed to get to shore, I gave up. I wanted him safe, that was all that motivated me,” he explained haltingly.

She glanced up at him then, surprised by this revelation. The Rand she knew was strong, not one to give up, not anymore. His expression was hard, his brow furrowed as he struggled with whatever internal battle was raging within him.

He continued, “When you slapped me, the pain of it brought me around. But it was your words that brought me the strength. You said he would die on the shore. He needed me.” He paused turning to her. “You needed me.” Their eyes met, and she held his gaze for a long moment before crumbling under the intensity of it. She pulled the blanket up over her nose once more, pondering. It was strange, this dreamwalk. Had it been for him all along? Was it something he’d needed to do?

“Rand...” she managed after a moment of thought. “I think, somehow, this dreamwalk was for you. It was something you needed to do, to finish.”

He nodded solemnly, and there was a catch in his voice when he finally spoke. “Rescuing that boy...” he sighed and tried again. “I had a little boy.”

Her head jerked up at the confession, and she stared at him, struck by the pain in that confession. Though she yearned to ask, she didn’t dare. It was his confession to give if he was willing.

“I always blamed myself.” He choked out, blinking determinedly. Ellette slipped her hand under the blankets to find his. He gave it a gentle squeeze and smiled sadly at her. “Saving that boy... I know I saved someone else that pain.” He said softly. “It was closure, of a sort.”

She nodded, having no words to console him. The TV came to life, then, breaking the silence as the early morning newscast came on.

“Breaking news. A mystery couple saved a child from drowning in the early morning hours. Stay tuned for more.”

Rand burst into laughter, and Ellette stared at him, startled by the outburst. “What’s so funny?” She asked hesitantly.

“Did we lose a day? It doesn’t make sense!”

She smiled, relieved at the turn from a somber mood to his usual good cheer. “I don’t know!” She laughed. “I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough. Does it matter?”

He shook his head. “No...” His grip on her hand tightened, and he pulled her to him. Gathering her into a tight hug, she sat stiffly in his embrace. “Thank you, Ellette. For today, for everything.”

She nodded, speechless. What this walk had meant to him, she couldn’t possibly understand. Her life experiences, her past was so vastly different than his. Yet, she was glad for the healing it had provided him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, softening to the comfort of his embrace. “It wasn’t me...” she whispered. “You’re the one who found the strength.”