She was a guest in her own body. There was no better way to describe her strange disconnect from the world around her, even as the sensory bombardment continued. Things were happening; she was being touched, moved, and held. Something happened with her arm; the moment of clarity that came with pain was lost to a muddled fog. Her wrist was so far from her heart and farther from her brain. Everything seemed to take too long to receive and interpret. When she opened her eyes again, she was cradled in Samuel's lap with no idea how she got there, his hand warm on her throat. A flicker of warning came with the gesture. She was vulnerable, unable to defend herself should the need arise. The sensation of helplessness bubbled up, and wrong and fear were the messages trying to reach her limbs to mount some response. The beginnings of panic fizzled out as her brain registered Samuel.
"We're all mad. And you started it." She took his laughter as a reward, even as she regretted how it jarred her body. It was worth it, to hear his laughter, to feel this close. She welcomed his kisses, the ghost of them leaving fleeting warmth where tears and blood loss brought a chill. She made some noncommittal sound at his urging to stay awake, a slight pout forming. It seemed he was asking more of her now than when she took the blade. He was here, and he was holding her; couldn't he just let her rest? But she wouldn't leave him here alone; the thought became a focus point. She needed to stay awake; she wouldn't abandon him here. That seemed very, very important.
She did as she was told, not by choice but out of necessity. Moving sounded like a ridiculous idea. So she watched him. It felt like a memory more than a discovery, but as she watched his face, she let her mind puzzle through what it observed. "I worried you," The understanding fluttered in her chest, the mate to something that stood by, waiting for her to label it properly.
"We're all mad. And you started it." She took his laughter as a reward, even as she regretted how it jarred her body. It was worth it, to hear his laughter, to feel this close. She welcomed his kisses, the ghost of them leaving fleeting warmth where tears and blood loss brought a chill. She made some noncommittal sound at his urging to stay awake, a slight pout forming. It seemed he was asking more of her now than when she took the blade. He was here, and he was holding her; couldn't he just let her rest? But she wouldn't leave him here alone; the thought became a focus point. She needed to stay awake; she wouldn't abandon him here. That seemed very, very important.
She did as she was told, not by choice but out of necessity. Moving sounded like a ridiculous idea. So she watched him. It felt like a memory more than a discovery, but as she watched his face, she let her mind puzzle through what it observed. "I worried you," The understanding fluttered in her chest, the mate to something that stood by, waiting for her to label it properly.
![[Image: Bka0H0x.jpeg]](https://i.imgur.com/Bka0H0x.jpeg)