This story contains major spoilers for Shades of Earth.

Disclaimer: None of the books belong to me. Well, I bought them, but I didn't write them.

Amy

As Elder sits before Doc in the makeshift infirmary, I continue holding his hand, reassuring him. I've lost track of how long it's been since his crash landing here, but I'm still reminded of it every single day, every time I glance at the healing cut on his head or the new splint that had been added as soon as he was brought back to the colony. The sling that had cradled his broken arm had been removed just a few days ago, having healed quicker due to the fact that it was only a minor injury. Today, however, is the day that Doc had told Elder that he would be able to remove his leg splint.

Now, as we sit in the infirmary and wait for Doc, Elder squeezes my hand to make sure I know that he's okay. Soon enough, Doc enters the room, accompanied by Bartie. As much as Doc has helped us, he's still a prisoner, serving his sentence for nearly destroying Godspeed. For this reason, I still can't trust him, no matter how much he tries to help us. All I see is the monster who nearly blew us out of the sky.

Bartie and Doc smile at us as they enter. By this point I think they've gotten used to my new blue eyes. They must have realized that I haven't changed too much, not really. Doc sits down beside Elder, "Hello again," he says. "Let's take a look." Gently, he feels around on Elder's leg, waiting for a reaction. The past few times that I've gone with Elder to one of these appointments I've watched him cringe in pain, but not this time. His face is static. Finally, Doc looks up at Elder and says, "Just as I expected, your leg is perfectly fine now," then, turning back to the splint, "so let's get this off." Carefully, he works to undo the fasteners that held the splint in place. I feel Elder squeeze my hand once more, but he remains silent. Finally, Doc removes the splint.

"Can I walk normally now?" Elder asks, eagerness in his voice.

Doc smiles at him. He may be a murderer, but he doesn't seem anywhere near dangerous now. "You should be able to. Still, it would probably be best if you had someone to help you. Just until you get the hang of it again, that is." His eye flick to me, and I nod.

"Don't worry," I say. "I'll take care of everything."

Doc glances at Elder, who nods in agreement. "Well okay then," he says as he gets up and helps Elder to his feet, "I guess my work here is done." I get to my feet too and offer my arm as Doc holds Elder until he latches on to me.

"Thanks, Doc," Elder mumbles. I know he is trying to put on a brave face, but I can tell that he isn't totally free of pain.

I help him outside, where we are alone, before asking, "So where do you want to go?"

He smiles stupidly and answers, "Well, I was thinking we could take a long walk in the forest before doing a little mountain climbing."

I roll my eyes and nudge him softly in the side, causing him to laugh. "Okay, okay. How about I just take you to your room?"

"Sounds great," he answers. With difficulty, I manage to help him up the stairs to his small room of a home. I know the way very well by now, because since my parents—I cringe just slightly—died, I've spent many nights in Elder's room. What can I say? It can get lonely at night when you're the only one in your little hut. I suppose Elder knows this just as well as I do.

After a considerable amount of effort, though, we manage to make it to his room. Carefully, I lower him onto my old sleeping bag that I had long since decided to keep in his room. There is a cube of solar glass sitting on the windowsill, and as dusk begins to approach, the light inside it is slowly growing brighter.

I now move so that I can sit next to Elder on the sleeping bag. He is positioned so that his back is against the wall, his bad leg sticking straight out. Gently, he lifts it and tries to bend it, just as Doc had told him he would need to when we checked with him a few days before. He is able to bend it, but only slightly.

I'm not sure what to say. "Does it hurt?" I ask.

"No, not anymore," he answers, but I can tell from the look on his face that he is lying.

I want to reach out to him, to make the pain go away, but I know I can't. So instead, I slowly lean in to place a gentle kiss on his lips. I start to pull back, but his hand stops me. He cups it around the side of my face and uses his thumb to brush a stray strand of hair from my face. "Don't worry about me," he whispers. "I'm always fine."

As he says these words, I can't help but remember the flash in the sky, the days I spent thinking he was dead, and finally, the crashed shuttle in the forest. But he was right. He was fine. And he came back, just as he promised he would. I can't help it this time; I all but smash my lips against his, grabbing the back of his neck and holding his face to mine.

He doesn't pull back. Rather, he sighs and leans into me, seeming to forget all about his injury for the moment. His hand slides from the side of my face to trail down my side and finally rest on my hip. My thoughts blur before he finally breaks off, looking almost pained as he does so. I remember his leg. "Oh, I'm sorry!" I start, but this doesn't seem to be his concern.

"No, no!" he says. "It's not that. It's just…" he clears his throat, "…just not tonight. My leg will be healed in a couple weeks." His face is red and flushed, and he looks embarrassed to be saying this at all.

I smile slightly and nod in agreement. "Yeah, I understand," I say. "That's completely fine."

He smiles back at me before leaning in for a final peck on my lips. "Just for good measure," he explains. Now he eases his way into the sleeping bag, drawing me down with him.

I smile as he pulls the side of the sleeping bag up to cover us. Sighing in contentment, I bury my face in his shirt, allowing his strong arms to hold me there, safe. We have come nowhere near discovering all the dangers that this planet holds, but right now that doesn't matter. Right now, I am protected, and for this moment, that is more than good enough for me.

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