Henrik sighed with pleasure as he looked out over the ward. He and Sacha had managed to get all their patients settled and comfortable before lunchtime, and their food was on its way. Even Essie was being a little less underfoot than she had been lately, which was a small miracle unto itself. The only thing that could make the holiday even better was something that could never happen, and he closed his eyes a little as he tried to think about the future without the love of his life.
"I think the food has arrived, Henrik."
He looked over at Sacha, seeing the merry twinkle in his eyes that had been absent as of late, and nodded a little. "Are we eating in the break room?"
"That's where Essie has everything set up, yes." Sacha clapped him on his shoulder before brushing past him and heading over to the staff room. It took a moment before Henrik followed after him, and he smiled at the nurses and porters he passed as he went along. Slipping into the room, he took a quick look around, noticing the table set for four, the bottle of sparkling grape juice, and the now too happy grin on Sacha's face.
"Is Beka going to join us then, after all?" he slowly asked, trying to get his bearings beneath him once more, the idea of another person joining in the festivities throwing off his equilibrium a little. Sacha shook his head in response to that, causing Henrik's slight smile to slip from his lips as he looked around once more. "Then what's going on?"
"I don't exactly know myself, Henrik, other than Essie told me that you would be happy to receive this gift and most likely furious at her." He nodded a little as he sank down into a seat, his mind whirling around with who Essie could possibly be bringing to the Christmas table, since there wasn't anyone alive that would make him happy and mad. It was a mystery, and he wondered what that would mean for him. Sacha took a seat across from him, picking up the bottle of bubbly and pouring them each a glass while they waited.
The door swung open just as he was setting the bottle down on the table, and both their eyes were drawn towards it. A soft gasp slipped out of his mouth when he saw the slim figure standing almost unsteadily behind Essie, an uncertain smile on her lips. Pushing away from the table, Henrik hastily got to his feet, even as he vaguely heard Sacha start to interrogate Essie, sounding none too pleased with the surprise that had been foisted off on them.
He came to a stop in front of her, reaching a hand out to touch her shoulder, as if to prove to himself that she was really there, that she wasn't a figment, a case of folie a deux, and she smiled a little wider as she covered his hand with hers, pressing it a little more firmly to her shoulder. "Please, don't be upset with Essie. I wanted to come home a lot sooner, but my progress was stymied by how long the clip was in place in my brain. And I wanted to be all right for you."
Henrik nodded as he tugged Roxanna close to his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug as she rested her head on him. "I would have taken you any way that you were, darling," he whispered as he cradled her head, dislodging the hat she wore. Her hair was shorter than he remembered, but that was to be expected, since she had probably shaved it all off so that it would grow back evenly after her brain surgeries. "But this is a perfect Christmas gift, isn't it?"
She gave a jerky nod before burrowing a little closer to him, pushing him inside the room before closing the door with her foot. "I wanted to tell you, so many times, but it never seemed like the right time, and then Essie mentioned that you and Sacha were going to be here for Christmas, and what better place than to be a living miracle than here?"
"Yes," he replied, clearing his throat of the large lump that was forming. Stepping away from Roxanna, he ran his hand beneath eyes and then took hold of her hand, guiding her over to the table. Sacha was waiting there expectantly, and Henrik watched as he enveloped Roxanna in a loving hug, kissing the side of her head before pulling out a chair for her and stepping aside. The grin that was on his face caused Henrik to smile back just as wide in response, and then they were embracing, too, as if the joy that Roxanna's reappearance had brought was spilling over to them all.
"We're not going to interrupt things here, but we had to lead the delivery man over. It is very good to see a familiar face." Henrik looked to see Dom and Lofty in the doorway, each carrying a covered plate. They served Sacha and Essie first, and it didn't surprise Henrik at all when Lofty paused in front of Roxanna, just looking at her, tears in his eyes. She reached up with one hand to him, wrapping it around his forearm and tugging him down until he was crouching before her, and then she was cupping his face with her hand.
"Essie told me that you finally got married. I wish I had been able to see Henrik guide you both down the aisle, because I'm certain it was beautiful." Lofty nodded before leaning forward, letting Roxanna hug him tightly. "I am so glad that you've found your joy."
"Thank you," he said lowly, his voice thick with tears. "Would it be too forward if I kissed you?"
She shook her head, and Lofty pressed his lips to her forehead before standing up and squeezing her shoulder gently. "I'll see you both soon, okay?" Lofty and Dom nodded as they drifted over to the door with the caterer, and then their foursome was alone again. "I mean it, Henrik. I want to return to work. I know that there are a lot of hurdles that I'll have to overcome, but I am more than ready to do them. Guy Self has declared that I'm still here," she said as she touched her temple with her fingers.
"And he would know, seeing as he's almost as brilliant as you are." She blushed at the compliment, ducking her chin into her chest as she picked up her glass and took a small sip. Sacha cleared his throat, and they all looked at him expectantly as he got to his feet once more.
"This year has been extremely difficult for all of us in this room. We have faced obstacles that seemed insurmountable, and yet here we are, still standing, still breathing. Still loving." Sacha's eyes met his and then Roxanna's before sliding away from Essie's gaze to come back to Roxanna. "We have become stronger friends, and for that I am eternally grateful. And we have a new reason for hope, given that our Christmas miracle is sitting at our table right now."
Henrik blinked a little as Sacha took a seat, and they removed the covers from their food, setting them to one side as they dug into their meal. He was pleased with where Essie had chosen to order from, and he listened to the chatter that went on around him, finding himself content to listen, to grow accustomed to Roxanna's voice once more. There were times when she looked across the table at him, giving him a knowing smile or a wink that let him know she completely understood, and he took a deep breath as he tried to find the words that he wanted to say.
"Well, Essie and I are going to go out on the ward and do obs. Why don't you two stay here and talk for a little while? It's a slow enough day, and one of us can get you if you're needed, Henrik."
He nodded, a relieved breath escaping his throat as he watched the pair leave. It was only when the door closed with a soft click that he turned his focus on Roxanna. She was a little thinner than she had been in October, but she didn't look sickly, and she had felt so solid in his arms when they had embraced. Her eyes, though, were full of life, something that had been missing since Fredrik had wrought his vengeance on the hospital, and he felt more at peace with the shock of her return with that revelation. "You can say something to me, Henrik. I won't disappear on you again, at least not for a very long time. If that's what you want."
"I do want that, Roxanna. I think you know that the feelings I harbor for you are a little deeper than mere friendship, and as I've tried to pick up the pieces of what was left behind, that love is what I've held onto, trying to be a softer, kinder, version of myself."
Tears sparkled in Roxanna's eyes as she got up and came over to his side, resting on the table as she picked up his hands and threaded their fingers together. "I wanted to say, so many times, that I was still here, that I was growing stronger, but it wasn't until last week that I really had the strength to do anything more than focus on recovering. And as much as I love you, I didn't want you to hover over me. You have more important things to worry about, after all."
He gave her a small nod as he squeezed their hands. "I know that you're right, I just wish that I could have also helped you through some of the hurdles I'm certain you faced." She shrugged a little as she brought their entwined hands to her mouth, kissing his softly before holding them to her chest. "It's Christmas, and I don't even know where you're staying."
"I've been with Essie. She managed to save the majority of my belongings, which are in storage until I find a permanent home." Roxanna met his eyes steadily, and the hope that he found there set something in his soul ablaze.
"My home is a little austere, but there's room there for you. If you want it."
Her face softened as that joyous, brilliant, smile of hers spread across her lips. "I think that I would like nothing more than that, Henrik," she whispered. "I need the constancy that you can offer."
"And I need the levity that you can offer." Roxanna slipped off the table and leaned into his space, giving him a tender kiss. "I still have four hours to go in my shift, but you're more than welcome to use the office until it's time to leave."
"I will take you up on that offer." Her smile wobbled a little as she took a deep breath. "I'm not certain that I'll be able to tell everyone that I'm Lady Lazarus. Do you think we could get Essie and Dom to do those honors?"
"I believe that can be readily accomplished, yes," he replied as he stood up, letting their hands part before wrapping his arm around her waist and leading her from the room, knowing that someone would clean up the remnants of their meal later on. Together, they went to the office he was still sharing with Sacha, and he realized in that moment she would be able to see that he had kept a picture of her close to his side at all times, and he straightened his tie a little as she took a seat behind his desk.
"This is my ID picture."
"It is. It was the only picture that didn't remind me of the end, but rather of your passion." He gave her a crooked smile and then let out a small breath of surprise when she hugged him tightly, kissing the first bit of his face that she could find. He chuckled a little before moving his face so that he could properly kiss her. "I have to get back to work, darling. It will be so only a few hours until we can head home."
"I know. And I have things to occupy my time with until you are ready to leave." She kissed his cheek once more before settling behind his desk and opening his laptop. "I'm assuming your password is still Gotterdammerung?"
He blushed as he nodded. "We are decidedly creatures of habit, Roxanna. I knew what your password was, too. I'm assuming that Essie gave you your laptop?" She nodded. "Good. All right. I will see you in a few hours."
She waved him off, and he left the office with a silly grin on his lips. "I hope you realise how hard it was to hold my tongue and not say anything. Guy Self was quite adamant that there be no bobbles in her recovery, and he thought that you might be a bobble." He looked down at Essie, seeing the nervous look on her face, and he knew that he had to let her off the hook sooner rather than later.
"We often have to make decisions that are hurtful to people in the short term, but end up benefitting us in the long run." She relaxed a little, and he drew in a long breath as he cocked his head to one side, still regarding her. "A part of me, though, feels like you could have done this in a much more delicate way."
"You're probably right, but then it wouldn't have been a Christmas miracle." She reached out and patted his arm lightly before making her way over to Sacha and whispering in his ear. He nodded before smiling at the woman and they moved off in tandem. Henrik shook his head a little as he began to make his rounds, finding his steps a little lighter as he went around the ward. The patients seemed to notice his happiness as well, as they responded with an increased fervor.
The four hours flew by, and then he was looking to Sacha, hoping that he would be all right with him ducking out right on the hour, rather than lingering on until they were both ready to leave. Sacha nodded a little and Henrik smiled gratefully before he strode over to the office, slipping inside and glancing over at his desk. Roxanna was still there, though her head was pillowed on her arms as she slept quietly. His smile softened as he approached her, crouching down so that he could look into her face. Reaching out, he stroked her face, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that she was alive and there. A yawn split her lips as she lifted her head and blinked her eyes open, focusing on him.
"Is it that time already?" she asked, and he nodded a little. "I still get tired at times. I'm hoping that once I'm back in a routine, my strength won't flag so much."
"Well, if Guy Self thinks you're ready to return to light duties, and is willing to sign off on you, I don't see any problem with having you back here. We are still seriously understaffed and need a good neurosurgeon to consult on Keller." A wide smile lit up her face as she leaned over and kissed his cheek gently. "Now, let's head home and celebrate the rest of our Christmas in peace."
"That sounds wonderful, Henrik," she breathed out as she got to her feet and held out her hand to him. He clasped it, allowing her to tug him to his feet, and then she was hugging him tightly once more, breathing in deeply as her shoulders shook. "I want to keep it together until we were alone together, but I really want to cry right now, too."
"I think that Sacha would give us our privacy if you did want to breakdown now."
Roxanna chuckled a little, the sound watery to his ears, and then shook her head. "No, because once I let out these emotions, I think I won't be able to easily turn off the faucet?" He nodded as he stroked her back, offering her comfort as she took a few deep breaths. "All right, I think I'm ready to put my coat on and head out."
Henrik nodded as he guided them over to the coat tree and picked up her coat, holding it out so that she could slip her arms into it before he shrugged into his own. Wordlessly, he held out his arm to her, and Roxanna slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. Together, they left the office and made their way over to the lift. He could feel eyes watching them, and he straightened his coat a little as he brought himself to his full height, daring the gawkers to approach them, to bother them, to interrupt their Christmas with inane questions. Thankfully, the doors opened before anyone gathered the courage to come up to them, and he ushered her inside and pressed the button for the ground floor.
When they got off the lift and headed for the door, Henrik saw that it had started snowing, another little Christmas miracle that seemed perfect for the day he was currently having. "Could anything make this day better?" Roxanna asked softly as they stepped outside, and he shook his head as he watched her hold her hands up in wonder before turning and smiling at him. "Take me home."
"Yes." They nodded a little, and she came back to his side to sling her arm around his waist, holding him close, almost as if she was afraid that he would leave without her. He nodded to Serena as he helped Roxanna into his car, seeing the way her eyes widened as she did a doubletake to look at Roxanna once more. He waved to her and then went over to the driver's side and climbed behind the wheel, pulling off into the rapidly dwindling twilight.
It didn't take long to arrive home, and then he was helping her out, bringing her to the front door. As he unlocked it, Roxanna's phone jangled, and she pulled it out of her pocket, a smile dancing across her face as she looked first at the display, and then at him. "Essie's going to drop off my bag before she and Sacha head out with Dom and Lofty. I thought I was overlooking something."
He nodded and pushed open the door, letting her head inside first. Standing on the stoop, he looked up at the sky, the peace and calm of the gently falling snow filling him with a sense of wonder. "Thank you," he murmured to the sky, feeling a little foolish, but recognizing that some mysterious force in the universe had seen fit to return the love of his life to him. Shivering a little, he turned and went inside, hanging his coat on the hook next to Roxanna's before stepping out of his shoes and padding into the kitchen. A soft chuckle escaped his lips when he saw that his instincts had been correct, and she was currently boiling water in the kettle.
"I thought that we could have that lovely rose tea and curl up on your sofa and you could fill me in on all the things Essie wouldn't tell me. I know that my recovery wasn't the smoothest, but she treated me like a fragile teacup at times. That kind of kid glove treatment gets a little grating at times." From the look she gave him, he knew that she was trying to make it clear that she wouldn't let him treat her that way, either. He gave her a small nod as he moved past her to take out two large mugs, setting them on the counter before rummaging in the cupboard for the tea she wanted.
Once everything was in place, they drifted together once more, and an easy smile crossed his lips when Roxanna leaned against him, her back warm against his chest. Henrik closed his arms around her torso, bringing her closer to him as a comfortable silence fell between them. They didn't move until the kettle began to whistle, and even then there was a sluggishness to their movements, as if they didn't want to be separated from each other, even for a short time.
As the kettle continued to whistle, the doorbell rang, and he knew that had to be Essie, dropping off Roxanna's bag. "Do you want me to get the door?" Roxanna threw him a grateful look, and he smiled before kissing the side of her head and making his way out to the door. Opening it, he saw Essie and Sacha there, and he gave the man a small nod before turning his focus on Essie. "Roxanna mentioned that you had her bag?" he said evenly, not moving from the doorway.
Essie nodded as she held a small bag out to him. "How is she?"
Sacha cleared his throat as he looked at Henrik, causing him to chuckle a little as he took hold of the bag. "Roxanna is making tea for us as we speak. But I shouldn't keep you too long, she mentioned something about you having supper with Dom and Lofty?"
Essie gave him a small glare as she nodded, and he knew that Roxanna would be pleased at how neatly he had sidestepped inviting Essie in. "That's right, they are expecting us at their place," Sacha said as he rested his hand on Essie's arm. "Enjoy your day off tomorrow."
"Thank you," he said as he took a step inwards, his hand going to close the door. "I'll see you both on Thursday." Essie gave him a crestfallen nod, and he knew that she had expected an invitation inside. "Have a good evening," he closed with as he fully closed the door, a sigh of relief slipping from his mouth before he could stop it.
Heading back into the kitchen, he dropped the bag onto the table before grabbing the mug Roxanna held out to him. "There's still a minute or two left for it to brew, but I thought you might want to wrap your hands around something hot." She gave him a shy smile, and he wondered what she was thinking in that moment. She set her mug on the table before opening her bag and rummaging through it. "I, I was a little bored with my recovery, at times. Essie was at work a lot, and Guy's checkups were only weekly, along with my PT and OT. So I had a lot of time to think and write. This is two months of letters for you."
She pulled out a thick stack of envelopes, the top one addressed to him and dated. Her handwriting there was shaky, and he knew that had to have been a side effect of the clip John had left in her brain for so long. "Thank you," he said, treasuring the tender gift she had given him. "But I don't have anything for you?"
"You didn't reject me when I showed up. That's gift enough for me." She looked up at him as he took hold of the envelopes. The familiar scent of her perfume wafted up from the stack, and another sigh slipped from his lips as he felt her arm close around his waist. "When I was recovering, I realized that beyond wanting to return to my job, I wanted to live for you. I mean, you'll read that in the letters, but I wanted you to hear it from my lips, too."
Overcome with emotion, he clutched the envelopes tightly in one had as he wrapped his arm around her, hugging her tightly as a few tears began to slip down his cheeks. "I love you," he murmured into her hair, and she nodded against him as they took a few, deep, tandem breaths. After a few moments, he stepped away to look at her, and noticed that she was crying a little, too. "Let's go sit?"
She nodded and picked up her mug, following him into the living room. Henrik gently dropped the stack of letters onto the coffee table before taking a seat in the corner of the sofa, stretching out his legs as he set his mug on the table next to his arm. Roxanna sank down next to him, pulling her legs up onto the sofa as she rested her head on his chest. "I didn't realise that it would be so easy to fit in here, or how on edge I was with Essie always so…"
"Eager?" he offered.
"Yes. She means well, but there were times when I just wanted to shut myself away in my room and bury myself in a book. I felt so guilty for those thoughts, since it was as if I was ungrateful for her care. But with you, I know that I don't have to put up a pretty front, I don't have to talk or respond, I can just be. And if you weren't joking about my staying with you, forever, I would be most grateful to accept that offer."
His hand froze on her arm as her words sank into his thoughts. "I would love to have you here, for as long as you want to stay," he finally said, his hand closing around her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. Roxanna practically melted into him with those words, and he smiled a little as he picked up his tea and took a small sip. "I'm sorry that I don't have too many decorations up, but when it was just me here for Christmas, well, I didn't feel like I had that much to celebrate."
"The season lasts until the fifth. If you want, I can scrounge up your decorations and put them up while you're at work Thursday?"
"Or we could work on it together tomorrow."
A small chuckle left her lips before she sipped at her tea. "That would be lovely, Henrik." She sighed lightly before taking another sip of tea. In the silence of the room, Roxanna's stomach growled loudly, and he bent to kiss the top of her head.
"I'll go see what I can put together for us. It will most likely be soup."
"That will be fine," she murmured as she sat up, allowing him to get to his feet. After he had picked up his mug, Henrik looked back to see that she had fully stretched out on the sofa, her head coming to rest on the cushion of the arm, and he smiled a little wider as he handed her the remote for the radio. She gave him a tired smile as she turned the radio on, and the sound of Bach's Christmas Oratorio floated out on the air. He couldn't quite place which of the six cantatas the ensemble was in the middle of, but the music was still welcome and familiar to him.
Humming along to the music, Henrik made his way to the kitchen and began to look through the cupboard, eager to find something that Roxanna would like that would be quick to cook. Finally, he settled on some vegetable soup, and he took out two cans of it, setting them next to the stove as he searched the cupboards for an appropriate pot to heat it up in. Finally, he came up with a prefect sized one, and he opened the cans and poured the contents inside. As it warmed up, he puttered around the kitchen, getting out bowls and utensils for them.
He heard the soft padding of Roxanna's feet moments before she came into view, lifting herself up onto the counter so that she could watch him as he cooked. "Tired of Bach already?"
"No, they're just taking a short break. Though we're going to miss some of the third cantata, anyway, since we don't eat in the living room." He nodded sagely as he stirred the soup, breathing in the delicious scent that wafted up to tickle his nose. "Do you have any bread to go along with this?"
"Behind you, in the bread box." She nodded and turned a little, sliding open the said box and pulling out the loaf of brown bread. "You can set that on the table, if you wish." Roxanna nodded as she slipped off the counter and went over to the table, cutting off two generous slices for each of them before returning it to the bread box and taking a seat at the table. "If you'd like anything besides tea with the meal, feel free to get it."
"This will be fine, Henrik," she said lowly as he turned back to the stove and stirred the soup a few more times before turning off the burner and bringing the pot over to the table, carefully pouring it into each of their bowls before returning the pot to the stove and taking a seat across from her. There didn't seem to be much need to talk during the meal, but they kept exchanging heated looks and soft smiles throughout. By the end of the meal, he watched Roxanna yawn more frequently, even though she tried to disguise them with her hand, and he knew that she would have to head up to bed soon.
He started to clean up from the meal, unsurprised when she took a place next to him, drying the dishes as he washed them, stacking them neatly when she was finished. The task was so much quicker with a second pair of hands, and he settled his hand on the small of her back as he slipped past her to open the cupboard above her head and started to put the bowls away. "The pot goes in the cupboard next to the stove, Roxanna," he said, and she nodded as she hastily put it away before taking a seat at the table once more, a weariness radiating from her that told him she was closer to falling asleep than he had thought. "I'll show you to the guest room, then."
She looked up at him as he slid the utensil drawer closed, and shook her head a little. "I want to spend more time with you, Henrik."
"We have the rest of our lives to spend together. You need to focus on getting back to your optimal health if you want to come back to the hospital full time." She winced a little, and he took a deep breath, realizing how harsh his words sounded to her ears. "I just want you to be well, Roxanna."
"I know that, deep down, but I still want to spend time with you. I've lost so much time." She started to cry a little, and he let out a deep breath as he opened his arms, welcoming her into his space. Roxanna nuzzled her cheek against his chest and he found it so right to close his arms around her, pulling her closer to him as he rubbed her back. "Please, may I fall asleep in your arms tonight?"
He stiffened a little, unease filling his body at the thought of taking things too quickly, and she squeezed him a little more. "I don't know if it's wise to…"
"I'm not asking to make love, Henrik. I just, it's been so long since I slept in the arms of someone I love, and it's Christmas, and…" Her voice trailed off as a bout of thicker tears choked out her words. Henrik knew that he had to salvage the situation before he hurt her further.
"All right, I'll show you to my room, then." She drew in a soft, pleased, breath before stepping away from him. "But we're only going to sleep."
"I know," she whispered as she took a step back from him. Her eyes still glistened with tears, but there was a hopeful look there, and he couldn't resist kissing her gently, feeling like it was the right thing to do in that moment. She pressed her lips back against his as her arm closed around his waist, and he smiled into the kiss before finishing it and stepping away once more. "And maybe you're right, I really am exhausted. This was the most emotionally draining day I've had in a long while."
"Well, let's head up," he murmured as he took hold of her bag and her hand, guiding them over to the staircase and up to his bedroom. The spartan accommodations seemed suddenly too bare for her, and he flushed a little as he pulled away from her to set her bag on the trunk at the foot of his bed. "I'll leave you here to get changed."
Henrik had almost made it to the door when her voice called out. "You'll be back in a short while, yes?"
He turned to look at her, seeing the tender yearning on her face, and knew that he couldn't say no to her, not in that moment, or ever, most likely. "Of course. I just have to turn off the lights and put my phone on the charger. I have an extra charger, if you want me to put yours on, too."
She nodded and slipped her phone from her pocket, scrolling through her notifications. "I really should text Essie back, to let her know that you're taking good care of me. She's sent me six texts so far." He chuckled a little as he nodded, watching as Roxanna tapped away on the phone before handing it over to him. "All right, I'll see you in five minutes."
Henrik gave a short nod before turning on his heel and leaving the room, closing the door softly before heading down the stairs and into the kitchen. The first thing he did was plug in the extra charger, then charging both their phones. From there, he turned off the kitchen lights before heading into the living room, stopping to listen to the song currently playing. It seemed as if the radio station had moved on to the next cantata in Bach's Christmas Oratorio, and he smiled a little as he hummed along while he straightened the pillows on the sofa and then turned the radio and lights off there. Taking one last look around the room, he took a deep breath before heading back upstairs.
There didn't seem to be much point in knocking, and he came into his bedroom with his eyes focused on the bed. Roxanna had already slipped beneath the covers, somehow choosing his side to stretch out on. It made sense, since it probably smelled like him, and he gave her a small smile as he padded over to the wardrobe and pulled out a fresh set of pyjamas, passing by her still form as he went into the bathroom and changed.
After taking care of his worn clothes, Henrik went around to the opposite side of the bed and crawled in, trying to make himself comfortable, only to feel Roxanna's eyes on him. "Did I take your spot?" she murmured before yawning.
"Maybe, but I can learn to live with that." She smirked a little as she scooted closer to him, contorting her body so that she could fit her head beneath his chin, taking hold of his arm and draping it around her waist. "Would you just talk to me? I missed your voice so much in the last few weeks, that I almost hunger for it. You can tell me about anything, I just want to fall asleep to you."
"All right, give me a moment to think about what I want to say," he replied before kissing the top of her head. "Happy Christmas, Roxanna."
"Happy Christmas, Henrik," she softly replied as she entwined her leg with his, drawing them closer together. "Ooh! I did just think about something I want to hear! Tell me about your winter holidays in Sweden. They must have been so beautiful, with the snow and the cold. Curling up in front of a fire on a dark evening, with a mug of tea or hot chocolate, listening to the wind blow outside…"
"I don't have to tell that story, you're doing a good enough job already. Though I suppose I could tell you about early Christmas mornings, when I'd wake up and watch the world revolve from night to day, seeing the sky slowly lighten up from black to blue." He made certain to modulate his voice so that it was low and soothing for Roxanna, knowing that she needed her rest, so glad to have her back in his arms, hopefully to stay for an eternity.