"Dammit!" She heard Christian yell, before a clattering of what sounded like pots and pans. Lissa rushed into their small kitchen, finding her boyfriend leaning against the stove. Smoke rose up from a pile of burnt mush on a frying pan and she leaned in to turn off the stove. Pots and pans covered the floor, along with a broken plate. Approaching him carefully, she leaned down next to him. Grabbing his hands, she noticed the searing red marks where he'd burned himself. He barely managed her name before that warmth of magic filled the room. Meeting her eyes, he saw something that made guilt well up in his chest. "Come on, I'll clean up. Let's just get you to bed." Her voice was still light, kind. But he knew, he'd scared her. Letting him lean on her, she helped him into bed. "I burned dinner. I'm sorry." His hands were shaking, she only noticed when he grabbed hers. "It's alright. I'll order something, how do you feel about pizza?" Lissa brushed a hand through his hair. Nodding, he let go of her hand. Heading back into the kitchen, she starting cleaning up. After she'd cleaned up what she could, she glanced back into the bedroom. Christian was sound asleep. Moving as quietly as she could, she headed outside to find Rose... And order some supper. Being the queen, it didn't take long. The brunette ran up, out of breath and in her pajamas. "What do you need, Liss?" She asked and Lissa knew if she asked for the world that Rose would do everything in her power to make it happen. They headed into Lissa's office where Lissa sunk down into the plush chair. Not a royal throne, but probably just as expensive. "What's wrong?" Rose asked, sitting on the chair arm and rubbing the blonde's back. "I got home and Christian had burned dinner." "Sparky, burned food? Oh my god, call the-" Noticing the serious air surrounding her best friend, Rose snapped her mouth shut. She didn't need a bond to know that her best friend was upset. She just had to know her since she was five. "I found him on the floor of the kitchen. He'd burned himself and I think he threw a plate. And he threw pots and pans all over the floor. I don't know what to do, Rose. I know it's because of Tasha. Somedays he's fine, but the closer it gets to the execution date... I want to pull some strings, I want him to at least get to say goodbye." Lissa sounded pained and frustrated. She wanted to take his darkness away, the same way Rose used to for her. Wiping her eyes, she got up from her chair. "I'm going to head back. And I'm sure Dimitri misses you. But, just... Tell him to keep an eye out for his charge." Rose pulled Lissa in for a tight hug. "We'll get through this, we always do." Smiling at that, she pulled away to head back to her quarters. Christian was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. "Babe..." Lissa started, walking over. "Talk to me." Sitting next to him, she let him lean into her. The room was silent aside from their collective breathing. Christian's was quicker than hers, while he tried to rein in his emotions. She brushed his black hair with her fingers, starting to hear the soft noise of him crying into her shoulder. Walls built around your heart were hard to wear down. It had to be done brick by brick. She'd seen him cry before, but he'd usually push her away or she'd leave him alone. Comforting her was something he felt comfortable doing, being comforted made him feel weak and powerless. He'd never wanted to feel that way again after the night the guardians killed his parents. When they'd picked him up off the floor while he screamed. Screamed for his mother and father. For Tasha. He fought the whole way out of the house. They thought they were saving a traumatized little boy from Strigoi. But the little boy had just witnessed his aunt's face being marred forever and his parents being killed. He thought he was all alone in the world when they dragged him out of that house. After a while, they both crawled under the covers and ate the pizza they ordered. Not bothering to leave the bed, they just threw the pizza box onto the floor. They'd get it in the morning. "I love you." Lissa whispered against his chest while she curled into him. Christian wrapped his arms around his Queen, loving how perfect she felt in his arms. Like the missing piece of himself. Fitting perfectly against him. Warm and beautiful. "I love you so much, Liss." He whispered, kissing her forehead. "I'm going to look into something tomorrow..." "I don't want to see her, Lissa." "Christian-" He kissed her, unexpectedly and fiercely. His lips were soft and warm and she wanted to melt into him. "Please. I don't want to see her like that..." Silence. Images danced in his head. He shut his eyes and took a breath. "Maybe a phone call? Could you make that happen?" A small smile on her lips, she cupped his cheek in her hand. "I will do my best." Lissa promised him. Clutching her hands in his, he placed them on his chest, over his heart. Those jade green eyes were all he could see. They were all that mattered in this darkness they called life.