"Don't."

"Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh." Addena sat on the edge of the bed, making shushing noises as she ran a cool cloth over Breena's brow.

"Stop."

"It's all right baby." She combed the fingers of her free hand through the witch's short hair, wondering why that particular term of endearment slipped out every time she was trying to soothe her girlfriend.

"Addy?"

"That's right," her heart tripped with hope when she heard her name. "It's me, Bree. Open your..."

"No!"

Addena jumped at the intensity of her voice, reminding herself that Bree wasn't yelling at her. The poor thing had been caught in some kind of nightmare for nearly half an hour now. She didn't know if it was caused by the remnants of Bree's fever or the magic she'd done. Not that it really mattered. All she wanted was for her to wake up. Was that asking too much?

OK, so that wasn't completely true. Of course she wanted Bree to wake up, but she also wanted Glinda and Elphaba to make it home safely. She needed her family to be whole again. Because no matter how many times someone told her that what was happening wasn't her fault, she couldn't help but feel responsible.

It was her engagement that brought Eadlyn into their lives in the first place. Without him they would have been in the Emerald City right now. She and Glinda could hit the stores while Bree and Elphaba took part in the Animal talks during the day. Then at night they could enjoy spending time together as couples.

Instead Eadlyn had her little sister, Elphaba disappeared into thin air and Bree was unconscious again. Were their lives ever going to go back to normal?

"Addy?"

She held her breath, not wanting to get her hopes up again.

"Addy?" Breena repeated her name as her eyes slowly opened.

"That's it." Addena leaned in closer, encouraging her. "Wake up, Bree."

Breena blinked a couple of times before she suddenly grabbed the doctor. "Addy!"

The move threw Addena off balance. She fell against the other woman's chest, caught in a vice like grip. "Bree?"

"He had you." Breena was breathing heavily.

"What?"

"He had you." She squeezed the blonde even harder, as if she would slip away if she didn't. "He had you and he wouldn't let you go."

Addena struggled to breathe. "Who had me?"

"Eadlyn."

Her heart sank.

"He took you and I couldn't get to you. I thought..." Breena's voice was choked with emotion. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"I'm right here." She managed to move her arms so she could hug the witch. "And I'm not going anywhere."

"Swear?"

"I swear." Addena assured her. "Can you calm down for me?" She grinned when she felt her nod. "That's my girl."

Breena's breathing started to even out as her grip loosened.

"Hey." Addena pulled back to look at her, afraid she might have passed out again. Relief shot through her system when she saw emerald eyes looking back at her. "I didn't say to let go."

"I was hurting you."

"No you weren't." She used the cloth in her hand to wipe beads of sweat from Breena's brow. "I think you're fever is trying to break."

"It's about damn time."

The corner of Addena's mouth turned up. "You can say that again."

"It's about damn time." Breena grinned as she started to sit up.

Addena instantly pushed her back down. "What do you think you're doing?"

She gestured toward the bedside table. "Getting some water."

"All you have to do is ask." Addena clucked.

"I can get it."

"So can I miss I just woke up and shouldn't be pushing myself yet." The doctor put the cloth back in the basin and proceeded to pour her a drink. "Here."

"Is it all right if I sit up now?"

Addena frowned. "You're not funny."

Breena gingerly propped herself up on one elbow to accept the glass Addena was offering but the doctor wouldn't look at her. "Thanks." She sighed when she didn't get a response. "OK, how much trouble am I in?"

"If you're asking that question I think you already know."

"Addy…"

"Don't even try it." Addena huffed as she climbed off the bed.

"Try what? I didn't say anything but your name."

"You were going to say something along the lines that you had to help Elphaba."

"I did."

"How could making yourself weak as a kitten again help your sister?"

"Hey, kittens can be pretty ferocious. Just look at Lion and Penny. They started out as kittens." She thought about it for a second. "OK, technically they were cubs but that's just a bigger version of a kitten." She opened her mouth to say more but stopped when saw the glare Addena was sending her way. "You're not in the mood for jokes are you?"

"No." Addena confirmed. "But I am in the mood to yell at you." She started pacing away from the bed. "Exactly what part of 'no magic' didn't you understand?"

"I…"

"Did you think I just said it to be a nag?"

"No, I…"

"Because I didn't." Addena interrupted her again. "Damn it Bree, you've been sick. You need to be resting and taking care of yourself, not healing scratches on people's cheeks and performing parlor tricks."

"Parlor tricks?" Breena sounded indignant.

"That's all unnecessary magic is. Frivolous and irresponsible and… and…" She struggled for the right word. "Stupid."

"Stupid?!" Breena echoed the word. "Since when is trying to help save someone's life stupid or frivolous or irresponsible?!"

Addena scoffed. "Whose life were you helping to save?"

"Glinda's!"

The revelation made the doctor stop midstep. "What?"

"Elly had a vision!" Her reaction was lost on Breena. "She saw Eadlyn killing Glinda and had to get to her so I helped her the only way I knew how!" She suddenly realized what she was saying. "I shouldn't have told you like that." She mumbled, "I shouldn't have told you at all," to herself.

"He..." Addena swallowed hard. "He killed..."

"In the vision he did, but we both know Elly sees what she sees so she can stop it from happening. I mean, she saw my funeral too but that isn't going to happen."

Tears started streaming down Addena's face.

"That didn't help did it?" Breena mentally kicked herself as she put the untouched water back on the bedside table.

"I can't lose her." Addena shook her head. "She's my little sister."

"You're not going to lose her."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know Elly and she loves Glinda too much to let anything happen to her." Breena hated seeing the lost look on Addena's face. "Come here."

Addena sniffled, still too shocked to really hear what she'd said. "What?"

"I said come here." She gestured with her hands when the doctor didn't move. "You can be mad at me later."

Addena didn't have to be told a third time. She was back on the bed lying next to Breena with her head on the witch's chest in a second.

"I'm sorry Addy." Breena held her in her arms, rubbing her back. "I shouldn't have blurted it out that way."

"I shouldn't have called you stupid."

"I shouldn't have promised I wouldn't do magic."

"I shouldn't have left the room."

Breena chuckled. "We make quite a pair don't we?"

Addena answered by cuddling closer.

They laid there in comfortable silence, relishing the feel of being together again.

"I owe you."

"Own me?" Addena furrowed her brow.

"No, I said I owe you, not own you."

"For what?"

"Bringing me back." Breena felt the blonde tense. "I'm not trying to upset you again. I just... I would have said it sooner but I haven't exactly been with it." She paused. "So thank you for saving my life, Addy."

"It only seemed right considering you saved mine." She tried to change the subject.

Breena gave her a gentle squeeze. "I know this isn't something you want to talk about but it needed said. So just tell me I'm welcome and I'll drop the subject."

Addena played with the shoulder hem of Breena's shift. "That's just it, I don't want you to thank me." Another tear made it's way down her cheek. "I want you to promise me you'll never die on me again."

"You know I can't do that." Breena hated the words as they left her mouth but she knew they were true. "No one can control when they die. When it's your time, it's your time."

"But I don't think I could make it without you." Addena protested. "It might sound crazy, but I want to be with you for the rest of my life, Bree. I love you."

"It doesn't sound crazy at all. I love you too and fully intend to spend the rest of my life showing you that I do. But I can't control how long we have together."

They fell into another silence, Addena listening to the steady beat of her love's heart as Breena ran a comforting hand up and down the doctor's back.

"I could hear you."

Addena was confused by her words. "When?"

"At the camp. When I..."

"Don't!" She pulled back far enough to be able to put her hand over the witch's mouth. "Please. I know you're right when you say we can't control that sort of thing but..." She shook her head. "Just don't, all right?"

"OK." Breena quickly agreed. "I don't know why I said it in the first place."

Addena instantly felt guilty. Just a few minutes ago she was begging Bree to come back to her and now that she had her she was telling her to shut up. And it was obvious that Bree had something she wanted to say or she wouldn't have mentioned it in the first place. "Could you really hear me?"

"I thought you didn't want me to talk about it."

"I changed my mind."

"You're confusing sometimes, did you know that?" The corner of Breena's mouth turned up to let her know she was teasing. "And yes, I could hear you."

Addena used her right arm to brace herself against the bed so she could stare down at Breena. "What did I say?"

"You told your mother that I wanted to be with you. That no matter how many times you pushed me away or acted like you didn't feel the same way I didn't stop trying. I didn't give up on you and you weren't about to give up on me."

She tried to blink back more tears. "I couldn't."

"I know." Breena reached up to cup her cheek. "That's why I couldn't leave you. It would have been so easy," she remembered the sweet oblivion she'd been a part of. "But I wanted to be with you."

"So you came back."

"I came back." Breena nodded. "You were fighting for me so I decided to fight for us."

Addena ran her fingers over the fading bruise under Bree's right eye. "You like to fight, don't you?"

"If something's important enough to you, you're supposed to fight for it."

"Does that mean I'm important to you?"

"Only the most important thing in the world." Breena pulled her down for a kiss.

Addena let herself get lost in the sensation of those lips against her own. "I owe you a thank you too," she spoke once they parted.

"You do?"

She nodded. "For saving my mother's life." She continued before the woman could protest. "I was there, Bree. I saw what you did."

Breena half shrugged. "I couldn't let them hurt her. She's my friend. And your mother."

"That's why I'm saying thank you."

"How about if you show me rather than tell me?"

Addena grinned as she leaned in for another kiss.

What started out as a simple lip lock soon escalated into a full blown make out session as both women gave in to the need to be with the other. They didn't part again until Breena tried to roll Addena onto her back and cried out.

"Are you all right?" Addena looked at her anxiously.

"Stupid leg." Breena's brow creased in pain as she laid back against her pillows.

"Let me make sure you didn't..."

She stopped Addena from pulling away from her. "It's fine."

"But..."

"I just moved the wrong way, that's all." Breena assured her. "I really know how to put a damper on a good time, don't I?"

"We can still have a good time." Addena ran her hand suggestively over one of Bree's breasts. "We'll just have to make sure you don't move that way again."

Breena closed her eyes as Addy switched her attention to her other breast. "You're the doctor."

"That's right." Addena started trailing tiny kisses up her neck. "Take two of these and call me in the morning." She crushed their lips together.

"I'm going to need more than two doc." Breena returned the favor.

Hot, fervent kisses reigned as they groped and fondled, occasionally coming up for air. It wasn't until Breena started to unzip Addena's dress that she finally pulled away.

"We can't."

Breena frowned. "What?"

"I don't believe I'm saying this, but we can't, Bree."

"Why not?"

"Because you're still recovering. And we both agreed we want our first time to be special." Addena ran the back of her hand down Breena's cheek. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I caused you to have a relapse."

"You won't."

"Bree."

"Fine." Breena sighed at the chastising she was getting. "Will you at least lay here with me?"

"Of course." Addena settled against Bree, sighing contentedly. "I love your chest."

"I love yours too."

Addena laughed. "I meant I like laying with my head on your chest you pervert."

Breena ran her hand up the doctor's arm, letting it come to rest on her blonde curls. "Can't blame a girl for trying."

"I guess not." Addena snuggled against her.

"I love you, Addy."

"I love you too Bree." She wrinkled her nose when she noticed something she hadn't a moment ago. "You're soaked."

"That's what happens when you get me all hot and bothered."

"I'm serious." Addena sat up to look at her again. Her face split into a radiant smile when she put her hand against a now cool brow. "You're fever is gone."

Breena couldn't stop herself from returning the smile. "Like I said before, it's about damn time." Her smile faded as Addena got off the bed. "Where are you going?"

"To get you something else to put on. You can't sleep in that wet thing."

"Who says I'm going to sleep?"

"Me."

"But I want to be awake when Elly and Glinda show up."

Addena made her way over to her dresser. "Tell me you're not tired and I'll think about letting you stay up."

"I'm not..." Breena's body betrayed her as a yawn erupted from her mouth. "Damn it."

The doctor was grinning as she came back over to the bed with a fresh nightgown in her hands. "You're fever might be gone but you're still going to be weak for a few days."

"That sucks."

"Which means you're just going to have to let me take care of you."

"Oh." Breena raised her eyebrows. "Suddenly weak doesn't sound so bad."

"Come on." Addena chuckled. "It will be easier to get you out of that and clean you up a little if you're standing up."

"That's what I'm talking about." Breena eagerly sat up.

"Take it easy." Addena cautioned her.

Breena swung her legs over the side of the bed, determined not to wince as she moved the right one. "I'm fi..." The word stuck in her throat as she tried to stand and the room started spinning.

Addena was quick to steady her. "Maybe we should rethink this."

"No, I'm good." Breena said before she could sit her back down.

"You're sure?"

"As long as this doesn't take all day." She started unbuttoning the shift.

"If you say so." Addena didn't sound convinced as she watched her undress, staying close in case the woman needed her again. She tried not to gasp when Breena let the material fall away from her shoulders and pool on the ground. There were a still a few bruises on her stomach and arms and she'd dropped weight thanks to the fever, but Bree was still the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen.

"Like what you see?" Breena smirked as her words drew the doctor out of her thoughts.

"I'm not going to answer that." Addena tried not to stare even more as she quickly wiped the woman down with the cloth she'd been using on her forehead a little while before.

"Why? Afraid you'll want to get naked too?"

Her only response was to slip the new nightgown over the witch's head. "There." She pulled Breena into her arms. "And keep in mind that the next time I see you like that, I'm going to do unspeakable things to you."

Breena chuckled. "Promises, promises."

Addena lowered her back down on the bed. "That's a promise I intend to keep. But for right now you need to get some sleep."

"But..." Breena growled as she yawned again.

"See, you're body agrees with me." Addena helped her lay down. "Don't fight this Bree. You need to rest."

"Will you stay with me?"

"I wouldn't be anywhere else."

They settled into the same position they were in before only this time Addena laid with her head on Breena's shoulder rather than her chest so she could see her.

"Does your leg hurt?"

"No."

"Liar." Addena paused. "Do you think Elphaba made it to Glinda?"

Breena nodded. "I know she did."

"How?"

"Because it's too important for her not to. Like I told her, have some faith in our magic."

"It's not your magic I'm questioning, it's luck. It hasn't exactly been on our side lately."

"They'll be here soon."

A chill ran down Addena's spine as she remembered the last time her semi-lucid girlfriend told her someone would be showing up.

Breena tightened her grip when she felt her shiver. "Are you cold?"

"No."

"K." Breena was almost asleep.

"Bree?"

"Hm?"

"I changed my mind again. I don't want you to close your eyes."

Breena frowned. "Huh?"

"What if..." Addena swallowed the lump in her throat. "What if you don't open them again."

"As soon as I'm stronger you're going to do unspeakable things to me. If that's not motivation to wake up I don't know what is." She locked eyes with Addena. "You're going to be stuck with me for a long time to come Doc. I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm going to hold you to that." Addena threw her arm over the witch, pulling her as close as she could.

"Now you better catch some shut eye." Breena kissed her on top of the head. "You're going to need your strength too."

Addena grinned as she watched her love drift off. "I love you."

Breena managed a barely recognizable, "Love you too."

It no time at all they were both asleep, safe in the arms of the other.