When Megan woke up, her eyes remained closed. She was in her own bed at the castle, that much she could figure out right away. But knowing Pegasus the way she had come to, he was bound to be somewhere nearby. And after what had happened earlier that night, Megan didn't want to see him.

She woke up little by little, and could hear Croquet talking to someone.

"…She'll be fine, but we really don't think she should be travelling so soon…We don't want to take any chances…it's just a bad cold, but as I've explained sir, we don't think…..Well when can you be home, then? We can't send her home to no one there…That long? Hold on. Sir," he must have turned to look in her direction, since she could hear him more easily now. "Her father will be going off on business tomorrow evening, he can't take her back until next week."

There was a pause. "She'll stay here." Megan's heart began pounding-- he was right next to her. His voice, soft as it was (so as not to wake her), flowed through her ears and into her heart and soul.

Croquet turned back to the telephone. "We'll keep her here until you get back…no trouble, it's really nothing…We'll see you then." A click, the phone hung up. "Are you sure you want her to stay, sir?"

"Yes, I'm quite sure." But he wouldn't say anything more. The door opened and closed, and Pegasus' breathing was steady next to hers.

Self-conscious and quiet, which was new for her, Megan slowly fell back asleep.

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Pegasus sat by her bed the entire night. She didn't wake up (to his knowledge) until the morning, but he waited all night to make sure she wouldn't be alone if she woke.

So many thoughts ran through his mind, recurring the entire night. He never realized how much things could change in a single night.

Back when he'd confessed love to Cecilia so long ago, they had known each other for years. They'd grown up as friends first, and then become lovers. It had only been natural to both of them. Their love was on a strong base of friendship and caring.

But now…Megan was so different from Cecilia. He'd only known her for a week. What did he think he was doing, feeling like this?

But the fact remained that he had been terrified of losing her when she'd fallen ill.

When had he started to care so much about her? Because he had to admit to himself that he did care. Somehow, over the course of the last week, she had become someone very special to him. She was very unlike Cecilia, yet he cared about her the same way. Megan was almost the opposite of the last girl he had loved. But…he had to admit it.

"I love her…" he murmured, almost inaudibly.

There was nothing he could do. He could inwardly berate himself as long as he wanted, but it wouldn't change the facts. There was a voice in the back of his mind that wouldn't stop chiding him.

How can you say that? You love Cecilia. You promised her not to love anyone else. She's only 16, it won't work. It would never work. She's too young. She wouldn't love you…

But Pegasus had been through enough in his life that he'd yelled at himself for. He'd learned how to shut that voice out. But it told the truth. It always had. He couldn't love her, for more reasons than he wanted to think about.

She was a child. Only a child. He was 9 years older than she was. How many parents would stand back and allow their daughter to be with an older man? How would he explain himself? It just wasn't…appropriate.

And it was very true, he had promised with marriage to never love anyone but Cecilia. And he did love her. Even still, 8 years after her death. Cecilia still occupied that place in his heart, and he did not want her to leave.

How could he love Megan, too? He could not justify his feelings to himself, let alone try to explain them to anyone else. But for now, It was enough for him that she was going to recover from her illness. There wasn't another explanation-- this feeling of relief and happiness that she would be alright could only be love.

Megan had turned over in her blankets enough for one small, tanned hand to poke out from under them. Pegasus smiled fondly, reached out and grabbed it.

Megan's hand instinctively squeezed back, and a small smile spread itself across her sleeping face.

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hey everyone, short chapter, i know. This chapter marks the end of the first act, so to speak. From the beginning, i've had this planned out like it was a manga. So this is the end of the first volume. I've designed my act-enders to work with a few extra stories i wanted to write. So the next chapter will be an extra. It's one of those things that fits into continuity, but a bit after the current action. But well, you'll see later. come back soon!