Title: "Cassander's Campaign"

Author: Baliansword

Chapter: 10, "The Power of Love"

A/N: Again, I must thank everyone that reads. I hope that you are enjoying. If I have not yet responded to questions I am going to do so as soon as this is posted! Sorry for being so lazy.

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Sweat dripped from his brow and onto the pillow. His hair was wet with sweat as well and he was pale. His breathing was slow and stilled every few breaths. The pain had been so intense for so long that he seemed indifferent to any pain that gripped his chest and forced him to cough deep in his throat. After another cough he opened his eyes, bloodied rashes from his fallen tears at the sides of his eyes, and tried to force himself into a sitting position. How long had he been like this, he wondered. He wanted so badly for this to be over and thinking upon it he would have rather drunk the poison. The world spun and suddenly he felt as if he was falling through the air. He knew nothing more until he was opening his eyes again and was looking up into Cassander's dark eyes. He felt hands touching him, and knew that Cassander's hands were at his face, one on the cheek and the other under his chin. There was someone else touching him though and he couldn't see who it was because he couldn't even move his head. It was not only because Cassander was holding him, but also because he felt so weak. His vision was cutting in and out now and finally he felt something cold against his burning chest.

"Hold him tightly," a voice said. Hephaestion could not hear it clearly enough. Every one of his senses was impaired and he did not know what to do. There was a moment before he tried to move again and he felt a hand slide into his. He turned his head finally, with Cassander's help for the most part, and saw Alexander. There were tears in the other's eyes and he whispered an apology to Hephaestion. Hephaestion could not figure out why he apologized. What was going on? Had it been Alexander that was talking earlier?

Hephaestion felt something else touch his chest. After a moment he tried to look down and Alexander tried to get him not to. He moved slightly though and saw Bagoas' hand on his stomach with a blade in his hand. Hephaestion jerked but Cassander only forced him down onto the bed, shoving both shoulders hard into the bed. Alexander ordered Hephaestion to still and after a moment he did. It was not just because he wanted to do as Alexander said, but he had lost the remainder of his strength. Soon he was again drifting in a world of darkness. Nothing around him could he feel or hear as he drifted off to sleep.

Alexander watched as Hephaestion's eyes closed and wondered for a moment. Yet then his chest rose and Alexander knew that he was all right. He looked down at Bagoas, who'd never looked up, and wondered if what he was doing had ever worked before. Bagoas only continued to cut into a piece of his flesh. He made a small hole and then took a fruit and mashed it in a bowl. The juice was what he then took and put into a smaller cup, and with a funnel, he poured it into the small hole at Hephaestion's side. Hephaestion did not even move as this was done yet Alexander winced whereas no other did. Cassander glanced over at his shoulder and watched as Bagoas did something else. It was some kind of odd magic, or what he called medicine, but Cassander was still unsure. But this was not the only time that Bagoas had come up with some concoction that had managed to help some odd illness. Perhaps this time one could be saved from this Indian illness.

"Rest," said Bagoas as he took two needles and made an X over the skin that he'd cut the hole into. He then stood and left the room. Alexander tossed a glance towards Cassander. One of them had to leave yet both of them wanted to stay. Alexander could not keep his promise. He could not leave Hephaestion alone, and could not let him go. He had to keep him with him no matter what it took. Cassander was the only one that had been almost too afraid to enter the tent at all. He'd stopped, glanced over his shoulder, and only after cursing quietly to himself did he enter. Alexander saw the pain in Cassander's eyes. He wanted so badly to help Hephaestion but knew that he could not help him if only to loose him. Cassander glanced at Alexander and then let go of Hephaestion. Leaving the tent was hard, but he knew that he had to do so.

Alexander was silent for the longest time. There was nothing to say to the silence that filled the room. He could only hope that Hephaestion would awaken soon and he would then be able to speak to him. He would owe him an apology. For the first time he'd blatantly lied to Hephaestion. Yet wouldn't the lie be worth it if it could save Hephaestion's life? Silence overcame him, as did fear, for some time until suddenly he heard Hephaestion cough. He turned to look at him and Hephaestion's eyes fluttered open. Alexander was instantly at his side, holding his hand, and he kissed his forehead.

"What are you doing," Hephaestion asked, throat dry. Alexander said nothing for a moment. He did not know what to say. Hephaestion blinked a few times, trying to look around, but he was still weak. Not to mention that his stomach felt as if it was being clamped down with a wire tie. "I thought that you…"

"I did," Alexander said. "I lied. I know that I said that I would leave you but I can't. I told you through my actions that I did not love you but I do. Hephaestion, please be strong for me, do not leave me just yet. Do you remember when we were boys and I said you were my Patroclaus?"

"Then," he whispered weakly, "I go first."

"Phae, you cannot go first. You know what Patroclaus' death did to Achilles. You cannot do the same to me. Hephaestion, please, can you feel me here next to you? You seem so far away from me and you have for some time."

"I am always here."

"Then do not change that. Hephaestion," Alexander said as he came closer to him. He sat on the side of the bed and even though he should not have done so he leaned down. He kissed Hephaestion, with a passion that had not come from him in months. Never when he was with Bagoas did he kiss him upon the mouth. That he saved specifically for Hephaestion and only Hephaestion. His lips met with Hephaestion's and he kissed him as he never had before. Passion seemed to flow from him and into Hephaestion, and it gave him strength, for even Hephaestion made an attempt to kiss him back. Even though it pained him to pull away Alexander did so, leaving Hephaestion slightly breathless. As he pulled away there were tears in Hephaestion's eyes.

"I asked for you not to see me like this," Hephaestion said, tears about to fall from his eyes and onto his cheeks. Alexander shook his head, ready to explain, but Hephaestion continued. The mere parting of his lips forced Alexander to hold back his words. "I don't want to see you before I die."

Hephaestion was crying as he said these words. Alexander pulled Hephaestion up and held him in his arms. He felt the sweat upon Hephaestion's back and the warmth at his neck and chest. Hephaestion, despite the heat, shivered though. Alexander held him a little tighter, hoping that he could warm him, but he was so hurt and confused by Hephaestion's words. Yet there was never a time that they did not know what the other was silently thinking. Hephaestion, because he knew Alexander so well, soon elaborated. Alexander would have never asked him to do so in this state. Yet Hephaestion wanted to, more to admit the reason to himself above anything else.

"I don't want to have to know that I am going to loose you," Hephaestion said, holding him. "I can't hold you Alexander only to know that I'll never touch you again. I can't look at you only to know I'll never to see you again. And by the gods I cannot love you, knowing that what we have can never be again."

"Nothing ever changed. I always love you Phae. Please, if you would fight for this, we will be as we were. I would do anything that you could ask of me," he assured him, tears now falling from his eyes. "Hephaestion I love you so much. Please, forgive me for lying to you."

"If I thought you were telling the truth," Hephaestion said as his eyes began to close, "then I never knew you at all."

Alexander smiled as he let Hephaestion lay back against the bed. He stared down at him, pulling a strand of his sweaty brown hair behind an ear. He was still beautiful, as a fallen angel would have been. There was no sickness that could keep Alexander from loving him. Neither would there ever be an illness that could take his beauty from him. Hephaestion smiled for a moment, blinking and all the while trying to stay awake, but he soon had fallen back into sleep.

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A Week Later…

Hephaestion swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He began to cough but pushed Alexander's arm away. He took a moment to do so but eventually stood and only then did he place a hand on Alexander's shoulder to steady himself. He'd lost a great deal of weight in the seven days of his sickness and seemed paler than he'd ever been. Alexander had stayed with him though, attending to no other matters. Soon Hephaestion was leaving the tent, Alexander at his side, and he looked around the camp. Alexander held him closely for a moment before he let Hephaestion try to walk by himself. He kept close to him though, just in case. Finally, he saw the man that he was looking for.

Cassander glanced up from where he sat next to Ptolemy. The two had been in an intense conversation about the Bactrians. Yet something had called to Cassander and he'd turned to look behind him. He saw Hephaestion, and the frown on his face melted away, and he only smiled. A small laugh even escaped his lips as he stood and approached Hephaestion. He carefully put his arms around him and hugged him, inhaling the scent of his hair as he did so.

"Cassander," Hephaestion began but was silenced as Cassander pulled away from him. Cassander only smiled though. Even though he knew what Hephaestion was going to say he smiled. He shook his head, telling Hephaestion to be silent, and then nodded.

"I know," Cassander whispered. He came a step closer, close enough so that they were too close, but it seemed that they were too far away at the same time. Cassander had lowered his voice so that only the words would be between the two of them. Cassander, with the same saddened smile, looked into Hephaestion's cerulean eyes. "You and he belong. You are the same man for the most part. You need him as much as he needs you, for it has always been him in your heart."

"I love you as well Cassander."

"In a much different way," Cassander assured him, knowing all along that it was true. "You and he are meant for one another. And you love him more than you could ever love me. I do not fault you for it, in fact, I admire you for it. What you have with Alexander is something that all men should strive to have. Yet it comes so easily to you."

"And what will you do," Hephaestion asked gravely.

"I will love you from afar. As I always have," Cassander said with a slight laugh. "If you ever need me, I shall be where you can find me. Know that, Hephaestion, and you know my only secret."

"I love you," Hephaestion whispered, the words true. Yet Cassander was right, he did not love him as he did Alexander. He loved Cassander for the comfort that he'd given him. He loved being able to have him, knowing that he'd never leave him, and knowing that he'd always have someone to speak with in hard times. Cassander would give his life to protect him and Hephaestion would have given his life to save him. Yet no matter how much he loved him, there would always be Alexander, tugging at his heart. For his heart had belonged to Alexander since childhood and no matter what Alexander did, Hephaestion still loved him, and would always love him. He loved Cassander because perhaps they were the same, desperately searching for love, a love that they both may never find. But Hephaestion could never turn away and let Alexander go. Cassander would be able to sit back and love Hephaestion from afar, even if he never had him again. Hephaestion on the other hand needed more than that, he needed to be with Alexander as much as he could, even if at times it pained him to do so.

"I love you as well," Cassander said. He then brushed a quick kiss against Hephaestion's lips before he went back to sit with Ptolemy. There were many others that greeted Hephaestion. They were all amazed that he'd recovered. Out of a good hundred men Hephaestion had been the first to survive. It was due to Bagoas' work with herbs, fruits, and even the blood of a bat. But no matter what he'd pumped into Hephaestion's stomach, Hephaestion would always be grateful to him. But overall, it was something else that had saved him. He turned, and looked at Alexander, who smiled as he spoke with one of the commanders. Hephaestion had not seen him smile as he did then for at least half a year. Hephaestion was well, and Alexander had gone back to smiling, content with life the both of them. It was amazing what the power of love could heal.