Word Count: 390
Alicia's heart is heavy as she makes her way through St. Mungo's. There are too many familiar faces. The war is over, and so many people she knows have ended up in the hospital or worse.
But she doesn't stop to chat. No one is in a talkative mood today. The heaviness of war still lingers inside their hearts. Some offer small, reassuring smiles as she passes, but no one tries to approach. They are all too broken.
Mrs. Jordan greets her outside the room. Her pretty face is lined and stained with tears as she wraps Alicia in a warm embrace.
"How is he?" Alicia asks.
"Strong. I'm going to get a cup of coffee. Merlin knows I need something stronger today," Mrs. Jordan answers, a sad smile twitching at her lips. "I'll give you two time."
With that, she's gone and Alicia steps into the room.
It's worse than she imagined. No one knows exactly what happened to Lee. A curse hit him, but no one who is responsible or what the curse had been. Bright yellow spikes protrude from his dark skin.
"Lee," she whispers, moving closer. "Does it hurt?"
It's a stupid question, of course. Anyone can see how painful it must be.
He smiles ever so slightly. "Only because it means I can't hold you."
At least the curse hasn't taken his quick wit. She doesn't know what she would do without it. There had been a moment during the ceasefire, when Angelina had found her. She had been afraid he was gone.
"Now I can ascend into the great beyond," he says, drawing her from her thoughts.
"Don't you dare," she says, folding her arms over her chest, trying and failing to look intimidating.
Lee just grins. She can still see the pain in his brown eyes, but he's still smiling like nothing is wrong, like seeing her is all he needs to be okay. "Fine." He shrugs, wincing at the movement. "But only because I want to hold you again."
"When you're better."
She doesn't know how long that will be. The Healers are doing everything they can to reverse the damage. All Alicia knows is that she isn't giving up. She and Lee have made it so far, and she will stay by his side.
Nothing will ever take him from her.