Another AUish one, exploring another side to the "Ledah survives Yggdrasill" scenario.

(See first story for disclaimer.)

The room is dim, lit by a single candle on the wooden stand in the corner. Ein has pulled a chair up and sits bedside, helpless to watch as Ledah withers.

What happened in Yggdrasil hadn't been a miracle though, at the time, they had thought it one.

Ein is holding Ledah's hand, gripping it tightly, trying to keep him from slipping away.

Skadi came crashing down along with Ein's world as Ledah shielded him from a potentially fatal blow. He knew he would never be able to forget the wrenching within his chest as Ledah's bleeding body had crumpled in pain, fear in his eyes for once and his usually unreadable face twisted with unmistakable agony.

At least his breathing sounds stable now. Ein can't help but be positively terrified when Ledah wakes up fighting for air, his struggle voiced with frantic gasps. This is beginning to become an alarmingly common occurrence as Ledah's all too frequent sleeps grow deeper and deeper. Still, in spite of the stress, Ein remains by Ledah's side. It's his turn to be there.

Mercifully, Ledah was still able to speak. The echoes of his weak whispers, encouraging the younger angel to continue to fight for Riviera, were what kept Ein going all that time.

"Ledah?" Ein whispers. Half-closed carmine eyes shift, look up at Ein almost uncomprehendingly. Ein puts the cool palm of his hand to Ledah's forehead. Unsurprisingly, the Grim Angel is burning with fever. The dazed look on Ledah's face is heartbreaking. "You're going to be okay," Ein murmurs softly. It's his turn to whisper words of encouragement.

Ledah's sacrifice had been his emotions. About a month later, maybe a little more, seeming mostly recovered from the nightmare that had been Yggdrasil, Ledah's scars had been revealed. They were laying in bed, ready to put out the candle and go to sleep, when Ein noticed. He touched the most prominent one, wincing. "It looks," he paused, searching for the right word, "severe." Old scars didn't hurt. Not physically, anyway.

Ledah smiled humourlessly. "In order to create Lorelei, to give up my emotions, my heart had to be..." He took Ein's hand and lightly guided it over the length of the scar, silently debating how to put it. "...tampered with."

Ein nodded slowly, silently, his mouth slightly agape. He wasn't surprised, not really. The scars on his back from when his wings were severed looked similar, as though the procedures used were similar for both of them. No, he was concerned. Wings were expendable. The heart, on the other hand, was the centre of everything.

Ein said nothing, but the widening of his cobalt eyes and look of pure distress behind them prompted Ledah to pull him close in a loose embrace.

"Don't worry," he said reassuringly, smoothing the younger angel's hair back. "I've been living like this for a while now and even during some of the worst battles, it's never given me trouble. There is absolutely nothing to worry about." The uncertain quiver of his lips betrayed his otherwise calm demeanor. "Really."

During the time Ledah referred to, Hector was still around to ensure that everything went smoothly. Even with the traitorous Magus defeated, the weight of his deeds still effects Ledah, still effects Ein, would still effect Malice if she had survived and there is no one left alive who will be able to fix what he broke. Now, months later, Fia fears that without the power of the Magi to hold it together, Ledah's heart is deteriorating. Cierra agrees and Serene is informed of this, and told to keep Lina busy. They say they'll explain it to her after Ledah--Fia casts her solemn gaze to the floor--passes.

Ein shakes his head, insists that there will be no need to.

"Ledah will be all right. He's sick, but last night... I know I saw some improvement," he says stubbornly. "Really."

It's his turn to lie to himself.