Keller was exhausted but numb, she couldn't say she was content because her heart still ached but she felt more peaceful than she had in days.
She was back a day earlier than planned and all she wanted was a warm shower and her bed. She went in through one of the back doors and dumped her backpack in the porch, intending on sorting it out later.
When she emerged from the shower Keller felt extremely relaxed, but wide awake. She sighed, opening her bedroom window to let in some fresh air.
"I can't help it Hannah, being away from her makes me anxious, especially after what happened"
Keller froze, sure she was going insane. The voice was too familiar, the accent too defined. It was the voice that she swore she would never forget.
She threw herself at the window, frantically searching the courtyard below. And there he was, too perfect to be her imagination. His golden hair shining in the sunlight and his beautiful face contorted into a mask of concern, guilt and heartbreak.
"Galen!" Her heart sang as she shouted his name, she caught a glimpse of him looking up as she was launching herself away from the window, pushing her legs to run harder as she sprinted down the stairs.
She didn't care if this was a dream , she didn't care if she had finally gone insane, all that mattered was that she could see his face again, and imagine that none of it was true, that they could be together. But surely perfection like that couldn't be imagined, her heart told her as she burst into the courtyard.
"Galen" She tried to shout but all she could do was gasp breathlessly. And then she saw him, standing with his back to her, her eyes roved hungrily over his broad shoulders, savouring any glimpse she could get in case it was all a dream. She saw Hannah's eyes widen as Keller sprinted towards them.
Galen noticed Hannah's reaction and turned just as Keller threw herself towards her soul mate. His arms were around her, pulling her tighter to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was gasping as she buried her face in his neck, feeling her breathing become ragged with tears.
"I thought I'd never see you again" She sobbed into his neck when she could finally speak through her tears. "I thought- I- I thought-" She was sobbing, clinging to him with a desperate need.
"I know. I'm sorry. I love you. I'm so sorry." he whispered into her hair as he crushed her to him.
"I'm so glad you're okay" She whispered back, her voice breaking.
"Me too" Galen laughed shakily and Keller knew by the way their minds touched that he was crying with the relief of being with her again, just holding her was heaven to him.
"I thought you'd left me" she pressed her forehead against his chest and feebly hit his shoulder with her fist. "I thought you were dead." She whispered, hitting him again as the tears streamed down her face.
"I know, I'm so sorry, Sweetheart. I'm so, so sorry." Her hands were still fisted against his chest and he held her to him, crushing her as tightly to his body as he could. They stood there for an immeasurable moment, as their tears subsided slightly.
"I love you" She murmured quietly, breathing in the scent that was pure Galen, glad for the strength of his arms holding her up as she was dizzy with relief.
He put his finger under her chin and gently guided her face up to his. "I love you too" he whispered, his eyes shining the colour of sunlight through leaves. He leant down and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her tenderly. Keller relaxed completely and poured herself into the kiss. After a few minutes Galen pulled away, kissing her cheeks gently where her tears still sparkled.
"I'm sorry, I-" Keller cut him off with her lips. "Shut up" she whispered tenderly against his lips, pulling him to her. Galen smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist as she arched her back, bringing Galen's face down to hers.
He pulled her even closer to his body and straightened up, whirling her around, picking her up so that her feet were off the floor. Keller giggled and revelled in the feeling of Galen's arms around her. His smiled grew at the sound of her laughter and he set her gently back on the ground, hands still resting on her back.
"I- love- you" she muttered the words against his skin in between kisses as her lips brushed his face and neck. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Galen Drache" She whispered into his neck trying to hide her tears from him. Galen rested his cheek against her hair to give her time to compose herself before leaning his upper body away from her to look down into her face. She ducked her head and looked down"
"Sweetheart?" his voice was soft and gentle and Keller felt her mind being pulled into his.
Before she could stop it Galen was in her head, and he could see everything that she had felt in the past 3 weeks. There was a roaring in her ears as images flashed through her head, the letter, the ring, Theirry telling her Galen was missing, Quinn talking, her own reflection- ashen and gaunt, Galen glowing with pride, then leaving her for what she thought had been the last time.
She felt Galen gasp as he felt what she had been feeling, the emotions running through him as though they were his own, when Keller finally managed to close off the soul mate link everything seemed cold and quiet.
"Keller" Galen's voice was husky and warm in her ear. "Keller" he choked again, he was shaking, overcome with grief and heartbreak at the pain he had caused her.
"I-I'm so sorry" he was still shaking burying his face in her hair "I-I wish" he swallowed "I wish I could take away the pain. I wish none of this had ever happened." Keller put her left hand on the back of his head and pulled gently.
"It's not your fault" She whispered, looking him directly in the eyes. "As long as you're okay, I'll be fine" she stroked his golden hair, trying to comfort him.
He smiled a teary version of the smile reserved just for her. "I don't deserve you, Raksha Keller"
She grinned "Careful, You keep saying that and I might believe it one day".
He smiled and placed his hand over hers, which was still on his face. He laced his fingers through hers before suddenly pulling her hand away from his face and examining it carefully.
"You're wearing the ring" Galen whispered "On you're left hand?"
Keller actually blushed "It just felt right" Galen just nodded and smiled at her, holding her hand to his chest as he kissed her.
Keller stifled yet another large yawn and burrowed her head deeper into Galen's shoulder, closing her eyes momentarily and just enjoying the feeling of being with him again, the warmth and his familiarity were like a lullaby to her.
"Keller" Galen was whispering "Keller?"
"mmhmmm" she mumbled, opening her eyes and blinking sleepily.
"You fell asleep, sweetheart" Galen kissed behind her ear softly and when she looked up she saw he was smiling at her and it momentarily took her breath away.
"oh." She looked down and realized he was carrying her "You can let me down now" she put her hands on his shoulders, ready for him to dump her on the floor but Galen just carried on walking.
"Don't worry, we're almost there anyway"
She tried to hide her smile as she rested her head against his shoulder, peeking tentatively into his mind and seeing that he just didn't want to let go of her.
Galen eventually set her down and she drowsily opened her eyes, feeling them widen as she took in her surroundings. She was in Galen's room, roughly the same size as hers but with a slooping ceiling as it was one of the attic rooms that had been converted in order to make more room for the day-breakers, there was deep burgundy paint on three walls with a pale gold on the other and the bedspread and curtains matched. There was also a window seat overlooking the woods just outside the safe house, with the lights of the city just peeking over the canopy of the trees.
"Keller?" Galen asked cautiously, and she turned from where she had been examining his view so that she could see his expression. His face held her favourite sheepish smile that made her soul mate look as though he was a small boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"You can sleep in your own room if you want, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable" he looked down at his feet and scuffed his shoes across the floor.
"No, I'd much rather stay with you. If that's okay" she smiled shyly as she crossed the room and Galen pulled her towards him.
"We can go get some of your own clothes if you want, or you could just borrow one of my tee-shirts for now" Ever practical Galen was crossing to the wardrobe and Keller found her heart singing at the way Galen kept referring to them as we instead of just saying 'you'.
"I'll just borrow something of yours, please" She smiled as she slid her hair out of her ponytail and let it fall in loose waves down around her shoulders.
"Sure... Hmm that's odd. You haven't seen my green jumper have you?" he spoke with his back to her.
"Ummm, yeah. Sorry, I sort of borrowed it whilst you were gone." Now it was her turn to sound sheepish and look at the floor.
"That's okay, can I ask why?" He was rooting through the messy piles of clothing in his wardrobe, trying to find suitable clothes for her. Keller walked across the room and rested her chin on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging his back.
"I don't know, I guess it was just comforting. And it smelt like you" Galen smiled, feeling her long hair brushing against his shoulder, all her could smell was her.
Galen turned around, an oversized tee-shirt and a set of his own pyjamas in his hands and kissed her on the nose, wrapping his arms around her.
"You're so beautiful" he seemed dazed as he drank in her appearance, revelling in the way her warm hands were pressed against his lower back and her eyes sparkled beneath the curtain of her dark hair.
"Stop it" Keller mumbled into his shoulder.
"Never" Galen grinned and leaned in for a kiss. He could feel her smiling against his lips and he realised she felt the same as him, as if they were flying.
"You can get changed in the bathroom and I'll stay in here" he smiled at her, the perfect gentleman, handing her one of his oversized tee-shirts that would come to about her knees"
"Okay" Keller whispered, but she didn't move out of his arms.
"Uh Keller? Not that I object but I think it might be easier for you to get changed without me attached" Galen was grinning as Keller sighed and slid out of his arms, gathering his top and disappearing into the bathroom.
She emerged a few minutes later and slid straight into bed next to Galen, too tired to feel any embarrassment. He automatically put his arms around her as Keller rested her head against his chest.
"I love you" Galen whispered as he rubbed small circles into her back through the top he had leant her."
"Love you too" Keller whispered as she snuggled closer to him, warm and comfortable.
Keller woke up slowly the next morning after a blissfully dream-less night, it was the best nights sleep she had had since Galen had originally left.
She opened her eyes slowly, from the diffused red-tinted light coming through the maroon curtains she could see Galen was still asleep, his golden hair stuck up at odd angles and his face relaxed and oddly vulnerable. She was on her side, facing him, and her legs were entwined with his, and her neck resting on his arm. She tried not to move too much so that she wouldn't wake him but as she stretched her cramped muscles Galen stirred and she was suddenly looking into two pools of clear emerald.
"Good morning" she whispered softly to him just as he leant forward across the pillow to kiss her softly.
"mhmm" he murmured as he pulled away with a small smile on his face. "How did you sleep?"
"Very well thanks, you?" she smiled peacefully as she closed her eyes and shuffled closer into him, reluctant to leave the small warm cocoon of the bed when the air in the room was so much cooler.
"Better than I have in a long time" he nuzzled her neck and lazily placed soft kisses there for a few minutes whilst they lay in silence.
"We'd better get up" he whispered "I'm sure the others will want to talk to you, I feel slightly guilty for stealing you away from everyone since you arrived"
"You can steal me away whenever you like- I don't mind"
He grinned at her before sliding out of bed and grabbing his clothes "I call dibbs on the first shower" he called as he slid into the ensuite bathroom.
Keller giggled at him before sliding out of bed herself and finding her own clothes. When they were both done they made their way to the kitchen together, holding hands.
"Hey Keller- you're back!" was the first thing they heard as they walked through the door and were almost knocked flying by Rashel and Jez as they both tried to hug her at the same time. "Group hug!" shouted Poppy as she threw herself at them all. Keller was giggling as Poppy's added weight knocked them all into Galen and all five of them went tumbling to the floor.
"Poppy" James sighed, rolling his eyes playfully at his soul mate as he helped her up off the floor.
"Sorry Kel! Hey Galen! I'm so glad you're both okay!" Poppy was practically dancing with excitement and Keller saw Jez roll her eyes at Morgead.
"Hey, how was the mission lil' sis?" Quinn asked as he rose from the sofa and gave Keller a bear hug.
"Yeah it went well, thanks" Keller smiled at the nickname "Big bro" she added and he laughed.
Keller found herself smiling all day, even when it was just her and Galen, and she realized that she finally felt content, that the whole that had been in her chest all her life had finally been filled by Galen and her make-shift family of day breakers. She grinned to herself as she realized she had so much to be thankful for and reached out for Galen who understood and just took her hand without saying anything.