"Welcome home!" Shouted almost everyone in the village as they arrived home, all happy to see their leader and friends. Hannibal held Will in his arms, that got a flood of whispers, but Will didn't care as long as he was cuddled up in the warmth of Hannibal's chest. Hannibal took Will into his hut and the other men branched off to their friends and family, Zeller smiled as Beverly welcomed him into her arms, kissing his cheek. Ivar picked up his son and tossed him in the air while Alana and Price went off to get some food with several others.

Hannibal set will down in the surprisingly warm hut of his furs and then wandered over to the other side of the room and dunked a cloth in a bowl of water. It took a moment but Will let Hannibal wash his face of the ingrained muck, then Hannibal removed the teenagers clothes, well rags, and cleaned every inch of beautiful skin until it was once again creamy and angelic. Will looked rather terrified at being naked on Hannibal's bed.

"Its alright, I am almost finished." He reassured, using a strong hand to brush away a stray knotted stand of hair. Will felt a little better but only a little.

"Am...am I...going to be...mated?" Will stuttered, not making eye contact and fiddling with his hands. Hannibal stopped dead, frozen to the spot as he felt a chill run down his spine. The Viking shouldn't have been surprised to hear that from his Saxon. It still hurt, seeing the fear in his eyes.

"Do you want to be mated?"

"No." Will almost shouted but fear kept his voice quiet. Hannibal nodded softly and said.

"Then I promise I and no other person will ever touch you, Will." Will smiled at Hannibal knowing every word was the truth.

"What do you say that we cut your hair? Hmm? It is rather wild at the minuet." Hannibal wandered off out of sight again, Will heard bumps and bangs as thing moved behind him. Will continued to play with his hands awaiting Hannibal's return. He was glad when he came back, it renewed the safe feeling, the bed behind him dipped and Hannibal plunged his fingers into Will's hair, snipping away at wild curls taming it back. The feeling of Hannibal's fingers was almost erotic on his scalp.

"Beautiful." He remarked once he was finished with Will's hair. "I will get you something to eat." Before Will could answer Hannibal shouted out of the hut and ordered food to be brought in for them both. Will asumed that Zeller or one of the others would have told the village about the Saxon Omega.

While they waited Hannibal changed and cleaned himself up, washing away day old blood from his hair, Will couldn't help but notice the collage of scars on his back, some old some new, others that where still in the proses of becoming scars. Will tried to pull his mind from them but found himself wanting to run his fingers along each one. A tall blonde woman with bright blue eyes entered the hut and set down two plated of streaming food.

"Thank you Yrsa, that will be all." Yrsa nodded to Hannibal and left as quick and quietly as she came in. Will was soon offered the a plate which he took graciously, the food was warm and filled his mouth with a tantalizing sweetness. The two sat on the furs and ate in silence, the only sounds being quiet chewing. Hannibal never took his eyes from Will and so noticed that Will was falling asleep before Will did and managed to bury him if furs and into sleep.

XXXX

"No! No! Hannibal!" Will awoke from his nightmare to find himself surrounded in Hannibal's tight embrace.

"Shhh. Shhh. Its all alright, you are safe Will, safe." Hannibal rambled rocking him in a comforting motion. Will gripped Hannibal's shoulders and pulled into a much needed hug. "Everything is alright." Will breathed in the scent of the Alpha and took comfort in it. Hannibal kept hold of Will until he slowed his breathing to something that resembled a normal rate.

"Lets get you back to sleep." Gently Hannibal shuffled Will back into a lying position, the Viking went to climb off the bed but found he couldn't move, Will was holding onto his hand oh so tightly, like his life depended on it.

"Please." Will mumbled. "Please don't leave, I'm scared." Hannibal couldn't deny the Omega and so Hannibal lay beside him, pulling Will flush against his chest. Warmth drifting from Viking to Saxon. Will shut his eyes and for the first time in his life fell into a dreamless sleep.