It had been a month since Halt's abduction Crowley, the Baron, and Sir Rodney and a few men at arms had left to Picta not two days after the Baron had told Pauline the bad news. It wasn't easy but they had managed to claim him. What was left of him anyway. Halt had been rendered unconscious from the torture. Pauline paced the floor her heart in her throat they should have been back by now.
Sir Rodney looked back at the scruffy looking horse hauling the liter they had fabricated behind him with an anxious frown. Crowley swung down from his horse and went back to check on the man laying ominously still. The young sandy haired man frowned Halt had been unconscious since they had recovered him and showed no sign of waking which was probably a good thing for now with the severity of his wounds he would probably pass out from the pain if he were to wake. "No change" Crowley said making sure his friend was well braced still and pulled the blanket up a little higher around him "if we keep moving at this pace we should be back at Redmont by dusk. He needs to be seen by the healer as soon as possible." The Baron nodded "we will push on then" it was the least he could do for the man who had done so much for him Sir Rodney nodded and followed him easily both of them had a sick feeling in their hearts for the man lying on the liter. The men at arms followed their commander without a word it was a sick silence that had settled over the party now. Crowley walked slowly on beside him listening to the steady grinding noise of the liter dragging behind Abelard he watch his friends chest rise and fall shakily in his chest. They had been through so much together. He had never seen him in such a state it made him sick, what if he died. Crowley shook off the thought as soon as it came, no he wouldn't think that way, he couldn't.
It was just past dusk when the small group topped the hill looking down over Redmont. Pauline saw them as they crested it. She tried to study them against the horizon and her heart sank when she saw a horse hauling a liter "Halt" she gasped as if struggling for air. She all but sprinted for the stairs. By the time she made it to the healing wing Halt was being moved inside on a stretcher. Crowley caught her by the arm before she made it to him. The Baron and Rodney were blocking her view behind him. "Crowley let me by let me see him! What's wrong? Why won't you let me pass?!" she said almost frantically. "Milady please let the healer see to him first. He is alive but only just," Crowley said honestly "he is in a bad way." Behind him the Baron say the distress on the woman's face and her pain. Pauline crumbled tears were streaming down her face now. Crowley tried to comfort her, Lady Sandra appeared wrapped in a night gown and at the sight of the form on the liter and the look on her husband's face she needed no explanation she wrapped her arm around her friend "come now let's go sit you down it'll be alright Halt will be fine," she tried to console her and lead her to the waiting area. As Pauline was led away to wait Crowley turned to the healer who had Halt settled into a bed and was beginning to examine him "how is he doctor?" Crowley asked almost scared to hear the response. "He is not in a good way…. He has several broken bones and serious wounds… but if you are asking me if he will live, that too is uncertain. I will do all I can for him but he is very weak" the man said honestly. Crowley nodded his mind spinning as he sank into a chair in the hall his face in his hands.
He must have fallen asleep because when he woke he felt a hand on his shoulder and the mornings gentle light touching his face. He turned to see the doctor standing beside him and almost jumped up "is he-" "he is stable, rest easy now. It will take some time for him to heal but heal he will. We are lucky he is so stubborn. He is sleeping now he will probably sleep for another hour or so yet go and fetch yourself a meal and get some proper rest he isn't going anywhere if I can help it," the older man said with a smile. Crowley let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding shaking the man's hand profusely he looked through the door and saw his friend heavily bandaged but resting easily and smiled "stubborn doesn't even begin to describe it."
There was a soft knock at the apartment door and Pauline quickly jumped up to answer it Sandra had calmed her enough to settle her somewhat telling her that if any word came she would have her notified immediately but that she should rest pacing the hall wouldn't help her or Halt. She tried not to run to the door but her heart was in her stomach. She opened it and saw Crowley standing there "Crowley? What's happened?" she said nervously. "He's going to be alright. They have him stabilized though his wounds will keep him immobilized for some time and he stays medicated for the pain. But he will live, you have quite the stubborn man on your hands," he said with a soft smile. It didn't take a fortuneteller to see the love between the fair maiden and the Hibernian. Pauline didn't know what emotion she felt first happiness, worry, embarrassment, fear, but she didn't care she hugged Crowley quickly then let go "thank you!" she said. "You are most welcome though I think someone else might be warranting that hug much more than I" he said with a wink. Pauline smiled and shut the apartment door behind her moving quickly to the healing wing.
She stood in the door way a part of her scared to see the man she loved in this state a gentle hand on her shoulder made her jump she turned to see the kindly face of the doctor. "Go and see him… It will help" he said seeing the woman's hesitation. "I just… I…" she couldn't answer. "You are afraid…. You know him as he was and you don't know if you can handle seeing him like this" the doctor said as if reading her mind. Pauline could do nothing but nod "you love him" the doctor said, it was a statement not a question. Pauline blushed but nodded "then tell him" the old man said patting her hand "life is too short to waste when you have such a love for someone." Pauline smiled softly and nodded "thank you," she said lifting her head then noticed that the man had gone. She turned and walked through the doorway into the small quiet room she moved over to the bed. She saw halt laying there quite still, sleeping from the medication the doctor had given him. She saw his blackened eye and the several heavy bandages wrapping various parts of his body "oh my Halt, what have they done to you?" she said settling on the side of the bed. She gently reached out and took his hand in hers observing his relaxed features and a tear slid down her cheek "I thought I'd lost you, you know? When they told me what happened I thought I was never going to get to see you again… That's when I realized I really didn't like how we left things…. I love you, Halt… I always have, I was too scared to admit it… I was worried if I admitted to loving you I would lose everything I've worked so hard to achieve… Then I realized everything I've achieved wasn't worth anything without you… There was always an empty space where you should be…. I'm so sorry Halt…." She said sobbing now. That's when she felt the grip back on her hand her head snapped up and she saw Halt's gentle green eyed gaze looking up at her "I love you too…. Don't be sorry" he said weakly. "Oh Halt" she said leaning in to kiss against his temple lovingly her hand resting on his cheek. He held her hand lovingly against his face his forehead resting against hers tenderly, the two of them completely lost in each other's love.
From the edge of the doorway the Baron and Crowley watched silently they turned and walked a short way down the hall. "We should come back later" the Baron said with a soft smile. Crowley nodded and grinned back "I'd say that's a good call he seems to be in good hands" he said.