Helen was sore when she felt the warm rays of the sun on her face. Her body ached still, every limb half trembling as she simply tried to keep from moving. Holding still was excruciating.
"Relax," a soothing voice insisted, slowly petting her back. "Go back to sleep, you don't need to be awake yet."
The voice was familiar, though the hands were not but she supposed that was simply because it had been so long since she'd felt his hands on her. It must have been years, her mind slowly supplied. So many years since he'd held her. It had been what she most looked forward to. Back then. Before she was taken.
She shuddered at the memory, cowering closer to his warm body as if it could fight off the memories. He held her tightly, his body shifting to cradle hers more fully.
"You're safe," he whispered against her hair. "You're home, Helen. You're home and you're safe. I promise."
She whimpered, fingers winding into his shirt.
"You're in your bed," he continued, one hand smoothing her hair down methodically. "In your room, Helen. You're safe. Just look. Just look and see."
Again she whimpered, shaking her head and closing her eyes tightly. She couldn't speak, she couldn't move, she could barely even breathe.
"You don't have to do anything," Nikola continued softly. "You don't even have to say anything, Helen. Just open your eyes and breathe for me, all right?"
There was something in his words that bordered on desperation and finally made it into her consciousness.
Slowly she forced herself to breathe a little slower, working to match the rhythm with Nikola. It took effort and she didn't quite get there but Nikola seemed to recognise the effort and his body slackened against hers.
"That's it, Helen. You're safe. You're home," he soothed.
"Home," she breathed.
That sounded very nice indeed.
