Thom watched Moiraine sleep in his arms and could barely believe she was really there with him. Now that all the fear and stress from getting her out of the Finn's realm have gone out of his system, he too barely held himself awake. The exhaustion was taking hold of him and there wasn't much he could do about it.

"Hungry?" Mat asked, handing him half of a rabbit.

There was hardly anything left from what they took for this quest, so bare hands it was. His old body was almost too tired to eat. His mind, however, knew he needed sustenance.

"Thanks." He dug into his portion out of necessity.

"Should we wake her to eat?" Mat asked, nodding to sleeping Moiraine, buried in Thom's multicoloured coat. It seemed to be wrapped around her several times over. "We've got more than enough to last us for the morning as well."

"Leave some tender part for her for the morning, will you," Thom said, between bites to the animal's legs. He could hardly taste the meat. He was more tired than he thought, if even a game meat seemed like a parchment. "She might be able to hold it down then."

It was no wonder that her body refused even her favourite drink at first. Tea had taken several tries to keep. He's seen that in people deprived of food and drink for long stretches of time. Moiraine had been kept in that place for months and nobody could say what she's been through exactly. He suspected it might never be spoken of. He would try helping her eat in the morning. She might be able to hold down more than several gulps of warm tea then.

"Get down, Thom," Mat said and Thom looked to his hand so se he had already ate all that was edible from the rabbit piece he got. "I will keep watch. You just make sure she is fine." Thom wanted to protest and pull his weight. Mat, however, didn't let him. "I will rest more when we're back."

Thom threw the bones into the fire and focused on Moiraine. She looked like she was almost peaceful. Like always. He would gladly know what the truth behind her calm outer shell was. He pulled her to himself as delicately as he could, then slowly slid to the ground, making sure she rested between him and the fire. The night was not too cold, but he wouldn't have her loosing warmth if he could help it.

He couldn't sleep at first. She was rigid in his arms, far from restful. Something was bothering her even in her unconsciousness, he could tell. He pulled her closer.

"You're out, Moiraine," he whispered into the back of her head. "They can't touch you now."

He wanted to say that she was safe, but knew it was far from the truth. The Last Battle was on the horizon and they would all play a part in it, no doubt, maybe pay the ultimate price. His still sore hands spoke only of the success of their rescue. Moiraine was out and alive in his arms. This, repeated slowly, served as a lullaby that calmed him into sleep.

She woke before him and went rigid, probably confused about her whereabouts. The feel of that woke him in turn. He reached to her on instinct and their hands found each other.

"Oh, good, you're both awake," Mat said, dropping some more small branches into the fire. "You took your sweet time."

"Sorry."

"Just remember that we need to go in several hours or we miss our gateway for the day."

"Gateway?" Moiraine asked in a voice that was rough from misuse.

"I will explain in a moment," Thom said and squeezed her hand, then turned to Mat. "Are we sure there is still someone waiting for us? The weather seems different than when we went in. I seem to recall that there is no way to know how much time has passed."

"We should try it. They would not stop without a good reason."

"We're going to try." Moiraine's voice was clearer now. "Help me up?"

He was glad she didn't comment on his stiffness in getting up and pulling her into sitting position. He helped untangle her a little, so she could move freely in his multicoloured cloak. He reached for the pot Mat already had filled and boiled water in and nodded to the boy with gratitude.

"Tea's already in there," Mat said and reached for a small portion of meat he kept on a hot stone. "And there is something to eat too."

Thom went to take it, but stopped when he thought there was something he would rather do first.

"Are you well enough for channeling?" he asked, looking to Moiraine with a smile he hoped was encouraging. "It would make things so much better if you bonded me now."

"Are you sure?"

He hated seeing Moiraine this unsure and almost reluctant. This was far from the self sufficient woman he met her as.

"Do it, will you?" he pushed.

Moiraine seemed to mull it over for a moment before responding.

"Let me put my hands on your head."

There was nothing of what he feared he would feel, when she put her hands on his temples, her fingers cold despite warming them inside the cloak. No shackles pinning him down or his free will disappearing. Just a warm feeling that hugged him, filled his skin with another layer, one he was not able to control. Then love and gratitude. At last a boulder seemed to land on his heart and chest, building into a sharp pain he didn't expect.

"Breathe," she whispered into his ear. "It will pass. Let it settle. Don't fight it."

He tried to loosen his fists a little and allow everything coming in and had to admit she had been right. It was hard to know what came from him and what was a result of the bond. There was so much pain, so much desperation, even fear. The onslaught made him falter. He barely heard Moiraine calling softly for Mat before two arms helped him remain up.

"Oh, Moiraine," he said, when he was finally able to open his eyes and speak. Then confusion came, when some of what he had just felt suddenly loosened like a veil has been pulled over it. "What happened?" he asked, seeking her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Moiraine, when he looked at her, had her eyes closed and seemed to have retreated into his cloak even more. There was a vulnerability in her that scared him a little. He thanked Mat and moved to touch her cheeks. He hoped she would at least look at him. Then something he had heard about the bond came to him.

"Do not hide from me, Moiraine," he said softly, waiting for her eyes to open. "I want all of you. I want to be by your side in every way possible. As much as you can let me in." He waited for her to keep looking into his eyes before pressing on. "Unmask the bond and let me help you carry whatever has you so anxious."

This time Thom was prepared, braced for everything that flooded his emotions. No preparation could, however, help with it. There was too much to feel at once and he had to fight to keep his eyes open and focused on Moiraine. He was glad to still be kneeling on the ground. He could just sink down, when all the pain might have knocked him off his feet in an instant.

"I'm sorry, my dearest," Moiraine whispered so quietly even Thom barely heard it.

"Never apologize," he said, pulling on all his experience to leave the pain from the bond out of his voice and focus on love and encouragement to fill his words. "I want everything you are. And, please, never hide from me." He hoped she would understand his meaning. He would have to learn a lot to understand this thing that joined them. For now he just wanted to address that void that called to be filled in her stomach. "Are you strong enough to try and eat something?"

He was glad to see her nod, even though her feelings made it obvious she was anxious. This was to be expected after yesterday, when even tea made her sick. He was nonetheless happy she was going to try again. He sat comfortably and pulled her into his front, feeling strangely energized, before nodding to Matrim.

They all needed to eat before setting off on their way.