Ewan's arrival last night had done everything to put Storm out of her mind, and yet she returned to Yearling Brook just as the sun was setting. She had stayed at his bedside all night, catching quick naps in the chair that remained near his bed. Sometimes she would talk quietly, but most of the time, she was quiet. She even stayed until the morning, and as others came to change the sheets and his clothing... she moved the chair outside to stay in the hallway until it was decent enough for her to go back inside and assist with whatever needed to be done.

By noon, she tried to leave his side, convincing herself that she could not stop time to be at his side constantly, he would not want that of her. So by mid-afternoon, she managed to walk out of the barracks with promises of returning.

And so now, she walked quietly back into his room, shutting the door behind her and moving to light the lamp nearby. "This used to be much easier." she mumbled, before the light took home on the wick. Setting the book in her hand down on the chair, she studied his features in the candlelight, though he may not look better, he certainly did not seem worse. She leaned over to hesitantly brush her lips to his pale cheek. "I think I miss your scar, the dangerous look suited you well." she mused as she straightened, "I do not believe I ever got around to tell you."

She moved the book into her hands again, before adjusting the chair to be nearer to him, before sitting down. "Word has it that your cousin is in town, perhaps he will grow to accept me." She added the last part just in spite, her lips twitch at the corners.

She fell into silence then, a hand occasionally reaching to trace the marks on his skin, curious as to what they were, what they meant, who did it. It was this time into the night that the magnitude of his wounds overwhelmed her. At some point, she had to stand and pace around the small room quietly, just to ease her mind.

"I must admit something to you - though I am sure that I will have to repeat it when you are well." She moved to sit back down into the seat. "I could not keep my promise to stay out of trouble. You are right of course, like always," she leaned over to brush strands of his hair from his face, "trouble came and found me. It is not gone still, but... answers will come." She started to tap idly on the book cover "If you knew of the trouble I've been in, you might put yourself into a state of comatose." a ghost smile played at her lips, before looking down at her book.

"Do you remember our week away?" she asked, her voice still soft as the warm memories flashed to her mind. "I cherish it still. I brought a book with me; I thought perhaps you would enjoy a story that wasn't out of those histories you've been reading." She shifts in her chair slightly, to become more comfortable. "It is called Merchant of Venice, but I cannot remember if you have read this play or not; it is one of my favorites."

She opened the book, reading off the characters names and p ositions, before starting, "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad;
It wearies me; you say it wearies you; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn; And such a want-wit sadness makes of me That I have much ado to know myself...."

She continued on through the first scene, doing her best to modify her voice with the change of characters, though she would hardly win a prize for storytelling. Then she closed the book, marking their place, before blowing out the candle.

With her grey eyes adjusting to the darkness, she moved the chair so that it was close to the wall. Sitting in it, she leaned back so that the wall could support her, before closing her eyes, hoping that the dreams would grant this night mercy to her.

Today she spent much of the daylight hours inside of the barracks, either in Ewan's room or in the hallway outside of his room. People came in often, and she did not want it to seem like she was not allowing others in to see him. How could she explain her growing need to stay by his side through it all?

Come late afternoon, she knew that Gaerwyn would be coming in and out, and so she left and headed for the inn that she was still 'rooming' at, hoping to find more sleep to no avail.

And so it was late again as she walked through the rain towards the barracks. Without a cloak, she had little to keep herself dry - not that she minded the warm rain, but it was being stuck in wet clothing for all night that was not appealing. Someone else thought so, as by the door was folded clothing, close enough in size to fit her. Who ever left the cloths there knew that she was coming, and she was ever grateful as she picked up the clothing and headed inside to his room and closed the door behind her.

She moved towards the corner that she usually changed in, leaning to press her lips gently to his cheek as she passed him by. Once she was in the dry cloths, she laid the wet ones out on the floor best that she could, before sitting on the edge of the bed rather than the chair.

"Do you remember when it rained while we were away?" she asked softly, raising a hand to brush out wet crimps and curls from her face. "If I recall correctly.. I believe that night was when you received my father's letter." Her hands fidgeted with the corner of the bed to occupy, letting the memory strike her as if it was yesterday. "I upset you also, something about the challenging piece of our relationship being appealing. How foolish and tactless my words were; it amazes me still that you still stayed with me. It took me some time to understand your worries, but I cherish the chance you have given me." She frowned slightly as more parts of that night unfolded behind her eyes.

He had said something about needing a haven, someone he could return to after doing his mission of.. whatever it is. Someone who could bring him back to himself.

Grey eyes widened; bring him back to himself.

"Oh," she breathed, suddenly finding to be sick to her stomach and her throat tightening.

Was she failing at what he needed her to be?

She moved off the bed and moved towards a corner of the room, hearing the soft rain still outside of the walls. Her gift was nearly back to as it was, but still she felt empty - missing something. She brought up her hands to rub her eyes, and found them trembling slightly. She could only be strong for so long, and she felt herself wearing thin.

But she had to remain strong - for him. She had to be that anchor if he needed her to be.

But what if he was waiting for another to be that anchor for him?

Shaking those dark thoughts from her mind, she moved back to sit on the edge of the bed, but this time it was closer to his front. His lips were moving slowly, and she could see eye movement behind closed lids. It did not disturb her now, so much as break her heart.

"I am not doing what you need me to do." she stated just above a whisper, a tear falling from her cheeks to the top of his chest as a hand stroked his cheek gently. She did not wipe away the silent tears as more continued on the path. "Maybe all your doubts were right. Maybe Gaerwyn is right. Maybe I am the only one who really thinks that this had.. has.. a chance to continue." she bit on her lower lip as the tears continued. "But I still will not leave you... I am still going to give this my everything. This promise I will keep."

She sighed deeply then, now raising her hand to wipe away her tears as she moved from the bed to settle into the forgotten chair. Why was she doubting so? Surely Ewan did not have this in mind when he said those words so many months ago, and surely he would ease her mind of this.

Right?

"That lady has eyes of a bloody hawk." Smirking, she leaned over to press her lips to his cheek, before popping the last slice of orange in her mouth. "I will never try to take something from the kitchen without permission again."

Her voice seemed a bit more cheerful as she sat next to his middle on the bed. For the time being, his lips were moving slightly, but the rest of him appeared to be at peace from the candlelight. A hand reached out to caress a pale cheek, before she grazed a fingertip to the tip of his nose.

It was the first time he did not respond by pressing his lips to her fingers or palm; and it quickly took the light from her eyes. She fell silent then, studying him as she sat next to him.

"I saw Kitty today." A hint of a smile came to her lips, but it hardly grew into something full and genuine. "She said that she was going to come here, tug on your hair, and drag every doctor she could." She lifted up a hand gently so that she could place a kiss to the middle of him palm. "I think that I am going to give my land to her so that she could build a park. I could not think of a better thing - I'm not going to use it any time soon."

She set his hand into a comfortable position for him, considering her next words carefully, just in case he could understand her. "My gift is no longer hindered, but I feel.. different. Not weaker, not stronger," she frowned slightly "just different."

She bit on her bottom lip then, studying his face, considering. She knew that she could try to heal him. She knew that her powers were at their peak.

It was worth a shot, wasn't it? Just the chance to bring back the man she longed for. Even it was at the expense of becoming just like him in his place.

She furrowed her brows slightly, as she adjust herself to face forward, opposite of him. "I am going to try to heal you, Ewan." she started slowly, biting on her bottom lip still. "I do not have real healing powers, I cannot make pains disappear, but I can take them unto myself." She grimaced slightly, as if she could see his facial response to that. She knew that if he could speak, he would not allow her to attempt this. Not at the risk of herself.

Sometimes ignorance was bliss.

She leaned forward then, resting one hand on each side of his head, her face mere inches from his. "You just have to let me in." She said softly, pressing her lips to his forehead, whispering, "You have shared at least a little of yourself with me, I think." There it was, that doubt that was growing larger with each passing day, "hope it will be enough.'

She leaned back slightly then, raising her hands so that her fingertips almost grazed his temples. She closed her eyes, brows coming together as she drained her emotions away into a jar, capping them so that she could best feel his pain without her own mixing in.

________

And the next thing Storm saw was a pair of concerned brown eyes. "Miss Storm?"

She let out a whoosh of air as if someone knocked the wind out of her. Her grey eyes were wide even though the room was dimly lit. Once again, she was on the floor without voluntarily putting herself there. She then winced at the throbbing pain of a headache. "I'm sorry, I just.. fell out of my chair."

He offered her a hand, judging her position, he highly doubted that she did what she said. Once he helped her out, he studied her features. "Begging your pardon miss, but you look peaked. I could set up a room for you to-"

She would have shaken her head, if it did not feel like it was about to explode. "The chair in here is fine, but thank you just the same."

He pressed his lips together briefly, before nodding, "Sleep well then." and he returned to his post.

Storm pressed the door shut, and rested her head against it. Ewan was the same, and so was she, save the headache. Whatever he had, she could not save him even if every fiber in her being wanted to.

It was a hard thought to swallow, and she desperately felt the urge to throw something, kick something, express her growing anxieties. Instead, she turned and walked towards his bed again; though it was slow because she could have worn that her head would roll off if she went too fast. "I am sorry, dear one." She whispered quietly, a sad sigh escaping her. "I can do nothing more that.. be." She reached out, to touch him, but withdrew her hand when it was just a breath away.

She could do nothing to save him.

It was the longest she had been away from the manor ever since Ewan's return. Out since morning and well into the night, her steps were hurried as she started for the barracks. Quick nods to those she past, before she slipped through Ewan's door, and shut it behind her.

She let out an audible sigh to find him just as she left him, except for the clean linen. Taking her time now, she moved over to touch the wick and give it life, then turned to greet Ewan with the usual kiss to his cheek. "I am sorry I have been away all day; I have been back at home for much longer than I would have liked."

Knowing that if he was well he would ask her to explain more, she shifted so that she could side on the bed next to him, "You see, the affects of the tablets have not left me. Even though my gift has fully returned, things are not right with me." her brows furrow slightly. "I have horrible dreams that wake me up nearly every night, I do not have the ability to bond anymore... who knows what else is wrong." Her voice reflected that she did not mind the latter of the changes, but she looked down at him as if he would respond. "Out of all those times you have commented on me being the purest Air - it would seem that is no longer true."

She would have looked out a window to get an idea of time, but because there was no window, she could only assume it was probably to late to continue to chatter away at him. "I think I am going to get some real rest tonight... on the chair." she added with a rueful smile. "Maybe it would be in both of our best interests if you snap out of this.. you will be back to normal, and I can sleep in a bed again" with a slight chuckle, she moved to kiss his cheek since his lips were moving. "Rest well"

"You know.. "she added softly, closing the book while observing its bindings. "Now that I have read this again, I do not know if it is still my favorite." with a small shrug to herself, she leaned over from her seat on the edge of his bed to place the Merchant of Venice back on the night stand. She then sighed softly, rubbing her weary looking eyes. She then reached over to run her hands through his hair gently, a thoughtful look on her face as she was clearly most lost in thought rather than studing his features.

With Sid's guidance and the skills of his profession, he had worked through unknown days to refit his life in his mind; he had begun to realize the outside world, but new his mind was not yet ready to face it until now. Now the thrum inside him was true and strong if more darkly tuned and it was time to test his work upon the addition of more memories and more consequences for past actions now so clearly viewed in his mind; the sensation of fingers in his hair brought a smile he could not keep away and his eyes opened ever so slightly to see who had come to play with his rusty blonde hair.

The smile didn't register at first, her eyes having that odd glaze of attention elsewhere. But it was soft movement of his eyes in the candlelight that had her pausing and her attention moving to his face. Her grey eyes narrowed slightly, studying his features, starting from his eyes to his smile. There was a rise of hope, ever since Sid's visit one late night, that every time something was different with him, he was back. But she was hesitant, that it was like every other time, that he would close his eyes and go back to sleep.. or whatever he was. "Coming around?" she asked softly, though without much hope for a response; her hand still in his hair though it did not move.

His mouth was dry, but he managed to whisper out, "Possibly." he tried to moisten his mouth, but it was not working and he tries to open his eyes wider in seeking a glass, vaguely communicating through a dry throat, "Water?"

Her eyes widened in mild shock, lips parting as he spoke. Water, right.. she closed her mouth and blinked. "Yes, of course." she moved off the bed, nearly losing her footing as she nearly trembled with excitement as she opened his door to grant his request. It did not take long before she returned with a glass of water in hand, closing the door behind her and going back to her seat next to him, offering the glass. "Do you wish for help?" He made the mildest nod as he tried to lift his head, but it is certain he felt some tension in his muscles for their time of limited use.

Licking her lips briefly, she moved lift his head very gently with one hand, adjusitng so that she could rest it against a bended leg. Once she knew he was settled, she slowly brought the glass to his lips, waiting for them to part so that she could slowly pour the water into his mouth, pausing so that he could swallow, before continuing.

He drank smoothly, the time his body had been automatically reacting to what broth he had been fed, now he controlled the reaction and did not gulp but drank enough to soothe the parched throat, then motioned enough and slid from resting against her leg, "Thank you." he looked at her, a hard blink to focus his eyes in the pale light of the lamp. "How long have you been here?"

Once he was finished, she moved to set the glass next to the book. She shifted back to her original position, studying his face, but she could not hide the smile that was appearing on her face. "Tonight? Oh, a few hours.. but I have been here for the past... "she frowned slightly, thinking. " .. two weeks, roughly."

He frowned "Swords and arrows, Storm." he sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Sid said that Gaerwyn was here, too. Is he still?"

A small shake of her head. "No, I believe he left a few days back, but.. he did not exactly tell me when he was leaving...." his frown had her smile slowly fading, as she kept her hands in her lap, unsure of.. well, many things. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, thank you." relying on a standard response. "And you?" he looks to examine her, wishing he could move the lamp light closer for a better view.