𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐌𝐀 • 𝐬.𝐬

Chapter 5

THEY GOT TO THE GREENHOUSE,
placing Saul down on the chair. Anya crouched in front of him. Her heart was pounding as she looked up at him, his hair tousled and his hand still in hers.

Both of them were still covered in blood, her shirt soaked from carrying him and his from the initial wound.

Saul would never admit it, but she was the only thing keeping him alive,  focusing on her. And as he looked back down at her, he knew he had to tell her how he felt - before it was too late.

"You saved his life, I'm so proud of you," Ben whispered to Terra and she smiled, thanking him.

"I've got you," Anya whispered as she grabbed his hand, Ben going behind him and applying Zanbaq to the wound.

He winced, squeezing her hand as the pain cascaded through his body but when he heard the door open and he saw Sky, he knew he had to stay strong.

Sky rushed in, a look on shock and fear being washed off his face as he realised he had to stay strong for Saul. He stood next to Anya, looking down at the couple.

"How bad is it? Can you help him?" Sky asked and Anya looked over, seeing the worried look on his face.

"Sky, I'll be fine. Just let Professor Harvey do his work," Saul said groaning as Ben applied more Zanbaq.

He squeezed her hand, closing his eyes as he felt the pain run through his body. It was like someone had taken a knife and was peeling his skin off layer by layer. 

"It'll be okay Sky, we can't get rid of him that easily," Anya said and Saul managed a pained chuckle, looking down at her.

Farah rushed in, looking at her friends, "I should've moved it right away, had more soldiers," Farah said.

It was obvious that she felt bad about her friend nearly dying but Anya was fuming. She looked up at Farah, a glint of anger in her eyes.

"You should have killed it when you had the chance," Anya said, only realising how rude it sounded once she'd said it.

She looked over at Farah, an apologetic look on her face, she hadn't ment for it to sound so harsh, "I'm sorry Fa-" Anya started but Farah cut her off.

"No, no, you're right," she said, her voice quiet.

Farah knew she didn't mean it but it still hurt. She knew how much Saula and Anya loved each other, a connection like that was rare in the Otherworld.

Saul looked up at Terra and Sky, "Guys, could be have to room, please? We'll keep you informed," Saul asked, his breathing heavy.

Sky tried to protest but Anya promised him that it was going to be alright and he nodded, taking one last look at Saul.

They left and Saul lost all of his strength, only realising that he was putting on a strong face for the kids.

He collapsed, Anya sitting down next to him and helping to place his head in her lap, Farrah and Ben standing near.

"It's just us Saul," Ben said, kneeling down next to him as he applied more Zanbaq to the wound.

He groaned quietly, looking up at Anya, "The Burned One was loose before we got there, I saw someone in the road," he explained.

His breathing was heavy but he started to look normal again. Anya pulled her sleeve up, wiping some of the blood off of his cheek.

She brushed a piece of hair away from his face, looking down at him. He seemed exhausted, his chest still heaving and his face pale.

"Someone let it loose on purpose?" Farrah asked, looking at Anya and Saul. 

She looked into his blank eyes again and he sighed. She remembered the first time she had been attacked, it was only for a couple of hours before Saul killed it but she couldn't imagine how he must be feeling.

She had felt like she was dying, like she was being burnt from the inside out. All she wanted to do now was to ease his pain.

"Okay, I've finished," Ben said, wrapping the last bandage around Sauls stomach, "Anya, could you watch over him tonight, in case it gets worse?"

Anya didn't know what to say. Well she knew exactly what she wanted to say but didn't know how appropriate it was knowing her past with Saul.

"Okay," she said, looking over at Saul, "Come on, lets get you up,"

Ben and Anya helped him up on either side and he had a lot more strength now, basically able to walk on his own.

Ben set Saul down on his bed once they got to his room, "Do you need any help?" He asked both of them.

"I'm good Ben," Saul said, "Thank you, for everything,"

Ben nodded his head before walking off, leaving Saul and Anya alone.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" She questioned, seeing the pained look on his face as he lay down against the pillows.

"Nope," he declared. His ego was too big to ask for help, especially not now. Then he realised that he could use some help "Actually-"

"It's okay, what do you need?" She asked, not expecting what he was about to say.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" He asked and she nodded her head, getting the chair she was going to sleep in ready.

"Of course, I was always going to Saul," Anya said, looking over her shoulder to see him laying uncomfortably on the bed.

"No," he sighed, "Can you stay? I-I don't want to be alone right now,"

Saul didn't want to be alone. He was sure he was going to die and if this was as close as he could get to his best friend, he would try.

"O-Okay," Anya said, sitting down on the left side of him, she knew that the right side of him was in more pain.

The two lay in silence for a second, neither knowing what to do. Until Anya lay her head gently on his chest and when he didn't appear to be in pain, she kept her head there.

"Thank you," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

He knew that if she hadn't been out there today, he might not have made it. He might have gone mad and died in the middle of the woods.

After she had fallen asleep, Saul fell asleep to the sound of her heartbeat, thankful that she was there.

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