Lifeline (Chills Fanfic)

60 - Autumn

As my eyes try to open and close, in the moments between waking and sleep, I hear a heartbeat. I hear the soft breaths of someone asleep. And I feel something warm and strong rising slowly and falling back, then rising again with another breath.

I open my eyes and realize I have my head resting on Dylan's chest. He is asleep, those bronze eyes closed, his pale face serene and calm. I smile and then sit up, looking around.

"Hey," Arlo croaks. "How is it that that worked?"

"I honestly don't know," I say, my throat bone dry. I look at Dylan and Emma and Naomi, only Dylan is the only one asleep. Or unconscious.

"We need to get him home," Naomi says.

"How?" I ask. "If you're bleeding ...."

"Don't worry about it," she says.

Freya comes in and she and Arlo decide to balance Dylan between them. I walk behind him, even though I don't go up much higher than Dylan's upper arm in height.

We walk back to the house we share, and lay Dylan on the couch in the living room. I sit beside him, with a glass of blood, and I wait for him to wake up.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

It takes all night and halfway through the day, but when Dylan's eyes open, I nearly cry with relief. Dylan looks at me, his gaze on the tears in my own eyes. He sits up, wincing a little, but then he gently touches my cheek, wiping away the tears.

That serves to make me sob.

Dylan smiles and sits up, then wraps his arms around me. I close my eyes, willing myself to calm down, but it doesn't work. He gently rubs my back, telling me he's okay, and reminding me that I am fine too.

He holds me until I stop crying, and then I give him some blood to drink.

"How long was I out?" he asks.

"A day and a half."

"And you've been here the whole time?"

I nod. "Yeah. I'm sorry that it took me so long to find you."

"It isn't your fault. But I think that maybe .... maybe we should do the Imprint."

I look into his bronze eyes. "Are you sure?"

He nods. "I don't want to feel so helpless again."

"Me either," I say.

Dylan leans towards the edge of the couch, and he looks at me. "Think I should try to walk?"

"Only if you think you can," I say.

He slowly stands up, and I hold out my hand. He takes it without even looking really. Then he leans against me as we walk, apologizing for doing so, but also mentioning he's kinda dizzy.

We reach the kitchen and I help him sit, and then I go to get Freya. I find Naomi instead, but she follows me to see Dylan.

He smiles at her as I bring her in, and she returns her smile to him. "Hello, Sleepy."

Dylan chuckles. "Yes, if I was ever to be described as something, sleepy is one I wouldn't mind."

"What about tall?" I ask.

He laughs. "Yeah. That would be the second best option."

"You two are so cute," says Naomi.

She then wheels herself towards the back door. We follow her onto the back porch, and Dylan and I sit down on the back porch while Naomi works. She gathers some things and brings them over, like some candles and incense. She sets up a ritual circle, and then she turns back around. Naomi then finished the circle.

"Are you two ready?" she asks.

"Yes," Dylan says.

"Yes," I say.

Naomi nods, and begins the ritual.