Finding Home

Chapter Forty Two-Paige

Trigger Warning: This episode briefly mentions suicide. Read to the {~~~} and scroll until you see the second {~~~} to skip past it.

Paige slept the night in Nathan's arms. When she woke he was still there, his arms cocooning her just like they had when they traveled. They would always start they might only holding hands as the South Pacific was often hot and humid. But no matter the temperature or humidity they would always end up cuddled up to one another.

This time his head was on her shoulder and his arm across her middle. She was still relatively flat on the hospital bed still being hooked up to all shorts of machines. Though her head was resting against his and her shoulders were angled towards him.

She lifted her head up and let out a groan. Neck pain can be expected after sleeping in such an odd position. Nathan stirred at the noise. He lifted his head and looked at her with a face of worry. "Paige? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, it's just my neck, that was not a smart position to sleep in."

He propped himself up on his elbow and took a good look at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Mostly okay. My head hurts still but not as bad. And my neck."

"Do you need anything?"

"Water?"

He climbed off the bed and grabbed glass and filled it for her. He brought it back with a metal straw. And gave it to her. "Paige," he said with trepidation.

"Don't try to talk me out of it Nathan. I want to do this. I need to do this." She gave him and imploring look, as if begging him to understand. He looked at her longingly, indecision in his eyes. He put his hand on her cheek.

"Okay, my love. But if you die-"

Micah's already threatened me with a necromancer so you'll have to find something else." She said with a smile.

{~~~}

He returned it, "I was going to say if you die, wait for me. I'll be following you shortly and we can go home to the moon goddess together."

Her face dropped. How could he even joke like that. A world without Nathan was a sad world to picture. "Nathan," she said sternly, "Don't even joke about that. You have to stick around. You have the pack to think of. You can't follow me so quickly."

"I've already made the plans."

"Nathan!" She was getting more agitated, the machines around her started to beep. "You can't do that! Tell me you won't kill yourself if I don't make it. You have to survive!"

"This world won't be worth living in if you're not in it. I won't intentionally take my life, but if I feel the mate bond break and it breaks me then I won't fight to stay alive either. I've already named Patrick as my successor. I won't be in this world with out you Paige." Losing your mate can be one of the greatest pains a werewolf can go through. It can literally cause the other wolf to die of a broken heart if they don't have something or someone else to live for.

{~~~}

"Nathan," she softened her voice. It broke her heart to think of a world without him in it. It must be as equally heartbreaking for him to think of the world with out her. She took a deep breath, "I guess we'd better make sure I survive then."

He let out a surprised laugh. "That would be preferable my love." He leaned down and kissed her as a nurse came into the room. They must have been alerted by the change in her heart rate and blood pressure.

"Oh good," the nurse said when she saw them. "You are awake. I'll go get the doctor and healer." She turned and walked out.

"Do you know what time it is?" She asked him. The room had curtains closed tight so very little light was getting in. She could see daylight peaking in but couldn't tell how much.

"It's just after three in the afternoon."

"Damn. How long have I been asleep?" She wasn't aware of the time when she fell asleep last.

"About eighteen hours. The doctor says it's because your body's trying to change but can't. It's using all your energy. She said it's best to just let you rest."

"Have you been here the whole time?" He grimaced slightly and looked away. "Nathan," she said, gentle chastisement in her voice. "It doesn't do you or me any good to stop taking care of yourself.

"I was fine, I had you in my arms so." He gave her a small smile.

"Yes, but something tells me you didn't leave the whole time I was unconscious either." When he didn't say anything, she asked, "Have you at least eaten something?"

"Yeah, your mom's been bringing me food." He shot her a smile. She returned it and grabbed his hand. A knock sounded at the door. The doctor and healer entered.

"Well, I glad you're awake. Just it time too." Healer Hartland said.

"In time for what?" Paige looked back and forth between the doctor and healer.

"Time to get ready for the ritual." Professor Moran said as he entered the room.

"Professor Moran!" Paige exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for you dear girl." He said as he shook Nathan's hand. "Someone needs to guide you all through this thing. And seeing as how I've the biggest background, your Alpha invited me to help."

She looked to Nathan with awe. "You did that for me?" Nathan inviting a rouge into the pack was huge, monumental even. He hated rouges, he wanted nothing to do with them.

"I just want to make sure you get through this in one piece and you said yourself that the professor knows his shit. Who better than him to walk us through this?" She smiled at him, trying to convey all the love and tenderness she felt for him in that look. She really didn't know how she would survive if this didn't work. If she lived but didn't get her wolf she'd leave. She had enough discipline to get herself on a plane back to London, but that doesn't mean she won't break down just as soon as she landed, or even before the plane pulled away from the gate.

"I love you."

He took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly, "I love you with everything that I am." The stayed that way looking into each others eyes. A million things passed between them in that moment. Time stood still. They held onto each other and gathered their strength. She took a deep breath in and pulled away looking to the others let it out in a large sigh. "Alright," she said. "Let's get this show on the road."