I Always Knew He'd Find Me

He Will Always Love Me

Even in the darkest corners of my mind, I always knew that he would find me. 

I just never thought it would be like this.

My body is cold and heavy as he lifts me into his arms and stands up. He is shaking, though from the cold or from fear I am not certain. Faintly, I can hear him shouting orders and distant voices replying. The furs of his coat prickle at my eyes, frozen shut with the sweat that coats my skin. My own furs are torn, allowing snow and ice inside. I feel cold, my skin is numb and I vaguely wonder if I even have skin. Pantalaimon is somewhere near, but I can't get to him, my heart aches.

It is as if I am floating, but the firm grip of his hands hold me in place so that I will never drift away.

I am not sure how much time has passed since he found me, or how long we have been traveling on foot, but I find myself calmed by the sound of his heartbeat as he holds me close to him, almost afraid that I will slip away. But perhaps I would if not for his embrace. I bury my face in his neck when a small bit of energy allows me to. 

After a while, he shifts me in his arms and my face is exposed to the bitter air of the North, the sounds are much louder now, and soon I feel myself being shifted once more. Gently, I am laid down on something soft, carefully, he takes off my damp furs so I am only in my travel clothes, and pulls a thick warm blanket over me. 

I feel a loss when Will walks away, and the ache in my chest grows stronger for Pantalaimon. I know he feels the same, just as I know he is close.

There is a whisper of voices and then the door shuts, I hear his soft footsteps as he comes back to me, and feel a light weight on my stomach before he reaches me. It's his Daemon, Kirjava. I am comforted by the weight of her, and a wave of relief washes over me as Pan is placed on my chest, he snuggles closer to me beneath the blanket, exhausted. 

Dimly, I notice weight shifting as Will sits down beside me. 

"Lyra," he sighs and I feel his fingers gently brush hair away from my face. 

My skin tingles as warmth sets in.

"Oh, Lyra. Please be alright, please." Will's voice stirs something inside me, and I feel like I am suddenly coming into my senses all too quickly. My head throbs, my mouth is dry and body stiff, and it feels like every bone in my body is rattling.

I groan and force my eyes open, my eyelashes are stuck together. "Will?" I whisper and move to sit up, Pan falls into my lap. Will, seeing  my face, quickly grabbed a bucket he had next to him on the floor. With quick reflexes he holds the bucket for me as I get sick. "Shhhh, it's okay, I'm here." His voice is small, and full of concern. When the feeling subsides, I lift my head up to look at him, rubbing my eyes. 
I am gasping, my lungs chilled, my head is light and I must've swayed because next second Will is guiding me back into laying down. "Breathe, it's alright, just breathe."

"Will?" I asked, it hurts to talk and my voice cracked, but I spoke anyway.

Pantalaimon, who had been laying on my feet curled around Kirjava, looked up at me through droopy eyes, and seeing that I was alright, buried his face back in the fur of Kirjava's neck.

"It's me Lyra, it's me." His hands frame my face and I lean into the touch and the warmth of his skin.

He must've taken his furs off at some point, because now he was in a thick sweater and jeans. 

Will leaned down and touched our foreheads together, I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of mint on his breath. I tried to calm my rapidly beating heart, choosing instead to focus on the feel of Will. 

His back is to our Daemons, and he is no longer shaking. 

"You found me." I mutter, eyes still closed. His breath tickles my face as I feel him nodding softly, and then he presses a light kiss to my lips. "I promised you I always would." He whispered and moved so he was laying down beside me on the small bed. He pulled me into his arms and I pressed my face against the hollow of his throat.

I let out a shaky breath. "Oh, Will! I was so very lost and then Pan fell off the mountain, I tried to find him but I must've slipped and lost consciousness." I felt tears sting the corners of my eyes, I didn't object when he pulled me closer to him. I was still rather chilled, and his body was so very warm.

"Shhhh, Lyra, it's alright. You're safe now, both of you are." I felt him turn his head with the last part, and knew he was looking at Pan. 

I smiled and snuggled closer, ignoring the objections of my tired body. 

I was just beginning to doze off, when he suddenly moved back and knelt on the floor. I raised my eyebrows with a frown and turned my head to look at him, he was now at my eye level and I could see the concern written on his face. "What's wrong?" 

He licked his lips, his eyes searching mine. "I should've asked sooner, but, Lyra, are you hurt? Are you alright?" This question was bugging him, he was full of anxiety and I could tell even though he was trying hard to hide it. 

With a soft smile I shook my head, "aside from some bruises and stiff muscles, I feel fine. Nothing some shared warmth can't fix." 

He was still tense, he swallowed thickly and his eyes flicked briefly down my body, hidden beneath the blankets. 

I felt Pan move and carefully climb up the bed next to me before laying against me with his head on my chest, watchful eyes fixed on Will.

I reached for Will's hand at his side, it just so happened to be the one that had been severed back when we were children. Tenderly I brought his hand up and under the blankets before settling it against the bulge of my stomach. Kirjava lifted her head before getting up and stalking lightly up to stand over Pan, her eyes watching my movements curiously.

My eyes were locked on Will's, whose eyes followed our clasped hands until they were lost under the blankets. 

"Will, I'm fine. We're fine." His eyes widened when he felt movement under his hand, showing that our baby was unharmed and very happy. Quickly his eyes met mine and a goofy smile spread across his face. "We're fine." I repeated with a smile. 

~*~

A/N: Hello my lovely readers!
It has been quite sometime since I've posted anything new, and part of that is because I've had quite a lot happening, and just haven't had the time to write.
I have read and finished the His Dark Materials trilogy by the marvelous Philip Pullman, and I just can't get enough of Lyra and Will, and Marisa and Asriel.
If you haven't read the books but watch the show on HBO, well, I highly recommend it.

Till next time, my dearest readers,
Xoxo, Cait.