Eternal Code: La'lliia's Fire

9

Christian had reluctantly given in to La'llia's request for him to take additional time off from work. He had plenty of personal and vacation time saved, but didn't like to be a burden. Not to his managers or to La'llia. Circumstances being what they were, he knew he had little choice.

Dave had been excited to hear that Jenny was, in fact, okay. He had even extended Christian's time off to a full week's vacation with no questions asked. Dave only knew that Christian had found her and that they were both okay and safe. Jenny had plenty of questions, but Christian felt it prudent to leave it to the experts to explain what they did, or didn't, want her to know. He still had plenty of questions himself, but time wasn't on their side. Getting Jenny back to her day to day life was important. Christian had little doubt that his days would never be routine again.

The night they had returned with Jenny, Christian had been filled with anxiety, the horrors of everything that could possibly go wrong filled his mind. When Alfred had limped into the house holding bloody rags, he initially wanted to inspect La'llia, but Jenny had assisted Alfred into the kitchen to administer what little first aid she knew. Like the night La'llia had been injured, Christian had taken over and cleaned the wound as quickly as possible, applying bandages and effectively sealing the area. When he was finished with his task, he had thought he caught a look that seemed to pass between La'llia and Alfred, before quickly dismissing the action.

Wanting some privacy with La'llia, Christian had pulled her upstairs into her bedroom. "I remember not so long ago you were injured as well, can I see how it's doing?" She smiled at him and raised the left side of her shirt. He gasped, there was no evidence that an injury was even there. Reverently he had traced the skin where he knew she had been injured. "But how?"

"Eternals heal faster than humans, but when we have a Water elemental assist with 'fixing' us, well...you can see for yourself."

"But I'm not..." He looked into her eyes, still stroking her skin on her left side.

"You were acting on instinct, maybe you haven't turned yet, but some of your skills are trying to surface within you. It's okay, as you can see...I'm fine."

His gaze held hers. "You are...and I'm glad that you are. I was...worried while you were gone. I...I...care... for you La'llia. I don't want anything to happen to you."

She reached up to hold his face within her palms, gently holding him still. "I feel the same. I won't let any harm come to you Christian."

He groaned and pulled her to his body, holding her still as he pressed his lips to hers. She returned his affections eagerly. Their emotional high from the evening finally coming down in a hard spiral. Breaking contact for only a moment, La'llia reached over and closed her bedroom door, and quickly removed her turtleneck. He took in her beauty for a moment before placing a gentle kiss to her lips, and then he bent and scooped her up in his arms. Crossing the remaining distance to her four poster bed with confident strides, he gently laid her across the mattress before joining her. He reached behind her and pulled her hair from its confines. Her blue gray eyes captured him as he feathered his fingers through her chestnut waves. "You are so amazingly beautiful." He whispered. And then, for a time, they were all that existed.

The morning after La'llia had sent Stephen, which Christian learned was one of Alfred's students, to gather some personal items for Jenny. She had decided to take some time off as well and she had some family in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania that she had not visited in some time. She would return in two weeks' time and hopefully the threat to Christian would be over by then, or at the very least, Jenny would no longer be a target for them. Christian had noted with some curiosity how Jenny had seemed to hover around Alfred while she was at the house with them, and how Alfred didn't seem to mind. Alfred had even volunteered to escort her safely to her location, insisting she take one of his finer students for protection while she was there.