Lacuna ¹

43

Amélie had collapsed into Benedict's arms that night, from both the exhaustion and from what had occurred hours before. Benedict helped her to the bed by lifting her bridal style and laying heron the bed first before soon joining her. Benedict had pulled her so she lay comfortable across his body and so Benedict could feel Amélie's entire body in his grasp, sending him a sense of comfort and calm knowing she was no safe in his arms. Benedict held her in his arms all night long, not daring to leave her.

He did not leave her side. Not to hunt for the blood of animals that surrounded the housing of the Cullens, he couldnt bring himself to leave Amélie in her vulnerable state as well as the fact that Benedict couldn't face his family after how he acted out to them, he had never acted that way towards them but it was true that he wasn't himself and could only act the way his mind told him to in protecting his mate and his family knew that yet he couldn't help but feel ashamed with how he had acted. He also did not leave for entertainment as such a book to keep him occupied for the entire night, instead he stared at his beloved with such love and yet such guilt, he couldn't help it, every time he looked down at her bruised arm he couldn't help but flare with anger as well as guilt. Anger at the bastard that had touched her in such a disgusting way after she had specifically told that man 'no'. The feeling of guilt came rolling in not long after, guilty at the fact that he, himself, could not protect Amélie, like he was supposed to do. He could only pray that Amélie would not hate him when she opened her pretty eyes.

Benedict was lost in his own thoughts when Amélie began to stir awake. Her eyes slowly began to flutter open, her eyes immediately flickered up to Benedict. She smiled slightly, she couldnt help but adore waking up in her lovers arms in the early hours of the morning. Although she noticed how he wasn't quite their and it was almost as though he was an open book to her.

"Bene.." She whispered softly. His eyes flickered down to her, still being in his dazed state. She raised her bruised arm towards him, letting her palm rest against his cheek, like she has done so many times before and yet it was one of their most intimate touches with one another. "Je suis là, tu m'as sauvé, mon amour. (I'm here, you saved me, my love.) "

Benedict's eyes seemed to glaze over with unshedable watered eyes. Yet his eyes lowered to her bruised arm. Raising his hand he let his fingers run over the bruise with the pads of his fingertips, watching how she flinched. He closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them. "Je ne pouvais pas t'aider quand tu avais le plus besoin de moi (I could not save you when you needed me the most)"

"Oh Bene.." Amélie spoke softly. She ran her fingers over his prominent cheekbone. "Tu m'as sauvé mon amour. (You did save me my love)" Amélie repeated and before Benedict could protest she continued. "Le résultat de la nuit dernière aurait pu être bien différent (If you weren't there the outcome of last night would have been different)"

"Et tu as toujours reçu ça (And yet you still recieved this)" He whispered, running his fingers up his arm instead of over her bruised upper arm instead. He couldn't look at Amélie in the eye, too fearful of what resided in those glittering orbs. As the saying goes, 'Eyes can speak a thousand words'.

"Et pourtant tu étais là avant que ça n'empire (And yet you had got there before it had got worse)," Amélie placed her finger under Benedict's chin to lift it as so his eyes would finally meet hers and all they held was pure love. "Tu m'as sauvé une fois de plus mon amour (You saved me once again my love)"

Benedict's eyes softened as he looked back into his beloveds own emerald eyes. He couldn't believe how he had gotten so lucky with his beloved. He promised to give her the world after all she deserved it and so much more. He promises her the throne dedicated to Hades and Persephone. He promises to prove that she is to be recognised as a goddess amongst mortals. He promised to always stand by her and never leave her, that he can promise.