Souls Through Time (EzioxOC/DesmondxOC)

Chapter 24 - Amelia

Amelia stirred, her mind drifting up from a dark, dreamless sleep. Her body felt like it was wrapped in lead, heavy and unresponsive. For a moment, she couldn't quite place where she was. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of herbs and clean linen. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the light that filtered through a small, curtained window.

The room around her was simple but neat—a small bed, a few wooden shelves lined with jars and tinctures, and a fireplace crackling softly in the corner. The warmth of the fire was welcome, but she still felt a lingering chill deep in her bones. She tried to push herself up, but a sharp pain in her side made her gasp, and she fell back against the pillows with a wince.

"Amelia!" A voice broke through the haze, familiar and filled with relief. Leonardo's face appeared above her, his expression a mix of joy and worry. "You're awake! Grazie a Dio, I was starting to fear the worst."

Amelia managed a weak smile, though the effort made her head spin. "Leo... where...?"

"You're safe," he reassured her quickly, his hands hovering as if he wanted to help her sit up but wasn't sure if he should. "We made it to Forlì. The doctor here has been taking care of you—he's one of the best in the region. He's been monitoring your wound, and... and you're going to be alright." The words tumbled out of him in a rush, as if he'd been holding them in for far too long.

Amelia let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, but the relief was quickly overshadowed by a new worry. She gripped Leonardo's arm, her voice tight with anxiety. "Ezio... where is he? Is he all right?"

Leonardo's face softened, but there was a shadow in his eyes. "I haven't seen him since he left us at the pass. But don't worry, Amelia. I'm sure he's fine. He's tougher than most, you know that." He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, but she could see the concern he tried to hide.

"I need to know, Leo. I need to see him," she insisted, her voice cracking slightly with desperation. The thought of something happening to Ezio, of him being out there alone and injured—it gnawed at her, twisting her insides worse than the pain from her wound.

Leonardo nodded, his expression turning serious. "I'll go to the docks. If he's arrived, I'll bring him here myself. Just... please, stay here and rest, all right? The doctor said you shouldn't be moving around yet."

Amelia managed a small nod, though her heart still pounded with worry. As Leonardo gathered his coat and left the room, she forced herself to lie back against the pillows, focusing on the sound of the fire and the rhythmic ticking of a clock in the corner. Every second seemed to stretch into eternity, her mind conjuring images of all the things that could have gone wrong.

She didn't know how much time had passed—minutes, maybe an hour—when the door finally creaked open again. She turned her head, hope surging in her chest, and there he was.

Ezio stepped into the room alone, his clothes travel-worn and stained with dirt, but relief washed over his features the moment his eyes found hers. He crossed the room in two strides, dropping to one knee beside her bed, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek gently. "Amelia... you're awake," he breathed, his voice rough with emotion.

A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, but she laughed softly, her voice trembling with both relief and pain. "I thought... I thought you might not make it back. Leo said—"

"I'm here now," he interrupted, his forehead leaning down to touch hers, just as he had in that tender moment before the chase. "I'm not going anywhere."

She closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of his touch, the solid presence of him beside her. It felt like a dream, too fragile to be real, but she clung to it with everything she had. "I'm so glad you're safe, Ezio," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.