The Protector: Hakan & Nisan

Chapter 7

"Hakan!" Nisan called out worriedly, helping him sit up as he flailed awake, confused. She ran her hands soothingly over his hair and his face as he struggled. "It's okay, Hakan. Easy. Breathe. Relax. You're okay. You're safe." It was her turn to reassure him and take care of him.

He hungrily took in air and cast his eyes wildly around the room. "What- what happened?" he asked, finally getting his bearings. "Why did you wake me? I was just about to see his face!"

Nisan continued to soothe him with her hands, smoothing his hair away from his face quite tenderly, answering quietly, "I didn't wake you. You just started to flail and then you bolted up, scaring the hell out of both of us." She put two fingers against the pulse in his neck then, checking his heart rate. It was slowing, thank God. "Are you okay? What did you see?"

"Nothing," he said bitterly. "A different room in the tower but nothing useful. The Vizier was coming but I didn't see him." He punched the bed underneath him in frustration, making her jump. Then he flexed his hand, just realizing how numb it felt. His hands and feet were all numb, now that he took stock. "Why can't I ever get a glimpse of his face, damnit? Why does it seem like I'm blocking it out?"

She was touching his face again then and it felt good despite his foul mood. "It will just take some time, that's all. Give yourself some time."

"I don't have time," he reminded her but without heat. "How long was I out?" It felt like five minutes.

"Two hours," she answered, surprising him.

"Let's go again," he said impatiently, looking around for more of the mixture. "Now. Again and again until I see his face, until I see something useful."

She looked at him alarmed and told him resolutely, "Absolutely not. We need to monitor you and assess how long it takes you to get back to full strength." She eyed him sitting there hunched over and added knowingly, "Admit it. You feel weak and drained."

He nodded in defeat, knowing she would make him wait until the next day regardless of what he said. She helped him stand then and he was forced to fling his arm across her shoulders as she led him back to his room. He had to admit even to himself that he was wasted and needed to rest.

She quietly helped him into his bed and he was embarrassed when she had to lift his legs up for him. They looked at each other a long, painful moment then as she stood beside his bed, looking down at him with concern and something else neither of them wanted to acknowledge. And then she said, sounding utterly defeated and hopeless, "Goodnight, Hakan." She turned and walked away without a second glance.

Hakan took in a long, shaky breath and despite his overwhelming fatigue it took quite awhile before he found blessed respite in sleep.

She came to check on him the next morning, coffee in hand, and damn him if he wasn't showered and shirtless and ready to go again.  She blushed and tried not to stare at his hard chest and abs.  All business, he took the cup of coffee with a quick, "Thanks."  Then he commanded, "Let's get started."

He marched to the lab, still shirtless damn him, and would only answer her questions with a "fine" or, if she was lucky, an "I'm fine." She gave up, gave him half a vial of the elixir and then watched on pins and needles as he succumbed to the dark abyss, praying he would come back to her.

Thankfully he did but it was the same result as the day before. "Damnit!" he roared. And made her repeat the whole painful process that afternoon and then again in the evening, even though his body was more numb each and every time.

The next morning when he demanded they go again, her anger was on par with his.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" she hissed. "Because I won't help you do that, even though I would love nothing more than to wring your neck myself!"