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It didn't take Garek very long to pull Evanna into him and wrap his arms around her tightly. He was shaking, his breathing uneven. She felt his heartbeat against her chest. She smiled to herself and hugged him back. His hold on her tightened.
"You bitch," he mumbled into her hair as he shook his head. "don't you ever put me through something like this again."
Evan let out a breathy laugh as she buried her nose in his shoulder. "Never."
It took a while before Garek was ready to let go. No matter how much Evan tried to encourage him, make him believe that she was really there and not going anywhere, he was reluctant to end their hug. She gave up quickly, realising that he needed this and wasn't going to let go until he was ready to.
She had missed him more than she had expected. Without Garek, her overthinking and overwhelming thoughts were a lot harder to fight off. Evanna would get stuck in her head for hours, days even, without him around.
As much as Gally and the others tried to keep her in the present, her mind always found a way to zone out. It made sharing information about WICKED and being useful a little more difficult than anticipated. Luckily, Gally was patient and supportive. He let her take her time and told anyone who tried to rush her to back off.
Gally had become a sort of substitute for Garek. At times it helped to have someone to talk to about her missing memories who understood, but no one could ever fully replace Garek. For all his flaws and annoying characteristics, Garek was her best friend, and she loved him.
Evanna had only managed to arrange a meeting with Garek through Cliff on the last day of their promise. It had been four days since she last saw Garek. It had been four days since he thought she was dead.
"I ... I thought you were – " he cut himself off, sniffling.
She had never seen or heard him cry like this before. A sudden protective feeling washed over her. It was one she has had many times before but could only specifically remember during one occasion. It was a feeling she had often gotten around Winston.
Winston
Evanna quickly shook her head. There was no time for that. Garek needed her now. The Right Arm needed her. She couldn't afford to cry over him all over again. She had done that. Now she had to use him as a driving force rather than something that made her drop everything and curl into a ball.
"I'm right here," she found herself whispering. "I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."
He was quiet for a moment. Sucking in a sharp breath, he said, "Promise me."
