Bound #Wattys2017

Two Years Before: Layla Abbarick

A/N: Here ya go- enjoy! ~Kay

She woke up two weeks later in a warm bed, wrapped from head to toe in bandages.

Her chest ached. Her tongue felt like sandpaper. And worst of all, the splitting headache that made her want to go back to sleep.

She almost laid back down when a cold hand grabbed her wrist. Startled, she looked to the bedside and found Julian staring at her, bags under his eyes.

And suddenly, she was in his arms. Her head cradled against his neck, his face in her hair, a kiss on her forehead. And she didn't push him away, only held on tighter because she never thought she'd see him again.

He explained to her that he had found her and her body, blood pooling around her. But she was still breathing. Her heart still beating; she'd lost consciousness. But he carried her, ice surrounding her heart to slow its beating for three days until they'd found their way past the gates of hell, back into the mortal world.

"Don't ever do that again," he said to her as he finished his tale.

She only smiled. And sighed.

"I guess this means that our work as the prophesied heroes is done."

"Mmhm."

After a minute, she continued with, "I don't want to report to the gods. Not yet."

"Then they can wait," he replied.

And they sat there, cradled in the comfort of themselves for a long, long, time.