Chapter 34: She Still Needs You

That night, Liam and Levi made camp in a small inconspicuous clearing. Liam had carried Isla part of the way as Levi led. When they got there, Liam gently let Isla stand, again.

He turned to face her, noticing her still very tearful eyes, "Hey, hey, it's okay. I'm here." He spoke softly as he slightly slouched over to be at eye level with her, and he began wiping her tears with his thumbs. "I'm here with you. Everything's okay." He assured her.

Levi prepared camp as Liam took care of Isla, giving her water to flush out the poison from the Salema Porgy fish.

By the time everything was prepared, Isla had fallen asleep with her head resting on Liam's chest. Liam was sitting against a tree trunk, placing a blanket over her with his free hand and arm. He'd been whispering assuring and sweet words in her ear for a decent portion of the time it took Levi to ready a temporary camp. Though the moment Isla had laid her head on Liam's chest, she'd fallen asleep to the sound of his heartbeat faster than a child to a lullaby.

Levi just came back with more firewood and knelt down to drop a few in the fire. "How is she?" He wondered softly.

Liam sighed, glancing at her for the third time to see how peacefully she was resting. "Sleeping peacefully, now. And not like she was in the cave. She's been like this since she laid down. I wonder what she saw. I've never seen her like this."

Levi picked at the fire with one of his swords. "Nor I. Sca- They have ways to turn a mere fear into a trauma. Whatever she saw has shaken her up, quite a bit. But she's a strong woman. I know she'll get through this, but it will take time. Luckily our storming to find her crippled your step-father's forces. It will take time to regrow his army. Unluckily, we will need to use that newfound time to care for her."

"It's not her fault." Liam whispered, getting slightly irritated. Then he calmed, "It's mine. I let her get taken." It didn't feel good, knowing that this was his fault, but it felt even less good, remembering who's forces the Scaths were.

"I see." Levi nodded. "They asked you and you granted their request to take her." He shrugged nonchalantly, which looked odd on him, of all people.

"What?!" Liam nearly sat up, but remembered Isla was sleeping on him. He settled back into position. "I didn't- they didn't ask me and I didn't let.." He realized his point.

Levi shook his head. "You did not permit them. So it was not your fault. They merely caught the both of you off guard and took advantage of it."

"Why didn't she wake me? I could've helped her." Liam asked as if he knew Levi had the answer.

Fortunately, Levi did, "I think you and I both know the answer to that." He paused, waiting for Liam to pick up on it.

"Protection." They said simultaneously.

"She didn't want me to get hurt, so she kept quiet." Liam looked at her even more worriedly.

"A little too selfless for her own good." Levi pointed out as he poked the fire. "However, our escape was quite simple compared to what would've happened. While I am glad she is safe, they should've infected us. But they didn't. They merely fought. We can thank the Source for that."

"'Should've' is a strong word, however you're right. Right now, we need to take care of Isla. I hope she recovers well." Liam practically crossed his fingers.

"It'll take time, but she will. I know, you know that. But more importantly there may be a way to help her." Levi explained with sureness.

Liam's eyebrows shot up, "How?"

"Both will take a trip to the Domus Eius, another name for the Culmine monument. We can begin our journey there tomorrow. Till' then we need to get some rest. So get comfortable,.. though I'm quite sure that won't be hard."

Liam felt good, knowing there was a way to help her further. But Levi's last remark didn't make him all that happy. "Look, I know this doesn't please you, but.."

"Oh, no. That's not a problem." Levi reassured.

"Wait. Really?" Liam questioned. This sounded off, coming from him.

"Quite the contrary. It does please me. And let me tell you why."

"Okay."

"This. This whole 'you with her' circumstance, is what she needs. You have been the exact thing she needs. Someone who has helped her get through tough times, let her grieve when she needs to, sticks up for her when she doesn't, as well as when she does, and helps her feel more sure of herself. Those are qualities of someone she's needed. I have not been there as often as I should have been, but I have seen the differences in her confidence. Even while it is still building. She has come far with your help." Levi's expression was hard to read, but it seemed like it softened a bit.

Liam smiled. It was nice to know Levi saw these things and wasn't bothered by the two of them. But Liam wasn't sure he was okay with the thought of him and Isla as a couple. He only seemed to refer to what Isla needed someone to be. Not wanted someone to be. Would he be okay with the two of them being romantically involved further down the line?

Levi lay on the ground, readying to sleep. "That kiss must've been nice to you." He said.

"What kiss?" Liam blanked, before realizing what he meant through the look on his face. "Oh. It doesn't matter. It was, but I'm just glad she's okay."

Levi grinned, taking a moment before speaking, "And that's how I know, you love her." He whispered so that Liam would barely hear it.

The journey took several days and for most of the way, Isla didn't speak much. And neither Levi nor Liam recalled even the name "Scath" of any kind.

Liam held her hand throughout the journey, barely letting go, but every now and then he gave her hand a light squeeze just to remind her he was still here. Every night, they would sleep in the same positions as they had the first night.

However that didn't keep flashbacks from occurring sometimes as Isla slept or just as she walked in which Liam and Levi would pause their walking to calm her down and take care of her. When a flashback would occur, Isla would begin to try to fight, thinking they were attacking as they had in her dream state. Liam would hold her back, as he and Levi would try to remind her she was okay.

When Isla, Liam, and Levi made it to the Domus Eius, they met Leo, Amari, Jonathan, and the elven guard of the Domus, Imani. Leo and Amari had arrived a day after Levi and Jonathan had left, upon Amari's leadership.

As soon as they arrived, Jonathan ran up to hug Isla. Isla obliged quite quickly to it and knelt down to hug him. Levi quickly left to speak with Imani about matters concerning Isla's recovery. Liam and Isla followed Leo and Jonathan to a hut where they'd sleep.

Once they got Isla settled into the hut, Liam whispered to Leo a brief explanation of what had happened, then sat beside Isla on the bed.

Still tired from the trip, Isla was allowed to sleep with Liam, as long as she agreed to eat something.

Jonathan didn't fully understand the going-ons, but he could feel that there was something wrong with Isla. So he plopped Toby atop her lap and left with Leo to eat lunch.

Levi and Imani discussed a multitude of possibilities on what to do and settled on one thing. They made an agreement that there were remedies that could slightly accelerate the time needed to get past her trauma. But before Levi agreed to do it, he insisted he spoke with Liam about this.

Liam had been doing so much to help her, he deserved a say in the matter. Besides, he was the main one taking the most care of Isla. He slept beside her, carried her sometimes, and did the most to calm her down when she got flashbacks or nightmares. He was the one who knew how.

They discussed it, while Isla slept, and they began the treatments and remedies the next morning.

The first while they saw no change, but as more time passed, the more Isla progressed.

In a little over 6 weeks, Isla was getting better. The Scath instance had finally become a mere matter of a painful memory. Isla was talking much more, now. She returned to her sarcastic, teasing, wonderful self, but not without slight change. She was closer with Liam now as well as with Levi.

At least, Isla knew all that.

But everyone but Jonathan worried otherwise. Sleeping beside Liam was more of a comfortable preference, and she did encourage him to sleep on his own bed if he wanted to. But Liam still worried about her. Both he and Levi walked on eggshells with her, even Leo did. It was sweet, but she wasn't porcelain.

She really was okay, if only they'd realize that.

~*~

One morning, Isla woke early and nearly wrestled Liam's grip to get free. Once free, she sighed. He meant well. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Scarf boy, but I can handle myself now." She whispered, and left the hut to do something. Maybe she could cook breakfast? Anything that wasn't being monitored.

However once Liam awoke to Isla nowhere to be seen. He jumped out of bed and searched for her. He looked around everywhere in the hut and when he found no sign of her, he left the hut and called out her name several times in panic.

Then he heard her voice getting louder and closer. Isla had run up to him. "Liam, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly, panting from running so quickly.

Liam wrapped his arms around her, sighing in relief, "You're okay."

Isla loosely hugged him back, "Yeah. I'm fine. Sorry for scarin' you. I just wanted to walk around a bit, then I decided to cook some breakfast." She explained, not sure how to react with Liam's panicked state.

"We-Well, why didn't you wake me? I would've gone with you." Liam questioned in concern.

Isla put her hands on his shoulders, slightly pushing him off of her, "Green Eyes, that's not what- I wanted to go by myself. I should've left a note, I'm sorry. But I wasn't goin' to wake you. Besides, a little fresh air wouldn't hurt me. I'm surrounded by a safe amount of mountains and trees all around this place. Nothin's comin'. I'm fine. No one's comin' for me. No Scath can or will get to me." She indicated.

Liam paused, picking up on the insinuation. "Isl- Scath? You mean.."

"Yeah. But it's fine. I know now that it wasn't real. You helped me realize and het past that. But it's over. I'm not porcelain. I'm not goin' to break.. anymore." Isla managed to finish without Liam interrupting her.

Liam took a moment to process this. She was over it. She was okay. She was safe. He smiled sweetly as he cupped her face in his hands, placing a long kiss on her lips.

Isla melted into it and put her arms around him, reciprocating instantly.