Forever and Always

Amelia giggles as she lets out a small sigh. “Thank you for the story love.” She smiles a bit as she falls asleep holding his hand. She heard him say something about an Amelia but it didn’t really registered as she fell asleep after a long day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He smiled and squeezed her hand, kissed her forehead gently, and whispered as she fell asleep, “I will always be yours, my love. Until the stars fall from the sky.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was dreaming. She was walking along a cliff. She smiled as the wind blew the sea breeze towards her. She sighs picking up a few flowers and smelling them. She walks a bit closer to the edge and gasps looking over. There was no ocean. Just black nothing. That’s when she trips. She screams as she falls towards the nothingness.

Amelia screams sitting up in her hospital bed. Tears stream down her face as she looks around. “No….no I thought I was all better. Why am I back?” She lays back down with a whimper of pain.

Fred woke at the scream and reached for Amelia with both hands. “Amelia? Sweetheart? What’s wrong? What happened?”

Amelia looks at Fred, “I-I was all better. I was walking along a cliff. It was so pretty.” She sniffles, “And then I was falling. And screaming and I didn’t like it.” She looks at Fred, “I’m sorry I woke you. What time is it?” She looks around confused but whimpers, “N-no I should not move my head so fast.”

He held her and gently stroked her hair, then took a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped her cheeks. “I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like it, either. Falling is one of the scariest feelings there is. For me, there’s only one thing scarier.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Sweetheart, you know I don’t mind. You are the most important thing to me, no matter what. Don’t worry about the time. I’m sure the nurse will be along soon to wake you for your morning meds.”

Amelia lays against him, “Thank you.” She sniffles a bit and giggles at the handkerchief tickling her cheek, “That tickles.” A small blush comes to her cheeks, “Thank you. I don’t know where I would be without you. But I just want to go home at this point.” She looks at him in the dim light, “What’s scarier?”

He chuckled and bent to kiss her gently. “As soon as they let you go, I’ll have you out of here, honey. I promise.” He squeezed her hands and whispered, “The stars falling.”

Amelia looks at him funny, “Like in your story? That’s an odd fear…” She kisses his cheek, “Well…since we’re both up. Will you tell me another one?” She smiles at him still tired. “Thank you for holding me.”

Fred held her close, nuzzled her hair, and whispered gently, “I will love you until the stars fall from the sky, Amelia. I promise.”

“Hmm… another story. Let’s see…”

He thought for a bit, then nodded. “Have you ever heard of the Siege of Vienna? It happened in 1529, when the Turks attempted to conquer Vienna on their way to taking all of Hungary. An old Landsknechter named Nicholas had gone to take charge of the defenses in the fall of 1528, and he was brilliant. He spent the year before the siege reinforcing the city. He blocked the gates, reinforced the walls, even built ramparts on the inside of the walls to ensure they were thick enough to stand up to the Ottoman artillery he anticipated. Luckily for the city, though, the Turks had made the mistake of marching through Austria during the rainiest part of the year, so they were sick and exhausted, and had been forced to abandon their camels and artillery in the mud. All they had left that were in any shape to fight when they got there were janissaries and light cavalry, which left them woefully unprepared for a protracted siege.

Nicholas set up his headquarters near St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which had the best fortifications and was one of two centers of the city’s life at the time. The other center was a former monastery that had just been returned to its original owner, an old man named Aurelius Ambrosius, who changed the name of the monastery to the Zimmerman Inn. The monastery was famous for being the place where Herzwesten beer was brewed. What most people didn’t know was that it, or more specifically, the brewery, was built on the grave of Sigmund. One of the Zimmerman’s barmaids was a beautiful lass named Amelia, who Nicholas fell in love with within weeks of arriving in Vienna. He swore to her that he would defend Vienna for her sake, and that’s exactly what he did.

“For two months, the Turks tried to break through the walls. They sent sappers to mine under the walls. Nicholas sent soldiers to beat back the sappers. They launched fast attacks on the walls, and the people of Vienna, led by the landsknechter Nicholas had brought with him, beat them back. In October, it began raining again, and the Turks were forced to make one last attack on the walls, and were defeated so decisively they were forced to return to Turkey, through a winter that was wet and miserable enough they lost their baggage and weapons in the snow, and even lost the prisoners they had managed to take.

“All through the siege, Nicholas and Amelia grew closer, their love blazed so brightly that even the Fisher King blessed them. In December of 1529, Nicholas and Amelia were married in the cathedral, with guests ranging from a ragtag band of Vikings who had joined in the defense of the city, to the Hofmeister of Austria, Wilhelm von Roggendorf himself. Back then, the Hofmeister was the personal representative of the Holy Roman Emperor, so his presence at the wedding was seen by everyone as granting the Emperor’s blessing to their marriage.

"Unfortunately, Nicholas was injured when a wall collapsed on him during the final Turk assault on the city, and died the next spring. Amelia gave birth to their twin sons the following August. But his last words to her were his promise that he would love her until the stars fell from the sky, and he would come back for her, no matter how many lifetimes it took. Because of their marriage, Amelia was now nobility, and never had to work another day as a barmaid. She became the Countess von Salm. Their son Nicholas became the new Count von Salm when he came of age, while his brother Wolfgang became the Bishop of Passau. Even as a widow, Amelia believed in his promise to her, and knew that, whether in that life or another, she and her Count would be reunited, and would be together until the stars fall from the sky.”

Amelia laid back against her pillows fighting off sleep. She smiled as Fred started on another of his amazing tales. She nodded at knowing of the time period he spoke of. She bit her lip as he went on to describe what Nicholas was doing. She blushed as he named the barmaid after her. She smiled hearing they were married. She looked a bit far away when he said the star line. She was convinced she had heard it somewhere. Maybe in a dream. At the news of Nicholas dying she found herself quite emotional over a character. But hearing of the twins put a thoughtful expression on her face as Fred finished the story.

She smiled at him holding his hand, "I love your stories dearest. They always make me so happy.” She yawns quietly. “I wish we could just head home. This bed isn’t nearly as comfy.” She yawns again sliding further down into her blanket.

He smiled as she yawned, and gently squeezed her hand. "I’m pretty sure they make these beds uncomfortable, so you’ll want to get out of them as soon as possible.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers, one at a time. “The sooner the - Oops. Here comes the nurse, just like I thought.”

“Awake already? Good. I have something for you, miss. And this is who will be taking you home? I’ll just give him your prescriptions, then.” The nurse poured some more water into her cup, then held out a dose cup for Amelia. “Here you go, miss. Something to help with the discomfort, and something to keep down inflammation. We don’t want you coming back in a couple days because you had swelling take you by surprise, after all.”

The dose cup had two small pills in it, and the nurse stood waiting for Amelia to take them, with the look of someone who has had to deal with patients not wanting to take their meds.

Amelia looked at the cup of water suddenly her mouth feeling very dry. She grabbed the cup and wanted to drink it as fast as humanly possible. She takes the pill cup and looks up at the nurse. She sighs knowing she couldn't pull one of her tricks. She places both in her mouth and swallows them down quickly. She then finishes off the cup of water. "Can I go home now? We just got engaged yesterday. I just want to go home and relax with my fiancé." She looks at the nurse and then at Fred. "Fred. Sweetie. Did you ride in the ambulance with me? Is our car here?"

Forever and Always

Amelia giggles as she lets out a small sigh. “Thank you for the story love.” She smiles a bit as she falls asleep holding his hand. She heard him say something about an Amelia but it didn’t really registered as she fell asleep after a long day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He smiled and squeezed her hand, kissed her forehead gently, and whispered as she fell asleep, “I will always be yours, my love. Until the stars fall from the sky.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was dreaming. She was walking along a cliff. She smiled as the wind blew the sea breeze towards her. She sighs picking up a few flowers and smelling them. She walks a bit closer to the edge and gasps looking over. There was no ocean. Just black nothing. That’s when she trips. She screams as she falls towards the nothingness.

Amelia screams sitting up in her hospital bed. Tears stream down her face as she looks around. “No….no I thought I was all better. Why am I back?” She lays back down with a whimper of pain.

Fred woke at the scream and reached for Amelia with both hands. “Amelia? Sweetheart? What’s wrong? What happened?”

Amelia looks at Fred, “I-I was all better. I was walking along a cliff. It was so pretty.” She sniffles, “And then I was falling. And screaming and I didn’t like it.” She looks at Fred, “I’m sorry I woke you. What time is it?” She looks around confused but whimpers, “N-no I should not move my head so fast.”

He held her and gently stroked her hair, then took a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped her cheeks. “I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like it, either. Falling is one of the scariest feelings there is. For me, there’s only one thing scarier.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Sweetheart, you know I don’t mind. You are the most important thing to me, no matter what. Don’t worry about the time. I’m sure the nurse will be along soon to wake you for your morning meds.”

Amelia lays against him, “Thank you.” She sniffles a bit and giggles at the handkerchief tickling her cheek, “That tickles.” A small blush comes to her cheeks, “Thank you. I don’t know where I would be without you. But I just want to go home at this point.” She looks at him in the dim light, “What’s scarier?”

He chuckled and bent to kiss her gently. “As soon as they let you go, I’ll have you out of here, honey. I promise.” He squeezed her hands and whispered, “The stars falling.”

Amelia looks at him funny, “Like in your story? That’s an odd fear…” She kisses his cheek, “Well…since we’re both up. Will you tell me another one?” She smiles at him still tired. “Thank you for holding me.”

Fred held her close, nuzzled her hair, and whispered gently, “I will love you until the stars fall from the sky, Amelia. I promise.”

“Hmm… another story. Let’s see…”

He thought for a bit, then nodded. “Have you ever heard of the Siege of Vienna? It happened in 1529, when the Turks attempted to conquer Vienna on their way to taking all of Hungary. An old Landsknechter named Nicholas had gone to take charge of the defenses in the fall of 1528, and he was brilliant. He spent the year before the siege reinforcing the city. He blocked the gates, reinforced the walls, even built ramparts on the inside of the walls to ensure they were thick enough to stand up to the Ottoman artillery he anticipated. Luckily for the city, though, the Turks had made the mistake of marching through Austria during the rainiest part of the year, so they were sick and exhausted, and had been forced to abandon their camels and artillery in the mud. All they had left that were in any shape to fight when they got there were janissaries and light cavalry, which left them woefully unprepared for a protracted siege.

Nicholas set up his headquarters near St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which had the best fortifications and was one of two centers of the city’s life at the time. The other center was a former monastery that had just been returned to its original owner, an old man named Aurelius Ambrosius, who changed the name of the monastery to the Zimmerman Inn. The monastery was famous for being the place where Herzwesten beer was brewed. What most people didn’t know was that it, or more specifically, the brewery, was built on the grave of Sigmund. One of the Zimmerman’s barmaids was a beautiful lass named Amelia, who Nicholas fell in love with within weeks of arriving in Vienna. He swore to her that he would defend Vienna for her sake, and that’s exactly what he did.

"For two months, the Turks tried to break through the walls. They sent sappers to mine under the walls. Nicholas sent soldiers to beat back the sappers. They launched fast attacks on the walls, and the people of Vienna, led by the landsknechter Nicholas had brought with him, beat them back. In October, it began raining again, and the Turks were forced to make one last attack on the walls, and were defeated so decisively they were forced to return to Turkey, through a winter that was wet and miserable enough they lost their baggage and weapons in the snow, and even lost the prisoners they had managed to take.

"All through the siege, Nicholas and Amelia grew closer, their love blazed so brightly that even the Fisher King blessed them. In December of 1529, Nicholas and Amelia were married in the cathedral, with guests ranging from a ragtag band of Vikings who had joined in the defense of the city, to the Hofmeister of Austria, Wilhelm von Roggendorf himself. Back then, the Hofmeister was the personal representative of the Holy Roman Emperor, so his presence at the wedding was seen by everyone as granting the Emperor’s blessing to their marriage.

"Unfortunately, Nicholas was injured when a wall collapsed on him during the final Turk assault on the city, and died the next spring. Amelia gave birth to their twin sons the following August. But his last words to her were his promise that he would love her until the stars fell from the sky, and he would come back for her, no matter how many lifetimes it took. Because of their marriage, Amelia was now nobility, and never had to work another day as a barmaid. She became the Countess von Salm. Their son Nicholas became the new Count von Salm when he came of age, while his brother Wolfgang became the Bishop of Passau. Even as a widow, Amelia believed in his promise to her, and knew that, whether in that life or another, she and her Count would be reunited, and would be together until the stars fall from the sky.”

Amelia laid back against her pillows fighting off sleep. She smiled as Fred started on another of his amazing tales. She nodded at knowing of the time period he spoke of. She bit her lip as he went on to describe what Nicholas was doing. She blushed as he named the barmaid after her. She smiled hearing they were married. She looked a bit far away when he said the star line. She was convinced she had heard it somewhere. Maybe in a dream. At the news of Nicholas dying she found herself quite emotional over a character. But hearing of the twins put a thoughtful expression on her face as Fred finished the story.

She smiled at him holding his hand, "I love your stories dearest. They always make me so happy." She yawns quietly. "I wish we could just head home. This bed isn't nearly as comfy." She yawns again sliding further down into her blanket.

Forever and Always

Amelia giggles as she lets out a small sigh. “Thank you for the story love.” She smiles a bit as she falls asleep holding his hand. She heard him say something about an Amelia but it didn’t really registered as she fell asleep after a long day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He smiled and squeezed her hand, kissed her forehead gently, and whispered as she fell asleep, “I will always be yours, my love. Until the stars fall from the sky.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was dreaming. She was walking along a cliff. She smiled as the wind blew the sea breeze towards her. She sighs picking up a few flowers and smelling them. She walks a bit closer to the edge and gasps looking over. There was no ocean. Just black nothing. That’s when she trips. She screams as she falls towards the nothingness.

Amelia screams sitting up in her hospital bed. Tears stream down her face as she looks around. “No….no I thought I was all better. Why am I back?” She lays back down with a whimper of pain.

Fred woke at the scream and reached for Amelia with both hands. “Amelia? Sweetheart? What’s wrong? What happened?”

Amelia looks at Fred, “I-I was all better. I was walking along a cliff. It was so pretty.” She sniffles, “And then I was falling. And screaming and I didn’t like it.” She looks at Fred, “I’m sorry I woke you. What time is it?” She looks around confused but whimpers, “N-no I should not move my head so fast.”

He held her and gently stroked her hair, then took a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped her cheeks. “I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like it, either. Falling is one of the scariest feelings there is. For me, there’s only one thing scarier.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Sweetheart, you know I don’t mind. You are the most important thing to me, no matter what. Don’t worry about the time. I’m sure the nurse will be along soon to wake you for your morning meds.”

Amelia lays against him, “Thank you.” She sniffles a bit and giggles at the handkerchief tickling her cheek, “That tickles.” A small blush comes to her cheeks, “Thank you. I don’t know where I would be without you. But I just want to go home at this point.” She looks at him in the dim light, “What’s scarier?”

He chuckled and bent to kiss her gently. “As soon as they let you go, I’ll have you out of here, honey. I promise.” He squeezed her hands and whispered, “The stars falling.”

Amelia looks at him funny, "Like in your story? That's an odd fear..." She kisses his cheek, "Well...since we're both up. Will you tell me another one?" She smiles at him still tired. "Thank you for holding me."

Forever and Always

Amelia giggles as she lets out a small sigh. “Thank you for the story love.” She smiles a bit as she falls asleep holding his hand. She heard him say something about an Amelia but it didn’t really registered as she fell asleep after a long day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He smiled and squeezed her hand, kissed her forehead gently, and whispered as she fell asleep, “I will always be yours, my love. Until the stars fall from the sky.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was dreaming. She was walking along a cliff. She smiled as the wind blew the sea breeze towards her. She sighs picking up a few flowers and smelling them. She walks a bit closer to the edge and gasps looking over. There was no ocean. Just black nothing. That’s when she trips. She screams as she falls towards the nothingness.

Amelia screams sitting up in her hospital bed. Tears stream down her face as she looks around. “No….no I thought I was all better. Why am I back?” She lays back down with a whimper of pain.

Fred woke at the scream and reached for Amelia with both hands. “Amelia? Sweetheart? What’s wrong? What happened?”

Amelia looks at Fred, “I-I was all better. I was walking along a cliff. It was so pretty.” She sniffles, “And then I was falling. And screaming and I didn’t like it.” She looks at Fred, “I’m sorry I woke you. What time is it?” She looks around confused but whimpers, “N-no I should not move my head so fast.”

He held her and gently stroked her hair, then took a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped her cheeks. "I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like it, either. Falling is one of the scariest feelings there is. For me, there’s only one thing scarier.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Sweetheart, you know I don’t mind. You are the most important thing to me, no matter what. Don’t worry about the time. I’m sure the nurse will be along soon to wake you for your morning meds.”

Amelia lays against him, “Thank you.” She sniffles a bit and giggles at the handkerchief tickling her cheek, “That tickles.” A small blush comes to her cheeks, “Thank you. I don’t know where I would be without you. But I just want to go home at this point.” She looks at him in the dim light, “What’s scarier?”

Forever and Always

Amelia giggles as she lets out a small sigh. “Thank you for the story love.” She smiles a bit as she falls asleep holding his hand. She heard him say something about an Amelia but it didn’t really registered as she fell asleep after a long day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He smiled and squeezed her hand, kissed her forehead gently, and whispered as she fell asleep, “I will always be yours, my love. Until the stars fall from the sky.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was dreaming. She was walking along a cliff. She smiled as the wind blew the sea breeze towards her. She sighs picking up a few flowers and smelling them. She walks a bit closer to the edge and gasps looking over. There was no ocean. Just black nothing. That’s when she trips. She screams as she falls towards the nothingness.

Amelia screams sitting up in her hospital bed. Tears stream down her face as she looks around. “No….no I thought I was all better. Why am I back?” She lays back down with a whimper of pain.

Fred woke at the scream and reached for Amelia with both hands. "Amelia? Sweetheart? What’s wrong? What happened?”

Amelia looks at Fred, "I-I was all better. I was walking along a cliff. It was so pretty." She sniffles, "And then I was falling. And screaming and I didn't like it." She looks at Fred, "I'm sorry I woke you. What time is it?" She looks around confused but whimpers, "N-no I should not move my head so fast."

Forever and Always

Amelia giggles as she lets out a small sigh. "Thank you for the story love.” She smiles a bit as she falls asleep holding his hand. She heard him say something about an Amelia but it didn’t really registered as she fell asleep after a long day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He smiled and squeezed her hand, kissed her forehead gently, and whispered as she fell asleep, "I will always be yours, my love. Until the stars fall from the sky.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was dreaming. She was walking along a cliff. She smiled as the wind blew the sea breeze towards her. She sighs picking up a few flowers and smelling them. She walks a bit closer to the edge and gasps looking over. There was no ocean. Just black nothing. That’s when she trips. She screams as she falls towards the nothingness.

Amelia screams sitting up in her hospital bed. Tears stream down her face as she looks around. “No....no I thought I was all better. Why am I back?” She lays back down with a whimper of pain.

I want to see how sick people are. Reblog if you have ever been bullied physically or mentally. Ever been called a name. Cried at night. Ever been cyber bullied. Just reblog if you have been bullied.

Forever and Always

He’d been watching her from the bedroom window for some time now, until he finally turned away, a sad expression on his face. He walked down the stairs and into the garden, where he slipped his arms around her and bent to kiss the top of her head. Behind him, forgotten on his dressing table, lay an album of photos and paintings going back, nearly a thousand years, all apparently of the same woman…the one he was currently embracing from behind.

“How do you feel, sweetheart? Is your headache any better?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was leaning against the tree. She had, had another fainting spell. Fred had gone in to get out of sun after she had awaken. She looks up as he returns placing her water down next to her, “Yes much. Thank you darling.” She smiles at the kiss. She had met Fred a few years back. It was quite like magic really. He had just shown up at the right place at the right time. She settles in against his back. She lays her head on his shoulder smiling, “Sorry for the small fright.” @ravenfirethief

He cuddled her, holding her against him and nuzzling the top of her head. “Any idea what made you feel light-headed, sweetheart? Is there anything I can do?” The way he held her, and the worry in his voice, were like he was afraid the fainting spell was a precursor to something more dramatic.

He bent down and stole a kiss, then smiled playfully as he growled with mock reproof, “Don’t you dare apologize for this, beloved. I don’t care how many times you faint, whether one or a thousand, if it is within my power, I will always be there to catch you and bring you back. Nothing else is as important to me. I would cross the borders of death to bring you home, if it were within my power.”

She sighs, “No. It must have just been the heat. And no I’ve got my water. You holding me is all I need.” She gently smiles at him playing with his fingers.

She blushes, “Honey, you don’t need to be so dramatic. But thank you. That means a lot.” She smiles at the kiss he stole. She closes her eyes resting against him. “Fred…”

He smiled and nuzzled her gently. “You read my mind, love.” He chuckled softly and surrendered his fingers entirely to her play, while bending just enough to nibble gently along an ear, while moving a hand around the other side of her torso, and carefuly placing a small box in her lap. “For you, my love.”

Inside the box was an emerald-cut half carat diamond solitaire on a rose gold band, with a matching rose gold band that had an ivy pattern laser etched along its outer surface. Having placed the box on her lap, he waited for her to pick it up and open it.

She feels her neck heat up at the nibbles. Her eyes where closed as the box was placed in her lap. She opens her eyes as he speaks. She gently lets go of his hand. “Fred…what is this?”

She picks up the box feeling butterflies. Upon opening the box she feels a bit lightheaded. “Fred. It’s. Oh Fred it’s perfect!” She moves slowly up on her knees and looks at Fred. “Yes! Yes of course I will!” Her cheeks are flushed as she looks at him.

He carefully took the diamond band from the box and slipped it onto her finger, then tucked its partner away before scooping her up in his arms to give her a proper kiss, totally focused on pouring out his love through the meeting of their lips.

When he finally let her breathe again, he looked into her eyes and asked gently, “What kind of wedding do you want, my love? It’s your day, after all, so everything should be the way you dream of. I want to give you everything you dream of in your perfect wedding.”

He held her his heart beating with a little skip, totally lost in the joy of being promised to the woman he loves. The look on his face made it abundantly clear, as did the emotions pouring off him - emotions that, until that moment, he had shielded her from with an iron-clad will so he did not influence her choice with anything but his words and loving actions.  Now, though, now that she had given him the answer he had prayed for from the moment he had found her again, he was free to let his feelings free, so she could feel how she was the light of his life, his reason for rising another day, every day, for the last … he cut off that thought abruptly and prayed she hadn’t caught it through the happiness he was feeling.

Amelia squeal as she’s scooped up into Fred’s arms. She giggles and kisses him. “Wow you’re sooo strong.” She blushes at the question, “Actually. I’ve got a few wedding magazines upstairs. Would you mind if went and got them?”

Fred laughed and held her close, enjoying the kiss until she broke away and spoke. “Not at all. Want me to join you, or do you want to bring them down here so we can spread them out on a table and see what appeals most to you?”

She smiles as she works her way out of his arms down the ground. “I’ll meet you in the dining room.” She kisses his cheek a small glow to her own cheeks. She walks briskly towards the house. Fed was truly her knight in shining armor. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was they met. She looks at the ring as she starts to climb the stairs. Her heart fluttering in her chest. Carefully she climbs up the rest of the stairs.

Once in their bedroom she looks around trying to remember where she hid the magazines. She smiles seeing them poking out from under her books on her bedside table. Walking over she slides them out and smiles seeing the tabs she had put in. It’s like every girl to want a future. She just like to plan every so often. Standing up she starts to walk towards the door when she sees a photo album on the dresser. She frowns not remembering it. Walking over she stares down at a picture of herself and Fred. She smiles thinking he had made one. She takes a look through the rest of the photos. That’s when her heart starts to panic. She didn’t remember these photos. She didn’t remember those clothes or recognize the paintings. It was to much for her when she reached a painted. She fell the the floor another fainting spell hitting her. As well as the floor greeting her as her head hit it.

He went to the dining room and sat, waiting for her to join him. And waiting. And … was that a crash he heard? Shit! Did she faint again?

Fred ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, down the hall, and into the bedroom. Fuck! She DID faint again! He slid to a stop, dropping to his knees beside her, and saw the album on the floor next to her. Oh no. No, no, no, no!

He grabbed the book and shoved it into the dresser, under his clothes, and turned to check her over. “Amelia? Amelia! Come on, honey! Wake up! Please, don’t leave me! Please, Amelia! Wake up! Come on! Wake up, Amelia!”

He checked her pulse and breathing and let out a whimper of relief, then carefully felt her any injuries. Is that blood in her hair? No! Please no! He carefully turned her head and examined where he felt the blood. Oh, thank goodness! She didn’t hit the dresser when she fainted!

He bent to kiss her gently, and focused his thoughts on her. Amelia! Come back to me! Please wake up! Come on, Amelia! I’m here! Come back to me, sweetheart! Wake up! Please!

Amelia felt pain. She saw Fred kneeling next to her through lidded eyes. When he touched the back of her head she took a sharp intake of breath. Fuck that hurt. She blinked a few times trying to wake up but the ringing in her ears was loud. She closes her eyes again hoping to make the bright light go away. She whimpers trying to moved. “F-Fred?” She calls outs. She doesn’t even know if she said anything. The timing was getting louder. The pain dull and persistent. That’s when she black out again her head going to the side.

Fuck. Concussion bad. Phone. He dug in his pocket for his phone, and hit the speed dial for the ambulance service.

“Hello? My fiance fainted, and I’m pretty sure she has a concussion. She has blood on her scalp and I’ve been trying to wake her up, but I couldn’t get more than a flicker. Yeah, she’s breathing, but her pulse is thready. That’s right. Breathing is shallow, but about ten. Pulse is … checking… I’ve got 96 and thready. Yes, her skin is clammy. A blanket? I can do that. Just a sec. OK. Door’s unlocked. We’re in the bedroom upstairs. I don’t know if it’s safe to move her. I don’t feel a depression, but the pain of touching where she’s bloody work her up for about two seconds. Yes, I’m with her. OK, I’ll keep trying to wake her until your people get here. Thank you.”

He pulled the comforter off the bed and covered her with it, then slid a pillow under her head and went back to calling her name, both out loud and in her mind, hoping she would wake from any of his calls.

Amelia was somewhere soft and white. Her head still hurt. She didn’t like the pain but it was so comfy where she was laying. She groan the ringing coming back. She opens her eyes groaning out loud. She can hear her name. She tries to turn her head. What’s going on? “F-Fred?!” She calls out this time blinking a few more times Fred coming into focus a bit. She feels tears as she starts to cry a bit. Her throat hurts trying not to cry. Everything hurts. She swallows as she tries to lift herself up. A small whimper happens as she can’t move. “What’s going on baby?”

“I’m here, sweetheart.” Hearing her voice, he immediately felt a wave of relief sweep through him and wash over her. “Don’t try to move, honey. You fell down and hit your head when you fainted. The ambulance will be here soon. Does it hurt as much as it feels to me like it does? It feels like you’re hurting everywhere.”

“Hello?” A woman’s voice called from downstairs.

“Up here! Up the stairs and down the hall! Last door!”

The sound of something banging up the stairs came through the door, and after a minute, a muscular woman came into the room, followed by a collapsed gurney with a large case on it. The gurney was followed by a man, who mostly focused on guiding it through the door so it didn’t bang on the walls or door frame. Both the woman and the man were wearing the uniforms of a private ambulance company.

The woman scanned the room and opened the box, took out a fingertip pulsox reader, and knelt to clip it to one of Amelia’s fingers. “OK, miss. Why don’t you tell me your name and date of birth? Then you can tell me where it hurts.”

While the paramedic was starting with Amelia, her partner was on the radio, calling in to the emergency room, and Fred was gesturing to indicate the back of his head. When she saw his gesture, the paramedic put on a pair of purple gloves and felt the back of Amelia’s head, then called to her partner, “Definite injury to the back of the head. No obvious fracture, but there is blood.” She looked at Amelia and smiled. “It could just be a scalp wound, but it’s always a good idea to take care of head injuries as if they were serious.”“

Amelia felt relief as she saw Fred looking at her. She doesn’t remember why she fainted but remembers the proposal. She smiles as best she can but shrinks back hearing loud noises entering the house.

“Fred. The ringing won’t stop…it hurts…” She closes her eyes wanting to block her ears. “M’ name is Amelia. And December 4th, 1991. Everywhere.” She opens her eyes feeling something clipped to her finger. This all felt to familiar. “Fred?! I-i don’t want to go…” Her voice stops as she takes an intake of breath with the woman touching the back of her head.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and shifted so he was out of the paramedic’s way.

“I’m right here, sweetheart. You hit your head when you fell, so they need to make sure you didn’t get hurt again. I’ll be right with you, all the way. I promise.” He looked at the paramedic and said softly, “She’s had tinnitus ever since she was electrocuted four years ago. Other symptoms, too, off and on, but dizziness, tinnitus, and fainting have been constants.”

“Electrocuted four year ago… how bad was it?”

“Third rail. She was in intensive care for three weeks.”

“Damn, Amelia! You’re one lucky girl, do you know that?” She took the clip off Amelia’s finger and read it. “My call sheet says your fiance called your injury in. Would that be this guy here who won’t let go of your hand? Speaking of which, would you squeeze his hand for me?”

While the paramedic watched, Fred smiled and bent down to kiss Amelia’s forehead. “I know, honey. I know you don’t want to go back, but we need the doctors to make sure you’re all right. I won’t go anywhere, no matter what.” He chuckled and teased her, broadcasting all the love he could send her way, “You can’t get rid of me that easily, sweetheart, especially when you just said yes.”

“You’ve had him for four years and he only now proposed?” The paramedic grinned at Amelia and added, with a wink, “If I’d known a hunk like this was available for the taking….”

Amelia closes her eyes as Fred explains the accident. The worst and best day of her life. She closes her eyes and listens to the voices. She tries not to cry again. “I-I know how lucky I am.” She squeezes Fred’s hand not wanting to let go. At the paramedic says something about Fred being a hunk her eyes open. A wave of sadnesses washes over. She wants to make a sassy remark. She normally would. But this point Fred probably deserved someone like her. Someone who wouldn’t faint and need medical care. She closes her eyes tears pricking. She lets go of Fred’s hand as the ringing takes over again and she’s once again in the fluffy white space.

Fred smiled and focused his love on her, so she would feel just how much she meant to him…right until she sank back into the fluffy white space.

The paramedics had her on the gurney and into the ambulance in short order, and with Fred riding along, they headed for the hospital. All the while, Fred focused on her, on filling her with all the love he could send her way.

Once they got to the emergency room, Fred let himself be separated from her long enough to take care of the needed paperwork, handing over her power of attorney, advanced directive, insurance information, etc., then became very firm about being allowed to sit with her as her only family, so she’d see him when she woke.

Amelia doesn’t wake up while they’re working on her. She doesn’t even wake up once she’s placed in a room. It takes about two hours till she finally comes to. She wake up feeling warm and fuzzy. She blinks a few times looking around. She wants to stretch and tries to before stopping and curling back down into her bed. Nope. Can’t do that. That hurt. She looks over to where Fred’s sitting. “Darling…can I have some water please?” She smiles at him as her right hand start to play with the new ring on her left hand.

He stood, radiating relief, and leaned over the bed to kiss her gently. “Let me get the nurse, sweetheart. I don’t want to give you something that’ll make you throw up.”

He slipped out of the room, keeping a focus on her so she could feel him with her even when he was away from the bed. When he came back, he was carrying a cup full of ice chips. “I’m sorry, love. According to your chart, they gave you meds that could make you throw up if you drink too fast, so the nurse gave me these ice chips for you to suck on until the doctor comes to see you. They’re not sure how long that will be.”

Once he’d set the cup down and swung bed table with the cup on it over her, he sat beside her and reached out to put his hand on her hip. “I’m right here, sweetheart.”

Amelia sighed as Fred left the room. She felt like he was still here which was comforting. She closed her eyes resting. She hears Fred open the door and looks up. She nods at the mention of ice chips. She had assumed that’s what would happen. She smiles feeling his hand on her thigh. “I’m sorry I ruined our special day. We just got engaged. We should be out celebrating. Not in the hospital.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. All I care about is that you’re safe, and anything that happened can be patched up. It’s not like you managed to break the dresser or anything, after all.” He grinned at her and bent forward to kiss her hand. “Now just relax and let them patch you up, OK? I’ll be right here.”

Amelia frowns thinking of the dresser, “Fred. I remember seeing something on the dresser. I just can’t remember what it was…did you see anything when you came up?” She looks at Fred confused but smiled at the kiss to her hand. She lays back and carefully turns herself onto her side so she can face Fred. She reaches out one of her hands to hold his.

“Yes, I did. I saw you, and I saw all your bridal catalogs, and I’m going to have to pick them up and put them away, or bring them here so we can look at them while you’re laying here. For now, healing is the most important thing.” He took her hands and gently squeezed them. “You, my love, are all that matters.”

Amelia blushed, “Oh…ok. Sorry about all the magazines…” She closes her eyes and holds onto Fred’s hand. “Fred…how long am I going to be here this time? And don’t say you don’t know. I know you do.” She opens her eyes and looks at him, “How long till I get to come home?”

Fred brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. There are more important things to worry about.” He squeezed her hand and gave her a tired smile. “Honey, the doctor already told me that unless your tests tomorrow show an aneurysm or fracture, you’ll be going home with me tomorrow afternoon.” He blushed and whispered, “I was afraid they weren’t taking it seriously enough, but the doctor said that this is their standard procedure with concussions, and if you start bleeding from the ears or dripping clear fluid from your nose, I should bring you back IMMEDIATELY, but otherwise, you’ll heal up faster in your own bed. Our own bed.”

Amelia smiles and a small blush comes to her face, “Well. Once I’m in our bed then I thank you properly for proposing.” She laughs lightly and winks at him. “Thank you for tell me. I really do want to come home. Why don’t you head home? You look tired babe. I don’t want you sleeping in the hospital chair. Either come lay with me in this bed or go home and get a proper goodnight sleep.” She frowns huffing.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her. “Tell you what, sweetheart, I’ll move to the recliner, so I’m close enough you can call me if you get scared.” He gestured to the ubiquitous recliner in the window that every private room seemed to have. “They won’t kick me out, I can get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll be here when the doctors make their rounds in the morning, so we know whether they’re going to send you home right away, or demand more tests before they send you home.”

He smiled and added, his eyes twinkling, “Besides, that way you’ll have built up plenty of anticipation before we get home.”

Amelia smiles as she kisses him back. She looks over at the recliner. “Alright. Thank you.” She knew she’d most likely wake up in the middle of the night scared. She hated the hospital. She smiles, “Thank goodness you’ll be here in the morning. I wouldn’t be able to focus on what they’re saying.” She pulls him in for another kiss. At his last comment she blushes and hides her face. “It’s not nice to tease the one in the hospital bed. And you better watch it. If you make my heart start going a million miles an hour I’ll point right at you to blame.” She giggles leaning back in her bed.

“SUCH a problem.” He grinned and snatched at her hand so he could nibble on her fingers. “As long as it’s a healthy heartbeat, they might actually approve. Well, as long as it’s only ONE million miles an hour, and not TWO.”

He laughed and kissed her, taking care to not overdo it and get her worked up, and nodded. “I’ll be here, love. And I’ll be paying attention, too. You know how overprotective I am.” Well, at least he’s admitting it…

She let a small moan escape her lips at the nibbling on her fingers, “Fred…” She looks at him pouting before laughing at his comment. She blushes and smiles into the kiss her heart rate already going up quite a ways. She lays back blinking a bit, “Thank you love. Will you please turn out the light?” She turns on her side facing the recliner as she waits for the room to go dark.

“Of course, sweetheart.” He turned off the light and closed the door, then made his way back to the recliner by the light coming through the window. “Did I ever tell you the story of how an ordinary farmer kept John the Usurper from killing Richard?” He smiled and leaned back in his recliner. “She was amazing….”

Amelia was already feeling tired, “No…I haven’t heard that one yet…” She blinks slowly. “Will you tell it to me while I fall asleep?” She sniffles and she buries her head as best she can in her pillows. She smiles as she sees Fred sit down. “Sorry. I forgot you had to make it back to the chair in the dark.” Her heart rate was starting to slow down a bit after the excitement from a little bit before.

“I’ll be happy to tell you.” He reached out to squeeze her hand as he began. “So, Richard had heard rumors that John had decided to stage a coup while he was in the Holy Land, and had arranged for some of his knights to remain, to keep up the illusion he was still crusading, while he and others of his knights returned to England on the sly.

“Once they made it across the channel, they began making their way toward Londinium, only to discover that John had ordered that all men capable of bearing arms be inducted into his army or be executed as outlaws. They weren’t ready to reveal themselves yet, they wanted to see what John was doing to the country in Richard’s absence, so they attempted to hide in what they thought was an abandoned barn.”

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “It wasn’t abandoned. John’s taxes had just become so heavy that the farmer hadn’t been able to save up enough money to repair it. When the farmer’s daughter went into the barn to get feed for the animals, she stumbled upon Richard and his men. With John and his soldiers scouring the countryside for any men who had evaded his draft, she had to decide - and decide quickly - what she was going to do.

“Luckily for everyone, the knight she encountered first was a man who captured her heart, and she would do anything for him. For his sake, not for the king’s, she convinced John’s men that the barn was full of nothing but hay and turnips that were only fit for feeding cattle, so the soldiers passed the barn by.”

He leaned forward and whispered, “And did I mention that she and her knight were married within a year of Richard’s retaking his throne? The two of them promised they would love each other until the stars fall from the sky, and would always find their way back to each other, no matter what befell one or the other. It was true then, and, so far as I know, it remains true, for both of them.”

Amelia smiles and watches Fred starry eyed. The story somehow seemed familiar. She had always loved the stories he told her. They always seemed to make him sentimental and such. She blushes at the end of the story. "I hope they met each other in the stars.” She sighs closing her eyes. “Fred…I love you.” She curls up a bit more her head not hurting as much. “Where did you ever come up with that story?” She smiles at him in the dim light.

He smiled at her and whispered, "I’m sure they did, sweetheart.” When she closed her eyes, he bent forward and kissed her forehead. “I love you too, Amelia. Until the stars fall from the sky.”

He chuckled at her question and gently squeezed her hand. “The story has been told in my family for generations. It’s the story of how the very first Sir Frederick met his beloved Amelia.”

Amelia giggles as she lets out a small sigh. "Thank you for the story love." She smiles a bit as she falls asleep holding his hand. She heard him say something about an Amelia but it didn't really registered as she fell asleep after a long day.

Forever and Always

He’d been watching her from the bedroom window for some time now, until he finally turned away, a sad expression on his face. He walked down the stairs and into the garden, where he slipped his arms around her and bent to kiss the top of her head. Behind him, forgotten on his dressing table, lay an album of photos and paintings going back, nearly a thousand years, all apparently of the same woman…the one he was currently embracing from behind.

“How do you feel, sweetheart? Is your headache any better?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was leaning against the tree. She had, had another fainting spell. Fred had gone in to get out of sun after she had awaken. She looks up as he returns placing her water down next to her, “Yes much. Thank you darling.” She smiles at the kiss. She had met Fred a few years back. It was quite like magic really. He had just shown up at the right place at the right time. She settles in against his back. She lays her head on his shoulder smiling, “Sorry for the small fright.” @ravenfirethief

He cuddled her, holding her against him and nuzzling the top of her head. “Any idea what made you feel light-headed, sweetheart? Is there anything I can do?” The way he held her, and the worry in his voice, were like he was afraid the fainting spell was a precursor to something more dramatic.

He bent down and stole a kiss, then smiled playfully as he growled with mock reproof, “Don’t you dare apologize for this, beloved. I don’t care how many times you faint, whether one or a thousand, if it is within my power, I will always be there to catch you and bring you back. Nothing else is as important to me. I would cross the borders of death to bring you home, if it were within my power.”

She sighs, “No. It must have just been the heat. And no I’ve got my water. You holding me is all I need.” She gently smiles at him playing with his fingers.

She blushes, “Honey, you don’t need to be so dramatic. But thank you. That means a lot.” She smiles at the kiss he stole. She closes her eyes resting against him. “Fred…”

He smiled and nuzzled her gently. “You read my mind, love.” He chuckled softly and surrendered his fingers entirely to her play, while bending just enough to nibble gently along an ear, while moving a hand around the other side of her torso, and carefuly placing a small box in her lap. “For you, my love.”

Inside the box was an emerald-cut half carat diamond solitaire on a rose gold band, with a matching rose gold band that had an ivy pattern laser etched along its outer surface. Having placed the box on her lap, he waited for her to pick it up and open it.

She feels her neck heat up at the nibbles. Her eyes where closed as the box was placed in her lap. She opens her eyes as he speaks. She gently lets go of his hand. “Fred…what is this?”

She picks up the box feeling butterflies. Upon opening the box she feels a bit lightheaded. “Fred. It’s. Oh Fred it’s perfect!” She moves slowly up on her knees and looks at Fred. “Yes! Yes of course I will!” Her cheeks are flushed as she looks at him.

He carefully took the diamond band from the box and slipped it onto her finger, then tucked its partner away before scooping her up in his arms to give her a proper kiss, totally focused on pouring out his love through the meeting of their lips.

When he finally let her breathe again, he looked into her eyes and asked gently, “What kind of wedding do you want, my love? It’s your day, after all, so everything should be the way you dream of. I want to give you everything you dream of in your perfect wedding.”

He held her his heart beating with a little skip, totally lost in the joy of being promised to the woman he loves. The look on his face made it abundantly clear, as did the emotions pouring off him - emotions that, until that moment, he had shielded her from with an iron-clad will so he did not influence her choice with anything but his words and loving actions.  Now, though, now that she had given him the answer he had prayed for from the moment he had found her again, he was free to let his feelings free, so she could feel how she was the light of his life, his reason for rising another day, every day, for the last … he cut off that thought abruptly and prayed she hadn’t caught it through the happiness he was feeling.

Amelia squeal as she’s scooped up into Fred’s arms. She giggles and kisses him. “Wow you’re sooo strong.” She blushes at the question, “Actually. I’ve got a few wedding magazines upstairs. Would you mind if went and got them?”

Fred laughed and held her close, enjoying the kiss until she broke away and spoke. “Not at all. Want me to join you, or do you want to bring them down here so we can spread them out on a table and see what appeals most to you?”

She smiles as she works her way out of his arms down the ground. “I’ll meet you in the dining room.” She kisses his cheek a small glow to her own cheeks. She walks briskly towards the house. Fed was truly her knight in shining armor. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was they met. She looks at the ring as she starts to climb the stairs. Her heart fluttering in her chest. Carefully she climbs up the rest of the stairs.

Once in their bedroom she looks around trying to remember where she hid the magazines. She smiles seeing them poking out from under her books on her bedside table. Walking over she slides them out and smiles seeing the tabs she had put in. It’s like every girl to want a future. She just like to plan every so often. Standing up she starts to walk towards the door when she sees a photo album on the dresser. She frowns not remembering it. Walking over she stares down at a picture of herself and Fred. She smiles thinking he had made one. She takes a look through the rest of the photos. That’s when her heart starts to panic. She didn’t remember these photos. She didn’t remember those clothes or recognize the paintings. It was to much for her when she reached a painted. She fell the the floor another fainting spell hitting her. As well as the floor greeting her as her head hit it.

He went to the dining room and sat, waiting for her to join him. And waiting. And … was that a crash he heard? Shit! Did she faint again?

Fred ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, down the hall, and into the bedroom. Fuck! She DID faint again! He slid to a stop, dropping to his knees beside her, and saw the album on the floor next to her. Oh no. No, no, no, no!

He grabbed the book and shoved it into the dresser, under his clothes, and turned to check her over. “Amelia? Amelia! Come on, honey! Wake up! Please, don’t leave me! Please, Amelia! Wake up! Come on! Wake up, Amelia!”

He checked her pulse and breathing and let out a whimper of relief, then carefully felt her any injuries. Is that blood in her hair? No! Please no! He carefully turned her head and examined where he felt the blood. Oh, thank goodness! She didn’t hit the dresser when she fainted!

He bent to kiss her gently, and focused his thoughts on her. Amelia! Come back to me! Please wake up! Come on, Amelia! I’m here! Come back to me, sweetheart! Wake up! Please!

Amelia felt pain. She saw Fred kneeling next to her through lidded eyes. When he touched the back of her head she took a sharp intake of breath. Fuck that hurt. She blinked a few times trying to wake up but the ringing in her ears was loud. She closes her eyes again hoping to make the bright light go away. She whimpers trying to moved. “F-Fred?” She calls outs. She doesn’t even know if she said anything. The timing was getting louder. The pain dull and persistent. That’s when she black out again her head going to the side.

Fuck. Concussion bad. Phone. He dug in his pocket for his phone, and hit the speed dial for the ambulance service.

“Hello? My fiance fainted, and I’m pretty sure she has a concussion. She has blood on her scalp and I’ve been trying to wake her up, but I couldn’t get more than a flicker. Yeah, she’s breathing, but her pulse is thready. That’s right. Breathing is shallow, but about ten. Pulse is … checking… I’ve got 96 and thready. Yes, her skin is clammy. A blanket? I can do that. Just a sec. OK. Door’s unlocked. We’re in the bedroom upstairs. I don’t know if it’s safe to move her. I don’t feel a depression, but the pain of touching where she’s bloody work her up for about two seconds. Yes, I’m with her. OK, I’ll keep trying to wake her until your people get here. Thank you.”

He pulled the comforter off the bed and covered her with it, then slid a pillow under her head and went back to calling her name, both out loud and in her mind, hoping she would wake from any of his calls.

Amelia was somewhere soft and white. Her head still hurt. She didn’t like the pain but it was so comfy where she was laying. She groan the ringing coming back. She opens her eyes groaning out loud. She can hear her name. She tries to turn her head. What’s going on? “F-Fred?!” She calls out this time blinking a few more times Fred coming into focus a bit. She feels tears as she starts to cry a bit. Her throat hurts trying not to cry. Everything hurts. She swallows as she tries to lift herself up. A small whimper happens as she can’t move. “What’s going on baby?”

“I’m here, sweetheart.” Hearing her voice, he immediately felt a wave of relief sweep through him and wash over her. “Don’t try to move, honey. You fell down and hit your head when you fainted. The ambulance will be here soon. Does it hurt as much as it feels to me like it does? It feels like you’re hurting everywhere.”

“Hello?” A woman’s voice called from downstairs.

“Up here! Up the stairs and down the hall! Last door!”

The sound of something banging up the stairs came through the door, and after a minute, a muscular woman came into the room, followed by a collapsed gurney with a large case on it. The gurney was followed by a man, who mostly focused on guiding it through the door so it didn’t bang on the walls or door frame. Both the woman and the man were wearing the uniforms of a private ambulance company.

The woman scanned the room and opened the box, took out a fingertip pulsox reader, and knelt to clip it to one of Amelia’s fingers. “OK, miss. Why don’t you tell me your name and date of birth? Then you can tell me where it hurts.”

While the paramedic was starting with Amelia, her partner was on the radio, calling in to the emergency room, and Fred was gesturing to indicate the back of his head. When she saw his gesture, the paramedic put on a pair of purple gloves and felt the back of Amelia’s head, then called to her partner, “Definite injury to the back of the head. No obvious fracture, but there is blood.” She looked at Amelia and smiled. “It could just be a scalp wound, but it’s always a good idea to take care of head injuries as if they were serious.”“

Amelia felt relief as she saw Fred looking at her. She doesn’t remember why she fainted but remembers the proposal. She smiles as best she can but shrinks back hearing loud noises entering the house.

“Fred. The ringing won’t stop…it hurts…” She closes her eyes wanting to block her ears. “M’ name is Amelia. And December 4th, 1991. Everywhere.” She opens her eyes feeling something clipped to her finger. This all felt to familiar. “Fred?! I-i don’t want to go…” Her voice stops as she takes an intake of breath with the woman touching the back of her head.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and shifted so he was out of the paramedic’s way.

“I’m right here, sweetheart. You hit your head when you fell, so they need to make sure you didn’t get hurt again. I’ll be right with you, all the way. I promise.” He looked at the paramedic and said softly, “She’s had tinnitus ever since she was electrocuted four years ago. Other symptoms, too, off and on, but dizziness, tinnitus, and fainting have been constants.”

“Electrocuted four year ago… how bad was it?”

“Third rail. She was in intensive care for three weeks.”

“Damn, Amelia! You’re one lucky girl, do you know that?” She took the clip off Amelia’s finger and read it. “My call sheet says your fiance called your injury in. Would that be this guy here who won’t let go of your hand? Speaking of which, would you squeeze his hand for me?”

While the paramedic watched, Fred smiled and bent down to kiss Amelia’s forehead. “I know, honey. I know you don’t want to go back, but we need the doctors to make sure you’re all right. I won’t go anywhere, no matter what.” He chuckled and teased her, broadcasting all the love he could send her way, “You can’t get rid of me that easily, sweetheart, especially when you just said yes.”

“You’ve had him for four years and he only now proposed?” The paramedic grinned at Amelia and added, with a wink, “If I’d known a hunk like this was available for the taking….”

Amelia closes her eyes as Fred explains the accident. The worst and best day of her life. She closes her eyes and listens to the voices. She tries not to cry again. “I-I know how lucky I am.” She squeezes Fred’s hand not wanting to let go. At the paramedic says something about Fred being a hunk her eyes open. A wave of sadnesses washes over. She wants to make a sassy remark. She normally would. But this point Fred probably deserved someone like her. Someone who wouldn’t faint and need medical care. She closes her eyes tears pricking. She lets go of Fred’s hand as the ringing takes over again and she’s once again in the fluffy white space.

Fred smiled and focused his love on her, so she would feel just how much she meant to him…right until she sank back into the fluffy white space.

The paramedics had her on the gurney and into the ambulance in short order, and with Fred riding along, they headed for the hospital. All the while, Fred focused on her, on filling her with all the love he could send her way.

Once they got to the emergency room, Fred let himself be separated from her long enough to take care of the needed paperwork, handing over her power of attorney, advanced directive, insurance information, etc., then became very firm about being allowed to sit with her as her only family, so she’d see him when she woke.

Amelia doesn’t wake up while they’re working on her. She doesn’t even wake up once she’s placed in a room. It takes about two hours till she finally comes to. She wake up feeling warm and fuzzy. She blinks a few times looking around. She wants to stretch and tries to before stopping and curling back down into her bed. Nope. Can’t do that. That hurt. She looks over to where Fred’s sitting. “Darling…can I have some water please?” She smiles at him as her right hand start to play with the new ring on her left hand.

He stood, radiating relief, and leaned over the bed to kiss her gently. “Let me get the nurse, sweetheart. I don’t want to give you something that’ll make you throw up.”

He slipped out of the room, keeping a focus on her so she could feel him with her even when he was away from the bed. When he came back, he was carrying a cup full of ice chips. “I’m sorry, love. According to your chart, they gave you meds that could make you throw up if you drink too fast, so the nurse gave me these ice chips for you to suck on until the doctor comes to see you. They’re not sure how long that will be.”

Once he’d set the cup down and swung bed table with the cup on it over her, he sat beside her and reached out to put his hand on her hip. “I’m right here, sweetheart.”

Amelia sighed as Fred left the room. She felt like he was still here which was comforting. She closed her eyes resting. She hears Fred open the door and looks up. She nods at the mention of ice chips. She had assumed that’s what would happen. She smiles feeling his hand on her thigh. “I’m sorry I ruined our special day. We just got engaged. We should be out celebrating. Not in the hospital.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. All I care about is that you’re safe, and anything that happened can be patched up. It’s not like you managed to break the dresser or anything, after all.” He grinned at her and bent forward to kiss her hand. “Now just relax and let them patch you up, OK? I’ll be right here.”

Amelia frowns thinking of the dresser, “Fred. I remember seeing something on the dresser. I just can’t remember what it was…did you see anything when you came up?” She looks at Fred confused but smiled at the kiss to her hand. She lays back and carefully turns herself onto her side so she can face Fred. She reaches out one of her hands to hold his.

“Yes, I did. I saw you, and I saw all your bridal catalogs, and I’m going to have to pick them up and put them away, or bring them here so we can look at them while you’re laying here. For now, healing is the most important thing.” He took her hands and gently squeezed them. “You, my love, are all that matters.”

Amelia blushed, “Oh…ok. Sorry about all the magazines…” She closes her eyes and holds onto Fred’s hand. “Fred…how long am I going to be here this time? And don’t say you don’t know. I know you do.” She opens her eyes and looks at him, “How long till I get to come home?”

Fred brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. There are more important things to worry about.” He squeezed her hand and gave her a tired smile. “Honey, the doctor already told me that unless your tests tomorrow show an aneurysm or fracture, you’ll be going home with me tomorrow afternoon.” He blushed and whispered, “I was afraid they weren’t taking it seriously enough, but the doctor said that this is their standard procedure with concussions, and if you start bleeding from the ears or dripping clear fluid from your nose, I should bring you back IMMEDIATELY, but otherwise, you’ll heal up faster in your own bed. Our own bed.”

Amelia smiles and a small blush comes to her face, “Well. Once I’m in our bed then I thank you properly for proposing.” She laughs lightly and winks at him. “Thank you for tell me. I really do want to come home. Why don’t you head home? You look tired babe. I don’t want you sleeping in the hospital chair. Either come lay with me in this bed or go home and get a proper goodnight sleep.” She frowns huffing.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her. “Tell you what, sweetheart, I’ll move to the recliner, so I’m close enough you can call me if you get scared.” He gestured to the ubiquitous recliner in the window that every private room seemed to have. “They won’t kick me out, I can get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll be here when the doctors make their rounds in the morning, so we know whether they’re going to send you home right away, or demand more tests before they send you home.”

He smiled and added, his eyes twinkling, “Besides, that way you’ll have built up plenty of anticipation before we get home.”

Amelia smiles as she kisses him back. She looks over at the recliner. “Alright. Thank you.” She knew she’d most likely wake up in the middle of the night scared. She hated the hospital. She smiles, “Thank goodness you’ll be here in the morning. I wouldn’t be able to focus on what they’re saying.” She pulls him in for another kiss. At his last comment she blushes and hides her face. “It’s not nice to tease the one in the hospital bed. And you better watch it. If you make my heart start going a million miles an hour I’ll point right at you to blame.” She giggles leaning back in her bed.

“SUCH a problem.” He grinned and snatched at her hand so he could nibble on her fingers. “As long as it’s a healthy heartbeat, they might actually approve. Well, as long as it’s only ONE million miles an hour, and not TWO.”

He laughed and kissed her, taking care to not overdo it and get her worked up, and nodded. “I’ll be here, love. And I’ll be paying attention, too. You know how overprotective I am.” Well, at least he’s admitting it…

She let a small moan escape her lips at the nibbling on her fingers, “Fred…” She looks at him pouting before laughing at his comment. She blushes and smiles into the kiss her heart rate already going up quite a ways. She lays back blinking a bit, “Thank you love. Will you please turn out the light?” She turns on her side facing the recliner as she waits for the room to go dark.

“Of course, sweetheart.” He turned off the light and closed the door, then made his way back to the recliner by the light coming through the window. “Did I ever tell you the story of how an ordinary farmer kept John the Usurper from killing Richard?” He smiled and leaned back in his recliner. “She was amazing….”

Amelia was already feeling tired, “No…I haven’t heard that one yet…” She blinks slowly. “Will you tell it to me while I fall asleep?” She sniffles and she buries her head as best she can in her pillows. She smiles as she sees Fred sit down. “Sorry. I forgot you had to make it back to the chair in the dark.” Her heart rate was starting to slow down a bit after the excitement from a little bit before.

“I’ll be happy to tell you.” He reached out to squeeze her hand as he began. “So, Richard had heard rumors that John had decided to stage a coup while he was in the Holy Land, and had arranged for some of his knights to remain, to keep up the illusion he was still crusading, while he and others of his knights returned to England on the sly.

"Once they made it across the channel, they began making their way toward Londinium, only to discover that John had ordered that all men capable of bearing arms be inducted into his army or be executed as outlaws. They weren’t ready to reveal themselves yet, they wanted to see what John was doing to the country in Richard’s absence, so they attempted to hide in what they thought was an abandoned barn.”

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “It wasn’t abandoned. John’s taxes had just become so heavy that the farmer hadn’t been able to save up enough money to repair it. When the farmer’s daughter went into the barn to get feed for the animals, she stumbled upon Richard and his men. With John and his soldiers scouring the countryside for any men who had evaded his draft, she had to decide - and decide quickly - what she was going to do.

"Luckily for everyone, the knight she encountered first was a man who captured her heart, and she would do anything for him. For his sake, not for the king’s, she convinced John’s men that the barn was full of nothing but hay and turnips that were only fit for feeding cattle, so the soldiers passed the barn by.”

He leaned forward and whispered, “And did I mention that she and her knight were married within a year of Richard’s retaking his throne? The two of them promised they would love each other until the stars fall from the sky, and would always find their way back to each other, no matter what befell one or the other. It was true then, and, so far as I know, it remains true, for both of them.”

Amelia smiles and watches Fred starry eyed. The story somehow seemed familiar. She had always loved the stories he told her. They always seemed to make him sentimental and such. She blushes at the end of the story. "I hope they met each other in the stars." She sighs closing her eyes. "Fred...I love you." She curls up a bit more her head not hurting as much. "Where did you ever come up with that story?" She smiles at him in the dim light.

Forever and Always

He’d been watching her from the bedroom window for some time now, until he finally turned away, a sad expression on his face. He walked down the stairs and into the garden, where he slipped his arms around her and bent to kiss the top of her head. Behind him, forgotten on his dressing table, lay an album of photos and paintings going back, nearly a thousand years, all apparently of the same woman…the one he was currently embracing from behind.

“How do you feel, sweetheart? Is your headache any better?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was leaning against the tree. She had, had another fainting spell. Fred had gone in to get out of sun after she had awaken. She looks up as he returns placing her water down next to her, “Yes much. Thank you darling.” She smiles at the kiss. She had met Fred a few years back. It was quite like magic really. He had just shown up at the right place at the right time. She settles in against his back. She lays her head on his shoulder smiling, “Sorry for the small fright.” @ravenfirethief

He cuddled her, holding her against him and nuzzling the top of her head. “Any idea what made you feel light-headed, sweetheart? Is there anything I can do?” The way he held her, and the worry in his voice, were like he was afraid the fainting spell was a precursor to something more dramatic.

He bent down and stole a kiss, then smiled playfully as he growled with mock reproof, “Don’t you dare apologize for this, beloved. I don’t care how many times you faint, whether one or a thousand, if it is within my power, I will always be there to catch you and bring you back. Nothing else is as important to me. I would cross the borders of death to bring you home, if it were within my power.”

She sighs, “No. It must have just been the heat. And no I’ve got my water. You holding me is all I need.” She gently smiles at him playing with his fingers.

She blushes, “Honey, you don’t need to be so dramatic. But thank you. That means a lot.” She smiles at the kiss he stole. She closes her eyes resting against him. “Fred…”

He smiled and nuzzled her gently. “You read my mind, love.” He chuckled softly and surrendered his fingers entirely to her play, while bending just enough to nibble gently along an ear, while moving a hand around the other side of her torso, and carefuly placing a small box in her lap. “For you, my love.”

Inside the box was an emerald-cut half carat diamond solitaire on a rose gold band, with a matching rose gold band that had an ivy pattern laser etched along its outer surface. Having placed the box on her lap, he waited for her to pick it up and open it.

She feels her neck heat up at the nibbles. Her eyes where closed as the box was placed in her lap. She opens her eyes as he speaks. She gently lets go of his hand. “Fred…what is this?”

She picks up the box feeling butterflies. Upon opening the box she feels a bit lightheaded. “Fred. It’s. Oh Fred it’s perfect!” She moves slowly up on her knees and looks at Fred. “Yes! Yes of course I will!” Her cheeks are flushed as she looks at him.

He carefully took the diamond band from the box and slipped it onto her finger, then tucked its partner away before scooping her up in his arms to give her a proper kiss, totally focused on pouring out his love through the meeting of their lips.

When he finally let her breathe again, he looked into her eyes and asked gently, “What kind of wedding do you want, my love? It’s your day, after all, so everything should be the way you dream of. I want to give you everything you dream of in your perfect wedding.”

He held her his heart beating with a little skip, totally lost in the joy of being promised to the woman he loves. The look on his face made it abundantly clear, as did the emotions pouring off him - emotions that, until that moment, he had shielded her from with an iron-clad will so he did not influence her choice with anything but his words and loving actions.  Now, though, now that she had given him the answer he had prayed for from the moment he had found her again, he was free to let his feelings free, so she could feel how she was the light of his life, his reason for rising another day, every day, for the last … he cut off that thought abruptly and prayed she hadn’t caught it through the happiness he was feeling.

Amelia squeal as she’s scooped up into Fred’s arms. She giggles and kisses him. “Wow you’re sooo strong.” She blushes at the question, “Actually. I’ve got a few wedding magazines upstairs. Would you mind if went and got them?”

Fred laughed and held her close, enjoying the kiss until she broke away and spoke. “Not at all. Want me to join you, or do you want to bring them down here so we can spread them out on a table and see what appeals most to you?”

She smiles as she works her way out of his arms down the ground. “I’ll meet you in the dining room.” She kisses his cheek a small glow to her own cheeks. She walks briskly towards the house. Fed was truly her knight in shining armor. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was they met. She looks at the ring as she starts to climb the stairs. Her heart fluttering in her chest. Carefully she climbs up the rest of the stairs.

Once in their bedroom she looks around trying to remember where she hid the magazines. She smiles seeing them poking out from under her books on her bedside table. Walking over she slides them out and smiles seeing the tabs she had put in. It’s like every girl to want a future. She just like to plan every so often. Standing up she starts to walk towards the door when she sees a photo album on the dresser. She frowns not remembering it. Walking over she stares down at a picture of herself and Fred. She smiles thinking he had made one. She takes a look through the rest of the photos. That’s when her heart starts to panic. She didn’t remember these photos. She didn’t remember those clothes or recognize the paintings. It was to much for her when she reached a painted. She fell the the floor another fainting spell hitting her. As well as the floor greeting her as her head hit it.

He went to the dining room and sat, waiting for her to join him. And waiting. And … was that a crash he heard? Shit! Did she faint again?

Fred ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, down the hall, and into the bedroom. Fuck! She DID faint again! He slid to a stop, dropping to his knees beside her, and saw the album on the floor next to her. Oh no. No, no, no, no!

He grabbed the book and shoved it into the dresser, under his clothes, and turned to check her over. “Amelia? Amelia! Come on, honey! Wake up! Please, don’t leave me! Please, Amelia! Wake up! Come on! Wake up, Amelia!”

He checked her pulse and breathing and let out a whimper of relief, then carefully felt her any injuries. Is that blood in her hair? No! Please no! He carefully turned her head and examined where he felt the blood. Oh, thank goodness! She didn’t hit the dresser when she fainted!

He bent to kiss her gently, and focused his thoughts on her. Amelia! Come back to me! Please wake up! Come on, Amelia! I’m here! Come back to me, sweetheart! Wake up! Please!

Amelia felt pain. She saw Fred kneeling next to her through lidded eyes. When he touched the back of her head she took a sharp intake of breath. Fuck that hurt. She blinked a few times trying to wake up but the ringing in her ears was loud. She closes her eyes again hoping to make the bright light go away. She whimpers trying to moved. “F-Fred?” She calls outs. She doesn’t even know if she said anything. The timing was getting louder. The pain dull and persistent. That’s when she black out again her head going to the side.

Fuck. Concussion bad. Phone. He dug in his pocket for his phone, and hit the speed dial for the ambulance service.

“Hello? My fiance fainted, and I’m pretty sure she has a concussion. She has blood on her scalp and I’ve been trying to wake her up, but I couldn’t get more than a flicker. Yeah, she’s breathing, but her pulse is thready. That’s right. Breathing is shallow, but about ten. Pulse is … checking… I’ve got 96 and thready. Yes, her skin is clammy. A blanket? I can do that. Just a sec. OK. Door’s unlocked. We’re in the bedroom upstairs. I don’t know if it’s safe to move her. I don’t feel a depression, but the pain of touching where she’s bloody work her up for about two seconds. Yes, I’m with her. OK, I’ll keep trying to wake her until your people get here. Thank you.”

He pulled the comforter off the bed and covered her with it, then slid a pillow under her head and went back to calling her name, both out loud and in her mind, hoping she would wake from any of his calls.

Amelia was somewhere soft and white. Her head still hurt. She didn’t like the pain but it was so comfy where she was laying. She groan the ringing coming back. She opens her eyes groaning out loud. She can hear her name. She tries to turn her head. What’s going on? “F-Fred?!” She calls out this time blinking a few more times Fred coming into focus a bit. She feels tears as she starts to cry a bit. Her throat hurts trying not to cry. Everything hurts. She swallows as she tries to lift herself up. A small whimper happens as she can’t move. “What’s going on baby?”

“I’m here, sweetheart.” Hearing her voice, he immediately felt a wave of relief sweep through him and wash over her. “Don’t try to move, honey. You fell down and hit your head when you fainted. The ambulance will be here soon. Does it hurt as much as it feels to me like it does? It feels like you’re hurting everywhere.”

“Hello?” A woman’s voice called from downstairs.

“Up here! Up the stairs and down the hall! Last door!”

The sound of something banging up the stairs came through the door, and after a minute, a muscular woman came into the room, followed by a collapsed gurney with a large case on it. The gurney was followed by a man, who mostly focused on guiding it through the door so it didn’t bang on the walls or door frame. Both the woman and the man were wearing the uniforms of a private ambulance company.

The woman scanned the room and opened the box, took out a fingertip pulsox reader, and knelt to clip it to one of Amelia’s fingers. “OK, miss. Why don’t you tell me your name and date of birth? Then you can tell me where it hurts.”

While the paramedic was starting with Amelia, her partner was on the radio, calling in to the emergency room, and Fred was gesturing to indicate the back of his head. When she saw his gesture, the paramedic put on a pair of purple gloves and felt the back of Amelia’s head, then called to her partner, “Definite injury to the back of the head. No obvious fracture, but there is blood.” She looked at Amelia and smiled. “It could just be a scalp wound, but it’s always a good idea to take care of head injuries as if they were serious.”“

Amelia felt relief as she saw Fred looking at her. She doesn’t remember why she fainted but remembers the proposal. She smiles as best she can but shrinks back hearing loud noises entering the house.

“Fred. The ringing won’t stop…it hurts…” She closes her eyes wanting to block her ears. “M’ name is Amelia. And December 4th, 1991. Everywhere.” She opens her eyes feeling something clipped to her finger. This all felt to familiar. “Fred?! I-i don’t want to go…” Her voice stops as she takes an intake of breath with the woman touching the back of her head.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and shifted so he was out of the paramedic’s way.

“I’m right here, sweetheart. You hit your head when you fell, so they need to make sure you didn’t get hurt again. I’ll be right with you, all the way. I promise.” He looked at the paramedic and said softly, “She’s had tinnitus ever since she was electrocuted four years ago. Other symptoms, too, off and on, but dizziness, tinnitus, and fainting have been constants.”

“Electrocuted four year ago… how bad was it?”

“Third rail. She was in intensive care for three weeks.”

“Damn, Amelia! You’re one lucky girl, do you know that?” She took the clip off Amelia’s finger and read it. “My call sheet says your fiance called your injury in. Would that be this guy here who won’t let go of your hand? Speaking of which, would you squeeze his hand for me?”

While the paramedic watched, Fred smiled and bent down to kiss Amelia’s forehead. “I know, honey. I know you don’t want to go back, but we need the doctors to make sure you’re all right. I won’t go anywhere, no matter what.” He chuckled and teased her, broadcasting all the love he could send her way, “You can’t get rid of me that easily, sweetheart, especially when you just said yes.”

“You’ve had him for four years and he only now proposed?” The paramedic grinned at Amelia and added, with a wink, “If I’d known a hunk like this was available for the taking….”

Amelia closes her eyes as Fred explains the accident. The worst and best day of her life. She closes her eyes and listens to the voices. She tries not to cry again. “I-I know how lucky I am.” She squeezes Fred’s hand not wanting to let go. At the paramedic says something about Fred being a hunk her eyes open. A wave of sadnesses washes over. She wants to make a sassy remark. She normally would. But this point Fred probably deserved someone like her. Someone who wouldn’t faint and need medical care. She closes her eyes tears pricking. She lets go of Fred’s hand as the ringing takes over again and she’s once again in the fluffy white space.

Fred smiled and focused his love on her, so she would feel just how much she meant to him…right until she sank back into the fluffy white space.

The paramedics had her on the gurney and into the ambulance in short order, and with Fred riding along, they headed for the hospital. All the while, Fred focused on her, on filling her with all the love he could send her way.

Once they got to the emergency room, Fred let himself be separated from her long enough to take care of the needed paperwork, handing over her power of attorney, advanced directive, insurance information, etc., then became very firm about being allowed to sit with her as her only family, so she’d see him when she woke.

Amelia doesn’t wake up while they’re working on her. She doesn’t even wake up once she’s placed in a room. It takes about two hours till she finally comes to. She wake up feeling warm and fuzzy. She blinks a few times looking around. She wants to stretch and tries to before stopping and curling back down into her bed. Nope. Can’t do that. That hurt. She looks over to where Fred’s sitting. “Darling…can I have some water please?” She smiles at him as her right hand start to play with the new ring on her left hand.

He stood, radiating relief, and leaned over the bed to kiss her gently. “Let me get the nurse, sweetheart. I don’t want to give you something that’ll make you throw up.”

He slipped out of the room, keeping a focus on her so she could feel him with her even when he was away from the bed. When he came back, he was carrying a cup full of ice chips. “I’m sorry, love. According to your chart, they gave you meds that could make you throw up if you drink too fast, so the nurse gave me these ice chips for you to suck on until the doctor comes to see you. They’re not sure how long that will be.”

Once he’d set the cup down and swung bed table with the cup on it over her, he sat beside her and reached out to put his hand on her hip. “I’m right here, sweetheart.”

Amelia sighed as Fred left the room. She felt like he was still here which was comforting. She closed her eyes resting. She hears Fred open the door and looks up. She nods at the mention of ice chips. She had assumed that’s what would happen. She smiles feeling his hand on her thigh. “I’m sorry I ruined our special day. We just got engaged. We should be out celebrating. Not in the hospital.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. All I care about is that you’re safe, and anything that happened can be patched up. It’s not like you managed to break the dresser or anything, after all.” He grinned at her and bent forward to kiss her hand. “Now just relax and let them patch you up, OK? I’ll be right here.”

Amelia frowns thinking of the dresser, “Fred. I remember seeing something on the dresser. I just can’t remember what it was…did you see anything when you came up?” She looks at Fred confused but smiled at the kiss to her hand. She lays back and carefully turns herself onto her side so she can face Fred. She reaches out one of her hands to hold his.

“Yes, I did. I saw you, and I saw all your bridal catalogs, and I’m going to have to pick them up and put them away, or bring them here so we can look at them while you’re laying here. For now, healing is the most important thing.” He took her hands and gently squeezed them. “You, my love, are all that matters.”

Amelia blushed, “Oh…ok. Sorry about all the magazines…” She closes her eyes and holds onto Fred’s hand. “Fred…how long am I going to be here this time? And don’t say you don’t know. I know you do.” She opens her eyes and looks at him, “How long till I get to come home?”

Fred brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. There are more important things to worry about.” He squeezed her hand and gave her a tired smile. “Honey, the doctor already told me that unless your tests tomorrow show an aneurysm or fracture, you’ll be going home with me tomorrow afternoon.” He blushed and whispered, “I was afraid they weren’t taking it seriously enough, but the doctor said that this is their standard procedure with concussions, and if you start bleeding from the ears or dripping clear fluid from your nose, I should bring you back IMMEDIATELY, but otherwise, you’ll heal up faster in your own bed. Our own bed.”

Amelia smiles and a small blush comes to her face, “Well. Once I’m in our bed then I thank you properly for proposing.” She laughs lightly and winks at him. “Thank you for tell me. I really do want to come home. Why don’t you head home? You look tired babe. I don’t want you sleeping in the hospital chair. Either come lay with me in this bed or go home and get a proper goodnight sleep.” She frowns huffing.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her. “Tell you what, sweetheart, I’ll move to the recliner, so I’m close enough you can call me if you get scared.” He gestured to the ubiquitous recliner in the window that every private room seemed to have. “They won’t kick me out, I can get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll be here when the doctors make their rounds in the morning, so we know whether they’re going to send you home right away, or demand more tests before they send you home.”

He smiled and added, his eyes twinkling, “Besides, that way you’ll have built up plenty of anticipation before we get home.”

Amelia smiles as she kisses him back. She looks over at the recliner. “Alright. Thank you.” She knew she’d most likely wake up in the middle of the night scared. She hated the hospital. She smiles, “Thank goodness you’ll be here in the morning. I wouldn’t be able to focus on what they’re saying.” She pulls him in for another kiss. At his last comment she blushes and hides her face. “It’s not nice to tease the one in the hospital bed. And you better watch it. If you make my heart start going a million miles an hour I’ll point right at you to blame.” She giggles leaning back in her bed.

“SUCH a problem.” He grinned and snatched at her hand so he could nibble on her fingers. “As long as it’s a healthy heartbeat, they might actually approve. Well, as long as it’s only ONE million miles an hour, and not TWO.”

He laughed and kissed her, taking care to not overdo it and get her worked up, and nodded. “I’ll be here, love. And I’ll be paying attention, too. You know how overprotective I am.” Well, at least he’s admitting it…

She let a small moan escape her lips at the nibbling on her fingers, “Fred…” She looks at him pouting before laughing at his comment. She blushes and smiles into the kiss her heart rate already going up quite a ways. She lays back blinking a bit, “Thank you love. Will you please turn out the light?” She turns on her side facing the recliner as she waits for the room to go dark.

“Of course, sweetheart.” He turned off the light and closed the door, then made his way back to the recliner by the light coming through the window. “Did I ever tell you the story of how an ordinary farmer kept John the Usurper from killing Richard?” He smiled and leaned back in his recliner. “She was amazing….”

Amelia was already feeling tired, "No...I haven't heard that one yet..." She blinks slowly. "Will you tell it to me while I fall asleep?" She sniffles and she buries her head as best she can in her pillows. She smiles as she sees Fred sit down. "Sorry. I forgot you had to make it back to the chair in the dark." Her heart rate was starting to slow down a bit after the excitement from a little bit before.

Forever and Always

He’d been watching her from the bedroom window for some time now, until he finally turned away, a sad expression on his face. He walked down the stairs and into the garden, where he slipped his arms around her and bent to kiss the top of her head. Behind him, forgotten on his dressing table, lay an album of photos and paintings going back, nearly a thousand years, all apparently of the same woman…the one he was currently embracing from behind.

“How do you feel, sweetheart? Is your headache any better?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was leaning against the tree. She had, had another fainting spell. Fred had gone in to get out of sun after she had awaken. She looks up as he returns placing her water down next to her, “Yes much. Thank you darling.” She smiles at the kiss. She had met Fred a few years back. It was quite like magic really. He had just shown up at the right place at the right time. She settles in against his back. She lays her head on his shoulder smiling, “Sorry for the small fright.” @ravenfirethief

He cuddled her, holding her against him and nuzzling the top of her head. “Any idea what made you feel light-headed, sweetheart? Is there anything I can do?” The way he held her, and the worry in his voice, were like he was afraid the fainting spell was a precursor to something more dramatic.

He bent down and stole a kiss, then smiled playfully as he growled with mock reproof, “Don’t you dare apologize for this, beloved. I don’t care how many times you faint, whether one or a thousand, if it is within my power, I will always be there to catch you and bring you back. Nothing else is as important to me. I would cross the borders of death to bring you home, if it were within my power.”

She sighs, “No. It must have just been the heat. And no I’ve got my water. You holding me is all I need.” She gently smiles at him playing with his fingers.

She blushes, “Honey, you don’t need to be so dramatic. But thank you. That means a lot.” She smiles at the kiss he stole. She closes her eyes resting against him. “Fred…”

He smiled and nuzzled her gently. “You read my mind, love.” He chuckled softly and surrendered his fingers entirely to her play, while bending just enough to nibble gently along an ear, while moving a hand around the other side of her torso, and carefuly placing a small box in her lap. “For you, my love.”

Inside the box was an emerald-cut half carat diamond solitaire on a rose gold band, with a matching rose gold band that had an ivy pattern laser etched along its outer surface. Having placed the box on her lap, he waited for her to pick it up and open it.

She feels her neck heat up at the nibbles. Her eyes where closed as the box was placed in her lap. She opens her eyes as he speaks. She gently lets go of his hand. “Fred…what is this?”

She picks up the box feeling butterflies. Upon opening the box she feels a bit lightheaded. “Fred. It’s. Oh Fred it’s perfect!” She moves slowly up on her knees and looks at Fred. “Yes! Yes of course I will!” Her cheeks are flushed as she looks at him.

He carefully took the diamond band from the box and slipped it onto her finger, then tucked its partner away before scooping her up in his arms to give her a proper kiss, totally focused on pouring out his love through the meeting of their lips.

When he finally let her breathe again, he looked into her eyes and asked gently, “What kind of wedding do you want, my love? It’s your day, after all, so everything should be the way you dream of. I want to give you everything you dream of in your perfect wedding.”

He held her his heart beating with a little skip, totally lost in the joy of being promised to the woman he loves. The look on his face made it abundantly clear, as did the emotions pouring off him - emotions that, until that moment, he had shielded her from with an iron-clad will so he did not influence her choice with anything but his words and loving actions.  Now, though, now that she had given him the answer he had prayed for from the moment he had found her again, he was free to let his feelings free, so she could feel how she was the light of his life, his reason for rising another day, every day, for the last … he cut off that thought abruptly and prayed she hadn’t caught it through the happiness he was feeling.

Amelia squeal as she’s scooped up into Fred’s arms. She giggles and kisses him. “Wow you’re sooo strong.” She blushes at the question, “Actually. I’ve got a few wedding magazines upstairs. Would you mind if went and got them?”

Fred laughed and held her close, enjoying the kiss until she broke away and spoke. “Not at all. Want me to join you, or do you want to bring them down here so we can spread them out on a table and see what appeals most to you?”

She smiles as she works her way out of his arms down the ground. “I’ll meet you in the dining room.” She kisses his cheek a small glow to her own cheeks. She walks briskly towards the house. Fed was truly her knight in shining armor. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was they met. She looks at the ring as she starts to climb the stairs. Her heart fluttering in her chest. Carefully she climbs up the rest of the stairs.

Once in their bedroom she looks around trying to remember where she hid the magazines. She smiles seeing them poking out from under her books on her bedside table. Walking over she slides them out and smiles seeing the tabs she had put in. It’s like every girl to want a future. She just like to plan every so often. Standing up she starts to walk towards the door when she sees a photo album on the dresser. She frowns not remembering it. Walking over she stares down at a picture of herself and Fred. She smiles thinking he had made one. She takes a look through the rest of the photos. That’s when her heart starts to panic. She didn’t remember these photos. She didn’t remember those clothes or recognize the paintings. It was to much for her when she reached a painted. She fell the the floor another fainting spell hitting her. As well as the floor greeting her as her head hit it.

He went to the dining room and sat, waiting for her to join him. And waiting. And … was that a crash he heard? Shit! Did she faint again?

Fred ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, down the hall, and into the bedroom. Fuck! She DID faint again! He slid to a stop, dropping to his knees beside her, and saw the album on the floor next to her. Oh no. No, no, no, no!

He grabbed the book and shoved it into the dresser, under his clothes, and turned to check her over. “Amelia? Amelia! Come on, honey! Wake up! Please, don’t leave me! Please, Amelia! Wake up! Come on! Wake up, Amelia!”

He checked her pulse and breathing and let out a whimper of relief, then carefully felt her any injuries. Is that blood in her hair? No! Please no! He carefully turned her head and examined where he felt the blood. Oh, thank goodness! She didn’t hit the dresser when she fainted!

He bent to kiss her gently, and focused his thoughts on her. Amelia! Come back to me! Please wake up! Come on, Amelia! I’m here! Come back to me, sweetheart! Wake up! Please!

Amelia felt pain. She saw Fred kneeling next to her through lidded eyes. When he touched the back of her head she took a sharp intake of breath. Fuck that hurt. She blinked a few times trying to wake up but the ringing in her ears was loud. She closes her eyes again hoping to make the bright light go away. She whimpers trying to moved. “F-Fred?” She calls outs. She doesn’t even know if she said anything. The timing was getting louder. The pain dull and persistent. That’s when she black out again her head going to the side.

Fuck. Concussion bad. Phone. He dug in his pocket for his phone, and hit the speed dial for the ambulance service.

“Hello? My fiance fainted, and I’m pretty sure she has a concussion. She has blood on her scalp and I’ve been trying to wake her up, but I couldn’t get more than a flicker. Yeah, she’s breathing, but her pulse is thready. That’s right. Breathing is shallow, but about ten. Pulse is … checking… I’ve got 96 and thready. Yes, her skin is clammy. A blanket? I can do that. Just a sec. OK. Door’s unlocked. We’re in the bedroom upstairs. I don’t know if it’s safe to move her. I don’t feel a depression, but the pain of touching where she’s bloody work her up for about two seconds. Yes, I’m with her. OK, I’ll keep trying to wake her until your people get here. Thank you.”

He pulled the comforter off the bed and covered her with it, then slid a pillow under her head and went back to calling her name, both out loud and in her mind, hoping she would wake from any of his calls.

Amelia was somewhere soft and white. Her head still hurt. She didn’t like the pain but it was so comfy where she was laying. She groan the ringing coming back. She opens her eyes groaning out loud. She can hear her name. She tries to turn her head. What’s going on? “F-Fred?!” She calls out this time blinking a few more times Fred coming into focus a bit. She feels tears as she starts to cry a bit. Her throat hurts trying not to cry. Everything hurts. She swallows as she tries to lift herself up. A small whimper happens as she can’t move. “What’s going on baby?”

“I’m here, sweetheart.” Hearing her voice, he immediately felt a wave of relief sweep through him and wash over her. “Don’t try to move, honey. You fell down and hit your head when you fainted. The ambulance will be here soon. Does it hurt as much as it feels to me like it does? It feels like you’re hurting everywhere.”

“Hello?” A woman’s voice called from downstairs.

“Up here! Up the stairs and down the hall! Last door!”

The sound of something banging up the stairs came through the door, and after a minute, a muscular woman came into the room, followed by a collapsed gurney with a large case on it. The gurney was followed by a man, who mostly focused on guiding it through the door so it didn’t bang on the walls or door frame. Both the woman and the man were wearing the uniforms of a private ambulance company.

The woman scanned the room and opened the box, took out a fingertip pulsox reader, and knelt to clip it to one of Amelia’s fingers. “OK, miss. Why don’t you tell me your name and date of birth? Then you can tell me where it hurts.”

While the paramedic was starting with Amelia, her partner was on the radio, calling in to the emergency room, and Fred was gesturing to indicate the back of his head. When she saw his gesture, the paramedic put on a pair of purple gloves and felt the back of Amelia’s head, then called to her partner, “Definite injury to the back of the head. No obvious fracture, but there is blood.” She looked at Amelia and smiled. “It could just be a scalp wound, but it’s always a good idea to take care of head injuries as if they were serious.”“

Amelia felt relief as she saw Fred looking at her. She doesn’t remember why she fainted but remembers the proposal. She smiles as best she can but shrinks back hearing loud noises entering the house.

“Fred. The ringing won’t stop…it hurts…” She closes her eyes wanting to block her ears. “M’ name is Amelia. And December 4th, 1991. Everywhere.” She opens her eyes feeling something clipped to her finger. This all felt to familiar. “Fred?! I-i don’t want to go…” Her voice stops as she takes an intake of breath with the woman touching the back of her head.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and shifted so he was out of the paramedic’s way.

“I’m right here, sweetheart. You hit your head when you fell, so they need to make sure you didn’t get hurt again. I’ll be right with you, all the way. I promise.” He looked at the paramedic and said softly, “She’s had tinnitus ever since she was electrocuted four years ago. Other symptoms, too, off and on, but dizziness, tinnitus, and fainting have been constants.”

“Electrocuted four year ago… how bad was it?”

“Third rail. She was in intensive care for three weeks.”

“Damn, Amelia! You’re one lucky girl, do you know that?” She took the clip off Amelia’s finger and read it. “My call sheet says your fiance called your injury in. Would that be this guy here who won’t let go of your hand? Speaking of which, would you squeeze his hand for me?”

While the paramedic watched, Fred smiled and bent down to kiss Amelia’s forehead. “I know, honey. I know you don’t want to go back, but we need the doctors to make sure you’re all right. I won’t go anywhere, no matter what.” He chuckled and teased her, broadcasting all the love he could send her way, “You can’t get rid of me that easily, sweetheart, especially when you just said yes.”

“You’ve had him for four years and he only now proposed?” The paramedic grinned at Amelia and added, with a wink, “If I’d known a hunk like this was available for the taking….”

Amelia closes her eyes as Fred explains the accident. The worst and best day of her life. She closes her eyes and listens to the voices. She tries not to cry again. “I-I know how lucky I am.” She squeezes Fred’s hand not wanting to let go. At the paramedic says something about Fred being a hunk her eyes open. A wave of sadnesses washes over. She wants to make a sassy remark. She normally would. But this point Fred probably deserved someone like her. Someone who wouldn’t faint and need medical care. She closes her eyes tears pricking. She lets go of Fred’s hand as the ringing takes over again and she’s once again in the fluffy white space.

Fred smiled and focused his love on her, so she would feel just how much she meant to him…right until she sank back into the fluffy white space.

The paramedics had her on the gurney and into the ambulance in short order, and with Fred riding along, they headed for the hospital. All the while, Fred focused on her, on filling her with all the love he could send her way.

Once they got to the emergency room, Fred let himself be separated from her long enough to take care of the needed paperwork, handing over her power of attorney, advanced directive, insurance information, etc., then became very firm about being allowed to sit with her as her only family, so she’d see him when she woke.

Amelia doesn’t wake up while they’re working on her. She doesn’t even wake up once she’s placed in a room. It takes about two hours till she finally comes to. She wake up feeling warm and fuzzy. She blinks a few times looking around. She wants to stretch and tries to before stopping and curling back down into her bed. Nope. Can’t do that. That hurt. She looks over to where Fred’s sitting. “Darling…can I have some water please?” She smiles at him as her right hand start to play with the new ring on her left hand.

He stood, radiating relief, and leaned over the bed to kiss her gently. “Let me get the nurse, sweetheart. I don’t want to give you something that’ll make you throw up.”

He slipped out of the room, keeping a focus on her so she could feel him with her even when he was away from the bed. When he came back, he was carrying a cup full of ice chips. “I’m sorry, love. According to your chart, they gave you meds that could make you throw up if you drink too fast, so the nurse gave me these ice chips for you to suck on until the doctor comes to see you. They’re not sure how long that will be.”

Once he’d set the cup down and swung bed table with the cup on it over her, he sat beside her and reached out to put his hand on her hip. “I’m right here, sweetheart.”

Amelia sighed as Fred left the room. She felt like he was still here which was comforting. She closed her eyes resting. She hears Fred open the door and looks up. She nods at the mention of ice chips. She had assumed that’s what would happen. She smiles feeling his hand on her thigh. “I’m sorry I ruined our special day. We just got engaged. We should be out celebrating. Not in the hospital.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. All I care about is that you’re safe, and anything that happened can be patched up. It’s not like you managed to break the dresser or anything, after all.” He grinned at her and bent forward to kiss her hand. “Now just relax and let them patch you up, OK? I’ll be right here.”

Amelia frowns thinking of the dresser, “Fred. I remember seeing something on the dresser. I just can’t remember what it was…did you see anything when you came up?” She looks at Fred confused but smiled at the kiss to her hand. She lays back and carefully turns herself onto her side so she can face Fred. She reaches out one of her hands to hold his.

“Yes, I did. I saw you, and I saw all your bridal catalogs, and I’m going to have to pick them up and put them away, or bring them here so we can look at them while you’re laying here. For now, healing is the most important thing.” He took her hands and gently squeezed them. “You, my love, are all that matters.”

Amelia blushed, “Oh…ok. Sorry about all the magazines…” She closes her eyes and holds onto Fred’s hand. “Fred…how long am I going to be here this time? And don’t say you don’t know. I know you do.” She opens her eyes and looks at him, “How long till I get to come home?”

Fred brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. There are more important things to worry about.” He squeezed her hand and gave her a tired smile. “Honey, the doctor already told me that unless your tests tomorrow show an aneurysm or fracture, you’ll be going home with me tomorrow afternoon.” He blushed and whispered, “I was afraid they weren’t taking it seriously enough, but the doctor said that this is their standard procedure with concussions, and if you start bleeding from the ears or dripping clear fluid from your nose, I should bring you back IMMEDIATELY, but otherwise, you’ll heal up faster in your own bed. Our own bed.”

Amelia smiles and a small blush comes to her face, “Well. Once I’m in our bed then I thank you properly for proposing.” She laughs lightly and winks at him. “Thank you for tell me. I really do want to come home. Why don’t you head home? You look tired babe. I don’t want you sleeping in the hospital chair. Either come lay with me in this bed or go home and get a proper goodnight sleep.” She frowns huffing.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her. “Tell you what, sweetheart, I’ll move to the recliner, so I’m close enough you can call me if you get scared.” He gestured to the ubiquitous recliner in the window that every private room seemed to have. “They won’t kick me out, I can get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll be here when the doctors make their rounds in the morning, so we know whether they’re going to send you home right away, or demand more tests before they send you home.”

He smiled and added, his eyes twinkling, “Besides, that way you’ll have built up plenty of anticipation before we get home.”

Amelia smiles as she kisses him back. She looks over at the recliner. “Alright. Thank you.” She knew she’d most likely wake up in the middle of the night scared. She hated the hospital. She smiles, “Thank goodness you’ll be here in the morning. I wouldn’t be able to focus on what they’re saying.” She pulls him in for another kiss. At his last comment she blushes and hides her face. “It’s not nice to tease the one in the hospital bed. And you better watch it. If you make my heart start going a million miles an hour I’ll point right at you to blame.” She giggles leaning back in her bed.

“SUCH a problem.” He grinned and snatched at her hand so he could nibble on her fingers. “As long as it’s a healthy heartbeat, they might actually approve. Well, as long as it’s only ONE million miles an hour, and not TWO.”

He laughed and kissed her, taking care to not overdo it and get her worked up, and nodded. “I’ll be here, love. And I’ll be paying attention, too. You know how overprotective I am.” Well, at least he’s admitting it…

She let a small moan escape her lips at the nibbling on her fingers, "Fred..." She looks at him pouting before laughing at his comment. She blushes and smiles into the kiss her heart rate already going up quite a ways. She lays back blinking a bit, "Thank you love. Will you please turn out the light?" She turns on her side facing the recliner as she waits for the room to go dark.

Forever and Always

He’d been watching her from the bedroom window for some time now, until he finally turned away, a sad expression on his face. He walked down the stairs and into the garden, where he slipped his arms around her and bent to kiss the top of her head. Behind him, forgotten on his dressing table, lay an album of photos and paintings going back, nearly a thousand years, all apparently of the same woman…the one he was currently embracing from behind.

“How do you feel, sweetheart? Is your headache any better?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was leaning against the tree. She had, had another fainting spell. Fred had gone in to get out of sun after she had awaken. She looks up as he returns placing her water down next to her, “Yes much. Thank you darling.” She smiles at the kiss. She had met Fred a few years back. It was quite like magic really. He had just shown up at the right place at the right time. She settles in against his back. She lays her head on his shoulder smiling, “Sorry for the small fright.” @ravenfirethief

He cuddled her, holding her against him and nuzzling the top of her head. “Any idea what made you feel light-headed, sweetheart? Is there anything I can do?” The way he held her, and the worry in his voice, were like he was afraid the fainting spell was a precursor to something more dramatic.

He bent down and stole a kiss, then smiled playfully as he growled with mock reproof, “Don’t you dare apologize for this, beloved. I don’t care how many times you faint, whether one or a thousand, if it is within my power, I will always be there to catch you and bring you back. Nothing else is as important to me. I would cross the borders of death to bring you home, if it were within my power.”

She sighs, “No. It must have just been the heat. And no I’ve got my water. You holding me is all I need.” She gently smiles at him playing with his fingers.

She blushes, “Honey, you don’t need to be so dramatic. But thank you. That means a lot.” She smiles at the kiss he stole. She closes her eyes resting against him. “Fred…”

He smiled and nuzzled her gently. “You read my mind, love.” He chuckled softly and surrendered his fingers entirely to her play, while bending just enough to nibble gently along an ear, while moving a hand around the other side of her torso, and carefuly placing a small box in her lap. “For you, my love.”

Inside the box was an emerald-cut half carat diamond solitaire on a rose gold band, with a matching rose gold band that had an ivy pattern laser etched along its outer surface. Having placed the box on her lap, he waited for her to pick it up and open it.

She feels her neck heat up at the nibbles. Her eyes where closed as the box was placed in her lap. She opens her eyes as he speaks. She gently lets go of his hand. “Fred…what is this?”

She picks up the box feeling butterflies. Upon opening the box she feels a bit lightheaded. “Fred. It’s. Oh Fred it’s perfect!” She moves slowly up on her knees and looks at Fred. “Yes! Yes of course I will!” Her cheeks are flushed as she looks at him.

He carefully took the diamond band from the box and slipped it onto her finger, then tucked its partner away before scooping her up in his arms to give her a proper kiss, totally focused on pouring out his love through the meeting of their lips.

When he finally let her breathe again, he looked into her eyes and asked gently, “What kind of wedding do you want, my love? It’s your day, after all, so everything should be the way you dream of. I want to give you everything you dream of in your perfect wedding.”

He held her his heart beating with a little skip, totally lost in the joy of being promised to the woman he loves. The look on his face made it abundantly clear, as did the emotions pouring off him - emotions that, until that moment, he had shielded her from with an iron-clad will so he did not influence her choice with anything but his words and loving actions.  Now, though, now that she had given him the answer he had prayed for from the moment he had found her again, he was free to let his feelings free, so she could feel how she was the light of his life, his reason for rising another day, every day, for the last … he cut off that thought abruptly and prayed she hadn’t caught it through the happiness he was feeling.

Amelia squeal as she’s scooped up into Fred’s arms. She giggles and kisses him. “Wow you’re sooo strong.” She blushes at the question, “Actually. I’ve got a few wedding magazines upstairs. Would you mind if went and got them?”

Fred laughed and held her close, enjoying the kiss until she broke away and spoke. “Not at all. Want me to join you, or do you want to bring them down here so we can spread them out on a table and see what appeals most to you?”

She smiles as she works her way out of his arms down the ground. “I’ll meet you in the dining room.” She kisses his cheek a small glow to her own cheeks. She walks briskly towards the house. Fed was truly her knight in shining armor. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was they met. She looks at the ring as she starts to climb the stairs. Her heart fluttering in her chest. Carefully she climbs up the rest of the stairs.

Once in their bedroom she looks around trying to remember where she hid the magazines. She smiles seeing them poking out from under her books on her bedside table. Walking over she slides them out and smiles seeing the tabs she had put in. It’s like every girl to want a future. She just like to plan every so often. Standing up she starts to walk towards the door when she sees a photo album on the dresser. She frowns not remembering it. Walking over she stares down at a picture of herself and Fred. She smiles thinking he had made one. She takes a look through the rest of the photos. That’s when her heart starts to panic. She didn’t remember these photos. She didn’t remember those clothes or recognize the paintings. It was to much for her when she reached a painted. She fell the the floor another fainting spell hitting her. As well as the floor greeting her as her head hit it.

He went to the dining room and sat, waiting for her to join him. And waiting. And … was that a crash he heard? Shit! Did she faint again?

Fred ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, down the hall, and into the bedroom. Fuck! She DID faint again! He slid to a stop, dropping to his knees beside her, and saw the album on the floor next to her. Oh no. No, no, no, no!

He grabbed the book and shoved it into the dresser, under his clothes, and turned to check her over. “Amelia? Amelia! Come on, honey! Wake up! Please, don’t leave me! Please, Amelia! Wake up! Come on! Wake up, Amelia!”

He checked her pulse and breathing and let out a whimper of relief, then carefully felt her any injuries. Is that blood in her hair? No! Please no! He carefully turned her head and examined where he felt the blood. Oh, thank goodness! She didn’t hit the dresser when she fainted!

He bent to kiss her gently, and focused his thoughts on her. Amelia! Come back to me! Please wake up! Come on, Amelia! I’m here! Come back to me, sweetheart! Wake up! Please!

Amelia felt pain. She saw Fred kneeling next to her through lidded eyes. When he touched the back of her head she took a sharp intake of breath. Fuck that hurt. She blinked a few times trying to wake up but the ringing in her ears was loud. She closes her eyes again hoping to make the bright light go away. She whimpers trying to moved. “F-Fred?” She calls outs. She doesn’t even know if she said anything. The timing was getting louder. The pain dull and persistent. That’s when she black out again her head going to the side.

Fuck. Concussion bad. Phone. He dug in his pocket for his phone, and hit the speed dial for the ambulance service.

“Hello? My fiance fainted, and I’m pretty sure she has a concussion. She has blood on her scalp and I’ve been trying to wake her up, but I couldn’t get more than a flicker. Yeah, she’s breathing, but her pulse is thready. That’s right. Breathing is shallow, but about ten. Pulse is … checking… I’ve got 96 and thready. Yes, her skin is clammy. A blanket? I can do that. Just a sec. OK. Door’s unlocked. We’re in the bedroom upstairs. I don’t know if it’s safe to move her. I don’t feel a depression, but the pain of touching where she’s bloody work her up for about two seconds. Yes, I’m with her. OK, I’ll keep trying to wake her until your people get here. Thank you.”

He pulled the comforter off the bed and covered her with it, then slid a pillow under her head and went back to calling her name, both out loud and in her mind, hoping she would wake from any of his calls.

Amelia was somewhere soft and white. Her head still hurt. She didn’t like the pain but it was so comfy where she was laying. She groan the ringing coming back. She opens her eyes groaning out loud. She can hear her name. She tries to turn her head. What’s going on? “F-Fred?!” She calls out this time blinking a few more times Fred coming into focus a bit. She feels tears as she starts to cry a bit. Her throat hurts trying not to cry. Everything hurts. She swallows as she tries to lift herself up. A small whimper happens as she can’t move. “What’s going on baby?”

“I’m here, sweetheart.” Hearing her voice, he immediately felt a wave of relief sweep through him and wash over her. “Don’t try to move, honey. You fell down and hit your head when you fainted. The ambulance will be here soon. Does it hurt as much as it feels to me like it does? It feels like you’re hurting everywhere.”

“Hello?” A woman’s voice called from downstairs.

“Up here! Up the stairs and down the hall! Last door!”

The sound of something banging up the stairs came through the door, and after a minute, a muscular woman came into the room, followed by a collapsed gurney with a large case on it. The gurney was followed by a man, who mostly focused on guiding it through the door so it didn’t bang on the walls or door frame. Both the woman and the man were wearing the uniforms of a private ambulance company.

The woman scanned the room and opened the box, took out a fingertip pulsox reader, and knelt to clip it to one of Amelia’s fingers. “OK, miss. Why don’t you tell me your name and date of birth? Then you can tell me where it hurts.”

While the paramedic was starting with Amelia, her partner was on the radio, calling in to the emergency room, and Fred was gesturing to indicate the back of his head. When she saw his gesture, the paramedic put on a pair of purple gloves and felt the back of Amelia’s head, then called to her partner, “Definite injury to the back of the head. No obvious fracture, but there is blood.” She looked at Amelia and smiled. “It could just be a scalp wound, but it’s always a good idea to take care of head injuries as if they were serious.”“

Amelia felt relief as she saw Fred looking at her. She doesn’t remember why she fainted but remembers the proposal. She smiles as best she can but shrinks back hearing loud noises entering the house.

“Fred. The ringing won’t stop…it hurts…” She closes her eyes wanting to block her ears. “M’ name is Amelia. And December 4th, 1991. Everywhere.” She opens her eyes feeling something clipped to her finger. This all felt to familiar. “Fred?! I-i don’t want to go…” Her voice stops as she takes an intake of breath with the woman touching the back of her head.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and shifted so he was out of the paramedic’s way.

“I’m right here, sweetheart. You hit your head when you fell, so they need to make sure you didn’t get hurt again. I’ll be right with you, all the way. I promise.” He looked at the paramedic and said softly, “She’s had tinnitus ever since she was electrocuted four years ago. Other symptoms, too, off and on, but dizziness, tinnitus, and fainting have been constants.”

“Electrocuted four year ago… how bad was it?”

“Third rail. She was in intensive care for three weeks.”

“Damn, Amelia! You’re one lucky girl, do you know that?” She took the clip off Amelia’s finger and read it. “My call sheet says your fiance called your injury in. Would that be this guy here who won’t let go of your hand? Speaking of which, would you squeeze his hand for me?”

While the paramedic watched, Fred smiled and bent down to kiss Amelia’s forehead. “I know, honey. I know you don’t want to go back, but we need the doctors to make sure you’re all right. I won’t go anywhere, no matter what.” He chuckled and teased her, broadcasting all the love he could send her way, “You can’t get rid of me that easily, sweetheart, especially when you just said yes.”

“You’ve had him for four years and he only now proposed?” The paramedic grinned at Amelia and added, with a wink, “If I’d known a hunk like this was available for the taking….”

Amelia closes her eyes as Fred explains the accident. The worst and best day of her life. She closes her eyes and listens to the voices. She tries not to cry again. “I-I know how lucky I am.” She squeezes Fred’s hand not wanting to let go. At the paramedic says something about Fred being a hunk her eyes open. A wave of sadnesses washes over. She wants to make a sassy remark. She normally would. But this point Fred probably deserved someone like her. Someone who wouldn’t faint and need medical care. She closes her eyes tears pricking. She lets go of Fred’s hand as the ringing takes over again and she’s once again in the fluffy white space.

Fred smiled and focused his love on her, so she would feel just how much she meant to him…right until she sank back into the fluffy white space.

The paramedics had her on the gurney and into the ambulance in short order, and with Fred riding along, they headed for the hospital. All the while, Fred focused on her, on filling her with all the love he could send her way.

Once they got to the emergency room, Fred let himself be separated from her long enough to take care of the needed paperwork, handing over her power of attorney, advanced directive, insurance information, etc., then became very firm about being allowed to sit with her as her only family, so she’d see him when she woke.

Amelia doesn’t wake up while they’re working on her. She doesn’t even wake up once she’s placed in a room. It takes about two hours till she finally comes to. She wake up feeling warm and fuzzy. She blinks a few times looking around. She wants to stretch and tries to before stopping and curling back down into her bed. Nope. Can’t do that. That hurt. She looks over to where Fred’s sitting. “Darling…can I have some water please?” She smiles at him as her right hand start to play with the new ring on her left hand.

He stood, radiating relief, and leaned over the bed to kiss her gently. “Let me get the nurse, sweetheart. I don’t want to give you something that’ll make you throw up.”

He slipped out of the room, keeping a focus on her so she could feel him with her even when he was away from the bed. When he came back, he was carrying a cup full of ice chips. “I’m sorry, love. According to your chart, they gave you meds that could make you throw up if you drink too fast, so the nurse gave me these ice chips for you to suck on until the doctor comes to see you. They’re not sure how long that will be.”

Once he’d set the cup down and swung bed table with the cup on it over her, he sat beside her and reached out to put his hand on her hip. “I’m right here, sweetheart.”

Amelia sighed as Fred left the room. She felt like he was still here which was comforting. She closed her eyes resting. She hears Fred open the door and looks up. She nods at the mention of ice chips. She had assumed that’s what would happen. She smiles feeling his hand on her thigh. “I’m sorry I ruined our special day. We just got engaged. We should be out celebrating. Not in the hospital.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. All I care about is that you’re safe, and anything that happened can be patched up. It’s not like you managed to break the dresser or anything, after all.” He grinned at her and bent forward to kiss her hand. “Now just relax and let them patch you up, OK? I’ll be right here.”

Amelia frowns thinking of the dresser, “Fred. I remember seeing something on the dresser. I just can’t remember what it was…did you see anything when you came up?” She looks at Fred confused but smiled at the kiss to her hand. She lays back and carefully turns herself onto her side so she can face Fred. She reaches out one of her hands to hold his.

“Yes, I did. I saw you, and I saw all your bridal catalogs, and I’m going to have to pick them up and put them away, or bring them here so we can look at them while you’re laying here. For now, healing is the most important thing.” He took her hands and gently squeezed them. “You, my love, are all that matters.”

Amelia blushed, “Oh…ok. Sorry about all the magazines…” She closes her eyes and holds onto Fred’s hand. “Fred…how long am I going to be here this time? And don’t say you don’t know. I know you do.” She opens her eyes and looks at him, “How long till I get to come home?”

Fred brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. There are more important things to worry about.” He squeezed her hand and gave her a tired smile. “Honey, the doctor already told me that unless your tests tomorrow show an aneurysm or fracture, you’ll be going home with me tomorrow afternoon.” He blushed and whispered, “I was afraid they weren’t taking it seriously enough, but the doctor said that this is their standard procedure with concussions, and if you start bleeding from the ears or dripping clear fluid from your nose, I should bring you back IMMEDIATELY, but otherwise, you’ll heal up faster in your own bed. Our own bed.”

Amelia smiles and a small blush comes to her face, “Well. Once I’m in our bed then I thank you properly for proposing.” She laughs lightly and winks at him. “Thank you for tell me. I really do want to come home. Why don’t you head home? You look tired babe. I don’t want you sleeping in the hospital chair. Either come lay with me in this bed or go home and get a proper goodnight sleep.” She frowns huffing.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her. “Tell you what, sweetheart, I’ll move to the recliner, so I’m close enough you can call me if you get scared.” He gestured to the ubiquitous recliner in the window that every private room seemed to have. “They won’t kick me out, I can get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll be here when the doctors make their rounds in the morning, so we know whether they’re going to send you home right away, or demand more tests before they send you home.”

He smiled and added, his eyes twinkling, “Besides, that way you’ll have built up plenty of anticipation before we get home.”

Amelia smiles as she kisses him back. She looks over at the recliner. "Alright. Thank you." She knew she'd most likely wake up in the middle of the night scared. She hated the hospital. She smiles, "Thank goodness you'll be here in the morning. I wouldn't be able to focus on what they're saying." She pulls him in for another kiss. At his last comment she blushes and hides her face. "It's not nice to tease the one in the hospital bed. And you better watch it. If you make my heart start going a million miles an hour I'll point right at you to blame." She giggles leaning back in her bed.

Forever and Always

He’d been watching her from the bedroom window for some time now, until he finally turned away, a sad expression on his face. He walked down the stairs and into the garden, where he slipped his arms around her and bent to kiss the top of her head. Behind him, forgotten on his dressing table, lay an album of photos and paintings going back, nearly a thousand years, all apparently of the same woman…the one he was currently embracing from behind.

“How do you feel, sweetheart? Is your headache any better?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amelia was leaning against the tree. She had, had another fainting spell. Fred had gone in to get out of sun after she had awaken. She looks up as he returns placing her water down next to her, “Yes much. Thank you darling.” She smiles at the kiss. She had met Fred a few years back. It was quite like magic really. He had just shown up at the right place at the right time. She settles in against his back. She lays her head on his shoulder smiling, “Sorry for the small fright.” @ravenfirethief

He cuddled her, holding her against him and nuzzling the top of her head. “Any idea what made you feel light-headed, sweetheart? Is there anything I can do?” The way he held her, and the worry in his voice, were like he was afraid the fainting spell was a precursor to something more dramatic.

He bent down and stole a kiss, then smiled playfully as he growled with mock reproof, “Don’t you dare apologize for this, beloved. I don’t care how many times you faint, whether one or a thousand, if it is within my power, I will always be there to catch you and bring you back. Nothing else is as important to me. I would cross the borders of death to bring you home, if it were within my power.”

She sighs, “No. It must have just been the heat. And no I’ve got my water. You holding me is all I need.” She gently smiles at him playing with his fingers.

She blushes, “Honey, you don’t need to be so dramatic. But thank you. That means a lot.” She smiles at the kiss he stole. She closes her eyes resting against him. “Fred…”

He smiled and nuzzled her gently. “You read my mind, love.” He chuckled softly and surrendered his fingers entirely to her play, while bending just enough to nibble gently along an ear, while moving a hand around the other side of her torso, and carefuly placing a small box in her lap. “For you, my love.”

Inside the box was an emerald-cut half carat diamond solitaire on a rose gold band, with a matching rose gold band that had an ivy pattern laser etched along its outer surface. Having placed the box on her lap, he waited for her to pick it up and open it.

She feels her neck heat up at the nibbles. Her eyes where closed as the box was placed in her lap. She opens her eyes as he speaks. She gently lets go of his hand. “Fred…what is this?”

She picks up the box feeling butterflies. Upon opening the box she feels a bit lightheaded. “Fred. It’s. Oh Fred it’s perfect!” She moves slowly up on her knees and looks at Fred. “Yes! Yes of course I will!” Her cheeks are flushed as she looks at him.

He carefully took the diamond band from the box and slipped it onto her finger, then tucked its partner away before scooping her up in his arms to give her a proper kiss, totally focused on pouring out his love through the meeting of their lips.

When he finally let her breathe again, he looked into her eyes and asked gently, “What kind of wedding do you want, my love? It’s your day, after all, so everything should be the way you dream of. I want to give you everything you dream of in your perfect wedding.”

He held her his heart beating with a little skip, totally lost in the joy of being promised to the woman he loves. The look on his face made it abundantly clear, as did the emotions pouring off him - emotions that, until that moment, he had shielded her from with an iron-clad will so he did not influence her choice with anything but his words and loving actions.  Now, though, now that she had given him the answer he had prayed for from the moment he had found her again, he was free to let his feelings free, so she could feel how she was the light of his life, his reason for rising another day, every day, for the last … he cut off that thought abruptly and prayed she hadn’t caught it through the happiness he was feeling.

Amelia squeal as she’s scooped up into Fred’s arms. She giggles and kisses him. “Wow you’re sooo strong.” She blushes at the question, “Actually. I’ve got a few wedding magazines upstairs. Would you mind if went and got them?”

Fred laughed and held her close, enjoying the kiss until she broke away and spoke. “Not at all. Want me to join you, or do you want to bring them down here so we can spread them out on a table and see what appeals most to you?”

She smiles as she works her way out of his arms down the ground. “I’ll meet you in the dining room.” She kisses his cheek a small glow to her own cheeks. She walks briskly towards the house. Fed was truly her knight in shining armor. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was they met. She looks at the ring as she starts to climb the stairs. Her heart fluttering in her chest. Carefully she climbs up the rest of the stairs.

Once in their bedroom she looks around trying to remember where she hid the magazines. She smiles seeing them poking out from under her books on her bedside table. Walking over she slides them out and smiles seeing the tabs she had put in. It’s like every girl to want a future. She just like to plan every so often. Standing up she starts to walk towards the door when she sees a photo album on the dresser. She frowns not remembering it. Walking over she stares down at a picture of herself and Fred. She smiles thinking he had made one. She takes a look through the rest of the photos. That’s when her heart starts to panic. She didn’t remember these photos. She didn’t remember those clothes or recognize the paintings. It was to much for her when she reached a painted. She fell the the floor another fainting spell hitting her. As well as the floor greeting her as her head hit it.

He went to the dining room and sat, waiting for her to join him. And waiting. And … was that a crash he heard? Shit! Did she faint again?

Fred ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, down the hall, and into the bedroom. Fuck! She DID faint again! He slid to a stop, dropping to his knees beside her, and saw the album on the floor next to her. Oh no. No, no, no, no!

He grabbed the book and shoved it into the dresser, under his clothes, and turned to check her over. “Amelia? Amelia! Come on, honey! Wake up! Please, don’t leave me! Please, Amelia! Wake up! Come on! Wake up, Amelia!”

He checked her pulse and breathing and let out a whimper of relief, then carefully felt her any injuries. Is that blood in her hair? No! Please no! He carefully turned her head and examined where he felt the blood. Oh, thank goodness! She didn’t hit the dresser when she fainted!

He bent to kiss her gently, and focused his thoughts on her. Amelia! Come back to me! Please wake up! Come on, Amelia! I’m here! Come back to me, sweetheart! Wake up! Please!

Amelia felt pain. She saw Fred kneeling next to her through lidded eyes. When he touched the back of her head she took a sharp intake of breath. Fuck that hurt. She blinked a few times trying to wake up but the ringing in her ears was loud. She closes her eyes again hoping to make the bright light go away. She whimpers trying to moved. “F-Fred?” She calls outs. She doesn’t even know if she said anything. The timing was getting louder. The pain dull and persistent. That’s when she black out again her head going to the side.