Damian awoke some time later, not even remembering when or how he had dozed off.

As he blinked, his senses slowly coming back to him, Damian noted that he had moved in his sleep to nuzzle in her neck. Underneath the clinical smells of the hospital room, and the antiseptic inside Anya 's dressing, the pink and green notes of strawberries and mint were sprinkled around her like dappled sunlight.

Anya 's chest rose and fell with her gentle snores, a sound that he hadn 't heard in a long time, but he knew without a doubt that he wanted to hear it for the rest of his life. With her eyes closed, she looked so peaceful, and he wanted to hold her face close all over again.

Damian stayed unmoving, his hand still on her waist, and after a moment, he realised that he felt lighter. It was always so much easier to sleep when he was next to her '