Sera had laid in her bed, deeply asleep, her body curled up, connected to an IV drip. Despite the draining effect of the crystal she held, the relief in the knowledge that she was safe almost brought Matthew to his knees.

He ached to touch her, to feel the comfort of her warmth and ensure she was okay, yet he restrained himself, not wanting to disturb her peaceful rest.

The boards had demanded he leave when they arrived after she collapsed, pressing that he was the cause of her fainting episode.

It was only when she was behind closed doors that he had come back when it was only Mya in the room, it's there that he took a seat beside her bed, and that he kept a careful eye on her.

As hours slipped by, his desire to connect grew until he couldn't resist any longer. With gentle hesitation, he brushed his finger across her cheek, evoking a soft, sleepy response from Sera. This tender moment tugged at his heart.

Reluctantly, Matthew withdrew, easing back into the chair. He shut his eyes, endeavoring to quiet the turbulent emotions swirling within him. The memory of his recent conversation with Mya replayed in his mind, reinforcing the realization that his presence, despite his deepest wishes, would not bring peace to Sera's life. He had chosen to distance himself for that very reason, knowing it was only a matter of time before Sera would come to the same understanding.

****4 hours ago ****

Mya and Matthew stood in the bedroom, their gazes fixed on Sera as she slept. She appeared peaceful, but they both knew the truth was far from that.

"It all began with the crystal," Mya explained, her voice filled with concern. "Before it was triggered, she was perfectly healthy well beside the virus and all."

Mya had hung another bag of the IV helping to replenish Sera's fluids. "But ever since the power was released, she's had more bad days than good. We've conducted numerous tests, and Eric has been assisting, but we still don't have a clear answer on why the crystal is causing this now."

"She's losing weight fast with this" Matthew observed, noticing how bony she seemed compared to when he saw her nearly 2 months ago.

Mya knew that the concern was evident in his voice even if he tried to downplay his feelings. "She's lost roughly four kilos over the past six weeks. She tries to eat, but she struggles to keep anything down, so the IV fluids are helping."

Matthew turned his head to look at her, a hint of frustration in his voice. "But she can somehow drown herself in a ridiculous amount of wine. Really healthy, Mya."

Mya's arms folded across her chest as she turned slightly, lifting her chin. "And how would we know that, Matthew? Are you keeping tabs on her as you always do?" she retorted sharply.

"Don't fucking start with me," Matthew warned, his tone firm.

"I'm not the one starting, Matthew. Eko is like this because of you! Because of your arrogance with this ridiculous situation!" Mya shot back, her frustration boiling over.

"She's like this because she needs to stop drowning her sorrows in this ridiculous thought pattern that we were anything more and stop with the alcohol and start taking better care of herself. She's going to be the queen next week, for fuck's sake!"

Mya's voice took on a higher, more authoritative tone as she refused to back down. "Well, you can tell her that! When she wakes up, you both can have an actual conversation, and you can scold her to eat. It won't change the fact that her crystal is doing something to her body that's forcing it to reject anything put into it, and I am at my wits' end on how to slow it down!"

Cocking his jaw, and ignoring her comment, Matthew continued his questioning. "Where do I go for answers?"

"I don't know," Mya shook her head, "the shamans?"

"Oh for fuck sake your joking me right?"

"Afraid not," Mya exhaled, "I've tried a lot of different avenues, as has Eric and the elders. We are running out of options to get answers. She cannot pull the crystal from her body either."

"Fuck," he shook his head. "What the fuck do you mean she can't pull it from her body?"

"You would know this if you were here the past seven weeks!"

"And I've been trying to keep our fucking heads above water Mya!" Mathew snapped, "you are not fucking oblivious to what has been happening, the fucking heat I've been trying to keep off our backs with the entire fucking worlds that are down are throats since they know now we're the crystal warriors. They took all of teddys notes about us! About me! About the shit I did and they are throwing it back in our face!"

Mya exhaled, it wasn't easy, and Matthew was feeling the entire force of it at that moment, there was so much happening, so much that was demanded at that moment. That all of them were feeling the weight and all of them were hounded by the media on every aspect of their lives.

"I need to get back out there. Isis and Cid are wrecking havoc as you know, along with Xer-"

"You need to rest," Mya ordered, "she's sleeping, so stay here and sleep. You literally have no where else to go. All our assets are frozen and we have no idea who to trust. So just, stay here."

Matthew looked at her and pursed his lips knowing it was the wrong thing to do entirely.

"You know if they catch me here, they're fry us more. I am meant to stay up north with Spear remember. I'm not meant to leave that district. Those were the rules. I am already in enough trouble as it is for being here."

"I know," Mya shook her head, "I know..." Becuase there would be hell to pay for what happened once the courts summoned him to explain what happened, but until then...

"-she's not going to be awake anytime soon, some of the guards here I trust. They'll notify us if someone is coming. Please? Let me get the medications she needs, I'll fill you in on the rest and we discuss if the shamans are an option. You can sle-"

"-Mya?"

"No," she shook her head, "you're dead on your feet, you're no use to anyone. Look at you, you're burning out."

Exhaling Matthew nodded and with that knowing the risk it was, Mya stepped closer to him. "Love like yours doesn't die, so quit being a fucking idiot and be with the person you love. We both know life is too short for this." With one last piercing stare, she turned and left the room.

"Mya!" Matthew called out, but she ignored him, slamming the door behind her. He could hear her yelling at the soldiers outside, the muffled sounds carrying through into the room.

"Fuck," he cursed under his breath, feeling a mix of frustration and guilt. He rolled his head to look at Sera, who was still sleeping peacefully. "Fuckity fuck."

With a heavy heart, he carefully slid the bedroom chair from its place near the window to the side of the bed where she laid. Sitting down, he struggled to contain his emotions as he took in the gravity of the situation. Inhaling deeply, he pinched the bridge of his nose, "please god, just let her get better, let her be happy ... please, we've come this far. She doesn't deserve this."

**** *****

As the sun had tipped into the afternoon, Eko stirred from her slumber, her eyes slowly fluttering open.

Matthew had almost awoken on instinct when she had, and knowing she was awake, and moving, his powers instantly snapped taking him away from the room so that she knew he wasn't there, he had overstayed his welcome, he knew that much the past 8 hours.

Eko became adjusted to the light on her room, and as she took on her surroundings she found that she was alone in the room.

Shaking her head to clear the fog, she took in the room, her mind trying to piece together what had happened, she looked down at the iv in her hand and the monitors over skin to monitor her rhythm, she looked back to the machines and it was beeping, alerting the staff that she was conscious.

That's when one of her handmaiden's entered her room. Turning to Clara, her eyes narrowed on the petite, ginger-haired woman.

"Your highness," Clara bowed happily, "I'll alert Mya and your doctor that you are awake. Are you hungry? Would you like chicken soup?"

"Um sure," Eko gratefully accepted the offer of food, nodding her head in thanks. As she sat up in bed, her gaze landed on the empty chair next to her, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion. She brushed a strand of hair out of her face and pointed to the chair, "Was someone here?" Her voice laced with confusion. "How long was I out for?"

"Since this morning, it's a little after four pm now,"Clara's warm smile put her at ease and the she stepped towards her bed, and re adjusted the sheets, her voice low.

"He was here,"

"Who?" Eko whispered searching Clara for confirmation.

"Your husband ma'am. After you collapsed, he stayed. The board ordered him gone, and once you were at sleep and they left, he came back."

Eko nearly broke into tears, "he did? Well where is he?"

"Left from the looks of it, the doors have been closed so no one knew he was here," Clara whispered.

"Why?" Eko was confused. "He's allowed to be here."

"No, ma'am." Clara shook her head. "The boards and your elite have strictly put orders into place that he is not to be allowed here. He is to be no where near you."

"W-what? Why? Who the fuck gave that authority?"

Clara shook her head and as she was about to speak the room was suddenly alive with activity, guards, doctors, her elite staff.

Clara gave a short bow and quickly exited.

Eko confused and knowing the politics behind this, instead resettled herself into the pillows, her fingers instinctively reaching for the necklace hidden beneath her bodice.

While she touch the chain, her mind was spiraling with the information she just found out.

She was determined to find out just who the fuck gave that order.