✧*~☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙ - .*☆

"Has the bleeding stopped? Let me see?"

Asling asked as she sat down with Steve on the couch. Steve was holding a piece of tissue to his cheek where Kierran had had managed to up him. He kept pressure on the wound while Asling got the first aid supplies he had. Slowly he peeled the the tissue away and Asling took a look at the wound. She winced.

"He got you pretty good."

She said as he fingers gently grazed the wound and Steve flinched from the feeling of her cold fingers on his skin. Her hand moved to gently cup his cheek and Steve sighed, he hesitantly leaned into her touch, keeping his eyes closed as he did so.

"Well let's get you cleaned all cleaned up and then I can get to healing you."

She added kindly and removed her hand from his cheek. She poured the bottle of rubbing alcohol on to a cotton ball. Steve's brown eyes opened and watched her silently as she lifted it to his cheek. His eyes met hers and the two just looked at each other for a moment before she pressed the alcohol soaked cotton ball to his cheek and he hissed from the stinging of the alcohol.

"Sorry..."

Asling said slowly. She gently dabbed the cotton ball on his cheek. She sighed as she looked at him. Her green eyes grazed every mark, every dimple, and every inch of his face.

"Steve."

She said softly. His eyes flicked up to hers.

"Thank you."

She said.

"For what?"

He asked.

"Everything."

She replied.

"You have done so much for me- and you don't have to- but you do."

She told him. Her hand with the cotton ball fell to her side.

"You take care of me."

She added.

"And now it's my turn to take care of you."

✧*~☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙ - .*☆

"So how long is this uh going to take?"

Steve asked as he watched Asling put aside the bloody tissue, cotton ball, and bottle of rubbing alcohol so she could scoot closer to him. The sudden closeness of Asling caused Steve's breath to hitch and his cheeks went a little pink. He could see every freckle on her face and feel her warm breath on his skin.

"Not long, hopefully."

She told him.

"Hopefully?"

He asked with sudden concern.

"Well considering that the cut on your cheek and your broken nose is all that's wrong with you then it shouldn't take long at all."

She said as she reached out and placed her hands on his cheeks and rested her forehead against his. Asling's eyes closed and Steve could hear her muttering a string of encantations that he couldn't understand. Pretty soon he felt a comforting warm sensation spread across his cheek and around his nose. It was like a warm hug on a cold afternoon from a friend you hadn't seen in a very long time. Steve delighted in it, content and warm, until Asling's mutterings abruptly stopped and she pulled back. Her eyes opened and Steve could see them filling with worry.

"Steve."

She said softly and Steve could hear the pain in her voice.

"What is it?"

He asked urgently.

"What's wrong?"

He added. She hesitated at first but she looked truly pained by something. Finally she opened her mouth to respond.

"Your heart."

She said softly, almost as if she were on the verge of tears.

"It's broken."

✧*~☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙ - .*☆

At first, Steve didn't reply. He just sighed and looked away from Asling.

"Steve,"

Asling persisted.

"What happened to your heart?"

She asked.

"And why is it broken?"

She questioned him.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Steve replied too quickly.

"Someone hurt you."

Asling continued.

"Nancy."

She said as if she was putting the puzzle pieces together.

"Nancy did, Nancy hurt you."

She said and again Steve was quiet.

"I saw it when I was healing you, Steve. Your pain."

She added.

"The healing spell seeks out all pain to end it. This time the healing spell found your pain from your broken heart as well."

Asling continued.

"She said you were bullshit."

Asling said.

"And that she didn't love you."

"No she didn't."

Steve said.

"She never said she didn't love me."

He replied, defending himself and the situation.

"But she never said she did either."

Asling countered. Once again Steve fell silent.

"Oh Steve,"

Asling said softly, her voice laced with sympathy for the boy across from her on the couch.

"You deserve love too."

She told him.

"Why be with someone if they don't love you?"

She asked.

"Because I loved her."

Steve mumbled.

"Loving someone who doesn't love you back hurts."

Asling told him.

"It breaks your heart."

She added.

"I guess now I know what that's like."

She admitted and Steve looked at her.

"Kierran- I loved him like family. It wasn't the Romantic love you had for Nancy but it was love- I guess I was too blind to see it, but it was one sided."

Asling said.

"I thought he cared for me like the other masters cared for their apprentices but I guess I was wrong."

She said.

"Loving someone who doesn't love you back hurts."

Steve told her, using her own words against her.

"It broke my heart."

She admitted.

"Allie,"

Steve said and she looked up at him.

"You deserve love too."

✧*~☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙ - .*☆

"What Kierran said,"

Steve said now changing the topic as the two sat together on the couch of Steve's home.

"Do you think you can do it?"

He asked.

"Hm?"

Asling said as she looked up to him.

"About uh, Killing him?"

"Oh..."

Asling replied, her demeanor seemed to sink as she remembered what her master had said.

"To be honest, I don't know."

She told him.

"Kierran used to be very special to me... I don't know if I'm strong enough to kill him just for the sake of a prophecy that was made thousands of years ago."

She told him.

"But I feel like if I don't I'm letting everyone I lost down."

She added.

"Does that make sense?"

She asked.

"Yeah I think so."

He told her.

"I think you need to let go."

He continued.

"Of what?"

Asling asked.

"Of him, or at least of the idea of him that you had in your mind."

Steve said.

"He obviously doesn't care for you the way you care for him."

He added.

"I mean the guy was just here- he tried to kill you."

Steve added.

"I think, other then the fact that we're from two different worlds you and I aren't so different after all, Steven."

"Steve."

Steve corrected her but instead of looking annoyed with her constant mistake he just giggled at her and she giggled with him. But her giggles faded when she remembered the words of her master.

"What's the matter?"

Steve asked, noticing her change of expression.

"What if I can't do it?"

She asked.

"Kill him."

She added.

"I mean what if Kierran's right and I'm not strong enough?"

"Hey, don't even think that."

Steve told her.

"If there's one thing I have learned about you it's that you're one strong girl."

He said with a kind grin but Asling didn't seem very encouraged.

"Okay what if I do kill him, what then? Am I a murder?"

"Allie..."

Steve began but Asling cut him off.

"I'm afraid, Steve."

She said looking up at him.

"I'm afraid of whichever path I take, I'm afraid of where the road will lead."

She said and Steve sighed.

"Well whatever you decide to do, you won't be doing it alone."

He told her and Asling looked up to him with wide green eyes.

"Steve I-"

She began but was cut off by her own yawn,

"Thank you."

She said.

"Don't mention it."

He replied with a grin.

"Now I think you better get some rest."

He told her as he stood to get her pillows and blankets for the couch. But Asling stood with him.

"Is it alright if I don't sleep here tonight?"

She asked.

"Uh sure, but where else would you want to sleep?"

He asked in return.

"Steve,"

She began,

"With everything going on I don't want to be alone with my thoughts right now."

She said and it hit him.

"Oh OH."

he said, realization spreading on his face.

"Yeah of course, uh, come with me I guess."