Nora groggily rubbed her hand over her eyes, trying to push away the fog of sleep. She was not in her room, that much she knew. And she ached. Nora could feel it in her bones. Slowly, the recollections of the previous night came to her.

The war. The devilcraft. The opening of the gates of hell.

Patch coming back to her.

Suddenly, she remembered that she was in Patch's townhouse, his bed. His solid form lay next to her on his side, still asleep, one arm stretched across her stomach, keeping her pressed close to his body. Nora yawned and snuggled closer into Patch.

Startled, he woke and sat upright, looking around the room in a panic. "Angel? Angel!"

"Patch, it's me." Nora sat up next to him, hooking her chin over his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Shh. It's okay. We're at home."

He turned toward her, resting his forehead against hers. Placing a hand on her cheek. Placing a kiss on her lips.

He nodded, his forehead still pressed to hers. Slowly, he reclined back to the bed, pulling her down on top of him.

Nora relaxed against him.

"I can feel that." Patch whispered. "I can feel your body rest on mine. I can feel your heart beat. I can feel your chest rising and falling, drawing breath against mine. I can feel it all, and I can't get enough." Nora rose up on one elbow to look at him. She smiled and laid her head back on Patch's chest.

"You're here. You're alive, and you're with me." Nora whispered back to him. When she looked up again, there were tears in Patch's eyes.

Lifting one hand to his chest, Nora's trembling fingers traced the shape of a heart over the spot where his lay beating in his chest.

"Feel this," she whispered.

…

…

…

I don't own Hush, Hush.