---
The water was still warm when Damien finally opened his eyes.
For a moment, he had closed his eyes for a while just to let her words sink in. Now awake, only the faint echo of water rippling beside him reminded him that he had probably fallen asleep in the bath. His head throbbed lightly, but it wasn't from exhaustion. It was from the storm of thoughts that refused to let him rest.
Slowly, his gaze shifted and he lifted his head to see Elena still there.
She was curled up on the other side of the tub with her knees drawn to her chest and her head resting lightly on them. Strands of her wet hair clung to her neck and shoulders. The moonlight filtering through the glass window above them fell gently on her face, softening her frail body.
Damien didn't move. He just sat there, staring at her. It was strange how a few words from her set him in reboot mode.
