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"Yes, well, you should do so soon It doesn't suit you Nor led down into the bed "If you'll excuse et soht wildly of the countless tiht "Yes," he said softly "Yes, you should get some sleep" Dumbstruck, he sank down into the chair that had been his hoil at her bedside

The fever had broken Strangely, joyously, aht He was stunned by the force of eh him For once, his prayers had been answered

And then a strange thing happened An odd, waran to spread

He had saved her life

He could feel a weight being lifted from him It was a physical sensation

He had saved a life

A voice resounded in the rooiven

He looked quickly over at Belle She didn't seeiously loud to him A female voice Rather like Ana's

Ana John closed his eyes and for the the first time in five years, he could not picture her face

Had he finally atoned for his sins? Or, perhaps, was it that his sin had never been quite as eternally condeht?

He looked back over at Belle She had always believed in hier with her by his side And so, perhaps, was she Together they had faced the fiercest eneain have to face the future alone

John took a deep breath, planted his elbows on his thighs, and let his face fall forward into his hands A crazy sh All the stress and anguish of the past few days worked thehter

Belle rolled over and opened her eyes at the sound Although his face was covered, she could tell that he looked haggard The skin on his arht, and the top few buttons of his shirt were carelessly undone He slowly lifted his head and looked back at her, his brown eyes filled with an emotion she couldn't name Undaunted, Belle continued her exaaunt, and his chin was covered with several days' growth of beard And his normally thick and shiny hair looked dull Belle frowned and reached her ar his hand with her own