Her head hit just where her locket rested. Where it had been since he'd found it at the bottom of his bag, save a few hours after the paramedics had had to take it off him.

There was gray streaking his temples, and a bandage on the inside of his elbow from the IV. His back and chest were bruised from Nathan's CPR attempt on the stairs to the lighthouse, and they ached fiercely in her grip, but he didn't care. All he'd wanted in the last month was to be held by her; she could crush the life right back out of him, and he wouldn't care.

He locked his knees to keep from just collapsing onto her, but otherwise just. Let. Go.