<em>~ Maddi with Elijah, in his hut ~</em><br/><br/><br/>After their soft lingering kiss, which filled Maddi with such deep contentment, they found their niche again, molding their bodies to form a cohesive bond.  Their breaths' separate rhythms were a lullaby she couldn't resist for long.  She fought the rising tide of sleep just long enough to feel his deepen and know he was asleep before blackness took her. But this time the darkness was velvety warm, a gentle rocking tide that had no terrors at all. With his heavy arm over her she felt safe and secure, her own breath deepening to nearly match his. As she slept the deep dreamless sleep of the truly exhausted, nothing stirred to disturb her mind and body's cathartic escape from the world.