Alexander's POV

Alexander lay on his bed in the royal tent trying in vain to ignore the pain throbbing through his chest. Every breath brought a sharp pain through his lungs. The lance had missed his heart but his lungs had not been as lucky. He had received other minor wounds during the ugly battle but the one to his chest had been the most severe.

His chest wasn't the only thing that was bothering him right now though. His heart was breaking with worry for Hephaestion. He hadn't seen Hephaestion since the heat of the battle and his biggest fear was that he had been killed and no one would tell him the truth for fear of his reaction. The people closest to Alexander knew the importance of Hephaestion in his life.

Alexander had tried to get up by himself several times when he was left alone only to fall back each time through the pain. He was hardly alone anymore, probably for that reason alone.

His last memory of Hephaestion was hearing his voice scream his name as he charged to the front of the battle alone. He also had a vague memory of seeing Hephaestion on the ground surrounded in blood but he couldn't be sure if this was real or just a part of his own nightmares.

Hephaestion's POV

Hephaestion spend his days recovering from his very serious wounds in two separate states. One was various degrees of pain and the other was hazy discomfort.

He didn't need anyone to tell him that he was lucky to be alive. His injuries should have killed him on the battlefield, bleeding out quickly. But he had survived and the bleeding slowed down and the healers worked feverously to save him and his leg.

Now the infection was a constant battle and he was in and out of fever. He knew he was far from being on his was to recovering and death could still seek him out.

He could hear his friends whispering when they thought he was sleeping. Most of them were sure that he would not survive. But what they didn't realize is that Hephaestion was not ready to die yet. He had heard that Alexander was still alive and recovering slowly.

Hephaestion had only one mission to complete right now. He had to get better to go see Alexander again and they would not let him see his King in the condition he was in now.

Alexander's POV

Alexander asked several times a day how Hephaestion was doing and always received the same answer and he was getting more and more upset.

"The wound is deep and neither him, nor you, can be moved yet." was all he was ever told.

He would ask how he was wounded and was only told that it was a leg injury and he was healing slowly. He knew they were trying to make him feel better but the answer he received only made him more anxious. Hephaestion had always been a quick healer and recovered swiftly. It wasn't going to matter to Alexander if he had anymore scars or disabilities, he just needed to see him with his own eyes to really believe that he was all right.

If he didn't set eyes on him soon, Alexander knew he was going to go mad.

Hephaestion's POV

They had finally let Hephaestion set up awhile. Once the dizziness and nausea passed he had felt better. The lump on the side of his head from where the elephant had knocked him off his horse was only half the size it had been. The bruising on the side of his head that had been a dark shade of purple was now mostly oranges and pinks.

As Hephaestion sat propped up in his bed, he remembered the first time he had realized how serious his injuries had been. The shock of seeing the ugly cut in his upper thigh was not as hard to take as realizing how close he had come to losing all or parts of his manhood. After seeing the bloodstained loincloth he had been wearing with a slice right down the middle, he knew it was a miracle that all of him was still intact.

There were still murmuring about how much he would recover. Most said, though not they thought within earshot of Hephaestion, that he would never be able to walk again. Others added that if he did manage to get upright he would have a big limp and most definitely never ride a horse or take part in a battle again.

Hephaestion himself had only two goals he had set for himself. First and foremost, he had to see Alexander again. Secondly, he was going to heal well enough to raise his leg as high as he needed to give Alexander a kick in his royal arse for riding alone in the middle of the battle…again!

Alexander's POV

He was tired of the pain, bored to tears with all of this inactivity and he had been pampered enough for a lifetime. He needed only one thing to help him heal…he needed to see Hephaestion. He longed to look in those blue eyes and see his smile.

If one more person patted his arm and said sweetly "soon", he was going to order that their arm be cut off. The slightest kindness would set him off. He knew he wasn't being fair, they only wanted to help him but they were keeping him from his one source of comfort and he was getting well enough to fight back.

The shouts from the royal tent were getting louder every day. Heads were coming together to try and figure out a solution soon or they were going to have a full revolt on their hands.

Hephaestion's POV

A loud roar brought Hephaestion out of a sound sleep and he bolted upright in his bed. The sound of Alexander's' raging voice made him try to make his way out of his bed and go to see who was hurting his Alexander. Hands held him down and soon Hephaestion's voice joined Alexander's howls of anger. Someone walking by that didn't know what was happening would have thought that both of the friends were under attack. In truth, both were to weak to fight physically but there voices were still in perfectly fine working order.

It suddenly got very quiet in Alexander's' tent and Hephaestion stopped yelling when he heard the silence. He called out to Alexander, fearing he had been silenced permanently. A few moments later Alexander's' voice called to Hephaestion telling him he was okay. He said only a few words but Hephaestion sighed loudly and tears welled up in his eyes. He sank back down on the bed; his eyes close with tears rolling down his cheeks and a smile on his bruised face.

The arms that had been holding him let him go and rubbed the bruises they knew that were going to appear soon, wondering to themselves how someone so wounded could still have such fight in them.

Alexander's POV

Alexander was shouting at the top of his wounded lungs when he had heard the one voice that would console him, the one he dreamed of each sleepless night. He stopped yelling and listened to the sweet sound of Hephaestion. He heard the concern and fear in his voice and after a few moments he spoke to his friend to let him know he was all right. More all right than he had been since the battle, thought Alexander.

Hephaestion was really alive. He was well enough to shout and try to get to him. My Hephaestion is alive.

The Other General's POV

The time had come. There was no holding either of them back now. They had heard each other's voices and now they would hurt anything and anyone who got in their way to be together.

The decision was made quickly and plans were made to carry Hephaestion's bed to Alexander's tent. They made space on the other side of the room, only to have those plans stopped immediately when Alexander insisted that the bed be put right next to his. The Kings' commands were met and soon the two where lying next to one another.

Everyone discretely left or turned there backs as the two soul mates locked their eyes and silently took in every inch of each other's faces. When Hephaestion smiled at his Alexander, Alexander choked in a sob that threatened to escape. He gently took Hephaestion's hand and squeezed it. No words were spoken for a long time. Both seem to know how close they each had come to losing their reason for living.

Soon they were talking softly to each other, concern for their wounds, asking how they were feeling, all amid tender words of love and adoration.

They feel in love all over again in those moments when they were reunited. All the months and years melted away and they were again the two boys who feel in love and gave each other their hearts and souls.

Finally, weakened by their healing wounds, they drifted towards sleep, their hands entwined.

Alexander watched Hephaestion's beautiful face as he slept. He had him back and he was never going to let him go again. No one was going to separate them now and he swore he would not put Hephaestion in danger like this again.

It was time to turn and go home, go back to where they started. Maybe in the future when they were all healed again they could go on but not now.

Now was the time to reconnect with loved ones and families.

Now was the time for Alexander and Hephaestion.

Epilogue, many months and miles later.

Alexander and Hephaestion sat together eating some fruit and breads. They were talking quietly enjoying each other's company. Their injuries had healed with a few remaining limps and scars.

Hephaestion had indeed healed and could ride his horse again. He had surprised everyone except Alexander with his progress. Hephaestion knew he would have his limitations on the battlefield, but that was in the future and he knew he could still be of value to his King.

Hephaestion suddenly stood and asked Alexander to rise rather insistently. Alexander stood with a confused look on his face. It only increased as Hephaestion asked him to turn around. Trusting his friend, he did what he was told and was knocked on his face when a swift kick caught his arse and sent him flying. He rolled over with a look of complete surprise on his face and was greeted with a very serious look from Hephaestion.

Alexander was told in no uncertain terms that there was more where that came from if he ever went off alone in battle again…only harder next time!

Hephaestion then beamed with a smile at his accomplishment, confusing his King even more.