“Hello?” Ivy’s voice shook as she answered the phone, the phone’s chirp said that it was Liam making her pulse race even more.

“Ivy? This is Andy’s wife, Gina. Liam’s been in a bit of an accident at work. We thought you’d want to know. He talks about you so much, we thought it only fair you should know.” Gina’s voice sounded just as shaky as Ivy’s and Ivy felt panic begin to rise.

“What do you mean, hurt? Is he alright?” Ivy asked, panic obvious.

“The roof of the house they went into collapsed on him, he was trapped but Andy pulled him out. It might be better if you can make it down here to explain it all. I’ll send someone to pick you up if you’d like?” Gina offered.

“Yes, please, I would very much appreciate that. My address should be in Liam’s phone. I’ll get dressed now. Thank you so much for thinking of me, Gina.” Ivy rang off and bolted out of the water, not bothering to dry her hair, she just threw on whatever came to hand when she reached in the closet and practically ran down to the exit of her building. She waited on the curb, impatience obvious in her demeanour.

As she waited Ivy reminded herself that injuries were possible in Liam’s line of work. She assured herself that he was fine, maybe with a few burns and some muscle pain, perhaps even a broken bone but he was going to be fine, Gina said so. Well, no, she didn’t but Ivy had to believe that he was going to be or else her panic would override her good sense.

Chewing on a thumb she sat silently in the car, unsure of who Gina had even sent to pick her up. Realizing she was being rude Ivy spoke to the driver, at last.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been so upset I didn’t even realize I didn’t introduce myself, I’m Ivy Simonett, thank you for coming to pick me up.”

“It’s no problem Ms. Simonett. I’m Jake, I work with Andy and Liam. I’ve been lost in my own thoughts, as well. Liam’s a good friend.”

“Can you tell me anything about what happened?” Ivy asked.

“I’m not really sure myself at the moment. I’d just come in to work when the call came in that Liam had been injured, then Gina called to have me pick you up. We’ll both find out in a few minutes, we’re at the hospital now.”

Jake guided her to the room Gina had texted that Liam was in and Ivy walked in, not sure what to expect. Gina took over for Jake and guided Ivy to a chair and let her know Liam was in the bed in front of her. Ivy reached out a hand, feeling for Liam and clasped his hand when she found it.

“He’s not awake at the moment; they gave him some pain killers that have him knocked out. He may have to go into surgery later so they’re just trying to keep him sedated for the moment.”

“Surgery, sedated? Exactly what’s wrong with him? Should I be touching him, are his hands burned? I’m not hurting him am I?” Ivy asked, concerned that she was hurting him.

“No, he’s not burned at all; it’s more damage from the impact of all of that building material landing on him. He received some lacerations; his left leg is broken as is his collar bone. He’s also got a lot of bruising. The main concern is the head injury he sustained. He has some swelling in his brain.”

Ivy’s world stopped at that moment, the words so familiar. She knew what brain swelling, pooling of blood, and inflammation meant.

“He’s blind isn’t he?” Ivy asked quietly.

“Right now he is, yes, but it may return. That’s why they may do surgery later, if the swelling continues they’ll have to relieve it. He was awake an hour ago, screaming, so they sedated him. Not because he was screaming but because of the pain. The board that hit him in the head had a nail in it so they’re also worried about infection. I’m not even sure he realized completely that he couldn’t see or how big a hole he has in his head.” Gina was firing information at Ivy now and Ivy tried to take it all in.

“Is his brain alright otherwise? Were they able to clean the wound and close it up?”

“Yes, they got that part done right away, did x-rays, and some other tests. He’s being taken care of very well. It’s just a wait and see moment, for now. He talks about you so much, Ivy, I knew he’d want you here. I’m so glad you came.” Gina said, a smile in her voice, though her voice shook.

“Thank you for calling. I can’t thank you enough.” Ivy settled in, stroking Liam’s arm and hand.

“Wow, you really do have an effect on him, look at how his blood pressure has stabilized finally, Andy. I knew she was different, he’s never been so serious about anyone before but she even has a physical effect on him. You must be very special to him, Ivy, his blood pressure has been surging and falling since they hooked him up to that machine.” Gina said. Ivy just smiled in response, not sure of what to say, but feeling pleased.

The next week was hectic but agonizingly slow at the same time, a lot of hurry up and wait. The swelling in Liam’s brain slowly started to subside and he didn’t have to have any surgeries. He started walking on his cast two days after his injury and with Ivy by his side, he learned to navigate the new world he inhabited. He barely spoke to anyone and wouldn’t allow any help from anyone but Ivy. He clung to her as if she was his lifeline but he still wouldn’t come to terms with the extent of his injuries.

Liam wouldn’t face up to the fact that his sight may never come back and kept talking about when he was able to see again. He was on temporary leave from his position with the fire department and when he was released from the hospital he agreed to go home with Ivy so that she could keep up with him and help him. Ivy was becoming frustrated with him because he wouldn’t stay off his leg and insisted on walking constantly, as if that would somehow speed up the healing process. Ivy heard him thumping through the apartment the first night and thought it was time to have a long talk with the stranger Liam had become since his accident.

“Liam? What are you doing, Liam?” She followed him through the hallways but he never responded to her. “You know you can’t run away right? I can hear you wherever you go and I know you can hear me. So keep ignoring me if you want but unless you leave the apartment I will still be able to find you.”

Ivy heard him stop and sigh deeply. Then he started walking again. Ivy thought a few swear words at him, wondering if her parents had felt like doing the same with her, and just kept following him, knowing he’d get tried eventually. Maybe this was how he worked out the fear, anger, and despair that had caused her to hide in her room for a year. Finally, he came to an abrupt halt in front of the couch in her sitting room and sat down.

“Ivy, I can’t see.” Liam finally spoke to her, sensing her on the other end of the couch.

“Yes, I know, Liam.” She responded quietly.

“What am I supposed to do now? I’m a fireman, we need to be able to see.”

“Now isn’t the time to worry about that, Liam. You need to focus on right now.”

“I can’t do that Ivy, I have to know what’s going to happen. What to expect. I can’t live here with you forever, I’ll just be a burden to you, I can’t go home, I have no idea how to even go about making a phone call without you there to do it for me.” Liam’s voice broke as he finished speaking and Ivy knew that he must have tears in his eyes. “We’re a pair, aren’t we? Two blind people huddling in the darkness.”

“Well, first of all, I’m not huddling but you are. You can do that or you can start learning about how to come out of the darkness, so to speak. You may always be in the dark or your sight may return but right now you have to face that you can’t see and learn to cope with that. You aren’t going to survive if you don’t. You’ll drown in your own misery.” Ivy spoke harshly but she knew that’s how she had to approach Liam. Gentle kindness and coddling wouldn’t work on him. He needed reminding that he was a man and he needed to act like one.

“Then there’s the beauty of being in the dark.” Ivy added.

“Beauty, what beauty can be found when you can’t see what you’re looking at?” Liam asked, a snide note breaking through.

Ivy just smiled and moved, letting her robe slip from her bare shoulders. “Oh, there are many beautiful things to be found in the dark, Liam. If you’ll let me show you.”

She moved over to him, careful of his leg, and pushed him back against the pillows on his end. “There are sounds, smells, sensations that you have never noticed before. Sure, you’ve felt naked skin before, you’ve tasted it, but you’ve never tasted it or felt it like this. Feel me now.” She took his hand and placed it on her shoulder as she braced herself over him, her hips straddling his. “Feel that? Slide your hand down now. It’s not just skin is it, or a smooth sensation, it’s something alive. You can feel the heat of it; you can feel my blood pulsing through my veins. Taste me.” She said and offered a finger.

As he took her finger between his lips she gasped and he gasped with her, the sound much more than an indication, it was communication that he’d never really paid attention to before. There was heat in that sound, need, desire, and excitement. She felt his response between her thighs and smiled. This might work.

“Smell me,” she said and moved her chest down to his face, resting her breasts on each side of his face. What might seem crude wasn’t, however, because he reached his hands up to her breasts and inhaled deeply of her scent. He smelled her perfume, the scent of the soap she’d used, and something else, something that had to be the scent of Ivy. Ivy let Liam explore her body, careful of his injuries but moving over him with each new place he reached for. Surprisingly he let her breasts go, after placing a kiss between them, and moved his hands down her body, pushing her up so he could inspect her belly button, then back down so that he could lick her neck.

He tasted her, felt her, smelled her, and finally he knew Ivy’s world, he knew her. Realization dawned within Liam and he knew that there was beauty in this world. With her words and sounds she showed him there was a beauty in this world he’d not recognized, with her body she showed him the beauty of a woman’s skin, though hers felt unlike any he’d felt before, somehow smoother and silkier than other women’s skin. Her body was slim, he’d seen that, but now he felt how tiny her waist was with his large hands, how his fingertips could meet, how he could move her with the slightest pressure. And her pleasure was also beautiful. He’d always enjoyed pleasuring the woman he was with but now, his sense of smell picked up the scent of her desire from her skin and from the hidden place now pressing into him. Liam took delight in all of these signals he’d previously missed in his sexual exploits and wanted to make Ivy his even more.

She brought her lips down to Liam’s wanting to taste him for herself, wanting to give back what she’d felt. She kissed him until his hips responded to the darting of her tongue and then she moved down his body. She licked the nipples he’d never really known were so sensitive, down his ticklish stomach which made him suck in his breath, down to his thick hard cock, and swallowed it down her hungry throat. She wanted to feel every inch of him and let him slide down her throat as far as she could before swallowing him even further.

Liam’s eyelids burst open and he was momentarily saddened because he’d wanted to watch Ivy taking him down her throat, wanted to watch her suck him dry, but he could not see. Then she moved her mouth over him, sucking up before sliding back down the rock hard flesh. He closed his eyes then and felt for her face, letting his fingers find her face, then her lips as they reached the tip of him. He played with her lips and Ivy was delighted, sucking on the digits before going back to his cock.

Liam let her have her way, enjoying the attention far too much to make her stop, and moaned as he felt the pressure rising in the balls she’d taken into her palm to massage. He was close.

“Ivy, if you don’t stop I’ll not be able to hold back. If you want to take this further you’ll have to stop now.”

Ivy’s only response was to move back up and offer her breasts to him, first searching for his lips with her fingers then placing a nipple in his open waiting mouth. He took the flesh in, sucking hard as his own fingers sought out the heat between her legs. He found that little nubbin of flesh that he knew would thrill her and massaged it between two fingers before pressing one to the sensitive flesh. Ivy’s hips jerked and she let out her breath in a loud sigh.

As his fingers danced on her she moved her hips, searching out his cock so that she could slide down onto him. Her body was ready for him and swallowed him gratefully, her silky lubrication allowing her to sink down onto him fully. Liam moaned beneath her, his fingers stilling for a moment, his mouth sucking harder on the nipple he still had in his mouth. Ivy moved with his fingers, her hips chasing the movements, and soon she was moving quickly, his hands guiding her to move faster, harder, stronger.

Ivy gasped as the pleasure built; she could feel the flutters, the tightening that signalled she was close to her first orgasm. She moved, her mewling sounds letting Liam know she needed something more to push her over the edge and he moved one hand to her bum, a finger pressing the rosebud hiding there but not pressing in. That was all she needed, that momentary shock and pressure to send her over the edge.

Liam experienced it with her, heard her sounds of ecstasy and wanted to join her. He fully felt and understood the contractions inside of her as the orgasm caused her inner muscles to grasp greedily at his cock, as if to suck him in deeper. He could smell the scent of her sex as her silky liquids flooded his cock, and tasted her as he bit gently down onto her neck.

Liam continued to thrust up into Ivy, his injured leg straight out in front of him while his uninjured right leg rested against the floor, giving him the traction he needed to push up into her body. He pictured her in his mind, riding him with abandon, and ground into her body as he held her hips still, letting his own selfish desires take over for a moment as he lost himself in Ivy’s beautiful world. Liam let his own orgasm explode out of his cock, the pleasure stealing his breath, his voice as he opened his mouth silently, unable to make anything but a strangled sound as pleasure flowed through every part of his body. His toes even curled as the sensations raged throughout his body.

Finally they both stilled, Ivy bracing herself over him so as to not hurt his injured collar bone. Resting her head against the back of the couch she waited for him to speak, to see what he had to say about the world now. It took a few minutes, she almost expected to hear him snoring it had been so long but then she heard him breath in deeply and waited.

“I didn’t believe you, Ivy, I have to be honest. I really didn’t think there could be anything beautiful in this darkness, but you were right. There is still beauty here.”

Ivy pulled him off the couch and got the plastic cover for his leg, determined to shower him and get him back in bed relaxed and ready for round two. “You’ve not seen anything yet, darling, that’s only the beginning.”

* * *

“Hey, Ivy, do you realize this song is almost two songs in one? I never quite noticed it but it sounds like there are two sets of drums playing a different song at the same time! How did I never notice that? Ivy? Where’d you go, love?” Liam wandered through Ivy’s apartment, his home for the last six weeks, and finally found her in her office, typing away at her new novel. She’d been typing for days now, wandering off periodically to type furiously for a few hours then she’d emerge, happy but tired. He’d come to realize that writing could be mentally fatiguing after experiencing this with her.

He’d been fascinated when he’d learned she typed her novels. He’d just assumed she’d used a voice program or something. Ivy had explained she’d learned to type before she lost her vision and she used a program that spoke the words back to her to ensure no errors were made, but that she didn’t often make an error. Liam found it all very fascinating and would often sit smiling as she typed so quickly he couldn’t imagine how her fingers weren’t stumbling over each other.

As he walked into the room he called out to her again but stopped as he realized he could see something, light maybe, and some kind of shadow. “Ivy?” he said again and this time she heard him because the uncertain note in his voice caught her attention.

“What’s the matter darling? Is something wrong?” She asked, coming from behind her desk to take his hand.

“Nothing, never mind, it’s gone now.” He said, not sure of why he was lying to her, as she pulled him over to her desk, closer to the windows he realized he could see even better.

“What was it my love?”

“I don’t know now. Oh well, anyway, how are you getting on?” He asked, worried about his response of fear and uncertainty.

“It’s going well. I’m happy with it so far. Don’t you have an appointment with your doctor this afternoon? We’d better get you ready.” She said, reaching up to his face to kiss him.

“Yes, I do, but why don’t you stay here and work on your novel? I know that’s important. Andy can come and take me. I haven’t seen him this week anyway so you just keep working, darling. I’ll be fine.”

Andy retrieved Liam and took him to the doctor but Liam didn’t say much on the drive over. He just stared out of the window, lost in his own thoughts. As he walked into the office of his doctor, he realized the blurriness was leaving the edges of his sight and becoming far clearer. With each hour that passed it was getting better and better. After his doctor came in and assured him it was not a fluke that his eyes were finally healing from the blow and the inflammation and that his sight may return rapidly or slowly but it was definitely returning he was even more afraid. How was he going to tell Ivy?

Logically he knew that she’d be happy for him but they’d created their own world in the darkness. She’d longed for her own vision to return but had finally given up on the idea and made her own way. This could be devastating for her. He made the doctor promise not to reveal the news to anyone and went out to find Andy waiting for him. Andy had become so used to Liam finding him through sound that he was a bit shocked when Liam walked right up to him without Andy actually saying a word. Andy knew without being told.

“You can see again can’t you? You really were staring out of the window in the car on the way over, you weren’t just facing that way, you were really staring. Ivy’s going to be so pleased for you!” He slapped his friend on the shoulder and went to walk out of the surgery.

“You can’t tell Ivy, Andy, you can’t. You can’t tell anyone until I’m really sure this is permanent. Promise!” Liam insisted.

“Well, if you insist mate but I think you should tell Ivy at least. It’s your choice.”