WINTERING

Chapter 9: Don't Worry

A MONTH PASSES

HARPER'S POV: The first time I heard Duncan wake up screaming in the middle of the night, I was startled and scared. I quickly realized that it was one of the demons from his past that had followed him home. I gently shook him awake and held him in my arms until his breathing steadied and the screams turned into sobs. As the days passed, I noticed this was a recurring pattern. Some nights were worse than others, and I would spend hours trying to calm Duncan down and assure him that he was safe. I held his hand and listened to him talk about his experiences, knowing it was a small way to help him cope.

Time passed and we both decided to move in together, I noticed a change in Duncan. The nightmares seemed to occur less frequently, and when they did, he was able to wake himself up before they turned into a full-blown panic attack. I couldn't help but feel relieved that he was starting to heal from the horrors he had witnessed. Living together, I could be there for each other every night, and it seemed to make a significant difference in his healing process. Duncan also seemed calmer and more relaxed around the house, contrasting the tense and anxious man I first met.

One of the most noticeable changes was his smoking habit. Duncan used to smoke a pack a day, but as we started sharing a home, he gradually reduced his smoking to just a few cigarettes a day. He didn't want the smell of smoke to bother me, so he always stood outside on the balcony when he needed a smoke. I enjoyed the smell of his cigarettes. It reminded me of him and the rugged, no-nonsense man he used to be. It reminded me of all the battles he had faced and had yet to overcome. Despite the progress, there were still rough nights when Duncan would wake up screaming, drenched in sweat, and trembling with fear.

I was always there to hold him and remind him that he was no longer in the warzone, that he was safe with me. Eventually, with my love and support, the bad dreams became rarer and rarer until they were almost non-existent. I watched as Duncan slowly but indeed broke free from the grasp of his PTSD and started living a more peaceful life. And every time I caught a whiff of cigarette smoke, I couldn't help but smile, knowing that it was a small price to pay for the progress he had made in overcoming his demons. And in those moments, I felt grateful and fortunate to have been a part of his journey towards healing.