Consequences

Chapter 4

Ian's POV

Sitting on the couch, staring at the wall in front of me I can't stop thinking about Lucy. I carried her to the apartment and she's currently sleeping in her bedroom while I'm here, trying to find an explanation for what happened today. I want to help her but to do that I have to break the walls she built around herself and knowing Lucy as well as I do I'm pretty sure she won't let me in easily... she never does. Lucy is one of those people who never wants to burden the others with her problems. She always says she's fine and tries her best to look happy but that's what is consuming her right now. She thinks I'd hate her but I would never hater her... simply because I love her.... more than words can describe, and I wish she could see that.

When I arrived here a few days ago I'd never thought I'd find her like this... but I guess I should have known it was something really bad because she would never leave like that if it weren't. Now that I'm here and I see how she's struggling and drowning I won't leave before I help her. That's for sure. No matter what I have to do, how long I have to stay here or how hard it is I'll be always there for her when she needs me.

"STOP!" I hear Lucy screaming from the bedroom and immediately get up and run to meet her.

As soon as I open the door I hear her crying and whispering "leave me alone" and "please" while tossing and turning on the bed. I slowly approach the side of the bed as the only light illuminating the room coming from the hall and I can barely see. Once I reach her I cup her face in my hand, trying to wake her up without startling her.

"Hey, Goose... Wake up." I whisper, worried.

I call her a few more times until her eyes suddenly open and she looks around, scared.

"It's ok. You're-"

"Don't touch me!" she yells as she recoils from my touch when I try to caress her cheek.

"Hey. It's me. I'm not going to hurt you. You're ok. You had a nightmare but it's ok now." I gently tell her, sitting on the bed, beside her.

A few seconds later she wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly and starts crying. I run my hands through her hair and back, telling her she's ok now. I can feel her tears falling on my shirt and how hard she's grasping it and it kills me seeing her like this.

"I'm going to make you a tea. I'll be back in a sec." I say.

"No." she says when I try to get up, holding me even tighter. "Please don't leave me alone." She cries.

"Luce, I'll be right back."

"Please. Just... just hold me." She begs, her voice breaking as she says the last words and something in the way she's so scared, desperate and broken scares me. How can a nightmare have this effect on someone?

I do what she asked me. I hold her for a long time, knowing that, right now, this is the best I can do for her. So I keep holding and soothing her until she calms down and falls asleep in my arms. I then tuck her in bed and kiss her forehead.

"Don't leave." She whispers as I get up to leave.

"I won't. I'll be in the living room."

"I mean... stay here... with me. Please."

I know I probably shouldn't and that she might get mad at me tomorrow when she wakes up and finds me in her bed but after everything that happened today I just can't leave her alone. I don't care what'll happen tomorrow. Right now she's all that matters to me and if she wants me here then I'll stay here.

Lucy's POV

I wake up to the sound of the birds singing and sunlight coming in through the window. I panic as I feel arms around me but as soon as I remember last night's events and breathe in his scent I relax. I have no idea how his arms found their way to my waist, how I wrapped my arms around his or how we are so close to one another and his chin is resting on my head. I'm not going to complain though. I smile, for the first time in a long time. Not one of the fake smiles I've been putting on lately but a genuine smile. I slowly turn around, careful not to wake him up, and snuggle closer to him.