Lizzie's daughter <3

Chapter 9: Heading Home

We finally pull up, after a silent, not awkward, but silent car journey back home.

Robbie comes around and opens the door for us, Lizzie getting out first then reaching out a hand for me. I grab it and let her pull me out before we all head into the house.

R: "why don't you guys go lay down and maybe put on a movie and I'll get some hot chocolates?"

We both give a little nod and walk upstairs hand and hand. When I go to try go to my room, Lizzie tightens her hold on my hand and tugs me towards their room.

I haven't been in there yet.

Not to lay with them anyway.

Yes Robbie has stayed with me that once but I've never really lay with other people before. I don't reject her offer though and just follow her into their room.

She pulls back the covers and settles against the headboard and then motions for me to join her, patting the space beside her, with the hand that isn't holding mine.

I can't bring myself to join her; I do want it more than anything, but I don't know how to lay with someone and be comfortable with it.

When she notices me pause. She too, pauses. And doesn't rush me.

Yet when Robbie comes up with a tray of hot chocolate, and he places them down on the bedside table before taking my hand and guiding me to sit with him, I somehow don't hesitate.

I sit between the two of them, somewhat snuggled into Robbie's side. Despite the film playing in front of us, I have no intention of watching it, feeling far too tired.

I see Lizzie playing with her fingers, seemingly uncomfortable. I realise that today was probably a lot for her. And then to her, it seems like I just pushed her off after her trying to defend me to her mom, likely because she knew it was upsetting me. And here I am cuddled into her husband, who I've seemed to actually accept and be comfortable around.

Now I'm realising I don't know the whole story of what happened after what Lizzie's mom said today. And I know I need to ask Lizzie about it, if she doesn't tell me. But that's a tomorrow problem. Right now, I'm thankful for Lizzie for today. And I think she deserves to know that.

From my place tucked into Robbie's side i let out a yawn, as I shift to lay down. I shuffle myself closer to Lizzie from where I am between them, snuggling into her leg, since both her and Robbie are still sitting up.

I hear a little sigh of contentment coming from Lizzie, as she gently places her hands on my head and shifts me, so that my head is fully resting in her lap.

I close my eyes as I feel her hand stroking my hair and my cheek, lulling me to sleep. But what I don't see, is the massive smile on her face, as well as Robbie's, as they continue to watch the film until they inevitably join me in falling asleep for the night.

——

When I wake up gasping for air at 3am I can't say I'm surprised.

I do have nightmares.

And triggering situations tend to equal more nightmares.

I had Lizzie's mom's words just repeating and repeating, over and over and over.

This time there was no screaming, so nobody woke up to help me.

Instead, I move a little closer to a sleeping Lizzie and move to gently rest my head on her chest.

Listening to her steady heartbeat helping me instantly calm down as I snuggle into her as close as I can get and wrap my arms around her so that even when I fall asleep I'll stay basically attached to her.

I feel her shift a little so i whisper a quiet "sorry" in case I woke her up, and loosen my grip around her. I get an "'s okay" in response as she leans down to kiss my head.

After letting out a yawn she sits up and asks "are you alright?" Making me just nod as I'm staring at the wall in front of us. She asks "really" so I look up at her, conveying exactly what I'm feeling through my eyeballs, exactly like she does.

She cups my cheeks nodding while uttering "it's okay, I've got you, it's just me and Robbie here with you baby" as she leaves long kisses on my forehead still holding my cheeks.

After a few minutes she then mumbles "should we go back to sleep? It's still really early and I bet you're exhausted honey. I promise you're safe with me. Always."

I lay back down next to her with a weary look, not wanting to make her uncomfortable by laying practically on top of her like before.

But as she shifts back down onto the bed, she gestures for me to move closer, and when I do she pulls me to lay basically fully on top of her, snuggled into her chest as she holds me in her arms.

And we both fall back to sleep in the comfort of each other, for the very first time.

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A/N ummm so this is shorter, but I didn't want to leave it any longer. Truthfully I need to plan what I want to do with this book so if anyone has anything they'd like to see included that would be appreciated!