With the Lights Off...

(73): You Should Be Here

Nina's POV

A week later

"Nina."

Please don't go.

"Nina."

Stay with me. Stay.

"Nina!"

Hold on. Don't let go. Don't let go. Don't let go.

"Nina!"

"NO!"

I shot up and my eyes opened wide, my entire body shaking.

"Dear God," Ian said, his voice shaky. He sat in front of me and took me by the shoulders. "What happened?"

I swallowed hard, my entire face soaked in tears. I shook my head and panted heavily, wrapping my arms around Ian.

He rest his chin on my shoulders and rubbed his hands down my back. "Bad dream again?"

I nodded and sniffled. "I'm so sorry," I whispered.

"Don't be," he said, pressing his lips to my temple. "It's been happening every other night though and I'm worried. Do you want to tell me about it?"

I shook my head and he sighed. "I understand," he said, pulling back to hold me at arm's length. His blue eyes were almost shocking in this light. He ran his thumbs over my cheeks and kissed my forehead. "I'm going to stay up as long as you want, just to make sure you're okay."

I closed my eyes and muttered "I'm scared that if I go back to sleep it will just happen again."

He smiled softly and placed his hand on my cheek again. "I promise it won't, okay?" he said. "Remember that night at the hospital? When Paul was confined and you and I slept in the guest room? You had a bad dream and I slept next to you. It didn't come back again, did it?"

I smiled, remembering that night that saved everything. "Actually, I just wanted an excuse to have you next to me again," I said. "I missed sleeping next to you."

"There's nowhere else I'd have you sleep, my love," he said, kissing me softly. "Now please go to sleep. I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"My nightmares are in my head, there's nothing you can do to keep them from coming in," I said.

"Well then," he said, pulling me back to lie down on the bed. I lied back down, facing him. He placed his hand on the curve of my waist and pulled me closer to him. "Think of me. Of my inhuman gorgeousness and crazy hot body. That's surely going to make that nightmare go away."

I shook my head and grabbed him by his neck, kissing him softly. "Maybe, I just need to sleep somewhere else for tonight," I said. "I don't want to keep waking you and worrying you."

"So you think moving to the couch will help?" he said, moving away.

I bit my lip and stood up, shrugging my shoulders. "I just need to be alone with my thoughts right now," I said, kissing his forehead. "I'll talk to you tomorrow morning, okay?"

Ian sat up and just nodded stiffly, watching me as I exited the room.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, I let myself cry.

Especially because of the look on Ian's face.

He was getting tired of this.

---

Two weeks later

"Nina."

Please don't go.