Don't Leave

Chapter 11

Amanda's POV

Going to sleep was a horrible idea. The moment I closed my eyes all I could see was that night. God that horrible night. Please, please get off me. I pleaded. No use I was stuck here.

Nick's POV

I got to the hospital and found she was sleeping. Only moments after I got there Liv came in.
"Nick what is going on with you?" She asked.
"No, please, please get off me" we heard Amanda say.
We looked at her than each other.
"Must be having a nightmare again." I said. "Amanda, wake up."
She still was asleep talking to herself. I started walking towards her when out of no where she bolted up. She looked around for a second than laid back down.
"I'm sorry." She said. "Just a bad dream"
After what she told me last night I knew she was bothered by it much more then she was letting on.
"Nick can I see you in the hall" It wasn't really a question but more of a demand from Liv.
"Ok what is going on with you?"
"Look Liv it's nothing"
"Nick, clearly it is you rushed down here like a bat out of hell."
"Ok fine. Just don't tell Amanda you know. She needs someone she feels like she can trust." I reluctantly told Olivia what Amanda has told me the previous night.
"Nick none of that is your fault." she tried convincing me.
"No you don't get it, I wasn't there when she needed me, when I should of been there for her." I didn't tell her about Amanda's dream where she was screaming for me.
Olivia kinda gave up trying to convince me otherwise.
"Well you're here now, and she can see that. Now go back in there."
I went back in alone closing the door behind me. She was on her side facing away from me and didn't acknowledge me.
"I'm sorry Amanda. I really am." I started. "I should of never left you."
She didn't respond. I walked over to the other side of the bed. She was crying silently her hair covering most of her face. I brushed the hair out of her face.
"You shouldn't be sorry." She whispered. "This all started because of me."
"It's not your fault." I sat down next to her.
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that."
I hated this. I hated seeing her hurt, so broken. I didn't know how to help anymore.
"You wanna go to sleep?" I asked unsure of how to help her.
"I can't. I don't want to see his face again, any of their faces." I could see in her eyes she was starting to feel uneasy.
"I'm sorry. I can tell you none of them will ever touch you again." I attempted to relax her.
"You don't know that." She whispered.
"Yes I do" I attempted to brush the strands of hair on her face only for her to jump back. I forgot how sensitive she was to any contact.
"You need to sleep eventually" I finally said.
"I can't" a single tear fell down her cheek.
"I'll be right here to wake you up I'd you have a nightmare. And I swear to god I'm not leaving" I grabbed her hand.
"You need to get back to work."
"Work can wait."

Seven times. That was how many times I've had to wake her in only two hours. She never told me what they were about, but clearly it wasn't good. As she was asleep I took it as an opportunity to get a closer look at her hands. Underneath the bandages was horribly burnt flesh.
"He did that when I tried to escape." I hadn't noticed she woke up.
"I got to the end of the driveway before he grabbed me."
"What happened next?" I know it was a risk asking, but I desperately wanted to know... At least I thought I did.
"It started out like a normal punishment. He tied me up did whatever he felt like doing. I thought he was don't but then..."
The fact she used normal as a way to describe the way he raped and tortured her was terrifying.
"Then he came back with a lighter. He chained my hands and feet and held the lighter up to each one. I passed out before he could finish the first hand. He simply woke me up with a splash of water and continued." Of course when it was over I couldn't walk. I couldn't move without screaming. So he just dragged me back upstairs with him. I never tried escaping again."

I sat there for a minute trying to think about what to say. What could I even say? So I didn't say anything. I just wrapped her in a hug.
"I need to sleep" she finally whispered.
"Ok" I let go her and started leaving.
"Nick" she called out.
"Yeah?"
"Please don't leave"