Don't Leave

Chapter 35

Amanda's POV

Things were going so well that night that was until I fell asleep. I must've been screaming because I woke up to Apollo laying on top me and Nick shaking me saying "it's just a dream"
"I wish it was just a dream." I told him.
"You wanna talk about it."
It had been about that first night with Caleb.
"It was about Caleb." I left it at that.
He looked disturbed, but quickly changed his expression. Did he know something?
"I can't go back to sleep." I confessed "I can't relive that again." I started crying.
"I'll be right here. Any sign of a nightmare and I'll wake you up. Alright?"
I reluctantly agreed.

Nick's POV

I was up all night waking her up seven times total. Needless to say I was exhausted at work.
"How are you holding up?" Liv asked knowing my answer.
"Seven times. I had to wake her up seven times. Each time she fell back to sleep she'd start screaming again."
Liv gave me a look of pity.
"We're trying to find this Caleb guy." She said. "We will find him"

The night terrors went on nightly. Sometimes she'd go as far as running outside attempting to escape the dream. One night in particular was awful.
"No, please stop!" She yelled.
"Amanda, hey wake up."
"No!" She screamed
She started kicking and hitting me. Still asleep she got up and bolted out of the room.
"Amanda!" I called after her.
I closed the door so Apollo couldn't follow knowing she could get violent.
"Amanda!"
I tried again, but before I could stop her she went tumbling down the stairs. I looked downstairs. She wasn't moving. I ran down.
"Amanda, come on wake up."
She opened her eyes and looked at me in terror then began to cry.
"Please don't hurt me. I promise I'll be good." She begged.
"I'm not gonna hurt you."
"Everyone always says that and they always lie! Now what do you want from me?!"
I could hear Apollo barking from upstairs.
"I can't do this anymore Nick." She cried.
I tried hugging her but she darted across the room away from me.
"Come on Manda"
She attempted to throw her hands in front of her face but instead ended up hitting my face. She looked at me shocked, fearful. Then just like that she took off upstairs. I followed managing to catch her before she made it to the door. She threw herself on the floor bringing her knees to her chest and covering her face.
"I didn't mean to" she cried.
"I know you didn't."
"I'll be good I promise."
"Come on." I picked her up and carried her back to bed.
She quickly curled up into a ball.
"Please don't do this." She pleaded with me.
Apollo started whining unsure of what to do.
"I'm not gonna do anything I promise." I told her.
I covered her with the blanket as she continued to plea with me. Eventually exhaustion got the better of her and she fell asleep, Apollo resting his head on her back.
I left the room and slept on the sofa figuring she'd probably prefer me gone right now.

It was unusually warm for mid February at 52°. I got to precinct at around 7:30 in the morning and the day went by slow. Very slow. It had a huge a relief having Apollo. She no longer had to sit at home alone in fear.

Amanda's POV

I slept till noon but still was exhausted. Last night was still playing in my head. It was just a dream. I tried telling myself, but everything was so real. Nick had done it. He had had enough of me.
I heard a noise coming from the back room and immediately Apollo raced back and started barking.
"Apollo!" I yelled after him.
I heard a door slam.
"Apollo?" I said as uneasiness filled me.
Before I could even move from the sofa there were hands over my mouth.
"Hello darling, long time no see."

Nick's POV

At one I went home to drop off some lunch only to find an empty house.
"Amanda?!" I called.
Whining came from a room. Inside the room I found Apollo with blooded paws and the door completely scratched up. He was pacing anxiously and I knew something was wrong.

"What happened?" Fin and Liv asked the moment the walked into the house.
"She's gone. Someone took her." I said.
"How do you know for sure?"
I pointed at Apollo.
"He was locked up and clearly in distress because he scratched the door till his paws bled. The neighbors said the heard barking and a lot of commotion."
"Could she of just ran away again?" Liv asked.
"Look at the dog. He's a basket case he knows something happened. Something bad."