Tick Tick Boom

Ryder

"Sweet dreams, Angel." I mutter into Charlie's ear and I feel her instantly relax in my arms.

I watch Charlie sleeps in my hold and her breaths come steady as sleep takes her under. Her glossed lips are parted and her cheeks are rosy with colour.

I place a kiss on her forehead and wrap her close to me and take this chance to inhale her scent. Charlie's the perfect combination of lavender and rosemary, but you can also smell the undertones of citrus from her body wash.

Some time passes and Charlie stirs in her sleep which makes me look down at her. Her brows are drawn tight and her leg kicks out hitting me in the shin.

"Fucking hell-"

I go to grab my shin but Charlie's slaughter doesn't stop. Now both legs are kicking out and her head thrashes side to side.

"Charlie." my voice is panicked with a lace of concern.

"Charlie-" I try again but her cries stop me.

"No- No stop."

I try and keep a hold of her but it's useless when her body is crashing like waves against rocks.

"Charlie." I demand, my voice is now deep and harsh to try and wake her up.

Her fists come up and start pounding against my chest as I try to restrict them.

"Stop, please." Charlie begs and it breaks my heart. Tears stream down her face as she begins to sob. Her feet and hands have stopped but she is still wound tight and tense.

Scooping her up in my lap I pick her up and get off the bed with her, placing her back down and climbing on top of her.

"Charlie..." my hands shoot out and frame her face, pushing her hair back.

"Charlie." My voice becomes weaker as I wipe her tears away with my thumb.

"Charlie..." My voice is now a whisper as I plead that she wakes up.

I'm there for a few minutes wiping away the tears that escape before her eyes flutter open, and I have never been happier to see those bluish-greyish eyes.

She looks up at me and sniffles before taking a deep breath in, "Hi..." Her voice is all gravely and thick.

"Hi." I say back smiling, stroking her cheek.

Charlie swallows and her hand comes up to lie on the side of my face.

"You had me worried." Which she did. I was absolutely terrified. I've never seen her have a nightmare like that before, I've never seen her have a nightmare at all.

Charlie doesn't reply to me but her face says it all. Her eyes are glazed over with a new batch of tears. I sit up on her and take her with me, holding her close. I place my hand on the back of her head and the other in the middle of her back.

Charlie links her fingers behind my neck as her forehead connects with mine, our noses touching. Her tears racing down her cheeks and falling onto her top.

"I'm sorry. I-" She pulls her head back a fraction to look at me. Her eyes are searching mine before her head comes back down, but she doesn't stop there. Charlie tilts her head to the side and her lips come down onto mine.

I kiss her back on reflex. Her lips taste salty from her tears. I rake my hand into her hair as my other hand travels to her lower back.

Her tongue swipes across my mouth wanting access and I grant it. My mouth opens and our tongues twine together, our kiss never-ending.

When I start kneading her waist I feel Charlie freeze underneath me. She breaks our kiss and I open my eyes to look down at her. Charlie is wide-eyed and her chest is rising and falling dramatically.

"Are you okay?-" I begin to ask but Charlie starts scrambling under me trying desperately to free herself.

"I'm sorry I can't-" seeing her struggle I crawl off of her and she shoots off the bed and into her bathroom. I hear the thud of the door meeting the frame and the lock twisting into place.

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